A Body of Practical Divinity, Sermon 82

A Body of Practical Divinity · Sermon 82

p. 385EXOD. XX.17.

Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbour's House, thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife, &c.

I am in the next place to resolve a Question, How we may do to cure this Itch of Covetousness?

Resp. For Answer to this, I shall prescribe some Remedies and Antidotes against this Sin.

1. Faith. 1 Iohn 5.4. This is the Victory over the World, even your Faith. The Root of Covetousness is, the Distrust of God's Providence. Faith believes God will provide. God who feeds the Birds will feed his Children. He who cloaths the Lillies, will cloath his Lambs: And so Faith overcomes the World. Faith is the Cure of Care. Faith not only purifies the Heart, but satisfies the Heart. Faith makes God our Portion, and so in him we have enough. Psal. 16.5. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance, the Lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly Heritage. Faith by a Divine Chymistry extracts its chief Comforts out of God. A little with God is sweet. Thus Faith is a Remedy against Covetousness. Faith overcomes not only the Fear of the World, but the Love of the World.

2. The Second Remedy is, Judicious Consideration.

(1.) What poor things these things below are, that we should covet them. 1. They are below the worth of the Soul, which carries in it an Idea and Resemblance of God. The World is but the Workmanship of God, the Soul is the Image of God. 2. You covet that which will not satisfie you. Eccles. 5.10. He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver. Solomon had put all the Creatures in a Limbeck, and stilled out the p. 386Quintessence, and behold, All was Vanity, Eccles. 2.11. Covetousness is a dry Dropsie; the more a Man hath, the more he thirsts. Quo plus sunt potae, plus sitiuntur aquae. 3. Worldly things cannot remove Trouble of mind. King Saul being perplexed in Conscience, all his Crown-Jewels could not administer Comfort to him, 1 Sam. 28.15. The things of the World will no more ease a troubled Spirit, than a Gold Cap will cure the Head-ach. 4. The things of the World, if you had more of them, cannot continue with you. foreign, Isocr. The Creature hath a little Honey in its Mouth, but it hath Wings to fly away. Glass Mettal. These things either go from us, or we from them. What poor things are these to covet?

(2.) Second Consideration. The Frame and Contexture of the Body. God hath made the Face to look upwards towards Heaven.

Os Homini sublime dedit, coelum que tueri

Iussit—

Ovid.

Anatomists observe, that whereas other Creatures have but Four Muscles to their Eyes, Man hath a Fifth Muscle, by which he is able to look up to Heaven. And as for the Heart, it is made like a Glass Viol, narrow and contracted downwards, but wide and broad upwards. And as the Frame and Contexture of the Body teacheth us to look to things Above, so especially the Soul is planted in the Body, as a Divine Sparkle to ascend upwards. Can it be imagined that God gave us intellectual Immortal Souls, to covet only Earthly things? What wise Man would fish for Gudgeons with Golden Hooks? Did God give us Glorious Souls, only to fish for the World? Sure our Souls are made for an higher End; to aspire after the enjoyment of God in Glory.

(3.) Third Consideration. The Examples of those who have been Contemners and Despisers of the World. The Primitive Christians, as Clemens Alexandrinus observes, were sequestred from the World, and where wholly taken up in Converse with God; they lived in the World above the World. Like the Birds of Paradise,Ambrose. who soar above in the Air, and seldom or never touch with their Feet upon Earth. Luther saith, That he was never tempted to this Sin of Covetousness. The Saints of old, tho they did live in the World, they did trade in Heaven. Phil. 3.20. foreign, Our Conversation is in Heaven. The Greek Word signifies, our Commerce, or Traffick, or Burghership is in Heaven. Enoch walked with God, Gen. 5.24. His Affections were sublimated, he did take a turn in Heaven every Day. The Righteous are compared to a Palm-Tree, Psal. 92.12. Philo observes, That whereas all other Trees have their Sap in their Root, the Sap of the Palm-tree is towards the Top. The Emblem of the Saints, whose Hearts are above in Heaven, where their Treasure is.

3. The Third Remedy. Covet Spiritual things more, and you will Covet earthly things less. Covet Grace. Grace is the best Blessing; it is the Seed of God, 1 Iohn 3.9. The Angels Glory: covet Heaven. Heaven is the Region of Happiness, 'tis the most pleasant Climate. Did we covet Heaven more, we should covet Earth less. They that stand on the top of the Alps, the great Cities of Campania seem but as small Villages in their Eye. If we could have our Hearts more fixed upon the Ierusalem above, how would all Worldly things disappear, and be as nothing in our Eye. We read of an Angel coming down from Heaven, who did tread with his right Foot on the Sea, and with his left Foot on the Earth, Rev. 10.2. Had we but once been in Heaven, and viewed the Superlative Glory of it, how might we in an holy Scorn trample with one Foot upon the Earth, and with the other Foot upon the Sea. Oh covet after Heavenly things. There is the Tree of Life, the Mountains of Spices, the Rivers of Pleasure, the Honey-comb of God's Love dropping, the Delights of Angels, the Flower of Joy fully ripe and blown. There is the pure Air to breath in; no Fogs nor Vapors of Sin arise to infect that Air, but the Sun of Righteousness enlightens that Horizon continually with its glorious Beams. O let your Thoughts and Delights be always taken up about the City of Pearl, the Paradise of God. Did we covet Heavenly things more, we should covet earthly things less. It is reported after Lazarus was raised from the Grave, he was never seen to smile or be delighted with the World after. Were our Hearts rais'd by the Power of the Holy Ghost up to Heaven, we should not be much taken with Earthly things.

p. 3874. The Fourth Remedy. Pray for an Heavenly Mind. Lord, let the Loadstone of thy Spirit draw my Heart upward. Lord, dig the Earth out of my Heart; teach me how to possess the World, and not love it; how to hold it in my hand, and not let it get into my Heart. So much for the Commandment in General, Thou shalt not cover.

(2.) I shall speak of it more Particularly: Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House, thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife, &c. Observe here the Holiness and Perfection of God's Law. It forbids the Motus primo primi, the First Motions and Risings of Sin in the Heart, Thou shalt not covet. The Laws of Men take hold of the Actions, but the Law of God goes further, it forbids not only the Actions, but the Affections. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House. It is not said, Thou shalt not take away his House: But, Thou shalt not covet it. These Lustings and Desires after the Forbidden Fruit are sinful. Rom. 7.7. The Law hath said, Thou shalt not covet. Tho the Tree bears no bad Fruit, it may be faulty at the Root. Tho a Man doth not commit Gross Sin, yet who can say his Heart is pure? There may be a Faultiness at the Root, there may be sinful Covetings and Lustings in the Soul.

Vse. Let us be humbled for the Sin of our Nature, the Risings of Evil Thoughts, coveting that which we ought not. Our Nature is a Seed-Plot of Iniquity; it is like Charcoal, that is ever sparkling. The Sparkles of Pride, Envy, Covetousness, arise in the Mind. How should this humble us! If there be not sinful Actings, there are sinful Covetings. Let us pray for mortifying Grace, which may be like the Water of Jealousie, to make the Thigh of Sin to rot. But to come to the Words more nearly, Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House, nor thy Neighbours Wife, &c.

Quest. Why is the House put before the Wife? In Deuteronomy the Wife is put first, Deut. 5.21. Neither shalt thou desire thy Neighbours Wife, neither shalt thou covet thy Neighbours House. Here the House is put first.

Resp. In Deuteronomy the Wife is set down first in respect of her Value. She (if a good Wife) is of far greater Value and Estimate than the House. Prov. 31.10. Her Price is far above Rubies. She is the Furniture of the House, and this Furniture is more worth than the House. When Alexander had overcome King Darius in Battel, Darius seemed not to be much dismayed. But when he heard his Wife was taken Prisoner, now his Eyes like Spouts did gush forth Water, as valuing his Wife dearer than his Life. But yet in this place in Exodus, the House is put before the Wife: The Reason is, Because the House is first in Order. The House is erected before the Wife can live in it. The Nest is built before the Bird is in it. The Wife is first esteemed, but the House must be first provided.

1. Then, Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House. How depraved is Man since the Fall! Man knows not how to keep within Bounds, but is coveting more than his own. Ahab one would think had enough; he was King, and one would suppose his Crown-Revenues should have contented him; but still he was coveting more; Naboth's Vineyard was in his Eye, and stood near the Smoak of his Chimney, and he could not be quiet till he had it in Possession. Were there not so much Coveting, there would not be so much Bribing. One Man pulls away anothers House from him. It is only the Prisoner lives in such a Tenement as he may be sure none will go about to take from him.

2. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife. This Commandment is a Bridle to check the Inordinacy of Brutish Lusts. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife. It was the Devil that sowed another Man's Ground, Matth. 13.25. But how is the Hedge of this Commandment trodden down in our Times! There be many who do more than covet their Neighbours Wives, they take them. Deut. 27.20. Cursed be he that lies with his Fathers Wife, and all the People shall say Amen. If it were to be proclaimed, Cursed be he that lies with his Neighbours Wife, and all that were guilty should say Amen, how many would curse themselves!

3. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Man-servant, nor his Maid-servant. Servants, when Faithful, are a Treasure. What a true and trusty Servant had Abraham, he was his Right-hand! How prudent and faithful was he in the matter he was entrusted with, in getting a Wife for his Masters Son! Gen. 24.9. And surely, it would have gone near to Abraham to have had any one enticed away his Servant from him. But this Sin of coveting Servants is common. If one hath a better Servant, others will be inveigling and laying Baits for him, and endeavour to draw him away from his Master. This is a Sin against the Tenth Commandment. To steal away anothers Servant by Enticement, is no better than Thievery.

p. 3884. Nor his Ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is thy Neighbours. Were there not coveting of Ox and Ass, there would not be so much stealing. First Men break the Tenth Commondment by coveting, and then they break the Eighth Commandment by stealing. It was an excellent Appeal that Samuel made to the People, 1 Sam. 12.3. Witness against me before the Lord, whose Ox have I taken, or whose Ass, or whom have I defrauded. And it was a brave Speech of St. Paul, Acts 20.33. I have coveted no Man's Gold, or Silver, or Apparel.

Quest. But what means may we use to keep us from coveting that which is our Neighbours?

Ans. The best Remedy is Contentation. If we are content with our own, we shall not covet that which is anothers. St. Paul could say, I have coveted no Man's Gold or Silver. Whence was this? It was from Contentment. Phil. 4.11. I have learned in whatever state I am, therewith to be content. Content saith, as Iacob, Gen. 33.11. I have enough: I have a Promise of Heaven, and have sufficient to bear my Charges thither, I have enough. And he who hath enough will not covet that which is anothers. Be content: And the best way to be contented is, (1.) Believe that Condition best which God carves out to you by his Providence. If God had seen it fit for us to have more, we should have had it; but his Wisdom sees this best for us. Perhaps we could not manage a great Estate, it is hard to carry a full Cup without spilling, and a full Estate without sinning. Great Estates may he Snares; a Boat may be overturned by having too great a Sail. The believing that Estate best God carves us, makes us content; and being contented, we will not covet that which is anothers. (2.) The way to be content with such things as we have, and not to covet anothers, is to consider the less Estate we have, the less Account we shall have to give at the last Day. Every Person is a Steward, and must be accountable to God. They who have great Estates, have the greater Reckoning. God will say, What good have you done with your Estates? Have you honoured me with your Substance? Where are the poor you have fed and cloathed? If you cannot give a good Account, it will be sad. This may make us contented with a less Portion: To consider, the less Estate, the less Account we have to give: The less Riches, the less Reckoning. This is the way to have Contentment, and no better Antidote against coveting that which is anothers, than being content with that which is our own.

So much for the Commandments.

Quest. Is any Man able perfectly to keep the Commandments of God?

Answ. No meer Man since the Fall is able in this Life perfectly to keep the Commandments of God, but doth daily break them in Thought, Word and Deed?

Iames 3.2. In many things we offend all. Man in his Primitive State of Innocency was endued with Ability to keep the whole Moral Law. Adam had rectitude of Mind, Sanctity of Will, Perfection of Power. Adam had the Copy of God's Law written in his Heart; no sooner did God command, but he did obey. As the Key is suited to all the Wards in the Lock, and can open them; so Adam had a Power suited to all God's Commands, and could obey them. Adam's Obedience did exactly run parallel with the Moral Law, as a well-made Dial goes exactly with the Sun. Man in Innocency was like a well-tuned Organ, he did sweetly tune to the Will of God. He was adorned with Holiness as the Angels, but not confirmed in Holiness as the Angels. Adam was Holy but Mutable; he fell from his Purity, and we with him. Sin cut the Lock of Original Righteousness where our Strength lay. Sin hath brought such a Languor and Faintness into our Souls, and hath so weakned us, that we shall never recover our full Strength till we put on Immortality. The thing I am now to demonstrate is, That we cannot yield perfect Obedience to the Moral Law. —In many things we offend all.

1. The Case of an Vnregenerate Man is such, that he cannot perfectly obey all God's Commands. He may as well touch the Stars, or span the Ocean, as yield exact Obedience to the Law. A Person unregenerate cannot act Spiritually, he cannot pray in the Holy Ghost, he cannot live by Faith, he cannot do Duty out of love to Duty; and if he cannot do Duty Spiritually, then much less Perfectly. Now that a Natural Man cannot yield perfect Obedience to the Moral Law, is evident: (1.) Because he is Spiritually dead, Eph. 2.1. And being so, how can he keep the p. 389Commandments of God perfectly? A dead Man is not fit for Action. A Sinner hath the Symptoms of Death upon him. 1. He hath no Sense; a Dead Man hath no Sense: He hath no Sense of the Evil of Sin, of God's Holiness and Veracity; therefore he is said to be without feeling, Eph. 4.19. 2. He hath no Strength, Rom. 5.6. What Strength hath a dead Man? A Natural Man hath no Strength to deny himself, to resist Temptation; he is dead: And can a dead Man fulfill the Moral Law? (2.) A natural Man cannot perfectly keep all God's Commandments, because he is so interlarded with Sin. He is born in Sin, Psal. 51.5. Iob 15.16. —He drinks Iniquity as Water. All the Imagination of his Thoughts are evil, and only evil, Gen. 6.5. Now the least Evil Thought is foreign, a Breach of the Royal Law: And if there be Defection, there cannot be Perfection. And as a natural Man hath no Power to keep the Moral Law, so he hath no Will. He is not only Dead, but worse than dead. A dead Man doth no Hurt, but there is a Life of Resistance against God goes along with the Death of sin? A Natural Man not only cannot keep the Law through Weakness, but he breaks it through Wilfulness. Ier. 44.17. We will do whatsoever goeth out of our Mouth, to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven.

2. As the Unregenerate cannot keep the Moral Law perfectly, so neither the Regenerate. Eccles. 7.20. There is not a just Man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not: Nay, that sins not in doing good. There's that in the best Actions of a Righteous Man that is damnable, if God should weigh him in the Ballance of Justice. Alas! How are his Duties Fly-blown. He cannot pray without wandring, nor believe without doubting. Rom. 7.18. To me to will is present, but how to perform I find not. In the Greek it is foreign, How to do it thoroughly I find not. Paul, tho a Saint of the first Magnitude, was better at willing, than at performing. Mary asked where they had laid Christ: She had a mind to have carried him away, but she wanted Strength: So the Regenerate have a Will to obey God's Law perfectly, but they want Strength: Their Obedience is weak and sickly: The Mark they are to shoot at is perfection of Holiness; tho they take a right Aim, yet do what they can they shoot short. Rom. 7.19. The Good which I would I do not. A Christian, while he is serving God, is hindred. Like a Ferry-man that plies the Oar, and rows hard, but a Gust of Wind carries him back again. So saith Paul, The Good I would I do not; I am driven back by a Temptation. Now if there be any Failure in our Obedience, we cannot make a perfect Commentary upon God's Law. No Christian alive can write a Copy of Holiness without blotting. The Virgin Mary's Obedience was not perfect, she needed Christ's Blood to wash her Tears. Aaron was to make Atonement for the Altar, Exod. 29.37. to show that the most holy Offering hath Defilement in it, and needs Atonement to be made for it.

Quest. 1. But if Man hath not power to keep the whole Moral Law, then why doth God require that of Man, which he is not able to perform? How doth this stand with his Iustice?

Answ. Tho Man hath lost his Power of Obeying, God hath not lost his Right of Commanding. If a Master entrusts a Servant with Money to lay out, and the Servant spends it dissolutely, may not the Master justly demand this Money? God gave us a Power to keep the Moral Law; we by tampering with Sin lost it: But may not God still call for perfect Obedience? Or in case of Default, justly punish us?

Quest. 2. But why doth God suffer such an Impotency to lie upon Man, that he cannot perfectly keep the Law?

Answ. The Lord doth it (1.) To humble us. Man is a self-exalting Creature, and if he hath but any thing of Worth, he is ready to be puffed up: But when he comes to see his foreign, his Deficiencies and Failings, and how far short he comes of the Holiness and Perfection God's Law requires; this is a means to pull down his Plumes of Pride, and lay them in the Dust. He weeps over his Impotency, he blusheth for his Leprous Spots; he saith as Iob, I abhor my self in Dust and Ashes. (2.) God lets this Impotency and Infirmness lie upon us, that we may have recourse to Christ to obtain Pardon for our Defects, and to sprinkle our best Duties with his Blood. When a Man sees himself indebted, he owes perfect Obedience to the Law, but he hath nothing to pay: This makes him fly to Christ to be his Friend, and answer all the Demands and Challenges of the Law, and set him free in the Court of Justice.

p. 390Vse I. Is matter of Humiliation for our Fall in Adam. In the State of Innocency we were perfectly holy; our Minds were crowned with Knowledge, and our Wills as a Queen did sway the Scepter of Liberty: But now we may say as Lam. 5.16. The Crown is fallen from our Head. We have lost that Power which was Inherent in us. When we look back to our Primitive Glory, when we s…ined as Earthly Angels, we may take up Iob's Words, Chap. 29.2. O that it were as in Months past! O that it were with us as at first, when there was no Stain upon our Virgin-Nature, when there was a perfect Harmony between God's Law, and Man's Will. But alas! Now the Scene is alter'd, our Strength is gone from us, we tread awry every Step; we come below every Precept; our Dwarfishness will not reach the Sublimity of God's Law; we fail in our Obedience; and while we fail, we forfeit. This may put us in close Mourning, and spring a Leak of Sorrow in all our Souls.

Vse II. 1st. Br. Confutation. It confutes the Arminians, who cry up the Power of the Will: They hold they have a Will to save themselves. But, by Nature we not only want Strength, Rom. 5.6. but we want Will to that which is Good. The Will is not only full of Impotency, but Obstinacy. Psal. 81.11. Israel would none of me. The Will hangs forth a Flag of Defiance against God. Such as speak of the Sovereign Power of the Will, forget Phil. 2.13. It is God that worketh in you foreign, both to will and to do. If the Power be in the Will of Man, then what needs God to work in us to Will? If the Air can enlighten it self, what needs the Sun to shine? Such as talk of the Power of Nature, and the Ability they have to save themselves, they disparage Christ's Merits. I may say as Gal. 5.4. Christ is become of no effect to them. This I affirm, Such as advance the Power of their Will in matters of Salvation, without the Medicinal Grace of Christ, do absolutely put themselves under the Covenant of Works. And now I would ask them, Can they perfectly keep the Moral Law? Malum oritur ex quolibet defectu. If there be but the least Defect in their Obedience, they are gone. For one sinful Thought the Law of God curseth them, and the Justice of God arraigns them. Confounded be their Pride, who cry up the Power of Nature, as if by their own inherent Abilities they could rear up a Building, the top whereof should reach to Heaven.

2d. Br. It confutes a sort of People that brag of Perfection; and according to that Principle, they can keep all God's Commandments perfectly. I would ask these, Have they at no time a vain Thought come into their Mind? if they have, then they are not perfect. The Virgin Mary was not perfect; tho' her Womb were pure (being overshadowed with the Holy Ghost) yet her Soul was not perfect. Christ doth tacitly imply a Failing in her, Luke 2.49. And are they more perfect than the Blessed Virgin was? Such as hold Perfection, need not confess Sin. David confessed Sin, Psal. 32.6. And Paul confessed Sin, Rom. 7.24. But they are got beyond David and Paul; they are perfect, they never transgress; and where there is no Transgression, what needs Confession?

2. If they are perfect, they need not ask Pardon: They can pay God's Justice what they owe; therefore what need they pray, Forgive us our Debts? O that the Devil should rock Men so fast asleep, as to make them dream of Perfection. And whereas they bring that, Phil. 3.15. Let us therefore as many as be Perfect be thus minded. Answ. Perfection there is meant of Sincerity. God is best able to interpret his own Word, he calls Sincerity Perfection. Iob 1.8. A perfect and an upright Man. But who is exactly perfect? A Man full of Diseases may as well say he is healthful, as a Man full of Sin say he is perfect.

Vse III. To Regenerate Persons. Tho you fail in your Obedience, and cannot keep the Moral Law exactly, yet be not discouraged.

Quest. What comfort may be given to a Regenerate Person under the Failures and Imperfections of his Obedience?

Resp. 1. That a Believer is not under the Covenant of Works, but under the Covenant of Grace. The Covenant of Works requires perfect, personal, perpetual Obedience. But in the Covenant of Grace God will make some Abatements: He will accept of less than he required in the Covenant of Works.

(1.) In the Covenant of Works God required Perfection of Degrees. In the Covenant of Grace he accepts Perfection of Parts: There he required perfect Working, here he accepts sincere Believing. In the Covenant of Works God required us to live without Sin; in the Covenant of Grace God accepts of our Combat with Sin.

p. 391(2.) Tho a Christian cannot in his own Person perform all God's Commandments, yet Christ as his Surety, and in his stead hath fulfilled the Law for him, and God accepts of Christ's Obedience, which is perfect, to satisfie for that Obedience which is imperfect: Christ being made a Curse for Believers, all the Curses of the Law have their Sting pulled out.

(3.) Tho a Christian cannot keep the Commands of God to Satisfaction, yet he may to Approbation.

Quest. How is that?

Answ. 1. He gives his full Assent and Consent to the Law of God. Rom. 7.12. The Law is Holy and Iust. There was Assent in the Judgment. Rom. 7.16. I consent to the Law. There was Consent in the Will.

2. A Christian mourns that he cannot keep the Commandments fully: When he fails, he weeps: He is not angry with the Law, because it is so strict; but he is angry with himself because he is so deficient.

3. He takes a sweet complacential Delight in the Law. Rom. 7.22. I delight in the Law of God, in the inward Man. Gr. foreign, I take Pleasure in it. Psal. 119.97. O how love I thy Law! Tho a Christian cannot keep God's Law, yet he loves his Law. Tho he cannot serve God perfectly, yet he serves him willingly.

4. It is his cordial Desire to walk in all God's Commands. Psal. 119.5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy Statues. Tho his Strength fails, yet his Pulse beats.

5. He doth really endeavour to obey God's Law perfectly, and wherein he comes short, he runs to Christ's Blood to make Supply for his Defects. This cordial Desire and real Endeavour God esteems as perfect Obedience. 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be a willing mind, it is accepted. Let me hear thy Voice, for sweet is thy Voice, Cant. 2.14. Tho the Prayers of the Righteous are mixed with Sin, yet God sees they would pray better; God picks out the Weeds from the Flowers; he sees the Faith, and winks at the Failing. The Saints Obedience, tho it falls short of Legal Perfection, yet having Sincerity in it, and Christ's Merits mix'd with it, finds gracious Acceptance. When the Lord sees endeavours after Perfect Obedience, this he takes well at our Hands: As a Father that receives a Letter from his Child, tho' there be Blots in the Letters and False Spellings, yet the Father takes all in good Part. O what Blottings are there in our Holy Things! But God is pleas'd to take all in good part. Saith God, It is my Child, and he would do better if he could; I will accept it.

Quest. Are all the Transgressions of the Law equally heinous?

Answ. Some Sins in themselves, and by reason of several Aggravations, are more hainous in the sight of God than others.

Iohn 19.11. He that delivered me unto thee hath the Greater Sin. The Stoick Philosophers held, that all Sins were equal. But this Scripture clearly holds forth, that there is a gradual difference in Sin: Some are greater than others: Some are mighty Sins, Amos 5.12. And crying Sins, Gen. 18.21. Every Sin hath a Voice to speak, but some Sins cry. As some Diseases are worse than others, and some poysons more venomous; so some Sins are more heinous, Ezek. 16.47. Ier. 16.12. You have done worse than your Fathers, your Sins have exceeded theirs. Some Sins have a blacker Aspect than others. To clip the King's Coyn is Treason, but to strike his Person is an higher degree of Treason. A vain Thoughr is a Sin, but a blasphemous Word is a greater Sin. That some Sins are greater than others, appears, (1.) Because there was difference in the Offerings under the Law. The Sin-offering was greater than the Trespass-Offering. (2.) Because some Sins are not capable of Pardon as others are, therefore they must needs he more heinous, as the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, Matth. 12.31. (3.) Because some Sins have a greater Degree of Punishment than others. Matth. 23.14. Ye shall receive greater Damnation, foreign. Shall not the Iudge of all the Earth do right? God would not punish one more than another, but that his Sin is greater. It is true, all Sins are equally hainous in respect of the Object, or the Person against whom Sin is committed, (viz.) The Infinite God. But in another Sence all Sins are not alike hainous. Some Sins have more bloody Circumstances in them, which are like the Die to the Wooll, to give it a deeper Colour.

p. 392Quest. What Sins may be said to be more hainous than others?

Resp. 1. Such Sins as are committed without any occasion offered: A Man swears or is angry, and hath no Provocation. The less the occasion of Sin is, the greater is the Sin. (2.) Such Sins are more hainous that are committed presumptuously. Under the Law there was no Sacrifice for Presumptuous Sins, Numb. 15.30.

Quest. What is it to sin presumptuously, which doth heighten and aggravate Sin, and make it more hainous?

Answ. To sin presumptuously, is to sin against Convictions and Illuminations, or an enlightned Conscience. Iob 24.13. They are of those that rebell against the Light. Conscience, like the Cherubim, stands with a Flaming Sword in its Hand, to deterr the Sinner, yet he will sin. Did not Pilat sin against Conviction, and with an high hand, in condemning Christ? He knew that of Envy the Jews had delivered him, Matth. 27.18. He confessed he found no fault with him, Luke 23.14. And his own Wife sent to him, Have nothing to do with that just Man, Matth. 27.19. Yet, for all this he gave the Sentence of Death against Christ. Here he sinned presumptuously, against an enlightned Conscience. To sin ignorantly doth something extenuate and pare off the Guilt. Iohn 15.22. If I had not come, ye had had no sin. That is, your Sin had been less. But to sin against Illuminations and Convictions, doth inhance and accent Mens Sins. These Sins make deep Wounds in the Soul. Other Sins fetch Blood, these are a Stab at the Heart.

Quest. How many ways doth a Man Sin against Illuminations and Convictions?

Answ. 1. When he lives in the total neglect of Duty. He is not ignorant that it is a Duty to read the Word, yet he lets the Bible lie by as rusty Armour, that he seldom makes use of. He is convinced that it is a Duty to pray in his Family, yet he can go Days and Months, and God never hear of him. He calls God Father, but never asks him Blessing. Neglect of Family-Prayer doth as it were uncover the Roof of Mens Houses, and make way for a Curse to be rained down upon their Table.

2. When a Man lives in the same Sins which he condemns in others. Rom. 2.1. Thou that judgest another dost the same things. As Austin saith of Seneca, He wrote against Superstitions, yet he worshipped those Images which he reproved. One Man condemns another for rash censuring, yet lives in the same Sin himself. A Master reproves his Apprentice for Swearing, yet he himself Swears. The Snuffers of the Tabernacle were of pure Gold. They who reprove and snuff the Vices of others, had need themselves to be free from those Sins. The Snuffers must be of Gold.

3. When a Man sins after Vow. Psal. 56.12. Thy Vows, O God, are upon me. A Vow is a Religious Promise made to God to dedicate our selves to him. A Vow is not only a Purpose, but a Promise. Every Votary makes himself a Debtor, he binds himself to God in a solemn manner. Now to Sin after Vow, to vow himself to God, and give his Soul to the Devil, must needs be against the highest Convictions.

4. When a Man sins after Counsels, Admonitions, Warnings, he cannot plead Ignorance: The Trumpet of the Gospel hath been blown in his Ears, and sounded a Retreat to call him off from his Sins; he hath been told of his Injustice, living in Malice, keeping bad Company, yet he would venture upon Sin. This is to sin against Conviction; it aggravates the Sin, and is like a Weight put in the Scale, to make his Sin weigh the heavier. If a Sea-mark be set up to give Warning that there are Shelves and Rocks in that place, yet if the Mariner will fail there, and split his Ship, it is Presumption; and if he be cast away, who will pity him?

5. When a Man sins against express Comminations and Threatnings. God hath thundered out Threatnings against such Sins. Psal. 66.21. God shall wound the hairy Scalp of such an one as goes on still in his Trespasses. Yet tho God set the point of his Sword to the Breast of a Sinner, yet he will commit Sin. The Pleasure of Sin doth more delight him, than the Threatnings affright him. He, like the Liviathan, laughs at the shaking of a Spear, Iob 41.29. Nay, he derides God's Threatnings. Isa. 5.19. Let him make speed and hasten his Work that we may see it. We have heard much what God intends to do, and of Judgment approrching, we would fain see it. For Men to see the Flaming Sword of God's Threatnings brandished, yet to strengthen themse…ves in Sin, is in an high manner to sin against Illumination and Conviction.

6. When a Man sins under Affliction. God doth not only thunder by Threatning, but hath let his Thunderbolt fall; he hath inflicted Judgments on a Person, he may read his Sin in his Punishment, yet he sins: His Sin was Vncleanness; he hath wasted his Strength as well as his Estate; he hath had a Fit of Apoplexy, yet tho p. 393he feels the smart of Sin, he retains the Love of Sin. This is to sin against Conviction. 2 Chron. 28.22. In his Distress did he trespass yet more: this is that King Ahaz. This doth inhance and make the Sin greater than other Sins: For sinning against an enlightned Conscience,

First, Is full of Obstinacy and Pertinaciousness. Men can give no Reason, make no Defence for their Sins, yet they are resolved to hold fast Iniquity. This is desperate Wilfulness: And Voluntas est regula & mensura actionis, The more of the Will in a Sin, the greater the Sin. Ier. 18.12. We will walk after our own Devices. Tho there be Death and Hell every step, we will march on under Satan's Colours. This made the Sin of the Apostate Angels so great, because it was wilful; they had no Ignorance in their Mind, no Passion to stir them up, there was no Tempter to deceive them, but they sinn'd obstinately and out of Choice.

Secondly, To sin against Convictions and Illuminations, is joyn'd with slighting and contempt of God. It is bad for a Sinner to forget God, but it is worse to contemn him. Prov. 10.13. Wherefore do the wicked contemn God? An enlightned Sinner knows that by his Sin he disobligeth and angers God; but he cares not whether God be pleased or no, he will have his Sin. Therefore such an one is said to reproach God. Numb. 15.30. The Soul that doth ought presumptuously, the same reproacheth the Lord. Every Sin displeaseth God, but sins against an enlightned Conscience reproach the Lord. To contemn the Authority of a Prince, is a Reproach done to him.

Thirdly, It is accompanied with Impudency. Fear and Shame are banished, the Vail of Modesty is laid aside. Zeph. 3.5. The Vnjust knoweth no shame. Iudas knew Christ was the Messiah, he was convinced of it by an Oracle from Heaven, and by the Miracles he wrought, and yet he impudently goes on in his Treason; nay, when Christ said, He that dips his Hand with me in the Dish, he shall betray me. And Iudas knew Christ meant him: And when Iudas was going about his Treason, Christ pronounced a Wo to him, Luke 22.22. yet for all that he proceeded in his Treason. Thus to sin presumptuously, against an enlightned Conscience, dies the Sin of a crimson Colour, and makes it greater than other Sins.

(3.) Such Sins are more hainous than others, which are Sins of Continuance. The continuing of Sin is the inhancing of Sin. He who plots Treason, makes himself a greater Offender. Some Men's Heads are the Devil's Mint-house, they are minting of Mischief. Rom. 1.30. Inventers of evil things. Some invent new Oaths, others new Snares: Such were those Presidents that invented a Decree against Daniel, and got the King to sign it, Dan. 6.9.

(4.) Those Sins are greater which proceed from a Spirit of Malignity. To malign Holiness is Diabolical. 'Tis a Sin to want Grace, it is worse to hate it. In Nature there are Antipathies, as between the Vine and Lawrel. Some have an Antipathy against God because of his Purity. Isa. 30.11. Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Sinners, if it lay in their Power, would not only Unthrone God, but Unbe God. If they could help it, God should be no longer God. This Sin is boil'd up to a greater height.

(5.) Those Sins are of a greater Magnitude, which are mixed with Ingratitude. God cannot endure of all things to have his kindness slighted. God's Mercy is seen in reprieving Men so long, in wooing them by his Spirit and Ministers to be reconciled, in crowning them with so many Temporal Blessings; now to abuse all this Love, when God hath been filling up the Measure of his Mercy, that Men should fill up the Measure of theit Sins! This is high Ingratitude, and doth make their Sins of a deeper Crimson. Some are worse for Mercy. The Vulture (saith Aelian) draws Sickness from Perfumes: So the Sinner contracts Evil from the sweet Perfumes of God's Mercy. The English Chronicle reports of one Parry, who being condemned to die, Queen Elizabeth sent him his Pardon; and after he was pardoned, he conspired and plotted the Queens Death. Just …o some deal with God; he bestows Mercy, and they plot Treason against him. Isa. 1.2. I have nourished and brought up Children, and they have rebelled against me. The Athenians, in lieu of the good Service Themistocles had done them, banished him their City. The Snake in the Fable being frozen, stung him that gave it Warmth. Certainly sins against Mercy are far more hainous.

(6.) Those Sins are more hainous than other, which are committed with Delectation. A Child of God may sin through a Surprizal, or against his Will. Rom. 7.19. The Evil which I would not, that do I. Like one that is carried down the Stream involuntarily. But to sin with Delight, doth heighten and greaten the Sin: A sign the Heart is in the Sin. Hos. 4.8. They set their Heart on their Iniquity. As a p. 394Man follows his Gain with Delight. Rev. 22.15. Without are Dogs, and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lie. To tell a Lie is a sin, but to love to tell a Lie is a greater sin.

(7.) Those sins are more hanous than others, which are committed under a pretence of Religion. To couzen and defraud is a sin, but to do it with a Bible in ones Hand is a double sin. To be unchaste is a sin, but to put on a Mask of Religion to play the Whore, makes the sin the greater. Prov. 7.14. I have Peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my Vows, come let us take our fill of Love. She speaks as if she had been at Church, and had been saying her Prayers; who would ever have suspected her of Dishonesty? But behold her Hypocrisie; she makes her Devotion a Preface to Adultery. Luke 20.47. Who devour Widows Houses, and for pretence make long Prayers. This sin was not in making long Prayers, (for Christ was a whole Night in Prayer) but to make long Prayers that they might do unrighteous Actions, did make their sin more horrid.

(8.) Sins of Apostacy are more hainous than other. Demas forsook the Truth, 2 Tim. 4.10. and afterwards became a Priest in an Idol Temple, saith Dorotheus. To fall is a sin, but to fall away is a greater sin. Apostates cast a Disgrace upon Religion. The Apostate (saith Tertullian) seems to put God and Satan in the Ballance, and having weighed both their Services, prefers the Devils Services, and proclaims him to be the best Master. In which respect the Apostate is said to put Christ to open Shame, Heb. 6.6. This dies a sin in grain, and makes it greater. It is a sin not to profess Christ, but it is a greater to deny him. Not to wear Christ's Colours is a sin, but to run from his Colours is a greater Sin. A Pagan sins less than a Baptized Renegado.

(9.) To persecute Religion, makes sin greater, Acts 7.22. To have no Religion is a sin, but to endeavour to destroy Religion is a greater. Antiochus Epiphanes took more tedious Journies,Epiphan. Luke 3.20Luke 3:20 and run more hazards, to vex and oppose the Jews, than all his Predecessors had done in obtaining Victories. Herod added this above all, that he put Iohn in Prison. He sinned before by Incest; but by imprisoning the Prophet, this added to his sin, and made it greater. Persecution fills up the Measure of sin. Matth. 23.32. Fill you up the measure of your Fathers. If you pour in a Porringer of Water into a Cistern, that adds something to it; but pour in a Bucket full or two, and that fills up the measure of the Cistern. So Persecution fills up the measure of sin, and makes it greater.

(10.) To sin malitiously, makes sin greater. Aquinas and other of the School-men place the sin against the Holy Ghost in Malice. The Sinner doth all he can to vex God, and despight the Spirit of Grace, Heb. 10.29. Thus Iulian, who threw up his Dagger in the Air, as if he would have been revenged upon God. This swells sin to its full bigness, it cannot be greater. When a Man is once come to this, blasphemously to despight the Spirit, there is but one step lower he can fall, and that is to Hell.

(11.) & ult. It aggravates sin, and makes it greater, when a Man not only sins himself, but endeavours to make others sin. 1. Such as teach Errors to the People, who decry Christ's Deity, or deny his Vertue, making him only a Political Head, not an Head of Influence; who preach against the Morality of the Sabbath, or the Immorality of the Soul. These Mens sins are greater than others. If the Breakers of God's Law sin, what do they that teach Men to break them? Matth. 5.19. 2. Such as destroy others by their bad Example. The swearing Father hath taught his Son to swear, and damned him by his Example. These Mens sins are greater than others, and they shall have an hotter place in Hell.

Vse. You see all sins are not Equal, some are more grievous than others, and bring greater Wrath; therefore especially take heed of these Sins. Psal. 19.13. Keep hack thy Servant from presumptuous sins. The least sin is bad enough, you need not aggravate your sins, and make them more hainous. He that hath a little Wound will not make it deeper. Oh beware of those bloody Circumstances which greaten your sin, and make it more hainous. The higher a Man is in sinning, the lower he shall lie in Torment.

Quest. What doth every Sin deserve?

Answ. "God's Wrath and Curse both in this Life, and that which is to come.

Matth. 25.41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire.—

p. 395Man having sinned, is like a Favourite turn'd out of the King's Favour, and deserves the Wrath and Curse of God.

(1.) God's Curse, Gal. 3.10. As when Christ cursed the Fig-tree, it withered, Matth. 21.19. So when God curseth any, he withers in his Soul. God's Curse blasts where-ever it comes.

(2.) God's Wrath; which is nothing else but the Execution of God's Curse.

First, What this Wrath is? In this Wrath there is, 1. Something that is Privative; that is, the being deprived of the Smiles of God's Face. It is Hell enough to be excluded God's Presence; In whose Presence is fulness of Ioy, Psal. 16.11. God's smiling Face hath that Splendor and Oriency of Beauty shining in it, as ravisheth the Angels with delight. This is the Diamond in the Ring of Glory. And if it were such a Misery for Absalom that he might not see the King's Face, 2 Kings 14.22. what will it be for the wicked to be shut out from beholding God's pleasant Face! Privatio divinae Visionis omnium suppliciorum summum.

Secondly, God's Wrath hath something in it Positive. That is, his Frown and enraged Fury, which is foreign, Wrath come upon the Sinner to the uttermost, 1 Thess. 2.16. Here, three Positions or Maxims.

1. God's Wrath is irresistible. Psal. 90.11. Who knows the power of thy anger? Sinners may oppose God's Ways, but not his Wrath. Shall the Briars contend with the Fire? Shall finite contend with infinite? Iob 40.9. Hast thou an Arm like God?

2. God's Wrath is Terrible. The Spanish Proverb is, The Lion is not so fierce as he is painted. We are apt to have slight Thoughts of God's Wrath, but it is very tremendous and dismal: as if scalding Lead should be dropped in ones Eye. The Hebrew Word for Wrath, foreign, signifies Heat. To show that the Wrath of God is hot, therefore it is compared to Fire in the Text. Fire, when it is in its Rage, is dreadful, (as we saw in the Flames of this City.) So the Wrath of God is like Fire, it is the Terrible of Terribles. Other Fire is but painted to this. If when God's Wrath is kindled but a little, and a Spark of it flies into a wicked Man's Conscience in this Life, it is so terrible; what will it be when God stirs up all his Wrath? Psalm 78.38. How sad is it with a Soul in Desertion! Now God dips his Pen in Gall, and writes bitter things. Now his poysoned Arrow sticks fast in the Heart. Psal. 88.15, 16. While I suffer thy Terrors I am distracted, thy fierce Wrath goeth over me. Luther in Desertion was in such Horror of Mind, that Nec calor, nec Sanguis super-esset, He had no Blood seen in his Face, but he lay as one dead. Now, if God's Wrath be such towards them whom he loves, what will it be towards them whom he hates? If they who sip of the Cup find it so bitter, what will they do who drink the Dregs of the Cup? Psal. 75.8. Solomon saith, The Wrath of a Prince is as the roaring of a Lion, Prov. 19.12. What then is God's Wrath? When God musters up all his Forces, and sets himself in Battalia against a Sinner, how can his Heart endure? Ezek. 22.14. Who is able to lie under Mountains of Wrath? God is the sweetest Friend but the forest Enemy. To set forth the fearfulness of this Wrath:

(1.) The Wrath of God shall seize upon every part of a Sinner. 1. Upon the Body: The Body which was so tender, it could not bear Heat or Cold, shall be tormented in the Wine-press of God's Wrath. Those Eyes which before could only behold Amorous Objects, shall be tormented with the sight of Devils. The Ears, which before were delighted with Musick, shall be tormented with the hideous Shrieks of the Damned. 2. The Wrath of God shall seize upon the Soul of of a Reprobate. Ordinary Fire cannot touch the Soul. When the Martyrs Bodies were consuming, their Souls did triumph in the Flames; but God's Wrath burns the Soul. 1. The Memory shall be tormented to remember what means of Grace have been abused. 2. The Conscience shall be tormented with self-accusations: The Sinner shall accuse himself for presumptuous sins, for mis-spending his precious hours, for resisting the Holy Ghost.

(2.) The Wrath of God is without Intermission. Hell is an abiding-place, but no resting-place: There is not a Minutes Rest. Outward Pain hath some Abatement: If it be the Stone or Cholick, the Patient hath sometimes Ease; but the Torments of the Damned have no Intermission. He that feels God's Wrath, never saith, I have Ease.

(3.) The Wrath of God is Eternal. So saith the Text, Everlasting Fire. No Tears can quench the Flame of God's Anger; no, tho we could shed Rivers of Tears. In all Pains of this Life Men hope for a Cessation, the Suffering will not continue long; either the Tormentor dies, or the Tormented: But the Wrath of God is always feeding upon a Sinner. The Terror of Natural Fire is, that it consumes p. 396what it burns: But this makes the Fire of God's Wrath terrible, that it doth not consume what it burns. Sic morientur damnati ut semper vivunt. Bern. The Sinner shall ever be in the Furnace, after innumerable Millions of Years the Wrath of God is as far from ending as it was at the beginning. If all the Earth and Sea were Sand, and every Thousand Years a Bird should come and take away one Grain of this Sand, it would be a long while e're that vast heap of Sand were emptied; but if after all that time the Damned might come out of Hell, there were some Hope. But this Word Ever breaks the Herrt.

Quest. But how doth it seem to consist with God's Iustice to punish Sin, (which perhaps was committed in a Moment) with Eternal Fire?

Answ. In respect of the hainous Nature of Sin. Consider the Person offended; 'tis Crimen laesae Majestatis: Sin is committed against an Infinite Majesty: therefore the Sin is infinite, and so the Punishment must be Infinite. Now because the Nature of Man is but Finite, and a Sinner cannot at once bear Infinite Wrath, therefore he must in Eternity of Time be satisfying what he cannot satisfie at once.

(4.) While the Wicked lie scorching in the Flames of Wrath, they have none to commiserate them. 'Tis some Ease of Grief to have some condole with us; but the Wicked have Wrath and no Pity shown them. Who should pity them? God will not pity them. They derided his Spirit, and now he will laugh at their Calamity, Prov. 1.26. The Saints will not pity them: They persecuted the Saints upon Earth, therefore they will rejoyce to see God's Justice executed on them. Psal. 58.10. The Righteous shall rejoyce when he sees the Vengeance.

(5.) The Sinner under Wrath hath none to speak a good Word for him. An Elect Person when he sins hath one to intercede for him: 1 Iohn 2.1. We have an Advocate, Iesus Christ the righteous. Christ will say, It is one of my Friends, one whom I have shed my Blood for; Father, pardon him. But the Wicked (that die in Sin) have none to solicit for them; they have an Accuser but no Advocate; Christ's Blood will not plead for them; they slighted Christ, and refused to come under his Government, therefore Christ's Blood cries against them.

3. God's Wrath is Iust. The Greek Word for Vengeance, foreign, signifies Iustice. The Wicked shall drink a Sea of Wrath, but not one drop of Injustice. 'Tis just that God's Honour be repaired, and how can that be but by punishing Offenders? Having shown you what this Wrath of God is, I shall shew you, 2. That we have deserved the Curse and Wrath of God. He who infringeth the Kings Laws, deserves the Penalty. Mercy goes by Favour, Punishment by Desert. Dan. 9.8. To us belongeth Confusion of Face. Wrath is that which belongeth to us as we are Sinners; it is as due to us as any Wages that is paid.

Vse I. Inform. First Branch. It justifies God in condemning Sinners at the last Day. Sinners deserve Wrath, and it is no Injustice to give them that which they deserve. If a Malefactor deserves Death, the Judge doth him no wrong in condemning him.

2d. Br. See what a great Evil Sin is, which exposeth a Person to God's Wrath for ever. **Ex uguue Leonem.You may know the Lion by his Paw: And you may know what an evil thing sin is by the Wrath and Curse it brings. When you see a Man drawn upon an Hurdle to Execution, you conclude he is guilty of some Capital Crime that brings such a Punishment. When a Man lies under the Torrid Zone of God's Wrath, and roars out in Flames, then say, How horrid an Evil is Sin! They who now see no Evil in Swearing, or Sabbath-breaking, they will see it look black in the Glass of Hell-Torments.

3d. Br. See here an Hand-writing upon the Wall; here is that which may check a Sinners Mirth. He is now brisk and frolick, he chants to the sound of the Viol, and invents Instruments of Musick. Amos 6.5. He drinks stollen Waters, and saith they are sweet. Oh! but let him remember that the Wrath and Curse of God hang over him, which will shortly (without Repentance) be executed on him. Dionisius thought, as he sat at Table, he saw a naked Sword hang over his Head. The Sword of God's Justice hangs over a Sinner; and when the slender Thread of Life is cut asunder, the Sword falls upon him. Rejoyce, O young Man, in thy Youth, and let thy Heart cheer thee in the Days of thy Youth, Eccles. 11.9. But know thou for all these things God will bring thee into Iudgment. For a drop of Pleasure thou must drink a Sea of Wrath. Your Pleasure cannot be so sweet, as Wrath is bitter. The Delights of the Flesh cannot countervail the Horror of Conscience. Better want the Devils Honey, than be so stung with the Wrath of God. The Garden of Eden, (which signifies Pleasure) had a Flaming Sword placed at the East-end of it, Gen. 3.24. p. 397The Garden of carnal and sinful Delight is surrounded with the Flaming Sword of God's Wrath.

Vse II. Reproof. It reproves the Stupidity of Sinners, who are no more affected with the Curse and Wrath of God which is due to them. Isa. 44.19. No Man considereth in his Heart. If they were in Debt, and were ready to have the Serjeant Arrest them, they would be affected with that: But tho the fierce Wrath of God is ready to Arrest them, they remember not. A Beast, tho he hath no Shame, yet he hath Fear; he is afraid of Fire. But Sinners are worse than Bruitish, they fear not the Fire of Hell till they are in it. Most have their Conscience asleep or feared; but when they shall see the Vials of God's Wrath dropping, then they will cry out as Dives, O I am tormented in this Flame! Luke 16.24.

Vse III. Exhort. 1. Let us Adore God's Patience, who hath not brought this Wrath and Curse upon us all this while. We have deserved Wrath, yet God hath not given us our Desert. We may all subscribe to that, Psalm 103.8. The Lord is slow to Anger. And ver. 10. He hath not rewarded us according to our Iniquities. God hath deferred his Wrath, and given us space to repent, Rev. 2.21. God is not like an hasty Creditor, that requires the Debt, and gives no time for the Payment. He shoots off his Warning-Piece, that he may not shoot off his Murdering-Piece. 2 Pet. 3.9. The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish. God adjourns the Assizes, to see if Sinners would turn; he keeps off the storm of his Wrath. But if Men will not be warned, let them know, that long Forbearance is no Forgiveness.

2d. Br. Let us labour to prevent the Wrath we have deserved. How careful are Men to prevent Poverty or Disgrace! Oh labour to prevent God's Eternal Wrath, that it may not only be deferred but removed.

Quest. What shall we do to prevent, and escape Wrath to come?

Answ. 1. By getting an Interest in Jesus Christ. Christ is the only Skreen to stand between us and the Wrath of God. He did feel God's Wrath, that they who believe in him should never feel it. 1 Thess. 1.10. Iesus hath delivered us from Wrath to come. Nebuchadnezzar's Fiery Furnace was a Type of God's Wrath, and that Furnace did not singe the Garments of the Three Children, nor was the smell of Fire upon them, Dan. 3.27. Jesus Christ went into the Furnace of his Fathers Wrath, and those that believe in him, the smell of the Fire of Hell shall never pass upon them.

2. If we would prevent the Wrath of God, let us take heed of those sins which will bring the Wrath of God. Edmund, Successor of Anselm, hath a Saying, I had rather leap into a Furnace of Fire, than willingly commit a Sin against God. There are several fiery sins we must take heed of, which will bring the Fire of God's Wrath.

(1.) The Fire of Rash Anger. Some who profess Religion, yet cannot bridle their Tongue; they care not what they say in their Anger, they will curse their Passions. St. Iames saith, The Tongue is set on Fire of Hell, Chap. 3.6. O take heed of a Fiery Tongue, le…t it bring thee to Fiery Torment. Dives begg'd a Drop of Water to cool his Tongue: St. Cyprian saith, He had offended most in his Tongue, and now that was most set on Fire.

2. Take heed of the Fire of Malice. Malice is a malignant Humour, whereby we wish Evil to another. It is a Vermin lives on Blood, it studies Revenge. Caligula had a Chest where he kept deadly Poysons for them he had Malice against. The Fire of Malice brings Men to the Fiery Furnace of God's Wrath.

3. Take heed of the Sin of Vncleanness. Heb. 13.4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge. Such as burn in Uncleanness, are in great Danger to burn one Day in Hell. Let one Fire put out another; let the Fire of God's Wrath put out the Fire of Lust.

3d. Br. To you who have a well-grounded hope, that you shall not feel this Wrath which you have deserved, let me exhort you, 1. To be very thankful to God, who hath given his Son to save you from this tremendous Wrath. Iesus hath deliver'd you from Wrath to come. The Lamb of God was scorch'd in the Fire of God's Wrath for you: Christ did feel the Wrath which he did not deserve, that you may escape the Wrath which you have deserved. Pliny observes, that there is nothing better to quench Fire than Blood. Christ's Blood hath quench'd the Fire of God's Wrath for you. VponUpon me, upon me be the Curse, said Rebecka to Iacob, Gen. 27.13. So said Christ to God's Justice, Upon me be the Curse, that my Elect p. 398may inherit the Blessing. 2. Be patient under all the Afflictions which you endure. Affliction is sharp, but this is not Wrath, this is not Hell. Who would not willingly drink in the Cup of Affliction, that knows he shall never drink in the Cup of Damnation? Who would not be willing to bear the Wrath of Men, that knows he shall never feel the Wrath of God?

Christian, tho thou mayst feel the Rod, thou shalt never feel the bloody Ax. Austin once said, Strike, Lord, where thou wilt, if sin be pardoned. So say, Afflict me, Lord, as thou wilt in this Life, seeing I shall escape Wrath to come.

Quest. What doth God require of us, that we may escape the Wrath and Curse due to us for Sin?

Answ. Faith in Iesus Christ, Repentance unto Life, with the diligent use of all the outward means, whereby Christ communicateth to us the Benefits of Redemption.

I begin with the First, Faith in Iesus Christ, Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Prop…tiation through Faith in his Blood. The great Priviledge in the Text is, to have Christ for a Propitiation, which is not only to free us from God's Wrath, but to ingra…iate us into God's Love and Favour. And the Means of having Christ to be our Propitiation is, Faith in his Blood. There is a two-fold Faith, Fides quae creditur, (i. e.) The Doctrine of Faith; and Fides qua creditur, (i. e.) the Grace of Faith. The Act of Justifying Faith lies in Recumbency: We do foreign, Rest on Christ alone for Salvation. As a Man that is ready to drown, catcheth hold on the Bough of a Tree. So a poor trembling Sinner seeing himself ready to perish, catcheth hold by Faith on Christ the Tree of Life, and so is saved. The Work of Faith is the Holy Spirit; therefore Faith is called the Fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. Faith doth not grow in Nature, it is an outlandish Plant, a Fruit of the Spirit. This Grace of Faith is Sanctissimum humani pectoris Bonum; of all others the most precious rich Faith, and most Holy Faith, and Faith of Gods Elect. Hence it is called Precious Faith, 2 Pet. 1.1. As Gold is the most precious among the Metals, so is Faith among the Graces. Faith is the Queen of the Graces: Faith is the Condition of the Gospel. Thy Faith hath saved thee, Luke 7.50. Not thy Tears. Faith is the Vital Artery of the Soul, it animates it. Hab. 2.4. The Iust shall live by his Faith. Unbelievers, tho they breathe, yet want Life. Faith is (as Clemens Alexandrinus calls it) a Mother-Grace; it excites and invigorates all the Graces: Not a Grace stirs till Faith sets it awork. Faith sets Repentance awork; 'tis like Fire to the Still. Faith sets Hope awork. First we believe the Promise, then we hope for it. Did not Faith feed the Lamp of Hope with Oyl, it would soon die. Faith sets Love awork. Gal. 5.6. Faith which worketh by love. Who can believe in the Infinite Merits of Christ, and his Heart not ascend in a Fiery Chariot of Love? Faith is a Catholicon, or Remedy against all Troubles: A Sheat-Anchor we cast out into the Sea of God's Mercy, and are kept from sinking in Despair. Other Graces have done worthily; but thou (O Faith) excellest them all. Indeed in Heaven Love will be the chief Grace; but while we are here militant, Love must give place to Faith. Love takes possession of Glory, but Faith gives a Title to it. Love is the crowning Grace in Heaven, but Faith is the conquering Grace upon Earth. 1 Iohn 5.4. This is the Victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith. Faith carries away the Garland from all the other Graces. Other Graces help to sanctifie us, but it is Faith only that hath the Honour to Justifie. Rom. 5.1. Being justifyed foreign, By Faith.

Quest. But how comes Faith to be so precious?

Ans. Not as it is a more holy Quality, or as if it had more Worthiness than other Graces, but respectu Objecti, As it lays hold on Christ the blessed Object, and fetcheth in his Fulness, Luther.Iohn 9.16. Faith in it self consider'd, is but manus mendica, The Beggar's Hand: But as this Hand receives the rich Alms of Christ's Merits, so it is precious, and doth Challenge a Superiority over the rest of the Graces.

Vse I. 1st. Br. Of all Sins beware of the Rock of Vnbelief. Heb. 3.12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Vnbelief. Men think as long as they are not Drunkards or Swearers, it is no great matter to be Unbelievers. This is the Gospel-sin, it dies your other Sins in Grain.

1. Unbelief is a Christ-reproaching Sin. Unbelief disparageth Christ's Infinite p. 399Merit, as if it could not save. Unbelief makes the Wound of Sin to be broader than the Plaister of Christ's Blood. This is an high Contempt offered to Christ, and is a deeper Spea… than that which the Jews thrust into his Side.

2. Unbelief is an Vngrateful Sin. Ingratus vitandus est ut dirum scelus tellus ipsa foedius nihil creat. Ingratitude is a Prodigy of Wickedness. Unbelief is ungrateful, being against the richest Mercy. Suppose a King should redeem a Captive, and to redeem him should part with his Crown of Gold from his Head; and when he had done this, should say to the Man redeem'd, All I desire of thee in lieu of my Kindness, is, to believe that I love thee. Now if he should say, No, I do not believe any such thing. Or, That thou carest not at all for me. I appeal to you, Were not this odious Ingratitude? So is the Case here, God hath sent his Son to shed his Blood; now God requires only to believe in him, that he is able and willing to save us. No, saith Unbelief, his Blood was not shed for me, I cannot perswade my self that Christ hath any purpose of Love to me. Is not this horrid Ingratitude? And this inhanceth a Sin, and makes it of a Crimson Colour.

3. Unbelief is a Leading Sin. It is the Breeder of Sin. Qualitas malae vitae initium sumit ab infidelitate. Unbelief is a Root-sin, and the Devil labours to water this Root, that the Branches may be fruitful. (1.) Unbelief breeds Hardness of Heart: Therefore they are put together, Mark 16.14. Christ upbraided them with their Vnbelief and Hardness of Heart. Unbelief breeds the Stone of the Heart. He who believes not in Christ, is not affected with his Sufferings, he melts not in Tears of Love. Unbelief freeth the Heart; first it defiles, and then it hardens. (2.) Unbelief breeds Profaneness. An Unbeliever will stick at no sin; neither at Fals… Weights nor False Oaths. He will swallow down Treason. Iudas was first an Unbeliever, and then a Traitor, Iohn 6.64. He who hath no Faith in his Heart, will have no Fear of God before his Eyes.

4. Unbelief is a Wrath-procuring Sin; 'tis Inimica Salutis, Bern. Iohn 3.18. Iam condemnatus est, foreign, Dying so, he is as sure to be condemned as if already. Iohn 3.36. He that believeth not on the Son, the Wrath of God abideth on him. He who believes not in the Blood of the Lamb, must feel the Wrath of the Lamb. The Gentiles that believe not in Christ, will be as well damned as the Jews who blaspheme him. And if Unbelief be so fearful and damnable a Sin, shall we not be afraid to live in it?

2d. Br. All Graces set Faith awork on Christ. Iohn 3.15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish. Eph. 6.16. foreign, Above all taking the Shield of Faith. Say as Queen Esther, I will go in to the King, and if I perish I perish. She had nothing to encourage her, she ventur'd against Law, yet the Golden Scepter was held forth to her. We have Promises to encourage our Faith. Iohn 6.37. He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. Let us then advance Faith by an holy Recumbency on Christ's Merits. Christ's Blood will not justifie without believing: They are both put together in the Text, Faith in his Blood. The Blood of God, without Faith in God, will not save. Christ's Sufferings are the Plaister to heal a Sin-sick Soul, but this Plaister must be apply'd by Faith. 'Tis not Money in a rich Man's Hand, tho' offered to us, will enrich us, unless we receive it. So it is not Christ's Vertues or Benefits will do us good, unless we receive them by the Hand of Faith. Above all Graces set Faith on Work. Remember this Grace is most acceptable to God, and that upon many accounts.

(1.) Because it is a God-exalting Grace. It glorifies God, Rom. 4.20. Abraham being strong in Faith, gave Glory to God. To believe that there's more Mercy in God and Merit in Christ than Sin in us, and that Christ hath answered all the Demands and Challenges of the Law, and that his Blood hath fully satisfied for us; this is in an high Degree to honour God. Faith in the Mediator brings more Glory to God than Martyrdom, or the most Heroick Act of Obedience.

2. Faith in Christ is so acceptable to God, because it is such a Self-denying Grace; it makes a Man go out of himself, renounce all Self-righteousness, and wholly rely on Christ for Justification. Faith is very humble, it confesseth its own Indigence, and lives wholly upon Christ. As the Bee sucks Sweetness from the Flower, so Faith sucks all its Strength and Comfort from Christ.

3. Faith is a Grace so acceptable to God, because by Faith we present a Righteousness to God which doth best please him. We bring the Righteousness of Christ into the Court, which is called the Righteousness of God, 2 Cor. 5.21. To bring Christs Righteousness, is to bring Benjamin with us. A Believer may say, Lord, it is not the Righteousness of Adam, or of the Angels, but of Christ who is God-Man, p. 400Man that I bring before thee. The Lord cannot choose but smell a sweet Savour in Christ's Righteousness.

Vse II. Trial. Let us try our Faith; there is something which looks like Faith, and is not. Pliny saith there is a Cyprian Stone, which is in Colour like a Diamond, but it is not of the right kind. There is a false spurious Faith in the World. Some Plants have the same Leaf with others, but the Herbalists can distinguish them by the Root and Taste. Something may look like true Faith, but it may be distinguished several ways.

(1.) Trial. True Faith is grounded upon Knowledge: Knowledge carries the Torch before Faith. There is a Knowledge of Christ's Orient Exercises, Phil. 3.8. He is foreign, all made up of Love and Beauty. True Faith is a Judicious Intelligent Grace, it knows whom it believes, and why it believes. Faith is seated as well in the Vnderstanding as the Will: It hath an Eye to see Christ, as well as a Wing to fly to him. Such therefore as are invailed with Ignorance; or have only an Implicit Faith, to believe as the Church believes, have no true genuine Faith.

(2.) Faith lives in a broken Heart. Mark 9.24. He cryed out with Tears, Lo! I believe. True Faith is always in an Heart bruised for Sin: Such therefore whose Hearts were never touched for Sin, have no Faith. If a Physician should tell us there were an Herb would help us against all Infections, but it always grows in a watery place: If we should see an Herb like it in Colour, Leaf, Smell, Blossom, but it grows upon a Rock, we would conclude this were the wrong Herb. So saving Faith doth always grow in an Heart humbled for Sin; it grows in a weeping Eye, a watry Conscience: Therefore if there be a shew of Faith, but it grows upon a Rock, an hard impenitent Heart, this is not the true Faith.

(3.) True Faith is at first nothing but an Embryo, it is minute and small; it is full of Doubtings, Temptations, Fears: It begins in Weakness. It is like the smoaking Flax, Matth. 12.20. It smoaks with Desires, but doth not flame with Comfort. It is at first so small, that it is scarce discernable. Such as at the first dash have a strong Perswasion that Christ is theirs, who leap out of Sin into Assurance; their Faith is false and spurious. That Faith which is come to its full Stature on its Birthday, is a Monster. The Seed that sprung up suddenly withered, Matth. 13.5.

(4.) Faith is a Refining Grace, it consecrates and purifies. Moral Vertue may wash the out-side, Faith washeth the in-side. Acts 15.9. Having purified their Hearts by Faith. Faith makes the Heart a Sacrary or Temple, with this Inscription, Holiness to the Lord. Such whose Hearts have Legions of Lusts in them, were never acquainted with true Faith. For one to say he hath Faith, yet lives in Sin, is as if one should say he were in Health, yet his Vitals are perished. Faith is a Virgin-Grace, it is joyn'd with Sanctity. 1 Tim. 3.9. Holding the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience. The Jewel of Faith is always put in the Cabinet of a pure Conscience. The Woman that touch'd Christ by Faith, fetch'd an healing and cleansing Vertue from him.

(5.) True Faith is Obediential. Rom. 16.26. The Obedience of Faith. Faith melts our Will into the Will of God. If God commands Duty, (tho cross to Flesh and Blood) Faith obeys. Heb. 11.8. By Faith Ab…aham obeyed. Faith doth not only believe the Promise, but obey the Command. It is not having a Speculative Knowledge will evidence you to be Believers: The Devil hath Knowledge; but that which makes him a Devil is, he wants Obedience.

6. True Faith is encreasing, Rom. 1.17. From Faith to Faith: (i. e.) From one Degree of Faith to another. Faith doth not lie in the Heart as a Stone in the Earth, but as Seed in the Earth, it grows. Ioseph of Atimathea was a Disciple of Christ, but afraid to confess him, afterwards he went boldly to Pilate, and begg'd the Body of Jesus, Iohn 19.36. And a Christians Encrease in Faith is known two ways.

1. By Stedfastness. He is a Pillar in the Temple of God. Col. 2.7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the Faith. Unbelievers are Scepticks in Religion, they are unsettled; they question every Truth. But when the Faith is on the encreasing Hand, it doth Stabilire animum, it doth corroborate a Christian; he is able to prove his Principles; he holds no more than he will die for. As that Martyr Woman said, I cannot dispute for Christ, but I can burn for him. An encreasing Faith is not like a Ship in the midst of the Sea, that fluctuates, and is tossed upon the Waves, but like a Ship at Anchor, which is firm and stedfast.

p. 4012. A Christians Encrease in Faith is known by Strength. He can do that now which he could not do before. When one is Man-grown, he can do that which he was not able to do when he was a Child: He can carry an heavier Burden: So a Christian can bear Crosses with more Patience.

Obj. But I fear I have no Faith, it is so weak.

Resp. If you have Faith, tho but in its Infancy, be not discouraged. For, (1.) A little Faith is Faith, as a Spark of Fire is Fire. (2.) A weak Faith may lay hold on a strong Christ: A weak Hand can tie the Knot in Marriage as well as a strong. She in the Gospel, who but touch'd Christ, fetch'd Vertue from him. (3.) The Promises are not made to Strong Faith, but to True. The Promise doth not say, He who hath a Giant-faith, who can believe God's Love through a Frown, who can rejoyce in Affliction, who can work Wonders, remove Mountains, stop the Mouth of Lions, shall be saved; but whosoever believes, be his Faith never so small. A Reed is but weak, especially when it is bruised, yet the Promise is made to it, Matth. 12.20. A bruised Reed he will not break. (4.) A weak Faith may be Fruitful. Weakest things multiply most. The Vine is a weak Plant, but it is Fruitful. The Thief's Cross, which was newly converted, was but weak in Grace; but how many precious Clusters grew upon that tender Plant! Luke 23.40. He chi…les his Fellow-Thief, Dost not thou fear God? He Judgeth himself, We indeed suffer justly. He believes in Christ when he said, Lord. He makes a Heavenly Prayer, Remember me when thou comest into thy Kigdom. Weak Christians may have strong Affections. How strong is the first Love, which is after the first planting of Faith! (5.) The weakest Believer is a Member of Christ, as well as the strongest; and the weakest Member of the Body Mystical shall not perish. Christ will cut off rotten Members, but not weak Members. Therefore Christian, be not discouraged: God who would have us receive them that are weak in Faith, Rom. 14.1. will not himself refuse them.

II. The Second means whereby we escape the Curse and Wrath due to Sin, is by Repentance.

Acts 11.18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life.

Repentance seems to be a bitter Pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad Humour of Sin. Repentance is by some Antinomian Spirits cryed down as a Legal Doctrine; but Christ himself preached it. Matth. 4.17. From that time Iesus began to Preach, and to say, Repent, &c. And in his last Farewell, when he was ascending to Heaven, he commanded that Repentance should be Preached in his Name, Luke 24.37. Repentance is a pure Gospel-Grace. The Covenant of Works would not admit of Repentance: It cursed all that could not perform perfect and personal Obedience, Gal. 3.10. Repentance comes in by the Gospel; it is the Fruit of Christ's Purchase, that Repenting Sinners shall be saved. Repentance is wrought by the Ministry of the Gospel, while it sets before our Eyes Christ Crucified. Repentance is not Arbitrary, but Necessary; there is no being saved without it. Luke 13.3. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise Perish. And we may be thankful to God, that he hath left us this Plank after Shipwrack.

(1.) I shall show the Counterfeits of Repentance.

1. Natural Softness and Tenderness of Spirit. Some have a tender Affection arising from their Complexion, whereby they are apt to weep and relent when they see any Object of Pity. These are not Repenting Tears: For many weep to see anothers Misery, who cannot weep at their own Sin.August.

2. Counterfeit, Legal Affrightments. A Man hath lived in a course of Sin; at last he is made a little sensible, he sees Hell ready to devour him, and he is filled with Anguish and Horror; but within a while the Tempest of Conscience is blown over, and he is quiet: Then he concludes he is a true Penitent, because he hath felt some bitterness in Sin. This is not Repentance. Iudas had some trouble of Mind. If Anguish and Trouble were sufficient to Repentance, then the Damned should be most penitent, for they are most in Anguish of Mind. There may be Trouble of Mind where there is no grieving for the Offence against God.

3. Counterfeit, a slight superficial Sorrow. When God's Hand lies heavy upon a Man, (he is sick or lame) he may vent a Sigh or Tear, and say, Lord, have Mercy; yet this is no true Repentance. Ahab did more than all this; 1 Kings 21.27. He rent his Cloaths and fasted, and lay in Sackcloth, and went softly. His Cloaths were rent, but not his Heart. The Eye may be Watery, and the Heart Flinty. An Apricock may be soft without, but it hath an hard Stone within.

p. 4024. Counterfeit, Good Motions arising in the Heart. Every good Motion is not Repentance. Some think if they have Motions in their Hearts to break off their Sins, and become Religious, this is Repentance. As the Devil may stir up bad Motions in the Godly, so the Spirit of God may stir up good Motions in the Wicked. Herod had many good Thoughts and Inclinations stirr'd up in him by Iohn Baptist's Preaching, yet he did not truly repent, for he still lived in Incest.

5. Counterfeit, Vows and Resolutions. What Vows and Solemn Protestations do some make in their Sickness, if God recover them they will be new Men, but afterwards are as bad as ever! Ier. 2.20. Thou saidst, I will not transgress. Here was a Resolution, but for all this she ran after her Idols. VnderUnder every green Tree thou wanderest, playing the Harlot.

6. Counterfeit, Leaving off some gross Sin. But that is a Mistake: For, (1.) A Man may leave some Sins, and keep other. Herod did reform many things amiss, but kept his Herodias. (2.) An old Sin may be left to entertain a new. A Man may leave off Riot and Prodigality, and turn Covetous. This is to exchange a Sin. These are the Counterfeits of Repentance. Now if you find that yours is a Counterfeit Repentance, and you have not repented aright, mend what you have done amiss: As in the Body, if a Bone be set wrong, the Chyrurgeon hath no ways but to break it again, and set it right. So must you do by your Repentance, if you have not repented aright; you must have your Heart broken again in a Godly Manner, and be more deeply afflicted for Sin than ever. And that brings me to the Second, to show wherein True Repentance consists. It consists in Two things.

(1.) Humiliation. Lev. 26.41. If their Vncircumcised Hearts be humbled. There is (as the School-men) a two-fold Humiliation, or breaking of the Heart. 1. Attrition: As when a Rock is broken in pieces, this is done by the Law, which is an Hammer to break the Heart. 2. Contrition; as wh…n Ice is melted into Water. This is done by the Gospel, which is as a Fire to melt the Heart, Ier. 23.9. It is the Sence of abused kindness causeth Contrition.

(2.) Transformation, or Change. Rom. 12.2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your Mind. Repentance works a Change in the whole Man: As Wine put into a Glass where Water is, the Wine runs into every part of the Water, and changeth its Colour and Taste. So true Repentance doth not rest in one part, but diffuse and spread it self into every part.

1. Repentance causeth a Change in the Mind. Whereas before a Man did like Well of Sin, and say in Defence of it, as Ionah, I did well to be angry, Chap. 2.9. So, I did well to Swear, and break the Sabbath. When once a Man becomes a Penitent, his Judgment is chang'd, he now looks upon Sin as the Greatest Evil. The Greek Word for Repentance, foreign, signifies After-Wisdom. When having seen how deformed and damnable a thing Sin is, we change our Mind. Paul, before Conversion, verily thought he ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Iesus, Acts 26.9. But when he became a Penitent, now he was of another Mind. Phil. 3.8. I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Iesus. Repentance causeth a Change of Judgment.

2. Repentance causeth a Change in the Affections, which move under the Will, as the Commander in Chief. Repentance doth metamorphize the Affections. It turns rejoycing in Sin into Sorrow for Sin: It turns Boldness in Sin into holy Shame: It turns the Love of Sin into Hatred. As Amnon hated Tamar more than ever he loved her, 2 Sam. 13.15. So the true Penitent hateth Sin more than ever he loved it. Psal. 119.104. I hate every false way.

3. Repentance works a Change in the Life. Tho Repentance begins at the Heart, it doth not rest there, but goes into the Life. I say it begins at the Heart. Ier. 4.14. O Ierusalem, wash thy Heart. If the Spring be corrupt, there can no pure Stream run from it. But tho Repentance begins at the Heart, it doth not rest there, but changeth the Life. What a Change did Repentance make in Paul! It changed a Persecutor into a Preacher. What a Change did it make in the Jailor! Acts 16.33. He took the Apostles and washed their Stripes, and set Meat before them. What a Change did it make in Mary Magdalen! She that before did kiss her Lovers with wanton Embraces, now kisseth Christ's Feet. She that did use to …rl her Hair, and dress it with costly Jewels, now she makes it a Towel to wipe Christ's Feet. Her Eyes that used to sparkle with Lust, and with impure Glances to entice her Lovers, now she makes them a Fountain of Tears to wash her Saviours Feet. Her Tongue that used to speak vainly and loosely, now it is an instrument set in Tune to praise God. And this Change of Life hath two things in it.

p. 4431. The Terminus à quo, a breaking off Sin. Dan. 4.27. Break off thy Sin by Righteousness. And this breaking off Sin must have three Qualifications. (1.) It must be Vniversal, a breaking off all Sin. One Disease may kill as well as more: One Sin lived in may damn as well as more. The real Penitent breaks off Secret, Gainful, Complexion Sins: He takes the Sacrificing Knife of Mortification, and runs it through the Heart of his dearest Lusts. (2.) Breaking off Sin must be Sincere; it must not be out of Fear or Design, but upon Spiritual Grounds. As, 1. From Antipathy and Disgust. 2. From a Principle of Love to God. If Sin had not such Evil Effects, yet a true Penitent would forsake it out of Love to God. The best way to separate things that are frozen, is, by Fire. When Sin and the Heart are frozen together, the best way to separate them is the Fire of Love. Shall I sin against a gracious Father, and abuse that Love which pardons me? (3.) The breaking off Sin must be perpetual, so as never to have to do with Sin any more. Hos. 14.8. What have I to do any more with Idols? Repentance is a Spiritual Divorce, which must be till Death.

2. Change of Life hath in it Terminus ad quem, a returning to the Lord. It is called Repentance towards God, Acts 20.21. 'Tis not enough when we repent to leave Old Sins, but we must engage in God's Service. As when the Wind leaves the West, it turns into a contrary Corner. The repenting Prodigal did not only leave his Harlots, but did arise and go to his Father, Luke 15.18. In true Repentance the Heart points directly to God, as the Needle to the North-Pole.

Vse. Let us all set upon this great Work of Repentance; let us repent sincerely and speedily: Let us repent of all our Sins, our Pride, rash Anger, Unbelief: Without Repentance no remission. It is not consistent with the Holiness of God's Nature to pardon a Sinner while he is in the Act of Rebellion. O meet God not with Weapons, but Tears in your Eyes: And to stir you up to a melting penitent Frame,

1. Consider, What is there in Sin, that you should continue in the Practice of it? It is the accursed thing, Iosh. 7.11. It is the Spirits of Mischief distilled. (1.) It defiles the Souls Glory; it is like a Stain to Beauty: 'Tis compar'd to a Plague-Sore, 1 King 8.38. Nothing so changeth ones Glory into Shame as Sin. (2.) Without Repentance Sin tends to final Damnation. Peccatum transit actu manet reatu—Sin at first shows its Colour in the Glass, but afterwards it bites like a Serpent. Those Locusts, Rev. 9.7. were an Emblem of sin, On their Heads were Crowns like Gold, and they had Hair as the Hair of Women, and their Teeth were as the Teeth of Lions, and there were Stings in their Tails. Sin unrepented of ends in a Tragedy. Sin hath the Devil for its Father, Shame for its Companion, and Death for its Wages, Rom. 6.23. What is there in sin then, that Men should continue in it? Say not it is sweet: Who would desire that Pleasure which kills?

2. Repentance is very pleasing to God; to Sacrifice like a broken Heart, Psal. 51.17. A contrite and a broken Heart, O God, thou wilt not despise: St. Austin caus'd this Sentence to be written over his Bed when he was sick. When the Widow brought empty Vessels to Elisha, the Oyl was poured into them, 2 Kings. 4.6. Bring God the broken Vessel of a contrite Heart, and he will pour in the Oyl of Mercy. Repenting Tears are the Joy of God and Angels, Luke 15. **Cyprian.Doves delight to be about the Waters: And surely Gods Spirit (who once descended in the likeness of a Dove) takes great Delight in the Waters of Repentance. Mary stood at Iesus Feet weeping, Luke 7.38. She brought two things to Christ, Tears and Oyntment; her Tears were more precious to Christ than her Oyntment.

3. Repentance ushers in Pardon; therefore they are joyned together, Acts 5.31. Repentance and Remission. Pardon of Sin is the Richest Blessing, it is enough to make a sick Man well. Isa. 33.24. The Inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the People that dwell therein shall be forgiven their Iniquity. Pardon settles upon us the rich Charter of the Promises. Pardoning Mercy is the Sauce that makes all other Mercies relish the sweeter; it sweetens our Health, Riches, Honour. David had a Crown of Pure Gold set upon his Head, Psal. 21.3. But that which David did most bless God for, was not that God had set a Crown of Gold upon his Head, but that God had set a Crown of Mercy upon his Head. Psal. 103.4. Who crowneth thee with Mercies. But what was this Crown of Mercy? You may see, ver. 3. Who forgiveth all thy Iniquity. David more rejoyc'd that he was Crown'd with Forgiveness, than that he wore a Crown of pure Gold. Now what is it makes way for pardon of sin, but Repentence? When David's Soul was humbled and broken, then the Prophet Nathan brought him that good News, 2 Sam. 12.13. The Lord hath put away thy Sin.

p. 404Obj. But sure my Sins are so great, that if I should repent, God would not pardon them.

Resp. God will not go from his Promise. Ier. 3.12. Return thou back-sliding Israel, (saith the Lord) and I will not cause my Anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful. If thy Sins are as Rocks, yet upon thy Repentance the Sea of God's Mercy can drown these Rocks. Isa. 1.16. Wash ye, make ye clean. Wash in the Laver of Repentance. Ver. 18. Come now, and let us reason, saith the Lord; tho' your Sins be a Scarlet, they shall be as white as Snow. Manasseh was a Crimson Sinner, but when he humbl…d himself greatly, the Golden Scepter of Mercy was held forth; when his Head was a Fountain to weep for Sin, Christ's Sides were a Fountain to wash away Sin. 'Tis not the greatness of Sin, but Impenitency destroys. The Jews (some of them) that had an hand in Crucifying Christ, upon their Repentance, the Blood they shed was a sovereign Balm to heal them. When the Prodigal came home to his Father, he had the Robe and Ring put upon him, and his Father kissed him, Luke 15. If you break off your Sins, God will become a Friend to you, all that is in God shall be yours: His Power shall be yours to help you, his Wisdom shall be yours to counsel you, his Spirit shall be yours to sanctifie you, his Promises shall be yours to comfort you, his Angels shall be yours to guard you, his Mercy shall be yours to save you.

4. There's much Sweetness in Repenting Tears. The Soul is never more enlarged and inwardly delighted, than when it can melt kindly for Sin. Weeping Days are Festival Days. The Hebrew Word to Repent, Nicham, signifies Consolari, to tak… Comfort. Iohn 16.21. Your Sorrow shall be turned into Ioy. Christ turns the Water of Tears into Wine. David, who was the great Mourner in Israel, was the Sweet Singer: And the Joy a true Penitent finds, is a Prelibation and Foretaste of the Joy of Paradise. The Wicked Man's Joy turns to Sadness; the Penitents Sadness turns to Joy. Tho Repentance seems at first to be thorny and bitter, yet of this Thorn a Christian gathers Grapes. All which Considerations may open a Vein of Godly Sorrow in our Souls, that we may both weep for Sin, and turn from Sin. If ever God restores Comfort, 'tis to his Mourners, Isa. 57.18. And when we have wept, let us look up to Christ's Blood for Pardon: Say as that holy Man, Lavae Domine lachrimas meas—Lord, wash my Tears in thy Blood. We drop sin with our Tears, and need Christ's Blood to wash them: And this Repentance must not only be for a few days, like the Mourning for a Friend, which is soon over; but it must be the Work of our Lives. The Issue of Godly Sorrow must not be stopt till Death. After Sin is pardoned, we must repent. We run afresh upon the Score, we sin daily, therefore must repent daily. Some shed a few Tears for Sin, and when their Tears, like the Widows Oyl, have run awhile, they cease. Many, if the Plaister of Repentance begin to smart a little, pluck it off; whereas this Plaister of Repentance must still lie on, and not be plucked off till Death, when as all other Tears, so these of Godly Sorrow, shall be wiped away.

Quest. What shall we do to obtain a Penitential Frame of Heart?

Resp. Seek to God for it: It is his Promise to give an Heart of Flesh, Ezek. 36. and to pour on us a Spirit of Mourning, Zech. 12.10. Beg God's Holy Spirit. Psal. 147.18. He causeth his Wind to blow, and the Waters flow. When the Wind of God's Spirit blows upon us, then the Waters of Repentant Tears will flow from us.

III. The Third way to escape the Wrath and Curse of God, and obtain the Benefit of Redemption by Christ, is, The diligent Vse of Ordinances. In particular, the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer.

1. I begin with the First of these Ordinances.

I. The Word. 1 Thess. 2.13. —which effectually worketh in you that believe.

Quest. 1. What is meant by foreign, the Words working effectually?

Resp. The Word of God is said to work effectually, when it hath that good effect upon us for which it was appointed of God; namely, when the Word works powerful Illumination, and thorough Reformation. Acts 26.18. To open their Eyes, and turn them from the power of Satan to God. The opening their Eyes, denotes Illumination: And turning them from Satan to God, denotes Reformation.

Quest. 2. How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to Salvation?

This Question consists of Two Branches.

1. How may the Word be read Effectually?

2. How may it be heard Effectually?

p. 4451. I shall begin with the First Branch of the Question, How is the Word to be read, that it may be effectual to our Salvation?

Answ. That we may so read the Word, that it may conduce effectually to our Salvation:

1. Let us have a Reverend Esteem of every part of Canonical Scripture. Psal. 19.10. More are they to be desired than Gold. Value this Book of God above all other Books. It is a Golden Epistle, endited by the Holy Ghost, sent to us from Heaven, more particularly to raise our Esteem, 1. The Scripture is a Spiritual Glass to dress our Souls by; it shows us more than we can see by the Light of a Natural Conscience; that may discover gross Sins, but the Glass of the Word sh…ws us Heart-Sins, Vain Thoughts, Unbelief, &c. And it not only shows us our Spots, but washeth them away. 2. The Scripture is a Sacred Magazine, out of which we may fetch our Spiritual Artillery to fight against Satan. When the Devil tempted our Saviour, he fetch'd Armour and Weapons from Scripture, It is written, Matth. 4.4, 7. 3. The Holy Scripture is a Panacea, or Universal Medicine for the Soul, it gives a Receipt to cure Deadness of Heart, Psal. 119.50. Pride, 1 Pet. 5.5. Infideli…y, Iohn 3.36. It is a Physick-Garden, where we may gather any Herb or Antidote to expell the Poyson of sin. The Leaves of Scripture, like the Leaves of the Tree of Life, are for the healing of the Nations, Rev. 22.2. And may not this cause a reverend Esteem of the Word?

2. If we would have the Word written effectual to our Souls, let us peruse it with Intenseness of Mind. Iohn 5.39. Search the Scriptures. The Greek Word foreign ▪ signifies to search as for a Vein of Silver. The Bereans, Acts 17. searched the … daily. The Word foreign, signifies to make a curious and critical Search. And … was mighty in the Scriptures, Acts 18.24. Some gallop over a Chapter …, and get no good by it. If we would have the Word effectual and saving, we must mind and observe every Passage of Scripture. And that we may be di…igent in the perusal of Scripture: Consider,

First, The Word written is Norma Cultus, the Rule and Platform by which we are to square our Lives; it contains in it all things needful to Salvation, Psal. 19.7. What Duties we are to do, what Sins we are to avoid. God gave Moses a Pattern how he would have the Tabernacle made, and he was to go exactly according to the Pattern, Exod. 25.9. The Word is the Pattern God hath given us in Writing, for modelling our Lives; therefore how careful should we be in the pursuing and looking over this Pattern.

Secondly, The Written Word, as it is our Pattern, so it will be our Iudge. Iohn 12.48. The Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him at the last Day. We read of the opening of the Books, Rev. 20.12. This is one Book God will open, the Book of Scripture, and will judge Men out of it. He will say, Have you lived according to the Rule of this Word. The Word hath a double Work, to Teach and to Iudge.

3. If we would have the Word written effectual, we must bring Faith to the reading of it. Believe it to be the Word of the Eternal Iehovah. The Word written comes with Authority, it shews its Commission from Heaven, Thus saith the Lord—It is of Divine Inspiration, 2 Tim. 3.16. The Oracles of Scripture must be surer to us than a Voice from Heaven, 1 Pet. 1.18. Unbelief enervates the Vertue of Scripture, and renders it ineffectual. First Men question the Truth of the Scripture, and then fall away from it.

4. If we would have the Word written effectual to Salvation, we must delight in it as our Spiritual Cordial. Ier. 15.16. Thy Words were found, and I did eat them, and they were the joy and rejoycing of my Heart. All true solid Comfort is fetch'd out of the Word. The Word (as Chrysostom saith) is a Spiritual Garden, and the Promises are the Fragrant Flowers or Spices in this Garden. How should we delight to walk among these Beds of Spices! Is it not a Comfort in all dubious perplext Cases to have a Counsellor to advise us? Psal. 119.24. Thy Testimonies are my Counsellors. Is it not a Comfort to find our Evidences for Heaven? and where should we find them but in the Word? 1 Thess. 1.4, 5. The Word written is a Sovereign Elixir, or Comfort in an hour of Distress. Psal. 119.50. This is my Comfort in Afflictions, for thy Word hath quickned me. It can turn all our Water into Wine. How should we take a great Complacency and Delight in the Word! They only who come to the Word with Delight, go from it with Success.

5. If we would have the Scripture effectual and saving, we must be sure when we have read the Word, to hide it in our Hearts. Psal. 119.11. Thy Word have I hid in my Heart. The Word locked up in the Heart is a Preservative against sin. p. 406Why did David hide the Word in his Heart? In the next Words, That I might not sin against thee. As one would carry an Antidote about him when he comes near a place infected; so David carried the Word in his Heart, as a Sacred Antidote to preserve him from the Infection of Sin. When the Sap is hid in the Root, it makes the Branches fruitful. When the Seed is hid in the Ground, then the Corn springs up: So when the Word is hid in the Heart, then it brings forth good Fruit.

6. If we would have the Word written effectual, let us labour not only to have the Light of the Word in our Heads, but the Power of the Word in our Hearts. Let us endeavour to have the Word copied out, and written a Second time in our Hearts. Psal. 37.31. The Law of God is in his Heart. The Word saith, Be cloath'd with Humility, 1 Pet. 5.5. Let us be low and humble in our own Eyes. The Word calls for Sanctity, Let us labour to partake of the Divine Nature, and to have something conceived in us which is of the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1.4. When the Word is thus copied out into our Hearts, and we are changed into the Similitude of it, now the VVord written is made effectual to us, and becomes a Savour of Life.

7. & ult. When we read the Holy Scriptutes, let us look up to God for a Blessing. Beg the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, that we may see the foreign, the deep things of God, Eph. 1.17. Pray to God, that the same Spirit that wrote the Scripture, would enable us to understand it. Pray that God will give us that foreign, 2 Cor. 2.14. That Savour of Knowledge, that we may relish a Sweetness in the Word we read. David tasted it sweeter than the Honey-comb, Psal. 19.10. Let us pray that God will not only give us his Word as a Rule of Holiness, but his Grace as a Principle of Holiness.

2d. Branch of the 2d. Question. How may we so hear the Word, that it may be effectual and saving to our Souls?

Resp. 1. Give great Attention to the Word preached; let nothing pass without taking special Notice of it. Luke 19.48. All the People were very attentive to hear him. Greek, foreign, they hanged upon his Lip. Acts 16.14. Lydia, a Seller of Purple, which worshipped God, heard us, whose Heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul. Give Attention to the Word as to a matter of Life and Death: And to that purpose, have a care, (1.) To banish vain impertinent Thoughts, which will distract you, and take you off from the Work in hand. These Fowls will be coming to the Sacrifice, Gen. 15.11. therefore we must drive them away. An Archer may take a right Aim, but if one stand at his Elbow and jog him when he is going to shoot, he will not hit the Mark. Christians may have good Aims in hering, but take heed of impertinent Thoughts which will jog and hinder you in God's Service. (2.) Banish Dulness. The Devil gives many Hearers a sleepy Sop, they cannot keep their Eyes open at a Sermon: They eat so much on a Lord's Day, that they are fitter for the Pillow and Couch than the Temple. Frequent and customary sleeping at a Sermon, shows high Contempt and Irreverence of the Ordinance, it gives bad Example to others; it makes your Sincerity to be called in question; it is the Devil's Seed-time, Matth. 13.25. While the Men slept, the Enemy came and sowed Tares. Oh shake off Drowsiness, as Paul shook off the Viper! Be serious and attentive in hearing the Word. Deut. 32.47. For it is not a vain thing for you, it is your Life. When People do not mind what God speaks to them in his Word, God doth as little mind what they say to him in Prayer.

2. If you would have the Word Preached effectual, come with an holy Appetite to the Word, 1 Pet. 2.2. The Thirsting Soul is the Thriving Soul. In Nature one may have an Appetite and no Digestion: But it is not so in Religion; where there is a great Appetite to the Word, there is for the most part Digestion, the Word doth concoct and nourish. Come with Hungrings of Soul after the Word. And therefore desire the Word, that it may not only please you, but profit you. Look not more at the garnishing of the Dish than the Meat, at Eloquence and Rhetorick more than solid matter. It argues both a wanton Pallat, and surfeited Stomach, to feed on Sallets and Kickshaws rather than wholsom Food.

3. If you would have the Preaching of the Word effectual, come to it with a Tenderness upon your Heart, 2 Chron. 34.19. Because thy Heart was tender. If we preach to hard Hearts, it is like shooting against a Brazen Wall, the Word doth not enter; it is like setting a Gold Seal upon Marble, which takes no Impression. Oh come to the Word preached with a melting Frame of Heart! 'Tis the melting VVax receives the Stamp of the Seal. VVhen the Heart is in a melting Frame, it will better receive the Stamp of the Word preached. VVhen Paul's Heart was melted and broken for Sin, then, Lord, what wilt thou have me do? Acts 9.6. Come p. 407not hither with hard Hearts: Who can expect a Crop when the Seed is sown upon stony Ground?

4. If you would have the Word effectual, receive it with Meekness, Iam. 1.21. Receive with meekness the engrafted Word. Meekness is a Submissive Frame of Heart to the Word; a willingness to hear the Counsels and Reproofs of the Word. Contrary to this Meekness, is, (1.) Fierceness of Spirit, whereby Men are ready to rise up in Rage against the Word. Proud Men and Guilty cannot endure to hear of their Faults. Proud Herod put Iohn in Prison, Mark 12.12. The guilty Jews being told of their Crucifying Christ, stoned Stephen, Acts 7.59. To tell Men of Sin, is to hold a Glass to one that is deformed, who cannot endure to see his own Face. (2.) Contrary to Meekness is Stubbornness of Heart, whereby Men are resolved to hold fast their Sins, let the Word say what it will. Ier. 44.16. We will burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven. Oh take heed of this! If you would have the Word preached work effectually, lay aside Fierceness and Stubbornness, receive the Word with Meekness. By Meekness the Word preached comes to be **foreign.engrafted: As a good Cion that is grafted into a bad Stock, doth change the Nature of the Fruit, and make it taste sweet: So when the Word comes to be engrafted into the Soul, it sanctifies it, and makes it bring forth the sweet Fruit of Righteousness.

5. Mingle the Word preached with Faith. Heb. 4.2. The Word preached profited not, not being mixed with Faith. If you leave out the chief ingredient in a Medicine, it hinders the Operation: Do not leave out this Ingredient of Faith. Believe the Word, and so believe it as to apply it. When you hear Christ Preached, apply him to your selves; this is to put on the Lord Jesus, Rom. 13.14. When you hear a Promise spoken of, apply it: This is to suck the Flower of the Promise, and turn it to Honey.

6. Be not only attentive in Hearing, but retentive after Hearing. Heb. 2.1. We ought to give the more diligent heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time we let them slip. foreign, Lest we let them run out as Water out of a Sieve. If the Ground doth not retain the Seed thrown into it, there can be no good Crop. Some have Memories like leaking Vessels, the Sermons they hear are presently gone, and then there is no good done. If Meat doth not stay and concoct in the Stomach, it will not nourish. Satan labours to steal the Word out of our Mind. Mark 4.15. When they have heard, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the Word that was sown. Our Memories should be like the Chest of the Ark wherein the Law was put.

7. Reduce your Hearing to Practice: Live the Sermons your hear. Psal. 119.166. I have done thy Commandments. Rachel was not content that she was Beautiful, but her Desire was to be Fruitful. What is a knowing Head without a fruitful Heart? Phil. 1.11. Fill'd with the Fruits of Righteousness. It is Obedience crowns Hearing. That Hearing will never save the Soul, which doth not reform the Life.

8. Beg of God that he will accompany his Word with his Presence and Blessing. The Spirit must make all effectual. Ministers may prescribe Physick, but it is God's Spirit must make it work. Cathedram habet in Coelo qui corda docet in terra. Aug. He hath his Pulpit in Heaven that converts Souls. Acts 10.44. While Peter was speaking, the Holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard. It is said the Alchimist can draw Oyl out of Iron. God's Spirit can produce Grace in the most obdurate Heart.

9. & ult. If you would have the VVord work effectually to your Salvation, make it Familiar to you, discourse of the VVord you have heard when you come home. Psal. 119.172. My Tongue shall speak of thy Word. That may be one reason why some People get no more good by what they hear, because they never speak one to another of what they have heard: As if Sermons were such Secrets, that they must not be spoken of again; or as if it were a Shame to speak of matters of Salvation. Mal. 3.16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and a Book of Remembrance was written.

Vse. Caution. Take heed, as you love your Souls, that the VVord become not ineffectual to you. There are some to whom the Word preached is ineffectual. (1.) Such as Censure the Word; in stead of judging themselves, judge the Word. (2.) Such as live in contradiction to the Word, Isa. 30.8. (3.) Such as are more hardened by the Word, Zech. 7.11. They made their Heart as an Adamant. And when Men harden their Hearts wilfully, God hardens them judicially. Isa. 6.8. Make their Ears heavy. The Word to these is ineffectual. Were it not sad if a Man's Meat should not nourish; nay, if it should turn to Poyson? Oh! Take heed that the Word Preach'd be not ineffectual and to no purpose. Consider Three things.

p. 448(1.) If the Word Preached doth us no good, there is no other way by which we can be saved. This is God's Institution, and the main Engin he useth to convert Souls. Luke 16.31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be perswaded tho' one arose from the Dead. If an Angel should come to you out of Heaven, and preach of the Excellency of the glorified Estate and the Joys of Heaven, and that in the most Pathetical manner; if the Word preached doth not perswade, neither would you be wrought upon by such an Oration from Heaven. If a damned Spirit should come from Hell, and preach to you in Flames, and tell you what a place Hell is, and roar out the Torments of the Damned, it might make you tremble, but it would not convert, if the Preaching of the Word would not do it.

(2.) To come to the Word, and not be savingly wrought upon, is that which the Devil is pleas'd with. He cares not tho' you hear frequently, if it be not effectually. He is not an Enemy to Hearing, but Profiting. Tho' the Minister holds out the Breast of the Ordinance to you, he cares not, as long as you do not suck the sincere Milk of the VVord. The Devil cares not how many Sermon-Pills you take, so long as they do not work upon your Conscience.

(3.) If the VVord preached be not effectual to Men's Conversion, it will be effectual to their Condemnation: The VVord will be effectual one way or other; if it doth not make your Hearts better, it will make your Chains heavier. VVe pity them who have not the Word preached, but it will be worse with them who are not sanctified by it. Dreadful is their Case, who go loaden to Hell with Sermons. But I will conclude with the Apostle, Heb. 6.9. I am perswaded better things of you, and things that accompany Salvation.