A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Their want of ſaving Conviction and Compunction.
HOw many Profeſſours, like Paul, Alive without the Law. Rom 7.9. Rev. 3.1.are alive without the Law? How many, like Sardis, have a name to live; imagine they are alive, when they are dead? How many are alive in their own conceit, and perhaps in the conceit of others, and yet are void of the true ſuper-natural life? How many are contented with their being baptized? They ſee no need of Chriſt, they were born of Chriſtian Parents, Luke 3.3.they are of the ſtock of Abraham: We have Abraham to our Father. They do not conſider how many baptized perſons are deadly enemies to Chriſt, and to their ſouls, and averſe to the wayes of holineſs: they will not conſider that Swearers, Drunkards and Adulterers have as good claimes to Chriſt and heaven as theſe have. How many alſo pleaſe themſelves with the Religion of Education? God hath not moulded their hearts, though Parents their lives: their Parents have taught them ſome Principles of Religion, but they are ſtrangers to the wonderful operations and teachings of the Holy Ghoſt: they have not the Unction from above (they know not what it is) that teacheth all things; and yet ſuch as theſe are alive, i. e. merry, jocund, jovial, confident if any goe to heaven, they ſhall be of the number. But to ſpeak more particularly.
Firſt, Few convinced of original ſin imputed.How many are there that were never convinced of original ſin, imputed, or imparted? 1. How few are convinced that Adam was a common perſon, and that we ſinned in his loynes; that if he had ſtood, we had ſtood; and that it is juſt with God, that he ſhip wracking himſelf, we ſhould be counted ſinners in him? We did eat of the forbidden fruit in Adam, we in Adam believed the Devil rather tha… God, we in Adam broke with God for toyes and trifles; we were ungrateful, diſobedient in him; we apoſt…tized in him, and broke covenant with God in him; hence by one mans offence ſin entred into the world, Rom. 5.12and death by ſin; for that (as Levi paid tithes in Abraham, ſo) we bec…me rebells againſt the Majeſty of Heaven in our firſt Parents; when did you ſhed a tear for Adam's ſin, for your and his grand provocation?
2. Few convinced of original ſin inherent. Pſal. 5.9.How few ſee Adam's ſinful nature imparted to them? They ſee not their inward part is very wickedneſs, nothing but wickedneſs. Few ſee what a ſad Apoſtacy from the perfection of mans nature Sin hath brought into the world; and how black an Image of Sathan it hath drawn upon the ſoul; they never ſaw what filthy, dirty, loathſome things they are in the eyes of God: they never ſaw their noyſomeneſs and venome, the garbage and malignity of their hearts. How few ſee a general defect of all righteouſneſs and holineſs, wherein at firſt they were created? How few are convinced of an antipathy to all that is good? That they are haters of God by nature; Eph. 2.1.that they are dead in trespaſſes and ſins (a more dreadful eſtate than if they were rotting in their graves) that they have an Ocean of corruption within them, that will never be dried up in this life; that they have a worſe Leproſie than that among the Jewes, which got into the walls, and would never out till the houſe was demoliſhed; who almoſt thinks ſo ſadly of themſelves? They bleſs God their hearts are good, though they be the worſt of men, pray not, ſlight Ordinances, cloſet duties, and family worſhip lies neglected; yet the Devil perſwades them all is well, their hearts are good; though the heart of man by nature be like hell it ſelf, whoſe fire of luſt is unquenchable; though it be like Peter's great ſheet, which he ſaw in the Viſion, full of all unclean things; Acts 11.6though it be a receptacle of all impiety, yet how few turn their eyes inward, to ſee their natural deformities?
Alaſs! All the venome the Snake ſends forth, is nothing to the poyſon that lies in its nature: And all thoſe monſtrous impieties, which the lives of men are taunted with, are not to be compared with the venome that lurks in the heart of every man by nature. Men would not glory in their blood and deſcent, did they but believe how ſin deſcended, and was conveyed: Men could not content themſelves to walk heavily under ſome actual miſdemeanours, were they convinced of the body of ſin within them, their greateſt ſorrows would be for their ſinful propenſities: Neither would you wonder at any impieties and enormities in the Earth, but would admire at the reſtraints of Heaven, that they are no greater. Alaſs! If the Reader were left to himſelf, he would preſently lay hands on his neareſt relations, and on himſelf: Certainly, the reaſon why we turn not Cannibals, why every man is not a Sodomite, a Murtherer, an Oppreſſour, &c. is, becauſe God hath a rein on the heart, and curbs it, for the continuation of mankind, that otherwiſe would ſoon be deſtroyed. The great boundary of the Seas, and of the Ocean of corruption, is the Soveraign above. But O! how do we commend Nature! ſuch a man hath a good nature; ſuch a man you may truſt him, he will never commit ſuch abominations: You may as well believe a Toad will not poyſon, or the Sea will not overflow the Earth, if God leave it to its ſelf. But to deſcend to particulars.
1. Few convinced of the minds corruption. Rom. 8.7.How few ſee the corruption of their mind? How few are convinced, that the carnal mind is enmity againſt God, and is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be? How are our minds delighted with tales and toyes, more than with the ſerious myſteries of God? How few are ſenſible, that they are as fooliſh and mad as any Bedlams, in that, they pleaſe themſelves with that, which ſhould be their greateſt burden, namely Sin? They are worſe than the Bee or Ant, for theſe prepare for a ſevere hard Winter, theſe provide for hereafter, whilſt moſt people mind preſent things, preſent pleaſure, preſent profit, &c. with the neglect of heaven, and future glory: They mind more what to eat and drink here, what to have at preſent for this life, than what to lay up for eternity: They buſie themſelves to know what is of no conſequence, but careleſs of momentous and eternal matters. How few employ their minds to know God, and how he is to be worſhipped and pleaſed; but employ themſelves in needleſs and unprofitable ſpeculations, in this, like fools and children, who preferr painted glaſs before jewels of value, they more ſet by a little mirth and pleaſure, than the matters of their ſalvation? How are our minds enſlaved to our affections; to the more bruitiſh, inferiour and ignoble parts of the ſoul, and we love to have it ſo? Through this corruption of our minds how do we juſtifie ſin, excuſe it, and plead for it? Hence alſo, there are ſwarms of idle, confuſed, impertinent, fooliſh, ridiculous thoughts, that fill our ſouls and duties; ſeldome in the day, week or year, any conceptions of God, ſuitable to his majeſty and holineſs. How unſtable are our minds and judgements, ſo that we are as reeds ſhaken with every wind; now for duty, then ſoon wheel'd off again; now for repenting and humbling work, then tired, and ſoon diverted? And if we know the out-ſide of truths, yet how often is that a barr to our cloſing with Chriſt, and walking in him? And yet, though theſe poor, blind, deluded Bartimeus's fill all our wayes and paths, ſo that where ever we goe we meet with them; yet how ſeldome are any convinced of this, how ſeldome do any cry for eye ſalve, that they may ſee?
2. Few convinced of the corruption of the Conſcience. Tit. 1.15,And though not only the mind, but the conſcience is defiled; though there be a blindneſs upon it, whereby it miſ judgeth, and calleth darkneſs light; and though it be ſenſeleſs and ſtupid, as a ſtone; yet few do believe this corruption: hence they take ſanctuary in their conſciences, their conſciences bear them witneſs; though it be bribed and corrupted; and they have a good conſcience, though they know not what conſcience is.
3. How few are convinced of the corruption of their Will? Few convinced of the corruption of their Will.How do they wiſh that drunkenneſs, uncleanneſs, &c. were no ſins? How do they chooſe to live a merry, rather than an holy life; to be the ſervants of the Devil, rather than of God; to commit ſin, and thereby hazard their damnation, rather than to ſuffer, and through many tribulations to enter into the Kingdom of God? And how gladly would moſt Profeſſours enter and take up their reſt in ſomewhat below God, if they could but enjoy the world according to their will?Few convinced of the corruption of their Affections.
4. Few are convinced of the pollution of their Affections. Though they hate what they ſhould love, and love what they ſhould hate; though they love ſin, which they ſhould hate, and hate and ſlight God, to whom they ſhould give the precedency of their love; though all be in diſorder, all be miſ-placed; though God be dethroned, and Sin, Sathan, and the World be ſet up above all that is called God; yet few do really believe that ſuch a miſerable Chaos is upon them.
5. Few convinced of the corruption of their Memories.How few are ſenſible of the corruption of their Memory? Though they are eſpecially charged to remember God, and how to get a poſſeſſion of him; and to remember duty, and how to practiſe; and to remember ſin, and how to ſhun it: yet how ſoon do they forget ſuch truths, and lodge in their memories injuries, that they may avenge them; and vanities, fooliſh jeſts, unprofitable to…es and tales, to pleaſe themſelves therewith? You can remember how merry you were ſuch a time, how vain, how your ſenſualities were abounding; but you ſoon forget a Sermon; or if you remember any thing delivered by the Preacher, it is that, which either concerns others conditions, rather than yours, or which yields you the leaſt advantages heavenward. We can remember the fall of Peter much eaſier than the repentance of Peter, than his bitter weepings; we can remember David's Adultery, but not his Repentance, and how it broke his bones, and made his bed to ſwim.Few convinced that ſin i… the greateſt evil.
Secondly, How few have been convinced that ſin is the greateſt evil? How few have ſeen it in its perfect odiouſneſs, in its naked face, as that which makes Men Devils, fighting againſt God? How are moſt ſtrangers to its pedigree, Joh. 8.44.and conſider not the Devil to be its Father? We would be thought to have nothing to do with the Devil, nor that he hath any thing to do with us; we can live in ſin, and yet (hypocritically enough) defie the Devil, and all his works: We can make more moderate conſtructions of our ſins, and call them the frailties of our fleſh; but he that commits ſin is of the Devil, i. e. the Devil's drudge; Sathan works in him, and by him. If men were convinced of this, they would not drink in the Devil's piſs. Sin it comes from the Devil, it is the Devil's excrement, and yet this is rolled under the tongue as a ſweet morſel. O! with what greedineſs is the dung of hell devoured and ſwallowed? How few ſee ſin to be contrary to the works of God? although God had no ſooner perfected the goodly fa…rick of Heaven and Earth, but ſin gave a ſhrewd ſhake to all, it ſhook and diſ-joynted all; and had it not been for Chriſt, the great Mediatour, it had ruined the whole frame of Nature. How few ſee ſin to be contrary to the will of God? God ſaith, I will have this done; I'le not do it, ſaith Sin; I'le have this ſuffered, ſaith God; I'le not ſuffer it, ſaith Sin: Nay ſo great is the conteſt betwixt Sin and God, that if it could, it would unbee God. How few take notice of its contrariety to the very nature of God? God is good, Sin is evil; God is pure, Sin is impure. How few believe ſin to be univerſally evil, that there is no good in it? We cannot perſwade men, that there is good in poverty, good in diſgrace, good in reproaches with the tongue, and perſecutions unto death; but eaſily are men perſwaded, there is ſome good in ſin. How few are convinced of the miſerable effects and conſequences of ſin? The wrath of God is not revealed against their unrighteouſneſt and ungodlineſs, ſo as to make their knees to tremble. The hand-writing on the wall is not obſerved. They are ſtill alive. We cannot for our hearts perſwade men to goe up to heaven, to ſee what ſpoyles it made there; could we herein prevail, then would they inferr, that there is more evil in the leaſt ſin, than there is good in all the Angells of heaven; for that one ſin conquered them, and ſpoyled them of all their beauty, and made them, of glorious creatures, to become ſuch loathſome and hideous ſpectacles; neither can we prevail with any (almoſt) to take a journey to Paradiſe, to ſee its venome there; or to goe to the Garden, or to Mount Calvary, to ſee what work it did there; or to goe to hell-gate, to hear the doleful ſhrieks and cries which it hath cauſed there; though God hath ſaid, Pſal. 68.21.God ſhall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy ſcalp of ſuch a one as goeth on ſtill in his treſpaſſes; though there is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked; Iſa. 57.21.though ſin be the ſole object of Gods hatred; for God loved the whole Creation, till its beauty was blaſted and ſtained by ſin) though ſin only ſeperates between God and ſouls, Iſa. 59.2.though in the belly of it be found all miſeries, deaths, and hells; though it be the founder of all graves, and of Tophet; though it fill the conſcience with terrours, and hell with fire and brimſtone; yet few are affected with the evils of it, but they drink in iniquity as water.
Thirdly, Few ſenſible of being under the wrath of God. John 3.28, 36. Eccleſ. 8.11.How few Profeſſours are ſenſible that they are caſt by an holy and righteous Law? that they are condemned creatures? that the wrath of God abideth on them? Few have ſeen the black cloud full of woes, brim full of wrath, ready to empty it ſelf upon their ſouls; they take no notice, that though the ſentence be not executed ſpeedily; yet it is given forth; and there may be but a little breath, and they are gone to periſh for ever. How many ſenſeleſs ſouls are there in our Pariſhes, whoſe conſciences were never ſhaken, whoſe ſpirits were never wounded, who never received the ſpirit of bondage to fear, who never knew what a fearfull expectation of judgement meant, who go dancing to hell in the Devils chains? and yet count themſelves the noble and gallant ſpirits, and flatter themſelves in their own eyes, and ſay, we ſhall have peace, though we walk in the imaginations of our hearts? Deut. 29.19. Rev. 3.16, 17.Theſe are (Laodicean-like) rich, and full, and needing nothing, when God is about to ſpue them out of his mouth, (as we diſcharge our ſtomacks of ſome loathſome ſurfets.) Pro. 26.16.Theſe are wiſer in their own conceit, then ſeven men that can render a reaſon. Though one Miniſter at the heels of another endeavour with Scripture upon Scripture to convince them of, and to prick them at the heart for, their ſin and danger; yet they are boyſterouſly confident and preſumptuous, that they ſhall to heaven as ſoon as any Preciſians in the Country. Never did many break one nights ſleep, upon the conſideration of their ſinfull and loſt condition by nature: never did they loath their ordinary food, or feel the ſmart of broken bones, as David did; though they have ſinned at an higher rate: never did they know what a wounded ſpirit meant, what anguiſh of ſoul was: never did they feel Gods wrath, or ſin, a burthen inſupportable; they were never pricked at the heart, ſo as to cry out, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? What ſhall I do to have me ſins pardoned? Would you know the reaſon of all this ſecurity? Alas! they are dead in ſins and treſpaſſes. A dead condition is an inſenſible condition; death deprives of ſenſe as well as life; the dead are not frighted with the ſwords and piſtols at their breaſts; the dead fear not, though threatned with fire and brimstone; the dead hear not, though God be on Mount Ebal thundering curſes upon curſes; the dead ſee not, though ſin be ſo ugly a monſter, and hell ſo frightfull a place; the dead ſmell not, though ſin ſtinks worſe, than the vomit of dogs; 2 Pet. 2.20.than rotten Sepulchres, or than the corrupted matter of the moſt naſty diſeaſe; it offends not the dead to have this ſtinking Carrion alwayes in their boſomes; the dead feel not, though that which is heavier than montains of lead be lying on their backs; they grown not, neither do they complain ſo much, as Cain did, they do not go ſoftly in the bitterneſs of their ſouls, by reaſon of their ſins. Many cannot ſay with Hannah, that ever they were of a ſorrowfull Spirit. Though there be ſo many curſes upon the heads of all natural perſons, though there be an entayl of wrath upon the heads of the very ſins, they live in; though their ſins are, or may be, circumſtantiated to a greater degree, than any of the Scripture-Offendors that we read of, as being committed under the open Sun of the Goſpel; though Hell be open to receive them every moment, whilſt impenitent, whilſt hardned; though the Valley of Hinnom is making room for them, to entertain them with the vengeance of a juſtly-provoked God; yet few fear, few work out their ſalvation with weeping eyes, and trembling hearts; they are ſtill alive without the Law; they never walked ſoftly with Ahab, or were under Soul-trouble with Judas; they fall ſhort of the pangs and ſenſe of Hypocrites; Oh! Oh! Oh! I pitty theſe ſecure ſouls; how ſhort will they fall of their hopes, and how farr ſhort of Heaven?
Fourthly, Few ſenſible of Sathans working in them. Eph. 2.2.How few are ſenſible, that all this while the Devil works in them, as in his workhouſe? That he poſſeſſeth the heart of every unregenerate man? The ſtrong man keeps the houſe, and ſo all is quiet. It was a ſad day, when the abomination of deſolation ſhould be ſeen ſtanding in the holy place; but what are abominable Men to abominable Devils? They did but exerciſe their cruelties on the bodies of the Jewes, but how many Devils have their walks in the hearts of natural men and women? If thou art in thy bloods, the Devil hath entred into thee, as ſure as ever he entred into the heard of Swine, and ſo hurrieth thee into baſe laſts, as he carried them headlong into the Sea.