The Way to Heaven Discovered, Religious treatise · Section
ALL Men, Women, and Children under the Sun, are either in the ſtate of Nature, or in the ſtate of Grace; in Chriſt, or out of Chriſt: only here is their miſery, many that are in the ſtate of nature, doe think they be in the ſtate of grace, and many that are in the ſtate of grace, doe think they be in the ſtate of nature: Now although there be but theſe two ſtates, yet there be ſeverall degrees in each of theſe ſtates, viz. Thoſe that are in the ſtate of Grace, are in one of theſe four fourmes, either babes, children, young men, or old men.
1. Babes, 1 Pet. 2. 2.
2. Children, little children, 1 Joh. 2. 12.
3. Young men, 1 Joh. 2. 13.
4. There is Old men, or Fathers, 1 Joh. 2. 14.
So alſo for thoſe in the ſtate of Nature, there be ſome nearer, ſome further from the kingdome of God, Iſai. 46. 12. Hearken unto me ye stout hearted, that are farre from righteouſneſſe; all ſtout hearted, obſtinate, ſelf-conceited, Ranters, and Ordinance-forſakers, and vice-advancers, Scripture-rejectors, and hypocriticall diſſemblers, &c. Theſe are farre from the kingdome of God. But then there is another ſort of thoſe in the naturall ſtate, ſpoken of by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Mar. 12. 34. And when Jeſus ſaw that he anſwered diſcreetly, he ſaid, Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God, &c. Thou art more moderate, more teachable, more tractable, thou haſt in thee many good things, thou wanteſt but that one thing needfull, and thou ſhalt be perfect: make Chriſt thy portion, and ſell thy own portion and follow him, Mat. 19. 21. Thou haſt almoſt perſwaded me to be a Christian, Act. 26. 28.
Object. But what ſhall we that are in the ſtate of nature do, that ſo we might, if not get immediately out of that ſtate into a ſtate of grace, yet that we might be continually waiting upon God, in the uſe of thoſe means appointed by him to change us, &c?
Anſw. The way with the wiſe man in Mat. 7. 24. to build our houſe upon the Rock, is as followeth.
1. Be throughly convinced that thou haſt hitherto built upon the ſand: which will eaſily appear, if thou conſider,
1. What thou art by nature.
2. What thou art by practiſe.
1. What thou art by nature, not only born in ſin, but left in a condition unable to recover thy ſelf. Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one: Job 25. 4. How can he be clean that is born of a woman? Pſal. 51. 5. Behold, I was ſhapen in iniquity, and in ſin did my mother conceive me: Mic. 7. 2. There is none upright amongſt men: Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin, ſo that death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned: Rom. 3. 9, 10. Both Jew and Gentile, they be all under ſin, as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one: Rom. 3. 12. They be all, and altogether become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, no not one: Pſal. 14. 3. We are all gone out of the way, we are all become unprofitable and filthy, none righteous, not one. Now if all this be too little to compleat our condemnation, wo go aſtray as ſoon as ever we are born, Pſ. 58. 3. Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the thoughts of our hearts, was only evill, and that continually. Yea all the Saints themſelves, before conviction, converſion, and regeneration, were guilty of originall and actuall tranſgreſſion, Epheſ. 2. 3. and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. Neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abuſers of themſelves, nor theeves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners ſhall inherit the kingdome of God, and ſuch were ſome of you, but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Tit. 3. 3. For we our ſelves, were ſometimes fooliſh, diſobedient, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, living in malice and envie, hatefull and hating one another. 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blaſphemer and a perſecutor. Eccleſ. 7. 20. So that there is not a juſt man upon earth, according to creation and practiſe, that doth good, and ſinneth not: and thus man which at the beginning was created happy, is become of all creatures moſt miſerable, viz. a ſlave to the Devill, a childe of wrath, and an enemy to good, and an heir to eternall damnation, Eph. 2. 3. Now we cannot come out of this miſerable eſtate, untill we come to him who is the fountain of life, and brought to him, we can never be but by faith, Heb. 11. 6. For as God is the life of the ſoul, and the ſoul is the life of the body, ſo faith is the life of our enjoyments, and the promiſes are the life of faith; now when a man or woman comes to be throughly, and powerfully, and effectually convinced, that he or ſhe was born in ſin, and have ever ſince lived in ſin; and that all the plagues and judgements threatned in the whole Bible are due to them for their ſins, as appears by theſe Scriptures: Rom. 6. 23. The wages of ſin is death: Rev. 14. 10. Theſe ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is powred forth without mixture, in the cup of his indignation: Pſal. 9. 17. The wicked ſhall be turned into hell, and all they that forget God: Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguiſh, indignation and wrath, upon every ſoul of man that doth evill, of the Jew firſt, and alſo of the Gentile: ſee Deut. 27. 26. Deut. 28. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
But beſides all this the ſinfulneſſe of man by nature will further appear, if we examine every faculty of the ſoul: viz. the underſtanding is full of vanity, ſee Pſal. 94. 11. nay it is full of blindneſſe, 1 Cor. 2. 24. unteachableneſſe and incredulity, 2 Cor. 4. 4. So the will of man is wholly depraved: 1. It is contrary to God, his word and Spirit in all things; 2. It will not depend nor wait on God; 3. it is unconſtant in good reſolutions; 4. it diſobeyes the will of God: as we may ſee in Adams eating the fruit, and Sauls ſparing the Amalekites King and Cattle. Then for the memory, that alſo is full of corruption. 1. That will forget the things that it is commanded to remember: 2. It will remember the things, that we are commanded to forget, it will hold trifles, and let go matters of moment. So the conſcience that is wholly corrupted; 1. it is without feeling, it is neither clear to ſee things that are amiſſe, nor ſenſible of ſins committed: 2. Whereas it ſhould excuſe or accuſe, it doth abuſe and pervert the light it hath by making great ſins ſmall, &c. Then for our affections, they are alſo corrupt, they come as a tempeſt and carry us away, either to make us over-love, over-grieve, over-joy; &c. we hate our brother which we ſhould love, & love our luſts whom we ſhould hate: by all which we may ſee that our nature is full of unrighteouſneſſe, and ungodlineſſe.
2. If thou, and I conſider what we are by practiſe, we may quickly finde our ſins to be more then the hairs of our heads, or ſands on the ſea ſhore. Examine firſt thy actuall ſins, of thought, word, and deed: in our thoughts there is much corruption, they being idle, vain, wicked, and ſo fooliſh, as Dr. Preſton ſaith, If a man ſhould write his thoughts of one day, and read them at night, he would think he was half out of his wits: now thoughts are the firſt born, and bloſſome of the ſoul, and are the firſt plotters and contrivers of good or evill, with them we entertain good in the temple of our hearts. Then for our words, the tongue being very ſlippery, we offend eaſily, St. James compares the tongue to a bit, which keeps in the wildeſt horſe, and to a rudder, which turnes the greatest ſhip, and to a fire, which inflames the whole courſe of nature, Jam. 3. 3, 4, 5. Yet moſt men think it nothing to let their tongues walk up and down at randome, from morning till night, from week to week, from monethmonth to monethmonth, from year to year. Then ſee it again by moſt mens actions, their ſins of commiſſion, their number, greatneſſe, frequency, and thou wilt ſoon ſay as in the Pſal. 19. 12. Who can underſtand his errours? Then again, for ſins of omiſſion, thy barrenneſſe and unfruitfulneſſe, thy omitting of time that is ſo precious, and omitting of occaſions of doing good, ſee Mat. 25. 45. Again let us conſider the aggravations of ſin, firſt every ſin is againſt the great Majeſty of God, the greater the perſon offended is, the greater the ſin committed is.
Again, we ſin againſt knowledge: it was the great ſin of the Gentiles, that when they knew God they glorified him not as God; to ſin againſt knowledge, is a reſiſting the holy Ghoſt: tribulation therefore is firſt to the Jew, that knew the will of God, and then to the Gentile Now the Gentiles had but the light of nature: ſee Rom. 2. 9. Again, another aggravation of ſin is this, we have ſinned againſt vowes and covenants made with God; now ſin after covenant is greater then it was before, though in act it be but the ſame. Again, we ſin againſt means, yea againſt thoſe means that God hath put as weapons in our hands to reſiſt it; as mercies or corrections of God, or his word, whereby we profit not.
Now all this that hath been ſpoken hitherto of our ſinfull condition by nature and practiſe, is but a taſte of one drop to the Ocean, to that bulk and body of corruption that lyeth covered in our hearts, as fire under aſhes; ſee Pſal. 19. 12. Who can underſtand the errors of his life? ſaith David, I will ſet thy ſins in order before thee, ſaith the Lord, Pſal. 50.
The next thing to be conſidered, is the judgements threatned againſt thoſe ſins: Pſal. 50. 22. Now conſider this, ſaith the Lord, leſt I come and tear you in pieces: Curſed is he that continueth not in every thing that is written, Gal. 3. 10. and, he that keepeth the whole Law, and offends but in one point is guilty of all: Jam. 2. 10. ſo that ſin and puniſhment are linked together. See the forementioned places, Rom. 6 32. Rev. 14. 10. Pſal. 9. 17. & Rom. 2. 9. & Deut. 28. 16, 17, 18.
Now when the ſoul ſeeth his ſin, and the judgements due to him for ſin, then the ſoul doth begin to make a ſtop, and to conſider where it is, and whither it is going; and as it looks up, it ſeeth an angry Judge ready to pronounce his condemnation; and as it looks down, it ſees hell mouth open ready to receive it: If thou look before thee, all the world ſeems in a flame of fire: and behinde thee a hideous noiſe of an innumerable number of thy fellow ſinners, at their wits ends, crying out with the Jaylor, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? or elſe with the four leapers 2 King. 7. 3, 4. If we ſhould enter into the city, the famine is there, and we ſhall dye; and if we ſit ſtill here, we die alſo; Now therefore let us fall into the hands of the Aſſyrians, if they ſave us alive we live, if not we ſhall but die: Even thus is it with every ſoul, a little convinced of his ſinfull life, loſt and undone condition. Firſt, if we ſhould look back, and enter into the City of all the good that we have done, the famine is there, and we ſhall die; and if we ſit ſtill here in this ſtate of nature, not improving the opportunity, nor ability that is in our hands, we die alſo: now therefore let us fall into the hands of the Aſſyrians, if they ſave us alive, we ſhall live, if not, we ſhall but die. This third and laſt reſolution of the Lepers, doth ſhew and fully diſcover to all men that have their eyes in their heads, that a man or woman once convinced of ſin, both originall and actuall, of omiſſion and commiſſion, both in fleſh and ſpirit, with all its aggravations and denominations, this party ſeeks for healing, but it goes to the Aſſyrians, an enemy that could not help themſelves: ſo we, even we the moſt of men, awakened out of a ſecure eſtate of ſin, the ſoul ſeeks and comes to the Aſſyrian of his own righteouſneſſe, and when he comes to the camp, he findes that fled away, then he returns to all his friends and relations, and finds them unable to help themſelves, much leſte to help him: Then the ſoul comes to the Aſſyrian of his own duties, and ordinances, and ſo reſts upon a form without the power, and ſo we wil never come to Chriſt, the true and only phyſician of the ſoul, untill with the woman in Mar. 5. 25, 26, 27, 28. we have ſpent all our money, time and pains, and left no ſtone unturned, no means unattempted, to get cu…e and healing in ſomething beſide, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; but when with this woman we have ſpent all, and yet grow worſe and worſe, then the ſoul begins to make a halt or ſtop again, and ſo begins to reaſon with it ſelf; If I ſit ſtill here in the ſtate of nature, I ſhall die, or if I ſhould go into the City of my own works, the Lord hath written death upon that, no fleſh ſhall be juſtified by that: I will even fall into the hands of God, the great Creator of the Aſſyrians, Who can tell but that he may be gracious unto me, that I periſh not? Jonah 3. 9. Joel 2. 14. Nay the Lord may be gracious to me and ſave me, Amos 5. 15. Oh let me and all thoſe my fellow ſinners, fall into his hands, it may be we ſhall be hid in the day of the Lords wrath: It is true, we being wicked he may ſay to us as in Pſal. 50. 16. What haſt thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth? But for all this, I am reſolved ſaith one, I am reſolved ſaith another, to go to him, and caſt my ſelf upon him, although it doth ſeem to be contrary to his law, which is our Debt-book, yet there doth ſeem to be a way opened in the Goſpell, which is the Pay-book, where if I miſtake not, are Receipts for moſt of my debts, if not for all: Wherefore as Eſther 4. 16. ſhe reſolved to go to the King, though it was contrary to the Law; So am I, ſaith the convinced ſinner, reſolved to go in to the King of Kings, and if I periſh I periſh.
Now ſometimes before the ſoul comes to this ſtrong reſolution, even when once it begins to be throughly convinced of ſin, it makes a ſtop or halt, like a traveller meeting with two waies, and knows not which to take, he ſtands ſtill and takes neither of them for the preſent, but continues inquiring of all that paſſe by, and at laſt having ſilenced his own thoughts, he hears a voice behinde him ſaying, as in Iſa. 30. 21. This is the way, walk in it, and ſo the Lords gives a mighty turn to the ſoul by that ſecret voice; but before the ſoul comes thus farre, there is wrought in the ſoul the aſſenting act of faith, but not the applying act; now the aſſenting act is that whereby a man aſſents to the truth of the Scripture; that he is ſuch a miſerable wretch as the Scripture ſaith, that he ſhall periſh eternally, if he be not new born, and taken out of the firſt Adam, and graffed in the ſecond.
But ſome will object or demand, Whether a ſoul thus convinced doth beleeve firſt, or repent, before it doth beleeve.
But for anſwer hereunto, conſider that there are three acts of faith, viz.
1. The aſſenting act.
2. The relying act, or Faith of relyance.
3. The Faith of evidence or perſwaſion.
Now the aſſenting act of faith is repentance; and ſo godly ſorrow is an effect of it; ſo that this aſſenting act of faith, leads a ſoul to an ordinance in Gods hand, as to the firſt part of repentance, conſiſting in conviction, contrition, and humiliation; now the habit of faith and repentance are both together in the ſoul, we only queſtion which God doth give the ſoule power to act firſt; and for the further clearing hereof conſider, That a ſoul cannot come to Chriſt, till it goes out of its ſelfe; now a ſoul will not goe out of its ſelf, till it doth ſee the danger of continuing in its ſelf: this danger workes fear, this fear workes ſorrow, and this ſorrow is humiliation; and this cannot be without the firſt act of faith, ſeeing we cannot dive into the diſpenſations of God, by a bucket of reaſon. It is true that the troop of Converts Act. 2. 37. they were pricked at their hearts, and ſaid unto Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles, Men and brethren what ſhall we do? and in Act. 16. 29. the Jaylor came trembling, and fell at their feet and ſaid, Sirs, what muſt I do to be ſaved? So that repentance is the effect of faith, and the cauſe muſt needs go before the effect; only minde that repentance hath three parts, to wit, conviction, contrition, and humiliation, or the turning of the ſoul from ſin, and the converſion of the ſoul to God, and this cannot be done in Gods ordinary way, before the habit of faith be wrought in the ſoul; ſo that we may judge of the habit of faith, by the acts of humiliation that it doth work in the ſoul.
The next thing to be conſidered is, What is that converſion of a ſinner, ſo much ſpoken unto in the Scriptures?
For anſwer unto which, it is moſt clear by Scripture, and experience, that the converſion of a man is as hard a thing as to turn the courſe of nature: rewards and puniſhments propoſed may turn mens actions, but to turn the inclination of the heart is proper to the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. 18. By the Spirit of the Lord we are changed into the Image of God; and this Spirit will ſhew you the corruption of your underſtanding, memory, conſcience, will, and aff…ctions, with thoughts, words, and deeds, and actions, omiſſions, commiſſions, and by a mighty power change all theſe into the Image of God. There is no power below that power, that raiſed Chriſt from the dead, and that made the world, that can turn the heart of a ſinner; we are as well able to turn a flint into fleſh, as to turn our own hearts to the Lord; to raiſe the dead, and to make a world, as to repent; Repentance is a flower that grows not in natures garden; Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his ſpots? then may they alſo that are accuſtomed to do evill, do good, Jer. 13. 23. Repentance is a gift that comes down from above, men are not born with repentance in their hearts, as they are born with tongues in their mouths; the ſame power that formes the child in the naturall wombe, for the child doth not forme its ſelfe; and its father and mother are but the meanes; I ſay, the ſame power that gives it the firſt birth, muſt give it the ſecond birth, or elſe it will not be borne again, and if not, it can never enter into the Kingdome of heaven, Joh. 3. 3. No power, but the power of the Almighty, can convert a ſinner or recover a backſlider; Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned, ſaith Ephraim: After that I was turned I repented, ſaith he. For as Mr. Thomas Brooks well obſerves, repentance hath in it theſe three things; 1. The act; to turne from darkneſſe to light. 2. The ſubject changed, that is, the whole man, both the ſinners heart and life; firſt his heart, then his life; firſt his perſon, then his practiſe; it is a through change both of the mind and man. 3. The termes of his change and converſion, from what, and to what, the whole heart and life muſt be changed, and that is, from all ſin, to good; repentance is not only a turning from all ſin, but alſo a turning to all good, at leaſt to love all good, to a prizing of all good, and to a following after all good, Ezek. 18. 21. &c. it is not enough that the tree beares not bad or ill fruit, but it muſt bring forth good fruit, elſe it muſt be cut down and caſt into the fire; true repentance ſtrips a man ſtarke naked of all the garment of the old Adam, and leaves not ſo much as a skirt behind in this rotten building. It makes a man poor, hungry, empty, naked, loſt, and blind, &c. theſe are thoſe to whom the promiſes be made, and theſe are thoſe that Christ came to ſeek and ſave, heal and pardon.
Object. But ſay many ſinners, If this worke be ſuch a mighty worke, that none can doe it but the almighty power of God, to what end ſhall I look or dive into my ſelfe, and my loſt condilion, ſeeing I cannot recover my ſelfe out?
Anſw. It is the Pool of Betheſda, appointed by God for a ſinner to wait at, and the way of God that he will be found in, and the place in which he hath abundantly promiſed in his Word, that he will manifeſt himſelfe to us in; he never ſaid to any ſoul that doth wait upon him in the way of his ordinances, ſeek ye me in vain; but he ſaith, ſeek ye me in this way, and you ſhall finde me; aske, hear, and you ſhall have; for theſe ordinances are my Pipes of conveyance.
Object. But why doth God promiſe eternall life onelyonly to thoſe that beleeve, and threaten death to thoſe that do not beleeve, ſeeing it is not in a mans power by nature to beleeve?
Anſw. 1. That the Lord might by means of theſe promiſes and threats work us unto that which by nature we are averſe unto, 2 Cor. 11. 20, 21.
2. That the grace of God might as well appear in giving power to beleeve, as in giving Chriſt, and in him forgiveneſs of ſins to be beleeved, Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy: ſo again Rom. 11. 5, 6, 7.
3. That all men might appeare more and more inexcuſable, when neither promiſes nor threats will move them to embrace free mercy, Acts 13. 46. Seeing you put the word from you, loe we turne to the Gentiles, and in the 51. verſe, ſo they ſhooke the duſt of their feet againſt them; Acts 18. 6, 7.
4. That we might apply our ſelves unto God in the uſe of thoſe meanes that he hath appointed for the working of faith in us: Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that periſheth, but for that which endureth unto everlaſting life: Iſa. 55. 3. Incline your eare and come unto me; hear and your ſoule ſhall live.
5. That we might wholly deny our ſelves, and ſearch, and by ſearching finde in the Covenant of grace matter of free conveyance of power to beleeve whatſoever is required to be beleeved, Rom. 10. 17. Joh. 5. 39. & Pſal. 119. 9, 98, 99, 104, 105. & Rom. 4. 6.
The ſoul being brought thus far on his journey toward heaven; as, 1. To be powerfully convinced by the Spirit of God, as in Joh. 16. 8. this Spirit doth convince us of our own naturall miſery; and of Chriſts ſupernaturall al-ſufficiency to remove it.
In the next place, the ſoul begins to enquire after a remedy, and finds that there is no other name given under heaven, whereby it can be ſaved, but by Chriſt alone; ſo the ſoul begins to hear what Chriſt ſaith in his Word to poor ſinners, Mat. 11. 28. Come to me, ſaith Chriſt, I will give thee reſt. Iſa. 55. 7. I will abundantly pardon thee. Iſa. 55. 1. Come, come, come to me, ſaith Chriſt. Revel. 22. 17. Take the water of life freely. If thou doeſt confeſſe and forſake thy ſin, thou ſhalt finde mercy, Prov. 28. 13. & 1 Joh. 1. 9. Nay if thou canſt not forſake them, if thou doſt but truly confeſſe them, he will pardon thee, Jer. 3. 13. & Mica. 7. 18. 19. But if thou finde not the conditions of the promiſe wrought in thee, then apply thoſe abſolute promiſes, that are made without condition, viz. They ſhall be all taught of God, Joh. 6. 45. And I will blot out all thy ſins, for my own Name ſake, Iſa. 43. 25. & Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity, and their ſin I will remember no more. I will ſprinckle clean water upon you, and you ſhall be clean, Ezek. 36. 25. and again, I will give you a new heart, and take away the stony heart, Ezek. 36. 26. Iſa. 48. 9. & 28. 11. & Dan. 9. 17. 1 Joh. 1. 1, 2. He (the Lord Jeſus Chriſt) is the propitiation for our ſins. Heb. 8. 12. For I will be mercifull to their unrighteouſneſse, and their ſins will I remember no more. Rom. 5. 20. Where ſinne abounded, grate did much more abaund. Rom. 4. 5. But to him that worketh not, but beleeveth on him that juſtifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſſe. Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord, and they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God. Rom. 5. 6. For when we were yet without ſtrength, in due time Chriſt dyed for the ungodly. 2. Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be ſin for us, that knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſse of God in him. Iſa. 5. 3. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own ſelfe bare our ſins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead unto him, ſhould live unto righteouſneſſe: by whoſe ſtripes we are healed: Now all this is written, that we might have a ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope ſet before us; as in Heb. 6. 18. and ſo ſit down quiet in hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie hath promiſed before the world began, Tit. 1. 2.
In a word, Our heavenly Father hath made his Will, and given us poor undone ſinners, great wealth, rich poſſeſſions, and large legacies, ſo that all his children are great heires, Rom. 8. 17. Wherefore we ought to have an unſhaken expectation, and a frequent ſeeking for all that is promiſed, and not to ſuffer the heavenly Father to purſe or keep a penny that is due; but he ſhall be ſure to hear of his promiſe made to us in his Will and Covenant; and if he do not preſently give in according to Covenant, let us draw a petition, and preſerre it in the Court of heaven, where we have an Advocate prepared, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, to plead thy cauſe without a ſee: 1 Joh. 2. 1. & Iſa. 43. 25.
Now when a ſoul begins to clear up and to beleeve, and apply theſe and the like pretious promiſes, the Devill comes in as a roaring Lyon, like a Jaylor that hath loſt a priſoner; the World comes and holds forth her two fair breaſts of profit and pleaſure, to a lure the ſoul to returne to its firſt ſtate of ſecurity: and ſo both the World and the D…vill, lay ſiege againſt our owne miſgiving hearts; and ſo all three, bending their forces together to cheat the ſoule, or at laſt to ingage the whole man to put a ſtop to this bleſſed worke; they begin againe to cheat the ſoule under more ſpecious pretences, covering all the groſſe ſins flowing from the deceitfull heart with the mantle of Religion; and ſo promiſe the ſoule peace, and bring it into trouble; promiſe it honour, and bring it to diſgrace; promiſe it liberty, and bring it into bondage; promiſe the ſoule life, and bring it to death; and ſo hide pride under the name of decencie; and bring in Covetouſneſſe, under the name of good husbandry; clothe Drunkenneſſe, under the name of good fellowſhip; and hide Frowardneſſe, under the name of Zeale: ſo that ſin ſings to us, and ſinks us, it kiſſeth us, and betrays us. Who would imagine that whiles a man cries out againſt Pride, Covetouſneſſe, Cruelty, Treaſon, Hereſie, Blaſphemy, &c. that he himſelfe ſhould be the ſpring from whence theſe iſſue? In a word, a man may as well tell the ſtarres, and number the ſands of the ſea, as reckon up all the deceits in ones own heart.
At length the poore ſoule is awakened again, and begins to ſee it is cheated on every ſide, and ſo breaks forth in theſe or the like words, thoughts, or both, Well, ſaith the poor ſoule, you have convinced me of ſinne, or rather the Spirit of God in the of reading the forementioned Scriptures, and you have alſo laid before me the remedy, but unleſſe you can as an inſtrument in Gods hand take away all the ſtumbling blocks that are in my way to heaven, I ſee I ſhall do nothing but fall; for the Devill is ever and anone caſting a ſtumbling block in my way, and ſo doeth the World, and ſo doth my owne deceitfull, deſperate, wicked heart, my worſt enemy of all, that I no ſooner have gotten over one ſtumbling block, but another is laid in my way, and I walk in the dark, and ſee little or no light, and ſo am ready to fall over every block, and my falling ſo often, doth make me ſo weak, that I fear I ſhall fall ſo long, that I ſhall never be able to riſe again: ſee in Pſal. 140. 10. & 1 Pet. 2. 8. & Jer. 6. 21.
For anſwer unto which let me acquaint the reader that I have had a little experience of theſe blocks in the way of a ſinner, to its Saviour.