The Sacrifice of the Faithful 2, Sermon 6

The Sacrifice of the Faithful 2 · Sermon 6

p. 27THE TIME OF GODS GRACE Is limited.

GEN. 6. 3.

The Lord, ſaid my Spirit ſhall not alway ſtrive with man, becauſe he is but fleſh, and his dayes ſhall be a hundred and twenty yeares.

IN this Chapter is continued the Hiſtory of the decay of the World, wherein is deſcribed Gods purpoſe of deſtroying mankinde; in which are theſe two parts:

Firſt, the meritorious deſerving Cauſe, wherein God gives an account what he p. 28doth, how inexcuſable the world is, and how juſt God is unto the 14. verſ.

Secondly, a Direction unto Noah to make an Arke, where we may ſee that God in his judgement remembers mercy.

The meritorious deſerving cauſe, is deſcribed, 1firſt, from the quantity of thoſe perſons in thoſe evill daies; a great many; verſ. the firſt, men began to multiply in places populous; where there are ſome good, there are many bad.

Secondly by the quality of thoſe perſons; 2the Sons of God, when they ſaw the daughters of men: the ſonnes of God (viz.) the poſterity of them that maintained Religion, they began to be careleſſe and carnally confident, they did looke after the profits and pleaſures of this life, and then it was high time for God to enter into Judgement.

Thirdly, by the kind of ſinne; They luſted 3after unlawfull Marriages &c. and the root of this was originall corruption; the Imaginations of mans heart, was onelyonly evill and that continually. verſe 5.

Theſe words, are a Proclamation of Gods purpoſe, to bring it to an end; in which are foure things.

Firſt, the Lords complaint in theſe words, the Lord ſaid.

p. 29Secondly, the Proclamation it ſelfe in theſe words, my Spirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive with man.

Thirdly, the reaſon, becauſe he is but fleſh.

Fourthly, the limitation of the time, a hundred and twentie yeares, in which time if they repent, I will repent; but if they will not, my Spirit ſhall not alway ſtrive. As if the Lord had ſaid, I have tried all concluſions and uſed all meanes, partly by Mercies to allure them, partly by Judgements to terrifie them; partly by my word to recall them, and by all meanes poſſible to bring them to my ſelfe; yet they remaine incorrigible; I now am reſolved to ſtrive with them no more.

From the words thus opened there will naturally ariſe theſe two points.

Firſt, that the Lord of Heaven and earth Doct. 1 doth ſtrive mightily with a company of poore Rebells; and all to bring them unto himſelfe, but on this I intend not to inſiſt.

The ſecond is this, viz. that there is a 2time when God will ſtrive with men no more, and that in this life; The ſcope of this aimes at the whole world; but what is ſaid in generall, may alſo be ſaid in particular. p. 30well then, there is a time in this life, and not when we are dead and gone; for then it is certaine there is no more comming unto God; but, in this life there is a time when God will ſtrive with men no more, neither for their good here, nor for their everlaſting happineſſe hereafter. For, unto every thing there is an appointed time. Eccleſ. 3. 1. Now the Lord calls lovingly to allure us; but there will come a time of goe yee curſed; the good Spirit of mine which thou haſt abuſed, ſhall never come to thee more; this is a marvailous troubleſome truth: yet moſt true; for men now will have their wills, and God muſt be at their leiſure, and come (forſooth) when they pleaſe. They will live as they liſt, doe as they liſt, and God muſt ſhew mercy on them as they liſt, and when they liſt &c. So there is a time when God will ſtrive; but when that time is gone, God will will ſtrive no more.

To make this plaine I will lay downe theſe ſix things.

Firſt, I will let you ſee that it hath been ſo, by Teſtimonies of Scripture.

Secondly, I will ſhew in or after what manner God deales with a ſoule in giving it over.

p. 31Thirdly, I will ſhew who they be that God gives over.

Fourthly, I will ſhew the grounds of it.

Fifthly, the objections againſt it.

And laſtly, we will come to the uſes.

For the firſt; Teſtimonies of Scripture, 1you beleeve them, and you doe acknowledge that the things delivered there are certaine; ſee it in Saul, becauſe thou haſt rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath alſo rejected thee from being King &c. 1 Sam. 15. 23. The Lord had ſtriven with Saul many wayes; by giving him profits and Honour, in making him King; he had given him gifts of the Spirit, he was not wanting unto him in any meanes; yet he not regarding all this, but neglecting that which his Conſcience told him ſhould be done hereupon the Lord tooke away; that good Spirit from Saul, and gave him an evill Spirit, as himſelfe confeſſed to the Witch of Endor. And as ſome Divines underſtand that ſaying of David, Pſal. 51. 11. Caſt me not out of thy ſight or preſence, is not to be underſtood of Government, but of the Church of God; Caſt me not out of thy preſence as thou didſt my Predeceſſor Saul; Ergo, it is evident that Saul was p. 32given over even in this life.

Secondly, that of the Heb. 12. 16, 17, 218. ſaith the Text, Let there not be a prophane perſon among you as Eſau; marke that man is a prophane man, that for one morſell of profit or pleaſure, will caſt off the favour of the living God; let there not be any ſuch among you (ſaith the Text.) The Apoſtle meanes not the outward inheritance onelyonly, but that which is of the Son-ſhip of God, which the Birthright then was.

Thirdly, Luke 19. 41, 42. where our 3Saviour weepes over Jeruſalem, Oh Jeruſalem &c. oh that thou hadſt knowne in this thy day of viſitation! &c. but now they are hid from thine eyes. Why? becauſe thou didſt not know thy time; God viſits us from day to day, either in Mercies, or Iudgements; in mercy when he performes that which he hath promiſed; In Judgements when he brings on men thoſe Judgements which formerly he denounced; So our Saviour tells them they had a day, oh that thou hadſt knowne in this thy day! &c. But now they are hid from thine eyes, and thou ſhalt ſee them no more: thus you ſee it is plainly proved by evidence of Scripture.

p. 33Secondly, I will ſhew you how the Lord deals with ſuch rebellious & ſtubborn creatures who after the Lord hath tried al concluſions on them, yet cannot bring them to amendment, but that ſtill they will goe on in their ſins, then the Lord changeth his minde, and he repents him of the good he hath done unto them. And ſo he repented that he had made Saul King.

But how can God repent? Object.

I anſwer, there may be a change of the Anſw. thing, though not of the perſon. The Lord repents that ever he ſet a Miniſter over a ſoule to convert it, if it deſpiſe his Miniſtery: though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, yet my mind could not be toward them: The Lord then had a minde; he loved the young man in the Goſpell, that is he kindly invited him, but yet ſaith the text, he went away ſorrowfull, he would not ſell all to follow Chriſt: ſo the Lord of heaven and earth ſtrives with men, he hath a good minde to winne them, he ſends his Miniſters to them, and when will it be that that uncleane luſt of thine will be reformed: The Lord calls the firſt, ſecond and third time, and when he ſees it will not prevaile, at laſt he gives thee over.

The Lord gives over that man to the p. 34power of that ſinne which he never did before when he ſtrove with him; we muſt either loſe our ſinnes or our ſoules: and ergo if no meanes will ſerve to bring a man home, then the Lord gives him over to commit his old ſinne; ſee Pſal. 82. 11. 12. the Lord tells there what he had done for Iſrael, how he had brought them out of Egypt: but my people ſaith he would not heare: Iſrael would none of me, none of my holineſſe, none of my pureneſſe, none of my waies; but their owne waies, wills and witts were beſt: ergo ſaith the Lord, I gave them up to their owne hearts luſt. He doth not ſay he gave them up unto the Syrians to plague them, nor to the enemies of the Church to ride upon them; but to their owne luſts. The inceſtuous perſon received good by his excommunication: but when a man is given over unto rebellion, it is hard for him to be recalled backe; it had beene better for that man if he had never beene borne. For as the skinne of a Rabit comes well off till it comes to the head, and then there is haling and pulling; ſo a man can crucifie many luſts, and performe many good duties; but when once he is come to the head, to his dareling ſinne, to his Dali…ah, then there is tugging and pulling, and p. 35the Lord will either breake that mans neck or his heart: he will either pull him from ſinne, or give him wholy over unto his ſinne. See Pſal. 78. 30. they muſt have Quailes, they had a daintie tooth and that muſt be ſatisfied; well, I will give you Quailes ſaith God, yea and my diſpleaſure with it alſo.

Thirdly, as God gives a man over to the 3power of his luſts, ſo he doth blaſt a man in regard of all abilities and gifts that formerly he hath had. Looke into the world, and you ſhall ſee this plaine: great ſchollers, learned Doctors and Preachers, their learning hath beene blaſted: they were bright candels, yet in the end they became ſnuffes, men of corrupt mindes &c. Looke upon other common Chriſtians, who have given hope of comming unto God, when they were in ſickeneſſe, or neceſſitie &c. Yet at laſt it turnes to nothing: He ſent leaneſſe into their ſoules. Pſal. 106. 15. He gave them their requeſt. One aimes at honour: well, God gives it unto him: another will have profit; well, ſaith God, and thou ſhalt have it: but my Spirit and th… …xcellency thereof thou ſhalt never have.

Fourthly, the Lord hardens that man: he 4repents of the good that is done unto him, p. 36he gives him up to the power of his luſts: and blaſts all his parts, ſo that he hardens up his heart; and looke by what meanes God ſought to bring him unto him, thoſe meanes harden him; afflictions harden him, which ſhould have beene the meanes to have recalled him. God braies a foole ten times in a morter, and yet he is the harder, harder and harder. Men live in the Sunneſhine of the Goſpell, yet many are hardened by it. Thoſe that have profeſſed the Goſpell, forſake their firſt-love, and are become like the Smiths dogge that lies at the Anvill and ſleepes though the ſparkles flie about his eares: ſo let the ſonnes of thunder ſay what they will, yet it ſhall not trouble them.

Fifthly, The Lord lets that man build upon 5falſe bottomes, live by falſe principles: that man which hath beene enlightned, muſt have ſomewhat to hold upon; elſe he would be in a little hell, and ergo a man hath his ſhifts. Saul ſaith I have performed the will of the Lord, I have done that which he commanded me. Have you ſo ſaies Samuel? What then meanes the lowing of the oxen? Oh ſaith he, it is to do… ſacrifice unto the Lord, &c. Some cunning hypocrites will have heaven: but when a Samuel p. 37comes with a diſcerning ſpirit, and tells them that grace and luſt cannot ſtand together; yet they would faine be ſaved. See Luke 15. 16. the young prodigall would faine have filled his bellie with the husks: the meaning is, every unregenerate man having lived after his owne luſts, his conſcience being mette withall and terrified with Gods wrath, he would leave his ſin, yet he would faine fill his belly with the husks, (viz.) with his luſts: he intends to be drunk no more, to be prophane no more, to be looſe no more: but now he will faſt it out, pray it out: and yet ſaith the text he would faine fill his bellie. There is never a naturall man but he would faine reſt upon ſomewhat; but where the Lord hath a minde to bring a man home, he will not let him reſt upon outward performances. One ſaith he hath beene counted a profeſſour theſe twenty yeares, and ergo he ſaies his caſe is good. Another ſaies he prayes in his family, and doth many good duties: another ſaith God hath bleſſed him divers wayes, and ergo his caſe is good: but thoſe the Lord purpoſeth to doe good unto, he will not ſuffer them thus to deceive themſelves.

Sixthly and laſtly, The Lord gives a commiſsion to all meanes for merly uſed that they p. 38ſhall never come to him more: the Lord bids thoſe judgements and mercies wherewith he ſought to humble him before, never more to meddle with him. Ephraim is joined to Idols, let him alone, Hoſ. 4. 17. viz. his heart and his ſinnes are joined together. Iſai. 5. 6. God ſpeakes of his Vineyard, ſaying, what could be done more? yet becauſe it brought forth wilde grapes, when I looked it ſhould bring forth good, ergo ſaith the Lord, I will lay it waſt, I will take away my former protection, and I will command the cloudes that they raine no more upon it. viz. The meanes of grace and ſalvation ſhall be offered no more unto it. I will heare ſuch a man no more, I wil take away my Miniſters from him. You know that Paul and Timothy would have gone into Aſia, but the Spirit ſuffered them not: this is a hard condition when the Spirit will not ſuffer good to be done unto a man, a Citie or a Nation. And thus much for the teſtimonie of the Scriptures.

Thirdly, I will let you ſee what perſons 3they are. I will not ſay this and this particular perſon; but you ſhall ſee what the ſcripture and the word of God ſays, They are foure kinde of perſons, and you ſhall know them by theſe foure things.

p. 39Firſt Thoſe that have lived a good while 1under the meanes of grace, but are ſtill unprofitable, and no good is wrought upon them, it is likely ſuch men are given over. See Math. 23. or 13. and the laſt. And a man that hardens his necke when he is rebuked, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and cannot be cured Prov. 29. 1. Looke unto this you that live under good Miniſters, Fathers and Maſters &c. For if the Lord ſees you will not come in, he gives you over. I limit no time: yet what ſaith the Spirit of God? Forty yeares was I greived. Heb. 3. 13. He ſwore that they ſhould not enter into his Reſt. Forty yeares was a great time: but what ſay you to three yeares? Luke 13. 7. Theſe three yeares have I come ſeeking fruite, and I have found none, cut it down &c. But what ſay you to one yeare? Lord, let it alone this yeare &c. But what ſay you to forty dayes? yet forty dayes and Nineveh ſhall be deſtroied. But what ſay you to ſome few houres? Math. 10. 14. Whoſoever ſhall not receive you, &c. ſhake off the duſt, &c. You know what commiſſion the Lord gave to his Meſſengers, how they ſhould preach the Goſpell, and if the houſe be worthy, well: and if not, ſhake off the duſt &c. As if one ſhould p. 40ſtrive with you this day, but if you will not heare nor obey, who can tell whether the Lord will ſtrive any more or no? Cave ergo.

Secondly, Thoſe that have much calling 2and meanes, and alſo many ſecret workings of the Spirit on them, that when they have gon out of the Houſe of God, have determined never to be drunke more, never to ſweare, lie, nor ſteale more &c. and yet theſe come to nought. He that hath had many Proclamations, as Ezek. 24. 13. Becauſe I have purged thee, and thou waſt not purged, I tried thy wayes what might do thee good, and thou ſeemedſt to be good, but thou waſt not good in earneſt, ergo thou ſhalt not be purged. Such a man who hath lived under the Goſpell, and hath had his heart ſhaken, yea and the world hath good hopes of him, but the devil ſees it & tempts him, ſo that on the ſudden this man wanders away, and his hopes are vain. Heb. 10. If any man draw back, my ſoule ſhall have no pleaſure in him. verſe 38. He ſpeakes of holding out in a Chriſtian courſe unto the end: looke how it was with Lots wife. Gen. 19. ſhe looked backe, as if ſhe were loth to goe from that pleaſant garden, fine houſes, ſuch and ſuch gold in ſuch a corner; p. 41what thinks ſhe ſhall I leave all this? ergo the Lord turned her into ſalt: (viz.) He left ſuch a remarkeable note upon her, that it remaines unto this day. Now if he dealt ſo with her, how will he deale with thee and others? ſome it may be have a good minde to come home: but what ſay they, ſhall we leave all our pleaſures and profits? will not a little profeſſion of Religion and a great deale of the world goe together for currant? Take heede, the Lord may juſtly turne thee into ſalt.

Thirdly, Thoſe that have much greived 3the good Spirit of God, in bringing in ſome ſinne contrary to the light of conſcience, and the ſuggeſtions of the good Spirit of God, as did the children of Iſrael, who reſiſted the good Spirit of God, and ergo he ſware &c. The Miniſter bids thee cut off thy long haire, and the word ſaies it is a ſhame for a man to weare long haire: yet for all this ſaieſt thou, I will not: what will the world ſay of me then? away with theſe faſhions, leave off cards and dice &c. ſaies the Spirit of God, and whatſoever is of evill report: yea but I will not, for what will Sir John and my Lady ſay then? Turne you unto me ſaith the Spirit of God; no I will not ſaith the ſtubborne walker. p. 42Put him on in a good courſe, yet he wil not walke therein; ſpeake the truth ſaith the Spirit of God, for all liars ſhall be turned out: yea but not yet, I have got thus much wealth by lying, and I will not yet leave it.

Fourthly, Such as have a common, baſe 4vile and contemptible eſteeme of the Goſpell and Miniſters thereof. They mocked the Miniſters till the wrath of God broke out againſt them, and there was no remedy. 2 Chron. 36. 16. A Miniſter cannot be plaine but wicked men will abuſe him in their hearts. I called and cried ſaith wiſedome, but you ſet at nought all my counſell. Prov. 1. 24, 25. and going away they make a tuſh at it. I, ſaith one, Maſter Miniſter, you mette with mens hearts to day, but I beleeve yours is as bad as anothers, elſe how could you have hitte them ſo right? ſee what the Spirit of God ſaith of ſuch Eſay 22. 21. In that day did the Lord call to weeping &c. the text told them of a judgement, and nothing to be expected but miſerie: but they make a tuſh of it, and ſay, come, we ſhall all die, ergo let us eate and drinke and be merrie while we may; the Miniſter tells us we ſhall all to hell, then let us have the other p. 43pot and the other pipe, if it muſt needs be ſo. Oh my beloved, can the God of heaven indure to be thus diſgraced in his Goſpell and Miniſters? Another ſaies, care I what the Miniſter ſaith? I will goe and drinke at every Ale-houſe, and ſee whether theſe judgements will come or no.

Now I come to the fourth thing, which 4is the grounds of it, (viz.) Why the Lord in this life doth give men over, and ſtrive with them no more. This truth is troubleſome, and curſed hearts cannot abide it.

The grounds of this point ariſe from theſe two Attributes of God, his juſtice and his wiſedome.

Firſt, from the juſtice of God: God is a 1juſt God; and is it not juſt that thoſe who have rejected him, that he ſhould reject them? I have called, but you anſwered not. Jer. 7. 13. ergo &c. Now as it is juſt with God to fulfill every word that he hath ſpoken, and to fulfill all his promiſes to the faithfull, ſo is it juſt with God to bring judgment on them that have ſlighted him.

Secondly, From the wiſedome of God 2and his long ſuffering; and this is becauſe his compaſſions faile not: elſe, the firſt p. 44day of our ſinning had beene the firſt day of our rejection: yea it is his goodneſſe that we have any favour; but Oh our God is a wiſe God. A man that knocks at the dore, if he be wiſe, will not alwaies lie knocking, if none anſwer: ſo the Lord knocks at our hearts by mercies to allure us, by judgements to terrifie us: yet he can finde no entrance. Is it not wiſedome then to be gone? Why ſhould I ſmite you any more, ſaith God? Eſay. 1. 5. As if he ſhould ſay tis to no purpoſe: for my life I know not what to doe with you: it is wiſedome to give over, when there is no good to be done on you: What could I have done more for my V…neyard &c? Eſay 5. There is no wiſe man that will alwayes water a dry ſtake. And doe you thinke that God will always be ſending Paul to plant, and Appollos to water? no, our God is a wiſe God, and our mercifull God is a juſt God: you that will have your wayes and wills, take them, and get you to hell & periſh everlaſtingly.

Now in the fift place we come to the 5Objections.

Some ſay, If we ſhall be damned, then we Object. 1 muſt be damned: if we ſhall be ſaved, then we ſhall be ſaved; why then neede we pray and keepe ſuch a quoile as the Miniſter p. 45ſpeaks off?

Secret things belong to the Lord, butSol. revealed things to us, and to our children. Deut. 29. 29. ergo doe thou uſe the meanes, and be thou humbled according to the word of God, and thou ſhalt be exalted according to the word of God: ſee what God hath ſaid to thee in his word: for neither I nor thou, nor the Angels of heaven can tell what the will of the Lord is concerning thee, if not revealed in the word.

Another ſaith, Why doe you limit God? Object. 2 you take too much upon you you ſons of Levi. The Lord ſaith at what time ſoever a ſinner doth repent, &c. yet will you limit God.

Tis true at what time ſoever a ſinner dothSol. repent: but thy heart may be given over as Rom. 2. 4. 5. &c. and what if thou then liveſt twenty yeares or more, and have not a heart to repent?

Another ſaith, but I hope my time is not Object. 3 paſt: for the Lord hath given me a tender heart.

Hath he ſo, it is well, and wilt thou thenSol. harden it? thou mayeſt repent when it is too late, and ergo I tell thee, that good and holy deſires are joyned with honeſt endeavours: p. 46neede makes the old wife trot, as we ſay; ſo a ſoft heart will make thee uſe all good and honeſt meanes.

Seeing that God ſtrives with many, and Ʋſe. 1 at laſt gives over, goe thou home, and bleſſe God that he hath not dealt ſo with thee; it is enough that the Lord hath brought thee home to himſelfe; many may ſay with Paul, I was a perſecutor, I was injurious, &c. 1 Tim. 1. 14. but, I received mercy; ſo thou mayeſt ſay, the Lord knowes what a deale adoe he hath had with me; this heart was as hard as the neather milſtone, but the Lord in ſome meaſure hath mollified it; this heart was as proud as the devill, but bleſſed be Gods name, he would let me ſee it at the laſt; goe home and ſay who am I and what is my Fathers houſe that the Lord hath brought me hither? Oh that God ſhould thus ſtoope to man; the Lord hath ſtood and knockt thus many yeares, and he might have given over, but bleſſed be his name, I have received merciemercy. I lived under the meanes, but that prevailed not with me: the Lord ſent ſuch and ſuch ſicknes, but that wrought not on me: at the laſt I went to heare a Miniſter, and me thought that Miniſter ſpake nothing but what he ſpake to me: p. 47and then the Lord ſet conſcience on worke, and that affrighted me. Looke to it: the Lord will either breake thy necke, or thy heart: doe not thinke to goe to heaven by good meanings: no, it will coſt thee ſomewhat more before thou come there. Another time the Lord ſet on me, and then I ſet on good duties: I would have Chriſt to juſtifie and ſanctifie me, and bleſſed be his name he was not wanting unto me in any meanes; the Lord make me thankfull &c. I tell thee thou wilt be in deede, and God ſhall have all: let the voluptuous man have his pleaſures, &c. what is that to thee ſo thou have Chriſt?

For the juſt reproofe of all ſuch as are Uſe 2 yet in the gall of bitterneſſe and in the bonds of iniquitie; there will come a time when God will ſtrive with thee no more; the old man thinks he hath time enough to repent in, and the young man thinks he need not ſo much as enter into a Parley with godlineſſe. Eſau went away when he had eate and drunke, he eſteemed not his birthright; I have heard ſome goe away with this reſolution, when they are married then they will live thus and thus. &c. ſuffer me firſt to goe bury my Father &c. Maſter Miniſter, you ſpeake well, I like your counſell; p. 48but I have a rich Unckle, and he hath no childe, and I am likely to be his heire; but he cannot abide a Puritan of all the men in the world, and if I doe not humour him I ſhall never have a foot of his Land; let me bury him firſt; when Father and Friends are dead, then the children muſt provide for themſelves; and then they will ſeek after God and repent; and by this time they grow old, and though they cannot make ſo good a ſhew as others, yet their hearts are as good as the beſt, but ſoft a while; all is not gold that gliſters; alas poore ſoules, they were given over many yeares agoe; this is alſo the ſinne of young men and women for the moſt part, and this is the great ſinne of England, the ſinne of many Gentlemen and Gentlewomen; God muſt pardon when they call, and that muſt not be till they be old, and then in all poſt-haſte ſend they to and for maſter Prieſt, and he muſt bring God to them, or them to God; but the God of Heaven and earth cannot endure this mockerie.

For terrour to all wicked and ungodly men; Vſe 3 woe woe, woe, that ever they were borne that are thus given over; and of theſe there are two ſorts;

p. 49Some are inſenſible and ſome ſenſible. The inſenſible are they who die like ſtones as did Nabal; We have many King Harry Proteſtants. Others are ſenſible, God hath opened the eye of their ſoules, and hath let them read the red letters of the Goſpell; It is a heavie thing for old friends to part, ſo Acts 20. 38. They grieved moſt in that he ſaid you ſhall ſee my face no more; ſo when ſoule and bodie part, it is heavie; but when the ſoule and God part, it is lamentable; when God takes his leave never to be ſeene more, then whether thou looke upward or downeward, there is nothing but amazement, and aſtoniſhment. If thou looke upward, there is the anger of God; if downeward, there is the bottomleſſe pit; if on the right hand, thou ſhall ſee all his mercies, which could not allure thee; if on the left hand, all his Judgements which could not terrifie thee; if before thee, the black day; if behind thee, the Devills; this will be fearfull.

I remember a Storie of an adulterate woman, her Conſcience pricking her, ſhe determined to repent, but God in the meane time did viſit her ſo ſore that ſhe lay crying out, oh my time my time!

Another time, a covetous woman her p. 50Houſe being on fire, ſhe to ſave her goods, left her child in the Cradle; but a neighbour of hers hearing it crie, tooke it away; ſhe afterwards remembring her child, ran about crying oh my child, my child, and would not be comforted.

So when the fire and indignation of the Lord breaks out, if not now, yet at the laſt day it will, then the parties againſt whom it breaks, will crie oh my ſoule, my ſoule, what will become of thee my ſoule? It had been better I had never been born; for neither Mercies, Judgements, nor the Word could allure mee; oh woe is me.

Now the condition of ſuch is miſerable in three reſpects.

Firſt, becauſe if God forſake thee, then all 1forſakes thee; when thou lieſt a dying, thou ſendeſt for the Miniſter, and thou wouldeſt faine have a word of comfort from him; but alas if thou doſt not receive comfort from Heaven, how can the Miniſter comfort thee? If thy outward Eſtate faile, Friends may help; but if they faile, there is a God in Heaven and he will help; but if He goe away, then all help is gone.

Secondly, when God goes, reſtraining 2grace goes; this was Sauls caſe, and you p. 51may obſerve that ſuch as have been enlightn…d and fall away, fall into one of theſe three ſinnes; either into the hands of the world, and that is their Maſter, or elſe into the ſinnes of uncleanneſſe, or into the ſpirit of Malice to perſecute them that are holy.

Thirdly, if God leave us, then common 3protection leaves us; we are left to the clutches of all things both in Heaven and earth; Ergo, your houſes are left unto you deſolate. Matth. 23. 38. All the creatures are up in armes againſt us; the ſtiles we goe over, look up to Heaven, and ſay, Maſter, ſhall we breake his neck? the Horſe we ride on, ſays, Maſter ſhall I throw him downe to deſtruction? thou knoweſt that he hates thee and thine. So the ayre we breath in, and all Creatures, are readie when the Lord gives the watchword to lay us in the goale. Conſcience will witneſſe againſt us; then fight Dogg, fight Beare (as we uſe to ſay) oh what will become of ſuch men? I will tell you, either the world heales them up; or elſe ſome carnall companion ſaith, you have been a good neighbour, you have kept a good houſe amongſt us &c. tuſh, tuſh, man, it may prove a lye for all this: I but the Miniſter p. 52tells me ſo; piſh, piſh, as if all were true the Miniſter ſpeakes. I but the Scripture ſayes it; Is all true that is in the Scripture? the Lord have mercy upon us; and thus like fooles they build with untempered morter. Ergo, I exhort all ſuch as are yet in the gall of bitterneſſe, to liſten to what I ſay.

Redeeme the time, yeild to the motions of The Authors Exhortation.Gods Spirit, and bleſſe God for Mercy offered unto you in the meanes, and if any affliction be laide on you, intreat the Lord that he will doe you good by it. If thy Conſcience ſpeak, or the Spirit worke, doe as Joſeph did, who got him into a corner and there wept his belly full; ſo intreat the Lord that he will breake the Heavens and come downe on thee to thy comfort; put not off till thou art old. A gentleman will not alwayes waite at the gate; neither ſay thou as Felix to Paul, I will ſend for thee at another time, but ſay with Samuel, ſpeake Lord, for thy ſervant heareth.

Meanes.Meanes.

Firſt, conſider the fearfull condition 1of ſuch as are given over; Suppoſe one ſhould come from Hell with the fire about his eares, you would aske what is the newes; the cry is, my time, my time. p. 53Oh my people ſayes the Miniſter. Oh my Miniſter ſaies the People. The young man cries, oh my time. Doe not make a tuſh at this, leſt thou ſay the word was preached but I ſcorned it; the Spirit ſaid this is the way, walke in it; the meanes of grace was ſent unto me, but I refuſed MercieMercy, and now for ever I am in Hell to be tormented.

Secondly, conſider the great danger of 2putting off; If thy will be ſtubborne to day, it will be worſe to morrow.

Thirdly, conſider the time, 1. Pet. 4. 3. 3It is enough for the time of our life we have lived that we have wrought the workes of the Gentiles, let us live no longer in ſinne, it is too much that you have reſiſted the Goſpell ſo much; ſay then oh that the Lord would break this heart of mine.

Fourthly and laſtly, though God ſhould 4be calling and egging you all the day long; yet your lives are but ſhort, and Ergo, crie out with David, teach me o Lord to numbet my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wiſedome; doe not ſay it is too late, as one did once ſay of Prayer, doe you thinke that I can pray now, which never prayed in all my life? I am ſure it will be p. 54too late when God comes to Judgement; for then the Devill will ſtand on tip toe, and ſay what doſt thou now thinke to goe to Heaven? the Lord did waite on thee untill he was weary; but here is a company of Drunkards, I did but hold up my finger, and they preſently followed me. Heaven came downe to them, but they would none of it, they could not heare of that eare, and would you now goe to Heaven?

Ergo, goe for now the Lord Jeſus Chriſts ſake, and when MercieMercy is offered, refuſe it not, but bleſſe God for it.