A New Creature, Discourse · Chapter 7
Chap. VII. An Uſe of Correction for Reforming Sinners Miſtakes.
MY third Uſe is [foreign] for Correction, or Caſtigation of what is amiſs, in order to a Reſtitution of the Souls of Sinners to their priſtin rectitude, for that's the notion of this Word: for it ſignifies not only Correction of Manners, but rectifying of inward Faculties, as Criticks obſerve. I muſt confeſs, the Work is arduous, and indeed 'tis impoſſible for a finite Creature to work this New Creature: the beſt Miniſters are but Inſtruments; and what can the Ax do without the Hand to move it, or the Sword without the Hand to wield it? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but Miniſters by whom ye believed? 1 Cor. 3.5. I am (ſaid worthy Mr. Baxter) but a Pe… for God to write with. Well then, ſhall we do nothing, becauſe we cannot do all? He tha… ſet us a work, is able to ſecond our Work with his Benediction: the World hath been form'… new by this bleſſed Word of Truth.
I ſhall therefore make one Experiment more to ſee what the great God will do for a New Creation upon the Souls of Men; humbly imploring the Bleſſing of Heaven upon my poor Endeavours: In proſecuting this Point, I ſhall uſe ſome perſwaſive Arguments to prevail with poo… Sinners, to look after it in due time.
2. Anſwer what Objections Sinners can make againſt it, and ſo make way for the next Uſe of Inſtruction.
7. For Motives, Arguments, I ſhall not repeat any thing drawn [ab utili] the advantages thereof uſed in the Doctrinal part, as 1. Rectifying the Souls Faculties: 2. Evidencing Electing Love: 3. Conſecrating the Soul for God: 4. Fitting it for Communion with God: 5. Entituling to Chriſt: 6. Producing true Joy: 7. Intailing all things profitable: 8. Putting the Soul into a ſafe State: 9. As rendring them uſeful: 10. Fitting them for Goſpel-Privileges: 11. Preparing them for Death and Heaven: 12. Yea, is an Heaven begun. All theſe might be improved as ſtrong Arguments to perſwade Sinners to preſs after it.
But I ſhall further draw ſome Arguments [à periculo] from the danger Sinners are in, till they become New Creatures.
1. If you are not New Creatures, you are not true Chriſtians: For if any man be in Chriſt, he is a New Creature, 2 Cor. 5.17. i.e. Whoever is worthy the Name of Chriſtian, fit for ſo high a Character, he muſt neceſſarily be a New Creature, or elſe he arrogates to himſelf an high Title, not belonging to him: And alas, what will a bare Name ſignifie? [nomen inane, crimen immane] arrogating ſuch an high Title, is a piece of high Preſumption; nay, its no leſs then Blaſphemy, when men call themſelves Jews (or Chri…tians) and are not, Rev. 2.9. Even as it is Treaſon againſt the rightful Soveraign, for any Sub…ect to intitle himſelf King: what horrid Preſumption are graceleſs Sinners guilty of? for whatever you may account your ſelves, God accounts you no better then Heathens: uncircumciſed Judah is ranked with Aegypt, Edom, Ammon, Moab, in Scripture, Jer. 9.26. Are ye not as children of Aethiopians to me, O children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, Amos 9.7. Prophane Saul is called a Cuſhite, Pſal. 7, 54, and 59., And graceleſs Jews, though of the true Religion, are accounted as Strangers; and God eſteems wicked Princes, rulers of Sodom, and People of Gomorrah, Iſa. 1.10. though his People by Profeſſion: And what if God account you (that brag of the Chriſtian Name) no better then Jews, Mahometans, Heathens? You are like to fare no better than they.
2. You will fare worſe then they: God will judge you according to the Helps and Advantages you have had: it will be worſe with you than Sodom and Gomorrah, Tyre and Sidon, Matth 11.20-24. Yea, the Men of Nineveh, and Queen of the South, ſhall riſe up in Judgment againſt Graceleſs Profeſſors of the true Religion, Matth. 12.41, 42. Oh, how dreadful a Rebuke will this be? They may ſay, If we had heard ſo much of Chriſt, and Goſpel-Grace, we would have framed more to compliance therewith, we knew not what eſtate we were in, or what would be the aſtoniſhing Conſequence thereof, as you heard from day to day: we never pretended ſuch high Principles, nor were engaged by Baptiſm to be God's Servants, Subjects, Soldiers, as you were. Now we know that the Soldier that hath taken Preſs-Money, and is falſe, or fights none, or is a Renegado, hath the heavieſt doom, Mat. 24.51. The Hypocrites are free Denizons of Hell, its their proper place: You had better been born in India, then in England, in Turkey, then within the Pale of the Church, and not be New Creatures; yea, better have been no Creatures, or vileſt Creatures, than not be New Creature, as our Lord ſaid of Judas, It had been better if he had never been born, John 1. So ſay I. and not new born: If you lived and dyed as Beaſts, there's an End of you, you would feel neither Weal nor Woe; but it will be otherwiſe with you: Wo, wo, to you that ever you were born: Lord have mercy on you.
3. If you be not New Creatures, you are Slaves to, and bear the Image of the Devil: you are lead captive by him at his pleaſure, 2 Tim 2.26. Yea, you are his willing Slaves: its converting Grace only that brings out of the power of Satan, Acts 26.18. But they are inviſible Fetters; for he holds his black Hand over the Sinners Eye, and worketh effectually in his heart, 2 Cor. 4.4. Eph. 2.2. that the poor Slave will not believe his Slavery, but thinks he is a Freeman, though he be holden with the cords of his ſins, Prov. 5.22. and drag'd apace Hell-wards: O worſe then Aegyptian Bondage, or Turkiſh Slavery! who would abide it? Yea, without this New Creation, you have the Devil's Image upon you, you are the very Picture of that infernal Fiend; ſo that if it be asked, whoſe Image and Superſcription is this? It muſt be anſwered, Satan's. Our Lord tells the Jews, You are of your Father the Devil, John 8.44. Your Envy is the Devil's Eye, your Hypocriſie the Devil's cloven Foot, your Lying the Devil's Tongue; your carnal Policy the Devil's Head; your Pride and Self-conceit the Devil's lofty Countenance, and all theſe will end in the Devil's deſpair. Oh tremble, to carry ſuch a reſemblance to God's enemy: It's ſtoryed, that when they brough Tamerlane a Pot of Gold, he asked what Stam… was upon it; when he underſtood it had th… Roman Stamp, he utterly refuſed it: Even … will God reject you, if the Devil's ſtamp be o… you, you'l be no currant Money with God, th… you have golden Gifts.
4. If you be not New Creatures, God an… you are fallen out, there's an enmity and anti… pathy betwixt the holy God and your carn… Hearts: and this is the height of a Creatures S… and miſery. It is very obſervable that in th… middle of that black Bed-roll of Heathens Sins Rom. 1.29, 30, 31. that curſed Root and Sprin… [haters of God] being in the midſt, it diffuſet its malignant Influence backward and forwards to actuate all thoſe Sins: Not that the Creatur… can directly intend to be an Enemy to God, b… that a graceleſs Perſon is interpretatively, an… conſequentially an enemy to God, the chiefe good: as he is an enemy to Holineſs, Juſtic… Truth, which are divine Perfections, ſo God at counts them that are Enemies to his Soveraig… ry, Luk. 19.27. yea, the carnal mind is enm… it ſelf againſt God, Rom. 8.7. And S… turns God to be an Enemy, Zech. 11.8. Iſa. 6.10. And there's no Perſon that God hates an… deſpiſeth ſo much, as this hypocritical Pretende Pſal. 73.20. O Lord, when thou awakeſt, the ſhalt deſpiſe their Image; Either it is ſpoken wicked men's Proſperity, which God ſlights, … but an imaginary thing, or elſe the Image of temporary Profeſſion, with their phantaſtical Faith, Piety, Devotion, which now the rotten-hearted hypocrite danceth about in, in his pleaſed thoughts, as a man in a Dream, conceits himſelf a great Prince; but a Day is coming, that this great Idol ſhall be broken, and the Worſhippers of it hiſſed down to Hell with greateſt Shame and Diſdain: for 'tis ſaid of the Ape, becauſe he hath the Face, but not the Soul of a Man, he is the moſt ridiculous and odious of all Creatures: Thus an hypocritical Judas is more abhorred of the Lord, then a bloody Pilate, for 'tis an high Crime for an ignoble Perſon to counterfeit himſelf to be a King's Son, and a falſe Friend is more deteſted than an open Enemy: Such are thoſe that pretend friendſhip to God, and are his real Enemies.
5. If you be not New Creatures, you are not capable of getting good by any Ordinances and Providences: nothing will do you good, for you want a Principle and Capacity to improve any thing: you are ſpiritually dead, dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, Eph. 2.1. It is this New Creation alone that puts Life into you; Preaching to you, is but [ſurdo canere] as ſinging to a deaf man, ſpeaking to a Stone: that which is nouriſhing Food to a living man, corrupts, and turns to putrefaction in a dead Man's Mouth: though the Sinner breaths, yet he lives not: naturally alive, ſpiritually dead; this is the worſt kind of Death, for he is alienated from the Life of God, Eph. 4.18. Heb. 9.14. As his Works are but dead works, ſo his Soul is but a dead rotten Carcaſe: Its true, a poor carnal dead Sinner, that is naturally alive, may hear a ſound in the Miniſtry of the Word, but receives not the Sence, conceives not aright of the Significancy of what he hears. Its worth your obſerving that its ſaid of Saul's Companions, Acts 7.9. They heard a Voice: yet its ſaid, Acts 22.9. They heard not the voice of him that ſpake to me. Are not theſe inconſiſtent? No, they heard indeed a Sound, but nothing diſtinctly, or they might hear a Voice, but not Chriſt's, as Saul did; even ſo in an Ordinance, men may hear diſtinctly the Voice of a Man, but not the Voice of God, ſo as to fall down and confeſs, that God is there of a truth, 1 Cor. 14.25. This is that which makes ſuch a difference of Hearers in the ſame Auditory; Some hear what the Spirit ſaith, Rev. 2. Others profit not from Day to Day, becauſe the Word is not mixed with Faith, Heb. 4.2. The Chymiſt can do nothing without Fire: the Sinner will neither do, nor receive Good by any thing without the Spirit, and this bleſſed New Creation.
6. Without the New Creature, you will not be ſecured from the worſt of Sins: for as you want a Principle of Obedience; ſo you have no reaſon to expect aſſiſtance from Heaven: its only God's fear in your hearts, that keeps you from departing from him, Jer. 32.40. Indeed the Text ſaith, 1 John. 3.9. Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin, for his Seed remaineth in him. But alas, you want this Seed; there is in you the Fomes, Spawn, Spring, Root of all Abominations, there want nothing but a Tap to give it vent: Satan will be ready enough to fill your hearts to lye to the Holy Ghoſt, Acts 5.3. To betray Jeſus, to run into all Exceſs of Riot, if Satan find his Houſe empty [of Saving Grace] though it be ſwept, Matth. 12.43, 44, 45. [from ſome groſs Sins by Morality] garniſhed [with Gifts and common Graces] he will take to himſelf ſeven other Spirits more wicked, and take faſter poſſeſſion; as thoſe that eſcaped ſome groſs Pollutions, yet are again intangled, their latter end is worſe then their beginning, 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. Theſe may, and likely will wallow in worſe mire then ever before: Beſides, God may in Juſtice, give you up to your own hearts Luſts, Pſal. 81. or to ſtrong deluſions, to believe a Lye, 2 Theſ 2.10, 11. If God leave you, who knows whither you may be hurried? you will fall downwards into Sin, and grow worſe and worſe, till you be diabolized; as demure as you ſeem to be, you may commence Perſecutors, and Blaſphemers, Atheiſts, and to that height of Impiety, that now you ſhrug and tremble at; yea, you may commit that unpardonable Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt: You ſay now, God forbid, is thy Servant a Dog? ſo ſaid Hazael: but how canſt thou be ſecured? thou haſt no hold of God by Faith, and God hath no hold of thee in a Covenant-relation, for thou wanteſt the Graces of the Covenant: look to they ſelf, for God will not look to thee, till thou be his: and thou canſt not look ſo to thy ſelf, but thou mayſt prove a prophane Eſau, a ſcoffing Iſhmael, a betraying Judas: who knows where thou wilt ſtop, whither thou wilt run?
7. If you be not New Creatures, you will meet with a woful diſappointment: Oh, remember the caſe of the Fooliſh Virgins, that too late found they had no Oyl in their Lamps, or Grace in their Hearts, when the Door was ſhut, and they ſhut out, and cryed Lord open to us, Mat. 25.8-12. Oh what an aſtoniſhing Word was that, I know you not. It will not be loud Cries, or Heart-renting Lamentations that will pierce the Ears of a Righteous God: Oh think how dreadful it will be to go off the Stage with a lye in your right hand, Iſa. 44.20.-50.11. To walk all your days by Sparks of your own kindling, and lie down in Sorrow. It would vex any Man to be cheated with Pebbles for Pearls, Flint for Diamond. Men ſay, when they are cheated, they would rather have given three times as much, then to be thus abuſed: but thus it is with you, the Devil impoſeth on you, and leſt you ſhould ſee your Miſtake, the Devil holds his black hand before your Eyes, the God of this World blindeth you, and carries you to Hell in a Golden Dream, in a Fools Paradiſe. Its a dreadful caſe, if your Eyes be never opened till the Flames of Hell flaſh in your ſcorched Faces: If there be no diſcovery till there be no remedy; as ſome Diſeaſes are paſt Cure when they are known: A graceleſs Life brings deſpair of Death. O conſider, poor Sinner, what Relief wilt thou have in thy dying-groans? When this King of Terrors, Job 18.14. this grim Serjeant lays his cold Hand of Arreſt upon thee: Oh what horror will ſeize upon thee? when thy fine ſpun Hope muſt be as the Spiders Web, Job 8.14-11.20. ſwept away with God's Beſom. or give up the Ghost, when thou breatheſt thy laſt, what a dreadful caſe will thy Soul be in? Alas! what haſt thou gained (though thou ſhouldſt gain the World) when God taketh away thy Soul? Mat. 16.26. John 27.8, 9. Thou hadſt better dye a Dog, a Toad, a Serpent, or vileſt Creature, than a Man, if thou be not a New Creature: for the upſhot of their Miſery is but an in-let to thine: its a ſad caſe for a poor Sinner to leave the World, and knows not whither he is going: he muſt not ſtay, and he dares not dye: if his Eyes be opened, and he ſees Hell flames flaſhing in his Eyes, oh! with what a ſhriek muſt his poor confounded Soul deſcend into that Infernal Lake of Fire and Brimſtone; this will be a Day of deſperate Sorrow, Iſa. 8.22. When Men ſhall look to the earth, and behold trouble and darkneſs, dimneſs of anguiſh: and they ſhall be driven to darkneſs: Who can conceive duly of the aſtoniſhing Horrors of a deſparing Soul!
8. Who can tell how quickly this Anguiſh may ſeize upon you: You now live at eaſe, and fear not, becauſe you feel no danger, like Laiſh of Old, and Rome at this day: but when you ſay Peace and Safety, then ſudden deſtruction cometh upon you, as travail upon a woman with-child, and you ſhall not eſcape. Its a dreadful Evil to be ſurprized, 1 Theſ. 5.3. The poor graceleſs Sinner is not ſure to be another Night out of Hell: ſuch a Voice may come to thee, as to that ſenſeleſs ſecure Wretch, that reckoned upon Years, This night ſhall thy Soul be required of thee, Luk. 12 19, 20. Poor Sinner, thou art in continual danger, God is angry with thee every day, Pſal. 7.11, 12. and ſtands with his Sword whet, and Bow bent, and his Arrows ſtringed, and directed to thy Heart; yea, it will come as a Showre, ſuddenly, violently, inevitably; upon the wicked He ſhall rain Fire and Brimſtone, yea, Snares, and an horrible Tempest, Pſal. 11.6. God, thine Enemy, ſtands over thee as an Enemy with a Sword of Vengeance in his Hand, ready to cut thee in pieces: and though thou ſleepeſt, yet thy judgment of a long time ſleeps not, nor thy damnation ſlumber, 2 Pet. 2.3. Oh, who would continue one Hour in ſuch a caſe, when thy Life hangs in doubt, nay, thy immortal Soul is hanging over Hell by the ſmall twittered Thread of thy natural Life: Surely if thou wert condemned and to be executed to morrow, thou wouldſt be much concerned to prevent or prepare for Death: Oh Sinner, bethink thy ſelf, the J…dge ſtandeth before the Door, James 5.9. Heaven or Hell may attend the next Step thou takeſt, the next Breath thou breatheſt: for any thing thou knoweſt, the Word of Coumiſſion may be gone out, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the Ground, Luk. 13.7, 9. At leaſt, it may be the laſt Year, Week, Day or Hour of Indulgence, mad Man that thou art, to ſtand in the place where all God's Arrows fly; thou art the Center where all the …urſes of Law and Goſpel meet. The Roman Emperor wondered that Knight ſlept ſo ſecurely, that was in abundance of Debt, and ſent for his Pillow: Surely thy Pillow is very ſoft, or thy Heart very hard, that can ſleep in ſuch Debts to Juſtice, and not fear an Arreſt, to carry thee to the Priſon of Hell: the Plague is running on thee, and a Lord have mercy on thee, is upon thy Door, and will not this alarum thee, to look about thee?
9. The poſſibility of obtaining this New Creature, will aggravate thy Miſery: hadſt thou been in Turkey or India, and never heard of the firſt Creation, or the Fall, or means of recovery, or a poſſibility of being made New by the Second Adam, thy caſe had been excuſable, at leaſt more tolerable: ſo ſaith our Saviour, If I had not come, and ſpoken unto them, they had not had Sin, but now they have no cloak for their Sin, John 15.22. The old Sinner muſt go into Old Tophet, Iſa. 30.33. And the damned Caitiff will have nothing to eaſe his Torments, not a drop of Honey in his bitter Gall: there was to be no Oyl nor Frankincenſe in the Offering of Jealouſie, Numb. 5.15. Why ſo? becauſe it was a Memorial bringing Iniquity to remembrance: Juſt ſo this dreadful Memorial in Hell, will bring the Sinners ſlighting of Grace, hardening his Heart againſt the Reproofs of the Word, Motions of the Spirit, Checks of Conſcience, Counſels of Miniſters, and all theſe will be as Scorpions to ſting thee, as Oyl to the Flame, to burn hotter. Oh woe is me, Miniſters warned me, told me of my danger, I heeded them not, I did not believe that things would ever come to this paſs: Oh that I had regarded the things that belong to my Peace, but now its too late, my Day is over, my Sun is ſet; the Door is ſhut, the Gulf is fixed, and my Soul ſhut up in everlaſting Darkneſs: theſe will be your deſpairing Groans another Day: Oh take warning while it is called to day; for there will be nothing to mitigate, but much to aggravate your Miſeries, and thus thoſe two Scriptures are reconciled, Rev. 14.10. The ſame ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his Indignation: i. e. without the leaſt Ingredient of Comfort, no Sugar in that bitter Cup of Wormwood: but Pſal. 75.8. In the Hand of the Lord there is a Cup, and the Wine is red, it is full of mixture: i. e. of dreadful Ingredients, to aggravate the Sorrows of damned Miſcreants; yea, theſe wicked Souls ſhall drink the Dregs thereof, and wring them out, i.e. their Hearts ſhall meditate Terror, and their Conſciences ſhall ſqueeze out the aſtoniſhing Circumſtances of their bypaſt Lives, and that Worm ſhall never dye, but be gnawing at their Heart-ſtrings for evermore.
10. Laſtly: You muſt undoubtedly be ſhut out of Heaven, if you live and dye without this New Creature: I told you, that this New Creature fits for Heaven in the Reaſons of the Point, I will now tell you ſome Reaſons, why its impoſſible any Soul that wants it, ſhould go to Heaven; nay, its as poſſible for a Devil to be ſaved as a poor unregenerate Sinner: For,
1. A Soul without this New Creature, hath no Intereſt in Chriſt; For if any man be in Chriſt, he is a New Creature, 2 Cor. 5.17. This is clear, and 'tis as clear that there is no Salvation in any other then in Christ, Acts 4.12. You muſt mount to Heaven alone, if you think to aſcend any other way then upon the Ladder of Jacob, as Conſtantin told Aceſius long ago: its a vain attempt, and its a meer Phrenſie to divide aſſunder, what God hath joyned ſo inviolably together; Holineſs and Happineſs, a new Nature and a new State; if you rend them, God will rend you.
2. Its impoſſible you ſhould walk in the way to Heaven, without being New Creatures, for the End can never be attained without the Uſe of the means. Reaſon tells us, that he that would arrive at London, muſt go by Land or Water, in Ships, or on Horſeback, Coach, or on Foot, or by ſome means or other; or he can never come thither. So it is here, God hath preſcribed Means and Methods for attaining Eternal Happineſs, and bids us enter in at the ſtrait gate, Matth. 7.13, 14. Yea, ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait Gate; And adds, That many ſhall ſeek to enter in, and ſhall not be able, Luk. 13.24. How ſhall they then enter, that neither ſtrive, nor ſeek nor make any Eſſay to enter! And how can they ſeek or ſtrive, that have to ſtrength; nay, that have no life, as a graceleſs Soul is? who is is dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins: and till the Grace of God infuſe new Life into him, with this New Creature, he can neither ſtir Hand nor Foot in a Spiritual Senſe, Heaven-ward, and is not likely to come thither.
3. Nay, he that wants the New Creature, hath no Heart, Mind, or Will to be ſaved: and God ſaves no Man againſt his Will, but his Grace makes them truly willing; and this change of the Will is a conſiderable part of the New Creature, and 'tis a Sovereign Act of free Grace, thy people ſhall be willing in the day of thy Power, Pſal 110.3. None follow the Captain of our Salvation to Heaven, but Volunteers, and there's great need of a vigorous Will, for Heaven muſt be taken by Storm, The Kingdom of Heaven ſuffereth violence, and the violent take it by force, Matth. 11.12. No man will be obedient, except he be willing: there muſt be the Imprimis of a willing Mind, before there be an active Hand, 2 Cor. 8.12. a worſhipping Knee, or a walking Foot: they whoſe Spirits do not make them willing, will not remove from Sin, or move one ſtep Heaven-wards, and hence it is that our bleſſed Saviour chargeth mens diſowning him upon their Wills, You will not come to me that you may have life, John 5.40. And why will ye dye, O houſe of Iſrael? Ezek. 18.3. This is the true reaſon of Sinners undoing, they will not chuſe Salvation, and ſo conſequentially and interpretatively they damn and deſtroy themſelves, Ho… 13 9 If a man will not eat, he will not live; if a man drink Po…ſon, he will dye: and he that will not uſe means of Salvation, cannot be ſaved: how ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect (much more wilfully reject) ſo great Salvation, Heb 2.3. And how ſhould it be otherwiſe, if Men be not converted, and become New Creatures?
4. What ſhould the old Creature do in Heaven? Heaven would be no Heaven to him: the Heavenly Jeruſalem is another kind of thing then moſt take it to be. What wild, bald Conceptions have ſenſual Sots of Heaven? as though it were Mahomet's Paradiſe, or Heathens Elyſian Fields, wherein Men may only gratifie their Senſes, or wallow in Pleaſures: Alas, a Man may ſay to theſe ignorant Souls, as our Lord to Zebedee's Children, You know not what you ask. You would go to Heaven, yes, fain you would be ſaved, but do you know what Heaven is? I will tell you briefly, Heaven conſiſts in a freedom from all Sin, a perfection of Grace, injoyment of God, employment in divine Praiſes, love, delight in God, meditation on God, Ecſtacies and Raviſhment of all the Soul's Faculties in immediate communion with him: And what aukard Conceptions hath a carnal Heart of theſe bleſſed Privileges? They would be no advantage to him at all, but a torment, to him that hates God, runs from him, cannot abide to come near him in any Duty, likes not the Society of God's Saints, delights in ſinful Practices, dallies with Satan's Temptations: Can men imagine they ſhall take Cards and Dice, Cups and Queans with them to Heaven? Nay, can Men take fair Houſes, full Bags, or worldly Buſineſs into another world? Can men make great Purchaſes, gather great Rents, or break Jeſts with their Companions in a future ſtate? Alas, a poor carnal heart is weary of Duties, much more will he be in Heaven; Sermon is too long, Prayer is tedious, when will the Sabbath be gone? Can theſe be fit to enjoy God in an eternal Sabbath of reſt? nay, the poor guilty Sinner cares not for coming near to God, the Sight of God is terrible to him, as it was to fallen Adam: indeed without converting Grace, introducing this New Creature and Divine Nature, the Soul would be altogether ſtrange to God, and any converſe with an holy, glorious God; yea, even the ſanctified themſelves, by reaſon of the Remainders of Corruption in them, have much ado to bring their Hearts to converſe with God, eſpecially when they lie under the ſenſe of Guilt, even a Godly Peter then crys out, Depart from me, for I am a ſinful man, O Lord, Luk. 5.8. Much more will a graceleſs Soul not dare to come near to God; an Hypocrite ſhall not come before him Job 13.16. He will not, and God will not ſuffer him: but a gracious Heart can truly ſay, It is good for me to draw nigh to God, Pſal. 73.28. Communion with God is his Heaven upon Earth: Therefore this God will be his Salvation, himſelf is his beſt Heaven: but a carnal Heart knows not what this means, and is therefore uncapable of Heaven.