The Sound Believer, Chapter 1 · Section 3

The Sound Believer · Chapter 1 · Section 3

p. 45SECT. III. The second Act of Christs power, in working Compunction or sense of sin.

COmpunction pricking at the heart or sense and feeling of sin, is different from conviction of sin; the latter is the work of the understanding, and seated in that principally; the other is in the affections and will, and seated therein principally: a man may have sight of sin, without sorrow and sense of it; Dan 5.22. with 20.21. Iames 1.24. Rom. 2.20, 21. Yet that conviction which the Spirit workes in the Elect is ever accompanied with compunction, first or last. For the better unfolding of this point, let me open these foure things to you.

1. That compunction or sense of sin, immediately follows conviction of sin in the day of Christs power.

2. The necessity of this work to succeed the other.

3. Wherein it consists.

4. The measure of it in all the Elect.

That compunction followes conviction, 1is evident from Scripture and Reason; Acts p. 462.37. When they heard this, that is, when they saw and were convinced of their sinne in crucifying the Lord of life, which they did not imagine to be a sinne before, what followes next? it is said, They were pricked at the heart; Loe, here is compunction. Ephraim also in turning unto God, Ier. 31.19. hath these words, After that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; (as men in great calamity befallen … use to doe) I was ashamed, even confounded, because I did beare the reproach of my youth. …onah 3.5.The men of Nineveh hearing by the Prophet they were all to dye within forty daies, it is said, they beleeved God, (in the work of conviction) and then fell to sack-cloth and ashes (in the work of compunction) which did immediately follow. Iosiah, 2 Chron. 34.27. in his renewed returne unto God, after hee heard the words of the law, his heart melted, and he wept before the Lord. For what is the end of conviction? is it not compunction? for if the Lord should let a man see his sin, and death for sinne, and yet suffer the heart to remaine hard and unaffected, the Lord did but leave him without excuse, nay the Lord should but leave him under greater misery, & under a more fearfull judgement; viz. for a man to see and know his sin, and yet unaffected with it, and hardned under it; hardnesse of heart is one of the greatest judgements; to see sinne p. 47and not to be affected with it, argues greater hardnesse. For it is no wonder if they that see not and know not sin, remain senselesse of sin; alas! they know not what they doe; but for a man to be enlightned, and see his sinne, and yet unaffected; Lord, how great is this hardnesse, and how unexcusable will such a man be left before God, when the Lord shall reckon with him for his hardnesse of heart … What is the end of that light the Lord lets into the understanding in other things? is it not that thereby the heart might be affected throughly with it? Why doth the Lord let in the light of the knowledge of Christ and of his will? Is it that this knowledge should like froth float in the understanding, and be imprisoned there? No verily, but that the heart might be throughly and deeply affected therewith. And doe you think the Lord will in the light of conviction imprison it up in the mind? is there not a farther end that by this light the heart might be deeply affected with sinne? if any say that the end of conviction is to drive the soule to Christ, I grant that is the remote and last end of it, but the next end is compunction. For if the understanding be convinced of misery, and the heart remain hard, the mind may see indeed that righteousnesse and life only is to be had in Christ, yet the heart remaining hard, the wil and affections p. 48will never stir toward Christ, its impossible a hard heart remaining such wholly unaffe…ted with sin or misery, should be truly affected with Jesus Christ; but of this more hereafter.

2What necessity is there of this compunction, to succeed conviction?

Answ.I speak now of necessity in way of ordinary dispensation, not of Gods unusuall and extraordinary way of working, where hee useth neither Law nor Gospell (as ordina…rily he doth) to work by. Many have been nibling lately at this doctrine, and demand, What need is there of sorrow and compunction of heart? A man may be converted only by the Gospell, and God may let in sweetnesse and joy without any sense of sinne or misery, and in my experience I have found it so; others godly and gracious also feele it so; why therefore doe any presse such a necessity of comming in by this back-doore unto Christ? This point I conceive is very weighty, and much danger in denying the truth of it; yet withall, there needs much tendernesse in handling of it, lest any stumble; and therefore before I lay downe the reasons to shew the necessity of it; give me leave to propound these rules both for the clearing of the point, and answering sundry objections usually made about this point.

1. Rule.In this work of compunction, doe not p. 49think that the Lord hath not wrought any true sense of sinne, because you find it not in such a measure as you imagine you should, desire to have, and that others feele; sense of sin admits degrees. I doubt not but Iosephs brethren were humbled, yet Ioseph must be more, he must be cast into the ditch, and into the prison, and the iron must enter not onelyonly into his legs, but into his soule; Psal. 105.18. He must be more afflicted in spirit, because he was to doe greater work for God, and was to be raised up higher then the rest, and therefore did need the more ballast; some are educated more civilly then others, and thereby have contracted lesse guilt and stoutnesse of heart against God and his wayes, therefore these have not such cause of trouble; and being lesse rugged, have lesse need of axes to hew them: some mens sorrow breaks in upon them more suddenly, like storms and breaches of the sea, and the Lord is resolved to hasten and finish his work in them more speedily, and it may be more exemplarily; (for every Christian is not a faire coppy) as in those Acts 2.37. In others their sorrowes soake in by degrees, Gutta cavat lapidem, the Lord empties them by continuall droppings, and hence feele not that measure of sorrow that others doe: every Christian is not a Heman, Psal. 88. who suffers distracting feares and terrours from p. 50his youth up, ver. 15 who is afflicted with all Gods waves, ver. 7. for he was a man of exceeding high parts and gifts, as you may see, 1 King. 4.31. and therefore the Lord had need of hanging some speciall plummets on his heart to keep it ever low, lest it should be lifted up above measure. Some sense of sin the Lord will work in all he sayes, but not the same measure; the Lord gives not alway unto his, that which is good in it self, (its good I confesse to be deeply affected and humbled) but that which is fit, and therefore best for thee.

2. Rule.Doe not think there is no compunction or sense of sin wrought in the soule, because you cannot so cleerly discern and feele it, nor the time of the working and first beginning of it. I have knowne many that have come with complaints, they were never humbled, they never felt it so, nor yet could tell the time when it was so, yet there it hath been and many times they have seen it by the help of others spectacles, and blest God for it. When they in Esay 63.17. complained, Lord why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy feare; doe you think there was no softnesse, nor sensiblenesse indeed? Yes verily, but they felt nothing but a hard heart, nay such hardnesse as if the Lord had plagued them with it by his owne immediate hand, and not borne and bred with them onelyonly, as p. 51with other men. Many a soule may think the Lord hath left it, nay smitten it with a hard heart, and so make his mone of it, yet the Lord hath wrought reall softnesse, under felt-hardnesse; as many times in Reprobates there is felt softnesse, when within there is reall hardnesse. The stony-ground-hearers were plowed and broken on the top, but were stony at the bottome. Some men may be wounded outwardly and mortally, this may easily be discerned. The Lord may wound others and they may bleed out, their sorrow is more inwardly and secretly, and therefore cannot point with their finger to their wound as others can.

Doe not think the Lord works compunction in all the Elect in the same circumstantiall work of the Spirit,3. Rule. but onelyonly in the same substantiall work: the Lord works a true sense of sin for the substance and truth of it, yet there are many circumstantiall works, like so many inlargements and comments upon one and the same Text. Ex. gratia. The same sin that affects Paul, it may be doth not affect Lydia or Apollos. The same notions for the aggravation of sinne in one, doe not come into the mind of the other; the same complaints, and prayers, and turnings of spirit in the one, may not be in the same circumstances, and with the like effects as in the other, and yet both of them feele sin, and p. 52therefore complaine; they both feele sin, yet by means of various apprehensions and aggravations. This I speak, because you may the better understand the meaning of Gods servants i… opening the work of humiliation. You may heare them say, the soule doth this, and thinks that, and speaks another thing; it may be every one doe not so think in the same individuall circumstances, and therefore are to be understood as producing onelyonly exemplum in re simili, something like this or for the substance of this is there wrought.

4. Rule.In this work of compunction we must not bring rules unto men, but men to rules; Crook not Gods rules to the experience of men, (which is fallible, and many times corrupt) but bring men unto the rule, and try mens estates herein by that: For many will say, Some men are not humbled at all, never had any precedent sorrow for sinne, Gods mercy onelyonly hath melted their hearts, and experience proves this, and many finde this, who are sincere and gracious Christians.

I answer, we are not in this or any other point to be guided by the experience of men onelyonly, but attend the rule; if it be proved that according to the rule men must be broken and affected with their sin and misery before mercy can be truly apprehended or p. 53Christ accepted, what tell you me of such or such men? let the rule stand, but let men stand or fall according to the rule: many are accounted godly and gracious for a time▪ much affected with mercy and Christ Jesus; yet afterward fall or wizen into nothing, and prove very unsound. What is the reason? Truly the cause was here, their first wound and sorrow for sin was not right, as hereafter shall be made good; many thousands are miserably deceived about their estates, by this one thing, of crooking and wresting Gods rules to Christians experiences; let all Gods servants tremble and be wary here; wrack not the holy Scriptures, nor force them to speak as thou feelest, but try all things by them, 1 Thes. 5.21.

Doe not make the examples of converted persons in Scripture patternes in all things of persons unconverted:5. Rule. do not make Gods work upon the one, run parallel with Gods work upon the other.

Some say, that many in Scripture are converted to Christ without any sorrow for sin, and produce the example of Lydia, whose heart God sweetly opened to receive Christ; and the Eunuch, Acts 8. converted in the same manner.

I answer, these are examples of persons converted to God before, who did beleeve in the Messiah, but did not know that this p. 54Jesus was the Messiah, which they soon did when the Lord sent the meanes to reveale Christ; and therefore Lydia, a Jewish proselyte, is called a worshipper of God, Act. 16.14. and so was the Eunuch, Act. 8.27. and in the same condition as the Centurion, Act. 10.2. who feared God, and whose prayers were accepted, ver. 4. (which cannot be without faith) yet did not know that this Jesus crucified was the Messiah, untill Peter came unto him. So that suppose here was no sense or sorrow for sinne, at this time; doth it therefore follow they never had any when the Lord at first wrought upon them? are these examples in persons converted, fit to shew forth Gods work in persons unconverted? in some things indeed they are examples, in others not so: their examples of beleeving in Christ are not in that act examples of sorrow for want of Christ. And yet let me adde, to say that God opened Lydia's heart to beleeve in Christ, and yet opened not her heart to lament her sinne and misery in her estate without Christ, (suppose she were without Christ) is more then can be proved from the Text; for tis said, Her heart was opened to attend unto the things that were spoken by Paul; and can any think that Paul, or any Apostle, ever preached Christ without preaching the need men had of him? and could any preach their need of Christ, without p. 55preaching mens undone and sinfull estate without Christ? and doe you think that Lydiae was not made to attend unto this? doe you think that when Philip came to open the 53. of Esay to the Eunuch, that Christ was bruised for our iniquities; that he did not let him understand the infinite evill of sinne and misery of all sinners, and of him in speciall, unlesse the Lord Jesus was bruised for him?

In examples recorded in the Scripture of Gods converting grace,6. Rule. doe not think they had no sorrow for sinne, because it is not distinctly and expresly set downe in all places: for the Scripture usually sets downe matters very briefly, it oftentimes supposeth many things, and refers us to judge of some by other places; as Acts 6.7. it is said, Many of the Priests were obedient to the faith; doth it therefore follow that they did immediately beleeve without any sense of sinne? Look to a fuller example, Acts 2. and then we may see, as the one were converted to the faith, so were the other, having a hand in the same sin. 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. Paul, he was a persecuter, but the Lord received him to mercy, and that Gods grace was abundant in faith and love; doth it hence follow that Paul had no castings down, because not mentioned here? If we look upon Acts 9. we shall see it otherwise.

p. 567. Rule.Doe not judge of generall and common workings of the Spirit upon the souls of any to be the beginnings of effectuall and special conversion; for a man may have some inward and yet common knowledge of the Gospel and of Christ in it, before there be any sorrow for sinne; yet it doth not hence follow that the Lord begins not with compunction and sorrow, because common work is not speciall and effectuall work; when the Spirit thus comes, he first begins here, as we shall prove.

8. Rule.The terrours, and feares, and sense of sinne and death, be in themselves afflictions of soule, and of themselves drive from Christ; yet in the hand of Christ, by the power of the Spirit, they are made to lead, or rather drive unto Christ, which is able to turn mourning into joy, as well as after mourning to give joy:Joh. 16.20John 16:20 and therefore tis a vaine thing to think there is no need of such sorrows which drive from Christ; and that Christ can work well enough therefore without them; when as by the mighty power and riches of mercy in Christ, the Lord by wounding, nay killing his of all their carnall security and self-confidence, saves all his alive,Hos. 6.1, 2, 3.Hos 6:1Hos 6:2Hos 6:3 and drives them to seek for life in his Son.

These things thus premised, let us now hear of the necessity of this work to succeed conviction.

p. 57Else a sinner will never part with his sin;Reas. 1. a bare conviction of sin doth but light the candle to see sin; compunction burnes his fingers, and that onelyonly makes him dread the fire. Cleanse your hearts ye sinners, and purifie your hearts ye double minded men, (saith the Apostle Iames, Chap. 4.8.) But how should this be done? He answers, verse 9. Be afflicted, and mourne, and weep, turn your laughter into mourning. So Ioel 2.12. the Prophet calls upon his hearers to turne from their sin unto the Lord; but how? Rend your hearts, and not your garments. Not that they were able to do this, but by what sorrow he requires of all in generall, he thereby effectually works in the hearts of all the elect in particular; for every man naturally takes pleasure, nay all his delight and pleasure is in nothing else but sinne; for God he hath none, but that. Now so long as he takes pleasure in sinne, and finds contentment by sinne, he cannot but cleave inseparably to it: Oh tis sweet, and it onelyonly is sweet; for so long the soule is dead in sinne. Pleasure in sinne is death in sinne, 1 Tim. 5.6. So long as tis dead in sinne, it is impossible it should part with sinne; no more then a dead man can break the bonds of death. And therefore it undenyably followes, that the Lord must first put gall and wormwood to these dugs, before the soule will cease sucking, or be p. 58weaned from them; the Lord must first make sinne bitter, before it will part with it; load it with sinne, before it will sit downe and desire ease; And look as the pleasure in sinne is exceeding sweet to a sinner, so the sorrow for it must be exceeding bitter, before the soule will part from it.

Tis true, I confesse a man sometime may part with sin without sorrow, the uncleane spirit may goe out for a time, before he is taken, bound and slain by the power of Christ. But such a kind of parting is but the washing of the cup, tis unsafe and unsound, and the end of such a Christian wil be miserable; for a man to heare of his sinne, and then to say, Ile doe no more so, without any sense or sorrow for it, would not have been approved by Paul, if he had seen no more in the carelesse Corinthians, in tolerating the incestuous person;2 Cor. 7.102 Cor 7:10 but their sorrow wrought this repentance. No, the Lord abhors such whorish wiping the lips; and therefore the same Apostle,1 Cor. 5.2.1 Cor 5:2 when he reproves them for not separating the sinner, and so the sin from them, he summes it up in one word, You have not mourned, that such a one might be taken from you: because then sin is severed truly from the soule, when sorrow or shame, some sense and feeling of the evill of it, begins it. Not onelyonly sinne is opposite to God, but when the Lord Jesus first comes neare p. 59his elect in their sinfull estate, they are then enemies themselves by sin unto God. And hence it is they will never part with their weapons, untill themselves be throughly wounded: and therefore the Lord must wound their consciences, minds and hearts, before they will cast them by. Now if there be no parting with, no separation from sin, but sin is as strong, and the sinners as vile as ever before, hath Christ (who now comes to save his elect from sinne) the end of his work? what is the man the better for conviction, affection to Christ, name what you can, that remains still in his sins? When the Apostle would summe up all the misery of men, he doth it in those words,1 Cor. 15.17.1 Cor 15:17 Ye are yet in your sinne: So I say, thou art convicted, but art yet in thy sinne; art affected with Christ, and takest hold of Christ, but art yet in thy sin: He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin, shall find mercy.Pro. 28.13Prov 28:13

You will say,Obj. May not the sweetnesse of Christ in the Gospell, and sense of mercy, separate from sinne, without any compunction?

I answer,Ans. 1. 1. Sense of mercy and Christs sweetnesse (I conceive) serve principally to draw the soule unto Christ. Ier. 31.3. With loving kindnesse have I drawn thee. But compunction or sense of …inne principally serves in the hand of Christ, to turn the soule from p. 60sin. Aversion from sin is distinct from, and in order goes before our conversion unto God.

2. Sense of the sweetnesse of Gods grace in Christ keeps out sin, but it doth not thrust out sin at first.2. Cor. 7.1, 2.2 Cor 7:12 Cor 7:2

3. Christ cannot be effectually sweet, unlesse sinne be first made bitter; there may be some generall notice of Christs excellency, and some thirty pieces given for him; some esteeme of his grace, and hope of his mercy, which may occasion sorrow; but I dare not say that this is any sound or thorow work, till after sorrow. Esay 50.4. Christ hath the tongue of the learned given him to speak a word in season; Unto whom? It is added, unto the weary. They are the men that will prize mercy, and they onelyonly to purpose; they that have felt the bitternesse of sinne and wrath, find it exceeding hard to prize Christ, and to taste his sweetnesse; how shall they doe it indeed that find none at all? Sweetnesse before sense of sinne, is like Cordials before purging of a foule stomach, which usually strengthen the humour, but recover not the man.

Reas. 2.Because without this, no man will either care for Christ, or feele a need of Christ; a man may see a want of Christ by the power of conviction, but he will never feele a need of Christ, but by the spirit of compunction. p. 61The whole need not the Physitian, Mat. 9.21.Matt 9:21but they that are sick. A whole man may see his want of a Physitian, but a sick man onelyonly feels his need of him, will prize him, send for him. By the whole you are not to understand such as have no need indeed of Christ (for what sinner but hath need of him?) but such as feel no need of him: as by sick cannot be meant such as are sinfull and miserable, for then Christ should come actually to save all men; but those that did feele themselves so, as a sick man that feeles his sicknesse; these onelyonly are the men that feele a need and necessity of Christ; these onelyonly will come to Christ, and be glad of Christ, and be truly thankfull for their recovery of Christ. And hence ariseth the great sin of the world in despising the Gospel, not at all affected with the glad tidings of it, because they are not affected with their sinne and misery; or if they be affected but in part with the Gospel, it is because they are not throughly affected with their misery before.

And hence it is, that when the Lord called his people to him,Jer. 2.31.Jer 2:31 yet they would not come to him, because they were Lords, and well enough without him. Why did not they come to the Supper,Luke 14.Luke 14 being invited? it was because they had farms, and oxen, and wives to attend unto; they felt no need of comming, as the poore, lame, blind, and halt did. p. 62The Prodigall cares not for father nor fathers house,Luke 15.17.Luke 15:17 untill hee come to see, Here I dye.

It is true, the grace of the Gospel drawes men unto Christ; but it is very observable, that the Gospel reveales no grace, but with respect and in reference unto sinners, and men in extreame misery; the Gospel saith not that Christ is come to save, but to save sinners, and to save his people from their sins. It reveales not this, that God justifies men, but he justifies the ungodly; it reveales not this, that Christ dyed for us, but that he dyed for them that were weak, Ram. 5.6, 7, 8.for sinners, for enemies. And if so, can any man imagine that this newes will be sweet, unlesse men see and feele the infinite misery of sin, and the fruits of it? will not men say or think, What great matter is there in that? Suppose we be sinners and enemies, yet we are well enough; before Christ come a mans life lies in his sinne.Col. 3.7.Col 3:7 Now suppose any should proclaime to a company of men the great favour of their Prince toward them, that he is such a gracious Prince, as will take away all their lives; will this be glad tidings? Gospel Grace cannot be set out, much lesse felt, but in reference to sin and misery, which must be first felt,2 Cor. 5.142 Cor 5:14 before it can be sweet.

Reas. 3.Because Christ will never come but onelyonly unto such as feele their misery; for you will p. 63say, A man may come to Christ without it: I say againe, if he doth (as hee hath many followers) yet Christ will not come to him, nor commit himselfe to him;Mat. 9.13.Matt 9:13 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; in which place note that as by the righteous is not meant such as are sincerely so, but such as think and find themselves so; so by sinners, is not meant all manner of impenitent and hard hearted sinners, but such as think and feele themselves such; and lament under it: now God the Father sent him only unto such; he is sent not to heale the hard hearted,Luk. 4.18.Luke 4:18 but the broken hearted; indeed he is sent to make men broken hearted, who have hard hearts; but he is not sent to heale them untill then; the Lord leaves the ninety nine that need no repentance to wilder for ever; the one lost sheep, who feeles it selfe so, and …eeles a need of a Saviour to come and find it out; who cannot come and find out him: the Lord Jesus will come unto, and unto him only, leaving all the ninety nine.Luk. 15 7.Luke 15:7

This may lastly appeare by considering the end of mans fall into sin,Reas. 4. and the publishing of the Law to reveale sin; and of the Gospell also in reference unto sin; and misery; why did the Lord suffer the fall of man? what was his great plot in it? it is apparent this, that thereby way might be made for p. 64the greater manifestation of Gods grace in Christ. The Serpent poysons all mankind, that the seed of the woman might have the glory of recovering some; This was Gods last end: The perdition of some (of themselves) being but subordinate unto this, Rom. 9.22, 23. Surely Adam might have glorified grace if he had stood, and God had revealed his grace in preserving him (made mutable) from falling. But the Lord saw grace should not be sufficiently advanced to its highest dignity by this, and therefore suffers him actually to fall, and that into an extreame depth of misery: Now consider mans fall in it selfe cannot be a meane of glorifying grace, but rather obscures all the glory of God; how shall the Lord attaine his end then hereby? truly if the Lord let men see and feele their fall and misery by it, now grace offered will …e accepted and glorified. And therefore the Lord sends the law to reveale sin, and make it exceeding sinfull; and death for sin; that this end might be attained. Gal. 3.22. And therefore feeling of sin, and death and misery being the meanes, must precede the other as the end; and therefore as grace may be seen by conviction of misery, so the sweetnesse of it only can be felt, by feeling misery in this worke of compunction.

Quest.But you will say, What is this compunction, p. 65and wherein doth it consist?

This is the third particular to be opened;Answ. in generall it is, whereby the soule is affected with sin, and made sensible of sin; but more particularly, compunction is nothing else but the pricking of the heart, or the wounding of the soule with such feare and sorrow for sin and misery, as severs the soule from sin, and from going on toward its eternall misery: so that it consists in three things.

1. Feare.

2. Sorrow.

3. Separation from sin.

The Lord Jesus, when hee comes to rescue his elect, look as Satan held them in their misery; First, by blinding their eyes from seeing of it; Secondly, by hardening their hearts from feeling of it: So the Lord Jesus having cut asunder the first cord of Satan by conviction, breakes asunder the second by compunction, and causing the soule to feele and be aff…cted with its misery; and as the whole soule is unaffected before he comes, so he makes the whole soule sensible when hee comes, and therefore hee sils the conscience with feare, and the heart with sorrow, and mourning, so as now the will of sinne is broken, which was hardened before these feares and sorrowes seised upon it. Let me open these particularly, that you may tast and try the p. 66truth of what now I deliver.

1I s…y the Lord Christ in this work of compunction lets into the heart of a secure sinner a marvellous fear and terrour of the di…efull displeasure of God, of death, and hell, the punishment of sin: Oh beloved, look upon most men at this day, this is the great misery lying upon them, they doe not feare the wrath to come, they feare not death nor damning, even then when they heare and know it is their portion; but their hearts are set to sin, Eccles. 8.11.

The Lord Christ therefore lets in this feare, that look as the Lord when hee came to conquer the Canaanites, Exod. 23.27, 28. He sent his hornets before him, which were certaine feares, which made their hearts faint in the day of battell, and by this subdued them; so the Lord Christ when hee comes to conquer a poore sinner that hath long resisted him, and would goe on to his owne perdition, lets in these feares, that the soule shrinkes in with the thoughts of its woefull estate, and cryes out secretly, Lord what will become of me if I dye in this condition?Acts 9.6.Acts 9:6 Paul trembles astonished at his misery and wickednesse, and now he begins to cry out;Acts 16.Acts 16 the Jay…ur was very cruell against Paul, but when the Lord Jesus comes to rescue him from this condition, you shall see him trembling. The Lord had let in that p. 67feare, that now he is content to doe any thing to be saved from the danger he saw he was now in; when a man sees danger and great danger neare and imminent, now man naturally feares it: before Christ come, the soule may see its misery, but it apprehends it farre off, and hoping to escape it, and hence doth not feare it;Psal. 10.5.Ps 10:5 but when the Lord Jesus comes, hee presents a mans danger, death, wrath, and eternity neare unto him, and hence hath no hope to escape it, as now he is, and therefore doth feare; and seeing the misery exceeding great, he hath an exceeding great (though oft times deep) feare of it; as men neare death and apprehending it so, begin then to be troubled, and cry out when it is too late. The Lord Jesus deales more mercifully with the elect, and brings death and eternity neare them before they draw neare to it; whiles it is call…d to day:Acts 16.Acts 16 the poore Jaylor began to think of killing himselfe when feares were upon him, and so many under this stroke of Christ, have the same thoughts, because they see no hope; but this measure is not in all,Psal. 9.20.Ps 9:20 this work is in all, Put them in feare oh Lord that they may know they be but men; before this feare comes, men are above God, and think they can stand it out against him; the Lord therefore lets in this feare to make them know they bee but men, and that as p. 68proud, and stout, & great as they are, yet tha… they are not above God, and that it is in vain to kick against the pricks, and go… on as they have done; for if they doe, he will not endure it long.Rom. 8.15.Rom 8:15 The spirit of Bondage makes makes men feare, before the spirit of Adoption comes; these feares therefore are such, as the regenerate after they have received the spirit of Adoption never have; and therefore they are such as pursue the soule with some threatning of the word, pronouncing death and perdition to him in that estate: Ex. gr. He that beleeves not is condemned already, thus the word speakes to conscience, Iohn 3.17. Thou beleevest not saith a mans owne conscience, the Spirit witnessing with it, therefore thou art condemned saith conscience; now the spirit of Bondage, is the testimony of Gods Spirit witnessing to both the premisses and conclusion: now this Spirit no regenerate man indeed ever hath after this time, but the feares he hath arise from another principle of corruption of conscience, and malice of Satan through the present desertion of the Spirit leaving him; not from any positive witnesse of the Spirit of any such untruth, which yet is truth, while the soule is under this str…ake and not regen…ate: marke therefore diligently that this …eare is the worke of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, and hence it followes,

p. 691. That these Fears are not meerly naturall (as those Rom. 2.15.) arising from naturall conscience only, which only accuse of sinne, but never affect; but they are supernaturall, they are arrowes shot into the conscience by the arme of the Spirit; so dreadfull that no word nor meditation of death and eternity can beget such feares, but creates them.

2. Hence it followes, that they are cleare feares, (for the Spirits work is ever cleare before he leaves it, Eph. 5.13.) they are not blind confused feares, and suspitious and sad conjectures, whereby many a man is afraid and much afraid and affrighted like men in a dreame, that thinke they are in hell, yet cannot tell what that evill is which they feare; but they are cleare feares whereby they distinctly know and see that they are miserable, and what that misery is.

3. Hence it followes that they are strong feares, because the almighty hand of the Spirit sets them on, and shakes the soule; they are not weak feares which a man can shake off, or cure by weake hopes, sleep or businesse, &c. like some winds that shake the tree, but never blow it downe: but these feares cast down the tallest Cedar, and appall the heart, and coole the courage and boldnesse of the most impenitent and audacious sinner. The Spirit presenting the greatest p. 70evill in eternall separation from God: hence no evill in this world is so dreadfull as this, I had better never been borne then to beare it (saith the soule) and hence casts off all other thoughts,Amos 3.8.Amos 3:8 and cannot be quiet; and hence it is that these feares force a man to fly and seek out for a better condition. A man like Lot lingers in his sinne, but these feares like the Angell, drive him violently out, the Lord saying to him, A way for thy life, lest thou perish with the world, for thy sins are come up to heaven, thou maist dye before one day be at an end, and then what will become of thee? Ah thou sinfull wretched man! may not the Lord justly doe it? are not thy sins grown so great and many, that they are an intollerable burden for the soule of God to beare any longer? and hence you shall observe, if the soul after sad fears grows bold & carel…sse againe, the Spirit pursues it with more cause of feare, and now the soule cries out, Did the Lord ever elect thee? Christ shed his blood to save his people from their sins, thou livest yet in thy sins, did hee ever shed his blood for thee? thou hast sinned against conscience, after thou hast been inlightned and fallen back againe, hast not thou therefore committed the impardonable sin? thou hast had many a faire season of seeking God, but hast dallyed and dreamt away thy time; is not the day of grace therefore now past? p. 71it is true, the Lord is yet patient and bountifull, and lets thee live on common mercy, but is not all this to aggravate thy condemnation against that great and terrible day of the Lord which is at hand? are there not better men in hell then thou art that never committed the like sin? thus the Spirit pursues with strong feares, till proud man falls down to the dust before God. The soule is now under feares, not above them; and therefore cannot come out of these chaines by the most comfortable doctrine it heares, nor particular application of it by the most mercifull Ministers in the world, untill the Lord say, as La…. 3.57. feare not: the Lord onelyonly can asswage these strong winds, and raging waters, in which there is no other cry heard of this soule tossed thus with tempests, but Oh I perish I only the Lord making way for the spirit of Adoption by these in his elect; drives them out to seek if there be any hope, and so they are not properly desperate feares; yet as I say, strong feares, not alike extensively, yet alike intensively strong in all; a small evill when tidings is brought of it doth not feare, but if the evill be apprehended great and neare too, the very suspition of it makes the heart tremble; when a house is on fire, or a mighty Army entred the land and neare the city, children that know not the greatnesse p. 72of the evill feare them not; but men that know the danger are full of feare. The wrath of the Lord that fire those armies of everlasting woes, are great evils, the blind world may not much feare them, but all the elect whose minds are convinced to see the greatnesse of them, cannot but feare, and that with strong and constant feares; nor is it cowardize, but duty to feare these everlasting burnings. And hence the soule in this case wonders at the security of the world, dreads the terrours of the Lord that are neare them, and usually seeks to awaken all its poore friends. I once thought my self well, and was quiet as you bee, but the Lord hath let me see my woe, which I cannot but feare;Luk. 23.40.Luke 23:40 oh look you to it.

Thus the Lord works this feare in some in a greater, in others in a lesser measure. Oh consider whether the Lord hath thus affected your hearts with feare; oh secure times what will God doe with us! many of you having heard the voyce of the lyon roaring, and yet you tremble not. The Lord hath foretold you of death and eternall woe for the least sin, doe you beleeve it, and yet feare it not? how art thou then forsaken of God? Many of you that like old Mariners can laugh at all foule weather, and like Weather-cocks set your faces against all winds; and if you be damned at last you cannot help it, you p. 73must beare it as well as you can, and you hope to doe it as well as others shall doe; Oh! how far are such from the Kingdome of God, the Lord not yet working nor pricking thy heart so much as with feare?

2. Sorrow and mourning for sinne is the 2second thing wherein Compunction consists. And look as Feare plucks the soule from security in seeing no evill to come; so Sorrow takes off the present pleasure and delight in sinne, in a greater measure then Fear doth. The Lord therefore having smitten the soule, or shot the arrowes of feare into the soule; it therefore growes exceeding sad and heavy, thinking within it selfe, What good doe wife or children, house or lands, peace and friends, health and rest doe me? in the meane time, condemned to dye, and that eternally; it may be reprobated never to see Gods face more: the guilt and power of sin in heart and life lying still upon me? And hereupon the soule mournes in the day, and in the night, desires to goe alone and weep; and there confesseth its vilenesse before God, all the dayes of vanity, and sins of ignorance, thinking, Oh what have I done! and seeks for mercy, but not one smile, nothing but clouds of anger appeare; and then thinks, if this anger the fruit of my sinne be so great, oh what are my sins the causes hereof! VVhen the Angel had set out the sin ofJudg. 2.1.Judg 2:1 p. 74the Israelites in making a league with the Canaanites, and told them that they should be thornes in their sides, they sate downe, ver. 4. and lift up their voice, and wept: so tis with a contrite sinner. Note narrowly that eminent place of Scripture, Esay 61.3. the Lord Christ is sent to appoint beauty for ashes, and the oyle of joy for the spirit of heavinesse to them that mourne. Out of which, note these foure things for the explication of this sorrow or mourning.

First, It is such a mourning as is precedent unto spirituall joy. And hence it is not said, I will give the spirit of gladnesse to beget mourning, (though the Lord doth so after conversion) but this goes in order before that.Jer. 31.18Jer 31:18 Ephraim-like, who seeing what an unruly beast he had been, unaccustomed to Gods yoke, smites upon his thigh, and bemoans himselfe. It is Gods method (after Gods people have sinned) to sad their hearts, and then to turne mourning into joy; much more at first beginning of Gods work upon the soule, they shall first mourne, and lament, and smite upon the thigh; If God wounds the soule for sin, it shall smart, and bleed too, before God will heale.Hos. 6.1, 2.Hos 6:1Hos 6:2

Secondly, It is a great mourning, because it is called a spirit of mourning; As a spirit of slumber is a deep slumber. When the poore Jewes shall be converted, their great p. 75sin shall then be presented before them of cursing and crucifying the Lord of life; as it was to those Acts 2.36. And by reason of this, there shall be a great mourning, Zach. 12.11.Zech 12:11that they shall desire to goe alone in secret every one apart, and take their fill of mourning, before the Lord open the fountaine of grace. Cap. 13.1.It is not a summer cloud, or an April showre, that is soone spent, but a great mourning. For,

1. Before this spirit of sorrow come, a mans heart takes great delight in his sinne, tis his God, his life, and sweeter then Christ, and all the joyes of heaven; and therefore there must be great sorrow, sin must be made exceeding bitter. A man that is very hungry and thirsty after his lust, must finde such meat and drink exceeding bitter, else he will feed on it. Solomon took great content in women, but what saith he when the Lord humbled him? I find a woman more bitter then death. Eccles. 7.26.Eccl 7:26Heare this you harlots, and you that live in your wanton lusts, the Lord will make your sweet morsels more bitter then death to you, if the Lord saves you.

2. Because the greatest evils are the objects of this sorrow, viz. Sin and death. It is true, a man may mourne for smaller evils sooner; but when the Spirit sets on the greatest evils,Psal. 38.1, ….Ps 38:1 then they sad much more. Mine iniquities are too heavy to beare: Why so? p. 76Many a man can bear them without sinking. True, but in the Elect the Spirit sets on, loads the soule herewith.Prov. 18.14.Prov 18:14 A wounded spirit who can beare? Because the greatest evils lye upon the most tender part of a tender soule, pressed down by the omnipotent hand of Christs Spirit.Psal. 32.2, 3. Psal. 40.12.Ps 32:2Ps 32:3Ps 40:12 For now the multitude of sins more then the haires on the head come now to mind; as also the long continuance in them, cradle sins. No sooner, saith the soule, did I begin to live, but I began to sin. Obstinacy also in them lyes very heavy; I have had warnings, checks, resolutions against them, and yet have gone on.Jer. 31.19.Jer 31:19 The power of sinne also sads it; that as it is said, Prov. 21.9. When the wicked reigne, the people mourne; so doth the soule when it feeles sin reigne. I cannot subdue it, nay the Lord will not, that I feare the Lord hath left me over to it. The increase of sin it feeles, makes it mourne also; I grow worse and worse, saith the soul; the leake comes in faster then he can cast it out;Da…. 9.12. the greatnesse of sinne makes it mourn. Was there ever such a sinner as I? And lastly, the sense of condemnation for sin lyes upon him;Jer. 3. ult.Jer 3 this is the fruit of your evill wayes, saith the Spirit. The soule doth not let sinne passe by it now as water downe the mill, but being stopt by conviction and feare of the evill of it, it swells very high, and fills the heart full of griefe and sorrow, that many p. 77times it is overwhelmed therewith.

3. Because Christ wil not be very sweet, unlesse this mourning under misery be very great; the healing of a cut finger is sweet, but of a mortall wound is exceeding sweet; a little sorrow will make Christ sweet, but great sorrow under sense of deadly wounds is exceeding sweet; and without this Christ hath not his honour due to him, if he be not onelyonly sweet,Matth. 10.37.Matt 10:37 but also exceeding sweet and precious.

4. Because it is such a sorrow, as nothing but that that hath wounded the soule can heale it. Let men have the greatest outward troubles, outward things can cure them; or else they will weare away. As if a man be sick, or in debt, physick and money can cure these; but this wound, neither can, or over shall be healed but by the hand that wounded it.Hos. 6.1, 2.Hos 6:1Hos 6:2 And hence a man can take no comfort in meat, drink, sleep, friends, mirth, nor pastime, while this wound, this sorrow lasts; for if any thing else can heal it, it is not the right wound, or sorrow the Lord breeds in his elect. An adulterous heart indeed may be quieted with other lovers, Cain can build away his sorrow. Nay, Ile say more, this wounded soule cannot comfort it selfe by any promises, till the Lord come. David had a promise of pardon from Nathan, Psal. 51.8.Ps 51:8yet he cryes out to the Lord to make him heare p. 78the voyce of joy and gladnesse, that his broken bones might rejoyce. Did not the Lord make him heare the voyce of joy by Nathan? Yes, outwardly, but the Lord that had broke his bones, must make him heare inwardly. Nay, when the Lord comes himselfe to comfort, much adoe the Lord hath to make him heare it; as the Israelites, that hearkned not to Moses voice, because of their hard bondage, that unlesse the Lord did invincibly comfort, it would lye bleeding to death, and never live. It must needs therefore be great sorrow, which all the world, men nor Angels can remove.

5. You may be confirmed in this, if lastly you consider the many wayes the Lord takes to beget great mourning, if the soule will not be sorrowfull: as, sometimes great afflictions; Manasseh must be taken in the bushes,2 Chron. 53.11, 12. and cast into chaines. Sometimes strange temptations, hellish blasphemies, Is there a God? Are the Scriptures his Word? Why should the Lord be so cruell as to reprobate any of his creatures, to torment it so long? &c. Sometimes long eclipsing of the light of Gods countenance; no prayers answered,Lam. 3.44Lam 3:44 but daily bills of indictment; And sometimes it thinks it heares and feeles a secret testimony from God, that he never had thought of peace toward it, and that his purpose is immutable. Sometimes it questions, p. 79Can God forgive sinnes so great? Can it stand with his honour to put up so much wrong? Sometimes it feels its heart so extreamly hard and dedolent, that it thinks the Lord hath sealed it up under this plague till the judgement of the great day. And sometimes the Lord makes melancholy a good servant to him to further this work of sorrow. But thus the Lord rebukes many a hard hearted sinner, that will not beare the yoke, nor feele the load; and now the Lord turnes the beauty of the proudest into ashes, and withers the glory of all flesh. Nay sometimes you shall observe the Lord though he comes not out as a Lyon to rend, yet as a moth he frets out by secret pinings and languishings; the senselesse security of man, that he shall mourne to purpose before he leave him.Psal. 39.10, 11.Ps 39:10Ps 39:11

I doe not meane by this, as if all men had the like measure of sorrow; but a great sorrow it is in all. Every child is delivered by some throwes; those that stick long in the birth may feele them longer and very many. Nor yet doe I presse a necessity of teares, or violent and tumultuous complaints; the deepest sorrowes run with least noyse. If a man can have teares for outward losses, and none for sins, tis very suspitious whether he was ever truly sorrowfull for sinne; Otherwise as the greatest joyes are not alway exprest in p. 80laughter, so the greatest sorrowes are not alway exprest in shedding of teares; what the measure of this great sorrow is, we shall heare hereafter.

Thirdly, it is a constant mourning, for so it is here called, a spirit of heavinesse; as that woman that had a spirit of infirmity, and was bowed downe many yeares: Hannah constantly troubled, is called a woman of a sorrowfull spirit, 1 Sam. 1.12.15. As the spirit of pride and whoredome, Hos. 4.12. …is a constant frame, where though the acts be sometime suspended, yet the spirit remains; so a spirit of mourning, is such sorrow, as though the acts of mourning be sometime hindred, yet the spirit and spring remaines; Hypocrites wil mourn under sin and misery, but what is it?Esay. 5.8.5.Isa 5:8Isa 5:5 it is the hanging down the head like a bull-rush in bad weather for a day. Oh how many have pangs and gripes of sorrow, and can quickly ease themselves again! these mourners come to nothing in the conclusion; I grant the sorrow and sadnesse of spirit may be interrupted, but it returnes againe, and never leaves the soule untill the Lord looke downe from heaven, Lam. 3.48, 49, 50. The cause continues, guilt and strength of sinne, and therefore this effect continues.

Fourthly, it is such a sorrow as makes way for gladnesse, for so it is here said, the Lord gives beauty for these ashes, and hence p. 81it is no desperate hellish sorrow, but usually mixt with sense of some mercy, at least common, and some hope; not that which apprehends the object of hope particulary (which is done in vocation) but that the Lord may find out some way of saving it, Ionah 3.9. Acts 2.37. which hope with sense of mercy waiting so long, preserving from hell and death so oft, &c. doth not harden the heart, (as in reprobates) but serve to break the more, and to load it with greater sorrow; thus the Lord works this sorrow in all his elect, I know it is in a greater measure, and from some other grounds after the soule is in Christ; but this sorrow there is for substance, mentioned for the reasons given; if Christ hate you you shall mourne, but never till it be too late; if he love you, you must mourne now; how great and many are many of your sinnes, how neare is your doome, the Lord only knows how fearful your condemnation will be, you have oft heard, but yet how few of your hearts are sad and very heavie for these things? sin is your pleasure, not your sorrow; you fly from sorrow as from a temptation of Satan who comes to trouble you, and to lead you to despaire: Davids eyes ran down with rivers of waters, because others brake Gods law, and Ieremy wisht he had a cottage in the wildernesse to mourne in, and yet you doe not, you cannot p. 82powre out one drop, nor yet wish you had hearts to lament your owne sinnes: but oh know it, that when the Lord Christ comes, hee will sad thy soule when hee comes to search thy old sores by the spirit of conviction, he will make them smart and bleed abundantly, by the spirit of compunction.

33. Separation from sin is the third thing wherein compunction consists, such a feare and sorrow for sin under a sinfull estate, as separates the soule from sin, is true compunction; without which the Lord Christ cannot be had: the soule is cut and wounded with sin by feare and sorrow, but it is cut off by this stroake of the Spirit, not from the being, but from the growing power of sin; from the wil to sin, not from al sin in the wil which is mortified by a Spirit of holines, after the soule is implanted into Christ; for compunction, contrition, brokennesse of heart for sin (call it what you will) is opposite to hardnesse of heart which is in every sinner whiles Christ leaves him; now in hardnesse (as in a stone) there is, First insensiblenesse, Secondly, a close cleaving of all the parts together, whereby it comes to passe that hard things make resistance of what is cast against them: So in compunction there is nor only sensiblenesse of the evill of sin and death, by feare and sorrow, but such as makes a separation of that close union between p. 83sin and the soule: and hence it is that the Lord abhorres all fastings, humiliations, prayers, teares, unlesse they be of this stamp, and are accompanied with this effect. The Lord flings the dung of their fastings and sorrowes in their faces,Esay. 58.5.Isa 58:5 because they did not breake the bonds of wickednesse; to mourno for sin and misery, and yet to be in thy sinne, is the work of justice on the damned in hell, and all the Devills at this day, that are pincht with their black chains not loosened from them; and not the work of the grace of Christ in the day of his power: Hee that confesseth his sins shall have mercy; that is true, but remember the meaning of that confession in the next words,Prov. 28.13.Prov 28:13 and forsaketh, he shall find mercy. What is the end of the mother in laying worme-wood and gall upon her brest, but that the child by tasting the bitternesse of it might be weaned and have his stomack and will turned from it? what is the end of fear & sorrow, but by this to turn away the soule from sin? This point is weighty and full of difficulty,J…b 33.15, 16, 17. of great use, and worthy of deep meditation. For as the first wound and stroake of the Spirit is, so it is in all other after-works of it, both of faith and holinesse in the soule; if this be right, faith is right, holinesse is right; if this be imperfect, or naught, all is according to it afterward: the greatest difficulty lies h…re to p. 84know what measure of separation from sin the Spirit makes here, for after wee are in Christ, then sinne is mortified; how then is there any separation of the heart from it, before it doth fully beleeve; or what measure is there necessary? here therefore I shall answer to the fourth and last particular. viz.

4Fourthly, what is that measure of compunction the Lord workes in all the elect?

Answ.So much compunction or sense of sinne is necessary as attaines the end of it: now what is the end of it? no other but that the soule being humbled might goe to Christ (by faith) to take away his sin; the finis proximus or next end of compunction is humiliation, that the soul may be so severed from sin, as to renounce it selfe for it; the finis remotus, or last end is, that being thus humbled, it might goe unto Christ to take away sinne: for beloved, the condemnation of the world lies not so much in being sinfull under guilt and power of sin, as in being unwilling the Lord Jesus should take it away: this I say is the greatest hinderance of salvation, Iohn 3.19. Iohn 5.40. Oh Ierusalem wilt thou not be made cleane? Ier. 13.27. that was their great evill, they were not only polluted, but they would not be made cleane: the Lord Jesus therefore rolls away this stone from the Sepulchre, beats down this mountaine; and because it must first beleeve in Christ before p. 85it can receive Grace from Christ, it must come to Christ to take away sinne, before the Lord will doe it. Hence, so much loosening from sinne as makes the soule thus to come, is necessary. So much feare and sorrow as loosens from sinne, and so much loosening from sinne as makes the soule willing, or at least not unwilling that the Lord JESUS should take it away, is necessary: For who ever comes to Christ, or is not unwilling Christ should come to him to take away all his sinne, hath (what ever he thinks) some antecedent loosning and separation from sin.

Oh saith a poore sinner, when the Lord hath struck his heart, and he feeles guilt, and terrour, and mighty strength of corruption, If the Lord Jesus would take away these evils from me, though I cannot, means cannot; that will be exceeding rich mercy. The Lord doth not wound the heart to this end, that the soule should first heale it selfe, before it come to the Physitian, but that it might seek out, or feeling its need, be willing and desirous of a Physitian, the Lord Jesus, to come and heale it. It is the great fault of many Christians, either their wounds and sorrowes are so little, they desire not to be healed; or if they doe, they labour to heal themselves first, before they come to the Physitian for it; they will first make themselves holy, and put on their jewels, and then beleeve p. 86in Christ. And hence are those many complaints, What have I to do with Christ? Why should he have to doe with me that have such an unholy, vile, hard, blind, and most wicked heart? If I were more humbled, and more holy, then I would goe to him, and think he would come to me. Oh for the Lords sake, dishonour not the grace of Christ. It is true, thou canst not come to Christ, till thou art loaden, and humbled, and separated from thy sinne. Thou canst not be ingrafted into this Olive, unlesse thou beest cut, and cut off too from thy old root. Yet remember for ever, that no more sorrow for sinne, no more separation from sinne is necessary to thy closing with Christ, then so much as makes thee willing, or rather not unwilling that the Lord should take it away. And know it, if thou seekest for a greater measure of humiliation antecedent to thy closing with Christ then this, thou shewest the more pride: therein, who wilt rather goe in to thy selfe to make thy selfe holy and humble, that then mightest be worthy of Christ, then goe out of thy selfe, unto the Lord Jesus, to take thy sin away. In a word, who thinkest Christ cannot love thee, untill thou makest thy selfe faire, and when thou thinkest thy selfe so (which is pride) wilt then think otherwise of Christ. The Lord therefore when he teacheth his people how p. 87to returne unto him after grievous sinnes, directs them to this course, not to goe about the bush to remove their iniquities themselves, or to stay and live securely in their sins, untill the Lord did it himselfe; but bids them come to him, and say, Take away (Lord) all iniquities, Hos. 14.1, 2, 3. You shall see Ephraim bemoaning himselfe, Ier. 31.18. But how? Doth he say he feeles his sinnes now all removed? No, but he desires the Lord to turne him, and then (saith he) I shall be turned.

As if he should say, Lord, I shall never turne from this stubborne vile heart, nor so much as turne to thee, to take it away, unlesse thou dost turne me, and then I shall be turned to purpose. What saith the penitent Church?Hos 6.1.Hos 6:1 Come, say they, let us goe unto the Lord. They might object, and say, Alas, the Lord is our enemy, and wounds us, and hath broken us to pieces, we are not yet healed, but lye dead as well as wounded; shall such dead spirits live? Mark what followes, True indeed, He hath wounded us, let us therefore goe to him, that he may heale us, and after two dayes he will revive us. The Lord requires no more of us then thus to come to him. Indeed after a Christian is in Christ, labour for more and more sense of sinne, that may drive you nearer and nearer unto Christ. Yet know before you come to him, the Lord p. 88requires no more then this; and as he requires no more then this, so tis his owne Spirit (not our abilities) that must also work this; and thus much he will work, and doth require of all whom he purposeth to save. If thou wilt not come to Christ to take away thy sinnes, thou shalt undoubtedly perish in them. If the Lord work that sorrow, so as to be willing the Lord should take them away, thou shalt be undoubtedly saved from them.Joh. 5.40.John 5:40

If you would know what measure of willingnesse to have Christ take away sinne is required; You shall heare when we come to open the fourth particular in the doctrine of Faith.

Quest.If you further aske, How the Spirit works this loosening from sinne in the work of compunction?

Answ.I answer, the Spirit of Christ works this by a double act,

1. Morall.

2. Physicall.

As in the conversion of the soule by faith unto God, the Spirit is not onelyonly a morall agent p…swading, but also a supernaturall agent physically working the heart to beleeve, by a divine and immediate act; so in the aversion of the soule from sinne, the Spirit doth affect the heart with feare and sorrow morally, but this can never take away sinne, as we see in Iudas and Cain, deeply affected p. 89and afflicted in spirit, and yet in their sinne. And therefore the Spirit puts forth its owne hand physically or immediately, and his owne arme brings salvation to us, by a further secret immediate stroke, turning the iron neck, cutting the iron sinews of sin, and so makes this disunion or separation. You think it easie to be willing that Christ should come and take away all your sinnes; I tell you, the omnipotent arme of the Lord that instructed Ieremy in a smaller matter,Jer. 8.11.Jer 8:11 can onelyonly instruct you here; both these acts ever goe together according to the measure mentioned; the latter cannot be without the first, the first is in vaine without the latter.

But what evill in sinne doth the Spirit morally affect the heart with,Quest. and so physically turne it from sinne?

He affects the soule with it as the greatest evill;Answ. by sinne I meane not as considered without death, (for at this time the soule is not so spirituall, as that sin without consideration of death and wrath due to it should affect it) but sinne and death, sinne armed with wrath, sinne working death, pricks the heart as the greatest evill, and so lets out that core at the bottome, as may fit the soule for healing. For,

1. If the Spirit make a man feele sin truly, the soule feeles it as it is; it is not the name, and talk of the danger of sin that troubles it, p. 90but the Spirit (ever making things reall) loads the soule with it indeed, and as it is; now it is the greatest evill, and therefore so it feeles sin. Beleeve it, you never felt sin indeed as it is, if you have not felt it thus.

2. Else no man will prize Christ as the greatest good, without which no man shall have him.Mat. 10.37Matt 10:37

3. Else a man will live and continue in sinne. If sinne had been a greater evill to Pilate then the losse of Caesars friendship, hee would never have crucified Christ. If sinne had been a greater evill to Iehu then the losse of his Kingdome, he had never kept up the two calves. If sinne were a greater evill then poverty, shame, griefe in this world, many a Professor would never lose Christ and a good conscience too, for a little gaine, profit or honour. Beloved, the great curse and wrath of the Lord upon all men in the world almost is this, that the greatest evils should be least of all felt; and the smallest evils most of all complained of. What is death that onelyonly separates thy soule from thy body, to sin that separates God blessed for ever from thy soule? and therefore the Lord Jesus will remove this curse from those he saves.Acts 3.26.Acts 3:26

Quest.But you will say, What is that evill the soule sees at this time in sinne, that thus affects the heart with it, as the greatest p. 91evill? This is the last difficulty here.

There is a three-fold evill especially seen in sinne:Answ.

1. The evill of torment and anguish.

2. The evill of wrong and injury to God.

3. The evill of separation of the soule from God.

The first may affect Reprobates, as Saul and Iudas, who were sore distressed when they felt the anguish of conscience by sin.

The second is onelyonly in those that are actually justified, called and sanctified, who lament sinne as it is against God, and a God reconciled to them, and as it is against the life of God begun in them: and hence they cry out of it as a body of death.

The third the elect feele at this first stroke and wound which the Spirit gives them; the anguish of sinne indeed lyes sore upon them,Luk. 15.7.Luke 15:7 but this much more. Christ is come to seek that which is lost. The sheep is lost, when First it is separated and gone from the owner; Secondly, when it knowes not how to returne againe, unlesse the Shepherd find it and carry it home: so that soule is properly and truly lost, that feeles it selfe separated and gone from God,Esay 33.6.Isa 33:6 knowing not how to returne to him again, unlesse the Lord come and take it upon his shoulders, and carry it in his armes; this lyes heavy upon it, viz. that it is gone from God, and wholly separated p. 92from all union to him, and communion with him. You may observe, Iohn 16.9. that the Spirit convinces of sinne, how? because they beleeve not in me. i. Because they shall see and feele themselves quite separated from me, they shall heare of my glory and riches of mercy, and that happinesse which all that have me, shall and doe enjoy, but they shal mourne that they have no part nor portion in these things, they shall mourne that they live without me, and that they have lived so long without me.

I confesse many other considerations of the evill of sin come now in, but this is the maine channell where all the other rivelets empty themselves. And hence it is that the soule under this stroke is in a state of seeking onelyonly, yet finds nothing; it seeks God and Christ, and therefore feeles a want, a losse of both by sinne; for the end of all the feares, terrours, sorrowes, &c. upon the elect, is to bring them back againe to God, and into fellowship with God, the onelyonly blessednesse of man. Now if the soule ordained and made for this end should not feele its present separation from God by sinne, and the bitternes of the evil of it; it would never seek to return again to him as to his greatest good, nor desire ever to come into his bosome againe; for look as sinne wounds the soule, so the soule seeks for healing of it; if onelyonly the torment p. 93of sinne wound, ease of conscience from that anguish will heale it: So if separation from God wound the heart, onelyonly union and communion with God will heale it, and comfort it againe. The Lord Christ therefore having laid his hand upon the soule to bring it back to himselfe first,Heb 7.25.Heb 7:25 and so to the Father, being designed to gather in all the out-casts of Israel,Esay 56.8.Isa 56:8 those he ever makes to feele themselves out-casts, as cast away out of Gods blessed sight and presence, that so they may desire at last to come home againe: Reprobates not made for this end, have not this sense of sin, the means of their return. And hence it is that the soules of those God saves, are never quiet untill they come to God, and communion with him; but they mourn for their distance from him, and the hiding of his face, untill the Lord shine forth againe: Whereas every one else though much troubled, yet sit down contented with any little odde thing that serves to quiet them for the time, before the Lord return to them, or they enter into their rest, in that ineffable communion with him.

Let me now make Application of this, before I proceed to open the next particular of Humiliation.

This may shew us the great mistake of two sorts:Vse 1.

1. Such as think there is no necessity of p. 94any sense of misery before the application of the remedy or their closing with Christ; because say they, where there is sense there is life; (all sense and feeling arising from life) and where there is life, there is Christ already. And hence it is that they would not have the Law first preached in these dayes, but the Gospell; the other is to goe round about the bush.

I answer, that for my owne part this doctrine (of seeing and feeling our misery before the remedy) is so universally received by all solid Divines both at home and abroad, that I meet with; and the contrary opinion so crosse to the holy Scriptures, and generall experience of the Saints, and the preaching of the other so abundantly sealed to be Gods owne way by his rich blessings on the labours of his servants faithfull to him herein; that were it not for the sake of some weak and mis-led, I should not dare to question it; the Lord himselfe so expresly speaking, that he came not to call the righteous, but on the contrary onelyonly to heale the sick, who know and feele their sicknesse chiefly by the Law, Rom. 3.20. Dost thou think therefore, that there is spirituall life where ever there is any sense? Then I say, the devils and damned in hell have much spirituall life, for they feele their misery with a witnesse. As for the preaching of the Gospel before the Law to p. 95shew our misery; it is true, that the Gospel is to be looked at, as the maine end; yet you must use the means, before you can come to the end, by the preaching of the Law, or misery in despising the Gospell. End & Means have been ever good friends, & you may joyn them well together, you cannot sever them without danger. I doe observe that the Apostles ever used this method: Paul first proves Iewes and Gentiles to be under sinne, in almost the three first Chapters of the Romanes, before he opens the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ. I do not observe that ever there was so cleere and manifest opening of Mans misery, as by Christ and his Apostles, who brought in the clearest revelations of the Remedy. I doe not read in Moses, or in all the Prophets, such full and plaine expressions of our misery as in the New Testament: The worme that never dyes; The fire that never goes out; The wrath to come, &c. and therefore assuredly they thought this no back-doore, but faith the doore to Christ, and this the way to faith. To say that a man must first have Christ and life, before he feele any spirituall misery, is to say that a Christian must first be healed, that he may be sick; cured, that he may be wounded; receive the spirit of adoption, before he receive, and that he may receive the spirit of bondage to feare againe.

p. 96If Ministers shall preach the remedy before they shew misery, woe to this age, that shall be deprived of those blessings, which the former gloried in, and blessed the Lord for. Mark those men that deny the use of the Law to lead unto Christ, if they doe not fall in time to oppose some maine point of the Gospel. For it is a righteous thing, but a heavy plague, for the Lord to suffer such men to obscure the Gospel, that in their judgements zealously dislike this use of the Law. You must preach the remedy; that is true: but you must also first preach the woe and misery of men, or rather so mix them together, as the hearts of hearers may be deeply affected with both; but first with their misery. It argues a great consumption of the Spirit of grace, when Christians lives are preserved onelyonly by Alchermys and choice Cordials, notions about Christ, nay choyce ones too, or else the old and ordinary food of the countrey will not downe. I tell you, the maine wound of Christians is want of deep humiliations and castings downe; and if you beleeve it not now, it may be, pestilence, sword and famine shall teach you this doctrine, when the Lord shall make these things wound you to the very heart, and put you to your wits end, that were not, that would not in season be wounded at the heart with sin.

p. 97Are we troubled with too many wounded consciences in these times, that we are so solicitous of coyning new principles of peace? what is every man by nature, but a kind of an infinite evill? all the sins that fill earth and hell, are in every one mans heart, for sinne in man is endlesse; and canst not thou endure to be cast downe? Nothing is so vile as Christ to a man unhumbled, and can you so easily prize him, and taste him, without any casting downe?

2. Such as think there is a necessity of sense of misery, by the work of the Law, before Christ can be received; but they think there is no such feeling of misery, as hath been mentioned; but that it is common to the reprobate as to the elect, and consequently that in sense of sinne there is no such speciall worke of the Spirit as separates the soule from sinne before it comes unto Christ, but that this is done after the soule is in Christ by faith, viz. in Sanctification, being first justified by faith.

This is the judgement of many holy and learned; and therefore so long as there is no disagreement in the substance of this doctrine, it should not trouble us; onelyonly let it be considered, whether what is said, is not the truth of Christ; and if it be, let us not cast it aside. The Jewish Rabbins have a speech at this day very frequent in their writings, p. 98Non est in lege unica literula, à qua non magni suspensi sunt montes: It is much more true of every truth; and if I much mistake not, much depends upon the right understanding of this point.

That therefore 1. there must be some sense of misery, before the application of the remedy.

2. That this compunction or sense of misery is wrought by the Spirit of Christ, not the power of man to prepare himself thereby for further grace.

3. That these terrours and sorrows in the elect doe virtually differ from those in the reprobate, the one driving the soul to Christ, the other not; these are agreed on all hands. The question onelyonly is, Whether there is this farther stroke of severing the soule from sin, conjoyned with the terrours and sorrowes in the elect before their closing with Christ, which is not in the reprobate; or in one word, whether there is not a speciall work of the Spirit, turning (at least in order of nature) the soule from sin, before the soule returns by faith unto Christ. For the affirmative I leave these severall Considerations.

1. Cons.That there is gratia actualis, or actuall grace, as well as habitualis, or habituall grace.Scho. orth. Spec. cap. 30, 31, 32. Learned Ferrius makes a vast difference between them; and therefore to think that there can be no power of sin removed p. 99but by habituall or sanctifying grace, is unsound; for actuall grace may doe it, the Spirit may take away sinne mediately by habituall grace, and yet it can doe it immediately also by an omnipotent act, by that which is called actuall actuating, or moving grace▪ Christ can and must first bind the strong man, and cast him out by this working or actuall grace, before he dwells in the house of mans heart, by habituall and sanctifying grace. The Gardners knife may immediately cut-off a cyen from a tree, thereby taking away all its power to grow there any more, before it hath a power to bring forth any fruit, which is wrought only by implanting it into another stock: New creation (which is at first conversion) may well be without habituall graces that are but creatures.

Whether any man since the fall is a subject immediately capable of sanctifying or habituall grace;2. Cons. or whether any unregenerate man is in a next disposition to receive such grace; as the ayre is immediately of light, out of which the darknesse is expelled by light, and so the habits of grace doe expell the habits and power of sinne, (say some.) I suppose the affirmative is most false, and in neere affinity with some grosse points of Arminianisme. Adam, in his pure naturals, and considered meerly as a living soule, was such a subject; like a white paper, fitted immediately p. 100to take the impression of Gods image; but since, by his fall, Sinne is falne like a mighty blot upon the soule, whereby a man not onelyonly wants grace, as the darke ayre doth light, but also resists grace, Iohn 14.17. Hence this resistance must be first taken away, before the Lord introduce his image againe. To say that a man can of himselfe dispose himselfe unto grace, was Pelagianisme in Aquinas his time: yet some disposition is necessary, saith Ferrius; not unto actuall grace, or that which is wrought upon a man, per modum actus, (as he saith) but unto the reception of habituall or sanctifying grace, it being in the soule per modum formae, no forme being introduced but into materiam dispositam, i. matter fitted or prepared, or into such a vessell which is immediately capable of it.

There is in man a double resistance against grace.

1. Of a holy frame of grace by originall corruption, which is opposite to originall and renewed holinesse, or to this holy frame.

2. Of the God of grace himselfe when he comes to work it, Iob 21.14. Ezek. 24.13.

The first is taken away in that which we call the spirit of sanctification, after faith; the second is taken away not onelyonly in the act of it, (as by terrours it may be in reprobates, p. 101Psal. 66.2.) but in some measure in the inward …oot and disposition of it, (onelyonly in the elect) there being (as hath been said) no more separation from sinne, at this time required, then so much as may make the soule come to the Lord to take it away, or at least not unwilling, nor resisting the Lord, when he comes to doe it himselfe.

Whether doth not the work of union unto Christ,3. Cons. goe before our communion with Christ? I suppose tis undenyable, that union must be before communion; and that union to Christ is a work of grace as peculiar to the elect, as communion with him. Now justification and sanctification are two parts of our communion with him, and follow our union, Rom. 8.1. Our union therefore must be before these, of which there are two parts, or rather two things on our part, necessarily required to it: 1. Cutting off from the wild olive tree, the old Adam; 2. Implanting into the good olive tree, the second Adam. The first must goe before the second; for where there is perfect resistance, there can be no perfect union. But take a man growing upon his old root of nature, there is nothing but perfect resistance, Rom. 8.7. and therefore that resistance must first be taken away, before the Lord draw the soule to Christ, and by faith implant it into Christ. In a word, I see not how a man can wholly p. 102resist God and Christ, and yet be united unto him at the same instant: and therefore the one (in order of nature at least) goes before the other: and therefore let any man living prove his union to Christ, and to his lust also, if he can. You will beleeve in Christ, many of you, and yet you will have your whores, and cups, and lusts, and pride, and world too, and oppose all the meanes that would have you from these also. I tell you, you shall find one day how miserably deceived you have been herein. You cannot serve God and Mammon. How can ye beleeve, saith Christ, Iohn 5.44. that seek honour one of another? If you can have Christ, and be ambitious too, take him; but how can you beleeve till the Lord hath broken you off from thence?

4. Cons.Whether vocation (as peculiar to the elect as sanctification) doth not goe before justification and glorification, Rom. 8.30. Whether also there are not two things in effectuall vocation;

1.. Is not Christ, that good, the tearme to which the soule is firstly called?

2. Is not sin and world, that evill, the t… arme from which the soule is called?

I suppose tis evident, that the soule is effectually called, and therefore actually and firstly turned from darknesse to light, from the power of Satan unto God. First from darknesse, then unto light; first from the p. 103power of Satan, then unto God; as is evident by the Apostles owne words, Act. 26.18. where he methodically sets down the wonderfull works of Christs grace by his ministery: the first is to turne them from darknes to light, and from Satans power unto God, which are the two parts of vocation, that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes in justification, (vocation being a meanes to this end) that they may receive an inheritance in glorification among such as being justified are sanctified also by faith in his name. The Apostle doth not say, that he was to returne men to light and unto God, and so turn them from darknes, & from the power … Satan, (though this is true in some sense) but he was first to turne from darknesse and Satan, and so to returne them unto light, and God in Christ. For how is it possible to be turned unto Christ, and yet then also to be turned to sinne and Satan? Doth it not imply a contradiction, to be turned toward sinne, (which is ever from Christ) and yet to be turned toward Christ together? All Divines affirme generally, that in the working of …aith, the Lord makes the soule willing to have Christ, Psal. 110.2, 3. but withall they affirme, that of unwilling he makes willing; and therefore it followes, that the Lord must first remove that unwillingnesse, before it can be willing, it being impossible to p. 104be both willing and unwilling together.

5. Cons.Whether the cause of all that counterfeit coyne and hypocrisie in this professing age, doth not arise from this root, viz. not having this wound at first, but onelyonly some trouble for sinne without separation from it, sore throwes without deliverance from sinne? is not this the death of most, if not all wicked men living? how many are there that claspe about Christ, and yet prove enemies to the crosse of Christ; fall from Christ scandalously or secretly afterward? what is the reason of it? Certainly if the Lord had cut them off from their sin, they had never falne to everlasting bondage in sinne againe; but there the Spirit of God forsook them, the Lord not owing so much love to them. Consider seriously why the stony and thorny-ground-hearers, Mat. 13. came to nothing in their growth of seeming faith and sanctification; was the fault in the seed? No verily, but onelyonly in the ground; the one was broken, but not deep enough, the other was broken deep, but not through enough, the roots of thorns choked them, the lusts and cares of the world were not destroyed first, & therefore they destroyed that ground.

Jer. 4.3, 4.Jer 4:3Jer 4:4I conclude therefore with that of Ieremy, Break up your fallow grounds, seek to the Lord to break them for you, and sow not among thornes, take heed of such brokennesse p. 105which removes not the thornes of sinfull secret stubbornnesse, lest the wrath of the Lord break out against you, and burne that none can quench it. Doe not cut off Iohn Baptists head, you that can be content to heare him gladly, and doe many things, but he must not touch your Herodias, and make a divorce there, but suffer him to come in the spirit and power of Eliah, nay of Christ Iesus, to beat downe your mountaines, fill up your vallies, make your crooked rough waies smooth, that you may see the glory of the Lord Jesus, without which he shall be ever hid from you. Cry you faithfull servants of the Lord, that All flesh is grasse, and all the glory of man, of sin, of world, is a withering flower; that the Lord Jesus may be revealed ever fresh, and sweet, and precious, in the eyes of the Saints.

The evidence of this truth in the generall, put blessed and learned Pemble upon another way;Vind. grat. p. 7, 11, 13 for when he perceived (as himselfe confesseth) that it is the generall doctrine of all Orthodox Divines, viz. that actuall faith is never wrought in the soule, till beside the supernaturall illumination of the mind, the will be also first freed in part from its naturall perversenesse, (God making all men of unwilling, willing) hereupon he concludes that this is done by the spirit of Sanctification, and one supernaturall quality of holines p. 106universally infused in all the powers of the soul at once; so that the Spirit instantly first sanctifies us, & puts life in us; then it acts in sorrow for, and detestation of sin, and so we come actually to beleeve. And because he fore-saw the blow, viz. that in this way, Christians are sanctified before they be justified; he answers, Yes, we are justified declaratively after this.

Others (who follow him) answer more roundly, viz. that we are sanctified before we are really and actually justified, & herein differ from him.

Now when it is objected against this, viz. that our vocation is that which goes before our justification, sanctification being part of glorification following after, Rom. 8.30. Hereupon some others (treading in his steps) affirme, that vocation is the same with sanctification, and not comprehended under glorification.

Others perceiving the evill of this errour, viz. to place sanctification before justification, good fruits before a good tree, they doe therefore deny any saving worke, whether of vocation or sanctification, before justification. And hence on the other extream, they doe place a Christians justification, before his faith in vocation, or holinesse in his sanctification: so that by this last opinion a Christian is not justified by faith, (which p. 107was Pauls phrase) but rather (as he said wittily and wisely) faithed by his justification.

Before I come to cleare the truth in these spirituall mysteries, let this onelyonly be remembred, viz. That Sanctification, which Pemble calls out spirituall life, may be taken two wayes:

1. Largely.

2. Strictly.

1. Largely, for any awakenings of conscience, or acts of the Spirit of life, and so tis true, we are quickned by these acts, and so in a large sense sanctified first.

2. Strictly, for those habits of the life of holinesse which are opposite to the body of death in us; and that we are not first sanctified before we are justified, in this sense, we shall manifest by and by. OnelyOnly let me begin to shew the errour of the last opinion first, viz.

1. That a Christian is not first justified, before faith, or vocation, may appeare thus.

1. It is professedly▪ crosse to the whole current of Scripture, which saith, We are justified by faith, and therefore not before faith; and to say that the meaning of such phrases is, that we are justifyed declaratively by faith, or to our sense and feeling in foro conscientiae, is a meere device; for our justification is opposed to the state of unrighteousnesse p. 108& condemnation going before, which condemnation is not onelyonly declarative and in the court of Conscience, but reall, and in the court of Heaven: For so saith the Scripture expresly, Iohn 3.18. He that beleeveth not, is condemned already: and verse 36. The wrath of God abideth on him: and Gal. 3.22. The Scripture (which is the sentence in Gods Court) hath concluded all under sinne. Hence a second Argument ariseth,

2. If a man be justified before faith, then an actuall unbeleever is subject to no condemnation; but this is expresly crosse to the letter of the Text, He that beleeves not, is condemned already, Iohn 3.18. and the wrath of God doth lye upon him. The subjects of non-condemnation are those that be in Christ, by faith, Rom. 8.1. not out of Christ by unbelief, Rom. 11.20. There is indeed a merited justification by Christs death, and a virtuall or exemplary justification in Christs resurrection, as in our Head and Surety; and both these were before not onelyonly our faith, but our very being; but to say that we are therefore actually justified before faith, because our justification was merited before we had faith, gives as just a ground of affirming that wee are actually sanctified whiles we are in the state of nature unsanctified, Eph. 2.1. because our sanctification was merited by Christ before we had any being in him.

p. 109We must indeed be first made good trees by faith in Christs righteousnesse, before we can bring forth any good fruits of holinesse.John 14.3, 4, 5.John 14:3John 14:4John 14:5 God makes us not good trees without being in Christ by faith, no more then we are bad trees, in contracting Adams guilt without our being first in him; God gives us first his Sonne (offered in the Gospel, and received by faith) and then gives us all other things with him; he doth not justifie us without giving us his Son; but having first given him, gives us this also.

2. That sanctification doth not goe before 2justification, may appeare thus:

1. If guilt of Adams sinne goe before originall pollution, Rom. 5.12. then imputation of Christs righteousnesse before renewed sanctification.

2. To place sanctification before justification, is quite crosse to the Apostles practise, (which is our patterne) who first sought to be found in Christ, Phil. 3.9. (in the work of union) not having his owne righteousnesse in the work of justification (which in order followes that) that he may then know him in the power of his death and resurrection in sanctification (here comes in sanctification) if by any meanes he might attain to the resurrection of the dead in glorification, (the last of all.)

3. This is quite crosse to the Apostles p. 110doctrine which makes justification the cause of sanctification, and therefore must needs goe before it, Rom. 5. as sin goes before spirituall and eternall death, so righteousnesse goes before spirituall life in sanctification, and eternall life in glory: the Lord holds forth Christ in the Gospel first as our propitiation, Rom. 3.24. and then it comes dying to sinne, and living to God in sanctification, chap. 6.1. Holinesse is the end of our actuall reconciliation, Col. 1.21, 22.

4. If sanctification goe before justification by faith, then a Christians communion with Christ, goes before his union to him by faith; but our union is the foundation of communion, and it is impossible there should be communion without some precedent union. 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ is made righteousnesse and sanctification, unto whom? read the beginning of the verse, and you shall see, it is onelyonly to those that be in Christ, which is by faith.

Let none say here (as some doe) that we have union to Christ, first by the Spirit, without faith, in order going before faith: For understanding of which, let us a little consider of our union unto Christ; Our union to Christ is not by the essentiall presence of the Spirit, for that is in every man, as the God-head is every where, in whom we live and move. This is common to the most wicked p. 111man, nay to the vilest creature in the world. Hence it followes that our union is by some act of the Spirit peculiar to the elect (who onelyonly shall have communion with Christ) working some reall change in the soul, (for of reall, not relative union I now speak) this act cannot be those first acts of the spirit of bondage, (for they are common unto reprobates) they are therefore such acts as are essentiall unto the nature of union. Now look as disunion, is the disjunction or separation of divers things one from another; so union is the conjunction or joyning of them together, that were before severed. Hence that act of the Spirit in uniting us to Christ, can be nothing else but the bringing back the soule unto Christ, or the conjunction of the soule unto Christ, and into Christ, by bringing it back to him, that before this lay like a dry bone in the valley separated from him. Thus 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joyned, or (as the word signifies) glewed to the Lord, is one spirit with him. The Spirit therefore brings us to the Lord Christ, and so we are in him. Now the comming of the soule to Christ, what is it but faith? Iohn 6.35. Our union therefore is by faith, not without it: for by it onelyonly we that were once separated from him by sinne, and especially by unbeliefe, Heb. 3.12. are now come not onelyonly unto him, as iron unto the load-stone, Iohn 6.37. p. 112out (which is most neare) into him, as branches into the vine, & so grow one with him; and hence those phrases in Scripture, to beleeve in Christ, or into Christ. I speak not this as if we were united to Christ without the Spirit on his part; (for the conjunction of things severed must be mutuall, if it be firme) I onelyonly shew that we are not united before faith by the Spirit unto Christ; but that we are by faith (wrought by the Spirit) whereby on our part we are first conjoyned unto him; and then on his part he by the person of the Spirit is most wonderfully united unto us. The Spirit puts forth variety of acts in the soule; as it acts us to good works, tis the spirit of obedience; as it infuseth habits of grace, so tis the spirit of sanctification; as it assists us continually, and guides us to our end, and witnesseth favour, tis the spirit of adoption; as it works feares of death and hell, tis the spirit of bondage; but as it drawes us from sinne to Christ, so tis the spirit of union: and therefore to imagine union before and without faith by the Spirit, is but a spirit indeed, which when you come to feele it, you shall finde it a nothing, without flesh, or bones, or sinewes. As our marriage union to Christ must have consent of faith on our part, wrought by the Spirit, or else the Lord Jesus is a vaine sutor to us; so now the Spirit on Christs part must apprehend our faith, p. 113and dwell in us, who otherwise shall suddenly goe a whoring from him: 1 Pet. 1.5. Eph. 3.17.

3. That Vocation is not all one with 3Sanctification, may appeare thus.

1. Vocation is before Justification, Rom. 8.30. But Sanctification is not before Justification, as we have proved, and therefore they are not the same.

2. Sanctification is the end of Vocation, 1 Thess. 4.7. therefore it is not the same with it.

3. Faith is the principall thing in Vocation: The first part of it being Gods call, the second part being our answer to that call, or in comming at that call; Ier. 3.22. Now faith is no part of Sanctification strictly taken, because it is the meanes and instrument of our Justification and Sanctification. Acts 26.18. Our hearts are said to be purified by faith; Acts 15.9. not our lives onelyonly in the acts of holinesse and purity, but our hearts in the habituall frame of them. I live by the faith of the Sonne of God, Gal. 2.20.Gal 2:20saith Paul, We passe from death to life by faith, Iohn 5.24. therefore it is no part of our spirituall life; You will not come to me (which is faith) that you may have life; Iohn 5.40. Iohn 6.50.51. therefore faith is the instrumentall means of life, and therefore no part of our life: as faith comes by hearing, and therefore hearing p. 114is no part of faith; so Justification comes by faith, and therefore is no part of Sanctification: all our life both of Justification and Sanctification is laid up in Christ our head; this life according to Gods great plot shall never be had but by coming to Christ for it, Heb. 7.25. else grace and Christ should not bee so much honoured, Rom. 4.16. it is of Faith, that it might be of Grace; Sanctification therefore is the grace applyed by faith, faith the grace applying; by coming to Christ for it, we have it; and therefore have it not, when first we come.

I am sorry to be thus large in lesse practicall matters; yet I have thought it not unusefull, but very comfortable to a poore passenger, not only to know his journies end, and the way in generall to it, but also the severall Stadia or Townes he is orderly to passe through; there is much wisdome of God to be seen not only in his work, but in his manner and order of working; for want of which, I see many Christians in these dayes fall very foulely into erroneous apprehensions in their judgments, the immediate ground of many errours in practise; the objections made against what hath been delivered, are for the principall of them answered; the maine end, (my beloved) of propounding these things is, that you would look narrowly to your union, oh take heed p. 115you misse not there; if you close with Christ, beleeve in Christ, and yet not cut off from your sin, viz. that spirit of resistance of Christ, you are utterly and eternally undone: this is the condemnation of the world, not that men love darknesse wholly, and hate light, but that they love darkenesse more then light; not that the uncleane spirit is not gone out, but that he is not so cast out, as never to returne againe; the wound of all men, yea the best of men that professe Christ, and yet indeed out of Christ, lyes in this: they were never severed from their sinne by all their prayers, teares, feares, sorrowes; and hence they never truly come to Christ: and hence perish in their sin.

Trouble me no more therefore in asking, Whether a Christian is in a state of happinesse or misery in this condition? I answer, he is preparatively happy, he is now passing from death to life, though not as yet wholly passed: Nor yet, whether there is any saving work before union? I answer, No, for what is said is one necessary ingredient to the working up of our union, as cutting off the branch from the old stock, is necessary to the ingrafting it into the new; indeed, without faith it is impossible to please God; nor doe I say that this work doth please: i. e. it doth not pacify God, (for that is proper to Christs perfect righteousnesse received by Faith) p. 116yet as it is a work of his owne Spirit upon us, it is pleasing to him; (as the after-worke of Sanctification is) though it neither doth pacify him; nor doe I see how this doctrine is any way opposite to the free offer of grace, and Christ, because it requires no more separation from sin, then that which drives them unto Christ; nay which is lesse, that makes them (by the power of the Spirit) not resist, but yeeld to Christ; that he may come unto them and draw them: you cannot repent nor convert your selves; Be converted therefore, saith Peter, Acts 3.19. that you may receive remission of sins, and in this offer the Spirit works; and verily hee that can truly receive Christ without that sense of misery as separates him from his sin, (as explained to you) let him beleeve notwithstanding all that which is said; and the God of heaven speakes peace to him; his Faith shall not trouble me, if hee bee sure it shall not one day deceive himselfe.

Vse 2.Of lamentation for the hardnesse of mens hearts in these times: as it is said the Lord Jesus mourned when he saw the hardnesse of the peoples hearts, Mark 3.5. are there not some so farre from this, as that they take pleasure in their sins, they are sugar under their tongues, as sweet as sleep, nay as their lives? and you come to pul away their limbs when you come to pluck away their sinnes: p. 117though they have broke Sabbaths, neglected prayer, despised the word, hated and mocked at the Saints, been stubborne to their parents, curst and swore, (which made Peter goe out and weep bitterly) though lustfull and wanton, (which broke Davids bones) though guilty of more sinnes then there bee moates in the Sunne or Starres in heaven, though their sins be crimson, and fill heaven with their cry, and all the earth with their burthen, yet they mourne not; never did it one houre together: nay they cannot doe it, because they will not; if you are weary and loaden, where are your unutterable groanes? if wounded and bruised, where are your dolorous complaints? if sick, where is your enquiry for a Physitian? if sad, where are your teares, in the day, in the night, morning and evening alone by your selves, and in company with others? Oh how great is the wrath of God, hardning so many thousands at this day! whence comes it that Christ is not prized, but from this senselesnesse? name any reason why the blessed Gospell of peace, and all the sweet promises of life are undervalued, but from hence: and what doe you hereby poore creatures, but onelyonly aggravate your sins, and make those that are little, exceeding great in the eyes of God? whence it is that you treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, p. 118Rom. 2.2, 3, 4, 5. This hardnesse is that which blunts the edge of all Gods ordinances, whence Gods poore Ministers sit sorrowfull in their closets, seeing all Gods seed lost upon bare rocks; oh this is the condition of many a man, and which is most fearfull, the meanes which should make the heart sensible, make it more proud and unsensible. Tyre and Sydon, and Sodom, are more fit to mourne, then Chorasin, and Capernaum, that have enjoyed humbling means long. Nay how many be there that mourne out their mournings, confesse out their confessions, and by their owne humiliations grow more senselesse afterward? did wee ever live in a more impenitent secure age? wee shall seldome meet with one broken with sin, but how few are broken from sinne also? and hence it is many a tall Cedar that were set downe in the Table-Book for converted men, once much humbled, and now comforted; stay but a few yeares, you shall see more dangerous sins of a second growth; one turnes drunkard, another covetous, another proud, another a Sectary, another a very dry leafe, a very formalist; another full of humerous opinions, another laden with scandalous lusts: woe to you that lament not now; for you shall mourne. Dost thou think that Christ should ever wipe off thy teares that sheddest none at all? dost thou p. 119think to reap in joy, that sowest not with these showers? verily God will make his word good, Prov. 29.1. Hee that hardens his owne heart, shall perish suddenly; heare this you secure sorrowlesse sinners, if ever Gods hand bee stretcht out suddenly against thee, in blasting thy estate, snatching away thy children, the wife of thy bosome, the husband of thy delight; in staining thy name, vexing thee with debts and crosses, short and sore, or lingring sicknesses; know that all this comes upon thee for a hard heart: but oh mourne for it now you parents, children, servants, the tokens of death are upon you; desire the Lord to breake your hearts for you: lye under Gods hammer, be not above the word, and suffer the Lord to take away that which grieves him most, even thy stony heart; because it grieves thee least: meditate much of thy wofull condition, chew that bitter pill; remember death and rotting in the grave, that many are now in hell for thy sins, that Christ must dye, or thou dye for the least sin; remember how patient and long suffering the Lord hath bin to thee, and how long he hath groaned under thy burthen, that it may be, though hee would, yet hee cannot beare thy load long; let these things be mused on, that thy heart may bee at last sorrowfull before it bee too late. But oh the sad estate of many with us, p. 120that can mourne for any evill, except it bee for the greatest, sinne and death, and wrath that lye upon them.

Vse 3.Of exhortation; Labour for this sense of misery, this spirit of compunction: how can you beleeve in Christ, that feel not your misery without him? a broken Christ cannot doe thee good without a broken heart; bee afflicted and mourne yee sinners, turne your laughter into mourning, tremble to think of that wrath, which burnes downe to the bottome of hell, and under which the eternall Sonne of God sweat drops of blood: great sins which thou knowest thou art guilty of, cause great guilt, and great hardnesse of heart, and therefore are seldome forgiven or subdued without great affliction of spirit; they have loaded the Lord long, they must load thee. Little sinnes are usually slighted, and extenuated, and therefore the Lord accounts them great; and therefore thy soule must be in bitternesse for them, before the Lord will passe them by: it is not every trouble that will serve the turne; look that it be such as separates thy soule from thy sin, or else it will separate betweene thy soule and God. I know it is not in your power to breake your owne hearts, no more then to make the rocks to bleed; yet remember he that bids thee cast up and prepare the way of the Lord, Esa. 43.4.Isa 43:4he hath promised p. 121that every mountaine shall be brought low, and the crooked wayes made plaine, and the rough smooth, and the valleys filled: He only can doe it for thee, and will doe it for some, it may be for thee; he that broke the heart of Manasseh and Paul after their blood and blasphemies, when they never desired any such thing, he can break thine much more when thou art desiring him to doe it for thee; here are many of you that feare you were never humbled nor burthened enough; I say feare it still, feare lest there be a stone in the bottome, not so as to discourage and drive thy heart from Christ, but so as to feele a greater need of his grace to soften thy heart, and to take thy senslesnesse away: the Lord doth purposely command thee to plough up thy fallow ground, that thou mightest feel thy impotency so to do, and come to him to take it away: every thing will harden thee more and more, untill the Lord come and take thy stony heart away by his owne hand: all Gods kindnesses will make thee more bold to sin, and all Gods judgements more fierce and obstinate in sinne, unlesse the Lord put to his hand; if Pharaohs heart be softned for a time, it will grow hard againe, if the Lord take it not away: The means therefore for thee to get this compunction, is, 1. To feele the evill of thy hard heart; no surer token of Reprobation p. 122then hardnesse, if continued in; especially for thy heart to grow hard under or after softning meanes, as it was in Pharaoh. 2. To look up to the Lord in all ordinances, that he would take it away.

Vse. 4Have not you great cause of abundant thankfulnesse, into whose hearts the Lord hath let in feares and sorrowes, concerning your estates? the blind world lookes upon all troubles of conscience as temptations of the devill to despaire, and the very way to run mad; but consider what the Lord hath done for you that have such: what if the Lord had left you without all feeling, as those in Eph. 4.19. what if the Lord had smitten you with a spirit of slumber, as those, Rom. 11.8. would not your estate have beene then lamentable? and have you no hearts to acknowledge his unspeakable goodnesse in awakening of you; in shaking thy very foundations? dost thou think that any ever had such a hard heart as thou hast? dost not say so in secret before the Lord sometimes? oh then what rich grace is this to give thee any sence and feeling of thy sin and danger by it, though it bee never so little in thine eyes! some think these terrors are a judgement; it is true, if they were meerly imaginary, or worldly and desperate; but saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7.7. I thanke God I made you sorry. Suppose thy sorrow should p. 123be only in regard of the punishment of sin, yet this is the Lords goodnesse to make thy heart so far sensible; that once didst goe like a beast to the slaughter, fearing no danger at all; the very meanes to prize favour from God, is to feel wrath, (as well as sin) and the very reason why the Lord hath let thee feele thy punishment heavy, is, that thy soule might feel the evill of sin, by considering that if the fruits be so bitter,Jer. 30.15.Jer 30:15 what is then the cause? be not therefore weary of thy burthen, so as to think the Lord powres out his vengeance on thee while thy trouble remaines; oh consider that this is the hand of the Lord Jesus, and that he is now about to save thee, when he comes to work any compunction in thee; especially such, as whereby he doth not onelyonly cut thy heart with feares and sorrowes, but cut thee off from thy sin; so far only as humbles thee and drives thee to the Lord Christ to take them away. And so I come to the third particular of Humiliation.