The Humbled Sinner, Chapter 16 · Section 4

The Humbled Sinner · Chapter 16 · Section 4

p. 184SECT. IV. Fourthly, The Objections.

NOw I proceed to the reſolution of thoſe Scruples which do entangle the ſoul of a ſinful ſinner, and hinder him from beleeving, which beget extream fears and doubts, that he may not lay hold on Chriſt, and that God will never beſtow Chriſt on him, neither would he take it well of the ſoul to be ſo buſie and forward.

Obj. 1. Why; ſaith the ſenſible ſinner, my ſinnings have been ſo great, and tranſgreſſions ſo mighty, that I may never look up with any confidence upon the rock of ſalvation; nay, it is not Satan onelyonly, but my own conſcience which doth teſtifie againſt me, the manifold numbers, and the high exceedings of my rebellions. I tell you, you would tremble to think of ſuch lewdneſſe whereof I have been and now do ſtand guilty, and the ſenſible conſideration of them makes my heart to ſink, and checks me with ſhame and bluſhing, when I think of laying hold on Chriſt.

Sol. For the aſſoyling of this Objection, conſider theſe particulars.

Firſt, the greatneſſe of ſinning ſhould be a ſtrong reaſon to 1compel in the ſoul to Chriſt: Great ſinnings are never eaſed, either by diſpaire, or by unbelief: But two things they ſhould cauſe. 1. One is great humblings, and ſorrow. 2. Another, is great deſires, and beſeechings for Chriſt. Suppoſe a man owed his whole eſtate, his only way was to beg a whole diſcharge; ſuppoſe a man had many wounds, and deep ones too, for this reaſon ſhould he go to the Chyrurgion.

Why Brethren! what would you alone do with great ſinnings: p. 185Can you ever diſcharge them? can you ever ſatisfie for them? Nay, do they not open unto thee thy great need of Chriſt, and point the way to him? 1. God hath greater mercies then we ſins. 2. Chriſt hath ſtronger merits, and ſatisfactions to the utmoſt. 3. Greater ſins ſhould haſten us into the mercy-ſeat, the greater wounds to the Phyſician. 4. The greateſt ſinners, when humbled, have been accepted and pardoned, Manaſſes, Ma…y Magdaline Paul. Some great ſinners have miſcarried, becauſe they never came to Chriſt.

6. Hadſt thou leſſe ſinnes, wouldſt thou not come in? Why then? &c.

7. The greateſt ſinner never miſcarried by coming to Chriſt, and the leaſt ſinner doth, for not coming to Chriſt. Thy not coming to Chriſt bindes all thy ſins on thy ſoul.

Thy unbelief is a worſe ſin then all the reſt: and that ſhall appear 2unto thee thus.

Firſt, it is a refuſal of all thy remedy, as if it were a ſmall thing to provoke Juſtice, thou doeſt now provoke mercy too.

Secondly, it is that which beſides its own gilty qualities keep… alſo all the former guilts upon the account: Every ſin that thou haſt committed heretofore, it doth keep its ſting, i…s accuſation, its force againſt thee if thou wilt not beleeve; ſo that this can be neither ſafety, nor wiſdome for thee to hold off, becauſe of the greatneſſe of thy ſins.

Chriſt is a great Saviour: He is called a mighty Saviour, and 3the ſalvation in him is called, a great ſalvation, and the redemption in him, a plenteous redemption. 1 Joh. 21. If any man ſin, we have an Advocate wi…h the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous. v. 2. And he is the propitiation for our ſins, and not for ours only, but alſo for the ſins of the whole world.

I remember, in the Levitical Law there were ſacrifices for all ſorts of ſins; what did they prefigure, but the ample efficacy in the death of Chriſt, which was an atonement for ſins of all kindes, and was, as the daily ſacrifice for the expiation of the continued and augmented number of tranſgreſſions?

Why! what are thy thoughts of Chriſt, and of redemption in him? doeſt thou not know?

p. 186Firſt, that the ſinner muſt finde his full diſcharge in his blood? thou muſt be beholding to Chriſt for the payment of the ſmalleſt, as well as of the greateſt debt.

Secondly, That the ſtrength and merit of Chriſts death exceeds the merit of all ſin? where ſin abounded, there grace abounded much more: If it had not, then the ſinner could not have been pardoned, for then juſtice had not been ſatisfied.

Thirdly, What the extenſion of Chriſts death may be, I will not diſpu…e; but this is clear, the intenſion or merit of his death, is infinite, and exceeds the greateſt ſins.

Why! if ſins had not been great, or if the greatneſſe of them did prejudice from Chriſt really, God would never have given ſo great a Saviour as Chriſt; the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 7. that he is able to ſave to the utmoſt. And, that he redeemes us from the law, Gal. 4. From all tranſgreſſion, whatſoever committed againſt the Law, and from all the curſes of the Law againſt them.

Fourthly, Chriſt hath already anſwered this ſcruple, by giving inſtances of mercy to great ſinners; was not David a murderer of Ʋriah? was not Mary Magdalen a foul ſinner? was not Zacheus a griping oppreſſor? was not Paul a bitter and ſore perſecutor? were not thoſe amongſt the Corinthians ſinners in the higheſt forme? and yet Chriſt called them, and waſhed them, and juſtified them.

Fifthly, the matter is not 'twixt thee and Chriſt, about the greatneſſe or littleneſſe of former ſinnings, but about the preſent diſpoſition and affection of thy ſoul; not what thou haſt loved heretofore, but what thou wilt now love; not what thou haſt followed, and ſerved heretofore, but what thou wilt now chuſe and obey. Though the Jewes had been a ſinful Nation, laden with iniquity, a ſeed of evill doers, corrupters of themſelves, Iſa. 1. 4, 5, 6. Forſakers of the Lord, provokers of the holy one of Iſrael, Apoſtates, Revolters, putrified from the ſole of the foot, even unto the head, ſtark naught. Yet God comes unto them, and Articles thus with them, ver. 16. Waſh you, make you clean, ceaſe to do evil, verſ. 17. Learn to do well, as if he ſhould ſay, though you have been thus abundantly evil, yet now harken unto me, let your hearts be turned from ſins, and beſtow them on me and my ſervice.

p. 187Object. But what ſhall we do for pardon of the former 1ſins?

Sol. Why ſaith God, do not you trouble your ſelves for that, only hearken unto me, and be willing and obedient for hereafter, and as for former ſinnings, though your ſinnes be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow, though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool, ver. 18. The ſame I ſay in this caſe, Chriſt will finde blood enough to get the pardon of ſins, if thy heart would come off from ſin to accep… of him: I ſtand not ſaith Chriſt upon what thou haſt been, I can eaſily diſcharge thee, only that which I require, is this, leave thy ſins and accept of me. I beſeech you take heed of two things, one is a ſecret Pride, that you will not be brought to be beholding to God for great pardons. Another is a preſent love of ſin. This and not the former ſinnings prejudiceth from Chriſt.

Obj. But God is juſt and he will not hold the ſinner guiltleſſe, and he hath revealed his wrath from heaven againſt all unrighteouſneſſe, 2and therefore if I ſhould flye to the City of refuge, yet from thence would he withdraw me, and be avenged of me.

Sol. I Anſwer.

1. Even this alſo ſhould conſtraine thee to believe, foraſmuch as by unbelief thou becomeſt a great rebel againſt the Goſpel, and he will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus, 2 Theſ. 1. 8.

2. Unleſſe juſtice be ſatisfied, aſſuredly it will never ſpare thee, for Juſtice will have either thy obedience, or thy ſatisfaction.

But then the way to preſent ſatisfaction to Gods juſtice, is to beleeve in Chriſt, foraſmuch as God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelfe, not imputing their treſpaſſes.

It was Jeſus Chriſt who performed full obedience, and endured an accurſed death, to ſatisfie Gods juſtice, and this not for himſelf, but for the believer, and for none but for the believer.

So that there is no other way comfortably to anſwer juſtice, but by believing in Chriſt. For now thou haſt a ſurety p. 188one who ſtood in thy ſtead, and anſwered Juſtice for all thy ſins.

3. Divine juſtice will not deſire a double ſatisfaction: It will not require ſatisfaction from thee, and from thy ſurety too: The quarrel ceaſeth 'twixt thee and God, for Chriſt hath by his own blood taken that up. As Elihu ſpake of uprightneſſe, that I ſay of believing in the Lord Jeſus; if thou doeſt, then the Lord will be gracious unto thee, and will ſay, deliver him from going down to the pit, for I have found a ranſome, Job. 33. 23, 24.

Obj. But I, who am I? ſo totally unworthy; there is nothing in me to move Chriſt to engratiate me, he will never beſtow himſelf on ſuch an one as I am; will ever Chriſt look on ſuch a dead dog as I am?

I anſwer to this.

1. Perſonal unworthineſſe, it is no prejudice: You read in Mat. 7. Things.8. 8. that the Centurion came to Chriſt for his ſervant, and believed on him, and ſped well.

Yea, will you ſay, but he was worthy? nay, he profeſſeth the Obj. contrary.

Lord, I am not worthy that thou ſhouldeſt come under my roof: Sol. as if he ſhould ſay, I have nothing in me to demerit and challenge this gracious act of thine; nothing, and yet I believe that thou canſt, and wilt heal my ſervant: ſo the Prodigal, I am not worthy to be, &c.

2. Nay, the humble ſenſe of our unworthineſſe, it is a furtherance; Chriſt doth not expect any excellencies, and meritorious motives from thee, thou muſt come unto him as an empty veſſel, the full ſoul and the ſound ſpirit is not for him; bring a ſoul to Chriſt which is ſpread all over with miſery and need, why ſuch a ſoul is a proper object for mercy to deal with; bring a ſoul to Chriſt which is all over with loſtneſſe, with poverty, with ſickneſſe, with unworthineſſe; why, this is the ſoul upon which Chriſt will look. Its never well with a man untill he can take Chriſt upon his knee, upon a bare knee, with an empty hand, (that is) till he be brought to be poor in ſpirit, that he is nothing, and deſerves nothing, and begs of Christ to accept of him, even for Chriſts ſake. The Lord be merciful to me a ſinner, went home juſtified, when the thank God, I am not as other men, returned as he came, a proud Phariſee.

p. 189You ſhall finde it thus, that God looks moſt on him who looks leaſt on himſelf. The humble and contrite ſpirits, which are broken out of themſelves, and can cry out, O Lord, I am really vile, and moſtly unworthy; Theſe the high God (who inhabits the lofty places) doth behold. And Chriſt is ready to take him by the hand, who thinks himſelf unworthy to touch his feet. There are two tempers which like Chriſt well one is a beleeving heart, and another an humble ſoul.

3. Perſonal worthineſſe is not the motive nor deſigned ground for faith in Chriſt; The ground of belief, that which invites the ſoul to draw on it ſelf to Chriſt, is no deſerving or eminent quality in our ſelves, but the goodneſſe and fidelity of the promiſe, and the gracious offer of Chriſt himſelf to the ſoul. Behold, he calls thee, why, this is enough; if thou canſt finde God holding forth the golden Scepter, offering Chriſt unto thee, upon ſuch and ſuch termes, and thou conſent unto them with all thy heart, thou mayeſt confidently cloſe and lay hold on Chriſt by faith.

This is the wiſe skill of a Chriſtian, truly to obſerve the proper riſe of faith.

When God promiſed Abraham a ſon, the text ſaith, he did not conſider his own body, Rom. 4 19. (that is) he did not conſult with the ſtrength of his own nature, what an able principle there was in himſelf to compaſs ſuch an effect, but he was fully perſwaded that what God had promiſed, that he was able to performe. The ability and fidelity of Gods promiſe exceedingly enclined his heart to believe. So is it here about faith in Chriſt; if thou doeſt conſider thy own body, thy own deſerts, thy own excellencies, thou ſhalt never beleeve, for faith can finde no ground in theſe to encourage the ſoul; but the ground of faith is without our ſelves: Why; God offers me Chriſt, and Chriſt calls me unto him, being heavy laden, and he ſaith, that he, who beleeves in him, ſhall have eternal life. Now this is a word of truth, and this word of his is worthy of all acceptation, I will venture my ſoul upon it.

It is with faith as with a bird, caſt him into the water he cannot flie, that element is too groſſe for him, he cannot gather and beat his wings there, and therefore is kept down, but caſt him into the aire, which is a more pure element, then p. 190he can clap, and …pread the wings, and mount: why, faith is the wing of the ſoul, and the promiſe is that ſpiritual element, that aire which breaths a life and motion to faith; faith is raiſed by it alone, and it is checked and hindered whiles the ſoul would force it to act it ſelf upon thoſe poor and groſſe excellencies in our ſelves. Faith deſires no better object then Chriſt, nor ſu…r pawnes then Gods prom…ſe.

Fourthly to receive Chriſt by faith, it is not a matter of merit, but a point of duty.

When God commands a ſinner to repent, and to forſake his ſinnes, and take him, he ſhall have mercy i… …e will do it: This may not now be ſaid, O Lord I am not worthy to obey thee in this duty, if I were worthy to repe…t I would repent; nay, but O man, divine commands are to be obeyed, it is thy duty to repent. So God commands the ſoul to beleeve in Chriſt, to accept of him. The ſoul now looks on the excellencies of the gift, but forgets the obligation of duty: Its true, Chriſt is a moſt excellent gift and bleſſing, there is not ſuch a thing in all the world for a poore ſinner as Chriſt, but then know: that his excellencies may not take thee off from thy duty; This is his Commandment, that we beleeve on the Name of his Sonne.

Brethren, you are miſtaken, to beleeve in Chriſt being propoſed unto us in the Goſpel, it is not a matter of indifferency, I may, or I may not; nor is it a matter of curteſie, as if we did a work of ſupererogation more then God requires; nay, but it is a matter of conſcience, a man ſinnes he violates a command, an evangelical precept, if he doth not beleeve; It is not a diſpute of worthineſſe or unworthineſſe, but it is obedience to the Command which thou art to look upon.

5. Chriſt is given out of rich grace, and mercy, and love, and therefore none can receive him but the unworthy. There is this difference 'twixt the reward of Juſtice, and the gift of graciouſneſſe; Juſtice hath an eye upon the diſpoſition and acts of the perſon, and according unto their qualities and degrees doth it commenſurate reward or puniſhment. But graciouſneſſe hath an eye only upon it ſelf, the free bountifulneſſe of its own nature is the reaſon of its gifts and acts. Suppoſe p. 191that a King executes a malefactor, this is an act of juſtice, and findes cauſe in the rebellion of the offendor; Suppoſe that a King pardons a malefactor, this is an act of graciouſneſſe, and findes its reaſon only in the breaſt of the King, and not in the worthineſſe of the delinquent. Thou ſtand'ſt upon thy worthineſſe, O, if I were worthy of Chriſt! why; but is not Chriſt a gift? he is often ſaid to be given; yea, but is he not a gracious gift? See Epheſ. 2. 7. God did ſhew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindneſſe towards us through Jeſus Christ: As if he ſhould ſay, if ever there were a gift free-given, it is Chriſt. If Chriſt be a gracious gift, then he is not beſtowed on the worthy, but on the unworthy: not on him who can challenge and ſay, Lord there is good reaſon why I ſhould have Chriſt, and thou ſhouldeſt do me wrong if I have him not; O no, but he is a gracious gift, and therefore the broken ſinner may come in and ſay, O Lord, though I am unworthy, yet give me Chriſt; graciouſneſſe doth not expect any motion out of it ſelf, and therefore, though in reſpect of my deſert, ſhame and confuſion be my portion, yet thy gifts of grace are free, for thy exceeding riches of grace, and mercy, and love, give me thy Chriſt.

If I meet an old decrepit poor beggar, and ſeeing miſery and poverty in his face, I freely draw my purſe, and ſay, there is a ſhilling for thee; O no ſaith he, Sir! I am not worthy, I am a poor man and ready to ſtarve, give it to that Gentleman yonder who is in gay cloathing, and hath thouſands in his cheſts, for he is worthy, what a proud folly were th…s? why? my almes was a gracious dole, and if any man in the world had it, he had, who doth need, but doth not deſerve it: So, &c.

6. Chriſt is worthy your taking▪ though thou be unworthy of receiving, 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chriſt Jeſus came into the world to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chief. As if he ſhould ſay, this is ſo neceſſary a thing ſo good a thing, ſo admirable a thing for a ſinner, ſo meet for him to hearken unto, and to embrace. What, if the choiſeſt Prince in the world ſhould this day preſent himſelf to the fouleſt, ill-favoure'dſt, neglected woman, one without all beauty, without all parts, without all eſtate, and aſſure her, if ſhe p. 192will conſent to his termes, he will beſtow himſelf upon her? Though ſhe be totally unworthy to heare of ſuch a thing, yet the perſon is worthy, and the acceptance of the motion is worthy, all the world ſees reaſon enough that ſhe ſhould hearken. So it is, Jeſus Chriſt the Prince of peace, the Lord of life, the Authour of ſalvation comes to a ſinful ſoul, utterly naked, and void of ſpiritual excellencies, over-runne with all the ſpots of inglorious deformities, expoſed to all kindes and degrees of preſent and future miſeries, calls and invites that ſoule to accept of him upon his own termes, yet that ſoul ſtands off and excep…s, I am not worthy; Thou wor…hy, ſaith Chriſt! what do I eſteem of thy worthineſſe? Not for thy ſake be it known unto thee, is it that I offer my ſelf unto thee; not for any beautiful, or ingratiating ornaments and gifts is this, but for my own ſake. Am I worthy the receiving? if ſo, then accept of me: Chriſt hath worthineſſe enough, and as our helps in the promiſes, draw us thither, ſo the treaſures in Chriſt ſhould do.

Obj. But you will ſay, Chriſt hath let fall a word, which tels me, that there muſt be a ſubjective worthineſſe, as well as an objective worthineſſe in me, as well as a worthineſſe in him, Matthew 10. 13. If the houſe be worthy, let your peace come upon it.

Sol. I anſwer, that there is indeed a double worthineſſe.

Firſt, one of the object, when it is ſo every way excellent, and neceſſary, and ſutable to the exigencies of a perſon; ſo Chriſt worthy.

Secondly, another of the ſubject, which (to reſtraine it now to the place alledged) is a worthineſſe of judgement and affection, not a worthineſſe of qualities and action. Then a man is ſaid to be worthy, in reference to Chriſt, not becauſe he hath any taking and inviting qualities, but when he judgeth worthily of the Lord Jeſus, and his affections draw after him as moſt worthy of all acceptation.

Laſtly, what is that which makes thee unworthy? It is 7nothing in the world but ſinne, all the debaſings of the ſoul are our ſinnes, and ſo, there is a twofold unworthineſſe. 1. Meritorious. 2. Excluding.

p. 193But then, mark, two things could never be, if meer ſinnings did effectually prejudice the ſoul with an excluding unworthineſſe; one is, That Chriſt could never have been a worthy gift; Another is, That faith could never have beleeved truths in Chriſt; It could never take Chriſt as a Saviour, nor beleeve in him for the ſure pardon of ſins, if that ſinnes abſolutely did involve the ſoul with ſuch an unworthineſſe as ſhould for ever exclude it from partaking of Chriſt. O no: Though ſinnes make unworthy, yet Chriſt came to call ſinners; and though ungodlineſſe makes unworthy, yet Chriſt juſtifies the ungodly.

4. Obj. But I am not ſure that Chriſt is willing to beſtow himſelf on me, or that I ſhould lay hold on him, elſe I ſhould (I think) be able to beleeve.

Sol. To this I will returne two things.

1. One is clearing Chriſts willingneſſe.

2. The order of a Chriſtians aſſurance.

Firſt, That Chriſt is willing.

I ſhall but light a candle to the Sunne in endeavouring to manifeſt the willingneſſe of Chriſt to accept of ſinners; Why? 8. Things.what can poſſibly expreſſe a willingneſſe which is not eſpiable in Chriſt.

Firſt, when thou wert a ſinner and an enemy, yet then did Chriſt ſhed his blood and die for thee, Rom: 5. 8, 10.

Nay, he did not do this through conſtraint, but through conſent, it was a free-will offering, therefore is he ſaid to offer himſelf, and lo I come, and to give himſelf, and to lay down his life, and to pay a price; nay, to be ſtraitned till it were accompliſhed, Luke 12 50.

His death was the putting of the ſeal to the bond. It ratified all the Covenant which it had not done, had not Chriſt been willing. Why? he knew thee long before, and ſaw thee in thy blood, before he ſhed his own: and had he been unwilling to have done thee any good, or that thou ſhouldeſt have received any good from him, he would never have cloathed himſelf with ſuch a nature, as he did aſſume, neither would he have anguiſhed his righteous ſoul, nor have ſuffered ſuch a tormenting and accurſed death. Verily, if I would lay down my life for a perſon, this would ſufficiently argue p. 194and declare that I were willing to beſtow my ſelf on the perſo. So, &c.

Secondly, conſider his many perſonal invitations: he hath 2from his own mouth both counſelled and envited the poore ſinner unto him. I counſel thee to buy gold, and raiment, and eye ſalve, Rev. 3. 18. The Spirit and the bride ſay come, and let him that heareth ſay, come, and let him that is a thirſt come, and whoſoever will, let him take of the water of life freely, Rev. 22. 17. Ho! every one that thirſteth come ye to the waters, and be that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price; hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your ſoul delight it ſelf in fatneſs; Encline your eare, and come unto me, and your ſoul ſhall live; And I will make with you an everlaſting Covenant, even the ſure mercies of David. Iſa. 55. 1, 2. 3. Behold, I have given him for a witneſſe to the people. Ver. 4. Jeſus ſtood and cryed, ſaying, If any man thirſt let him come unto me and drink, John 7. 37.

Thirdly, conſider, he hath aſſured thee of acceptance: Him 3that cometh unto me I will in no wiſe caſt out, John 6. 37. He will not ſhut the door againſt thee when he hath envited thee, but thou ſhalt be a welcome gueſt; nay, he will ſurely do thee good, Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Fourthly, there was never any one who did come unto him, but 4ſped well. Thou canſt not finde any one Iota of unwillingneſſe, nor of his diſregard, but all have found him to be a merciful High Prieſt, and a compaſſionate Saviour, who have accepted of him.

Fifthly, conſider, that he doth ſtill negotiate with thee: 5Though he be returned to the higheſt heavens; yet he hath diſpatched Embaſſadors in his Name, to publiſh, and to call upon thee, and to beſeech thee, 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Ver. 20. Now then we are Ambaſſadours for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead be ye reconciled to God. V. 21. For he hath made him to be ſin for us, that we might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him.

p. 195Object. If there were any hope of reconciliation (may a man reply) then I ſhould believe.

Sol. Why, ſaith the Apoſtle, God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf.

Object. But if God had commanded any in his Name to publiſh this:

Sol. He hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation.

Object. But you may do it out of your compaſſion, not from a commiſſion.

Sol. We are Embaſſadours for Chriſt, and pray you in Chriſts ſtead.

Object. But our ſins will prejudice the Reconciliation.

Sol. He hath made him to be ſin for us.

Sixthly, conſider his marvellous patience: If he were not 6willing, he would never have re-inforced his ſuit, but would have taken the firſt denial.

But he hath followed them, who have fled from him: He hath gone after the ſinner, who hath many times turned his back, Rom. 10. 21. All the day long have I stretched out my hand unto a diſobedient and gainſaying people. In this ſenſe we may apply that of the Prophet; He doth wait that he may be gracious, and yet continues his Embaſſadors to bring thee home unto him.

Seventhly, conſider His ſad complaints for thy holding off 7and not beleeving: when he came neer to Hieruſalem, he wept over it, and ſaid, How often would I have gathered thee? Matth. 23. 37. And O if thou hadſt known, even thou, at the least in this thy day, the things which concern thy peace, Luke 19. 41, 42. And why will you not come unto me? John 5. 40. As if you did ſee a tender father purſuing a rebellious childe, and working upon him by counſel and entreaties, and by hands of bounty, and he will not yet hearken, the father ſteps to a friend, and powers out tears, O I cannot win him, I cannot turn him, doth not this ſhew a willingneſſe? So, &c.

Laſtly, conſider his Will is exhibited to us in all the kindes of 8willingneſſe: I obſerve that his will may be manifeſted three wayes.

Firſt, in commands, and there is a preceptive will, and Chriſt commands thee to beleeve.

p. 196Secondly, in promiſes, and there is a gracious and encouraging 2will, and Chriſt hath promiſed himſelf and all that he hath done and ſuffered, if thou wilt beleeve in him.

Thirdly, in threatnings: and there is a juſt and vindictive will, 3and Chriſt hath pronounced an abiding wrath, and an everlaſting death againſt him that will not beleeve; So that this is moſt clear, that Chriſt is moſt willing that a poor ſinner ſhould come in and embrace him, and be ſaved by him.

Secondly, The order of aſſurance.

But then for the order of aſſurance, that Chriſt is willing.

Obſerve that there is a double aſſurance.

1. One which is precedent, and grounds the ſoul to beleeve.

2. Another is ſubſequent, and attends the ſoul after its beleeving. That precedent aſſurance conſiſts in a clear and convincing demonstration, that Chriſt is willing to be taken by the ſinner. This ſubſequent aſſurance conſiſts in a reflexive perſwaſion, that he is my Chriſt and Saviour, being by faith taken and accepted.

Now if a ſinner expects this latter aſſurance before he will beleeve, he doth prepoſterouſly and vainly perplex his ſoule; nay, it is an impoſſibility to lead on the ſoul this way; nay, it were a falſhood and a deluſion to the ſoul, if it had a reflexive aſſurance, that Chriſt and his benefits are mine, before the heart did by faith beleeve in him, and accept of him: I did couſen my ſoul with a lie, for Chriſt is not that mans who doth not yet beleeve on him; the ways of this kinde of aſſurance, is as it were the eccho of the original wayes of faith a conſequent of it, but never an antecedent. For a man to ſolace himſelf, that the eſtate is his, before the perſon is his; or that the perſon is his, before he hath accepted of the perſon: Why, this is but the fruit of a vain and idle fancy. But the former aſſurance that is a ſweet inducement unto the ſoul to beleeve, viz. when the ſoul ban get three things cleared and reſolved. 1. The certainty of a Saviour. 2. The alſufficiency of him. 3. His willingneſſe to embrace and accept of a beleeving ſinner. Now this aſſurance is to be drawn from the very nature, and offices, and diſpoſitions of Chriſt, and from the command, and invitations, p. 197and promiſes of the Goſpel; which when the ſoul hath throughly peruſed, and ſcanned, it ſhall clearly ſee and freely acknowledge, (if it wil not blaſphemouſly ſuſpect Gods own truths for lies) that Chriſt is both an able and alſo a willing Saviour, not only willing to lay down his life, but moſt willing that ſinners ſhould come to him and believe in him, and ſo find eternal life.

So that you may from this take notice of three things.

One, That to be aſſured of Chriſt, as mine, is no ground for to move a man to believe, but it is a conſequent of it.

Another, that to be aſſured that Chriſt is willing, and ready to be mine, and to accept of me, this is a ſweet motive, and an encouraging ground for the ſoul to believe.

A third, there is no better way to feel the ſweetneſſe of Chriſts being willing to beſtow himſelf upon a man, then by believing firſt on him, for it is faith in Chriſt which opens to a man all his intereſts in Chriſt: And if this be ſure, that Chriſts willingneſſe prevents thine, if therefore thou be willing to accept, the very nature of the treaty and match aſſures thee ſufficiently that Chriſt was ready long ago.

5. Obj. But then ſaith the ſenſible ſinner, I am not prepared and humble enough: Chriſt is to binde up the broken hearted, but my heart is ſtill hard, and Chriſt is to open the priſon for them that are bound, but I am not (at leaſt) in ſufficient bondage, and he is to give the oile of joy for mourning, but I have no melting, nor mourning ſpirit, and therefore I may not believe on him, nor take him, for I am diſtinguiſhed.

Sol. I ſhall not need to ſay much to this, becauſe I have touched heretofore upon in the Expoſition of Mal. 1. 1. yet I will touch a little at this time.

1. There is a twofold humbling according to a double cauſe of it. One is in the exceedings beating of the conſcience, with inward terrors and feares, ſpringing from the Power of the Law, which quickens the conſcience, and wounds it with the expreſſe ſenſe of former guilt, and which preſents God in all the glories and terrors of his juſtice, and as the great and ſure avenger of an unrighteous perſon. When the ſoul is in this kinde of humbling, it is filled with exquiſite ſenſe, and exquiſite torment, like a man with a burning arrow in his thigh, or like a thief hearing the ſentence of death pronounced upon him by the judge. Now this kinde p. 198of humbling, though (ſometimes) it may be an antecedent to faith in Chriſt, (for God doth many times bring a man to heaven by the gates of hell, he doth bruiſe, and wound, and even kill him by the terrors of the Law, and then revive him with the workings, and tender goodneſſe of the Goſpel) yet it may be (poſſibly) without any future acceſſe of the ſoul to Chr…ſt. For this, mark, that though God doth many times graciouſly ſuperad another work of converſion, to this of legall affliction, yet he may and doth many times diſtribute theſe ſorrows in wrath, and they are but the teſtimonies of his pure and diſpleaſed juſtice, even in this life, to begin an hell of anguiſh in the conſcience of a proud and daring ſinner.

Another is in the tender abaſings and ſweet bathings or mournings of the affections, when there is a fountaine of ſorrow ſet open within the ſoul, giving out it ſelf in ſeverall ſtreames of melting, becauſe of ſin and tranſgreſſion. Now this latter is not an antecedent, but a conſequent of faith in Chriſt, as you ſhall hear preſently.

A man cannot rightly judge of his fitneſſe to lay hold on Chriſt by the meer ſtrength or meaſure of any legall humbling, but by the Iſſue and event of them.

If inſtead of one item from conſcience, thou ſhouldeſt now heare an hundred; and inſtead of one laſh from conſcience, thou ſhouldſt now feel a thouſand, though thy heart were broken into as many pieces as the glaſſe which is daſhed againſt the wall; though thy ſpirits did even fry within thee, for the heat of horror, and that thou didſt roare day and night for the diſquietment of thy guilty conſcience, yet couldſt thou not confidently affirme by all this, I am now for Chriſt, and Chriſt will aſſuredly accept of me, I ſhall not miſſe of him.

Reaſons whereof are theſe:

1. Becauſe theſe may be Gods tokens of juſt vengeance on thee, meer puniſhments and judicial acts.

2. The ſoul under theſe may be rather taken up with the ſtinging guilt and feares of ſin, then with the foul vileneſſe, and baſe nature, and acts thereof (ſtanding in contrariety to the holy and good will of a gracious God.)

3. The thus afflicted ſoul may cry out for Chriſt, meerly out of ſelf-love, to eaſe the burden, but not to cure the nature, to deliver p. 199it from paine, but not to heal it of the ſinfull inclination.

Therefore this I would ſay to any legall broken ſpirit, do not judge of fitneſſe meerly by the ſtrength or depth of teares; there is a threefold enough, 1. Intenſive for the degree. 2. Extenſive for the time. 3. Diſpoſitive for the efficacy; therefore do but obſerve what diſpoſition attends and follows theſe: There be five things which if they follow upon legall humblings, may be ſubordinate encouragements to the heart, to put it ſelf upon Chriſt.

Firſt, if quite driven out of ones ſelf.

Secondly, if ſin comes to be felt as the baſeſt evil, as the guilt of it hath been found the ſoreſt paine.

A third is if the heart finds it ſelf any way looſened from the league of iniquity; yea, and that a ſecret war is begun now 'twixt the ſoul and the ſinner.

Fourthly, an high eſtimate and valuation of Chriſt, as the only and choiſeſt good of my ſoul and hope, &c.

An active and fervent deſire to put the ſoul under the Government of the Lord Ieſus.

Whether thy legall humblings be great or ſmall, long or ſhort, more or leſſe, that's not the thing; but if they be thus attended, thou mayeſt ſafely venture thy ſoul upon the Lord Jeſus, thou mayeſt believe, and he will in no wiſe refuſe thee.

3. Faith in Christ will not hinder the humblings or meltings of thy ſoul.

I obſerve when there is a Thunder-clap, then there is ſuch a hurry in the cloud, that fire flaſheth out, and the cloud is bruſt inſunder, and a mighty deluge of water is thrown down; and you may likewiſe obſerve that the Sun doth (though there be no ſtorme) draw up and ſweetly open and pierce the clouds, which thereby give down the moſt ſeaſonable and refreſhing ſhowres of rain. The Law is like a Thunder-clap, it doth many times ſo toſſe, and hurry, and vex the conſcience, that infinite ſighes, and feares, and teares guſh out: But then faith makes the Sun of righteouſneſſe to ariſe within the ſoul, and nohing melts the heart more then Chriſt apprehended by faith. p. 200Zach. 12. 10. They ſhall look upon him whom they pierced, and they ſhall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onelyonly ſon, and they ſhall be in bitterneſſe for him as one that is in bitterneſſe for his first-born.

For faith.

Firſt, ſees the greateſt love, the ſweeteſt kindneſſe, the freeſt pardons, 3. Reaſons of it.the readieſt acceptations; all which do even me it the heart into a river, and works the greateſt mournings.

I doubt not but the very behaviour of the father of the Prodigal, brake the heart of him with more thawings and kindly mournings, then ever did his former miſery and hardſhip; O this, that though he was an ungracious ſpend-thrift, a ſtubborne childe, a lewd companion, Luke 15. yet his father ſhould run to meet him, that he ſhould fall upon his neck and kiſſe him, the kindneſſe of thoſe lips wounded his heart with the deeper ſenſe and judging of his own unkindneſſe. So when a ſinner ſhall by faith ſee Chriſt ſteping forward in the Goſpel, puting forth the hand to him, calling him, come, thou haſt done evil as thou canſt, haſt wronged my father, me, my ſpirit, my ſervants, thy ſelfe, I will get thee pardon for all, feare not, nor be diſmayed, I will will take upon me the diſcharge, I will be thine, my blood thine, my righteouſneſſe thine; O, this melts the heart: thou canſt not take Chriſt, but thy heart will break, nor read thy pardon, but thine eyes will melt; what for me, Lord; yea, for thee, what after ſuch deep rebellions; yea, after all, and that moſt freely and willingly; Good Lord, how the ſoul weeps now, &c.

Secondly, faith ſees ſin in the greateſt vileneſſe: It is one thing to ſee ſin, Hell-gates, and another thing to ſee ſin (if I may ſo allude) at Heaven-gates, there I ſee it in its reward, which cauſeth feare, here I ſee it in its proper nature, which cauſeth hatred. when I can ſee ſin as the wrong of a righteous and holy will, as a rebellion againſt a holy and juſt Law, as a provocation of a great and holy God, as the ſpeare thruſting through the heart of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as the baſeſt quality, and vileſt abuſe, and indignity to love, and mercy, and blood; now, now I begin to melt, to grieve, a God is wronged, a Father is wronged, a Saviour is wronged.

3. Faith melts the promiſes, and the promiſes melt the heart: Why? p. 201brethren, our ſoft and mourning hearts are not firſt in us, and then in the promiſes, but firſt in them, and from them they come down into us. The heart of fleſh is firſt in that promiſe, Ezek. 36. I will take away the heart of ſtone, and give you an heart of fleſh, and thence it comes to the perſon for to faſhion and mollifie his heart. But what draws the promiſes? Is it not faith: It is the only hand which reacheth out unto them, and receives them; whence it doth fully follow, that beleeving will be no prejudice, but a great furtherance to thy mournful humblings and ſoftnings.

Obj. I grant it, when a man can indeed beleeve; this beleeving will much abate, and perhaps remove the actuals of an horrible ſtumbling; (that is) a man ſhall not now feel ſuch a deſperate terrifying, bitter, hopeleſſe anguiſh as before, but yet it doth open a full veine within the ſoul, which drops with vitall ſorrows, with gracious lamentings, with hearty diſpleaſures, with hopeful tears; and though under them the ſoul is not ſo hurried, yet it weeps bitterly, as the wife which holds the lately reconciled husband by the hand, or as the child which is newly pardoned and embraced.

This is a truth, that faith can heale the teares of a ſlave, and breed the tears of a childe: It can rebuke the ragings of the ſea, and yet continue its flowing courſes; It can ſtill a raging conſcience, and yet beget a ſtreame of godly ſorrow; it can both quiet a troubled ſpirit, and raiſe within us a ſoft and mourning heart. Yea to ſpeak plainly, a man never till then begins to mourn as a childe, till he hath faith to ſee God as a father, and the gracious looks of Chriſt (which only faith eſpies) they upbraid our ſinnings more, and no ſuch ſprings of grief as they.

6. Obj. But I have ſtood out my day, and have refuſed many invitations, and offers, as, now I may not beleeve. I am ſure that Chriſt will never regard me, becauſe of my former proud refuſals of him in his gracious offers and invitations: Now the day is gone, It is too late.

Sol, To this I anſwer.

1. That not only the poſitive refuſals, but alſo the ſlighting pretermiſſions of the voice of the Goſpel, are (undoubted) ſinful, for if diſobedience to the Law, then much more unto the Goſpel p. 202is very bad; no man can refuſe his remedy, but he makes his wound the greater.

2. Again it is granted, the greater kinde of refuſal, adde a greater meaſure of guilt: the refuſals of light againſt light, is a more dark condition: (that is) when a man knows the Goſpel to be the voice of Chriſt, and to propound heaven and mercy upon the only termes, and yet he is not gathered, this is ſinne in more degrees then the paſſing over it, then ignorance, and inobſervation: againe, the more wilfully a man refuſeth his opportunity and invitations, this alſo makes the refuſal more hainous, and calls upon the ſoule for greater humblings.

But then know,5s Things.

1. That Chriſt is not alwayes ſo quick to break off (for ever) for ſome refuſals: It is not an uncapable condition, (a ſealed ſtate) if a man hath ſtood out againſt many particular invitations. This ſimply is not the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, and therefore it is pardonable, and if the ſinne be pardonable, then the ſinner is capable of Chriſt, in whom alone ſin is to be pardoned.

2. Scarce any beleever, (who is called after the ripeneſſe of yeares) but hath often refuſed (before his converſion) many invitations by grace and mercy. It were an horrid harſhneſſe for any Miniſter to ſend all them to hell, who once refuſe the news and tender of heaven: Nay, we ſee that Chriſt hath ſeveral ſeaſons of converſion, ſome he brings home to himſelf at the night, at the later end of the day, who queſtionleſſe refuſed him in the former part of the day; nay, that grace which doth gather a man to Chriſt, conquers our refuſing hearts, Ergo, meer refuſing is not an eternal prejudice. It is true, that whiles I do refuſe, I cannot beleeve, yet though I have formerly refuſed, I may yet beleeve.

There is a double refuſal of Chriſt, and the invitations of the Goſpel; one is malitious, this is fearful; another is temerarious, and this is pardonable: That is accompanied with a deſpitefulneſſe of ſpirit, this depends much upon raſhneſſe, temptations, inadvertency.

Againe, there is a double refuſal; one is total, but temporary; A man doth not hearken, though Chriſt doth call, he will p. 203not ſubſcribe, though Chriſt propounds, but goes in his own way and courſe, yet at length with Paul, he may be ſtruck to the ground, and yeild up himſelf to Chriſt.

Another is, total and final, which is an impenitent rebellion; A man holds out againſt the voice of Chriſt for ever, there is no hope for ſuch a perſon.

2. No broken and grieved heart for former refuſals can juſtly ſay, that it hath ſtood out its day, and it is too late to beleeve.

This is a thing of ſome concernment, and many are very ſtrict in it; I will only preſent my thoughts amidſt the crowd of conjectures.

Firſt, how punctual Gods day of grace is in the offer of Chriſt; ſo that if a man doth not take it in the firſt moment of tender, I think none can tell.

Secondly, to ſay of this or that particular man, that he is gone beyond his day, for ought I know, goes beyond our commiſſion.

Thirdly, that at any time when the Goſpel is publiſhed, then it ought preſently to be embraced, To day if you will heare his voice, &c.

Fourthly, God doth not take away from a man his day alwayes immediately upon his firſt refuſal, if ſo, perhaps it would have been night with all the world ere this.

Fifthly, it is probable that the day of grace is not cloſed againſt a particular perſon, when his heart begins to be broken for former refuſals: for when men out-ſtand this day, uſually they are given up to a ſeared conſcience, to a reprobate minde, to a ſenſible ſtupidity, and to the works of ſinne with greedineſſe; they grow worſe and worſe, being not only deſtitute of all ſoftning qualities, but being more hardned by the Goſpel, which they refuſed and deſpiſed. The man who out-ſtands his day, is either deprived of the ſound of the Goſpel, or elſe he hath only the judicial power of it working upon him.

3. The ſenſe and grief of the heart for former standings out, this, I ſay, proclaimes that thy day is not ſet, nay, this is thy ſingular and ſpecial day.

D…vines do diſtinguiſh of the day.

One is General, like the riſing of the Sunne, the very p. 204riſing and publiſhing of the Goſpel makes a day.

Another is ſpecial which is like one of the twelve houres in the day, when the Spirit of God begins to make day within the heart, and Chriſt is dealing and ſecretly parling with the ſoul, by conviction of its former refuſals, by ſweet humblings and meltings for ſuch proud and erroneous denials: That the Prince of my peace ſhould be refuſed, that the Lord of my life ſhould be refuſed, that the termes of righteouſneſſe and mercy ſhould be refuſed, O how the heart judgeth, condemns rents, and afflicts it ſelf for it; falls down at the feet of Chriſt, not worthy O Lord to look upon thee, whom I have ſo often undervalued. This is a ſpecial day, here's a ſeaſon for thee, thou mayeſt go to Chriſt, Chriſt hath dealt with thee effectually, this is the acceptable time.

4. If thou haſt stood out againſt Chriſt hitherto, thou haſt therefore now the more reaſon to come in, and not to refuſe the offer yet continued.

Obſerve two things.

Firſt, that former rebellions are never taken off by by new and continued: For this is to make ſinning much the worſe; perhaps thou didſt refuſe Chriſt heretofore through ignorance, (thou didſt not ſee his excellencies, nor thine own neceſſity) or perhaps through inadvertency or careleſneſſe, thou didſt not wiſely and ſeriouſly heed that great ſalvation in him: But now thou art convinced, now thou ſeeſt thy refuſals, and careleſſe pretermiſſions to be ſinful: Why; is this the way to cure the former by adding more refuſals? Didſt thou well to refuſe him upon his own termes? if thou didſt ill then ceaſe refuſing; labour to accept of them: Thou canſt never pleaſe God by continuing in a ſin, nor help thy ſelf by pleading againſt thy duty.

Secondly, thy obligation and preſent duty ceaſeth not becauſe of former refuſals: It was thy duty to have received Chriſt at the firſt, and to this very day doth that duty lie upon thee: former miſcarriages ſhould cauſe our humblings, but they never diſannul our duties: Why; the Goſpel is yet in its revelation of Chriſt, and yet in its tenoer of Chriſt unto thee, and yet in commanding of thee to refuſe him no more, but to hearken and to beleeve, (that is) to accept of Chriſt to be thy Lord and Saviour.

p. 205Obj. Oh why, what ſhould I do faith a ſoul that hath ſtood out?

Sol. I anſwer, thou ſhouldeſt look back on thy withſtandings with hearty grievings, and ſhouldſt preſſe on towards thy duty with fervent requeſtings; now lay down thy weapons, and ſtrive to give up thy ſelf to Chriſt, not to harden thy heart any longer, but beg of God day and night to forgive thy refuſals, and to give thee now a heart to beleeve and to yield.

5. Chriſt will accept of any man who is willing to lay down his weapons.

Object. 'Tis true that Chriſt ſaith, Theſe mine enemies who will not have me to reigne over them, bring them forth and ſlay them before me; If a man will be ſtill an enemy, if he will not accept of Chriſt to be his Lord, to govern him, then Chriſt w…ll be a Judge and enemy to that man, he ſhall periſh.

Sol. But it is as true, that if we accept of reconciliation, if we would lay aſide former enmity, if we come unto Chriſt and caſt our ſelves down at his feet, and give up the ſword which fought againſt him; if we confeſſe our rebellions, and beſeech him to accept of us into his ſervice, and into mercy; If we heartily deſire now to be the ſervants of righteouſneſſe, to take Chriſt to be our Lord, and to ſerve him alone, aſſuredly he will not refuſe us. Therefore, if any here this day have their ſpirits entangled with this ſcruple, that they now have refuſed Chriſt, and are paſt their day, but withal they finde their hearts bleeding for this, and they do now judge of Chriſt as the chiefeſt of ten thouſands, and it is the deſire of their ſouls to be reconciled, and to put themſelves under the government of the Lord Jeſus, I ſay unto ſuch, fear not, come and accept of Chriſt, he will be reconciliation to thee; Though thou haſt been an enemy, yet if now thou wilt accept of the termes of peace, the Son of peace will certainly accept of thee.

7. Obj. Yet the ſenſible ſinner is not ſatisfied for all this, I am afraid, Why? becauſe I finde not only former guilts in a manifold number, but preſent corruptions in exceeding strength, no man living hath an abominable heart as I, ſurely the Lord Jeſus will loath me and depart from me, a ſinful wretch, I p. 206cannot think otherwiſe, how then ſhould I beleeve?

Sol. For ſome reſolution of this ſcruple, obſerve a few particulars.

Firſt, the ſenſe of the ſtrength of ſinne is no unhopeful ſymptom, nor prejudice to faith. Of all tempers, the hardned is moſt dangerous, and ſinne hath the greateſt ſtrength, where there is the leaſt ſenſe: A man ſeems to be nothing elſe but a lump of ſinne, when he is ſo wholly leavened and ſowred, that not a part in him can reflect upon it ſelf, and feel its filthineſſe; where the guilt of ſinne is no burden, and the nature of ſin is no trouble, that ſoul is in an ill caſe.

But the ſenſe of the ſtrength of ſinne imports ſomething elſe in the ſoul beſides ſin: When the patient is deadly ſick, he ſaith he is well and feels no paine, but when a patient is recovering, he is full of ſenſe, and complains his head is weak, his ſtomack ſick, his bones lame, all is amiſſe. There is more hope of one ſenſible ſinner, then of a thouſand preſumptuous and hardned wretches; And God ſeldom or never gives a man a ſenſe of Chriſt, who hath not had firſt a ſenſe of his ſinfulneſſe.

There is a double ſenſe of ſinne.

1. One is meerly judicial, which is the feeling of the guilt of ſinne when God awakens the conſcience to apprehend its former ſinnings, and imprints ſome degrees of wrath upon it as the fruits of guilt; and now the ſinner is broken and cruſhed, for he feeles a kinde of hell in himſelf for his former ſinnings.

2. Another is more then judicial; It is ſomething more grievous, and that is, when a man doth not only feele the guilt of ſinne as preſſing, but the nature of ſinne as an oppreſſing burden; He ſees and feels the inclinations and motions of his heart as moſt repungnant to the will and glory of God, and therefore is exceedingly afflicted and diſquieted: This now is an admirably hopeful Symptome.

Secondly, Ʋnbelief is no oure to the ſtrength of ſinne: whether thou conjecture the ſtrength of ſinne to conſiſt in hardneſſe of heart, Why, unbelief will never ſoften thee; or whether thou conjecture the ſtrength of it, to conſiſt in the approbation of ſinne; Why, unbelief will never condemn and diſapprove it; p. 207or whether thou conjecture (though not rightly) its ſtrength to conſiſt in meere inclinations; why? why unbelief will never alter them; or whether thou thinkeſt its ſtrength conſiſts in frequency of actions or motions; why, unbelief will never remove or leſſen them; or whether thou thinkeſt its ſtrength conſiſts in commands and power, why, unbelief will never conquer them.

Ʋnbelief is a ſin it ſelf, and therefore can be no cure of ſinne, (for nothing cures the ſinner, but that which is contrary unto ſin:) Nay, unbelief keeps off the ſoul from its cures, from its helps; the help of a ſinful ſoul is in heaven, but unbeliefe knows not the way upward, the heart of unbelief will depart from the living God.

Thirdly, Chriſt is a Phyſician for a ſick ſinner, and he hath ſaid, that the whole need not the Phyſician, but the ſick. Why? The ſick perſon is no unſutable object or preſent for a Phyſician, his calling is to heale diſtempers and ſickneſſes; and thou mayeſt confidently go to Chriſt to have thy ſick ſoul healed. We cannot brethren, we cannot, and Chriſt knows it well enough, we cannot come to Chriſt, but we muſt be beholding to him for two things, One, his merit to get our ſins pardoned; Another is his Spirit, to get our ſinful natures changed. And therefore Chriſt is appointed of God, not only to be Redemption, but alſo to be Sanctification; as he is the Author of ſalvation to us, ſo he is the Authour of Sanctification in us; We cannot come to him and bring good natures, O no, the grace which we want, is in Chriſt, in our Head, as water in the Spring, and from his fulneſſe muſt we receive grace for grace. None can change that vile heart of thine but Chriſt; His wings are healing, and to him art thou appointed to come as the ſick perſon to the Prieſt in the Levitical Law.

The Covenant of grace (you know) is an undertaking, not only for pardon, but for changing, and all the Covenant is made good in Chriſt: As if God ſhould ſay unto a ſinner, I know thou art a guilty perſon ful-well, and beſides that, thou haſt a filthy and abominable nature, but go to my Son, accept of him, there is thy pardon in him, and there is thy change in him, he ſhall juſtifie thee from thy guilt, and he ſhall ſanctifie thy nature from its vile corruption.

p. 208Fourthly, Jeſus will not loath thee becauſe of thy ſinful nature, but will help thee becauſe thou art a ſick perſon. Remember it for ever, the more vile thou art in thine own eyes, the more precious thou art in Chriſts opinion; I never read of any perſon who came to Chriſt, thou Lord heale me, but he was ſent away cured.

Fifthly, What doeſt thou think of beleeving? what is thy opinion of faith? what? as if faith were an enemy or hinderance to holineſſe? That it will either increaſe, or ſuffer lewdneſſe in the heart? far be it from thee ſo to think; O no, Faith is the ſingular way of encreaſing and getting all grace to thy ſoul, it deals altogether with holy principles, God, Chriſt, the Spirit, and with holy wayes, the Word, the Sacraments; Faith engageth all the goodneſſe and ſtrength of heaven for thy change, and for the renuing and ſubduing of thy ſinful heart. Rom. 6. 14. Sinne ſhall not have dominion over you, ſaith the Apoſtle, and why? for ye are under grace: Mark it, under grace (that is) under a gracious Covenant, wherein God and Chriſt have engaged themſelves to their ayd and ſtrength; yea, but what makes us to be under this grace? Verily it is faith in Chriſt, in whom all grace is enſured to the ſoul.

Nay, if thou couldeſt by faith accept of Chriſt to be thy Lord and Saviour, now mighteſt thou confidently go unto him to expreſſe the vertues of his Sovereignty and goodneſſe to thee; Now mighteſt thou plead with him for the excellencies of his Spirit; Lord Jeſus, I have beſtowed my ſelf on thee, and thou didſt invite and aſſure me, that thou wouldeſt be, not only righteouſneſſe, but ſanctification alſo unto me, I beſeech thee, ſend forth the rod of thy Scepter, the vertues of thy grace, and change by thy holy Spirit this unholy heart of mine, ſubdue mine iniquities, caſt down every imagination exalting it ſelf againſt thee, bring into captivity (O my ſoul deſires to be captivated to thee, yea, by the) every thought, &c.

There is a pregnant difference 'twixt preſumption and faith, preſumption is but the birth of an idle fancy, like a dreame of great matters, which yet hath no real bottome, but only flies out of a multiplying imagination which is full of deluding acts.

But faith conjoynes the ſoul with a lively principle, with a p. 209true fountaine of grace with a root of holineſſe, even with Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe, without whom we can never be made holy, and by whom (being ingraffed into him by faith) we ſhall be ſanctified throughout.

Look as the defiling qualities of our nature are firſt in Adam, and then in us his poſterity, ſo changing and ſanctifying qualities are firſt in Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, and from him derived to us his members.

And then know that there is not ſuch a Ligament to tie us in Ʋnion with Chriſt, as Faith, nor is there any ſuch inſtrument to draw out the vertues of Chriſt into the ſoul as faith.

You read of thoſe in the Goſpel who brought diſeaſed bodie: to Chriſt, and yet when they believed, they went away with cured and healed tempers; what doth this intimate unto us, but that the ſenſible ſinner weary of his ſinful nature, ſhould make his addreſſe unto the Lord Jeſus for cure, and health, and that he ſhould by faith accept of him, and truſt upon him for the healing of his ſoul, and the ſubduing of his ſins, and then verily you ſhall finde vertue to come from Chriſt, raiſing a greater hatred of ſin, war with it in the very fountaine, watching and praying againſt it, and the power of the ordinance ſucceſſively weakening and crucifying the power of ſin.

Laſtly, know this that the time of contrariety is the time for faith to work. When a man ſees death, then is it the time for faith to believe life? When he ſees the grave, then is it the time for faith to believe a reſurrection; when he ſees guilt, then is it the time for faith to believe pardoning mercy; when he ſees himſelf a ſinner then is it the time for faith to believe a Sa…iour; when he ſees ſtrong corruptions, then is it the time for faith to believe great grace; when he ſees great diſcomforts, then is it the time for faith to believe ſtrong conſolations; the exigences of ſenſe, and the reliefes of the promiſes are quite contrary; what I feel is one thing, what God doth promiſe is another thing. That which the patient obſerves in himſelf, is ſickneſſe; and that which he hopes for in the medicine is health. Hath God made thee ſenſible of thy ſins, doſt thou finde thus much, that al that thou canſt do wil not become a rebuke of corruption, thou art able now to ſee the ſtrength of thy ſinfull nature, but to remove it thou art utterly p. 210unable? Why, what is now to be done? truly, as in the ſenſe of the guilt of ſin, we muſt then flye by faith to God, and put our ſoules upon his free mercy for pardon, ſo in the ſenſe of the filthy ſtrength of ſin, we muſt to heaven by faith, and put our ſoules on Gods faithful promiſes in Chriſt, for the healing and ſubduing of it. This is the way, and therefore ſtrive to walk in it, you may try other waters, but they ſhall not help you, and perplex your own thoughts, but they ſhall not availe you, the cure of the ſinful ſoul is only in heaven, and it is faith only which can lift up a ſoul to God and Chriſt, which puts it into the Pool. When ſin is felt, then let faith work; If thou canſt finde any one promiſe which God hath made of ſanctifying and healing, and ſubduing; Why, here's ground for faith; yea, for thy ſaith, for in theſe promiſes are the cures of thy ſinful nature, and faith it is which will apply the healing medicines to thee.

8. Obj. Yet I am not ſatisfied, ſaith the ſenſible ſinner and fearfull ſoul; Why, Becauſe, Firſt, I cannot finde an heart to duty, to pray and ſeek of God, and ſurely if God did purpoſe and mean any good to me, he would in ſome meaſure frame, and encline, and excite my heart towards him. Secondly, yea, and againe, though I do ſometimes ſeek and entreat, yet I obſerve that what I was, that I am, nothing comes of it, how then can I, may I, ſhould I be enduced to believe?

Sol. Here are two ſore and real ſcruples which do indeed vehemently beat upon a ſenſible ſinner, I ſhall endeavour to aſſoyle them ſucceſſively.

1. I cannot finde an heart to any duty, to pray for faith, &c.

I Anſwer.

1. As the inability to holy duties depends on natural corruption, ſo the indiſpoſition towards them depends exceedingly upon unbelief: There is nothing diſheartens a man more towards God then it: For b…ſides this, that unbelief in its own nature is a departure from God, (it is a bias drawing the ſoul downwards.) This alſo is true of it, that it repreſents God to the ſoul in all the appearances and methods of diſcouragements. It makes the ſoul to ſee nothing in God, or from God, which might encline it to him: O, ſaith unbelief, there is ſuch holineſſe and purity in him, that he will never endure thee, p. 211there is ſuch truth and juſtice in him, that he will ſurely be avenged of thee.

There is ſuch ſtrength and power in him, that he will certainly meet with thee, and lay load on thee: There is, I confeſſe, a mercifulneſſe in him, but alas his tender bowels of compaſſion, his ready forgiveneſſe extends not to thee; there are many ſweet intimations in his promiſes, but they concern not thee; there is a mighty ſalvation in Chriſt, and powerful interceſſion to ingratiate ſome perſons and their ſervices, but what of this to thee! He is a God hearing prayer; yea, but he will not regard the cryes nor tears of ſome, but their Sacrifices are an abomination unto him: And thus doth unbelief ſet up God utterly againſt the ſoule, ſo that the poor ſoul conceiving of God as an enemy, dares not come neer it, flies off it, is even afraid to ſpeak to him; It is perſwaded by unbeliefe, that God will frowne upon all that is done, whereupon the ſpirit ſinks, the affection… are flatted; I have no minde, nor heart, am like a lump, a ſtock, a ſtone.

Secondly, it is faith which will fetch up the ſoul, Pſal. 27. 13. 2I had fainted, unleſſe I had beleeved to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord, &c. As if he ſhould ſay, my ſpirits were even breathing themſelves out, I was even ſinking down, giving up all, unleſſe I had beleeved, but that confidence of Gods goodneſſe towards me, that did put life into me, that did fetch me again, that did put heart into me.

You ſee now the ſpring is coming on, that thoſe (ſeemingly) dead branches of the trees, they begin to thruſt out ſome hopeful ſproutings, and put on another colour of freſhneſſe, why? becauſe the root is now more fed▪ and warmed. It is faith which will put colour into our faces, and ſpirit into our hearts, and life into our duties.

For,

1. Faith ſets open the mercy-ſeat: It repreſents God to the Two reaſons of it.ſoul in all his attributes of graciouſneſſe, not as an hard tyrant, but as a good God, willing to give audience to the 1humble requeſts, and ſuit of a poore ſinner: Nay, willing to diſpatch, and grant his requeſts: What is thy requeſt, ſaid Ahaſhuerus to Queen Eſter, it ſhall be granted thee, &c? So ſaith p. 212the Lord, What wouldeſt thou have of me? Is it mercy? I do promiſe it unto thee; Is it grace? I promiſe that unto thee; Is it ſtrength? is it comfort? is it deliverance? whatſoever it be, if thou beleeve on me, I will not fail to give to thee. Nay, I will do it freely, nay, cheerfully, with all my heart, and with all my ſoul, Jer. 32.

Yea, this makes the ſoul to come unto God, as the ſhip into the haven with full ſpeed, and ſtretched ſailes: O the ſoul bends the knee with cheerfulneſſe, when it ſees it ſhall be raiſed up with kindneſſe; a man may have ſome heart to pray, when he knows, My God will hear me, that God hath a readineſs to anſwer.

2. Faith ſets the ſoul in the prevailing wayes: it puts the ſoul to ſeek and pray with ſuch motives, as it is moſt ſure ſhall make it to ſpeed.

There are many motives which men take to prevaile with God; O, they can do nothing, God regards them not, the ſtrength of a mans excellencies, of his own worthineſſe, of his own abilities and frame alas, theſe are not the prevailing and binding motives, all theſe import that thou wouldeſt ſpeed for their own ſake. But faith layes theſe aſi…e, it hath motives from Gods own heart and mouth, with which it teacheth the ſoul to urge God, the Name of Chriſt, the gracious goodneſſe of God himſelf, the fidelity of his promiſes, his own word; Now God hath ſaid, that theſe ſhall prevaile with him, and faith knows it to be infallibly ſo, and hereupon drawes on the ſoule with marvellous cheerfulneſſe to ſeek the Lord.

3. Know this, that no man ſhall in good earneſt ſet upon God for faith, and other grace, but Satan will ſet upon his heart, and his heart will ſet against his wayes in this. This were a wonder indeed, if a man could get into Chriſts armes without any more ado: That he ſhould inſtantly have an heart (in all imaginable reſpects) ſweetly and totally framed with the ſtrength, and un-interrupted gales of heavenly inclinations and performances. Alas! poor ſoul, thou muſt by weak faith fight hard to get ſtrong faith, and thou muſt by any duty make way for clearer duty: well is it with thee, if inſtead of words, thou canſt ſometimes ſeek God with ſighs, and when ſighes p. 213faile, if yet with groanes and deſires. When thou wouldeſt do good, thou ſhalt finde evil preſent with thee; when thou feeleſt an heart to pray, perhaps even that motion is almoſt ſtruck out by another heart in thee, which is moſt unwilling to pray; when thou feeleſt any climbings of thy ſoul by faith in thy heart, even theſe will be oppoſed by ſtrong doubtings and ſuſpitions by another heart of unbelief within thee. Nevertheleſſe remember this, that this particular oppoſition being reſiſted, diſliked, bewailed, doth only declare that there is in thee, that which is contrary to thee, and that Satan diſlikes thy way, it doth not teſtifie that God diſlikes it, or will not accept of thee.

If God hath given unto thee any deſires towards him, O cheriſh them as one would a ſpark; The beginnings of a Chriſtian are in much weakneſſe, and manifold diſtractions and oppoſitions, but there is a God who gave unto thee thoſe breathings, and can underſtand ſecret groans; and there is a Chriſt, who can and will make weak ſervices acceptable, and in time will give the victory after the combate.

Secondly, Many ſeekings, but nothing comes of them.

This doth exceedingly diſtract the ſoule, the unſenſible alteration of the ſoule after many ſeekings, uſually raiſe a prejudice againſt God and our ſelves, but for this obſerve ſome particulars.

1. The efficacy of ſeekings, conſiſts not in the quantity or number, but in the quality and manner. Have you offered unto me Sacrifices and offerings in the wilderneſſe fourty years, O houſe of Iſrael? Amos 5. 25. So I ſay, haſt thou offered prayers unto God in theſe many dayes of thy diſtreſſes? nay, thou haſt come before him with words, but not with prayers.

What? thinkeſt thou that the Lord is pleaſed with all thy teares, and with all the humblings of thy Spirit, and with all the importunities of thy requeſts, whiles under them all, thou doeſt not ſtick to tell God to his face that he is a diſſembler and lyar? In all theſe thy ſacrifices and approaches unto the great and high God, thou didſt not believe any one promiſe which he hath made, thou haſt thought that God would not do thee good; and is it likely that thou ſhouldeſt ſpeed well at his hand, who reproacheſt the true and faithful God?

p. 214Obj. I do indeed pray, becauſe I muſt, I am commanded, but I verily beleeve it is in vaine; tuſh, what tell you me of Gods promiſes, he will never perform them to me?

Sol. Good God! what, ſhall the Lord not only command by a righteous word, but aſſure and invite by a good and faithful word, a word as true as truth it ſelf, and is it but a tuſh with us? is it not of any more account with us? nay, not of ſo much account as the word of a poore man? No marvel that nothing comes after many ſeekings, ſuch ſeekings of pride and unbelief, infidelity, for the pardon of which I adviſe thee to ſpeed up many more ſeekings of faith.

2. Right ſeekings ſhall alwayes come to ſomething; Though the proud and impatient perſons ſaid, It was in vaine to ſerve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord? Mal. 3. 14. Yet God aſſures them, that the day ſhould come that they ſhould returne and diſcern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not, Ver. 18. Sweet is that place of the Prophet I…aiah, Mine Elect ſhall long enjoy the work of their hands, Iſa. 65. 22. They ſhall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble, Verſe 23. It ſhall come to paſſe, that before they call, I will anſwer, and whileſt they are yet ſpeaking, I will hear, v. 24.

And the reaſon is, becauſe God is faithful who hath promiſed, and he will never ſuffer his truth to faile. If there be any good thing which he hath commanded thee to pray for, and which he hath undertaken for thee in his promiſes, and which thou doſt humbly ſue out in the name of Chriſt by faith; I ſay, reſt upon it, it ſhall be given to thee if thou canſt but wait on God in the uſe of the means.

3. There is a double anſwer to the ſeeking of the ſoul, one is real, another is ſenſible: As when a requeſt is preſented to the King, either for pardon or ſettling; if he accepts of the requeſt and puts his ſeale to the authorizing of the grant, the requeſt is really done though (perhaps) the petitioner knows it not: So it is with the Lord many times in his anſwerings, he doth the things really for us, though we be not preſently ſenſible of it: we beg for mourning hearts, and for hearts to hate ſinne, and for hearts to pray unto him, and then we feel our p. 215hearts hard, and our corruptions burſting forth upon us, which makes our hearts bitterly to grieve, and ſtirres up extreame loathings of our vile natures, and cauſeth the ſoule to lie groveling with moſt ſtriving and ſervent importunities at heaven gate; Why, here are now the very things that we would have, yet we are not many times ſenſible that theſe things are anſwers.

4. We muſt diſtinguiſh 'twixt nothing abſolutely, and nothing comparatively. Why, it is true, that the Holy heart hath ſuch an extream abomination of ſinne, and ſuch an high thirſt of grace, that the preſent anſwers from heaven ſeeme as nothing (that is) there is yet ſomething more and more which I would have, the preſent grants are not ſatisfying of my deſires, yet ſomething is got by every faithful ſeeking; there is not one faithful prayer, which thou haſt diſpatched to heaven, but it delivers thy meſſage, and is returned with a bleſſing.

Either it gets more additions to ſome grace or other, or more alienation from ſome ſinne or other, or more diſpotion to ſome duty or other, or more reſolution to ſeek, or more ſtrength to waite. Like the many Bees which go out, every one comes home with ſome thing, one with honey, another with wax; ſo every faithful prayer flies up to heaven and gathers ſomething or other from the good promiſes, and though not ſo much as thou deſirest, yet alwayes more then thou deſerveſt, though not ſo much as to ſatisfie, yet as to help.

5. Suppoſe that yet you are not anſwered, it is then a ſinne to murmur and quarrel, but it is thy duty to wait.

I obſerve this.

1. That God never gives thee ſo large an almes, but that thou needeſt the next houre to become a farther Petitioner.

2. That God is pleaſed to make the beggar to stay ſometimes at door; he doth not alwayes preſently give what he intends certainly to beſtow, but as his own free grace is the treaſury of our gifts and ſupplies, ſo his own wiſdom is the diſpenſor of the time and ſeaſon.

Now then, as the goodneſſe of the promiſe ſhould draw us to beleeve, ſo the fidelity and certainty of it ſhould cauſe us to p. 216wait and expect: God doth give thee leave to urge him, but he likes it ill to haſten him; if God doth promiſe, then it is thy duty to believe, and if he ſtayes, then it is thy duty to wait, for God doth wait that he may be gracious, and bleſſed are all they that wait for him.