Heaven and Hell Epitomized, Text (4 of 5)

Heaven and Hell Epitomized · Text (4 of 5)

p. 224Come along with me, and I will ſhew thee the Bride, the Lambs Wife, how ſhe muſt be trimmed and adorned for the marriage.

Firſt, Get thine underſtanding inlightned in the knowledge of thy ſins and miſery:1. Direction Illumination. The knowledge of thy diſeaſe and danger muſt precede thy recovery and cure. O how many thouſand ſouls have miſcarried in the dark of ignorance? Did men know, ſurely they would not daily by their ſins crucifie the Lord of glory: Did they know their miſery, they would not be ſo merry as they are in wayes of iniquity; they ruſh into ſin as the horſe ruſheth into the battel, not knowing it will be to their death, to their deſtruction. I have ſometime read a ſtory of a King that was ever penſive, and never ſeen to ſmile, and being asked by his Brother the cauſe of it, he put him off till the next day for an anſwer; and in the mean time cauſed a p. 225deep pit to be made, commanding his ſervants to fill it half full with fiery coals, and then cauſeth an old rotten board to be laid over it, and over the board to hang a two-edged ſword by a ſmall ſlender thred, with the point downwards, and cloſe by the pit to ſet a table full of all manner of delicacies. His Brother coming next day for an anſwer, was placed at the board, and four men with drawn ſwords about him, and with all the beſt muſick that could be had to play before him: Then the King called to him, ſaying, Rejoyce and be merry Brother, eat, drink, and laugh, for here is pleaſant being. But he replied, O my Lord and King, how can I be merry, being in ſuch danger on every ſide? Then ſaid the King, Look how it is now with thee, ſo it is alwayes with me; for If I look above me, I ſee the great and dreadful Judge, to whom I muſt give an account of all my thoughts, words, and deeds; if I look under me, I ſee the endleſſe torments of hell, whereinto I ſhall be caſt if I die in my ſins; if I look behind me, I ſee all the ſins which I have committed, and the time which I have ſpent unprofitably; if I look before me, I ſee death every day drawing nearer and nearer unto me; if I look on p. 226my right hand, I ſee my conſcience accuſing me of all the evil I have done, and good I have left undone in this world; and if I look on my left hand, I ſee the creatures on their Makers behalf, crying out for vengeance againſt me a Rebell. Now then ceaſe hereafter to wonder, why I cannot rejoyce in the things of this world.

This is the condition of every unſanctified man and woman, and did they but know it, they would ſee but little cauſe to ſpend their dayes in paſtimes and pleaſure; but what the eye ſeeth not, the heart greives not: Had Haman known he had been ſo nigh his funeral, he would hardly have boaſted ſo much to his friends; but it is the policy of the God of this world, to blind mens eyes, leaſt they ſhould ſee and avoid damnation. As when a Malefactor is for ſome capital crime caſt at the Aſſize,Diogenes being demanded what burthen the earth did d…d bea…, moſt heavy; anſwered, An ignorant man. he is then carried into a dark dungeon, and thence to execution: So the Devil, knowing that all the Sons and Daughters of Adam are caſt by the Law of God (the Law ſhutting them all up under ſin and wrath) endeavoureth to keep them in the dungeon of ignorance, till the day of their execution. When Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Zedekiah, p. 2272 Kings 25. and 7. he put out his eyes, bound him in fetters, and then carried him away to Babylon: Thus Satan as ſoon as he entereth into the ſoul, laboureth to put out the eyes of the underſtanding, and ſo to lead them hood-winkt to hell. Did men know what they had done againſt God, and how they had undone themſelves, they would be reſtleſſe till they attained a remedy: Did the ſinner but know the purity, jealouſie, power, and juſtice of that God, whom he daily provoketh? Did he but know the love and kindneſs, the blood and bowels of that Saviour, whom he undervalueth: Did he but know the pleaſures, and joy, and happineſſe in heaven, which he neglecteth: Did he but know the beauty and amiableneſs, the delights and comforts of grace and holineſſe, which he deſpiſeth: Did he but know the emptineſſe and vanity of this deceitful world, which he ſo heartily embraceth: Did he but know where ſin is in the premiſſes, ſorrow and hell (without faith and ſanctification) muſt be in the concluſion; Did men, I ſay, but know theſe things, how quickly would they turn from ſin unto God, giving a bill of divorce to their moſt beloved luſts, and entring into a p. 228moſt ſolemn covenant with the Lord! But having their underſtandings darkned, they are alienated from the life of God (that is, a life of holineſſe) through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindneſſe of their hearts, Eph. 4.18. Obſerve how expreſly the Spirit of God ſpeaketh ignorance to be the reaſon, why men are ſuch ſtrangers to the power of Religion.

Reader, thou mayſt by all this ſee the neceſſity of knowledge, if ever thou wouldſt be converted and ſaved. The Devil (as I ſaid before) carrieth men hood-winkt to hell; but God will never carry thee blindfold to heaven: The end of a Saint is the inheritance in light, Col. 1.12. and the way thither is a way of light; The path of the juſt is as ſhining light, Prov. 4.18. and ſurely in reſpect of knowledge as well as in other reſpects. Do not pleaſe thy ſelf, that though thou art not book-learned, yet thou haſt as good an heart as others (as thy fooliſh ignorant neighbors will prate) for when thou thus ſpeakeſt, thou ſpeakeſt beſide thy book; for the Book of God telleth us otherwiſe.

The ſoul without knowledge is not good, Proverbs 19.2. There may be a clear p. 229head without a clean heart, the light of knowledge without the heat of grace; but a gracious heart in a grown perſon not diſtracted, was ever accompanied with a competency of knowledge in the head. And indeed knowledge is ſo near a kin to grace, that it is often in the Word of God put for it, John 17.3. It is life eternal to know thee to be the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. So 1 Cor. 2.2. Phil. 3.8. Iſai. 53.11.

If thou would be ſanctified and ſaved, get knowledge, ſeek knowledge as ſilver, and ſearch for it as for hid treaſure, Prov. 2.3, 4. This is the firſt thing to be done; it is firſt in the Miniſters Commiſſion, Acts 26.18. I ſend thee, ſaith God to Paul, to open the eyes of the blind, and to turn men from darkneſs unto light; and this is firſt in the Spirits operation on the ſoul. It convinceth the man of his ſins, John 16.10, 11. It preſenteth to the underſtanding a catalogue of its many and bloody provocations. Imprimis, thus Guilty in Adam of high treaſon againſt Heavens Majeſty, and thereby of want of original righteouſneſſe, and of a deep deadly pollution in the whole nature. Item, ſo many hundred ungodly actions; p. 230ſo many thouſand unholy and idle expreſſions; ſo many millions of evil thoughts and ſuggeſtions: Item. ſo many omiſſions, and ſo many commiſſions: Item. ſo much precious time miſ-ſpent, a moment of which cannot be recalled or purchaſed with the revenues of the world: Item, ſo many talents of health, ſtrength, food rayment, eſteem, riches, and the like miſimployed: Item. ſo many Sacraments, Sabbaths, ſeaſons of grace miſ-improved: Item. ſo much uncorrigibleneſſe under afflictions, ſo much unprofitableneſſe under mercies: Thus the Spirit inlighteneth the ſinners mind to ſee his ſins with their circumſtances, and black aggravations; as alſo what is like to be the fruit and effect of ſin, even nothing leſſe than ſuffering everlaſting perdition from the preſence of the Lord. It may be the Spirit may cauſe him, as it were, to ſee the ſmoak that aſcendeth from the bottomleſſe pit, to ſmell the ſcent of that infernal brimſtone, and fire; to hear the roarings and howlings of the damned; nay poſſibly to feel a very hell in his own conſcience. The Spirit indeed is a free Agent, and worketh in what manner and meaſure he pleaſeth: But this is certain, he convinceth p. 231all of their ſins and miſeries; conviction doth go before converſion. The Phyſitian of ſouls will heal none, but ſuch as know both their diſtemper and their danger, and thereby how infinitely they are obliged to him for their cure; As in the firſt creation one of the firſt thing God made was light; ſo in the forming the new creature illumination is before ſanctification, Every one is able to ſay in Chriſt as he in the Goſpel, This I know, whereas I was blind, now I ſee, John 9.25.

This is abſolutely neceſſary in order to the ſecond direction I have to commend to thee; which is the ſincere humiliation of thy ſoul. There muſt be a day-break of light in the underſtanding, before there can be an heart-break of ſorrow in the affections; till ſin and wrath be diſcerned by knowledge in the mind, they will be no burden to the conſcience, nor grief to the ſpirit: As no good wrapt up in darkneſſe excites deſire, ſo no evil ſwathed up in ignorance ſtriketh terror. We may obſerve this by the holy Apoſtles expreſſion; I was alive without the law, but when the commandement came, ſin revived and I died, Rom. 7.9. i. e. the time was that I was ignorant both p. 232of the laws ſtrictneſſe and my own ſinfulneſſe, and then I thought my ſelf to be very ſafe, my conſcience was very quiet, and my heart full of hope (or more properly preſumption) about my future eternal happineſſe; thus I was alive without the law; but when my eyes were inlightned, to ſee how exceeding broad the Commandements of God were, and that once I compared my crooked race with that ſtrait rule, and took notice how far ſhort I came of that obedience which the law required, I was then a dead, a loſt man; I quickly pulled in my plumes, and took down my ſails, with which I was haſtening in my conceit to Heaven; for I found that I was in very deed in the road to hell. When the Commandement came, ſin revived and I died: There was then life enough in my luſts to wound me unto death, for I dyed.

Reader, if thou art convinced ſo farre of the abſolute neceſſity of converſion, as to deſire it unfeignedly, let me requeſt thee, for the ſake of thy poor ſoul, to ſet ſome conſiderable time apart; thy body hath had many years; ſurely thy ſoul deſerveth one day, and that ſpeedily, to be ſerious in about its endleſſe eſtate, and to compare p. 233thy wicked life with the pure Law of God, and obſerve how exceedingly thou haſt ſwerved from the precepts therein commanded; conſider not only its outward and literal, but likewiſe its inward and ſpiritual meaning, and thou mayſt preſently diſcern, that thy whole converſation for ſo many years as thou haſt lived, hath been a continued aberration and wandring from the Lord and his Laws. If thou lookeſt aright in that glaſſe, it will diſcover all the ſpots, all the dirt, that have been in the face of thy heart and life, Jam. 1.23. By the Law is the knowledge of ſin, Rom. 3.20.

Conſider alſo, that thy breach of the Law makes thee liable to the curſe of the Law, which is the infinite eternal wrath of the Law-giver. Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10.

The Law muſt be ſatisfied; ſince not in its accompliſhment, it will in thy puniſhment.

If God caſt the glorious Angels out of heaven and reſerved them in chains of darkneſſe, to the judgement of the great day for one ſin, and that (as ſome think) in thought; into what an hell may he caſt thee, whoſe p. 234iniquities for weight are like the ſand of the ſea, and for number like the ſparks of a furnace, and the ſtars in the firmament! Think of it with all poſſible ſeriouſneſſe; thou hangeſt over the mouth of hell every moment by a ſmall thread of life, and if that ſhould be cut aſunder, the whole world cannot ſave thee from dropping into it.

2. Direction, Humiliation.2. In the next place labour to get thy heart deeply and throughly affected with thy ſins and miſery. Humiliation muſt follow Illumination. It is not enough for this knowledge of the tranſgreſſions thou haſt committed, and the wrath thou haſt deſerved, to ſwim in thy head (it may be there as fire in the flint to no profit) but it muſt ſink down into thy heart, and be beaten out into an application of, and lamentation for thy guilt and wickedneſs.

Man is ſo ſinfully ſubtle, that he can bear the hiſtorical knowledge of theſe things in his underſtanding, he can hear the name of ſin and hell, and be no more troubled then at a painted devil, or a tale of purgatory; but when God brings down ſin from being a notion to be an obligation, and entereth an action againſt the ſoul within it ſelf, then p. 235it will begin to melt and mourn under the ſenſe of its ſins and ſufferings. Thus after the Spirt of God hath been a ſpirit of conviction, it becometh a ſpirit of bondage; that eye which was before enlightened to ſee the lewdneſſe of his heart and life, cometh now to affect his heart with grief and ſorrow: This we find in thoſe Converts, Acts 2.37. when they had heard of their ſin and guilt, they began to recant and repent: When they heard thoſe things they were pricked to the heart. The nails which had pierced Chriſts hands now pierce their hearts. It was with them (ſaith one) as if the ſharp points of daggers had been ſtuck or faſtened in their hearts. They wounded themſelves with ſorrow, that ever they had wounded the Lord Jeſus with their ſins.

The whole life indeed of a true Chriſtian is (in ſome reſpects) a life of repentance: He is often greiving Gods Spirit, and therefore he is often greived in his own ſpirit: As long as the ſhip leaketh, the pump muſt go. Though the Chriſtian doth not paddle or wallow in the mire of ſin every day, as graceleſſe ones do; yet he findeth, that daily his hands contract dirt, and his ſoul p. 236guilt, therefore he muſt daily waſh with faith and repentance.

Some report of Mary Magdalen, that ſhe ſpent thirty years in Galba in weeping for her ſins: And Tertullian ſaith of himſelf, That he was born for repentance. Anſelm telleth us, That with grief he conſidered the whole courſe of his life; I found (**In lib. meditat. writeth he) the infancy of ſin in the ſins of my infancy; the youth and growth of ſin in the ſins of my youth and growth; and the ripeneſſe of all ſin in the ſins of my ripe and perfect age; and then he breaks out into this pathetical expreſſion; What remaineth for thee, wretched man, but that thou ſpend thy whole life in bewayling thy whole life?

But eſpecially at the time of a Chriſtians converſion he is to mind contrition; when the veſſel is newly tapt, then it runneth moſt freely and plentifully. None might approach the King of Perſia's Court in ſackcloth and mourning, Eſt. 4.2. but no wandring ſinner may draw near to the King of Heaven without it.Aut paenitendum, aut pereundum Except ye repent ye ſhall periſh. God is reſolved to break the ſinners heart on earth, or his back in hell. He will have the wound ſearch'd, p. 237and the pain of it felt, before it be bound up and cured. The wicked Prodigal muſt come to his Father with compunction in his ſoul, as well as confeſſion in his mouth.

Look therefore, O ſinner, into the book of thy conſcience, and read over the black lines that ſtill are in thy curſed heart, and the bloody leaves of thy wicked life; how long thou haſt lived to little purpoſe, yea, to the killing of thy ſoul for ever; how farre thou haſt been from accompliſhing the end for which thou waſt born, and the errand for which thou waſt ſent into the world. Keep a petty Aſſize in thy heart; preferre a large Bill of Indictment againſt thy ſelf; accuſe and condemn thy ſelf, not only verbally, but cordially, if ever thou wouldſt have Chriſt to acquit thee. Thou haſt ſpent many years in ſinning, and ſhouldſt thou not ſpend ſome hours in ſorrowing? Thou didſt make the ſoul of Jeſus Chriſt ſorrowful unto death; ſhall not therefore thy ſoul be ſorrowful, when thy ſorrow may be unto life? Did the Rocks rent when he died for ſin, & ſhall not thy rocky heart that thou haſt lived … ſin? He bled for thee, and wilt not thou p. 238weep for thy ſelf? Thou haſt filled GodsaaIob 14.17.Job 14:17 Bag with thy fins, and haſt thou no tears for hisbbPſal. 46.8.Ps 46:8 Bottle? Haſt thou ſo long broken the holy Commandements of God, and ſhall not thy heart now at laſt be broken? The damned feel ſin, it lyeth heavy on their ſouls; couldſt thou lay thy ear to the mouth of that bottomleſſe pit, thou mightſt perceive by their yellowings and howlings, that ſin is ſin in hell, how lightly ſoever it is regarded by men upon earth. The Lord Jeſus felt ſin; Hadſt thou been in the garden, and ſeen his bleſſed body all over in a goar blood, beheld thoſe drops, yea clods of blood that trickled down his face, ſurely thou wouldſt have believed that it was ſome heavy weight indeed which cauſed ſuch a bloody ſweat in a cold winter night.

And art not thou yet weary and heavy laden? Do I ſpeak to a man or a beaſt? to a living creature, or to a rock that will never be moved? If thou haſt a diſeaſe in thy body, thou canſt greive and complain; and why not for the diſeaſes of thy ſoul? Are not they farre more deadly, more dangerous? If thou loſeſt a child, O what crying and p. 239roaring, what wringing of hands and watering of cheeks? nay, if thou loſeſt a place of profit, an houſe, or a beaſt, thou canſt mourn, and think of it often with ſorrow; And doth it not greive thee, that thou haſt loſt, not thy child or cattel, but thy Chriſt, thy Saviour, thy Soul, thy God to eternity? If thou miſſeſt a good bargain that was offered thee, whereby thou mightſt increaſe thy eſtate; or if thou buyeſt or hireſt at too dear a rate how doſt thou beſhrew and befool thy ſelf for it? Haſt thou not ten thouſand times more cauſe to be really and highly diſpleaſed with thy ſelf, and to abhor thy ſelf in duſt and aſhes, that thou ſhouldſt have all the riches, and glory, and pleaſures of the eternal Kingdom tendered to thee with many intreaties, and yet thou haſt refuſed them for the lying vanities of this world, and for the pleaſures of ſin, which are but for a ſeaſon? Thou haſt denyed Heavens, happineſſe for a bubble, a butterfly; all things for nothing. Did ever any fool buy ſo dear, and ſell ſo cheap? Like Saul, buſie himſelf in ſeeking Aſſes, when a Kingdom ſought him: Like Shimei, ſeek his ſervant, and thereby loſe himſelf. No p. 240fool like the ſinner, that embraceth a ſhadow which will certainly flee from him, and neglecteth the ſubſtance which endureth to eternity.

Honorius the Emperor hearing that Rome was loſt, cried, Alas, alas, very mournfully, fearing it had been his hen ſo called, which he exceedingly loved; but hearing it was the famous City of Rome that was become a prey to his cruel enemies, he made a tuſh at it: Thus too too many can greive ſufficiently for the loſſe of vanities, riches, but not at all for the loſſe of God, and Chriſt, and enduring felicities.

Well Friend, repent timely and truly of this thy folly, for I muſt tell thee, ſhortly it will be too late; if repentance be hid from thy heart now, repentance will be hid from Gods eye then, by whoſe Law thou art now a condemned man already; if thy heart be hardened now in ſinning, the heart of God will ere long be hardened in ſentencing thee to an eternity of ſuffering.

It is an infinite mercy, that God yet alloweth p. 241thee liberty for ſecond thoughts, that notwithſtanding thou haſt ſhipwracked thy ſoul, yet thou mayſt ſwim out ſafe upon the plank of repentance. O therefore think no pains too great to break thy ſtony heart; it is worth the while, when free grace hath promiſed a vaſt reward to that heaven-born work. Hadſt thou once offered up to God the ſacrifice of a ſpirit truly ſorrowful, out of love to God, and ſelf-loathing, becauſe of fin, I could tell thee as good, as joyful news, as ever thine ears heard: The Father of mercies, and God of comforts, will be reconciled to thee in the Lord Jeſus: Thy prayers for pardon and life will pierce Gods ears, and find acceptance if they proceed from a broken heart, from ſincere repentance. A penitent tear is a meſſenger that never went away without a ſatisfactory anſwer. Prayers with ſuch tears are prevalent; yea (in Luthers phraſe) omnipotent: Muſick upon the waters ſounds moſt pleaſantly: Thou haſt heard the voice of my weeping, ſaith David, Pſal. 6.8.

Auguſtus Caeſar having promiſed a great reward to any that could bring him the p. 242head of a famous Pirate, did yet, when the Pirate heard of it, and brought it himſelf, and laid it at his feet,Suet. in vit. not only pardon, but teward him for his confidence in his mercy.

As**Plutarch in v…t. Alex. Antipater was anſwered by Alexander, Thou haſt written a long Letter againſt my Mother, but doſt thou not know that one tear of hers will waſh out all her faults? When the returning ſinner weeps, the tender-hearted Father ſmi!es: As he rejoyceth and laugheth at obſtinate ſinners deſtruction and ruine,Quod… Deus loqui…ur cum riſu, tu legas cum fletu. Aug. Proverbs 1.26. ſo he rejoyceth and ſmileth at the penitent ſinners converſion. He will do ſomething for an hypocritical humiliation, to aſſure us, that he will do any thing upon a ſincere humiliation. Seeſt thou, ſaith God, how Ahab humbleth himſelf? this judgement ſhall not be in his dayes, but in his Sons dayes, 1 Kings 21, 29. A pitiful humiliation it was God knew; he lookt ſadly like a Fox in a trap, meerly to get out, yet God takes notice of it, and deferreth the judgement upon it. If God ſet ſuch a price upon counterfeit, p. 243what will he upon true gold? Fierce Eſau relenteth towards ſubmitting Jacob, though he came againſt him ready and reſolved to deſtroy him. Surely then the God of compaſſions (to whoſe pity and mercy the bowels of all the creatures are but as a drop to the Ocean) who calleth thoſe that goe from him, will not caſt away thoſe that come to him.

Reader, little doſt thou think how much he longeth for thy converſion and humiliation: Little doſt thou know what kiſſes and embraces, what robes and rings, what mercies and merits, what an heaven and happineſſe, what a God, and Chriſt, and Grace, and Glory, are all ready for thee, and wait only for thy readineſſe and preparedneſſe for them, by thy humiliation for an averſion from thy deceitful corruptions.

Alexanders Macedonians having offended him, laid by their Armes,Plut. in vit. Alex. put on mourning apparel, came running in troops to his tent, where for almoſt three dayes p. 244together they remained with loud cries and tears to teſtifie their remorſe for offending him; and wilt not thou do as much for offending God?

As thou therefore loveſt the life of thy ſoul, endeavor to get thy heart throughly humbled for thy ſins; take a view of thy ſins in the word of God, in the glaſſe of his law, how in its nature it is contrary to his bleſſed nature and perfect law, and for its effects it maketh thee obnoxious to all the threatnings of the word, to all the vials of …ods wrath, to all the miſeries of this life, and to all the torments of hell for ever.

Conſider while thou liveſt in thy eſtate of impenitency, thou art a curſed ſinner, and if thou dieſt in it thou art a damned creature; the hand of God which is lifted up in the commination and threatning, will fall down in execution. If the wrath of a King be as a meſſenger of death, O what then will will the wrath of a God be! As that Chriſtian King of Hungary told his brother (that ſprang into his preſence p. 245pale and trembling, becauſe of the Executioner and Deaths-man, that had ſounded his trumpet at his chamber door in the dead time of the night, to call him away to execution) O Brother, thou haſt loved me, and never offended me, and is the ſight of my Executioner ſo dreadful to thee? how then ſhould I a greivous ſinner, fear to be brought to judgement before Jeſus Chriſt? Conſider the day of the Lords wrath is coming, and who ſhall abide it? This terrible fire is kindled; this horrible tempeſt is gathered, and ready to fall on thy head every moment. Do not put theſe things farre off, as many do, who thereby deprive themſelves of the happy effects which theſe thoughts might produce. A Cannon afarre off, though never ſo great, doth no execution; men will not tremble and fall down for fear of it, when once they apprehend it many miles off: Things afarre off, though very big, will ſeem very ſmall: A Starre that is bigger than the whole earth ſeems no bigger than a Torch, being many miles from us. Look therefore on all that miſery that is treated of, in the firſt uſe, as p. 246thy portion, and as nigh to thee, even at the very door; like a Serjeant it waiteth continually to arreſt thee, and hale thee to the priſon of hell. There is not a night in which thou lyeſt down to ſleep, but this roaring Lion of the wrath of God lyeth down beſide thee, and is ready, when thou art aſleep little dreaming of it, to rend thee aſunder, and tear thy ſoul in pieces. In the morning when thou riſeſt it waiteth upon thee, dogging thee all the day long, whatſoever thou doſt, and following thee like a blood-hound whereſoever thou goeſt; thou mayeſt as ſoon flie from thy ſelf as from it, till thou art effectually humbled for thy ſins, the cauſe of it. And be not inſenſible of it, becauſe it is inviſible to thee. The influences of the Sun are hotteſt among the minerals in the bowels of the earth, where it is not at all viſible, not they ſenſible: So the fire of divine fury is hotteſt where it is not viſible, nor the perſon ſenſible: Though thou mayſt ſee it as plainly in the Scripture, as the Sun at noon day; God is angry with the wicked p. 247every day, Pſalm 7.12. There is wrath prepared for the workers of iniquity, and it will aſſuredly and ſpeedily be inflicted, if thou art not timely and truly humbled and converted.

I would alſo deſire thee to ponder much the free grace of God, which is diſcovered in the Goſpel; what bowels of compaſſion in the Father to give his Son; what infinite affection in the Son, to give himſelf for the reconciliation and ſalvation of his enemies. It is probable the heat of this unknown love may melt thy frozen ſpirit: This is the moſt ingenuous ſorrow which is never to be ſorrowed for, which ſpringeth from the conſideration that thou haſt ſinned againſt ſo good, ſo pure, ſo perfect a God, in conformity to whom, and communion with whom, all thy happineſſe conſiſteth. The Law indeed is of excellent uſe to open the ſore, to ſearch the wound, to make the Patient feel his need of, and ſet a price upon his Phyſitian; thus it is a Schoolmaſter to drive the ſoul to Chriſt; p. 248but winter fruits are more harſh and ſowre, when ſummer fruits are ſweet and pleaſant. God taketh moſt delight in thoſe tears and ſorrow, which are the fruits of hot love to his bleſſed Majeſty. And could I ſee them once in thee, I durſt joy thee of thy Babe of Grace, the new Creation. They are at leaſt the kindly bearing throws of one in travail, very near her hour of delivery, as alſo often the after-paines: A ſtroak from guilt, from wrath, broke Judas heart into deſpair: A look from love, from Chriſt, broke Peters into teares.Aſpexit Chriſtus & flevit Petrus. Ambr. That ſap and moiſture which in froſt and ſnow lyeth hid and buried in the earth, ſheweth it ſelf pleaſantly in the fruits of the trees, when it is called forth by the warmth of the Sun.

Even Saul himſelf will lift up his voice, and weep when he ſeeth a clear teſtimony of the love and undeſerved kindneſſe of David.

Haſt thou never beheld a condemned p. 249priſoner diſſolved into tears, upon the unexpected and unmerited receit of a pardon, who all the time before was as hard as a flint? The hammer of the Law may break the icie heart of man with terrors and horror, and yet it may remain ice ſtill, unchanged: But when the fire of love kindly thaweth this ice, it is changed and diſſolved into water, it is no longer ice, but of another nature. Where the Sun is moſt ptedominant, there are the ſweeteſt Spices, the richeſt Mines, and the coſtlieſt Jewels. Do thou therefore meditate much on the love of God and Chriſt to thy unworthy ſoul: Think what love is it that ſtill ſpareth thee, notwithſtanding all thy God-daring and ſoul-damning provocations, and that when others (probably better than thy ſelf) are every day and night ſent to that place, where God hath large intereſt for his long patience. What love is it, not only to forbear thee, but alſo to doe thee good! thou his enemy art hungry, he feedeth thee; thou art thirſty, he giveth thee drink. If a man find his enemy will he let him goe, 1 Sam. 24.19. p. 250but lo God findeth thee every moment; as all thy ſins are within the reach of his eye, ſo thou thy ſelf art continually within the reach of his arm; he can as eaſily turn thee into hell, as tell thee of hell: And yet he letteth thee goe, and more than that, doth thee good. Thou ſpendeth every hour upon the ſtock of mercy. God is at great charge and much coſt in continuing meat, and drink, and health, and ſtrength, and time which thou doſt ravel out, and wanton away unprofitably.

What love was that in the Father which ſent his own Son to die, that thou mightſt live! Well might the beloved Diſciple ſay, God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him, might not periſh, but have everlaſting life, Joh. 3.16. In this the bowels of divine love are naked, as in an Anatomy: In other things the love of God is as the beames of the Sun ſcattered, which are warm and comfortable; but in this it is as the beames of the Sun united in a burning-glaſſe, p. 251hot fiery burning love; God ſo loved the world, ſo dearly, ſo intirely, ſo incomparably, ſo infinitely: It is a ſic without a ſicut (as one obſerveth) a pattern which can never be parallel'd. In this God commended his love towards us, in that when we were ſinners Chriſt died for us, Rom. 5.8. when God ſent his Son into the world, he did as it were ſay to him, My dear Son, thou Son of my chiefeſt love and choiceſt delight, go to the wicked unworthy world, commend me to them, and tell them, that in thee I have ſent them ſuch a love-token, ſuch an unqueſtionable teſtimony of my favour and good-will towards them, that hereafter they ſhall never have the leaſt colour of reaſon to ſuſpect my love, or to ſay, Wherein haſt thou loved us? Malachi 1.2.

What love was that in the Son of God, which moved him to become the ſon of man that thou mightſt become the ſon of God? What love was that which made him ſo willingly undergo the ſcorns, and flouts, and deriſions of wretched men, the rage, and malice, and aſſaults of ravenous devils, p. 252the wrath and fury of a righteous God; ſuch pangs and tortures in his body as no mouth can expreſſe, ſuch ſorrows and horror in his ſoul as no minde can conceive; and all that thou mighteſt eſcape ſuch miſery, and obtain everlaſting mercy!

Greater love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his life for his friend, John 15.13. The paſſion of Chriſt was the greateſt evidence of his affection. The laying down of life did abundantly proclaim his love. His love before was like wine in a cask, hardly ſeen; but O how did it ſparkle and caſt its colour in the glaſs of his ſufferings! This Diamond before hid in the ſhell, doth ſhine radiantly in the ring of his death: If his tears did ſo much ſpeak his love to Lazarus, that the Jews who ſaw him weeeping, cryed out, Lo how he loved him! ſurely his heart-blood doth far more demonſtrate his love to his members. They that beheld him bleeding in the garden, had far more reaſon to ſay, Look, lo how he loved his!

What love is that which did all this for ſuch a worm as thou art? ſuch a ſinner, ſuch p. 161a rebel; what would God loſe, if thou wert eternally loſt? the leaſt tittle of his happineſſe would not be diminiſhed; this Sun is no loſer, when men ſhut their eyes, and will not behold its light: what gaineth God, if he gain thee to himſelf, to his ſervice? thou canſt not adde the leaſt cubit to the ſtature of his perfections; the refreſhment is to men, not to the Spring when the weary paſſengers drink of it. He doth not command thee to repent from any need he hath of thee, but from the pity he hath to thee. He entreateth thee to return, not that he may be bleſſed and happy, but that he may be bountiful & liberal in beſtowing on thee thoſe bleſſings which accompany ſalvation. Methinks the apprehenſion of Gods great love and goodneſſe ſhould have ſuch an impreſſion on thee as to make thee little and low in thine own thoughts. Is it not a wonder, that God ſhould vouchſafe a gracious look upon ſuch a clod of earth, a piece of clay as thou art? but what admiration can anſwer this love and condeſcenſion, that God ſhould wait and intreat to lift thee up, who wouldſt caſt him down! That an Emperour ſhould ſue to a traitour; that Majeſty ſhould thus ſtoop p. 162to miſery; that the Lord of life and glory ſhould prepare for thee exceeding rich and precious promiſes, a crown of life, a purchaſed poſſeſſion, and beſeech thee to accept of them. Were thy heart never ſuch hard metal, one would think that ſuch an hot fire of burning love ſhould melt it. I hsve in two or three Authors read of five men that met together, and asked each other what means they uſed to abſtain from ſin? The firſt ſaid, The thoughts of the certainty of death, and uncertainty of the time moved him to live every day, as if it were his laſt day. The ſecond ſaid, He meditated of the day of of judgment, and the torments of hell, and they frighted him from medling with his dangerous enemy, ſin. The third conſidered of the deformity of ſin, and beauty of holineſſe. The fourth, of the abundant happineſſe provided in heaven for holy ones. The laſt continually thought of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and his love; and this made him aſhamed to ſin againſt God.

Reader, if thou haſt but any ingenuity, the abuſe of ſuch love and kindneſſe ſhould work upon thee. Some ſay, the blood of a goat will ſoften an Adamant: ſhall not p. 163then the blood of this true goat diſſolve thy adamantine heart? Beaſts themſelves have been won by kindneſſe, and wilt thou be worſe than a beaſt, that ſuch Philanthrophy and kindneſſe of God ſhall no whit ſtir thee or humble thee?

There is a twofold neceſſity of a deep ſerious humiliation (for which cauſe I have been the more large upon it, though indeed I have added very much more than I firſt intended) in order to the two next directions which I ſhall preſcribe thee.

Firſt, in order to thy hearty acceptation of Jeſus Chriſt. Humiliation is like John Baptiſt, to prepare the way of Chriſt before him. Chriſt will not be a Saviour to them that do not ſet an high valuation upon him: now an unhumbled ſinner is a man (conceitedly) whole, ſeeing no need of, and therefore ſetting little price upon the Phyſician of ſouls. Till men ſee that they are caſt by the Law of God, and condemn'd men, they will never heartily deſire and value a pſalm of mercy. According to a mans ſenſe of miſery, ſuch is his eſtimation of mercy: When Paul ſaw himſelf the chiefeſt of ſinners, then that ſaying, That Chriſt p. 164Jeſus came into the world to ſave ſinners, was worthy of all acceptation. This ſharp ſawce of repentance doth commend Chriſt exceedingly unto the ſpiritual palat: The more bitter and irkſome ſin is, the more ſweet and welcome Jeſus Chriſt will be to the ſoul. When the ſinner ſeeth that he is loſt in himſelf, then (and not till then) will he truly requeſt to be found in Chriſt; the prodigal did not prize the bread in his fathers houſe, till he was ready to periſh for hunger. Miniſters preach much of the infinite excellencies that are in Chriſt, of the unſpeakable miſery of ſinners without Chriſt, of the abſolute neceſſity that men and women ſtand in of Chriſt, and yet preach to little purpoſe; moſt prize their ſhops and their lands, their relations, yea, and their ſenſual luſts above the Lord Jeſus, notwithſtanding all their pretences to the contrary; they ſee no ſuch need of him, nor ſuch worth in him, as the Preachers and Scriptures ſpeak of: What's the reaſon of it? truly this; They were never ſenſible of the ſtings of the fiery ſerpents; if they had, they would look up to the brazen ſerpent with an eye of greater reſpect. They were never pricked to the heart, and therefore p. 165cry not out, Men and brethren, what ſhall we do to be ſaved? But when God diſcovereth his wrath to the ſoul, and ſhutteth the ſoul up under it, when he commandeth conſcience in his Name to arreſt the ſoul for all its debts, which it oweth to divine juſtice; and when in purſuance thereof conſcience doth in the name of the dreadful God, charge on the ſinner the guilt of all his ſins, and hales him to the Judgmentſeat of God, where he ſeeth nothing but frowns and fury, fire and brimſtone, and feeleth nothing but tribulation and anguiſh, indignation and wrath: now the ſinner cryeth out in bitterneſſe of ſpirit, O wretched miſerable man, alas, alas, I am undone! What deſperate madneſſe poſſeſſed my ſoul thus to provoke the Almighty God by my ſins? Into what a ſea of miſery have I brought my ſelf by mine iniquities? The God whom I ſee is angry, the wrath which I feel is heavy, the torments which I fear are infinite. The Law which ſheweth no mercy is violated; the God who will have full ſatisfaction for the breach of his law, is incenſed; conſcience which is his Jailour is commiſſionated to wound and terrifie me: And whether ſhall I go? p. 166wrath above me, wrath below me, wrath without me, wrath within me. A world (mark now) for a ſurety to diſcharge me of theſe debts; a thouſand worlds for that balm which can heal this wounded conſcience. Ten thouſand thouſand worlds for a Jeſus that can deliver from the wrath to come. When ſin comes to be ſin indeed, then and not till then a Saviour will be a Saviour indeed.

Secondly, humiliation is neceſſary in order to the ſouls hearty reſignation of it ſelf, to every Law and Command of Chriſt. According to a mans humiliation, ſuch will his ſubjection to Chriſt be; Humilation is (in ſome ſenſe) the foundation of a Chriſtians obedience; and the ſtrength of the building dependeth upon the ſtrength of the foundation. The reaſon why the Religious buildings of hundreds of Profeſſors in our dayes (though they have been very fair and beautiful to the eye) have miſcarried is this, the want of this foundation, their hearts were never throughly humbled. The reaſon why the ſtony ground did not bring forth good fruit, was this, the plough had not gon deep enough, it did not take p. 167deep root, Matth. 13.20, 21.

Men would never dally with God as they do, or halt as the Iſraelites between two opinions, be ſometimes for God, and ſometimes for the world; holy by fits and girts, if they had ever felt the weight of ſin. Chriſt when he cometh into the ſoul as a Saviour, will come alſo as a Soveraign to command and govern the whole man; He is the true Sun, and he will have the whole heaven, the whole heart to himſelf; he will allow no writ of partition; his Law forbiddeth inmates as well as mans. Now againſt this,Probably therefore, fleſhly luſts may be called earthly members. Col. 3. not only becauſe they flow from the body of death, but alſo becauſe they are as dear to men as their bodily membersCol 3 the natural carnal man riſeth and rebelleth exceedingly; He hath ever at this time ſome luſt or other which he valueth as his * limbs, ſome right hand that he deſireth may not be cut off, ſome right eye which he would not have pluckt out, ſome Herodias that muſt not be medled with, ſome Abſolom that the ſinner intreateth Chriſt to ſpare, and deal gently with for his ſake. Therefore before the Lord of hoſts can make an abſolute conqueſt, before he can perſwade the beſieged ſoul to ſurrender it ſelf wholly and altogether to his government, he is forc'd by the Granadoes, and thundring Cannons of the p. 168Laws curſe, and Gods wrath, to fire and fright it out of all its ſinful holds. Then it will come up to thoſe excellent terms of the Lord, which are moſt honourable for the Saviour, and moſt profitable for the ſoul. Now he ſeeth moſt certainly ſuch a ſting in ſins tail, that he dares plead no longer for the beauty of its face; Now he feeleth it as a dart in his liver, as an arrow ſticking in his heart, as a coal of fire in his hand; he is heartily willing, yea, thinks himſelf much beholden to that Redeemer that will pluck out this dart, this arrow. O how readily doth he throw away this coal of fire, fearing to be burnt by it any more! We have two famous inſtances of this in Scripture. The one is in Paul, Acts 9.6. When Paul that was poſting in the road to hell, comes to be knockt down, and to feel thoſe tremblings and terrors in his ſpirit, he crieth out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? He had probably heard much before of God: but he regarded it not, till now he receiveth a word, and a blow; a word from without, and a wound within to ſet it home; now it is, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? before it was, What will the high Prieſt, the Scribes and Phariſees have me to do? and p. 169what will the vain imaginations, and high thoughts which exalted themſelves againſt God and Chriſt, have me to do? but now it is, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Before his heart was like hard wax, it would take no impreſſion from God; but now it is ſoftned by this fire of inward humiliation, it is ready for any ſtamp. God may imprint what he pleaſeth; Lord, what wilt thou have me do? The other inſtance is in the cruel, rough, hard-hearted Jaylour; After the earth-quake, and the heart-quake which God had cauſed, he ſprings trembling in, and fell down before Paul and Silas, crying out, Sirs, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? Acts 16. 29, 30. Obſerve, now the man is heartſick indeed; he is willing to take the moſt bitter pills; As if he had ſaid, Sirs, Do but tell me what I muſt do for ſalvation; though the terms be never ſo hard, the conditions never ſo unpleaſant, the price never ſo much, the pains never ſo great, yet I will ſubmit to any thing, to all things for ſalvation. What muſt I do to be ſaved?

When the Iſraelite firſt ſets out towards Canaan, there is a mixt multitude of carnal affections which deſire and endeavour to bear him company; now becauſe God knoweth p. 170that the land is too good for ſuch evil inhabitants, and beſides that they will cauſe many mutinies in the way, he brings therefore the Iſraelite into the wilderneſſe, to humble him, and to cut them off.

Before the ſoul be throughly humbled, it dodgeth with Chriſt, it plaies faſt and looſe, off and on; this it liketh, and that it diſliketh; this part of the yoke is uneaſie; this burthen is too heavy, and ſuch and ſuch commandments are grievous; fain it would have Chriſt and his precious promiſes, but loth it is to forego its old friends, its beloved luſts; but when God is pleaſed to take the ſinner by the throat, and to ſhake him out of his ſecurity, by ſhewing him ſin and wrath in their colours, making him ſenſible of the one, and terrifying him with a fearful expectation of the other, laying him at the pits brink, within the ſmoak of hell, within the ſmell of that brimſtone, within the ſorchings of that eternal fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angles, now the ſinner ſeeth that God is in earneſt, and therefore dareth not halt or halve it any longer; now he is in a boiſterous ſtorm, and caſteth all thoſe goods his darling-ſinnes into the ſea, perceiving p. 171that he muſt periſh if he do not.

God is neceſſitated to launce mens wounds, and put them to pain, becauſe otherwiſe they cannot be cured. When the metal is thus melted, God may caſt it into what mold he pleaſeth. O thrice happy is that heart which hath been deeply and truly humbled; it ſhall hold out in thoſe tempeſts, wherein many others ſhall make ſhipwrack of faith and a good conſcience.

Thirdly,3 Direction. Application of Chriſt. if thou haſt been faithful in following my former advice, to get thy mind enlightned to ſee, and thy heart throughly humbled for thy ſin and miſery: thy next work is to reſt and rely upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for pardon, grace and ſalvation. To look upon him, as one appointed by the father, given by himſelf, ſanctified by the ſpirit, and revealed in the word of truth, the Goſpel, to be the onelyonly and al-ſufficient Saviour of loſt ſouls. It is now the proper time for thee to caſt thy ſoul, thy ſins, thine eternal eſtate, upon the infinite meritoriouſneſſe of the bleſſed Redeemer. Experience ſheweth, that it is very eaſie for an unbroken ſinner to preſume; but ſurely it is very hard for an humbled ſinner that hath had all his vileneſſe and unworthineſſe p. 172diſplayed before his eye, and the infinite wrath of God like a mountain of lead oppreſſing his conſcience, to believe, and therefore I have prepared ſome choice cordials for ſuch fainting ſpirits, which I ſhall give thee anon. But my work now is to beſeech thee, broken heart, that thou take heed of thinking to lick, thy ſelf whole. I know the Devil and thy heart will be both buſie and diligent to get thee to make a Chriſt of thy contrition, and a Saviour of thy humiliation: O how unwilling is man when he hath ſhipwrack't his ſoul, to commit himſelf naked to the ſea of Chriſts blood? how earneſt is he to have the chains and jewels of his earthly affections along with him,This ſpiritual life is a li…e of Faith; and indeed upon this the whole almoſt of thy work dependeth Fide regen…ramur; reſipiſcontia non ſolum fidem ſubſ…quitur ſed ex ea naſcitur. Calv. and to ſwim out upon the rotten boards of his own works!

Reader, now therefore eſpecially, if thy ſoul be in a flame, be careful out of what well thou draweſt thy water to quench it. This is one of the chiefeſt (nay the chiefeſt of all) fundamentals in Religion; and therefore it behoveth thee to be very tender. Now thou art nigh drowning, neer ſinking in the Ocean of divine fury, thou hadſt need to make ſure that the bough or ſtake, or what ever it be by which thou p. 173holdeſt be ſtrong enough, and able to bear thy weight. It is likely, (nay it is certain, if thou art humbled as aforeſaid) thou prayeſt, thou mourneſt, thou ſigheſt, thou loatheſt thy ſelf for thy wickedneſſe, thou admireſt God for his forbearance, thou longeſt after help and deliverance; be ſure that thou do not look on theſe as ſo much money wherewith thou maieſt purchaſe thy pardon, and buy off thy guilt; for believe it if thou doeſt, as white as thy ſilver is, it will draw black lines, inſtead of wiping off thy old ſcore, thou wilt thereby run further in debt. Evangelical humiliation is required, not ſo much to make thee acceptable to Chriſt, as to make Chriſt acceptable to thee. It is a good evidence of the beginnings of ſanctification, but it is a bad advocate for thy juſtification. It is as truly dangerous to appear before God in the rags of thy own righteouſneſſe, as in thy ſinful nakedneſſe.

If ever thou receive the bleſſing of pardon and love from thy heavenly father, it muſt be by appearing in the garments of thine elder brother. He maketh his acceptable, but it is in Chriſt the beloved, Eph. 1.6. Nothing but perfect righteouſneſſe will p. 174pacifie Gods anger, or ſatisfie his juſtice, or pleaſe thoſe eyes which are purer than to behold the leaſt iniquity: And this righteouſneſſe is onelyonly in Chriſt, who was made ſin for thee, that thou mightſt become the righteouſneſſe of God in him, 2 Corinth. 5. ult.

Do not therefore, when thou ceaſeſt to be an Athieſt, begin to be a Papiſt, in relying upon thy good works; for though God will not ſave thee without them, yet he will never ſave thee for them.

Shepherds Sincere Convert. p. 107. Edit. 5.Canſt thou (ſaith an eminent Miniſter now with Chriſt) make thy ſelf a Chriſt for thy ſelf? Canſt thou bear, and come from under an infinite wrath? canſt thou bring in perfect righteouſneſſe into the preſence of God? This Chriſt muſt do, elſe he could not ſatisfie and redeem. And if thou canſt not do this, and haſt no Chriſt, deſire and pray, till heaven and earth ſhake, till thou haſt worn thy tongue to the ſtumps; endeavour as much as thou canſt, and others commend thee for a diligent Chriſtian: mourn in ſome wilderneſſe, till Doomſ-day; dig thy grave there with thy nails; weep p. 175buckets full of hourly tears, till thou canſt weep no more; faſt and pray, till thy skin and bones cleave together; promiſe and purpoſe, with full reſolution to be better; nay, reform thy head, heart, life and tongue; and ſome, nay all fins; live like an Angel, ſhine like a Sun, walk up and down the world like a diſtreſſed pilgrim going to another Countrey; ſo that all Chriſtians commend and admire thee; die ten thouſand deaths, lie at the fire-back in hell ſo many millions of years as there be piles of graſſe upon the earth, or ſands upon the ſea-ſhore, or ſtars in the firmament, or motes in the Sun: I tell thee, not one ſpark of the wrath of God againſt thy ſin ſhall be, can be quenched by all theſe duties, nor by any of theſe ſorrowes; for theſe are not the blood of Chriſt.

It is both unacceptable and unprofitable for thee to approach God, either in himſelf, or in thy ſelf. I dare not meddle with an abſolute God, ſaith Luther. Nolo Deum ab olutum. Luth.God in himſelf is a conſuming fire but in his Son a loving father. Do thou therefore, now thou knoweſt thy ſelf and ſin; labour to know Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified, 1 Cor. p. 1762.2. And count all things dung and droſſe, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus thy Lord, Phil. 3.8. Read, and pray, and weep, and pant, and thirſt, that thou maieſt be found in him; not having thy own righteouſneſs, which is according to the law; but that which is through the faith of him, the righteouſneſſe which is of God by faith, Phil. 3.9. Take a view of him in the Goſpel, where he is crucified before thine eyes, and behold him diſplayed in both his natures and all his offices, and therein his ſuitableneſſe unto, and ſufficiency for all the wants and neceſſities of thy dying ſoul. Doeſt thou ſee a cloud of judgments gathering apace, and ready to pour down on thy head, run to him for ſhelter; he is both a ſhadow from the heat, and a ſhelter from the ſtorm. Is thy conſcience wounded with thy ſins? haſten to the wounds of thy Saviour; by his ſtripes thou maieſt be healed, Iſa. 53. Do the murdering pieces of the Laws curſes threaten to deſtroy thee? flie like the diſtreſſed Dove to the clifts of the rock of ages, the bored hands and feet, the pierced ſide of the bleſſed Redeemer, there thy ſoul may be ſure of ſafety. He is the onelyonly Ark wherein thou maieſt be ſaved, when p. 177the whole world that lyeth in wickedneſs, ſhall be drowned, ſhall be damned. He is the little Zoar whither thou mayſt retire, and thy ſoul ſhall live, when fire and brimſtone, yea hell**Gehenna è caelo. Salv. ſhall be rained from heaven on ungodly ones. He is the true City of refuge, wherein thou mayſt aſſuredly eſcape the wrath of God, which like the avenger of blood purſueth thee. An hearty thankful acceptation of Jeſus Chriſt, as he is tendered in the Goſpel, will at the day of judgement be a plea as acceptable unto God, and profitable unto thee as perfect ſubjection to all the commands of the Law.

Conſider how full his merits are, he is en horn of ſalvation, Luke 1.69. i. e. ſtrong to ſave, the ſtrength of the noble beaſts lying in their horns:**'Tis a folly to think that an Emperors Revenues will not pay a beggars debts. Chriſt hath undertook to ſatisfie, and he hath mony enough to pay. Free grace can ſhew you large accounts, and a long b…ll cancelled by the blood of Chriſt. Mr. Manton on Jam. p. ult. There is no ſinner ſo black, but the blood of this Saviour can make white, Rev. 7.14. There are ſome diſeaſes which other Phyſicians cannot cure, but he healeth all diſeaſes. All are dangerouſly, but none deſperately ſick whom he undertaketh. Thou oweſt a vaſt debt to Juſtice, but the Lord Jeſus is an able Surety; He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt thoſe that come unto God by him. Heb. 7.25.

p. 178O what is it that thou wanteſt, which perfect righteouſneſſe and infinite meritoriouſneſſe cannot procure! Do'ſt thou want Remiſſion? God forgiveth ſin for Chriſts ſake, Epheſ. 4. ult. The blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son clenſeth form all ſin. 1 John 1.7. He was a great ſinner (as Luther obſerveth) by imputation, that thou might'ſt be innocent through condonation and pardon.**Themiſtocles appeaſed the anger of K. Admetus, by holding the Kings young ſon in his armes; ſo doth the Chriſtian appeaſe the beholding his Son in the arms of faith. Doſt thou want reconciliation with God? He maketh peace through the blood of his Croſs, Coloſſ. 1.20. God is in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf. 2 Cor. 5.20. He endured his Fathers frowns and fury, that thou might'ſt enjoy his ſmiles and favour. Doſt thou want ſanctification? His blood is ſanctifying as well as juſtifying, Heb. 9.14. He did not only buy off thy ſcore of guilt, but alſo purchaſt a new ſtock of grace for his bank-rupt creature to ſet up with again.

The oyl of grace was abundantly poured on the Churches head, that it might fall down on the skirts and members. Of his fulneſſe thou mayſt receive grace for grace. Joh. 1.16. Doſt thou want ſalvation? He hath the power and gift of eternal life. Joh. 10.28. John 17.24. He is the Authour of eternal p. 179ſalvation. Heb. 5.9. Thou mayſt have boldneſſe through the blood of Jeſus, to enter into the holy of holies. Heb. 10.19, 20. He paid an infinite ſumme, to purchaſe the Fathers houſe for thine everlaſting home. What ever thy need be, he is able to ſupply it, for he is an univerſal Treaſure which can never be ſpent, a Spring that can never be drawn dry. In him dwelleth the fulneſſe of the God-head bodily. Col. 2.9.

Conſider alſo how free his mercy is, as well as his merits full. Thou mayſt drink of the water of life freely. Rev. 22.17. If thou wilt buy his benefits, thou muſt leave thy mony behind thee. His wine and milk is to be had without mony, and without price. Iſa. 55.2. Do not hold off, thinking to carry worthineſſe to Chriſt, but believe on him, and thou mayſt fetch worthineſs from Chriſt. The ſame free-grace which gave Chriſt for thee without thy prayer, will at thy deſire give Chriſt to thee. Do not alwayes lie poring upon thy unworthineſs, but if thou art ſenſible of it, and ſorrowful for it, believe it, thou art worthy enough to Divine acceptation, though not to Divine ſatisfaction. As his Omnipotency anſwereth thy weakneſs, and his fulneſs thy p. 180wants: ſo doth his free-grace all thy unworthineſs. The natural Sun doth not inlighten more freely, then this Sun of Righteouſneſs doth enliven all that come under the ſhadow of his wings.

Ponder how univerſal his offers of grace are. Jeſus Chriſt with all his merits are tendered to all. The propoſals of Divine mercy and love are general and univerſal. Go preach the Goſpel (obſerve) to every creature. He that believeth ſhall be ſaved. Ho every one that thirſteth, Iſa. 55.1. If any man (let him be poor or rich, high or low) thirſt, let him come to me and drink. John 7.37.

'Tis a great encouragement, that in the offers of pardon and life, none are excluded; why then ſhouldſt thou exclude thy ſelf? Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden, Matth. 11.28. Mark (poor ſinner) all ye. Art not thou one of that all? Is not thy wickedneſs thy weight, and thy corruption thy burden? then thou art called particularly as well as generally; Jeſus Chriſt taketh thee aſide from the crowd, and whiſpereth thee in the ear, O poor ſinner that art weary of the work, and heavy laden with the weight of ſin, be intreated to come to me, p. 181I will give thee reſt. Why doth thy heart ſuggeſt, that he doth not intend thee in that call? Doth he not by that qualification, as good as name thee? Ah, 'tis an unworthy, a baſe jealouſie to miſtruſt a loving Chriſt without the leaſt cauſe.

Once more meditate, how willing he is to heal thy wounded ſpirit, and be not faithleſs but believing; He is willing to accept of thee, if thou art willing to accept him. What mean his affectionate invitations? He ſeeketh to draw thee with cords of love, cords that are woven and ſpun out of Chriſts heart and bowels. Cant. 4.8. Come away from Lebanon, my ſiſter, my Spouſe, from the lyons dens, Mr. Mantor. on Jude p. 75.from the mountains of Leopards. Chriſts love is hot and burning, he thinketh thou tarrieſt too long from his embraces. Open to me my ſiſter, my Love, my Dove, my undefiled. Cant. 5.2. Chriſt ſtands begging for entrance? Loſt man, do but ſuffer me to ſave thee; Poor ſinner, ſuffer me to love thee; Theſe are the charms of Goſpel Rhetorick. None ſingeth ſo ſweetly as the Bird of Paradiſe, the Turtle that chirpeth upon the Churches hedges, that he may cluck ſinners to himſelf. What mean his pathetical expoſtulations? p. 182Why will ye die? Ezek. 33.11. What reaſon haſt thou thus to run upon thy death and ruine? What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me? Jer. 2.5. what harm have I ever done them? what evil do they know by me, that they walk ſo contrary to me? but one place for all. Micah 6.3, 4. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? teſtifie againſt me. For I brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the houſe of ſervants. O my people, remember now what bowels of love are here ſounding in every line; what fiery affection is there in ſuch ſweet expoſtulations! O admirable condeſcention!

What meaneth his ſorrow for them that refuſe him for their Saviour? He is grieved becauſe of the hardneſs of mens hearts, Mark 3.5.

He ſhed tears for them that ſhed his blood. When he came nigh that City (which was the ſlaughter-houſe of the Prophets of the Lord, and of the Lord of the Prophets) he wept, Luke 19.41. If thou hadſt known, even thou in this thy day! The brokenneſſe of his ſpeech, ſheweth the brokenneſſe of his ſpirit. He is pitiful towards p. 183their ſouls, that are ſo cruel to themſelves, and weepeth for them that go laughing to hell.

What meaneth his joy at the birth-day of the new creature, when he is received with wel-come into the ſinners heart? The mother is as much pleaſed that her full breaſts are drawn, as the child can be. The day of thy cordal acceptation of him, will be the day of the gladneſs of his heart; At ſuch an hour he rejoyced in ſpirit, ſaith the Evangeliſt, Luke 10.22. He wept twice, and he bled (as ſome affirm) ſeven times; but we never read of his rejoycing, (if I miſtake not) but in this place. And ſurely it was ſomething that did extraordinarily take the heart of Chriſt, which could in the time of his humiliation tune his ſpirit into a merry note, and cauſe this man of ſorrows to rejoyce. Ah ſinner, believe it, he would never ſo willingly have died ſuch a curſed painful death, if he had not been willing that ſinners ſhould live a ſpiritual and eternal life.

What mean I ſay his invitations, expoſtulations, grief upon refuſal, joy upon acceptance, his commands, intreaties, promiſes, threatnings, his woing thee by the p. 184Miniſters of his Word, by the motions of his Spirit, by his daily, nightly, hourly mercies, by his gracious providence, by his unwearied patience, but to aſſure thee that he is heartily willing to accept thee for his ſervant, for his ſon, if thou art heartily willing to accept him for thy Saviour, and for thy Soveraign. He would never preſent thee with ſuch coſtly gifts, if his offer of marriage were not in earneſt: Beſides (broken-hearted ſinner, for 'tis to thee that all this while I have been ſpeaking) how dareſt thou any longer entertain ſuch a Traytour againſt the King of Saints in thy breaſt, as a thought that the Lord Jeſus can be guilty in any of the fore-mentioned particulars, of the leaſt inſincerity?

Do not therefore, like the ſilly Hart, go ever up and down, moaning and bleeding with the arrow in thy ſide, thy ſinnes ſticking in thy heart, but deſire his helping hand to pluck them out, and without queſtion thou ſhalt have it. He had a ſpecial command and commiſſion from his Father to remember and redeem thee, to bind up the broken-hearted,Iſa. 61.1, 2, 3.Isa 61:1Isa 61:2Isa 61:3 to proclaim liberty to the captive, and the opening of the priſon to them that are bound, to comfort them p. 185that mourn; and doſt thou think it poſſible for him to be unfaithful in his Office, or to his Father? No certainly, he keepeth all his Fathers Commandments and continueth in his love, John 15.

When he was upon earth, like a Phyſician, he was in his Element when among ſick and diſeaſed perſons, ſo much did he love to heal and cure: And now he is in heaven, though he be free from paſſion, yet not from compaſſion; his heart pitieth thee moſt tenderly, and his hand will help thee effectually. Cheer up at laſt O drooping ſoul, and look up with an eye of faith to this Lord of life, to this brazen Serpent. I may ſay to thee, as Martha to Mary, The Maſter is come, and he calleth for thee; Heark how loudly he proclaimeth his general tender of grace;**Vocations and interjections ſpeak very affection are bowels toward the diſtreſſed; God layes his mouth as it were to the deaf eare of the unbeliever and cryeth aloud. Ho every one that thirſteth. Ho every one that thirſteth come to the waters, Iſa. 55.1. how lovingly he beſeecheth. As though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5.20. See how chearfully he looks, out of hope that thou wilt by believing receive him into thy heart; His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars, His mouth is moſt ſweet, yea, he is altogether lovely. p. 186Cant. 5.15. how haſtily he runs to meet thee more then half way! loves pace is very ſwift, Behold he cometh leaping over the mountains, skipping upon the hills. Cant. 2.8. Obſerve how bountifully he provideth for thy entertainment, A feaſt of fat things, a feaſt of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. Iſa. 25.6. Behold he ſtandeth at the door and knocketh, if thou hear his voice and open to him, he will come in and ſup with thee, and thou with him. Rev. 3.20.

4. Direct. Dedication to God.Fourthly, Dedicate thy ſelf, ſoul, and body, and all thou haſt unto the ſervice and glory of Jeſus Chriſt. If thou haſt been unfaigned in the practice of the former directions; I doubt not in the leaſt of thy willingneſſe to this: If thy ſorrow for ſin hath been ſincere, like a burnt child thou wilt dread that fire;The Jewel of faith muſt be laid up in the cabinet of a good conſcience Though faith juſtifie our perſons, yet good works muſt juſtifie our faith. The ſenſe of former unkindneſſe to Chriſt is freſh in thy heart, and a very glutton in pain under a diſtemper dares not but forbear ſuch meats as will feed it. If thy Marriage to Chriſt hath been hearty, thou haſt given an univerſal bill of divorce to other lovers, and haſt accepted him for thy head and husband, to govern and command thee as well as to protect and p. 187provide for thee, and inſtate heaven as a Jointure upon thee. If thou expecteſt an immortal life from him, thou muſt conſecrate thy mortal life to him. I hope then thou art contented to take Jeſus Chriſt, for better, for worſe; with his ſhameful croſſe as well as his crown of glory; with his trials as well as triumphs; with his gracious precepts as well as his precious promiſes; nay I hope thou ſeeſt ſo much equity in his commands, ſo much beauty in his wayes and worſhip, ſo much of thy ſouls felicity wrapt up in holineſſe (in order to its perfection and happineſſe) that thou wouldeſt much rather chuſe the eaſie yoke, the light burthen of Chriſt, than the drudgery of the world, or the bondage of corruption. Truly, thus it muſt be with thee, if ever thou art ſaved; and thus I thought to have found thee, at leaſt to leave thee.

One excellently compareth holineſſe and happineſſe to thoſe two ſiſters, Leah and Rachel. Salvation or happineſſe, like Rachel, ſeems the fairer (even a carnal heart may fall in love with that) but ſanctification or holineſſe, like Leah is the elder and beautiful alſo, though in this life it appears with ſome diſadvantage, her eyes being p. 188bleared with tears of repentance, and her face furrowed with the works of mortification. But this is the law of that heavenly Countrey, that the younger ſiſter muſt not be beſtowed before the elder; We cannot enjoy fair Rachel, heaven and happineſſe, except firſt we embrace tender-eyed Leah, holineſſe, mortification, ſelf-denial, and all thoſe ſevere duties which the Churches Law-giver enjoineth.

Friend, ſit down, and conſider what it may coſt thee to be a Chriſtian. It muſt coſt thee the abſolute denial of thy ſinful carnal ſelf, of the body of death and its earthly members, which are expreſly forbidden in the Word of God; and thy main work muſt be every day to crucifie and mortifie them. Sin muſt die (though it may be never ſo dear to thee) or thy Soul cannot live. If thou letteſt any ſin go, ſince every one is appointed by God to deſtruction, thy life muſt go for its life, as the Prophet told Ahab, 1 Kings 20.42. When Chriſt came in the fleſh, ſin crucified him; but when Chriſt comes in the ſpirit, he will crucifie it. As Samſon, an eminent type of Chriſt pull'd down the houſe upon the heads of the Lords of the Philiſtines, that p. 189he might ſlay them, and ſo be avenged on them for his two eyes. So Jeſus Chriſt, if he be thy Saviour, is reſolved to pull the houſe in which ſin harbours it ſelf down about its ears, and by its ſlaughter to be revenged on it for his two eyes, for all the ignominy and ſhame, agony and pain which ſin put him to; He will teach thee better than to beg the life of thoſe Barrabaſses, thoſe ſoul-murderers and robbers of God of his glory. And ſurely ingenuity will learn thee otherwiſe than to expect ſuch infinite favours from this King, and yet to entertain in thy heart any that are rebels againſt his Majeſty.

Thus it will coſt thee the abſolute denial of thy ſinful ſelf; It muſt coſt thee the conditional denial of thy natural ſelf, and all that is outwardly dear unto thee; nay, it may coſt thee the actual loſſe of relations, poſſeſſions, honour, pleaſure, liberty, limbs, life, and all theſe for Jeſus Chriſt. Thou muſt reſolve when ever they come in oppoſition unto, or competition with Chriſt his glory, Kingdome and Command, to let them go. As when Levies relations came in competition with the glory of God, he did not know his father, nor would he acknowledge p. 190his brethren, Deut. 33.9. When Moſes, his glory and pleaſures came in competition with a precept of God, he chooſeth to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleaſures of the Court. Heb. 11.25. When Pauls liberty and life come in competition with the Kingdome of Chriſt, he is ready not only to be bound, but to die for the name of the Lord Jeſus. Acts 20.24. They all willingly left their own comforts to obey Gods call and commands.Dr. Reyn. Sermon on ſelf-denyal. In converſion as one well obſerveth, the uſe and the property of all we have is altered; All our veſſels, all our Merchandize muſt be ſuper-ſcribed with a new title, Holineſſe to the Lord. Iſa. 23.18. Zach. 14.20, 21. Then mens chief care will be to honour the Lord with their ſubſtance. Prov. 3.9. to bring their ſons, their ſilver, their gold to the name of the Lord the holy One of Iſrael. Iſa. 60.9. All we are, or have, we have it on this condition, to uſe it, to leave it, to lay it out, to lay it down unto the honour of our Maſter, from whoſe bounty we received it.

It was a notable ſaying of a Noble Lord of this Land, That that perſon may be deceived,L. Brooks. who thinks to ſave any thing by his p. 191Religion more than his ſoul; (And ſurely, he that ſaveth his ſoul, ſaveth all that is worth ſaving;) He meant that his Religion might coſt him the loſſe of all other things. There is certainly (if thou wilt be a Chriſtian indeed) a neceſſity of laying thy health, ſtrength, time, eſtate, name, friends, intereſts, in the world, thy calling and comforts whatſoever, at the feet of Chriſt, to be employed wholly in his ſervice, and improved altogether for his glory, and to be denied or enjoyed in whole, or in part, according to his call and command. This may ſeem an hard ſaying to carnal minds, that rather than break, and leave off all ſhew of trading with God, (to which their ſtirred conſciences will by no means yield) would willingly compound and give Chriſt a part, and the world and fleſh the other part. But as Chriſt is worthy of, ſo he will have all acceptation. The gods of the Heathen are good fellows, and ſhare their honour among themſelves; but this Lord over all, who is God bleſſed for ever, will not give his glory to others; he will not ſuffer that ſuperlative eſteem, truſt, and love of the ſoul, to be beſtowed upon any but himſelf, o… to be divided betwixt p. 192himſelf and any other. He will allow no ſuperiour, nay, no equal. As Alexander anſwered Darius (when Darius ſent to him about peace, becauſe there were Empires enough in the world to ſatisfie them both) The whole world could endure but one ſun, but one Alexander; So the heart of man muſt have but one General, but one Commander in chief, and that muſt be Jeſus Chriſt.

Truly Reader, I hope that theſe things will not diſcourage thee from the wayes of God. Do but rationally conſider them; Is it not moſt juſt and equal, that ſince all theſe things come freely from him, that they ſhould be laid out purely for him? Thou giveſt thy ſervant a little meat, and drink, and mony, (or rather God by thee) and what ſervice doſt thou require of him? Thou art inſtrumental (under God) to the birth and breeding of thy children, and what duty doſt thou expect from them? Art not thou ten thouſand times more engaged to Jeſus Chriſt, for every bit of bread and breath of air, for every nights ſleep and days ſupply, for every mercy that thine enjoy, for every moments abode on this ſide hell, for every ſoul-favour, and body-kindneſs?

p. 193In him thou liveſt, moveſt, and haſt thy being; the light doth not ſo much depend on the Sun, as thy life and all thy comforts depend on Chriſt. Now (be thy own judge) what ſervice, what obedience may the Lord Jeſus look for at thy hands? If the world or the fleſh could do half ſo much for thee, thou wer't more excuſeable, then now thou art in doing ſo much for them.

Again, when the queſtion ariſeth, Whether Chriſt or the fleſh, Chriſt or the world ſhould have thy greateſt eſteem, or love, or truſt, or the moſt of thy time and ſtrength, and talents; One would think thou ſhouldſt be aſhamed to put ſuch a queſtion, or at leaſt, that the very mention of it would be a ſufficient anſwer to it. Alas, what are all the honours and pleaſures, riches and relations, delicates and diadems of the whole world to Jeſus Chriſt, but as pebbles to pearls, dirt to Diamonds, droſs to gold, nothing to all things? there is ſurely no compariſon. The whole world of heaven and earth doth not ſo far excell a feather as Jeſus Chriſt doth the whole world.

p. 194Beſides, this requeſt of mine ſhould rather encourage thee, in regard this abſolute reſignation of thy ſelf to Chriſt, tendeth to the perfection and happineſs of thy ſoul. Thy miſery by thy fall is chiefly in this, that thou haſt thereby loſt the Image of God. Thy want of conformity to him, is the cauſe why thou haſt not communion with him. Beaſts do not converſe with men, nor trees with beaſts, becauſe they do not live the life of each other. Senſe muſt fit trees to converſe with beaſts, and reaſon muſt fit beaſts to converſe with men, and grace and holineſs muſt fit thee to converſe with God. When thou once liveſt the life of God, as this unreſerved ſoul-reſignation or ſanctification is called, Epheſ. 4.18. thou mayſt then bathe thy ſoul in his love.

Now this is the way to it. The life of Chriſtianity conſiſteth in an hearty dedication of thy ſelf and all thou haſt to Chriſt. When thou haſt done this thou art a Chriſtian indeed.

The excellency of every thing ſtandeth in two things;Dr. Reyn. on Hoſ. 14. Sermon 7.Hos 14 firſt, the perfection of beautie in which it was made; and the perfection of uſe for which it was made; now p. 195the beauty of man conſiſteth in this, that he was made like unto God, Gen. 1 26. and his end and uſe is this, that he was made for God; firſt to ſerve him, and after to enjoy him; for the Lord hath ſet apart him that is godly for himſelf; therefore to recover the Image of God, which conſiſteth in knowledge, righteouſneſſe, and true holineſſe, to work to the ſervice and glory of God, to aſpire to the poſſeſſion and fruition of God, muſt needs be mans greateſt good.

By what hath been largely ſpoken before in this Uſe, thou mayſt perceive that there is no going to heaven per ſaltum, by leaping out of a dirty and ſtinking jakes, into the preſence of the glorious God. There is a being made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, Coloſs. 1.12.Operatione, & acceptatione divinâ idonei conſtituimur ad participandam ſortem ſanctorum. Davenant in loc. which is by ſanctification. As cloaths are by lighter colours fitted to receive a deep Scarlet dye; ſo thou muſt by this ſpiritual life of holineſs, be fitted for the eternal life of glory. Obſerve 2 Cor. 5.5. the Apoſtle tells us, He that hath wrought us for the ſelf-ſame thing (i. e. heaven) is God. Man is a rugged piece of timber, an unhewn ſtone; now the ſtone muſt be poliſhed, and p. 196the timber ſquared, before it can be fit for the heavenly building wrought for it.

Joſeph, when he was ſent for to Pharaoh out of priſon, changed his Rayment and trimmed himſelf, and then appeared before the King.

And as there muſt be Regeneration, or the beginning of grace, ſo there muſt be a proficiency or growth in grace, to prepare the ſoul for the weight of glory.**Mr. Strong. Holineſſe the way to happineſs. pag. 45. There is a double right which every child of God hath to heaven. 1. Jus haereditarium, an hereditary right, and that is at regeneration, when he is put into Chriſt, and made a Co-heir with him of his Inheritance, having grace begun in him, which ſhall be perfected in glory, and was given as a principle ordained to ſuch a perfection. 2. Jus aptitudinarium, and that is a right of fitneſs, whereby we are qualified to receive ſuch a mercy; and that as an heir hath a right of inheritance in his non-age, but he hath not a right of fitneſs till he come to years, and be able to manage his eſtate, when he hath received it. Reader, in both theſe reſpects there is a neceſſity that thou preſently make a deed of gift of thy ſelf, and thy all unto Jeſus Chriſt, and that thou p. 197never more look upon thy ſelf (or any thing thou haſt) as thine own, but as a ſervant intruſted with them for thy Maſters uſe and advantage.

Well Reader, I ſuppoſe thou doſt ere this fully underſtand the conditions upon which thy ſoul may be contracted unto Chriſt. My work is to treat with thee about this marriage. I am commanded by the Lord (as Abrahams Steward by his Lord) Gen. 24. to provide a Wife for my Maſters ſon. I do here in the preſence of the living God, by commiſſion from his Majeſty, tender thee the moſt honourable, profitable, delightful match, that was ever offered to mortals: It is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Lord of life and glory, the onelyonly begotten of the Father, the faireſt of ten thouſands, to be thy head and husband; hereby thou ſhalt have the King of Kings, the Lord of heaven and earth for thy Father; a Queen the Church for thy Mother; the Saints thoſe truly excellent, noble, illuſtrious ones, higher then the Kings of the earth, for thy brethren and ſiſters; the Covenant of Grace (in compariſon of which all the gold of the Indies is but dirt and dung) for thy treaſure; glorious Angels for thy ſervants, the fleſh of p. 198the Son of God for thy meat, and his precious blood for thy drink; perfect Righteouſneſs, which is more beautiful then the unſpotted innocency of Adam or Angels, for thy rayment; a palace of pleaſures, a place of glory, a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens, for thy habitation: And all this only upon theſe termes, that thou wilt be a loving, faithful and obedient Wife (which the pooreſt beggar in the country expects from his wife) that thou wilt heartily give up thy ſelf and all thou haſt to his ſervice and glory; and this he deſireth alſo for thy good and benefit, that he may make thee a more excellent creature, and render thee more acceptable to God, and more capable of his deareſt love and eternal embraces: (as the rain is ſent up from the earth in thick and foggy vapours, but the heavens return it in pure and ſilver ſhowers; ſo though thou giveſt an unbelieving, hard, earthly heart unto Chriſt, he will return it unto thee again, believing, tender, heavenly, ſuch an heart as ſhall be more pleaſing both to God and thy ſelf;) and for this he is pleaſed (though ten thouſand Suns united into one are but darkneſs to him, ſo great is his glory) p. 199to condeſcend to become a Suiter to thee, to beſeech thee to accept of him, who knoweth thy portion to be miſery and beggery, who ſeeth thy perſon to be full of uglineſs and deformity, who gaineth no addition to his happineſs by thine acceptance of his love, nor ſuffereth the leaſt diminution by thy refuſal. Well, what ſayeſt thou to this match? Art thou heartily willing to take Jeſus Chriſt for thy wedded Husband to protect and direct thee, to purifie and pardon thee, to ſanctifie and ſave thee, to guide thee by his counſel, and afterwards to receive thee to glory? And wilt thou here in the preſence of the Lord, and before thy conſcience, which is as ten thouſand witneſſes, promiſe and covenant to obey him univerſally, to love him unfainedly, to reſign up thy ſelf, and all thou haſt to his diſpoſal unreſervedly? What ſayeſt thou? Art thou willing or no? Take heed of dallying in a match that is ſo unqueſtionably and infinitely for thy advantage; Believe it, thou ſhalt not have ſuch offers every day. Doe not ſtick at any of his Precepts, for he can require nothing but what is equal, excellent and honorable: doe not trifle or defer it (if thou loveſt thy ſoul) for this may be the p. 200very laſt time of asking. If thou wilt deal kindly and truly with my Maſter, tell me; or if not, tell me, that I may return an anſwer to him that ſent me, Gen. 24.49.

Theſe four directions which I have laid down already, are without queſtion the whole of Chriſtianity; and that ſoul ſhall be certainly ſaved by whom they are uprightly practiſed; yet there are two ſpecial means which God hath appointed for the enabling the ſoul to perform them, which I ſhall ſpeak briefly to, and for method ſake joyn them altogether.

Five Directions. Attendance on the Word.Fifthly, If thou wouldſt attain this ſpiritual life, be much converſant with the Word of God, be often reading it, meditating on it, but eſpeciall frequent it in publick where it is preached; by loſing one Sermon (for …ought thou knoweſt) thou mayſt loſe one ſoul.

Death at firſt entred into the world by the ear, Gen. 3. and ſo doth life; Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10.17. thou ſeeſt in the Goſpel that Faith and Repentance are this ſpiritual life, Mark 16.16. Gal. 2.20. and thou mayeſt ſee as clearly, that they are both the fruits of the miniſtery of the p. 201Word: For Faith, that fore quoted place, Rom. 10.17. is full; and for Repentance, that of Acts 2.37. ſpeaketh home, When they heard theſe things, they were pricked to the heart; mark, When they heard theſe things. The Word of God is an hammer with which God is pleaſed to break the ſtony heart; and a fire wherewith he melteth the hard mettal, Jerem. 23.29. In this reſpect it is that the Miniſter is called the Father of ſome Converts, namely thoſe whom he begetteth through the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 4.15.Jo…. Iſaac a Jew was converted by reading the 53. of Iſaiah. Junius by the firſt of Johns Goſpel. Auguſtine by the 13. of Romans I will never forget thy precepts, for by them thou haſt quickened me. David Pſal. 119.93.Rom 1Ps 119:93

There is a reſurrection of ſouls at this day, when Miniſters lift up their voice like a trumpet, Iſai. 58.1. Acts 2.37. as well as there ſhall be a reſurrection of bodies at the laſt day by the Trump of the Archangel. This is the net which God is pleaſed to caſt into the ſea of the world, and wherewith he harh caught many a ſoul; three thouſand at one draught, Acts 2.41. Spiritual life is the gift of God as well as eternal; the gift of all grace is of grace; but ordinarily, of his own will he begetteth ſouls by the word of truth, Jam. 1 18. If thou wilt have Wiſdomes dole, thou muſt wait at Wiſdomes gate, for there it is given, Prov. 8.34.

p. 202Grace is the law written in the heart, and uſually the miniſtry of the Word is the pen wherewith the Spirit of God writes it.

That is the bed wherein the children of God are begotten, Cantic. 1.16. That is the ſchool wherein the Diſciples are taught of God, and learn the truth as it is in Jeſus. The Miniſters Commiſſion doth abundantly evince this, I ſend thee, ſaith God to Paul, to open the eyes of the blind, and to turn men from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan to the living God.

God indeed is a moſt free Agent, and can work when and how he pleaſeth; but it hath pleaſed him to make the Goſpel of Chriſt his own power unto ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. and it pleaſeth him by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching to ſave them that believe, 1 Cor. 1.21. Abana and Pharpar, Rivers of Damaſcus, to the eye of ſenſe, may ſeem better then all the waters of Iſrael; but Jordan can cleanſe and heal when thoſe cannot, becauſe it hath a divine precept and promiſe annexed to it. Nay obſerve how God is pleaſed to dignifie his Word, and to honour his own Ordinance. When he hath begun the work of converſion himſelf immediately, he will not perfect p. 203it without the miniſtry of his Word. He ſendeth Paul to Ananias, Acts 9.21. to learn what he ſhould doe; and biddeth Cornelius by an Angel (for an Angel muſt not doe that work) to ſend for Peter, and from him to hear words whereby he and his houſe ſhould be ſaved, Acts 10.5, 6. David who was wiſer then the ancients, then his enemies, then his teachers, lyeth many months aſleep on the bed of ſecurity, in a moſt filthy pickle, till a Prophet is ſent to call him up and awake him; then, and not till then, he mindeth cleanſing, as appeareth plainly by the title and body of the 51. Pſalm; So Davids heart ſmote him for numbring the people; but mark the means of it; For (ſaith the Text) when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came to Gad, and commanded him to goe to David, 2 Sam. 24.10, 11, 12.

Yea, the very honour of ſaving ſouls, the moſt High aſcribeth to the miniſtry of his Word, 1 Tim. 4.16. Timothy is ſpoken of, as ſaving himſelf and them that hear him, i. e, inſtrumentally; thus highly God doth magnifie his Ordinances, though many men vilifie them. Doe not thou therefore forſake the aſſemblies of the Saints, as the p. 204manner of ſome is, Heb. 10.25. but lie conſtantly at the pool,Some that have come to church to ſleep (as Mr. Latimer ſaith) have been taken napping. praying and waiting for the troubling of the waters of the Sanctuary. The Angel of the Covenant may move there, and thy diſeaſed ſoul thereby be healed. As thou wouldſt learn that leſſon whereby thou mayſt be wiſe to ſalvation, do not play the truant, but frequent that School where the Prophet of the Church teacheth. As thou wouldſt not quench the Spirit, deſpiſe not propheſying, 1 Theſſ. 5.19, 20.

They that came to catch the Preacher, have been caught by the Sermon, as Auſtin by Ambroſe. Auſt. Confeſſ. 5. lib. 14. And they that come to ſee faſhions, as Moſes came to the Buſh, maybe called as he was. The Souldiers or Officers that went to apprehend Chriſt were probably apprehended by Chriſt, John 7.46. Wh n Henry Zatphen was Preacher at Breme, the Papiſts ſent the…r Chaplains to hear, that they might intrap him, but God converted by his miniſtry many of them. Sleid. Comment.John 7:46If thou wouldſt have thy heart throughly humbled, make uſe of the Word; you may read of a bad, hard, curſed heart indeed humbled by this, 2 Chron. 33.12. and 18. v. Manaſſes in his affliction humbled himſelf greatly; for God ſent unto him Prophets and Seers, that ſpake unto him in the name of the Lord: ſo 2 Sam. 24.10, 11, 12.

Wouldſt thou reſt upon Jeſus Chriſt for ſalvation? Mind the Word, Every one that p. 205hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me, John 6.45.

Wouldſt thou have thine inward man renewed and changed? This may be done by the bleſſing of God accompanying his Word; therefore it is called the engraffed Word, Jam. 1.21. To teach us, that as the ſciences of a good apple graffed into a crabtree ſtock, hath vertue to change the nature of it; ſo hath the word preached (for of that he ſpeaketh as is manifeſt, v, 19, 22, 23.) vertue to change the heart of man.

Reader let me perſwade thee to have a reverent eſteem of, and to be very familiar with the Word of God, reading it conſtantly, and hearing it frequently as the Lord ſhall give thee opportunities; but take heed how thou heareſt, Luke 8.18. how thou readeſt. Attend on the Word (having firſt laid aſide all ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe; weeds, muſt be rooted up before the ground of mans heart is fit to receive the ſeed of the Word) 1. With meekneſſe of ſpirit, Jam. 1.21. The humble ſinner is fitteſt to be Chriſts Schollar. The meek he will teach his way, the meek he will guide in judgement, Pſal. 25.8, 9. When the heart p. 206is tender, it is moſt teachable, it is like white paper for any inſcription, like ſoft wax for any impreſſion. A proud perſon is too good (in his own conceit) to be taught; he quarrelleth and rageth either at the perſon that preacheth, or at the plainneſſe of the ſermon, but to his own ruine. He rejecteth the counſel of God, but it is againſt himſelf, to his own hurt, Luke 7.30. The weak corn, which yeilds to the wind, receiveth no dammage by it; but the proud ſturdy oak which reſiſteth it, is often broken in pieces.

2. Attend on the Word with a reſolution to obey whatever the Lord ſhall in his Word command thee. O 'tis excellent to ſit at Gods feet, hearing his voice purpoſely that thou mighteſt doe his will: like a ſervant, to goe to thy maſter and know his mind, that thou mayſt fulfill it; when thou canſt ſay, I am here preſent before the Lord to hear and doe the things that are commanded me of God, Acts 10.33. like the Romans, deliver up thy ſelf wholly to that form of doctrine which God hath delivered down unto thee,foreign. as mettal for any ſtamp and mould, Rom. 6.17.