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

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

p. 656A heart content to take the shame, is not offended 2with the party, friend, or enemy, that wil lay the shame upon him; he knows it is the burden which he ought to …, and if therefore any man wil give him a lift, and help him to take it up, he wil take it kindly at his hands: It's against common sence to conceive that one should be offended with another, or take it grievously that he doth any thing which he knows would, and he conceives wil give him content: No man can be offended in Reason with the party for such a carriage or doing, such a thing. wherein he is contented, and with which he is pleased: True it is, shame in it self, is exceeding distastful to flesh and blood, and in truth nothing more cross and contrary to an ingenious spirit; Praise is the priviledg and prerogative of a reasonable Agent, who acts by Counsel, and therefore other Creatures are not so capable of it, nor do we give it as their due, we commend not the fire for burning heavy things, for falling donward; they cannot but do their work, and therefore no praise, no thanks to them for their deed; but Agents as Men and Angels who work by Counsel, who have wit and wisdom to contrive several waies, conceive the best, and wil and care to follow that when they might have done other out of their liberty: Shame therefore crossing a man in his special priviledg, his proper free hold, it must in it self be very grievous, and a tedious burden, but as he sees his duty in it, and the good that comes by it, and withal his just desert by reason of his vileness, he is not offended with the presence of the Chirurgeon, but he is glad to see him, and his …, though sharp and … p. 660which may lance his imposthume, and so save his …, whenas a naughty heart who would not have another take away his …, he is vexed inwardly at the least, that he laies the shame and disparagement upon him for it: See this odds in those two Kings, Ahab and …, the one a self-seeking deluded …, when he was under the whip and terror of Gods stroak and wrath, he then humbles his soul, fasts and praies, and that in print as it were, acts his part in that extraordinary duty with outward …, and therefore in reason it cannot but be conceived he bewailed his sin, confessed his failings, and yet he that hated Elijah, 1 Kings, 21. 20. he hates also Micaiah, 1 Kings, 22. 8. There is yet one Micaiah, q. d. We are rid of the most of them, but yet One is our vexation, and I hate him, because he hates my sin, and wil never speak good, that is, speak that which pleaseth my corruption, and therefore displeaseth me. But good Jehosaphat he was not willing to hear his words, much less able to bear them, and therfore expresseth himself quite contrary, Let not the King say so; and of the same frame he was when it came home to his own particular, 2 Chron. 19. 2. When Jehu the Seer met him after the Battel, and his …, and set a heavy reproof upon him, should'st thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore there is wrath upon thee from the Lord; the Text intimates he was no whit offended with the Message, or the man, but yielded to the one, and lovingly … the other, and set presently about the reformation. When Abigail met David now upon his march so justly provoked, armed also with power and rage; and therefore if we should look at her, that was to discover the … of his proceedings, and stop him therein, or at David so wronged and provoked, and now upon the sign as the chief Commander in the head of his troops, to be …, and that by the voyce of a woman, in reason it … be conceived that ever she should have brought p. 661him, whose heart was like the heart of a Lyon, and now in his heat transported with wrath, to have … himself, and … down under the shame of his wrath; yet Oh, the power of a gracious Spirit, he is content upon all these disadvantages to see his sin, and take his shame with a thankful heart, Blessed be God, and blessed be thy Counsel, and blessed be thou, who hast discovered the sinfulness of my rage, and hast kept me from shedding blood, 1 Sam. 25. 32. and it's not only his practice, but his prayer, Let the righteous sinite me, it shall not break my head, it shal be as a precious Oyl, Psal. 141.

But may not, and do not many times, even such who Quest.are truly gracious, have their spirits imbittered, and their boisterous passions carried against such who shall lay the shame upon them by reason of their sin? See what … did unto the Seer, when he handled him hardly, and dealt roughly with him, Herein thou hast dealt foolishly; the Text saies, he was wroth with the Seer, and put him into prison, 2 Chron. 16. 10.

As touching the Example, the strangeness of the carriage,Answ. his practice so gross, he imprisoneth the Prophet, and crusheth others who in likelihood stood for the Prophet, encreaseth in his evil, and grows further off from God, goes off the Stage without any record of Repentance, as ver. 11, 12. The strangeness of the carriage I confess, makes me somtimes wonder where the Truth of Grace was; and if a man … to be troublesom, and to quarrel with … course, he might darken the evidence of his uprightness: That which is said of him, is only two things; 1. His heart was perfect all his daies: 2. He did that which was right, as David his Father: To which I could say, That this comparison, and so perfection is only to be attended in regard of that particular at which it points, namely, in maintaining the Truth of Worship, and therein he held it out from first to last; which foreign …; but whether in his whol he were so, the story evinceth not, and his miscarriages expressed, p. 660duplicate page p. 661duplicate page p. 662and in which he lives and dies, without any record of reformation, speaks dreadfully against him, his last being the worst, He sought to the Physitian, and not unto God, and so dies; the same Phrase you may see used in a like sence, 1 Kings, 11. 6. Solomons heart was not perfect with God as Davids was, i. e. Though he had truth of Grace, yet he was not perfect and intire in maintaining the Truth of his Worship: If a man may not be perfect in some case, and yet sincere; so he may be perfect in some other, and yet not sincere: For if the absence of it doth not take away sincerity, the presence of it wil not argue and conclude it: But we will keep the Road, because the consent of the Judicious carries it that way; and so I Answer Secondly.

It's possible for a gracious heart in a present push of a 2Temptation to have his spirit rising, and through the strength of pride, and passion to be carried with dislike of the party, who shal by evidence of Truth, set on his sin and shame; but this is but in a pang, and surprisal, he is not now himself, this is not the man, and therefore his state is not to be judged by this.

Nay Thirdly, In case the party be not convinced of 3the equity and truth of the discovety, and of his own evil, in stumbling at the parties that dispensed it, he may … long in such a distemper, and so proceed harshly upon such erroneous ground, to be offended with such expressions, because he conceives he justly may: this happily may be the ground of Asa his former proceeding in so fierce a manner with the Propher, as conceiving that he had gone beyond his commission, and either reproved him not so justly as he should, at the least not in that under and respective manner, as became the power and Soveraignty of Asa, or subjection which the Prophet should have remembred & acknowledged to be due; and this may seem somwhat probable becaus he claps him close prisoner, puts him into little Ease, as being guilty of no less than high Treason committed against his person, p. 663Jun. in locum. But while the soul is thus doluded and taken aside with a proud, self-deceiving frame, if we may look at the remarkable hand of God against such distempers as the example of Asa presents it before us, such persons wil each day be more blinded and unable to see their sin, so was he; more acted by the power of it, and taken aside by it, so was he, he puts others into prison not long after; more liable to some direful destroying plagues, so was he, his disease strange and irrecoverable; and in reason is like to die without comfort to his Conscience, or honor to his name; so did he.

In the fourth place, Whatever becomes of the former 4example, leaving secret things to Gods good pleasure, the Rule of Truth stands as Mount Zion, and wil never fail: He that after conviction by any Instrument sent of God, and revealing his way according to his wil, despiseth such a messenger, despiseth him that sent him, Luk. 10. 16. He that after Conviction, seeing the Truth and Authority of Christ, stumbles yet at him, and is offended at Christ, it's a note he shal be ruinated by the Lord, he that falls upon this stone, shall be broken to pieces; he that is offended at the Lord Jesus, shal perish; he that is offended at such whom he sends as Messengers of his Mind and Truth, and that after Conviction and Information, is offended at the Lord Jesus; therefore such a one must … perish, hath no part in the Lord Jesus, nor yet were ever made partakers … the saving work of his Grace.

He that … … with a contented heart, is neither Evid. 3.restlesly …, nor discouraged in the bearing of it; for to be contented, and yet discouraged, cannot stand together; but such a soul sits down in silence, submits himself … under the hand of the …, … away well … with whatever disparagement is cast upon him, by reason of his desert, and takes it as an allowance set out unto him by the Lord; he can look upon it, and lie down … it, with … and quietness p. 664of Spirit: So the Apostle recals and recounts his former loathsom miscarriages upon each occasion, breaks kindly with the fresh abasement of himself in the sight of God and man; I was a persecuter, blasphemous. 1 Tim. 1 13. 15.1 Tim 1:131 Tim 1:15and injurious, not worthy to be called an Apostle, for I persecuted the Church, Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am chief. So Dan. 9. 17. Oh Lord, Righteousness belongeth to thee, but unto us, shame and confusion of face; he looks at it as their due, owns it as their portion, which is appropriated to them, and belongs to them of right, and rests satisfied therein. Nay, the heart truly called, is here indeed most comforted, when it can take the greatest shame with greatest content, and that when it seems most loathsom, and himself for it. The sick Patient is most comforted with the Vomit when it works most vehemently, … he knows the more sick it makes him, the sooner it wil make him wel; but when it lies like a dead drug in the stomach, stirs him least, endangers him most, Oh saies the Patient, it made me marvelous sick, but I was marvelous glad, it wrought kindly upon the Humor, and I expect a Cure, my stomach is much clensed, periissem, nisi …; the greatest shame that ever I received, did me the most good, was the best Physick I could ever take, I had never parted with my sin, but my shame weaned me from it. Whereas a false heart never yet truly turned from his sin, and sincerely humbled; if the venom of Gods vengeance give him a Vomit, and make him cast out all his … by confession in his own face, there follows such wearish wrastlings of Spirit, such restless and … hurries of thoughts, sits down disconsolate, Rachel like, cannot be comforted, because their Honor is not, their Credit and Respect is not, lies a bleeding as they suppose, and not likely to be recovered; he cannot look upon his reproach, but he is weary of his life, his spirit faints, his … wil not down, his … departs, what avails all if yet his shame remains? he would be p. 665any thing and any where, rather than under the foot of contempt.

A heart that is content to take shame wil not choose Evid. 4.unlawful means in cold blood and upon consideration to remove it; he is discontended with his sin, not with his shame, he wil not therefore choose sinful means to be freed from it; So the good theif Luk, 23. 41. we are justly here receiving the due reward of … deeds; the punishment and plague a heart absed takes as just, and therefore wil not do that which is unjust to be quit of them, whereas the haughty … is so impatient under reproach that he wil rather break under his shame than with quietness bear it, he cares not what he doth or suffers if he may not suffer that, So Abimelech. Judg. 9. 54. Saul: 1. Sam. 31. 4. Achitophel, 2. Sam. 17. 23. al of them used unlawful means to be rid of their shame, Job. was of another temper though his … were strong to carry him, and counsel wretched which was given to perswade him to another course, Job. 2. 9. dost thou stil continue in thine … blessing God, and dying, q. d. you may see what you get by your holiness and dependance, is it not better not to be than to be thus, this is the meaning, but his answer shewes another resolution shal we receive good from the hand of God and not evil? the good God owes us not, and yet he gives it, the evil we deserve and therefore should be quiet if he bring it.

The fourth use is for EXHORTATION, If you Use 4.know these things as I am perswaded you do; then be entreated in the name of the Lord Jesus to walk in that way that God hath revealed, this is the baseness of our hearts we are loath to unbuckle our vile and secret distempers, they are shameful themselves and yet we are loath to take shame for them; therefore deal openly and freely with your selves, and confess your sins … & fully that God may deal … with you; hath the … at any time … in this horror into thy soul and is p. 666thy heart now troubled at the word, and after al thy prayers and tears, and pains and means using with uprightness, do thy … stil remain? are they not yet subdued? canst thou not yet get assurance of the pardon of them, I say then cast away thy shameful hideing and … of sin; and do not say what wil men and Ministers say of me, away with these shifts, God calls thee to confession, the Saints have done it, and thou must, nay thou wilt if ever thy … be kindly broken as it should be, in some measure pleasing to God and profitable to thy self.

But some may say how should we do it?Quest.

For answer hereunto, I wil first give some directionsAnsw. how to do it; Secondly I wil give some motives to work our hearts to the same.

Be wise in choosing the party to whom you confess 1your sins, for every wide mouthed vessel is not fit to receive precious liquor; so this confession is not to be opened to every carnal wretch that wil blaze it abroad, nor to every Godly man, no nor Minister neither. The Minister to whom you confess ought to have these three graces.

First he must be a skilful and able Minister of God, 1one that is trained up and is master of his art, and so experienced that he might be able in some measure to find out the nature of the disease; Not that any Minister under heaven, can give pardon to a poor sinner, but onelyonly he is able Ministerially to do it under God; he must be able to approve himself as the Minister of God; he must have the tongue of the learned and be able to speak a word in season Isa. 50. 4. he must be able to break the heart and prepare the soul for Christ, and then to apply the promises of the Gospel to him.

He must be a merciful Physitian, one that wil pity a 2poor soul; they that have experience of trouble and misery in themselves are most compassionate to others in distress, he that hath been tossed in the sea wil pity others p. 667that have been in the same danger.

Lastly he must be a faithful Minister, one that wil 3not fit mens humors, nor answer the desires of their hearts in speaking what they would have him, but his faithfulness must appear in two things, 1. In dealing plainly with a man about his spiritual estate; what ever a mans place and condition be, if he have a proud heart he must labor to humble him, he must apply a salve fitting for the sore; 2. And he must be faithful in keeping secret the sin that is laid open to him, that nothing may fly abroad no not after his death except it be in some cases.

Now what remains but that you al be moved to take up this duty, and provoke your hearts freely to confess your evil wayes, to which purpose let me give you three motives.

First because it is a very honourable thing and wil Motive, 1.exceedingly promote the cause of a Christian: you wil hardly yield to this on the sudden; a man thinks that if the Minister knew his vileness he wil abhor him for it; but (I assure you bretheren,) then is nothing that doth more set forth the honor of a Christian, and win the love of a Minister than this; Indeed it is a shame to commit sin but no shame to confess sin upon good grounds: nay when the heart comes kindly off, its … to see how a faithful Minister wil approve of such persons, his love is so great towards them, Oh saith the Minister it did me good to hear that man confess so freely, I hope the Lord hath wrought kindly in him; certainly now he is in the way to happiness; Oh how I love him, I could be … to put that man in my bosom; whereas this overly and loos dealing of yours is loathsom to us, do you think we perceive it not, yes we may feel it with our fingers and when you are gone I tel you what we thinke, surely that man is an … he hath an hollow heart, he is not willing to take shame to himself for his sin, his confession never came to the bottom.

p. 668… is a … of great …: I take this toMotive, 2. be the onelyonly cause why many a man goes troubled and gets neither comfort in the pardon … his sin, nor strength against it, … he … not off kindly in this … of confession; when you do nakedly open your sins to a faithful Minister, you go out in battle against sin and you have a second in the field to stand by you; but especially there is comfort in this particular, … the Minister wil discover the lusts and deceits of your heart which you could not find out, and he wil lay open the … of Satan, and that means of comsort that you never knew; I am able to speak it by experience, this hath broke the neck of many a soul, even because he would go out in single combat against Satan and do what he could, not revealing himself to others for help, was overthrown for ever. As it is with the impostumed part of a mans body, when a man lets out some of the corrupt matter and so skins it over, never healing it to the bottom, at last it cankers inwardly and comes to a gangrene, and the part must be cut off or else a man is in danger of his life, so when you let out some corruptions by an overly confession but suffer some bosom lust to remain stil, as malice or uncleanness, &c. then the soul cankers and Satan takes possession of it, and the soul is carried into fearful abominations. Many have fallen foully, and lived long in their sins and al because they would not confess freely, therefore as you desire to find out the deceitfulness of your corruptions confess them from the bottom of your souls.

This open and free confession may maintain the secrecy Motive, 3.of the soul, for the onelyonly way to have a mans sins covered, is to confess them, that so they may … be brought upon the stage before al the world.

Oh saith one, this is contrary to common reason; weObject. are afraid to have our sins known, that is our trouble, we keep our sins close, because we would preserve our honor.

p. 669I say the onelyonly way for Secrecy, is to reveal our sins Answ.to some faithful Minister, for if we confess our sins God wil cover them; if you take shame to your selves God wil honor you; but if you wil not confess your sins, God wil break open the dore of your hearts, and let in the light of his truth and the convicting power of his spirit and make it known to men and Angels to the shame of your persons for ever. If Judas had taken notice of his sin and yeelded to Christs accusation, and desired some conference with Christ privately, and said good Lord, I am that Judas that hel-hound, that have received mercy from thee in the outward means, and have been entertained among thy people, yet it is I that have taken the thirty pence, Lord pardon this sin and let this iniquitie never be … to my charge. I doubt not but though Judas his soul could not be saved (because that now we know Gods decree of him) yet God would have saved him from the publick shame that was cast upon him for it; but he did not so but hid his malice in his heart, and professed great matters of love to Christ and killed him, & thus he thought to cover his … wisey; but what become of that? the Lord forced him to come and throw down his thirty pieces, and to vomit out his sin to the everlasting shame of his person, I have sinned sayes he in betraying innocent blood. So you that keep your sins as sugar under your tongues, you wil be loos and unclean and malicious and covetous stil, wel, you wil have your thirty pieces stil, and they are layed up safe as Achans wedg of gold …, remember this, God wil one day open the closets of your hearts; and lay you upon your death-beds, and then happily you wil prove mad and vomit up al, were it not better to confess your sins to some faithful Minister now? If you wil not give the Lord his glory, he wil distrain for it, and have it from your heart blood as Julian the Apostat said, when the arrow was shot into his heart he plucked it … and cryed saying, Thou Galilean, thou hast overcome p. 670me, the Lord distrained for his glory, and had it out of his heart blood.

We are now come to the last Doctrine layd forth in the words, and that is.

The soul that is truly pierced with Godly sorrowDoct. for sin, is carryed with a restless dislike against it, and separation from it.

This is the main thing that was in the eye and aym of these …, and intended principally in their complaint; Men and bretheren the sins which you have discovered we cannot but own, and therefore we do confess them openly and freely, in the sight of God and you his servants and the dangers which you have also made known by reason thereof, we cannot but expect, the evils are great which we fear, oh the sins are far worse by which we have offended, what shal we do? direct any thing we wil follow it, command any thing we wil obey and submit thereunto with glad hearts that we may be rid of those evils; It had been happy for us that we had never listened to the counsel of the scribes and pharisees and been led by their examples, or carried with the croud, to the commission of such bloody evils, the guilt whereof is so great vileness of loathsomenoss whereof is so hellish and unconceiveable, but that which is done and past cannot be recalled; but what shal we now do, is there nothing to be done against these high-handed abominations, which have done so much dishonor to Gods name, indignity to the Lord Jesus the Lord of life, so much injury to our own souls, and hazarded our everlasting happiness and comfort, what shal we do? If any thing that can be done by others, we wil seek far and near for help, If any thing that can be done by our selves we shal … it to the utmost of our power, is there nothing p. 671to be done that we might have the blood of these sins of ours which have taken away the blood of the Lord Jesus this is not an estate to be rested in, a … in which we must continu and quiet our selves, we should be willing to do any thing against … sins and selves; therfore the doctrine hence followes, …, Sound contrition brings the soul to detestation against sin and sequestration from it. When the people lamented … the Lord who had … himself so long time from them, Samuel that he might have assurance of their sorrow that it were good, and that they might give in evidence their hearts were upright, he puts them upon this tryal If indeed you wil return unto the Lord, put away your Idol, 1 Sam. 7. 3. This was the practice of those converts Hosea. 14. 1. 2. 3. 4. When they had taken words, and desired the Lord to take away their iniquitie, the proof of their sorrow and repentance is shewed in that profession of theirs, Ashur shal not save us, nor wil we go down to Egipt, nor wil we say to the works of our hands, ye are our Gods; these were their special sins and their protestation is bent in a peculiar manner to abandon them for ever; Those also who were convinced of their sinful departings from God by their curious arts, Acts. 19. 19. To shew … detestation of their sins, they came al as one man, and were al of one mind; they burn their books in the view of al the people, before al men that the memory of such evils might be abhorred, and the very instruments which had been abused to the practice of them might be removed from the face of the Earth, a … heart that makes a true …, he is said in phrase of scripture to speak and judg as God doth of sin, and to … the same sentence … it; Now Gods mind is, and the conclusion he hath set down is this, thou shalt blot out the memory of them from under heaven, and so would a broken heart do with his distempers.

p. 672There be two Particulars in the Doctrine, wherein the double Effect of sound Contrition is discovered:

1. Detestation of sin.

2. Sequestration from sin.

We wil handle them both apart. Begin we first with that hatred and detestation, which the heart truly burdened carries against sin: For the opening whereof we shal discover,

1. VVhat is the Nature of this hatred.

2. How it doth discover it self, and may be discerned.

3. The Reasons why this is required in this Work of Preparation.

To the First.

To difference this work of Hatred, as it is appropriate to this place, and comes now to consideration, from the like disposition and operation of soul which … wrought by the holy Ghost, and expressed by the Saints in the further progress of the work of Application; before it ariseth to the full breadth and further perfection, unto which the Beleever arrives: It's a discovery which is attended with much difficulty and hardness; to lay out the peculiar bounds and limits of it, that each work may take that which is peculiar to it self, and not interfer upon the other; it's a matter marvelous intricate and narrow for the search: we shall labor to be wise to sobriety, so far as light goes, and the Lord helps: We p. 673shal cast that which we would speak by way of Explication, into several Conclusions, as apprehending that the … and most familiar way to communicate what may lend some little Direction this way.

As the first Adam did depart from God, and in him Conclus. 1.all … Posterity; so the second Adam, the Lord Christ, doth bring back all his again unto God the Father by the contrary way. In the departure of Adam and his Seed, this is plain to common apprehension, There was first an Aversion, or turning from God; then a Conversion, or turning of the soul to the Creature: this is the usual course, and the usual …, They have … the Fountain of Living Waters, and digged to themselves, Pits that will hold no water, Jer. 2. 13. Adam attends not Gods Direction, and then he attends the delusion of the Enemy, contents not himself in what God had found, but finds out findings, therefore our Savior brings back his contrary way, begins where Satan ends as it were, there must be an Aversion and turning from the Creature, before there can be a conversion unto God; he came from God to the Creature, he must return from the Creature to God: but … aversion is first, that is, from his abusive cleaving to the Creature; for in truth, … is nothing else but an … affecting of these inferior things, Ambition is the inordinate affecting of praise, the aiery applause of men; Covetousness an inordinate seeking and … upon the world; Uncleanness, an unruly … unreasonable pursuit of the delights of the Flesh; in a word, a perverted and exorbitant wil inordinately following and pursuing the Creature, not from God, for God, but from a sinful disposition to self-ends; this is the frame of evil in the heart, the woof and web of wickedness lie, there. Now the Lord Jesus he comes, 1 John, 3. 8, 9 to destroy the works of the Devil; the Original is, to …, and unravel, undo, or take down … work, as the word implies; and therefore he begins to pull p. 674down his work where he ended it, viz. He first works an Aversion from sin, and the Creature sinfully affected, and then in Nature and Order there wil be conversion to God. The Point of the Compass cannot stand North and South together; first it must stand from the South, before it stand North: The face of the soul cannot stand God-ward, and Sin-ward, and Creature-ward.1 Thes. 1. 9.1 Thess 1:9 This is the course of the Scripture, and the constant expression of it; To turn from Idols to the living God, Acts. 26. 18.Acts 26:18from darkness to light, from Satan to God.

There is nothing in the soul that can turn the soul from sin and the Creature, that which is wholly possessedConclus. 2. and wholly acted by an inordinate affection to the Creature that can never turn from the Creature, 1 Pet. 4. 2. All men live according to the lusts of men, and the will of the Gentiles; yea, fulfil the desires of the flesh, and walk after the Prince of the Air. Eph. 2. 2.

As a man cannot turn himself, so this first Aversion Conclus. 2.from sin, and the Creature, is not wrought by any gracious habit that is put into the soul by the Lord, i. e. That is not the way and means by which this first Aversion and turning from sin is wrought; And the Reasons are,

First, All gracious qualities and habits (as all otherReas. 1. accidents and attendants upon things) never have any being but in a subject; and therefore must first be there, before they can put forth any operation. Wisdom must first be in the mind before a man can act wisely; Skil must be in the Head and Understanding of the Artificer, before he can work, build, and plant skilfully; Holiness, Righteousness, Patience in our Hearts, before we can work holily, patiently; and that's the Reason though we have the same faculties of mind and wil before our Conversion, as we have after, yet we neither do nor can put forth any gracious action before, but after Grace.

Hence it follows, That if the first Aversion from sin p. 675were wrought by a habit of Grace, we should first have this, i. e. The Habit of Grace should be in the soul before it should work this Aversion of the soul from sin: but that implies a contradiction, that a man should have Grace, and yet be wholly averted from God for the least moment.

Secondly, If the soul be uncapable in that condition, Reas. 2.and under that consideration to receive the Habit of Grace, then there cannot be a gracious habit in the soul to work any thing: but while the soul is wholly possessed and acted by sin, it is not capable of a gracious habit, no more than it's possible to be in light and darkness together. The wisdom of the Flesh is enmity against God, it is not subject, nay it cannot be subject to the Law; if not subject, then it cannot receive the gracious impressions of it, Rom. 8. 7. and John, 14. 17. it's said of the Comforter, that the world cannot receive him; the issue is, if a gracious Habit neither is, nor can be there in the soul wholly possessed and averted from God by sin, then this Aversion from sin cannot be wrought by it.

Though the Lord doth not put a gracious habit Conclus. 4.INTO the Soul, by which this may be done, yet the Spirit of Contrition puts forth an irresistible power by which it works UPON the Soul; thus turned from God to sin, to return it from sin to God. For the Spirit in the Work of Application sustains a double Office, and so a double Respect:

As a Spirit Assisting,

As a Spirit Inhabiting,

And yet the same Spirit of Regeneration in such as shall be saved (taking Regeneration in the breadth thereof, including the whol Work) though the operation be double or divers, according to the diversity of the subject, as the soul of a sinner, upon which the work of Application must be made according to the degrees thereof.

p. 676The Spirit works upon the Soul in Preparation, to make way for gracious habits, but never inhabits the heart, makes the soul a Temple without some gracious qualisication; 1 Cor. 6. 18, 19. Ye are the Temples of the holy Ghost: Christ dwels in our hearts by Faith, Eph. 3. 17. there is the Spirit inhabiting; yet it is said, The world cannot receive the Spirit, because they do not see him, nor know him, but you know him, for he dwels in you, and abides with you, John, 14. 17. yet those who are nothing for the while, but the world, the Spirit doth work upon such to cal them out of the world, by turning of them from darkness to light.

The Lord Christ as the Second Adam, and the Head Conclus. 5.of those whom he shal bring back, and beget unto God the Father, in the vertue of his death he brings a Release from under the hand of Divine Justice, to reverse that Commission which sin and Satan had, to fasten the soul to the Creature, and so to sin, and by sin and the Creature to rule in it: For when Adam jarred and justled against the Law, the Law was strong and hard, i. e. just; the Law and the Lord in Justice pushed Adam away from him, sin takes occasion to fall in, and by that advantage (when Divine Justice, by reason of his provocation, pushed him away) it carries him to the Creature, and the Devil by sin and the Creature challengeth Soveraignty over him: The Lord Jesus by and in the vertue of his death, suffering and satisfying Divine Justice, delivers both himself and his from the Authority of sin: God raised him from the Grave, because it was impossible be should be held by the sorrows and power of the grave, and therefore not by the power of sin and darkness, Acts, 2. 24. for they had no power but by vertue of Divine Justice; which being now appeased, their Commission is reversed and repealed: By Death Christ destroyed him that had the power of Death, that is, the Devil, Heb. 2. 14. So our Savior gives the ground of comfort and release to his, p. 677I was dead, and … alive, and behold I have the keyes of Hell and Death, Rev. 1. 18. The Lord saies to sin, hands off, that soul is mine, and doth therefore by the power of his Spirit, not only stop the work-of sin, but over-bears, and abolisheth, and takes off the right of Rule which Satan by sin challenged, he brings the soul off from the Soveraignty of sin, into another Jurisdiction.

The Lord having forced the sinner (whereof I formerlyConclus. 6. disputed) to feel sin as it is sin, to be cross to the end of his being, though not to the corruption of the soul, yet to the Nature of the soul; and therefore as it's possible that the soul may be forced to …, so now upon feeling, the soul finds it to be a most bitter thing, and that unto the being of the soul, as an immortal Creature made next for God as its last end. And therefore (Observe) though it want Spiritual and Supernatural ability to enter into combate, or vanquish a corruption by any Grace received, yet being sensible by the Spirit of Contrition of the evil of it, and so loosened from it, it becomes subject, & stands readily prepared to … any impression of the power of the Spirit, whereby the exercise and power of sin may be stopped, & the challenge of any right of Rule and Soveraignty may be shaken off, and for ever destroyed, and the soul be carried to God in Christ, to be owned, ruled, and blessed for ever. So that when Christ as the Second Adam, and Head of the Covenant, comes to take a soul, and to … him from sin to God the Father; look by what irresistable power he acts in opposition and … against it, as cross to his Glory, the soul wanting power of its own, it takes advantage to fall in and yield to that power, and is acted and moved by the like opposition and detestation against its sin, according as the impression of the Spirit is left upon him: And hence it comes, the sinner is transported with that holy …, and indignation at such times … … ward he doth never find, … may be, can p. 678never again attain unto. As the Gibeonites when all…, 9. 10. chap. the Princes of the Cities and Provinces were gathered together against them, they had not power in themselves to oppose, yet withdraw themselves they would from under their Rule and Confederacy, and yielded themselves to the Authority and Soveraignty of Joshua, though it were to hew wood and draw water; or as the Boat that is run a ground, and hath neither tackling nor …, yet by a mighty wind, and a Spring Tide, he is carried with more speed to the Haven than by all … and helps he could ever after attain: So the Soul being acted wholly by that power and impression of the …, having yet no principle of its own, it's carried with a detestation against sin; here Christ applies this power only, afterward in Sanctification we apply the power of Christs death to this end with him.

This is the first work of God in the extent of it, and the way he takes to turn the soul from sin and the Creature: Fear stops him, sorrow tires him, hatred turns him. Fear troubles his sin, sorrow loosens it, hatred abandons it. Fear finds the knot, Griefunties it, Hatred dissolves and breaks it off. Fear questions the Lawfulness of the match between sin and the soul, Sorrow gives in proof and evidence out of sence of the evil of it, Hatred disanuls the League, and fues out an everlasting Divorce betwixt sin and the soul. This Hatred is the hatred of Preparation, not of Sanctification; the difference between which may be discerned by the former Discourse.

That in Sanctification is from the Spirit inhabiting; 1this from the Spirit Assisting.

That of Sanctification is by a gracious habit infused 2into the Soul; this is without a habit, the Spirit only by … irresistible motion working upon the soul.

In that there is an inward Principle received, whereby 3we meet with Christ, and concur with him to the work; here we have no habit, and therefore no inward p. 679principle to meet with Christ, he wholly and only … upon us, and we act, as acted by him. Take the wheels of a Watch out of place, if you wil bring them into the right room and place, they wil then move, because there is a principle of motion put into it. So of a Member out of Joynt, if you wil by strong hand pul and move it unto the place, being wholly moved, it wil move into his order and rank, it doth not concur or meet with your hand for the joynting of it self, but stirs wholly and only as stirred; but being settled and confirmed in the place, it wil move to your hand, and concur with your hand to help it self. So here: That hatred in Sanctification we receive from our union with Christ; this the Spirit works upon us to make way to bring us to Union with the Lord Jesus; we must turn from our sins, before we come to God, there must be an aversion from sin, before there can be a conversion unto God; we cannot be under two Covenants; in the first Adam, and the second; grow upon two stocks together. It's said that Adam begot a son in his own Image, that a Son wasGen. 5.Gen 5 generated by the first Adam, the act of Generation was no part of the Image, but the Image is the corruption of Nature that came by Generation: So that we are united, that's none … Christs Image, but the Image of Christ, which is … communion with him in his Graces, this Image and these graces issue from our union. The sum in short then is this: There must be an aversion from sin, before conversion unto God: there is nothing in the soul that can work this, but Christ must do it. When Christ works this, it is not by any habit of Grace infused into the soul, but by the motion and work of the Spirit upon the Soul. In this work, Christ as the Head of the Covenant by … of his death, whereby he satisfied the Law, brings a release from the hand of Divine Justice, to reverse and repeal that Commission by which sin had Authority over the soul and Satan by sin; … that the act of sin is stopped, and the right of the Rule of sin is p. 680wholly … and made voyd; the contrite sinner feeling the evil of sin and yet no power of himself to oppose and subdu, look in what opposition and detestation the … power of the spirit goes out against sin as acted by the impression of that power, it acts by opposition and detestation against its sin and is turned from it.

2. How this hatred discovers it self and how it may be discerned.

This hatred is attended with a continual fear of the presence and the deadly infection of sin, and so with a 1constant watch against it; or a watchful fear is a never fayling work whereby this hatred … it felf, in the carriage and daily conversation of a … sinner, the venom of sin which formerly he hath felt, the plague and vengeance which those his distempers hath brought upon him, leaves so fresh and yet so … a remembrance of them upon his soul that the very thoughts of them afright him, but any temptation or provocation that may draw him to the … of the like is so loathsom that the least appearance that looks that way he sees presently and shakes at it, … it as the … of hell, as that which wil hazard the happiness of the soul and … as present … to him. As it is in the work of nature in the body of a man, he that hath surfeted upon some sweet meat or some pleasing potion that hath been prepared in a guilded cup, & happily suited with his palate for the present, but in issue had in reason hazarded his life, in his own sence and each mans apprehension, but that the Lord was merciful; you need not … him with arguments, the loathing of … stomach and the very hatred and Antipathie that nature hath against that which procured the hazard, wil make him watchful and shy how he is deceived in that kind any …, the very sight of the gally-pot, the sent or p. 681smel of the potion, yea the least suspicion that such a receit is coming towards him, … him to fear and fly, his stomach begins to turn, riseth from the …, removes out of the room, … frame of nature begins to fail and shake with the remembrance of the … and with the fear of the like danger; It behoves me to look what I take, it had like to have cost my life, therefore I wil come there no more. So it is with a … sinner that hath felt the poyson of those pleasing distempers upon which his sensual … hath … it self in the dayes of his folly which now he hath found by woful … to be gal and wormwood to his Conscience, the bane of his peace, and would have been the ruin of him, and his soul before this day, but that it hath pleased the Lord to … him for the present, and not to execute his vengeance upon him, as he hath deserved by reason of his former …; therefore he cannot abide the sight of the place where the sin was committed, the presence of the party, the companion that enticed, yea fears the the falsness and treachery of his own heart, least that again should betray him, thus you see in Davids …, Psal. 101. 3. I hate the work of them that turn aside it shal not cleave to me; Hatred is Eagle-eyed to observe the proceedings of the enemy, and out of a watchful fear … stop the passage, and to keep his approach that he cannot come near unto us. Happily temptations may press in with violence upon the soul, and the strength of distempers may make fierce …, make batteries, nay make a breach happily and over-bear the sinner, for the push: … … is the fear & watch that the heart is carried … through this …, that it wil prevent their approach or at least never yield to their power; A chast Matron that truly hates the unchast … of adulterous mates, they may pester her, trouble her, lie at her from day to day, though she cannot keep her self happily from being tempted, yet she wil keep her self unspotted, she wil not be unchast nor unfaithful: p. 682So it is with a heart that … carryed with detestation against evil, though distempers and temptation may pester it, yet they shal not cleave to it, nor it cleave to them; It may do that which it hates as Paul Rom. 7. 15. what I hate that I do, yet it wil hate its own doings, & its own self so far as overborn therby; the out-works may be taken, yet the soul ever entrencheth herself in this holy hatred of heart, and either it wil force them to fly, or it wil fly from them; though it cannot be quit of these In-mates but stil they wil abide in the soul, yea … them, and the soul for them, This is the order and method, that the Apostle layes forth in this work, when the Corinthians came to be touched with Godly sorrow, what indignation, what fear, what zeal, what revenge? &c. 2 Cor. 7. 11. When the heart carries a detestation towards a corruption it stands against it as an enemy, then follows fear which is a behavior suitable to provide and prevent the policies, plottings, and waylayings thereof upon al occasions, look as it is with a City that hath been besiedged with a potent and Malicious enemy, if once the siedge be raysed and the forces of the enemy put to rout and scattered, how wil the besiedged party by a watchful fear stand upon their guard, stand centinel night and day, send out their perdues, and dispatch a party in every coast to discover the carriage of the enemy, takes al the passages, maintains a narrow search, no man goes out, no man comes in, but enquires & learns the intent of the enemy, whether he gathers forces, and maks head again, watcheth strictly to … his approach with the first apperance, its … fresh in their minds into what great distress they were formerly brought, what cruelty they suffered, and that there was but a hairs bredth between them and death, with what fear and care wil they labor to prevent the like bondage again, as the Phylistians cryed one to another when the ark came into the field, for the safeguarding of their lives and liberties, quit your selves like …, Oh p. 683ye Phylistins, least you become servants to the Hebrowes. So it is with the sinner who hath been besiedged and held captive, under the tyranny and soveraignty of sin and Satan, when the Lord by the power of ordinances shal cast down the strong holds, stop the act of sin in the strength and stream of it, disanul and make voyd the authority of any right or claym the sin could challenge in this work of contrition, and so rescues the soul and rayses the sieg that Satan layd and maintayned against its distempers as the deadliest enemy it hath in al the world. No sooner is the soul revolted from under the tyranny of corruption, but the fear of the former misery forceth a man to mervailous circumspection, to maintayn a careful watch, as suspicious of a surprisal, least the old distempers should gather head again; if any temptation or occasion be presented, any appearance of any provocation which may lead to the entertainment of any evil be cast in, how doth the heart shrink and shake as though the enemy were now afresh approaching; what narrow search and inquisition doth the soul set up in its daily course, weighs the words he speaks, examines each thought and stirring of affection, whether there be any treacheries plotted, any correspondence held, any preparation made for the recalling & entertainment of the former lusts and corruptions. Fear gives the Alarum presently, sets … a work to prevent the evil, cryes out to heaven for succor and relief; the disobedient child, the stubborn and careless servant, were their hearts brought to this detestation of these their distempers you would see a new world, they would mind themselves of their own misearriages, though you never remembred them, they would check themselves for carelessness though you never reproved them, they would be heart sick of the stirrings of such rebellions, though you never reckoned with them in that behalf; their own heart would cal to their remembrance their former extremities; It was not long since you were p. 682duplicate page p. 683duplicate page p. 684raigned before the tribunal of the Lord, cast and condemned by the witness of the word, the verdict of … own Consciences and by the testimony of God … who is greater than your consciences; and yet … respited, through the long sufferance of the Lord, and … riches of his mercy, you saw cause enough for ever … abhor those abominations and your selves for … therefore God forbid I should rush into those evils … and plunge my self into everlasting confusion … of body and soul, I have cause to hate them as mine … mies, I wil never harbor them as my friends.

Where this hatred is throughly wrought in the … 2against sin, it seeks the destruction of sin in ones … first, and in other also, so far as comes within the compass of a mans place and …; The indignation … at home, and its carryed most strongly against the … of our own hearts, which are our greatest enemies, and have done us the greatest harm, and we by them … done the Lord the greatest dishonor, and we know … most in al the loathsomness of them, and in al the … nousness and heightning circumstances thereof, then … can be acquainted with the measure and scantling of any others miscarriages, and therefore the true convert sets himself most to seek the ruin and rooting out of them which would have wrought the ruin of his soul, but there he rests not, but what ever sins come within his reach, … labors the removal of them, out of the familyes … he dwels, out of the plantations where he lives, out … the companies and occasions, with whom he hath occasion to meet and meddle at any time; he that … treason indeed, pursues the pack of conspirators, … ever they become, until there be not one remaining … the Nation; open both these a little.

1 He labors the destruction of sin in his own … and that two wayes. 1. He doth what he can himself. 2. He seeks for help from others that they may send in new supply of forces to do what he cannot.

p. 685He sets himself to the utmost of his power to procure the utter ruine of his lusts; as … enemies, if there be a settled hatred indeed, they are not satisfyed, until they have the blood of each other, So it is here. Its not to weaken the work of sin, to stop the spreading of it, to confine the compass of it, to some private course, or yet to imprison … by restraint that it may not stir abroad, nor yet have the liberty of the prison, but be layed aside as the malifactor in the dungeon, no this hatred seeks the death and the not being of it, and until then its restless in pursuit. As David with his enimies Psal. 78. 37. I have pursued mine enimies and overtaken them, neither did I turn again until they were consumed, A contrite heart deals so with his distempers. He ceaseth not until he see his desire upon his …, until he hath his wil of him. And if we view the expression of the scripture, we shal see how hatred vents itself against such as be enimies, whose destruction it intends, partly by …, partly by conspiracy, its said of the Egiptians, that God turned their hearts to hate his people, and the fruit of that is in the following words, and they dealt subtilly with them, what that subtilty was, the text discovers Exod. 1. 10. first they oppressed them with heavy burdens, then they plotted by trechery to kil their males in the birth, that so in issue they might take away their strength and numbers also, in the issue … is subtilty which is one way how hatred expresseth itself. Againe if we look Psal. 83. 2 to 6. the enemies of the Lord and his Church, who … his hidden ones, … have consulted together with one consent and are confederate, Moab, Ammon, and …, &c. there is a combination of al policies and power to overbear and destroy them. This is the nature of hatred when it is disordred and unwarrantable in a wrong way; and the exercise and expression of it wil be in some measure proportionable When its put forth in a right manner according to the p. 684duplicate page p. 685duplicate page p. 686rule of God and the operation of his spirit against sin. The contrite soul when its carried with this hateful detestation against its own abominations, by a spiritual kind of prudence, observes where the first stirrings and male strength of our corruptions appear in the birth and breeding of them, in our minds and hearts, where the root … spawn of those loathsom abominations have their warming and hatching in the heart. There hatred improves al prudence that may be to stifle those distempers in the first stirrings of them, crush the Cockatrice in the shel, kil the Serpent in the egg, that they may never have being nor be brought forth into the world if it be possible. But if by policy, these spiritual enemies cannot be undermined, then this hatred brings the combined forces of confederated power of the whol man & his whol endeavor to destroy the nests of those noysom lufts, what head can contrive, heart desire, handwork, the endeavor accomplish, head, and heart, and hand, desires, endeavors, tears, prayers, in a deadly feud to pursue the … enemyes to their not being.

Thus he doth what he can in himself, and when that 2is not enough … seeks for help against these hellish abominations from God by his Saints and al such ordinances which he hath appointed for his succour. In a word the carriage of the heart of a contrite sinner under this kindly hatred thus discovers it self, he is willing to attend any means, but gives most welcome to such as wil do most execution in the slaughter and destruction of his sins for that is his ayme; nor wil he complement with the Lord, nor is he squeamish, … stomached, that each dispensation must answer his expectation point vice, or else it wil not down; As it was with Naaman when Courtier-like-state-complement more prevailed with him than his own health, I had thought he would have come and layd his hand upon …, and called upon his God, so if the counsel be suggested in such a …, and such intimations, the admonition with such p. 687meekness or by such a man &c. then he can hear and receive, otherwise he wil be wel contented rather to quarrel with the manner that crosseth him than embrace the truth which may help hmi against his sin, no this is far from a contrite heart, he passeth not much how or what the means are, or manner of the dispensation, if he find it to give a deadly blow to his distemper, its that which pleaseth him, he can easily pass by al the rest, as, be the person never so mean and … to the service, or the time unseasonable, as in Abigail, A General upon his design to be crossed and countermanded by a woman; A spirit that had not been very under, and hated his sin more than any enemy would have found many cavils, but he saw how it suited the slaughter of his sins, and he receives it gladly; nay be the manner rude and rugged, either not suiting the place of him that speaks, nor the person to whom its spoken, yet the broken heart takes it quietly, As in that of Joab to David; 2. Sam. 19. 5. 6. 7. though the physick was good it was too hot, yet because it was wholsom, the King took it down; nay when neither the person nor manner nor matter it self which is spoken are answerable to the service, yet if he sees the hand of God to come out against his corruptions, he takes that advantage against his distemper and passeth by the other. 2 Sam. 16. 7. 11. when Shimei cursed David, let him alone saith he, the Lord hath bidden him curse it may be the Lord wil look upon me for good. &c. As Saul entertained the message of the Ziphites, concerning David whom he hated and whose death he hunted after; 1 Sam. 23. 19. then came the Ziphites to Saul saying, doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds, in the wood, in the hill of Hackelah, now therefore O King come down according to al the desire of thy heart, and our part shal be to deliver him into the Kings hand. And Saul said blessed be the Lord, for ye have had compassion upon me, go and prepare, see his place where his haunt is, and take knowledg of his p. 688lurking places where he hides himself, so the contrite sinner that seeks the death and … of his sins, it gladly welcomes what ever means are most searching, sharpest reproofes, clearest discoveries, convicting arguments that wil discover the haunts and lurking places of a mans lusts and secret shiftings of devices; Oh these hit the desire of his heart, he counts them blessed counsels blessed reproofes blessed be ye of the Lord that have compassion on my soul, to take those distempers from me that would take away my soul from God, and life and happiness from my soul; nay the soul wil say, I see something but O search more narrowly, examin yet more throughly al the sinful windings and turnings of my heart and I wil ioyn with you in al such convictions and …, and if there be any way of wickedness, any crevis and corner of falshood to be found in the whol frame of my heart, I hope God wil reveal and remove, and I wil deal nakedly. Such smitings are as precious balms that do not break the head, but bring a healing virtue, comfort a mans heart, content his head and apprehensions also.

Thus he proceeds against his own sin, but there this 2hatred … not; but he labors also the removal of sin in whomsoever he finds it, wheresoever he is, and with whomsoever he converseth: If there be any corruption stirring, his enemies appearing, his hatred stirs presently, his heart riseth against it, attacheth the Traitor; if any be under pressures, he pities them tenderly; if in distress of Spirit, he comforts in much compassion, and fortifies against the common enemy: If he sees any go out of the way, led aside with their own distempers, Satans delusion, he cannot keep off from counselling, reproving, perswading. The Servant that could side it with fellow Servants in stubborn, idle, and … …, … with …, and consent with them, suit with them, give them counsel, keep their counsel, before, they were brethren in iniquity; but when his heart p. 689comes to be pierced, and the soul transported with hatred, you shal … the wind in another door; if he see them lazy and idle, he wil quicken them; if stubborn and perverse, he wil seasonably advise and pursue them with reproofs, and if his … cannot take place, he wil make his complaints to the Governor for redress, he cannot endure to see sin thrive, and the Traitor live. But if the Lord put any Authority into his hand, he wil express it to the utmost of al his power, and that with the utmost indignation that the nature of the thing wil bear. As good Josiah, 2 Chron. 34. 4, 5, 6. He commanded to break down the Altars, cut down the Groves, carved and molten Images, made dust of them, and burnt the bones of the Priests upon the Altar in the detestation of their Sacrifices; nay, he took away all the abominations of all the Countries that appertained to Israel, and made all that were present to serve the Lord: This Indignation expresseth it self against sin, and all that appertains to it, and have been Instruments to the commission of it. As an Adulterous woman in … of conscience, tore the hair that she had crisped, and disfigured the face that she had painted, and prided her self, Ioathed to look upon the tyres and garments which she had worn to make her beauty a bait and a … to others. So Mary Magdalen, &c.

But if yet the Nation of those noysom corruptions 3cannot be utterly destroyed, but sins live, and are mighty abroad, and remain in the heart: this hatred is beyond all hope and possibility of reconciliation, admits no terms of peace, no condition of agreement that can be devised or offered, will be entertained, holds out the quarrel and opposition unto death; nay, is willing to die, and put an end to his daies, that he may see an end of his abominations: As God with Amaleck, Exod. 17. last, he commanded it to be writ … a memorial in a book, for God hath sworn he will have war with … for ever, and put out his name from under Heaven; p. 690this hatred as in deadly feuds gives no quarter, the soul wil not tribute his Corruptions, and serve his own turn of them, but wages War with them until they be utterly destroyed from off the face of the Earth: The Counsel that God gave to the Israelites, … carefully and exactly keeps; Be sure you make no Covenant with them, but smite them, and utterly destroy them. Deut. 7. 23. &c.

Reasons of the Point are Three.

Without this; there … no way to come to Christ; forReas. 1. there is no coming of Faith into the soul: No man can serve two Masters; for if he love the one, he will hate the other; if he cleave to the one, he will despise the other: ye cannot serve God and Mammon, Matth. 6. 24. If (saies Samuel) you wil prepare your hearts to seek the Lord, put away your Idols, 1 Sam. 7. 3. Those must first be removed, if God be received: there is no halting bet wixt two: no man can be in the first and second Adam together: the soul cannot be married to two husbands at once. The conclusion of our Savior is … and … Luk 14. 26. If any man come … me, and hate not his father and mother, wife and children and friends (and therefore much more his sins) in comparison of Christ, he cannot be my disciple, he is not worthy, i. e. not fit to be Christs disciple.

Without this there is no salvation can be expected Reas. 2.from Christ; for this is the method of mercy, the order of God in the dispensation of life to lost man, and so … was intended and appointed, God sent … son from heaven to bless you by turning every one of you from his iniquity Acts 3. 26. He wil turn you from your evil way if ever he bless you; and it was the way the prophet prescribed of old. …. 18. 30. turn you from al your transgressions so iniquity shal not be your ruin, and Christ came to save his people from their …. Math. 1. p. 69121. that is the first … to Salvation, you cannot be safe if your sins be safe, Christ wil not … you and your sins too, if you wil save them he wil not save you; this is the great condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light, he that loves his sins, loves his death.

Sin is the onelyonly enemy of the soul, that which is hateful Reas. 3.to God and man and makes us hateful also. And therefore is the fittest, … indeed the onelyonly proper object of our hatred. They are lusts that … against the soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. there is nothing in the world that could prejudice the peace & comfort of the soul, were it not poysoned with sin; blessed … ye when men persecute you and hate you and speak al manner of evil of you falsly. Math. 5. 12. could men speak al evil and do al evil against us and let … do that … is sinful to deserve it, these cannot hinder our blessedness but encrease it.

Matter of bitter COMPLAINT to see how few there … 1.be in the world who ever knew what this hatred of sin meant. And therefore yet were never … with any sound broken heartedness for it such as Job … ofJob. 20. 1 13Job 20:1 who hide their corruptions under their tongues as … pleasant morsel, spare it and wil not forsake it. Instead of hating their sin, they hate the word that would discover it, the Minister, that preacheth against it, the man, the Magistrate the Law that would reform it. Instead of loathing their sins, they loath the … of the lives, the exactness of the wayes of such who indeed set themselves most against sinful carriages, once cross them in their courses, you have stirred a … nest; they ruin al on heaps.

This is a …-stone of the truth of … work of contrition, Use 2.whether … Lord have left the mighty impression of this preparative … upon the soul of a sinner. That the league betwixt the heart and … lusts is …, not alone … the …, … … … p. 692of evil, nor yet to avoyd, and go aside from the occasion that may lead to it under some present pang, but thou hast put off the love of sining, (why blessed be God) the combination is come to naught; sorrow hath … the knot and union betwixt thy soul and thy darling …. This hatred breaks the knot and union fully, thou art now divorced from thy former lovers, thou fearest the approach of them, rather choosest to see the blood of them, than to enjoy the presence of them. Stay but Gods time, and be perswaded, in his best season he wil take thee into the bosom of his love, which wil be better than life it self to thee. Thou art in the hand of Jesus and under his charge, he that hath rescued thee from the rage of the Devils, and from the right that sin ever claymed in thee, he wil never loose his labor, nor shalt thou loose thy … and happinessLuk. 11. 12.Luke 11:12 in the issue. He hath bound the strong man the strongest of thy corruptions that heretofore have too much, and too easily prevayled with thee: had got thy affection, and the strong holds of thy heart, those strong temptations and … by which Satan; as by so many garrison souldiers, maintayned possession in thy soul; yet now this strong man is bound, his holds battered and his garrison abandoned. So that there is a spoyl made of al his goods; the temptations that formerly found entertainment, they are now abhorred, his suggestions & delusions that found easy entertance & acceptance are now loathed, and thy heart set against them; the Lord Christ is now about to own thee as his proper possession, and then he wil never part with thee more, thy heart trembles at the least inkling of the return of thy distempers, seeks the destruction, and would see the not being; art a weary of life meerly because they live, and art resolved never to entertayn terms of peace with them, though thou never seest quiet day in the world. … the work is the Lord Christs he wil own it; it's true and thorough, he wil never leave it, until he have p. 693brought it to perfection and thy soul to eternal happines but alas this truth as a touchstone shewes the contrition of most in the world to be counterfeit, that many have been in the fire heated but never melted, as with mettal the parts of it battered, but never severed fully, the dross from the oar, and therefore there can never vessel be be made for any honorable use, and service thereof. In a word, the doctrine passeth sentence of sad condemnation upon four sorts of persons as such who never … in the work, we shal point very briefly at the particulars, that each man may take his portion.

First the CARELES and fearless Christian is cast 1out of the number of these contrite sinners whom God doth prepare for his Christ and mercy, such as walk heedlesly up and down the world, not awed with any watchful fear of the temptations and occasions and snares which are layd in their way to entrap them, or with the treachery and deceivable lusts which suddenly draw them aside, to common neglect of duties which they reform not, or transport and carry them with pangs of passions and distempers, and they amend not; certainly either these know not these to be sins, or else do not know them and hate them as direful and dreadful enemies to their souls; It could not be but their hearts should shake at the sight of them, and the dangerous assaults which they cannot but know, if they know them to be …, but they wil hazard their everlasting happiness. People who live without watch or fear they have no enemies, or no war … hand, and if thou livest in this Laish-like fearless fashion, thou never knewest the war of a Christian, nor the enemies they have, nor art in the condition of a Christian, … hast the heart of a Christian to this hour within thee; And therefore Jude so … those Atheists and sensual wretches, who were … of Gods spirit, which are spots in your feasts, feeding themselves without fear. Jude. 22 these are blaynes in the body of the Church, spots in p. 694the Assemblies of Christians, speak without fear in the companies where they converse, walk without fear in families where they live, walk without fear in the occasions with which they have to deal, and the Apostle adds, they are withered, twice dead and plucked up by the roots, far enough from having any spiritual life or any preparation, therunto, look as in nature, reason … and experience evidenceth, if there were a malicious enemy with a puissant and mighty armie now making his approaches to the City, and attempting the siege, if the allarum should be given by the watch to the City, a messenger dispatched to each mans dore, if any were so careless that he would not attend; or attending the … stirred not, or happily for fashion stirring, if yet he labored not by a watchful fear to provide for the assault, and attend the … of command, repayr to the place for defence of the City; there is no man but would conclude, certainly he is a party, he is not an enemy to the army that doth besiedg, every loyal and faithful subject shakes at the apprehension of the power and rage of the adversary, who is now likely to make havock of al and that without mercy, so it is here, the violence of temptation from without, and the strength of corruptions from within, fight against the soul, thou that are a disobedient child, a rebellious self-willy servant, a perverse and … wife, an ignorant, … hearer, the allarum is given in publick, concerning these armyes of lusts that are come out against thee, notice given in private, thy fellow servants counsel, the master he commands, nay confessions are made of thy evils … thou resists, petitions put up for Grace before thou … abroad, and yet no sooner off thy knees out of the presence of the Lord, but thou art as though thou hadst never known any such thing, thou stumblest at the same stone, taken aside with the same temptations and distempers, as though thou hadst never heard thy sin discovered, as though thou hadst never been counselled, p. 695never been commanded, as though thou hadst never bewayled it to this day, Idle and stubborn and perverse and way-ward and self-willie, so farr from fearing these evils, that thou didst not remember them, or think of them or if thou didst, thou fearest rather thou shouldest be forced to reform them, rather than thou shouldst commit them, As sure as the Lord lives thou art a party and in league with these distempers, thou art not an enemy; if … thou hadst found the venom and poyson of these … and hadst been perswaded of the destroying nature of these spiritual …, which make hayock of thy soul, the very appearance and apprehension of these would have been dreadful if there were but a roving thought in a mans mind, any smal stirring of a distemper in a mans heart, any temptation, any the … enticement to the committing of the evil, how would thy heart shake at the sight of it, fear & fly & cry for help against it, if thou hadst known it and hated it as thy deadly enemy, so Paul cries out as fearful men do, when he perceived the stirrings of those noysom distempers of his heart, the law of the flesh, how to avoyd or prevent or overbear he could not tel, he cryes out Oh 'Miserable man that I am who shal deliver me from this body of death? Rom. 7. last. The want of this is the cause of al that heedlesness and adventurousness in … carriages, that they are so commonly taken aside with their distempers before they scant tel where they …. For I appeal to any … Conscience, nay to common senco, whether it is possible or no (and let any man make work of it) that a city who hath the enemy … should … remember it is besiedged? that cannons should now be playing and battering, and the people within not think that they are assaulted? unless either they know not what war means, or else they joyn with the enemies in it; So it is here, when a … mind is plotting how to act, his heart stirrs, and … corruption boyling and bubling in p. 696his bosom, that the allarum is given, the Phylistins are upon thee, sins and devils are upon thee, and yet a man forgets the condition he is in, … what he is commanded, counselled, admonished; this in Prov. 13. 13. is given as a note of destruction, he that despiseth the command shal dye, and tha'ts contrary to fearing a command mentioned before &.

A second sort are NEUTERS in religion who care 2not much which end goes forward, provided they … go on quietly in their way, they would be of no side if they could be safe so, Much they would not do against sin, onelyonly that which is grossly vile they could wish might be reformed. They wil no great matter for religion, onelyonly they could wish that this rigor and strictness might not be pressed, because in both these extreams they conceive there is trouble. Oh peace is a precious thing, this wretched politician would have peace with sin, peace with Christ, and peace with ordinances, peace with drunkards and prophane wretches, and peace with such as walk exactly before God. His motto that writ upon his dore, and that his measure, every mans good word, love of al men, so in … he loves neither God nor …, nor his own soul in the conclusion, but our saviors determination is definitive and peremtory, he that is not with me, is against me, and … that gathers not, …, nay James, 4. 4. he that wil be a friend to the world is an enemy to God. Moderation and descretion is the compas by which this man stears; it is not men and bretheren what shal we do? but rather what shal we do? of little medling comes much ease, if he may have that, he hath his end, to be at war with his enemies is a … life, the temper of his zeal is like the warmth of his bed, not as hot as fire that would scorch him, nor yet so cold as fire as would chil him but just so warm as he may sleep in it. As neutral Cities in time of war they pay to both sides because they would have war with neither, with the p. 697sincere and upright he wil seem as they are, and with the ungodly he wil be and do as they: Gallio-like he cares for none of those matters, if he may have his own matters if any thing appertaining to sin or godliness, he wil not trouble himself further than his own …, and profit are interested in it; he wil do nothing against his sin, and he is like to have nothing at the hand of the Lord, for he loaths and hates him that never loathed nor hated his corruption, he wil vomit with indignation such luk-warm varlets out of his mouth, Rev. 3.

The third sort is your LAZY HYPOCRITE Who 3wil be abundant in his purposes and professions against his sin, smoaks out his daies in powerless & … resolutions, wishings & wouldings but doth nothing to purpose, … not himself in a restless pursuit against his evil. Hatred where its settled and through it carryes al a mans endeavors with it, calls a man into the field, when Hanum 2 Sam. 10. 6.2 Sam 10:6saw he was hated of David, he gathers al his forces for offence and defence, and byres besides. War amongst … requires the whol man, with his time and strength, he that goes to war doth not entangle himself, but leaves al his occasions, that might attend the enemy, he spies privily where his haunts are, what … he may take, where his hold, are to demolish them, where his provision comes, to intercept …, and to cut of his convoy, levies what forces he may and sends far off for succor and supply. When the Lazy hypocrite makes his complaints against his distempers, and rests in his complaints, bewayles his wretchedness and corruptions, but to a resolved war he wil … go. You wil do nothing upon poynt against those lusts, that have done so much evil against Christ and your own soul, Is not the day yet to dawn, the time yet to come, that ever you set your selves in earnest in battle array against your evils Luk. 13. 24. a sleepy kind of seeking that many do which shal never enter into grace, many shal seek to enter and shal not be able, but to strive to p. 698rise up against your corruptions and to maintain professed war against your sin that you do not that you wil not do, how many directions have you heard and yet attend not counsels and … not, means and wayes have been presented and pressed and you improve noneLam. 3. 40.Lam 3:40 of them? have you ever searched and tryed your own wayes, that you might see the haunts of your hearts and prevent them? have you observed where the strong holds of sin and satan are, high thoughts and self conceitedness and labor to raze them, where the Provisions Rom. 13 last.Rom 13have been made by musings and meditations that so you might stop and stifle those thoughts and so starve and famish your lusts? have you cast yourself into the holy communion of the Saints that you might levy new forces of counsels and directions? have you sent to heaven and pursued God with importunate entreaties, for to send in succor and support, against those abominations which are too many and too strong for you? your endeavor is not thorough, your … therefore is not sound.

The fourth sort is your TREACHEROUS HYPOCRITE 4Who pretends great indignation against his sins, that he may keep them and that without suspicion, as such who are the receivers of theeves, they cannot hide them in their own houses, unless they make hue-and-cry after them in other places. The adulterous woman rayles against her … in the view and hearing of others that she may meet him in secret when no man may mistrust him or her; these are spies and Satans intelligencers that hold privie correspondence with their corruptions while they profess greatest opposition against them; As Hushai, Davids friend he pretended service to Absalom, that he might serve David, discover and defeat the counsel of Achitophel and … proceedings, 2 Sam. 15. 3. 4. 5. So here; they cannot divour widdowes houses, unless they make long prayers, so they …. 58. 2. 3. they fast and pray against p. 699their sins, that they may more freely commit them, not that they may please God, but that they may do their own pleasure; they can do any thing against counsel, they quarrel at it, against the power of a …, they endeavor to defeat it, against the evidence of Conviction, they strive to darken it, and cavil at it, sees how the Coast is, gives intelligence to his distempers; this and that Argument is alleaged, deviseth how to answer it; this reproof is administred, devises how to defeat it. As Rahab sent the men of the City upon a sleeveless Errand, Josh. 2. 5. Pursue after them quickly, and you shal overtake them, when she had brought them up, and hid them in … House-top. So it is also with Conspirators and receivers of Traitors; if they can lead the Officer or Searcher into some by place, they wil be as … and … to follow things to the utmost; but come home once to their own houses where the Traitor is indeed, if they cannot hide them, rather than they shall do execution, they wil defend them, but not deliver them up into the hands of the Officer. How often and ordinary is it to every mans experience to cry out of pride and …, carnal confidence that is in their …, and that truly and justly, the stumps of that Dagon remains, the body of death yet continues, those lustings of the old man, but bring it home to their own doors, let it concern them in their … occasions, in any controversie between man and man, where the fault is to be found, and the blame to be laid, sin to be confessed, that these distempers are to be attached in their hands, they wil do any thing against Arguments and the evidence of Reason, but nothing against their sins; such are they, John, 6. 60. That sought Christ for …, &c. If Christ wil be their Cook, he shall be their King. But if they press them beyond their pace, and discover their falsness, and how far short they fall of the Spiritual work of Faith in Christ, they fall out …; It's a hard saying, who can hear it? p. 700And those Dissemblers, Jer. 43. 2. when the Prophet did but cross them in their courses, would have plucked the carnal corrupt desires from their heart; they fly in his face, and profess they wil die in the quarrel, they hate not their sin, but the Ordinance that would discover their sins, they would not destroy their sins, but the evidence of Reason that would condemn their sins.

So much for detestation of sin.The Second part of Doctr.

The Second Particular to be considered in the Doctrine is a SEQUESTRATION FROM SIN. It is a word common among those that attend upon the Law, when men are at a controversie about Goods and Land, and the Cause is depending, the Goods or Land is sequestred, set aside and put into the power of any parties, but set aside til the case be decided. So under this preparative work the soul is sequestred from sin: when God hath made a man see sin, and willing to hate it, the soul and sin are at controversie, the soul revolts from under the Authority of sin, and saith sin is not my Ruler, I cannot rule my self, and sin shal not rule me; it was by usurpation that it hath had so long possession of me, but it shal not domineer in my soul any longer: and therefore the poor distressed sinner is glad that Christ is stirring in the word, and saith he, I am resolved never to yield to the Authority of sin more, I wil sue out a sequestration, and Oh that my heart may be left in the hand of the Spirit of Christ. I was not made for sin, but for God, Oh that I may be delivered from my sin, that I may come at God again, and now he is content that God would … him into Hell. So he would free him from his sins, Hos. 14. 8. Ephraim shall say, what have I to do any more with Idols? Rom. 11. 24. The soul is now as a graft cut off from the Stock of old Adam, it grows not to it, nor is fed by it any more.

This Sequestration discovers itself by two Acts,

1 There is no allurement can entice the soul.

2 No evils that can drive the soul to its former sin.

p. 701First, Nothing can entice the soul to … sins, no allurements can prevayl with him, no thoughts of … delights or future pleasure can … him to fal in with his old …. … … … …, but (sayes he) I know the hook, … none … that bait, I know the cup and the guilt, but I know the poyson also, he wil never … again to folly, he resolves never to see the faces of his sins more.

No present evils, …, … … … the soul 2to entertain … …, he hath found … … than these, better to be in chaynes, than in the … of darkness: fire and faggot … wild-fire, but he hath felt …, … … rather to fear … … of a God rather than the … of al the … the world, And Hence the face of the … … towards God and as … … the King … he … not … to the … again to dye there, So it … with a broken … …, … his great request unto God that he may not go … again to his … In this … from sin the … … as … …, &c.

We here see the reason of al those … and … Use 1.of such … promised better things, the … to his …, the … to his …, and the … man to the world after … … … they are the same men they …, … … to their former follyes, and are as bad as ever. These men were never cut off from their corruptions, the union was there stil, the soul was in league and love with sin stil, and therefore it … …, … …: … … … … … … … … … be …, and therefore they …, and grow worse and worse many years after. If thou hast a privy lust harbored in thy heart that wil be thy ruin, thou wilt be as bad or … than ever.

EXHORTATION, To … all our endeavors to see a … of it, and to seek to heaven that p. 702God may work it in us, let this be alwayes in thy prayers, Lord that I may hate my sin, that I may put off the love of sinning whatever thou hatest, sin is worse than that, its worse than reproach, disgrace, sickness, poverty; thy love to sin should be turned into hatred, and thy hatred to it, should be greater than ever thy love hath been. And if thou dost not hate thy sin, its certain the God of Heaven wil hate thee, the froward in heart is an … to the Lord, Prove. 3. 32. Thou thy self … an abomination to the Lord, if thy … be not an abomination to thee.

If thou wilt part with thy sins the Lord wil set his love upon thee, Jer. 3. 1. though thou … done evil things as thou couldest, yet return unto me. It's said Judg. 10. 15. 16. when the people of Israel came bewailing their sins, crying for mercy, and putting away their Gods, that then the soul of the Lord was grieved for the misery of Israel, and he had mercy on them. He is the same God stil, and if he sees thee grieving for thy sins, he wil grieve for thy sorrowes. When Ephraim bemoaning himself, judging himself for his sin, and crying out unto the Lord, turn me, and I shal be turned, its said, he heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, and his bowels were troubled for him, and I do earnestly remember him stil, I wil surely have mercy upon thee, saith the Lord. Jer. 31. 18. 19. 20.

FINIS.