The Application of Redemption, Book 10 (11 of 13)

The Application of Redemption · Book 10 (11 of 13)

p. 573… here see the reason of that … Use.and way-ward unteachableness that sometimes appears in the hearts of Gods …, they are awk to know, wearish p. 574to give … to the evidence of Gods counsel, they want broken heartedness, and therefore want this measure of teachableness; as it is with an unruly Colt it costs him many a blow first, before he be brought to be at command; so it is with the unruly heart of man, which must have many sad stroaks and blows before it be throughly subdued to the obedience of Gods wil. Men never knew what sin meant almost. Isa. 66. 3. I wil look saith the Lord, i. e. with a gracious look of mercy upon this man that trembles at my word; that trembles at a counsel least he should despise it, at commands, promises, least he should not receive them. The Lord is terrible out of his holy places. When the terror of the truth of God is fallen upon the soul, then what ever exhortations, directions come from the word he dares not resist or gainsay, but submit and fal under the wil of God made known there; then a man wil fear to go from under a command as to go to hell it self.

EXAMINATION we may hence know whether ever Use. 2.the word hath wrought kindly, and left this impression of broken heartedness, this is a never fayling evidence, As thy subjection is to the word, so thy contrition is. If the word hath pierced thee, the word wil awe thee. 1 Thes. 1. 6. Our Gospel came not in word but in power; and ye became followers of us and of the Lord. Did the word over-power thy heart? then thou art a follower of the faithful Ministers of God who left those impressions upon thy soul; the word is mighty through God and brings every thought into the obedience of Christ, hence 2 Cor. 8. 5. they gave up themselves to the Lord and then to us by the wil of God, so far as they set forth the Goverment of Christ.

This fals heavy upon two sorts;

Those that are open rebells, sons of Belial, that acknowledg 1no Lord no Law, what to tremble at every word. that is delivered? No they are not such Babies. &c.

p. 575Conspirators and traitors that pretend and profess subjection and yet maintain rebellion in their hearts, they yield fainedly, but when it comes to reallity to stoop to the authority of the truth, they wil not, these are traitors to the truth; … the Swissers wil be enemies when they cannot serve their own turns, and friends when they do; … the Papists in England they are content to take the benefit of the Law, but when it comes to take the oath of Allegiance they wil by no means do it because they are sworn Vassels to the Pope, or Pensioners to the King of Spain, though they equivocate to serve their own turns: so these when they come to take the oath of Allegiance to set up Christ as supream in their hearts and minds, to submit to the power of the truth, then they take up armes against Christ and his word, and wil not submit. This is the evidence of a servant of sin, Rom. 6. 17. when men receive the power of the Gospel they are not servants of sin else they are, Psal. 45. 5. a man that wil not fal before the truth, the arrows of Christ never stuck fast in his heart.

What shal we do?

We have done with the parties, to whom the complaint was made, men and brethren &c. The complaint it self is ful of bitterness: some things are implyed in it, some things expressed. That which is implyed in this complaint may be attended in four particulars.

Their ignorance and inability how to help themselves.

An absolute necessity to come … of this condition, 2which now they find themselves in.

A secret hope to receive advice and relief from the 3Apostles.

The price and excellency they now put upon the … 4from their sins; for this is the end of their request, p. 576that which is supposed and implyed as the end of their complaint namely to bedelivered from that which was the plague sore of their souls, and did so extremely pierce and pinch them. That which the jalour in the like case did openly mention, and these also did intend, Sirs what shal I do to be saved? Acts. 16. 30. namely from those sins which now overwhelm his soul.Doct.

Sinners in distress of Conscience are ignorant and unable to help themselves.

The manner of the speech proclaimes so much to each mans experience, at the very first inckling and hearing of it. They speak as men at their wits end what shal we do? we know not what to do, it's beyond our skil and above our reach; either to bear or avoyd, to make an escape from his sins and the plagues due therunto. As Ruben said when he went down into the pit, & found not his Brother Joseph there, (being sold before) he returned to his bretheren, the child is not & I whither shal I go? Gen. 37. 30. So it is with the soul in distress of Conscience, seeing it self forsaken of God. Because he hath forsaken him by his backslidings and departures, God is gone, my God is not, to this poor soul, and I … shal I go? whither shal I look? if to heaven there justice wil reject and condemn me, if to hell there the Devils are ready to torment; should I take the wings of the morning & fly to the utmost parts of the earth, there the wrath of the Almighty shal pursue, and if I look into my own soul, there is a Conscience to accuse … a hell of horror to confound me for ever. We know … … way to take … we are … of our … … … … makes it more … … know … how to get either relief or release. We are at a loss … our … we are at a loss in our thoughts how we may find succor and deliverance, you … are the seers of p. 577Israel, shew us the way of help. Paul acknowledgeth as much at his first Conversion, Acts, 9. 6. when the Lord had met him, and discovered the evil and … of his way, he then conceived he did not wel, and yet could not conceive what to do, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? I do not know, and therefore I cannot tel how to do thy wil, nor yet how to procure mine own peace: When the Israelites were driven to perplexities by the expression of Gods … against their … carriage in chusing themselves a King, and … cryed out, … … us, for we have sinned, 1 Sam. 12. … they durst not go to the Throne of Grace themselves, but forced out of guilt and horror, they were ready to go the wrong way, and therefore Samuel by seasonable prevention stops their passage, Ye have sinned, yet turn not aside from following the Lord, q. d. the distressed sinner as a Traveller in amazement, when they have once missed their way, the further they go, the further they go aside.

Reasons are Two.

The … of Grace and Life, unto which men are Reas.to turn at the times of their Conversion, they are hidden and secret; and men in their Natural Condition, when the Lord is pleased first to stop their passage, and build a wall before them, they are wholly unacquainted with the narrow path that … to Christ and life, by reason of that inbred blindness of their minds, and the dayly … of their lives, and that from their … For … is … part of the description of the Grace; … to enter in at the straight gate for straight … the … and … is the way that leads unto Life, and … … … … find it. Matth. 7. 13. It's but one … and a narrow one; … be thousands of thousands of … paths and … … miss it, and there is but one way to hit … and … hard … find it self, and to … that is … in … impossible. Therefore men are said to be strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance p. 578that is in them, Eph. 4. 18. As men that never went a strange way, they cannot tel whether they go right or wrong, they know not where they are; and as Travellers speak when they are in remote places, I am out of my knowledg, I was never in these Coasts before: So it is with all men Naturally, they are but strangers when they fal unexpectedly upon the Coasts of Conversion and Contrition, they are at a loss, and wholly unacquainted with the Coast of such a Condition, know not where they are, or what to make of it or themselves, Rom. …. 17. The Apostle speaking of mens conceivings of the waies and works of Christ, yet in their Natural blindness, Destruction and Calamity are in their waies, the way of peace they have not known; they think they are in the road to Heaven, when they are posting down to Hell; yea, even such who have lived long under the means, and have heard much of the Lord Jesus; nay, it may be have preached much of him, and that with no smal approbation; yet when they are come to these straights, and brought to these amazing horrors of Spirit, they plainly shew, nay, are sorced nakedly to profess they never had any sound discerning either of the work of Grace, or the way to Christ, but are very Children, Novices, No-bodies in these Spiritual Mysteries. So it was with these in this place, in such a multitude now brought home to the faith, no question but many of them had enjoyed many means, and been long trained up in the Truth of the Scriptures, and the Doctrine of Moses, and the Prophets, yea, Paul professeth of himself before his Conversion, That he profited in the Jews Religion above many of his equals, and that he was exceeding zealous in his way: yet when the Lord met him in his way, and speaks to him from Heaven, he knew not what way to take; but Ananias is sent on purpose to teach him, Acts, 9. The ground is here when the Spirit comes to convince, to reveal sin to the soul, and a mans self to himself, things now begin to p. 576be real, and seem other than ever formerly they did; sin is another thing, Grace, and Godliness, Faith, and Christ, and Salvation, are other things than formerly they did appear unto the soul. So that the sinner is as it were in another world, wonders where he hath been, and what he hath done, stands amazed at his own folly and madness, that he should so wonderfully mistake, that he should ever take contentment in those sinful carriages, which are the only cause of his ruin and confusion, sees he is gone so far out of the way, that how to get in again he is wholly ignorant. It's true, men speak much of sin, and can talk much of Christ, & may have heard and read much of faith, yet know nothing but empty words, not know the thing when they should use it: He that spels by rote, may be wil not spel a Letter of the Book when he is put to read. So your formal Professors, Carnal Hearers, may be out of Custom and constant attendance upon the means, can make a shift to speak out their Lecture, and speak somwhat freely of Faith, and Christ, and Conversion, and yet come to distress, and feel the stroak of the Truth and terror in their hearts, if they be put to read to the use, and improvement of any thing heard; they know not the thing, nor their own hearts, nor yet the Nature of their distempers. So it was with …, our Savior was constrained to point with that fescue, and put his finger upon the Word, and tel him, that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit; yet he is in a mist, understands not what Christ meant, nor what his own condition was, How can these things be? John, 3. 9.

As through their in-bred blindness, and unacquaintanceReas. 2. with the Waies and Works of Christ, they cannot discern the means of relief; So by reason of their distraction under the pressures of their present extremity, they are wearish to attend, and unwilling to listen and conceive aright, any means that might procure their succor and comfort. As we see in present fears and affrights, p. 564or extream or sudden sorrows, we are not our selves, and so become indisposed and … to conceive of that which is offered plainly to consideration, and which otherwise we were able to judg aright of, and improve it to our present, advantage, Heb. 12. 5. A person fainting under afflictions and troubles, is wholly unable to … any means to support him. So here, when mens thoughts are hurried with apprehension of evil, which in the most dreadful manner are presented to their view, and their hearts possessed with the feeling of them, they have no leisure to lay out their thoughts and minds to provide for means of help themselves, nor yet to receive them when they are offered by others, Exod. 6. 9. The bitterness of the oppression was so great that they listened to the voyce of their misery, but would not hearken to Moses his Counsel.

INSTRUCTION. … men in distress of Use.spirit, when and while the Lord is pleased to exercise them under his Almighty hand in this Work of Contrition, they are soon mis-led by the delusions of the subtil, and carried aside by the corrupt …, and cunning devices of such as be false Teachers. They who are feeble, are soon foiled, even by the assaults of such as have either policy to undermine, or power in any measure to …. They who are dim …, much more if blind, are easily and presently misguided and led out of the way, and he not able to prevent it, nor yet in any way of probability like to get in, and recover himself.

Now this is the under and weak condition of brokenhearted sinners they are out of their ken and compass, the waies of God in that so sad and spiritual a Work and Trade with the soul, they do not know, and therefore are unfit to seek, and so in reason unable to find it out; and therefore it's easie for them to be led into Samaria instead of Dothan, and the Devil by his Factors p. 581to lead them into false waies, for which they are commonly hardly recovered; if they grow false at this … of their life, he may there be lodged to his dying day; for this is like the fal in a mans Cradle, may be, never get fully recovered again: And upon this ground it is that false Teachers when they make a trade to wind into mens affections, and win them to the entertainment of their erroneous conceits: If they would spread their erroneous Opinions which go under pretence of Free Grace, and painted with the appearance of holiness and exactness, they hearken out where any be in … of spirit, in trouble and distress of Conscience, they fal in with them immediately, and work them to their own minds and wils; … they are tender hearted, and fearful to refuse whatever comes under … color of Free Grace, they are now at a stagger and unsettlement, ignorant how to help themselves, and therefore likely and ready to receive what help can be lent; they know not what way to take, and therefore may be led any way upon the sudden, and at a present push. These are the Devils Brokers that beguile unstable souls, 2 Pet. 2. 14. And Paul was afraid that the new Converts might be cozened by the wily carriages of the false Apostles which would work upon their simplicity, 2 Cor. 11 3. I … … by any means, as the … beguiled Eve … … …, so their minds should be corrupted from … simplicity of the Truth in Christ: We see in the … of Fowls, when one hath received a shot, either to the breaking of the Leg, or the laming of the wing, and so lags behind their fellows, not able wel to find the way, or not to fly far, the Fox perceives a Prey, which he pursues. And it is … in the Countrey whence we came, Kites and Buzzards observe when the Lambs fal, and those they prey upon with the … opportunity, if not prevented. It is so here, These false Teaches are like these ravenous Birds of Prey, and subtil Foxes: If they perceive any who are of a wounded p. 582spirit, that the Arrows of the Almighty stick fast in them, and that they are forced to hang the wing, and go … and discouraged, at a loss in their own thoughts; they presently make a prey of such, they know not how to relieve …, and therefore are … to listen to any that wil considently pretend waies and means of relief.

Here is matter of ADVICE to all mourners in Use 2.Zion; those that the Lord now hath upon the Anvil, and is melting and framing to his own mind to make them Vessels of Mercy; they must be marvelous wary, … carefully circumspect that they be persons of approved faithfulness and sincerity, to whose Counsel they do commit themselves, and betrust their condition; and when they … so …, then they must keep … prepared heart, what Advice they are not able by reason to … say, they have then I say (then, when such a one of tried uprightness and faithfulness is …) great reason to yield unto. They know not how to advise themselves, therefore fall before the Advice of others; they know not how to do themselves good, and therefore should be content to receive good from others. As it is in Nature, it is so in Grace; Women in Childbirth, when they come to travel, they wil not take every one that offers her self to do them Service, but hearken after such who are experienced Midwives, … they attend their Counsel, and take their …, when they are not able to succor themselves in such necessities. So it is in this Spiritual new Birth, and Travel of the Soul; let him … a man of Trust and Experience, able to … the Soul in the day of misery; … leave your … to the Counsel of … when you are at a loss, and not able to counsel your …; and it's a special print and impression of the work of Gods …, that be commonly carries the hearts of the perplexed, and their own spirits carry … to such who have been most exercised under such …, and … of … sincerity; p. 583as these came not to the Scribes and Pharisees, who happily had been leaders and abettors to them in their sinful miscarriages, their hearts … them they were as … as they, and for ought that they knew, as ignorant of a better way as themselves, and therefore they were unable to give advice, and they not willing to repair thither to ask it. And it's commonly so with such, if men be left to themselves, and not over-ruled with Carnal Friends, or else some subtil wretches that come in sheeps cloathing, press in upon them, beyond either their thoughts or desires: then happily they may surprize them, and prevail too much; and if once they gain an interest, and ingratiate themselves, they are hardly brought off; because that which first takes place in case of distress, leaves the deepest impressions upon the spirit: But when men repair to the wise-hearted in their extremities; take in this Truth, and keep it ever with you, I am ignorant, and know not at this time in this necessity to direct my self: therefore as I shall seek God in such means of Counsel, so I will yield and deliver up my self unto that direction, which in reason according to God, is suggested, and I have no reason, but only fears and suspicions of my carnal heart to oppose. So God sends Cornelius to Peter, Acts 10. 6. blind men, and such as are in darkness, and can see no light nor way neither, they should suffer themselves to be … by the hand by such who can lend them light and help also.

A sinner pierced truly with sorrow for sin,Doct. sees an absolute necessity to come out of the sinful condition in which he is.

Therefore they do so … complain in the Text, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? Let's do any thing, suffer any thing, be any thing; let's not be, nor p. 584remain in this Condition whatsoever it cost us, whatever become of us. They put in no provision, no caution upon which they would receive Counsel, or which they would desire might be allowed or granted; but we wil do any thing that we may not do the Devils drudgery, or the dung-hil service of sin; be any where, … any thing, rather than under the guilt and power of those loathsom abominations which have lorded it over us. Therefore I cal it an absolute necessity of being quit of, and coming out of this wretched estate.

And this Absolute Necessity, may be conceived in Three things:

There is no terms of tolleration of sin, which can be 1proposed; there be no Articles of Agreement which can be offered, no way of Composition that can come into consideration: As suppose I may have with secresie, with quiet, with credit; nay, suppose my Conscience would not trouble me; yea, the Lord abate me of his Anger for the while; nay, I may suck out the sweetness of it without any suspicion, without any vexation or distraction to my self for the while. No, this will not do the deed, nor … the turn, if I have al these, and have my sin, and be a slave to that. No, their complaint is of the … of …, not of the want of these, Mark, 9. 49. If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out; if thy foot offend thee, cut … off: it's better to go … … Heaven, than having both eyes and feet to go to Hell. So the … would be content to be maimed in credit, quiet, comfort.

… no reservation of any sin of any kind, 2if one, if little, if sweet, if profitable; No, the soul would not touch an unclean thing, 2 Cor. 6. 17. He doth not say, no gross unclean thing, but nothing, no not to touch it. So … Savior to the yong man; There is one thing wanting, Go and sell all that thou hast. Mark, 10. 21.

p. 585Admits no case of exception, what ever difficultie or 3danger may be presented or can be conceived in the compass of a mans apprehension, nay there cannot befal any … or pretence, which carries any reality with it, why the soul should continu any entertainment with any corruption, and therefore it casts out al …, pleas pretences, … that carnal reason might cast in, … one should loose his friends and favor and fellowship of such asare or have been never so near or dear to him why that should not stick. Deut 33. 9. nay not onelyonly to leave them but to do execution upon them, for so the case may be, and it's supposed by interpreters when it is said the Levites knew not their brethren, that hath reference to that story Exod. 32. where the Levites were enjoyned to slay each man his brother. So Peters advice here following the text, save your selves from this Crooked generation. Yea were … the loss of mans life, … also comes within this necessity; there is no necessity to hinder to part with this life, there is a necessity; he should part with his sin Dan. 3. 17. 18. we care not to answer thee in this thing O King, our God can deliver us but … he wil not, we wil fal down and worship thy golden Image.

The Reasons are three.

The sinners thus affected they feel experimentally the Reas.… of Gods justice, which … proceeds … the sinner, for whatever … it meets withall, and what ever the sinner be. That … men … in the … of a sinful course, they … and promise to … freedom, and escape from the … of Gods …, or at least such a mitigacion … … as may allay, the extremity of the fear of the evil they did expect; or take off the pleasure or pursuit of sin in which they did delight, yet now under the stroke or … they … by proof they were misguided in their thoughts, and … in … hopes; For that such is the … of Gods righteous …, that p. 586he doth and wil undoubtedly … and find out al, and is absolutely resolved to execute punishment upon al, and therefore there is an absolute necessity they should renounce and abandon al, even the most beloved and least suspected distempers, which formerly like Atheists they foolishly thought God did not attend, or at least would not trouble himself withal, but wink at them or pass them by, which now they find far otherwise, Gods justice is peremptory in punishing, and therefore they must be as peremptory in abandoning their lusts, they cannot avoyd the justice of the Lord, and therefore they must avoyd their sins, whatever deluded hope they had formerly of Gods connivence, but now they see themselves deceived be the corruption never so secret he wil search it, who professeth Zeph. 2. 11. that he wil search Jerusalem with candles, and punish them that are setled upon their lees, who say in their hearts, the Lord wil not do good neither wil he do evil; the lees ly at the bottom such as no eye sees when the Vessel is set on broach, they carry the matter so covertly as if it were beyond either apprehension or suspicion, but God wil search it. It was spoken of the times of Josiah when reformation was general, and with great applause and approbation of al hands; religion seemed to be enterained: yet men settle upon their lees, had their retireing corners for their corrupt lusts, while they carryed al before them, and seemed to be most exact. Isa. 29. 10. 16. there was a generation that digged deep to hide their counsels from the Lord, but their turning of things up side down shal be esteemed as potters clay, q. d. even those privy conveyances are as the clay in the hand of the Potter, God sees them and wil act and order as he sees fit, thus Achan saw and took and … and carryed Josh. 7.Josh 7and hid it secretly in his rent, but God found him and his falsness and forgeries, and forced him to acknowledge so much. As the secretest so the smallest transgressions divine justice stabs the heart of a sinner withal. p. 587Not onelyonly Achan who committed, but Israel who did but neglect their watch and care, to keep him from or recover him … of it, they also smart Jos. 7. 1. an evil which the best of them neither saw nor considered, therefore the Lord was constrayned to mind … of it, in the day of …, what means this, Israel hath sinned vers. 11. as who should say the hand is in a wrong box thou missest that which is of the most weight, Moses his hasty expression in siniting the rock, Gen. 19. 26.Gen 19:26or Lots wife looking back a man would have thought not to be evils of … … a nature, and so heavily to be punished. It fares with the contrite and brokenhearted sinner, as it did with the woman sick of the bloody issue, who strove to touch our Savior that she might be healed, our Savior openly discovers her evil, carriage, who was it that touched me? when she saw that she could not be kept secret, she came trembling and acknowledged what she had done. So when the soul under the horror of Gods revenging hand, … that indeed he cannot be kept secret, but now God sees his evils and wil pursue them, he fals down flat before the Lord, and concludes the absolute necessity of it that God should punish every evil, and therefore it's absolutly necessary he should part with it, this the wise man intimates, Ecles. 11. last. rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the wayes of thy youth but know thou for all these things thou shalt come to judgment, q. d. diddst thou indeed know that? thou wouldest not, thou durst not, go on in the sins of youth.

Now the sinner (I say now) in this state and under Reas. 2.this stroke, … an inability in himself, nay utter … … … the weight of the … sin, which is … … … … soul by the Almighty and therfore is now put … … and … conditions and … that his … … … him before withal … … … …. But … definitively, p. 588no more ado, no further talk; I see I cannot beare the sting of the least sin, and therefore I must not keep it. Heretofore he could make a shift to shake off the fear of the threatnings of the word, which were denounced to stop the mouth of his Conscience, which whispered bitter things in his bosom, and to weare away the … that stuck in his heart; and therefore fondly conceited he could make a … to beare the weight that should befal, that he might possess and injoy the pleasures and content his … courses did promise to his carnall heart. But he finds it otherwise; his heart say les him under pressure of one sin, Psal. 130, 3. If thou shouldest mark what is done amis Lord who should … it. An ignorant soul settled in his secure condition out of self deluding pride of his own spirit, would … that he could abide the misery and so the danger that might accrew to him by his distemper, and so is fearless to maintain it. But now he findes he is not able to abide that which his sin doth bring let him put the best of al his abilities together to emprovement …. 14. can thy heart endure &c. the time was they thought their hearts could endure, the frollick Epicure, and flinty hearted sinner, he wonders at he feebleness of the distressed and broken-hearted, that they should be such children, persons of such feeble and milksop dispositions to sink at a Sermon and be troubled at the words of a Preacher, tush his Conscience is cannon proof, he can heare and bear al and yet pleal … and bless himself in the pursuit of his lusts, as before times. Oh, thou … do so, while men deal with thee, thou mayest avoyd their blow or make an escape out of their hands; but when God shal deal with thee in that day when thou fallest into the, hands of the living God. Hebr. 10. who lives to torment the to eternity what wilt thoudo? The shadow and appearance of the hand-writing shook Belshazzars heart when he was quaffing in his cups, in the ruff of his riot, what would the stroke of that hand p. 589have done? and this hand now the … finds, and finds himself absolutely unable to … the evil of … sin, and therefore concludes it absolutely … to be … of it whatever it cost him. He knowes now by proof, this evil to be such as that no other can equal it: the evil such as no contrary good in this world can countervail it. And therefore he sees reason and chooseth never to have any good in this world, rather than to have his sin, to part withal, rather than not part with this, or be plagued with it. Rather undergo al evils, and suffer the utmost extremity, … suffer his sin to remain with him; Math 16. 26. What wil it profit a man to gain the whol world and to Ioose his soul, or what shal a man give in exchange for his soul.

The broken in heart he sees now by proof also, the Reas. 3.cursed combination that is amongst corruptions, a league … lusts, if any corruption rule in the heart, it makes a man a slave to what ever distemper presents it self unto the soul, In a word. He that wil keep … sin, he keeps himself under the power of al corruptions, he keeps off the power of al the means of grace and good for working upon or prevailing with the soul for its … wolfare.

The keeping of one sin keeps possession for Satan, and his right unto the soul, and under the Allegiance of all the accursed lusts that either can come from without or arise from within: one … the Soveraignty but he is a slave to al, as special occasion may be offered, he wil serve any … that he may suit the beloved distemper of his heart …. Tim. 2. last. the … rakes them captive according to his wil. and therefore its … of the thorny …, in that the nick of … they fel away …, 8. 15. Whither sel it: Nathely it gave … to whatover either error in opinion or … in practice … … … …, or satisfyed the … desire of the soul. He that misseth the right way, be is for any by way that comes next in view; a p. 590City that is under the command of the chief Captain, they must be subject to the out rage of any or al of his …, or underlings, that wil but execute his wil and attend his tyrannous commands, so it is in the soul, if one lust rule it, its a salve unto what ever distemper may be serviceable and seem to give content to that, they went as they were led 1 Cor. 12. 1. 2.

The heart pierced with this through sorrow perceives also by woful experience, that the keeping of one corruption keeps off the power of any ordinance that it cannot work kindly or … effectually for any spiritual good; it way … the work of an ordinance; The heady and … … would have a King, and they would hear no counsel nor yet take the savorest argument into Consideration, that did concern their peace and prosperous proceeding in their way 1 Sam. 8. 18. the … Idolaters run madding after their Idols, they cast off al the advice of the Prophet with scorn & contempt Jer. 44. 16. As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we wil not hearken to thee, Nay when they are set upon is, they profess plainly, there is no hope, but we wil walk every one after the vanity of his own imaginations Jer. 18. 12. so that the sinner now … and resolves, either he must part withal, or els for ever be deprived of al good, and be a slave to al sin.

TRYAL, We may hence gain undoubted evidence, Use.whether ever our hearts were soundly soaked in this Godly sorrow for sin … or no. Contrition if it be of the right stamp it hath a constraining power with it to force the heart against corruption; It silenceth al shifts, puts by and puts off al false pleas, scatters al sluggish pretences, that are made in behalf of our distempers, … a word, it casts the ballance against al carnal reasons, that are … and stirring, and usually cast in by Satan, and our sensual disposition to keep us, in our former estate, and to procure some, if not toleration, yet mitigation p. 591in our … against our …; It layes and leaves a pressing … upon the soul that overbears, what ever may come on the contrary part, to plead for any connivence for any sin in any kind, As we say in the Proverb, there is no reasoning against sence, a man hath no patience to hear words, … or appearances which are against a mans feeling & experience; If any stander by should perswade a man the potion is pleasant when a man … it …, and his stomach … it; or that the fire is cold when he finds it … and burn; he can hardly give him the hearing, but disdains him an answer; say what you wil, I regard not what you say, shal not I trust mine eyes, or so far befool my self as to go against mine own feeling? I pass not that you speak in that behalf. So it is with a broken hearted sinner what ever Satan shal suggest, his carnal friends and companions counsel, his deceitful heart pretend, or plead what need he be so strict in his way, so … against his sin, so resolute to abandon al his former courses, and his antient … with whom he hath had so much content, there is no such need now to set upon the work, herafter wil be time enough, or no such danger in maintaining a dalliance with such and such distempers, which are no great matter, nor is there any great harm in them, the burdened sinner hath not patience to hear, but disdaines to enter parly about such things as he hath past sentence upon, long before this day, tel not me, talk not to me of such things: there is no speaking against mine own experience, I have felt and found the contrary, my heart knowes otherwise and that by woful …, therefore I pass not what you speak. God wil allow none, I can bear none, no not the sting of the least sin, when God wil let it in, nor you neither when once the Lord wil pursue you with the least expression of his displeasure, I cannot have any sin seem it never so smal, but I must … under the power of al, nor ever have any possibility of any good. As Ruth to p. 592Naomi when she advised her to stay or return when she came with her, she puts an end to al such perswasions,Ruth, 1. 16. intreat me not, for I wil not leave thee, so … is with a soul sensible and soundly affected with the evil of his sin, he is beyond … … and carnal reasonings, he wil hear nothing, the soul is overpowred with a soveraign kind of absolute necessity, he hath found by proof, which puts to silence what ever can be said to the contrary q. d. cease reasoning about that for which no reason can be …, … not that which hath no ground of perswasion, it … admit a case of exception, therefore I wil not once take it into consideration nothing can be spoken of weight or worth, and therefore … to speak further. Its not necessary I should not be poor, …, despised, It's absolutly necessary I should not be sinful. I have no … from God, I should not leave and loose my life, my liberty, but I have a … charge without al exception; I should leave my sin. Art thou come to that with the three Children, …. …. 17. 18. Our God can deliver, but if he wil not, be it … unto thee … wil not fall down and wroship &c. Its necessary we should maintain the truth of Gods worship, its not necessary … should maintain our lives. Resolvest thou with them Hos. 14. 3. Ashur … … save us, … wil we go down to …, nor say any more to the work of … hands ye are our Gods I wil no more be proud or perverse, no more loose or vayn, … … liften to the pleasing dalliance of mine own heart, that Dale … mown, that is determined long since, by long and woful experience, its beyond consideration, keep thy spirit ever in that temper, and thou wilt keep … undoubted evidence of the sound work of contrition with thee.

Hence therefore this Doctrine … a Bill of … against … … of … … …, … … short of this … … of God; … … … … … p. 593Christ and Heaven, fall away totally and finally from the Truth in the end.

The first sort are your NEUTERS, who study to compose al their course with prudence and conveniency, but conceive it not so safe to put a necessity upon each Service in this kind, but only serve their own turn; and that is the compass they stere by, and walk by. As your Neutral Towns, they pay to both the Armies, but sight for neither, only keep their own safety and peace. So is it with those Neuters in Religion, they would capitulate with Christ and the Rule, and enter into Articles of Agreement with the Gospel; therefore they take up, profess and practice Godliness, but with Cautions and Provisions, that they may walk at … in their own deluded hearts; but to put it to the … of this absolute necessity, and that they may dispense as they … fit, that they wil decline, they count it, and conceive it matter of comliness and conveniency, nay prudence and Christian Wisdom, nay necessary if occasions suit to attend the narrow … of Gods Command: if occasions suit, provided that no … …, and desperate inconveniences, and hazards appear to the contrary, they plead a dispensation to relieve themselves by, to be necessitated and tied to inconveniencies, they conceive it unreasonable: Thus the Chapman, … … wisling and ready to … his day, and … … payment, and perform his … according to promise, if means and moneys come in comfortably, and his … may be seived, as wel as his Creditor payed, then it's necessary: But if … … upon …, and he cannot pay, but with much … to his Estate, either to part with that which is profitable, or upon low rates, and for loss; then he … he may be dispensed …, and it's not necessary … that case to pay. If a man … … in the world, then it … …; … … … is at … … in … Estate, … … … ….

p. 594The wife that is froward, she …, had she a head and husband so wise, and able, and gracious, there were reason and necessitie she should carry her self in a …, and sweet, and humble manner: but one that … … fit for his place, nor answers her comfort, nor his carriage so prudent as she could desire; if then she carry her self pettishly and perversly, in such a case, a tolleration may be given. So these persons put no necessity of parting with their sins, but of preventing their inconveniencies. It's certain, thou never foundest the evil of sin, that canst take and leave thy sin with these exceptions; thou never seekest Christ for himself, but only as he may serve thee; not take his, but make thy own …. But if ever God do thee good, he wil make thee know that God … laies a necessitie upon a gracious man (nor intruth upon any man) to sin, but … necessitie, and that absolute, he should not sin. And therefore al those pleas, alas my occasions many, my necessities great, pinching extremities prevailed with me; but as soon as convenienoies suit, then I wil, &c. Therefore thou … be just and true in promises and performances, only when thou hast no necessities, when thy conveniencies serve not for conscience sake: No, thou wilt find thou had'st better go maimed and halt, with thy … Mark. 9. 43. 47.Mark 9:43Mark 9:47eye plucked out, and thy right hand cut off, than to keep thy sins, and go to Hell with them. When thy conveniencie suits, thou wilt serve God; and when Gods conveniencie serves, he wil save thee.

There is another sort of Formal Professors, that pretend 2great kindness, and large affection to the Lord, and the Gospel, and therefore profess they wil go far to accommodate the Lord Jesus, and give him full and free entertainment, Only there is a reservation they make to themselves of that which shall not be much prejudicial to the presence of his Majesty, if God will abate them … …, that is all they look for. As men that take in Mates, they let all, but reserve only a room to themselves, p. 595and they … they go very far to pleasure them: So these men wil keep some one lust, and they must be spared in that. Rachel reserves her Fathers Idols; Ananias and Saphira, they give half, and keep half, Acts, 5. 2. It's certain thou never knewest the evil of sin, if thou never … an absolute necessity to part with all. Thou sayest, The Lord be merciful to me only in this; No, thou wilt never have mercy if thou keep this. Thou sayest, Is it not a little one, and my soul shall live? It's certain, thy soul cannot live, if thou canst not leave this.

INSTRUCTION. We here see the Reason of Use, 2.all that uneven and unsteady walking of many men: Somtimes they are zealous, and somtimes cold and careless, men are off and on, somtimes so … that they cannot abide the appearance of any sin; somtimes bold to adventure upon that which they know to be evil. This is certain, either thou never had'st the work of Contrition, or thou keepest it not alive in thy soul: 1 Cor. 5. 1, 2. You are puffed up, and do not mourn? If they had mourned for the evil, they would have been zealous to reform.

DIRECTION, how we may keep a readiness of Use. 3.heart to … every corruption and occasion leading thereunto, that a man may have a steady, even spirit; keep thy heart affected dayly with the evil of thy sins, and that wil over-bear al corruptions and inclinations to any sin at any time: As the Naturallists say of the Nightingale, she sets her Breast against … Thorn, that when she begins to nod, the Thorn may awaken her; he that lies hard, wil not sleep long.

Two Rules here.

Keep the Judgment setled, Conscience convinced, and 1Heart … of this Truth, that the evil of sin is so great, that no evil is equal, no good can countervail it; and then this wil certainly follow, thou wilt rather chuse to have nothing in this world, … than to have p. 596thy sin; and part with al profits, and commodities, and comforts, … not to part with thy sin; suffer any evil rather than sin; lose any good, rather than keep thy sin. Keep this in the thoughts of our hearts for ever; there is no evil like to my sin; Matth. 16. 26. What shall a man profit to win the world, and lose his soul?

Do not give a hearing to any consideration of any 2Cavil that is cast in to the Contrary. Say it's past consideration, do not therefore entertain the motion: As in the Chancery or Courts of Justice, when a Cause hath been tried, and proved by Witnesses, and Sentence past upon it; if a wrangler shal then put in a motion, the Judg wil not hear him, but casts out … motion. Deal thou so with thine own … reason and …; when thou hast seen and found the greatness of the evil of sin by thine own tryal and experience, if now carnal reason should put in and say, This is to be considered, and that is to be considered; cast out al these Cavils, give no audience to any motion made for any tolleration for sin, And this is the way to keep the Channel …, and the passage currant, that your souls may be carried cheerfully in the stream of Gods Truth; and that will make a man ever like himself; keep this Truth … in your …, there is an absolute necessity of it, I must not sin. It's inconceivable what this Truth in the lively work of it wil do.

There is a secret Hope wherewith the LordDoct. supports the hearts of such as be soundly Contrite.

Though the case be dangerous, and their condition miserable, they do not cast away all as though it were utterly impossible; they do not say, Men and …, there can nothing be done; we see nothing our selves, and we … you discern nothing, and we p. 597conclude there … … … wil … can do any good. Nay, their words seem to issue from another principle and foundation, what shal we do? q. d. there may be waies we see …, … of … which … through our folly and ignorance of this condition, and unacquaintedness with the dealings of the Almighty, and his special and mysterious Dispensations with the sons of men, do not conceive, nor can they come so easily and readily within our reach and apprehension; yet we suppose, you that are the Seers of Israel, and the Spiritual Physitians to the souls of …, sinful Creatures: you that are of Gods Counsel, and acquainted with his secrets, we should yet think it, there is yet somthing to be done; Oh that we may know it, and that direction that may do us good. So that there is a secret kind of unknown expectation in their hearts, as presuming there is some course to be taken for their cute and comfort. It is true, somtimes there be strong assaults of … … in by …, strong Suggestions of impossibilities, which of a sudden seem to … over the soul; when after long strife and … held against our corruptions, we are frequently and desperately foyled with the violence of our own distempers, and our own …, the sinner out of height … too much … of Spirit, is ready to … away all. I shall one day perish: All men are Lyars. The soul tired with extremity, and by constant consideration, as it perceives; so it supposeth its condition forlorn, upon a sudden push; may lay aside all, willing to look no further; the Lord by this means in his infinite wisdom, out of the deceit of our carnal Reason, and by a present pang and out-rage of …, doth crush and confound all the pride and … of … Reason, which by no other way happily could so easily be quelled; when our own carnal … conclude according to our misguided …, there is no way of escape, or means to shift. Where is now your wit that thought p. 598to …, your power that thought you were able to … up your …?

But this is but a present push, like the rage of a … by … … fall of rain, a hurry of Spirit, a … as it were: But when the soul comes to it self, as the man that swouned away, it lifts up it self, and looks out, It may be, and it's possible.

Let me therefore,

1. Shew you in a … or two, the Nature of this Hope, and … it differs from that which … wrought in the … …; it's wholly of another kind in the Nature, and the work of it.

2. The Reason why God leaves this Hope.

First, Touching the Nature of this Hope, I term it, a secret kind of unknown expectation; by which the heart is carried on to look for relief and help, which out of the sence of its own burden, and preservation of it … it willingly would have, but knows not where to find it, nor yet obtain it, … it did appear.

It may be discovered in two things:

In the rise and ground of it; the Lord leaves upon the Understanding of a … sinner, a real apprehension of his own … in such …, and about such conditions, and yet … of the experience and knowledg of others, and … of Providence in such difficulties beyond his reach; both which lead the … and apprehension of a man to look out, and provokes the heart in this … condition, to put forth … endeavor, because al the … of possibilities, are not stopped up, and … of relief wholly taken away. For be it he know none; yet this also he …, there may be some way, and others may and do … conceive more … of succor than his shallow conceiving is able to know, or hath … to … therefore look out he wil, and expect what further may be made to appear in the way of Providence, and from Direction and skil of p. 599others. And hence it is they come here upon the …, … and Brethren, What shall we do? We … … are … a … in our own thoughts, we are strangers to our own hearts and distempers, and distresses, unto which through our just deservings we have brought our selves: yet you that have more experience, and better acquaintance with the Dispensations of the Almighty in such dealings with miserable Creatures, though we know not what may help … selves, yet we know that we have need to seek for succor, and we know not but we may speed; therefore we are resolved to put it to the trial, put it to the venture, see what wil become of it. Upon this ground the Ninivites resolve to betake themselves to seek out for their own preservation from the destruction … and now drawing on, Jonah, 3. 9 Who can tell if God will turn, and shew mercy, that was perish not? … can … it is beyond al the skil we have to contrive, and the power we have to accomplish any thing for our own …; but yet we cannot tel but God may turn from his … wrath, and leave a blessing behind him … of a curse; as men who fal into strange and desperate sicknesses, the danger they see, but cannot see how to cure themselves; yet the apprehension of their own ignorance, and consideration of the experience and wisdom of others, is thus far a help, as to provoke them to seek out, not altogether without expectation of supply from them; for though they easily conceive they understand not what is good for their own sicknesses, yet they cannot conclude but others do or may understand more than themselves. So here, Men and Brethren, we knew not our sins before, nor now how to be quit of them. You that from God, know how to discover them, we cannot but think, but you may shew us a way of escape and deliverance, and therefore we cannot but enquire; though the sinner cannot say it wil, yet he doth not know it wil not be; therefore I term it an unknown p. 600expectation, it secretly swaies and carries the heart.

Hence this Hope is confused and uncertain, it doth not, nor can bottom the heart in any grounded assurance, and settle it upon any certaintie, for the attainment of that which now it needs; But keeps this on foot in the consideration of the sinner, that there be unknown passages of possibilities for his spiritual relief, and therefore this sends the heart out after search and enquiry. And those possibilities provoke the sinner to put to, with what diligence and endeavor may be to see what he can make of them, whether they wil hit or miss, what wil become of him and his comforts, that he may know what to make of himself and his condition, which as yet he knows not, Joel, 2. 13. Who knows if God wil return? Who knows whether these sins may be pardoned, grace and mercy shal be extended to this miserable soul of mine? Who knows what wil befal? I wil yet try what shal befal, I wil see the issue: Such a kind of possible uncertaintie caused the Leapers to make proof what would be the event; they may slay us, and2 Kings 7. 4.2 Kgs 7:4 yet they may save us. So Benhadads Servants, Ahab may proceed in his indignation against us, and yet he1 Kings 20. 31, 32.1 Kgs 20:311 Kgs 20:32 may also pardon, therfore we wil try. So the soul here. Whereas the Hope that issues from Faith, and is found in the hearts of Beleevers as the fruit thereof, it hath a sure and cleer ground, to sustain and settle it, upon which a mans hopes may hang, and a special and infallible assurance it brings that wil never fail; that is as certain which is thus in hope, as that which we have in hand; that which is in expectation, as that which we have in present possession; so called, the Anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, Heb. 6. 19. This Hope never makes ashamed, Rom. 5. 5. A man never misseth of his expectation, as the ground of our Hope is most sure, and the success is most certain, and the ground is the love and faithfulness of God in the undoubted performance of the Promises he makes, Rom. 5. 4. Because p. 601the love of God it … … in our hearts by the … Ghost.

… this unknown expectation ariseth from the apprehension of some … presented, which because they are unknown what they may be, therefore the restless contrite sinner puts forth his endeavour to prove what wil be the issue.

The reasons are … summed up in so many words.

Because this hope is a privy support wherby the heart is under-propped from sinking utterly under those unsuportable evils, which it feels now in part, & fears stil daily to come in upon them, and yet not onelyonly beyond his strength but beyond his thoughts: and therefore as the Lord smites with the one hand, he sustaynes and upholds him by the other. Its the reason which the Lord alleadgeth why he wil not alwayes contend least the spirit should fayl before him, and the souls that he hath made Isa. 57. 16. As the wise Physitian when the disease is violent and the portion strong, he … the heart with some cordial, least while he should purge the humor he should destroy nature, the Lord is as a wife merciful Physitian, he would melt us by Godly sorrow but not consume us, he would have us loose our sins but not our hopes.

This hope is an inlet into the soul whereby the Lord 2makes way for the work of the means; hereby the contrite sinner is ready to attend, and give entertainment to the ordinances, while he hath any hope of any good to be communicated unto himself, because the patient knows not but the receit may do him good, he is content to take it and try what it wil do; whereas desperate discouragement stops al the passages, that the power of an ordinance cannot come to take place. Upon this ground it was Naamans Servants perswaded their Master, 2, Kings 5. 15. to give way to the means prescribed by the Prophet for his cure. If he should prescribe some p. 602great matter thou would surely do it, how much more when he saith, wash and be clean, if washing be a … of clensing, the very possibility of clensing should easily make him give way to prove what washing might do. When men bore holes, they drive pinns mervailous readily with much ease, hope sets open the heart to any ordinance, that it may easily find attendance and acceptance as the Criple to Peter Acts, 3. 3. he gave car expecting something &c. expectation draws attention, he looked upon them as desirous to receive good; look what the spring is to the watch, the poyse or weight to the minute no stirring without it. so is hope to our indeavors, the Plough man plowes in hope, sows and reaps in hope, 1, …. 9. 10. hope is the great wheel which carries the life of our endeavor; the runners would not run in the race, the marriner sayl in the Sea, were there not possibility for the one to attayn the goal, the other the haven, and the wise man when he would set al on going, he … hope on work, keeps that in their eyes as that which would keep them constant in their course. Eccles. 11. 6. Sow thy seed in the morning, and in the evening let thy hand rest, and what is the prevailing reason to provoak to such unweariable diligence? its hope of good, thou knowest not whether this or that wil prosper, … whether both alike; do both, if either of both may do that for us that is useful and may answer our need and expectation.

INSTRUCTION, We here see the reason why Satan Use.draws out all his forces, useth the depth of his delusions on the one side, sets all the policy and power of Hell a work on the other side, and tryes all conclusions to the utmost of his skill, if by any means he might hamstring a mans hopes, put the distressed sinner beyond all possibility and expectation of Good, and then he hath him close prisoner, past recovery, not once looks our for deliveance, he is his own; the … off the hinges, nor opens, nor shuts to give way to them that pass in or out, but p. 603rather is a trouble and stops their way. Its so here, … Satan can but unhinge the heart of the hope and expectation of relief and help, he makes the contrite soul wholly uncapable of al comfort or support, there is no … between heaven and him, but is an out-lawed wretch an out-cast, beyond the compass of Gods compassion and kindness, and sits down confounded in his own accursed condition and … further. It is a stratagem usual and common amongst commanders, in the taking of towns and walled cityes, when provisions (as they understand) are low and short within, they block up al passages; there is none can come out, none can go in (as the scriptures speak in that kind) none go out to … or procure provision, none come in to bring any, and then they certainly conclude the … is theirs, they must either yield or famish in such a time, the like is the policy of the enemy and its a direful …, and undoubtedly procures the speedy destruction of the soul that cuts off a mans hopes, and blocks up the soul from the possible expectation of any good: it deads the …, deads the ordinance, deads a mans diligence, no going out by endeavor to procure any spiritual release, no coming in by the power of any … to work any good in the soul, and hence it is that the enemy darts in such temptations and by his wiles and subtilties casts a man into such a condition at least to his perswasion, that its utterly beyond al consultation and consideration either of our souls, or others, and therefore there is no further seeking out but sinking irrecoverably in a mans distress; And therefore … hastens the soul in a … … of …, to pass such determinations upon a mans estate, that makes him past appearance of recovery or …, and so … the reach of reason or relief. As either a mans … … past and his … determined in heaven: He was before … worlds …, the … is … and the … never to be reversed, or else the date of mercy is …, p. 604and the day of grace is past here on Earth; God hath set a period to his patience, and long sufferance and those are expired; he wil not alwayes strive with man, and its not fit. nor reasonable he should: Jesabel had her time to repant, allowed by the Lord, and she repented not, and then God cast her into a bed of … and slew her and her children, Jerusalem had a day of peace, Oh that thou … the things that belong to thy peace in this thy day, but now they are hid from thine eyes; after the day was over, the darkness grew … gross that she did not, nor could not see things before her eyes and this is thy condition just saies Satan. So many motions of the spirit, so many checks of Conscience, so many … and strokes under the ordinances, and yet out stood al, and so the time of mercy also, now it is too late. Or else surpriseth the thoughts of the distressed with the hideous apprehensions and remembrance of some hellish distemper of spirit unto which the sinner is privy; that its other and worse than ever he yet conceived, … al circumstances considered, it amounts to no less than the sin against the holy Ghost, for if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the truth, there remains no more … for sin, Hebr. 10. 26. and this is your case says Satan beyond al question, when after many motions of the spirit and perswasions cast in, many secret entreaties, many misgivings of heart, do not do so, do not do it, and yet you have dispised the very spirit of Grace, you have been enlightened, and had many pleasant rellishes of joy and peace under the good word of God, and yet fallen back again, and so fallen away, therefore its impossible you should be restored or renewed by repentance. Then should you pursue that which is impossible to be attained, this dams up al passages, he cannot endure to hear of any, or attain the use of any means when its impossible to receive any benefit by al that can be used.

p. 605Thus Satan deals with the discouraged sinner, as the thief with the weary traveller who is unacquainted with the way and lost in which he is, he leads him out of the road far into the forrest without the ken and cal of any passenger, or expectation of any means of relief and then he hath oppertunity to spoile him of his substance, & of his life also. So Satan deals with distressed, unacquainted with his own estate, under this trouble & stroak of contrition, carryes him aside with such misconceivings of his own condition, that he leads him into by paths beyond the ken & compass of reason, & any … consideration, so that he wil neither seek nor receive any helps: Be wise therfore, & watchful both for the discovery & perceiving these policies and delusions of the enemy which draw on irrecoverable destruction with them; be sure therfore you keep the rule of Gods revealed wil & direction for your own wayes, while you keep under the guidance of the word, you are under Gods wing; therefore in a word or two, to wipe away this false and wily pretence of the enemy.

When the enemy would have thee to pry into the ark, 1would carry thee to heaven to … the rolls & records of Gods eternal counsel, thou must not repel … temptations and repress such pride & presumptuous attempts of thine own vain mind, with that charge of the Almighty, tel him and thy own soul, That secret things belong to God, but things revealed unto thee, Deut. 29. 29 Its Gods advice, to search and try our own hearts and turn unto the Lord. Lam. 3. and not to search his decrees. Look what is done in … own heart, which thou mayest do and shouldest by warrant from the word and direction thereof. But to look into the decrees of heaven, what hath been determined there, is beyond thy line and last also. Its sinful curiosity and presumption which God doth condemn and thou must conscienciously avoyd, know Satan leads thee out of the way, and therefore be fearful to listen to him.

p. 606Touching the date of grace and day of mercy, its true which the Lord hath taught that God wil not a waies strive, … its as true and evident also, that while the Lord is pleased to …, means, to work with them and to awaken the heart by them, by convictions of conscience and …, of a mans condition and his corruption, and drives the sinner to sad thoughts and searchings of heart, it's certain where these thoughts and stirrings are there God is striving by his spirit, in his ordinance. And its Satans policy and purpose by suchLuk. 11. 22.Luke 11:22 vain cavils to withdraw the from under the power of the means, to take … th ne attendance thereupon, and so endevor to … thereby, when the strong man cannot be at peace in his house, … certain that is the time when 3there is a stronger than he, is now breaking in upon him.

For the counterfeit appearance, and the ugly … of the sin against the holy Ghost, which Satan would put upon thy …, that by that means he might dead thy heart, and damp and … thine endeavors, and prejudice the work of grace and repentance that now the Lord cals thee unto, and thou also begins to look after, I answer (Not now to be long here) the sear of the sin, and complaint against …, that the heart is burdened with the apprehension and thoughts of it, and sighs secretly to be … from it, its argument enough that thou art free from this evil, but God would make thee feel what sin can do, i. e. put thee beyond help: and thine own emptiness, who canst do nothing for thy self when it comes to a dead lift. In a word, if thou wouldest out-shoot the Devil, and out-work his temptations to promote thine own welfare and peace; Be ever watchful and conscionably resolute, to oppose that evil most unto which he tempts thee; be most sedu'ous in the improvement of means in the use whereof he would most discourage thee, and the most of the delusions wil come to nothing. Resist the Devil and he wil flee from thee James, 4. 7.Use 2.

p. 607Hence we may observe how easy it is with the Lord to confound a poor creature, to make his own hands his executioner, his own reason his …, nay his very conceit, and imagination of his mind to hasten his confusion, and that irrecoverably unto himself, If he shal but stop a little crevis of hope and lead aside a mans deluded reason into the appearance of impossibilities, as into a by path, the soul wil sink immediately, and be the greatest enemy in Earth or Hell, to its own everlasting happiness he wil seek no good if wanting, wil receive none, if offered and pressed, nay expect none, what ever can be presented or layd forth, either in the works of providence, or in the infinite power of the Almighty God, and one Conceit wil do this if God see it on, as wel, nay more than al the Devills in hell could do, if they should set al the power of darkness on work. So it was with …, Dan. 4. 30. God dashed al his power and pomp with one deluded and misguided thought, a conceit of a beast made him unfit for crown or Kingdome or Counsel or Communication of men, So that he that would have al for his honor and majesty, he neither knew what honor or majesty was, nor could receive any, nor yet his kingdom would give either to him.

EXHORTATION. To provoke our souls by Use 3.al good means to nourish this hope in our hearts for ever Its said of hope that it comes from faith and is the Anchor of the soul Heb. 6. But its true of this also in its measure for where there is some hope of getting good it wil enable a man to endeavor. Look what the spring is to the weights of the clock … is no stirring of the one without the other as it is in nature, so grace in Physick, al the vitals must be especially … because a wound in the vitalls is deadly, it is so in a mans spiritual course, if a man would have his endeavor kept, then keep his hope alive, and say, though I do not know it shal be, yet I do not know but it may be, … I wil hope and wait. Two rules here.

p. 608Maintain in thine own heart an apprehension of 1thine own ignorance for thine own relief: Men are apt to measure Gods dealings by their own apprehensions; thou sayest thou canst not see it, yet maintain this in thine heart, I wil wait upon God; for there is more than I can see: Isai. 42. 16. I will lead the blind by a way that they do not know, and I will not forsake them, saith the Lord. God hath unknown passages of Providence for thy good.

Maintain in thy heart a real, constant perswasion of 2the Al-sufficiency that is in God for thy supply above all that which thou canst conceive, and that wil hold up thy heart, for the … of Hope is a possible good, Matth. 9. 33. There was never such a thing seen in Israel; therefore though thy heart tel thee, there was never sinner as I am, yet God is able to do that which never was done in Israel, therefore expect stil what may be: again, though thou canst not conceive it, yet know there is a sufficiency in God able to do it, Job, 5. 8, 9. I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause, which doth great things, and unsearchable, and marvelous things without number. This may support thy heart, and carry thee on with some Hope in a waiting way.

They who are truly pierced for their sins, doDoct. in an especial manner, prize and covet deliverance from them.

For this is the scope of their complaint, and the end and aim of their request, that they might be freed from that which they found so bitter, and indeed unsupportable to their souls; and it's of … implied in their speech; that which in the like case was openly expressed by the Jaylor, Acts, 16. 30. He came trembling p. 609and astonished, saying, what must I do to be saved? not what shal I do to be eased of my destraction, cured of my fears, freed from my shame; but what shal I do to be saved from my sin? he was plagued most with the remembrance of that, prizeth most freedom from it: the venom of his transgression is that which lies heaviest upon his heart; and thence it is, to be safe-guarded from that is of highest esteem in his account. Saved from the guilt of sin, as that which sets the Almighty at a distance from him, and raiseth the controversie between God and the soul, and forceth him to withdraw his favor, and loving kindness, which is better than life, which David felt by woful experience, and therefore sues with such importunity, Psal. 51. 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God, thou God of my Salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. After the Commission of these evils by David, the Lord threatened the sending of the Sword that might hazard the safety of his person, and the prosperity of such as should succeed him. So Nathan, 2 Sam. 12. 10. The Sword shal never depart from thine House: he threatens to raise up cruel and subtil conspirators out of his own bosom and bowels; as Absalon, out of his own Counsel and Kingdom, as Achitophel, and Jeroboam, whose plottings and conspiracies should shake the Pillars of the Kingdom, and the peace of his Government; all which were marvelous bitter potions, and heavy expressions of Gods displeasure, but the sting of all those troubles, the venom of al that vengeance issued from his sin, that is the evil in all evils, and therefore he overlooks al the rest, and seeks most earnestly to be rescued from this; Deliver me from blood-guiltiness: it's not the cruelty of the Sword that wil destroy, nor the conspiracy of Enemies that desire to undermine my Crown, and Kingdom, and Safety, which I so much fear, nonso much labor to be freed from; but deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God of my Salvation, q. d. that is the deliverance p. 610I look for, and long for; and here in the Salvation of a God wil appear, and shew it …, and wherein the soul of thy servant shal most rejoyce.

Saved also they would be from the … of corruption, which carries the soul from God, and keeps the … estranged from him: and hence it is the … Church makes … the matter of their most bitter complaint, Isai. 63. 17. Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear, and caused us to err from thy waies? When they withdraw their hearts from God, he … his gracious presence and … from them: when they would not deliver up themselves to the Authority of his Truth, and holy Will, to be ruled thereby, he delivered them up to the power of their own perverse Spirits, they that would not be guided in his … by his holy Spirit, they should be hardened from his fear by the perversness of their own Spirits: this is the most dreadful plague of al plagues, the deliverance from which they so highly prize, and seek it with such importunity, Look down from Heaven, thy holy Habitation, where is the sounding of thy bowels? are they restrained? Oh why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear?

The price the contrite sinner puts upon this deliverance from his sin, discovers it self in four Particulars.

In the lack of this, the soul is not, cannot be quieted, though it doth enjoy all other things the World can afford, and his heart could desire: The want of this takes off the sweetness of al the comforts; contentments, the sap and … of al priviledges, and the consluence of all Earthly Excellencies that can be enjoyed in this Pilgrimage, when the soul is under the pressures of Gods displeasure, and the tyranny of his own distempers, which carries him from God, and keeps him under the dreadful indignation of the Almighty, present him then with the beauty of al the choycest blessings that ever any man had on Earth, yea, what ever others hoped for, but in p. 611vain. Put them into his hand, conceive him possessed of the fulness of al worldly perfections, Crowns, Kingdoms, Honors, and preferments, the broken heart … al under … with neglect, what is that co me, saies the soul? had I al the Wealth to enrich me, al Honors to advance me, Pleasures and Delights to content me, and my sins stil to damn me? miserable man that ever I was born in the … of al these falsly conceived comforts. This sowr Sawce spoils al the Sweet-meat, this dram of poyson makes deadly al the delights and pleasures that … can be attained or expected. As … when he was recalled from his Banishment, and had the liberty and use of his House, and all the conveniencies and helps that were at his Command, but was charged not to see the Kings face: upon a two yeers tryal he found a straightness of all his Comforts in these enlargements; … he thus expresseth his resolution to …, 2 Sam. 14. 32. What avails me to be at Jerusalem, and in my House, to come from Geshur, if I may not see the Kings face? let me see his face, and let him … me. It is so with the broken-hearted sinner; What avails it me to be compassed about with al conven ences my heart can desire, and be compassed about with my corruptions? to see all Earthly happiness heaped up together, but never to see the face of God in another world? the belly filled, and back cloathed, and house stored, and the soul damned, and east out from Gods presence, in whose Presence, there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for ever more? These are but dead things, sapless shadows, and are to a man of a contrite Spirit, as though they were not, nay the … he hath, … more trouble he hath, because there is more sin, and more guilt, more curse and condemnation; he sees in all, and expects by all from God, and so remains restless in all.

He is content with this, though he want all the rest, because he prizeth this more than all. Skin for Skin, p. 612and al that a man hath, wil he give for his life; &c life and al for the Salvation of his soul. For sin now he … it, now he hath found it to be more bitter than death; andEccles. 7. 26.Eccl 7:26 therefore to be saved from it, he judgeth, and that truly, to be better than life it self: willing not only these things should not be, but that himself should not be, that he might not be sinful: Let the Lord take all away, yea life and all, only take away my sin, and it sufficeth; he counts it the best day that ever yet dawned, the best news that ever came to his distressed Conscience, if he can gain any assurance, get any evidence, but one good look from Heaven, a smile of Gods face and …, that the sins he hath seen, he shal never see them more; the corruptions that have … and plagued him in his dayly Conversation, indisposed him to do the Duties God required, and unfitted him for the … Christ hath purchased, God hath tendered to him in his holy Word: That pride that …, those passions, that perversness, and self-willy waywardness of heart that hath been the plague-sore of his soul, have interrupted the comfort of his heart, peace of his Conscience, communion with his God. The very possibility and expectation that the Lord may save him from the guilt and power of those prevailing distempers, supports his Spirit. But if he can but live to see the day that the thing is done, he desires to live no longer: Lord, let thy Servant … …, since mine eyes have seen thy … 2. 29, 30. Since thou hast … … … lusts, mighty stifness … … … al Convictions, though … …; gainsay al Arguments, though never so …; slight al Directions though never … evident, mighty self-considence, and hellish haughtiness of Spirit, whereby I could swel above man and means, and God himself: Let thy Servant depart in peace; This Peace, let it never be interrupted; this saving power of thy spirit never weakened, never enfeebled more. Let me lose p. 613my life with the …, let me die that they may never live more. And therefore the distressed Christian sees not the meanest Christian in the … miserable condition, but he prefers him above al the … on Earth, and wisheth himself in his place. Oh if my soul were in his souls stead, saved from his corruption, therefore he is in a safe and a blessed condition. Salvation, if it be of the right stamp, to deliver from sin, not to ease from plagues and sorrows, such a kind of saving carries ever satisfaction with it, hath a … fulness which answers unto al poor and imprisoned, yet saved though; persecuted, reproached, yet saved though; despised and killed, and yet saved; delivered from his …, there is no evil of the first or second death that shal hurt him, … have any power over him: And therefore the contrite sinner contents himself in this, as Jacob in a like case, I have enough, Joseph is yet alive; I have enough, my soul shal yet be saved. In a wrack, he that saves his life, is abundantly satisfied. When so many thousands suffer …, split al their Professions, Hopes, and Comforts upon the Rocks and Sands of Pride and Self-love; Oh what a mercy, satisfying mercy, that thou who wert in as much danger as they, stands alive upon the shoar, when they are dying, and drowning, and …, under the power of their sins.

The … sinner … … … price, he is resolved 3in good … readily to endeavor any thing to compass that he makes so much … of, …. … and Brethren, what shall we do? Command what ye wil, we shal do it; give what … … please, we … follow them; prescribe … means you see … … shal improve them; … it is you shal … … enjoyn, be it never so cross to our own carnal …, never … … and haza …, we … not haggle and … … you, but we shal endeavor …, and … … … … …. What … we do? whatever … … … … …, we … do what we …; and … … … to do p. 614what we cannot out of our weakness perform, or out of our ignorance so readily conceive how … accomplish: So they Isai. 30. 22. The Converts there, it's said, They … … the … of Silver, and ornament of Gold, and cast them away as a … cloth, and say, get thee hence. The price and worth of their Image might have enticed them; if not to have kept them, yet converted them to their own use; but they casheir them wholly, without the least consideration of any Commodity that they might have contrived for their own content therefrom. So Zacheus, … 19. 8. When once he began to be sensibly affected with his corrupt and covetous course, and the danger thereof, and the evil therein, see how comfortably restitution (which is so difficult a work) comes off a hand, without any grudging, because that was the means appointed by God to quit his heart and hands of the guilt of that sin. Behold Lord, half that I have, I give to the poor; and if I have wronged any man by forged Cavillation, I restore him four-fold. So lastly, the holy Apostle Paul, when the Lord Jesus had discovered his sin, and abased his heart in the right apprehension of it; so that he is come to Gods bent, What wilt thou have me to do? Behold I wil send thee far hence to the Gentiles, Acts, 26. 17, 19. He did not consent with flesh and blood, nor so much as pretend either doubt or …, but immediately addressed himself to follow the direction. That which a man prizeth indeed, he wil bid fair for, nor wil he scotch for a little cost, but is resolved to have it what ever it …, and therefore … not for the cost at all. So it is here, a … sinner comes easily and resolutely to Gods terms, to do any thing.

He that … this price upon Salvation, and … 4from sin, his heart is upon it, and his prayer is improved for the most part for this particular his thoughts about it …. Listen to him in … secret devotions, his confessions about this, his Petitions spent upon this, p. 615he harps upon this … stil. But for things of the world they are out of his mind, his thoughts … … … them, as though he … nothing, or cared for nothing, or … … … … … …, Oh deliver me … … …. Ask him what he would have or desire, if he might obtain and have what he would; he answers, Oh that I might be saved; as Abraham for Ishmael, …. 17. 18. … that Ishmael might live before thee; … he for his own soul, Oh that my soul may live before thee: or as blind … said, Oh that my Eyes might be opened, and that my heart might be opened and freed from my corruptions, Oh that Jesus Christ would do this for me, who cannot do it for my ….

Because … distressed soul finds the presence of all … Reas. 1.ther things do no whit prejudice a mans everlasting happiness; either the good or comfort of his soul, either the having or … of his Spiritual …; the presence of … … … … which may …, do not … … … … … … … of any … person, a … is never a whit the worse, and the Lord loves him never a whit the less, because his pressures and sorrows … upon him; but that is the season of Gods saving health, … is most neer when there is most need, and our … makes way for the enlargement of his love and mercy to us. Joseph … … prison, land God is with him, with his in the fire, … it … not, and the Waters that they drown …; God … … the …, Isa. 43. 2. God … … … more … and … … … himself to … …, than … … … … the greatest …, …. 3. 25. … the … is seven times …, and the three children … into it, then the Son of God … visibly with them in the … thereof. … … … … … …, and … all manner of …, then God doth al manner of good, for great … your reward in Heaven. So that p. 616what the Apostle enjoyns, the sinner now finds true by proof, that we have reason to count it all joy when we fall into many temptations, James, 1, 2, 3, 4. For in al those wants which out … befal, become … and intire, and want nothing spiritually, and … the contrite is content to bear these, when he finds they do not hinder the happiness of the soul.