The Parable of the Prodigal, Part 2

The Parable of the Prodigal · Part 2

p. 44And he fain would have filled his belly with the busks that the Swine did eat, and no man gave unto him.Verſ. 16.

Theſe words comprehend in them two things,

Firſt, The utmoſt deſign of the ſinful Prodigal, He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the Swine did eat.

Secondly, The utmoſt diſappointment, of that utmoſt deſign, And no man gave unto him. According to either of theſe, there are two Propoſitions obſervable by us; viz. That a ſinner will go through, and try the utmoſt extremities and wayes ere he will p. 45return from his ſins. 2. That nothing ſhall avail the ſhuffling and trying ſinner, untill he doth return from his ſins. When the Lord forſakes a man, nothing avails to help a man.

That a ſinner will try all wayes, and go through the utmoſt extremities, ere he will return from his ſins. The Prodigal here Doct. 1. A ſinner will try all way…s, to the utm…ſt extremities ere he will return from his ſins.ſpends all, yet he returns not; he is pinched with famine, yet he returns not; he joyns himſelf with a Citizen, and he ſends him to feed Swine, yet doth he not return: if he could have got but the husks which the Swine did eat; husks are but poor, empty, light things, miſerable nouriſhment; but if he could have made any ſhift, any way to have ſupported himſelf, he would not have returned unto his Father. Thus you read of Pharaoh, that though there were a Climax of plagues upon him, and wonders of ruine upon his Land, and Cattel, and Servants, riſing like a Tide and Flood, yet till it came to his firſt-born, and the next ſtroke was to reach his own life, he would not obey the Voice of the Lord in letting of Iſrael go; like obſtinate defendants in a City, which will loſe one Outwork after another, and ſuffer the Undermining of their Walls, ere they will come to terms of Capitulation. So we read of the Iſraelites before the Captivity, how extremely they did endure a very ſucceſſion of Judgments, and variety of ſtrange puniſhments before they would return? Amos 4. 6. Cleanneſs of teeth, and want of bread; yet have they not returned to me, ſaith the Lord. Ver. 7. Rain was withheld, and great ſcarcity was there of water; yet, Ver. 8. Have ye not returned to me. Ver. 9. Smiting, with blaſting, and mildew, and the Palmer worm, yet, &c. Ver. 10. Peſtilence after the manner of Egypt, and the Sword; yet have ye not returned. Ver. 11. Overthrowing ſome of them as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha, and pulling ſome of them as a firebrand out of the burning; yet have ye not returned unto me, ſaith the Lord. And thus was it with them after the Captivity, all the famine and miſeries, which they ſuffered in the Siege, where the mothers were forced to eat their children of a ſpan long, Lam. 2. And all the mercileſs devourings of the ſword, and all the kinds of deſtroying ſickneſſes, did not turn them to the Lord againſt whom they had ſinned; but after all, they ſpend the utmoſt of their pollicies for ſafety, running into Egypt, flying unto Aſhur; they tryed all ſorts of fruitleſs confidences, before they would return unto the p. 46Lord, therefore doth the Lord threaten to hedge their ways with thorns, and to make a wall that they ſhall not find their paths. Hoſ. 2. 6. (i.) he would caſt them upon ſuch a condition that they ſhould not go any further, or if they did, they ſhould have little eaſe, they ſhould walk as upon thorns, upon continual prickings and woundings; and all this muſt be done before they will return to their firſt husband, verſ. 7. Now for the clearer opening of this Aſſertion, conſider of theſe particulars:

1. That it is to be underſtood of the natural temper of the ſinner. The ſinner may be conſidered two wayes under extremities: As This is to be underſtood of the natural temper of the ſinner.effectually aſſiſted by the preventing grace of God, which is of ſurpaſſing vertue to renew the ſoul, and to conquer its ſtubbornneſs and averſneſs, and effectually to perſwade and draw in the heart to yield unto God, and to give up its weapons of luſts. The which grace (if God infuſeth) at any time whether before, or under, or after afflictions, then the ſinner doth not wander in the paths of perverſneſs, nor doth he hold out ſo long, but in ſtead of trying all ways to continue in his ſins, he will ſpeedily aſſay all the ways to be freed from them. As left unto his own corrupt ſpirit, and the projects, contrivances and ways thereof. And thus it is with him, like a beſieged enemy, which will retreat from hold to hold, and diſpute every inch of ground, before he will give up the City: So is it with the ſinner, his heart will deviſe one defence after another, and he hath yet another ſhift, though he be many times hardly beſet in his name, or in his eſtate, or in his body, yea, or in his conſcience. And God doth narrowly watch over him, and doth ſpoil him of his many falſe confidences, and deals more ſmartingly with him to yield and return; yet he hath not onelyonly much ſubtilty of ſpirit behind to delude all, but alſo he hath exceeding ſtubbornneſs of ſpirit to oppoſe all the means which are uſed for his converſion.

2. We muſt diſtinguiſh of the ways whereby God doth deal with a ſinner; which are of two ſorts: Some are Victorious ways, Diſtinguiſh of the wayes whereby God doth deal with a ſinner.wherein the Lord undertakes the conqueſt of the heart himſelf by the immediate power of his own grace, to pluck down ſtrong holds, and to caſt down high imaginations; upon which, as the converſion of a ſinner doth infallibly enſue, ſo likewiſe preſently and ſpeedily; for this way exceeds the p. 47ſtrength of rebellion in ſin, and in deſpite of it overcomes the heart. It is the ſtronger man diſpoſſeſſing, and the ſtronger hand pulling us out of the powers of darkneſs. Others are Moral wayes, which conſiſt onelyonly in external means; not in the infuſing of grace, but rather in the propoſal of it, and invitations thereto by counſel, reproof, threats, rewards, and ſeconding this propoſal with ſome or many miſeries: the Propoſition, That a ſinner will uſe all the wayes and methods ere he will return from his ſins, is to be underſtood onelyonly, when God deals with him in a moral way, by the preſence of means onelyonly, (not otherwiſe) for which his corrupt heart may be too ſtrong.

3. We muſt diſtinguiſh of turning from ſin: It is two-fold, either Diſtinguiſh of turning from ſin.Hypocritical, and feigned; and thus many times at the firſt, upon the very denunciation of a Judgement, as Ahab; or upon the perception of it, as Jeroboam, when his hand was ſtruck; evil men may ſeem to confeſs, and to grieve, and to forſake ſin, and to ſeek unto the Lord, and pretend to ſerve him. Real, and ſolid; when the heart is truly affected with a ſound deteſtation of ſin, and the occaſions thereof; and with a ſincere affection of love to God, and endeavour of new obedience. Though the former may be acted by the ſinner without the applying of himſelf to the utmoſt extremities, yet the latter is not.

4. There are two ſorts of ſins in a perſon: Some which are more uſeleſs, either for the profit, or for the pleaſure of the ſinner; There are two ſorts of ſins in a perſon.they are not the favourites: Others are more ſpecial, which are wrought into ſingular affection; the cuſtome of practiſe, and the much experience of their damnable delights and revenues have exceedingly indeared the ſoul unto them. Though a ſinner might more eaſily be upon parting terms with an unprofitable ſervant, an unſerviceable ſin; yet when the divorce is to be made twixt him and his ſpecial luſt, the ſin of his love and affection, the ſin which lies in his boſome, this he will not eaſily part with. A man will endure much pain ere he will part with his right hand, or ſuffer his right eye to be pluckt out; he will ſtir much, and rage much, and project much, and adventure much, ere he will be perſwaded to let this Benjamin go from him.

5. There are two kinds of ſubſiſtence: One is comfortable, wherein There are two kinds of ſubſiſtence.a perſon hath many ſupports, even of a chearfull and a plentifull p. 48living, his cup runs over, and his head is anointed with oil. Another is ubſolute, when there is no more then to keep ſoul and body together: The propoſition is true, even in this latter ſenſe, That a ſinner, though God doth ſhave off and ſuſpend all the comforts of his life, and doth reduce him ſo ſhort, that there remains no more then upon what he can live, if there remains but any one ſprig on which he can take hold, if he can deviſe any one method of ſafety, ſo that he may imagin I ſhall yet live and be ſafe, though I go on in ſin, he will not turn in unto God now, and leave his ſins, but will live the baſeſt of lives, rather then he will relinquiſh the worſt of lives (a ſinful life) he will walk in rags, and beg his bread, and leave all his friends, and become an out-caſt, and a compariſon of the moſt ignoble and infamous wretches, rather then, &c.

6. This propoſition holds true of all ſorts of extremities: Inward, This true of all ſorts of Extremities.in thoſe of conſcience; a ſinner oft-times will rather endure the ſharp edge of the Word, which ſpeaks nothing but wrath and bitterneſs, yea he will live under the galling Items, ſevere frowns, bitter accuſations, intolerable ſcourgings, and terrours and condemnations of his conſcience, though his conſcience many times upbraids him in ſociety, amazeth him aſleep, terrifies him in the dark, condemns him for a wretch, and claps on him the apprehenſions of Hell, which makes the foundation of his ſoul to quake, yet it falls out frequently that he will not turn from his ſinful courſe. Outward in all the kinds of miſery. A mans ſinful wayes may be like the putrifyings of the hody which beget the worms, that eat it out, and conſume it: ſo the ſinnings of a perſon many times do rot and conſume his name, yea, all his eſtate; yea, all his amity; yea, all his ſtrength, and yet through the affectionate combination of his heart with ſin, he may rather indure infamy, ſcorns, poverty, deſertion of friends, famine and nakedneſs, any thing rather then he will leave his ſin; the wicked know no ſhame. Pharaoh did not ſet his heart for all this, &c.

7. Laſtly, This is true not only in a tranſcient and paſſionate This true not only in a tranſient and paſſionate ſenſe, But in a more permanent and deliberate ſenſ.ſenſe, when through the rage of ſome preſent diſtemper and fury, a perſon will hear no counſel (this is true of Nations as well as Perſons) nor regard any dealing, but is violently on a ſudden carried away with the ſtrong tide, or ſtorm rather, of his fooliſh mind and paſſions: But it holds true likewiſe in a more permanent and deliberate p. 49ſenſe: When a ſinner is exempted from the times of raſhneſs, and is able to ſee and judge of his wayes and courſes to be ſinful. Yet is it poſſible, that he may ſuffer not a little, but much evil; not in one kind, but in manifold kinds; not for a ſhort time, but for ſome long duration; many weeks, yea, perha…s many years, ere his heart doth yield to return from his ſinful wayes to God. Thus briefly have you the Explication of the Aſſertion. Now I will touch two things more, and ſo proceed to the Application. One, how this may be manifeſted to be true: Another, why it is, or ſhould be thus with a ſinful heart.

Queſt. 1. How it may appear, that a ſinful perſon will try all, &c. ere he will return?How this may appear to be true.

Sol. It may manifeſtly appear, if you conſider theſe particulars.

1. The patient continuation of ſpiritual means, without any By the continuance of Spiritual means without any fruit of Converſion.fruit of Converſion: God hath uſed inceſſant means, and followed and preſſed upon ſinners by his Servants, the Meſſengers of his Word many times, and for a long time, yet they repented not, nor turned from their ſins. 2 Chr. 36. 15. The Lord God of their fathers ſent to them by his Meſſengers, riſing up betimes and ſending: he did ſend, and ſend again. Ver. 16. But they mocked the Meſſengers of God, and deſpiſed his words, and miſuſed his Prophets, until there was no remedy. So Matth. 23. 37. O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, thou that killeſt the Prophets, and ſtoneſt them which are ſent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not? Rom. 10. 21. And to Iſrael he ſaith, All the day long I have ſtretched forth my hands unto a diſobedient and gainſaying people.

2. The large expectations of God, for the returning of ſinners, By the large expectations of God for the return of ſinners without ſucceſs.without any ſucceſs: Luke 13. 7. Behold, theſe three years I come ſeeking fruit on this figtree, and find none. Num. 14. 11. The Lord ſaid unto Moſes, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the ſignes which I have ſhewed among them? Ver. 27. How long ſhall I bear with this evil Congregation which murmur againſt me? Jer. 4. 14. O Jeruſalem, waſh thine heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayeſt be ſaved; how long ſhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee. Hoſ. 8. 5. How long will it be ere they attain to innocency? Jer. 13. 27. p. 50O Jeruſalem, wilt thou not be made clean? when ſhall it once be?

3. The long and exceeding complaints of God concerning ſinners: By the long and exceeding complaints of God concerning ſinners.That he is forced ſtill to bear with them; inſomuch that their continual ſinnings have grown (as it were exceeding of Gods patience) too much for God to bear any longer; Amos 2. 13. I am preſſed under you, as a Cart is preſſed that is full of Sheaves. Jer. 15. 6. Thou haſt forſaken me, ſaith the Lord; thou art gone backward, therefore will I ſtretch out my hand againſt thee; I am weary of repenting. Iſa. 43. 24. Thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins; thou haſt wearied me with thine iniquities.

4. The Non-pluſſes (if I may ſo phraſe it) that wicked and obſtinate perſons, by continuing in their ſins, have put God unto: By the nonpluſſes that obſtinate ſinners have put God unto.Hoſ. 6. 4. O Ephraim, what ſhall I do unto thee? O Judah, what ſhall I do unto thee? for your goodneſs is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. This is an Antropopathy, a ſpeech after the manner of men. Not that God doth not know what to do; but he expreſſeth himſelf after the manner of a perſon who hath uſed all the wayes and means to reclaim another, and yet the other, though ſometimes cunningly he pretends a reformation, falls away again. Now, ſaith a father, ſuch and ſuch wayes have I uſed, and ſuch wayes, and nothing doth avail; my ſon ſtill is wicked, he runs on from evil to worſe; I know not what to do with him, I can think of no courſe, &c. So, Iſa. 5. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore when I looked for grapes, brought it forth wild grapes.

5. Nay, the kinds of Deſpair (as it were) which God hath conceived after many dealings, to do any good, or to reclaim them By the Deſpair which God hath conceived, after many dealings to do any good.from ſinful wayes: Hoſ. 5. 15. I will go and return to my place. Iſa. 1. 5. Why ſhould ye be ſtricken any more, ye will revolt more and more? Jer. 23. 29. I will utterly forget you, and I will forſake you; reprobate ſilver ſhall men call them.

6. Yea, thoſe dying knells and farewel wiſhes and reſolutions By thoſe farewel wiſhes and reſolutions of God becauſe of their Impenitency.of God, becauſe of the impenitency of perſons, demonſtrates this ttuth. Expoſtulations upon utmoſt terms, Why will ye dye? And, You ſhall dye in your ſins; and I will forſake you; and I will utterly deſtroy you. Luke 19. 41. He beheld the City, and p. 51wept over it; Ver. 42. O that thou hadſt known, even thou, at the leaſt in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace: but now they are hid from thine eyes. Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive with him.

7. Laſtly, It may appear that ſinners will try all wayes ere they turn, and endure much, By the multiplication of many By the multiplication of many Judgments.Judgments, and repetition of manifold calamities. The many wedges which are knockt in one after another, ſhew that the wood is tough and unyielding: this giving pill after pill, ſhews that the corrupt humor is ſtrongly rooted, Mic. 6. 13. I will make thee ſick in ſmiting thee, becauſe of thy ſins. So that when all is done and ſuffered, God muſt ſay and do what he promiſes in Iſa. 57. 17. I was wroth with him, and ſmote him, I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. Ver. 18. I have ſeen his wayes and will heal him. When all is done, one thing more God muſt do, he muſt come into the heart, and over-rule, and heal, and turn it, and then it ſhall be turned.

Qu. 2. Now for the ſecond Queſtion, Why it ſhould be thus, that ſinners ſhould try all the wayes, and indure to the utmoſt rather Why it is thus.then to turn from their ſinful courſes?

I anſwer, It is not either, 1. Becauſe ſin is ſuch an Excellent It is not, Becauſe ſin is really beneficiall to the ſoul.thing, or really beneficial to the ſoul; by reaſon of which excellency and uſe, a man might be moved to endure much in his body, for the preſervation and defence of it: for ſin is an evil thing, and therefore worthleſs. Or, 2. Becauſe any ſin is leſs evil then miſery; and therefore this ſhall be endured rather No… becauſe any ſin is leſs evil then miſery. But becauſe, The ſinner doth exceedingly love his ſin.then that ſhall be forſaken. But, 1. The ſinner doth exceedingly love his ſin: The heart of a ſinner is ſet on his ſin; he hath made a Covenant with death, and an agreement with hell. He loves darkneſs, and is held faſt with the bonds and cords of his ſinful affections. A perſon doth many times ſuffer pains ſharper then death, becauſe he doth exceedingly love life: Why? a ſinner loves his ſin as he loves his life; nay, more then his life, the which he doth often hazard for ever to preſerve his ſin. 2. The ſinner is a Fool: Put a fool never ſo oft in the Stocks, it doth The ſinner is a Fool.him no good; he underſtands not the cauſe nor end of it. Evil men are chaſtized and puniſhed by God, but they know not nor underſtand; they know not that their ſins are the cauſe thereof, and p. 52that Converſion from ſin is the end thereof. 3. There is a marvellous ſtout Spirit of pride in the ſinner; who is therefore ſaid to There is a ſtout ſpirit of pride in a ſinner.fight againſt God, and to reſiſt him; and though he be ſmitten, yet to refuſe to return, and wilfully to tranſgreſs, and that they will not hearken. Stifnecked are they called; and foreheads have they which cannot be aſhamed, and faces that cannot bluſh. 4. A vain preſumption, From a vaine preſumption. that yet their ſinful wayes ſhall be well at laſt. From the Contrariety betwixt the wayes of God and the Sinners heart.that yet their ſinful wayes ſhall be well at laſt: It is but bearing a while, and at length their calamities will off. He who goes on in a ſinful way, is never without ſome ſinful project and chimeraes; ſilly fancies of ſome good, and ſome ſupport and wearing out of his troubles, &c. 5. There is a bitter contrariety twixt the wayes of God and the ſinners heart. Light and darkneſs are not more oppoſite; hence is it that in Job they ſay unto God, Depart from us, we deſire not the knowledg of the Almighty. And in Pſal. 2. They break the cords in ſunder. And Heb. 10. They are ſaid to offer deſpight unto the Spirit of Grace. Holineſs and holy walking, ah! it is that which their hearts hate more then hell; they will adventure their damnation, before they will affect and practice holineſs; no greater burden and torment to them then it. 6. And ſometimes Unbelief may be a ſpecial cauſe, why a ſinner doth thus ſhift and From unbeliefe.try. The guilt of his ſins under his afflictions may lie heavy upon his conſcience, and he may be ſo wholly taken up with the apprehenſion of wrath and judgment and an implacability in God towards him, that God will never ſhew him mercy, who hath been ſo much and ſo long provoked, that it is in vain to return, now there is no hope. 7. The Vanity of a corrupt Judgment, which deludes From the Vanity of a Corrupt Judgment.the ſinner, as if he could be ſinful and ſafe; or that he could ſubſiſt well enough without returning to God.

Now I proceed to the Application of this point; the Uſes are many, 1. For Conviction of Error in Judgment.Uſe 1. Conviction. It is no eaſie work to Repent.

1. That it is an eaſie work to Repent, and to leave ſin. When I am ſick, or come to dy, then I will think of that work. No, brethren, if the heart of man be of ſo ſubtil a temper, and ſo perverſe a frame, can afflictions do it of themſelves? if the love of ſin be ſo ſtrongly in grain, that many waters of afflictions cannot waſh it out, nor many beams of mercy melt and turn it; you muſt then imagine it not to be an eaſie work to turn the heart from ſin, if it will adventure the loſs of heaven, and the endurance of hell, and the actual preſence of many ſore calamities; confeſs then, That the deſcents p. 53into ſin are eaſie, but the returns from it are not ordinary or facile. Faciles aditus Dificiles oxitus, ſaith S^t. Auſtin. More is required to Convert, then External and Congruous Grace.Where all the means, tending to the Converſion of a ſinner, are oppoſed, and, as it were, wholly defeated and fruſtrated, there the heart is not ſo eaſily wrought upon to ret…rn. 2. That no more is required to Convert a ſinner, but External and Congruous Grace; as if the heart were like a Fiſh upon the hook, which might be drawn at pleaſure to the ſhore; or, like Wax prepared, and it were no more but to put on the Seal: or, as if to Convert a ſinne, were no more then to report a Hiſtory, or to offer a man a Purchaſe. Nay, but there muſt be likewiſe Impreſſions as well as Invitations; not only Means, but Grace it ſelf; not only the Rod and Word, but likewiſe the Spirit of God, and his mighty Operation; not only a Voice ſaying, This is the way, but alſo the Spirit of God which muſt cauſe us to walk in that way: there muſt be healing Medicines put within the Soul by the hand of God himſelf, or elſe all the means in the world, the Word, the Sacraments, the afflictions, and miſeries, and examples may ſay and complain with the Prophet, Iſa. 49. 4. I have laboured in vain: I have ſpent my ſtrength for nought.

2. For Information. 1. Of that exceſſive ſtubbornneſs and madneſs in the hearts of us ſinners. Good Lord! what an hand hath ſin Information, Of the exceſſive ſtubbornneſs of the hearts of ſinners.over us. That terrors ſhould ariſe like an horrible tempeſt within the conſcience for ſinning, and drive a man to his feet; yea, to the duſt, yea, almoſt as low as hell. That his ſinning ſhould pull down one calamity after another; take away the dayes of peace, of plenty, of ſafety, of health, and darken them with war, and tumults; with ſcarcity, and indigence; with danger, and trouble; with loſſes, and diſeaſes; cloath a mans body with rags, fill a mans body with rottenneſs, obſcure a mans name with infamy, and yet, yet after all, and under all that a perſon ſhould hold faſt his wickedneſs, which is the cauſe of all and will not let it go, he will not be weaned from it, nor charmed. No Mercy, nor Juſtice, nothing can diſſolve the Covenant twixt his heart and ſin; but llke that Athenian Commander (if I forget not the ſtory) who when he was threatned to let go the Ship, held it; when one hand was cut off, he held it with the other; when both were cut off, he held it with his teeth. The Lord be merciful to us, thus is it with us, though God threatens, yet we ſin; though he ſtrikes us in one ki…d, yet we ſin; though in many kinds, yet we ſin; though loſſes though croſſes, though death be in our doors, though it riſeth on our p. 54bodies, though we loſe earth, life, heaven, all, yet we ſtill ſin, and return not, but ſtand it out, 2. Of the admirable patience and goodneſs of God. Not without reaſon is he ſtiled a God Of the admirable patience and goodneſs of God.of long-ſuffering, and to endure with much long-ſuffering the veſſels of wrath: and his Goodneſs, the riches of Goodneſs. Rom. 9. 22. Rom. 2. 4. That he ſhould look after a ſinner, nay, ſpeak, nay, ſtrike, nay, wound, nay, almoſt take away his life to ſave his life; that he ſhould run after a proud and reſiſting ſinner, though a ſinner doth contrive the ways of oppoſing, and cunningly ſtrives againſt all the methods of mercy; yet that God ſhould not deſert him, and give him over, but try again and again, and be actively ready to give grace to an unwilling, to a reſiſting, to an obſtinate, fooliſh ſinner! who but a vile ſinner would obſtinately abuſe ſuch great mercy? who but a God would endure the ſame with ſo much patience? It is not that the Lord ſeeth not the ways of a ſinner (for he is Omniſcient;) It is not that he approves or likes the ways of a ſinner, (for he is moſt Holy;) It is not that he will not recompence the ways of a ſinner, (for he is moſt Juſt;) It is not that he wants power to execute his wrath Habet in poteſtate vindictam, mavult tamen diu to…ere patientiam, &c. Cyprian.and diſpleaſure, (for he is Almighty:) No, no, that he all this while ſpares and holds up, ariſeth onelyonly from his nature, which is delighted rather to ſhew mercy, and which is ſlow to wrath, and of much long-ſuffering. 3. Of the freeneſs of Gods grace. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy, Rom. 9. 16. Alas! what is Of the freeneſs of Gods grace.it that the Pelagians ſcribled of Merits, and Papiſts of Deſerts and Congruities? Lo here! naturally we run from God, and naturally we are fighters againſt God, we reſiſt the motions of his Spirit, the counſels of his Word, the leſſons of many Afflictions; and could we any how ſubſiſt, we would never lay down our weapons. Did not the Lord ſhew more compaſſion to us, then we do unto our ſelves; did he not enquire after us, and follow us, and as it were beſet us on every ſide, and in a ſort ſurprize us by the goodneſs and ſtrength of his own Grace, we ſhould periſh in our bloud, die in our folly, and be loſt for ever; but this commends the exceeding graciouſneſs of his Grace towards us, that though we be not onelyonly enemies by nature, but rebellious alſo by practice, yet the Lord ſhews pity to our wandring ſouls, will forgive our proud rebellions, and will heal our p. 55fooliſh and gainſaying hearts. It is great mercy for him to ſpare us, who might for our manifold ſinnings ſo often have cond…mned us; and it is the greateſt mercy, that he doth not onelyonly not leave and damn us, but pities, converts, and ſaves us.

3. For Caution: And this is the main Uſe which I deſire to For Caution. Take heed of ſhuffl…ng with God.inſiſt on, To take heed of ſhuffling with God, and digging after pits, which will hold no water, when God calls upon us by his Word, or by his Corrections, to return from our ſins unto him, and not to hold them faſt, or to withſtand the Lord, and hold him off. Here I ſhall propound two things: 1. Some Motives, or Arguments to hearken unto this; 2. Some Rules and Directions to guide us. The Motives may reſpect us either, Motives.1. in the evil of thus ſhuffling with, and delaying of God, 2. in the good on the contrary. I will mingle them together. Conſider therefore,

1. It is a moſt precious thing which the Lord offers unto us, It is a moſt precious thing the Lord offers to us, when at firſt he calls upon us to return.when at firſt he calls upon us to leave our ſins, and to return unto him. A thing may be reputed precious, partly, in reſpect of the neceſſity of it, when it doth ſo nearly concern us, that we are undone without it. Now what ſhall become of us, unleſs we come off from our ſins? What is it that we ſo ſhuffle for, and will not let it go? What! is it a good in it ſelf, or a cauſe of good to us? and what is it that we ſo hold off from? is it not Grace and Salvation? I ſhall periſh with hunger, ſaith the Prodigal. So mayeſt thou truly ſay, Unleſs I do accept of this offer of Grace, if I do thus hold on in my ſinfull ways, if I ſhuffle never ſo long, yet if I continue thus, I ſhall at length periſh for ever, Exod. 10. 7. Knoweſt thou not that Egypt is deſtroyed? ſo, &c. to go on thus is the way of death, to return and ſubmit is the onelyonly way of life: I cannot be ſaved unleſs I repent: It is not a vain thing for which the Lord ſtrives with me, it is to give grace and life to my poor ſoul. In reſpect of the excellency of it: Excellent things are truly precious. Now every grace is excellent, it hath a native beauty in it, and makes us a choice and eſtimable people. Do throughly weigh a penitent and converted condition, how in it we are partakers of the Divine nature; what a communion we have thereby with God; what a fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt; how we paſs from death to life, are made the ſons of God, and p. 56become the heirs of glory, and will we then thus deviſe and flie from our beſt good; Why! when the Lord offers grace to a ſinner, what doth he therein but offer himſelf to be his God, offer Chriſt to be his Saviour, offer the pardon of all his ſins, offer all the comforts of his Spirit, the bleſſings of his promiſes, and the hopes of eternal life; and if this be not an excellent thing, what is? can a better or greater matter be tendred to you.

2. The Lord will not alwaies be calling upon us, nor tendring repentance unto life, and which brings forth ſalvation, as the Apoſtle The Lord will not alwaies be calling upon us.ſpeaks; My Spirit ſhall not alwaies ſtrive, ſaith God, Gen. 6. God ſtrives, when he comes cloſe in any means. 2. When hee continueth and multiplieth means. And to day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Heb. 3. God did deal often with the Iſraelites by wonders, by words, by corrections; but you know that though he bore long with them, yet he did not bear for ever; at length he conſumed and made an end of them, he would not continue to ſeek after them for ever. I will eaſe me of mine adverſaries; Cut it down, why cumbers it the ground. If we will not become obedient, he can quickly deſtroy us for our diſobedience. There is a day wherein God offers himſelf to be ours in grace and peace, how long or how ſhort that day is, I cannot juſtly determine; onelyonly of this we may bee ſure, that God may in juſtice refuſe us for ever, if we refuſe him once. Note theſe Scriptures, and they may perhaps awaken and recall us, Ezek. 24. 12. She hath wearied her ſelf with lies, and her great ſ…um went not forth out of her, her ſcum ſhall be in the fire. v. 13. In thy filthineſs is lewdneſs, becauſe I have purged thee (by afflictions,) and thou waſt not purged (by repentance,) thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſs any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee Ver. 14. I the Lord have ſpoken it, it ſhall come to paſs, and I will do it, I will not go back, neither will I ſpare, neither will I repent: aocording to thy waies, and according to thy doings ſhall they judge thee, ſaith the Lord God, Luke 19. ver. 42. Oh! if thou hadſt known, even thou at the leaſt in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eies. Hebr. 3. ver. 10. I was grieved with that generation, and ſaid, they do alwaies err in their hears, and they have not known my waies. Verſ. 11. So I ſware in my wrath, they ſhall not enter into my reſt. Pſal. 81. ver. 11. But my people p. 57would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me. v. 12. So I gave them up to their own hearts luſts, and they walked in their own counſels. Theſe four places do afford us four ſad things, which may befal perſons refuſing to return from their ſins, and deluding that work. 1. That the Lord will not ſtill be uſi…g of means. 2. That he will draw off the means. 3. He will leave ſuch ſinners, and give them up to themſelves. 4. They ſhall never enter into his reſt; and this the Lord binds with an Oath. Every one of theſe is a Judgment ſufficiently fearfull; for, what ſhall become of the ſinner, when the Lord ſhall (judicially) draw off the means of his Converſion? or if the means be continued in common to others, yet he will not work any more upon that perſon through them; but he ſhall deſpiſe the counſels of the Word, and ſlight the meſſage of all Afflictions; and that a perſon ſhould run ſo far and ſo high in a way of wickedneſs, that the Lord gives him over as a deſperate, hopeleſs, and forlorn wretch, to walk in his own counſels, and after the luſts of his own heart; and when the Lord ſeals him up by his Oath, that this is a perſon who ſhall never ſee my face; though many a ſinner ſhall be pardoned and ſaved, yet this ſinfull Tranſgreſſor ſhall never enter into my reſt: Now what doth the ſinner know, who ſeeks new ways to ſecure his ſinning, and oppoſeth thereby all the ways which God uſeth for his converting, I ſay, how doth he know, but that the Lord will deal thus with him. God hath dealt ſo with ſome, for dealing thus with him; he cloſed up the day upon Jeruſalem, and left the Iſraelites to their own hearts luſts, and never anſwered Saul any more, neither by Prophets, nor by Dreams, and threatens to remove the Candleſtick, Revel. 2.

3. Conſider, That if the Lord ſhould ſhew almoſt the Miracle of his Goodneſs towards ſuch a ſhuffling ſinner, his Converſion The converſion of ſuch a one will be.will be 1. the Harder, 2. the more Bitter. It will be the Harder, for as much as all further degrees and ſteps The Harder.in ſinning, do engage the heart more to the love of ſin, and naturally infers more hardneſs of heart, and reſiſtance againſt the motions of Grace. When a Skaine of Thread is more and more clotted and entangled, it will be the harder to clear it; and a Cord may be ſo knotted, that you cannot undo it, but by cutting it aſunder: Though the work of Converſion p. 58be not difficult to God, yet the far running ſinner ſhall find it, for his part, a more intricate and hitching thing, to wind his heart from thoſe acts and paths of iniquity, into which it hath been ſo long accuſtomed. However, it will be the Harſher; the child which ſticks ſo often in the birth, cauſeth the birth to be Or the harſher.more ſharp and dolorous. Uſually, the more ſinfull a man hath been, and the longer he hath held off God, his ſoul is more cut; partly with Fears, for now he hath many doors to unlock ere he can faſten on grounds of comfort; not onelyonly that he hath held on a courſe of ſin ſo long, but alſo that he hath ſo ſubtilly and frequently withſtood the tenders of grace, and Gods manifold dealings with him already. Though the perſon may have grace truly wrought in him, to make him ſee all this vileneſs, yet it may be long ere his faith ſhall be able comfortably to apprehend Gods mercy to forgive it. He may have doubts, not onelyonly of mercy, but of the truth of his converſion, as if it ſeemed rather to be compulſive; God may long withhold from him the teſtimony of his love, who hath a long time perverſly withheld the conſent of his heart from returning unto him. Partly with Shame: It will be an exceeding reproach and confuſion of face unto this perſon, when ever the Lord converts him, that he ſhould deal with the Lord thus, reſiſt his Spirit ſo much, and withſtand that great kindneſs of God intended to him by the many means which he hath uſed. Surely, after that I was turned, I repented, ſaith Ephraim, and after that I was inſtructed I ſmote upon my thigh, I was aſhamed, yea, even confounded, becauſe I did bear the reproach of my youth, Jer. 31. 19. Then ſhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Ezek. 36. 31. Ah! how it will rent and preſs the ſoul! Such a fool, ſuch a beaſt was I, to purſue my own ruine, to reject my own mercies, to ſlight ſo great ſalvation, to vex ſo good a God, and to be ſo infinitely, unthankfully baſe, that if I could have found any means of ſupport, I would never have ſubmitted unto him, and left my ſinfull courſe: Ah! how doth the Lord take this at my hands? how unacceptable may my returning now be, which may ſeem rather to be forced through extremity, than to ſpring out of any ingenuity. So that you ſee, by our ſinfull ſhiftings, either God may deny us converting p. 59grace, or elſe we ſhall make our Converſion much leſs eaſie and comfortable.

Object. But ſome may ſay, What can we help it? can we turn our own hearts? it muſt be the Lord who muſt do that; and he We cannot convert our ſelves.might do it at the firſt as well at at the laſt, if he would.

Sol. And is this excuſe to paſs for currant? hath not God dealt Anſwered.with thee often? didſt not thou more often harden thine own heart, willingly withdraw thy ſelf, and all out of a love to ſin? 2. Though thou couldſt not convert thine own heart yet this thou mighteſt have done in the times of afflictions, &c. conſidered, what might move the Lord thus to deal with thee; all, or ſome of the cauſes which thy own conſcience did freely ſuggeſt, and the ends which God pointed thee to, to reform them; And then to have gone to him by vehement prayer, to convert thy heart from thy ſins, to teach it righteouſneſs, to ſubmit to his inſtructions: Thou mightſt thus have gone to him who can convert, and have waited on him in the means of converſion; but thou didſt nor deſire after him, nor delightedſt to ſeek him, &c.

2. But What may we do to prevent this ſhuffling, and aſſaying of means to ſupport us in ſinning, when the Lord deals with us, and Means to prevent this ſhuffling.calls upon us for the leaving of ſin?

Sol. I would commend theſe five Directions. 1. Strive to be convinced of this, That as long as the Courſe is a ſinfull Courſe, it Be convinced of this, That a ſinfull courſe cannot be a foreign ſafe courſe.can never be a ſafe Courſe. We may weary our ſelves in the multitude of our imaginations and ways, but run what courſe you pleaſe, and purſue your own devices, yet this ye ſhall reap of the Lord, you ſhall lie down in your ſhame and ſorrow; you may run to new experiments, but miſery will follow your ſins the next time as well as this, and in every way as well as one way: Your ſins will find you out; and as long as you carry your ſins with you, you cannot keep off calamities from you.

2. Of neceſſity you muſt return or periſh: Your ſinfull courſe is You muſt return or periſh.a by-path, and leads to death. It is ſinfull, and you know it; and being ſinfull, it muſt be miſerable. To what end doth the Patient excuſe the taking of the Receipt, the wholſome Balm? he muſt die if he doth not receive it: So conſider, To what end do I thus vary my paths, and ſhuffle and ſeek ſupports? there is nothing ſtrong enough to ſecure a ſinner; and let me ſadly conſider, that I muſt one time or other leave theſe ſinnings, or elſe farewel my Soul and Salvation.

p. 603. It cannot but be beſt, the ſooner it is: I muſt return, or periſh; too ſoon I cannot return, and the ſooner the better. A Our Return is beſt, the ſooner it is. Beſt For Safety.Souldier of a middle age, a Counſellor of a grave age, and a Penitent of a young age, are ſtill the beſt. The work which muſt be done, is beſt done when ſooneſt: Beſt, for Safety; for, thy life is very uncertain; and if thou doeſt not leave thy ſins to day, thou mayeſt be in Hell (for ought thou knoweſt) for thy ſins to morrow: For Acceptance; the Lord likes it beſt, when For Acceptance.one word of Mercy can cauſe us to truſt, and one ſhaking of the Rod can cauſe us to tremble, and when one command ſufficeth to turn us; when upon the firſt Arreſt, we give up our Weapons, it pleaſeth Soveraignty beſt: For Quietneſs; for we do hereby deliver not onelyonly our Souls, but Bodies alſo, from many troubles, For Quietneſs.the ſooner we do repent, and plainly yield; why! Conſcience ſpeaks peace the ſooner, and God commands mercies the faſter; ſtrong Sins, breed long afflictions; but give up the Sins, and God gives up the Quarrel; throw over Bichri's head to Joab, and he will preſently remove the ſiege. If a man had health, he might take ſleep the better; but as long as the body is diſeaſed, it is unquiet.

4. Strive againſt thoſe diverting Principles, which do draw thee from the right and onelyonly way, and put thee on by-thoughts and Strive againſt diverting Principles, as Preſumption of Mercy, Or of thy own Power.by-paths, and a vain aſſayment of means to ſupport us: As 1. Preſumption, either of Mercy, though thou doeſt add drunkenneſs to thirſt, and ſtill findeſt out thine own inventions; or thine own Power: Thou mayeſt be hindred of the time which thou doeſt project, and mayeſt want ſtrength to execute thy purpoſes: For ſinfull practiſes do altogether weaken our power, whileſt they delude us with a conceit of ſtrength hereafter. 2. Stoutneſs and pride of ſpirit: Do not, in a bravery of villany, diſpute with the Almighty Stoutneſs and pride of ſpirir.God; it may prove a ſad Victory to thee that thou art able to reject good counſel, and to quench all good motions. 3. Delight Delight in ſin.in ſin, which drowns the errand of all afflictions, &c.

5. Beſeech the Lord, at the very firſt, to circumciſe the ſtubbornneſs Beſeech the Lord to c…rcumciſe the ſtubbornneſs of your hearts.of your hearts, and to give you the underſtanding ear, and the obedient ſpirit; that when in the Word he calls upon you to turn from your ſins, your hearts may fall down, and cry out, O Lord, turn me; and when by afflictions he calls upon you to turn, you may preſently humble your hearts, and cry out, O Lord, pardon p. 61me; O Lord, heal me; O Lord, turn and ſave me: Let us all think of this; You know that the Lord is diſpleaſed with us, and we have hitherto hardened our hearts againſt the Lord; God hath dealt with us once, twice, often, in publick, in private ways, and ſtill we ſeek our own ways, delude the work of Repentance, ſet nothing to heart, nor repent of our evil doings.

I I. Now I proceed to the Second thing, which is, The final The final diſappointment of all the Prodigals deſigns. Doct. 2. Nothing ſhall avail the ſhuffling ſinner, till he return, but God will diſappoint all his p…ojects. Some things premiſed. This is meant… of a ſinner whom God intends to convert.diſappointment of the Prodigals aſſays and deſigns, in theſe words, [And no man gave unto him.] Whence I obſerve,

That nothing ſhall avail the ſhuffling ſinner, until he doth turn from his ſins; but God will diſappoint all his projects, batter down all his confidences, fruſtrate all his expectations, drive him out of all his harbours, and overthrow all the means and ways which he flies unto. Before I confirm this Aſſertion, let me premiſe a few particulars, that ſo you may rightly conceive the ſcope of it. Thus then.

1. I intend the Aſſertion, of a ſinner whom God doth intend to convert; others he may leave to proſper in their imaginations: For you ſee it raiſed from the diſappointment of a Prodigal, one whoſe converſion at length attended his manifold afflictions, and as manifold contrivances to keep up his ſinfull converſation: though ſuch a perſon knows not it, nor thinks on it, yet God is ſecretly againſt him, and thruſts him off from all the Cities of Refuge, unto which he flies; which way ſoever he turns, and what courſe ſoever he applies himſelf unto, whatſoever veſſel he puts himſelf into, it ſhall be like Jonah's ſhip, which will not be quiet until he be caſt out, until he doth come to conſider of his doings, and return.

2. I intend the Aſſertion, of an eventual, not of an inſtantaneous It is intended of an even…ual, and not of an▪ inſtantaneous, diſsppointment.diſappointment: (i.) Though for the preſent, and ſome ſhort ſpace, the cunning ſinner may quietly poſſeſs the fruits of his projects, and ſolace himſelf in ſome carnal ſecurities; yet at length, ſooner or later, God will again beſiege him, and take him off. As it was with Adonijahs gueſts, though for ſome minutes they did feaſt and rejoyce, yet on a ſudden they were all amazed, fled and diſperſed; or as it is with the Fowls which are purſued, though they light, as they think, upon a prey, yet the Piece is diſcharged, and they are all driven away: So is it with the ſinner (whom God intends to convert) though he may contrive a way (as he thinks) and quietly and ſafely go on in his ſinfull p. 62courſe, and begin to ſit down, yet thither alſo will the Hue and Cry come, and he ſhall be forced away; all that alſo ſhall be daſhed in pieces; there will come down a Writ of Ejection, and caſt him out of the houſe, as it did Ahab out of the Vineyard which he had unjuſtly poſſeſſed; ſo that he ſhall not ſettle long upon any way or courſe, without ſome ſpecial and effectual diſturbance from God.

3. The ſhuffling projects of a ſinner may be reputed invalid, either, The ſhuffling projects of a ſinner ſhall be invalid ſeveral ways.when that every thing or way which he contrives is raſed and ſlighted: As a Ca…le, unto which the Souldiers fly, is demoliſhed; ſo when the Lord takes off that Friend, or utterly blaſts that courſe of Living, that way of Trade and Imployment wherein a ſinner truſted all his hopes with: Or, When that which the ſinner contrived as his help and ſtrength, ſhall ſhut the gate againſt him, not admit him into harbour: Or, when that which he hath with much art and pains contrived, is ſo far from proving an help, that it augments his grief and trouble: There is, as it were, an evil ſpirit, put in twixt the plotting heart, and the obtained help, ſo that it proves a bitter enemy inſtead of a friend, and a further miſery inſtead of a comfort. One of theſe ways doth God make the ſhuffling projects of a ſinner unavailable; either by blaſting that vain Gourd which delightfully ſhadowed him; or by turning off the ſinner from the Horns of thoſe Altars, unto which he flies in times of miſery; or elſe by making the land of Egypt, into which he flies for Bread and Corn, to become an Houſe of cruel Bondage; I mean, by turning his deſires into, if not Curſes, yet intollerable Croſſes.

4. Whether the cauſe why the ſinner doth ſhuffle, be inward, or The ſhuffling ſinner ſhal neither keep down ſtrokes of conſcience, nor keep off afflictions.whether it be outward; whether it be the ſtrokes of Conſcience, or whether it be the ſtripes of Affliction; he ſhall neither keep down the one, nor keep off the other, but the inward wounds ſhall ever and anon be renewed. As all the endeavours of the Mariners could not calm the Sea, until Jonah was caſt out of the ſhip; ſo until the ſinner forſakes his evil ways, there is no eſcaping the one or the other.

The Propoſition being thus explicated, I ſhall briefly confirm it, by reſolving two things; 1. How it may appear to be true? 2. Why it is ſo?

Queſt. 1. How it may appear to be a truth, that nothing ſhall p. 63How this may appear to be …avail the ſhuffling ſinner, until he returns from his ſins?

Sol. Thus: 1. The Lord doth many times make all the helps and means which the ſinner uſeth, to be vain, and unable, and inſufficient. God many times makes all their helps and means inſufficient.This is imported in that phraſe, Jer. 3. 23. Truly in vain is ſalvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains. The Iſraelites were diſtreſſed by reaſon of their ſins, they were beſieged and ſurprized by the Babylonians; their proper work now had been to have returned unto the Lord: But they ſtill go on, and think to ſalve and ſecure themſelves by the help of Syria; but all in vain, they could not preſerve them, they were not able. So the Prophet, Hoſ. 5 13. When Ephraim ſaw his ſickneſs, and Judah his wound, then went Ephraim to the Aſſyrian, and ſent to King Jarib, yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. He alludes to a ſick patient, and an impotent Phyſitian, who cannot poſſibly heal. See, all the ſtrength unto which they repaired, could not deliver or ſecure them; though they did undertake the cure, the ſafety, yet they could not perform it. 2. That ſhame which hath covered the faces of Shame hath covered the faces of ſinners after all their cunning experiments.ſinners after all their cunning experiments, confirms this truth alſo, That nothing avails, &c. The Iſraelites tried the help of Aſſyria, but that was too weak a Bow; then they have another project, they will make uſe of Egypt; nor ſhould this proſper, when they had tried it, they were aſhamed of it; they had propounded great matters, and boaſted much, how able they ſhould now be, and how ſafe; but when all came to all, nothing at all came of it. J…r. 2. 36, Why gaddeſt thou about ſo much to change thy way? thou alſo ſhalt be aſhamed of Egypt, as thou waſt aſhamed of Aſſyria. v. 37. Yea, thou ſhalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thy head; for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences, and thou ſhalt not proſper in them. 3. The Lord hath The Lord hath pull…d ſinners out of the ſanctuaries to which they have fled. He hath daſhed in pi…ces the refuges on which they truſted.pulled the ſinners out of their ſanctuaries and helps unto which they have fled; yea, hath pulled them out like ſheep, Jer. 12. 3. and taken them away as with fiſh-hooks, Amos 4. 2. 4. He hath daſhed in pieces the refuges on which they truſted; blown down the houſe which they took up to lodge in; as is evident in the cracking of the King of Egypt, unto whom the Iſraelites in their captivities fled; but the Lord brought on him the Army of the Chaldeans, which utterly overthrew him. As it was with Jonah, who fled from the Lord, and got into a ſhip for …arſhiſh; the Lord p. 64ſent a wind and ſtorm, which did never leave working, till it purged Jonah out of the ſhip. So that ſtrength, and ſecure defence, unto which the ſinner betakes himſelf, God doth as it were beſiege him therein, and never leaves, until he hath demoliſhed it, and brought him to terms of capitulation afreſh. 5. By making his ſinfull contrivances to prove his ſtronger and harder fetters; that He makes his ſinfull contrivances to be his ſtronger fetters.that way, and that comfort which the ſinner took up as a ſhadow from the ſtorm and heat, hath (like ſome hired Souldiers in the day of battel) wheel'd about, and become the ſtrongeſt ſnare, and bittereſt burden. As David complained of ſome of his friends, that they did prove his moſt enraged and cutting enemies; Or as the Prophet ſpeaks, The men of thy Confederacy have brought thee even to the border; the men that were at peace with thee, have deceived thee; they that did eat thy bread, have laid a wound under thee. Obad. 7. So the Lord hath ſo over-ruled it, that he hath driven the ſinner to a miſerable ſtand, even when he hath purſued the wyaes (as he thought) of his own contentment; in the purſuing whereof, he hath onelyonly followed a ſmiling River, into a moſt unquiet and troubleſome Sea. 6. By a moſt perfect beleagring (as it were) of a By the beleagring of a projecting ſinner.projecting ſinner: hedging up all his ways with thorns, or immuring of him as in a Caſtle, Hoſ. 2. and ſhutting of him up, that there ſhall be no going out or coming in.

Now for the ſecond Queſtion, Why nothing ſhall avail the ſhuffling ſinner, until he repents?Queſt. 2. Reaſons of it.

I conjecture theſe Reaſons may be rendred. 1. That unhappy quality of ſin which makes every way unſucceſsfull. It is like ſome Sol. The unhappy quality of ſin.weeds which mar every diſh they come into; or like ſome ſervants, under whoſe hand nothing proſpers: So is it with ſin; it is an unproſperous thing, and mars all; the worm in our gourd, arms every creature againſt us, it alone were enough to batter down the ſtrongeſt Caſtle, and to blaſt our ſweeteſt comforts; it thruſts in a ſecret curſe upon all our undertakings. 2. Whiles the Lord is againſt a man, nothing can be ſufficient to help him. What can prove a friend, Whileſt the Lord is againſt a man, nothing is ſufficient to help him.while the Lord is an enemy? all things come on, or fall off, as God draws near, or ſtands off from us; we can never eſtabliſh our ſelves by our own hand, nor againſt Gods. You may read in Hoſ. 5. 13. that Ephraim and Judah in their diſtreſs betook them to the Aſſyrians, b… they could do them no good. V. 14. For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the houſe of Judah; I, even I, will tear, and p. 65go away; I will take away, and none ſhall reſcue him. But now whiles a man goes on, ſhuffling, in a ſinful way, the Lord is againſt him. 3. The ſinner would never turn to God, if any of his own waies could avail. If The ſinner would never turn to God, if any of his own waies could avail him.the ſhip could any way hold out, the men would not come to ſhore; but when it is all ſplit, and they muſt periſh if they ſwim not, now they make to the ſhore: So is it here; the Lord muſt wholly unbottom the ſinner, he muſt ſtrip him of all hopes and confidences, yea he muſt hold him as it were over the flames of hell, before he will turn unto him; Oh! the heart of a ſinner hath made a covenant with ſin, which will not eaſily be diſannul…ed; ordinarily, till the very life comes to it, that a man ſees he muſt preſently be damned, if he doth not repent, he will ſtand it out againſt God.

Now to proceed to the Application of this: Shall nothing help the ſhuffling ſinner till he repents? then certainly the Lord ſhews Ʋſe. Then the Lord ſhews great mercy to ſuch a ſinner.great mercy unto him; it is one of the greateſt judgments, when the Lord lets the ſinner alone, to go on and proſper; a miſerable thing it is, when the patient is given over, and no Phyſician will meddle with him; ſo on the contrary, It is a great mercy, when the Lord doth not give over the ſinner, but ſtill follows him, and ſtill diſappoints his counſels, and undermines as it were his projects, and is too hard for him in all his waies. Thou doeſt oft times take it heavily, that the Lord ſhould ſtand againſt thee thus, and pull away this comfort, and ſtop up that way, and diſappoint and defeat one enterpriſe after another: Why! now conſider, were it kindneſs to let thee make up thy works to hold out againſt God? Were it a mercy to thee, to let thee grow ſtrong in a way of damnation? The Lord is ſtill againſt me, ſaieſt thou, I can ſet on no way, but I find him my adverſary; I cannot ſettle on any thing, but he plucks it off: I anſwer, The Lord is not ſo much againſt thee, as thou art againſt thy ſelf; it is true, the Lord hath not yet done with thee; Why! becauſe thou haſt not yet done with ſin? and his hand is ſtill ſtretched out againſt thee, Why? becauſe thy hand is ſtill ſtretched out againſt him; he doth by variety of afflictions and croſſes ſtill purſue thee; but let me tell thee one thing, It is better he ſhould purſue thy ſins, then thy ſoul; let the afflictions be what they will, they are better then damnation; all that God intends unto thee is onelyonly this, he will never leave thee, untill he hath overcome thee; as they in the war take one p. 66out-work after another, untill the beſieged do yield up: So is it with the Lord, he will drive thee out of all thy holds, as he did Nebuchadnezzar out of his Kingdom, untill he hath brought thee to humble thy ſelf for thy ſins, and repent. And what is all this, but a moſt tender mercy which doth thus purſue thee, onelyonly that it may ſave thee.

2. Then it is in vain to ſtrive againſt God, to hold out, for nothing ſhall avail: Are we ſtronger then he, ſaid the Apoſtle? Can It is in vain to ſtrive againſt God.our counſels lie hid from his wiſdome? or can we ſet upon the waies where his eie cannot find us? Can we graſp the comfort at all, which his hand cannot inſtantly pull from us? Can we command ourown ſafeties, whilſt he is diſpleaſed with us? or proſper at all while he ſaies, Curſed is every fruit of thy labour? Can any way of thine enable thee againſt him who can crack a whole world at once? thou canſt repoſe thy ſelf on none but creatures, and hadſt thou them all, what were they, could they ſecure thee againſt their Lord? Is there any creature a Caſtle ſtrong enough to retein a ſinful traitor againſt God.

3. Laſtly, then let us ſpeedily return, and at once take forth the leſſon of all Gods dealing with us; that which he aims at is our Let us ſpeedily return.repentance; Let former times and denials and ſubtilties ſuffice us; doth God ſtrike off all thy friends, and lay them aſide? doth he pull thee out of every harbor? do all the means on which thou truſtedſt forſake and fail thee? O then return unto the Lord; all this befalls thee, purpoſely to bring thee home to thy father; It is becauſe the Lord would have thy heart, thy love, thy joy, thy fear, thy hope, thy confidence, thy obedience, &c.

Luke 15. 17. And when hee came to himſelf, he ſaid, How many hired ſervants of my father have bread enough, and to ſpare, and I periſh with hunger? ver. 18. I will ariſe and go to my father, &c. Theſe words contain in them the happy fruits of ſharp afflictions, the dawning of the day after a ſtormy night, the quicknings of a dead man, the penitential recovery of a ſinful Prodigal. We muſt not deſpair of men, though they be great ſinners; a prodigal, riotous, luxurious perſon begins here to return; nor muſt we be quick and peremptory in our final cenſures of them, though (like a ſhip in many ſtorms) they hold on their ſinful courſes after many dealings, for the power which converts is mighty, and the ſeaſon to convert is different; God p. 67doth as it were nurſe up ſome from their youth in grace, others he leaves to conquer in battel; when their deſeaſes are grown to age and ſtrength, yet he can over-maſter and heal them, as here the Prodigal. Concerning whoſe penitent eſtate (which was the ſecond General) you may he pleaſed to conſider a double 11. The diviſion of the Text.act: 1. One of his Judgment, deſcribed in this verſ. 17. 2. Another of his Will, deſcribed in verſ. 18. the former is an act of inſpection, in the viewing of his bad life; the other is an act of reſolution, to change and leave it; that is, (if I may ſo call it) the fundamental work of Repentance, and this is the formal work of it; the one is the framing, the other is the launching of the ſhip.

I muſt treat next on the firſt work, which is the judgment of the The judgment of the Prodigal expreſſed inProdigal. Some call it an act of Conſideration, which is ſuch an effect of right reaſon, whereby we rightly underſtand and judge of things; Others conjecture it an act of Conſultation, wherein he did deliberate and debate his way and condition throughly in his mind, in comparing it with another oppoſite condition; ſo then in this judicious working of his you have:

Firſt, A ſerious conſideration [he came to himſelf] (i.) now he began to bethink where he was, and what he had done; like a A ſerious conſideration.mad man before he ſtill raged, and ran on, never minded any thing but his ſins, but now his reaſon comes into joint again, hee ſoberly and in good earneſt conſiders of his courſe and eſtate.

Secondly, A wiſe conſultation: Ah! thinks he, I have brought my ſelf into a miſerable condition, I am even ready to periſh A wiſe conſultation.with hunger; I have gone on ſo far in ſin, that if I return not, I am loſt for ever; I have tried all the waies that I can imagin, but they proſper not; die and periſh I would not, is life to be had no where? Where might ſuch a poor famiſht creature find a bit of bread to ſave his life; Now I think on it, I have a father living, and he hath bread enough, even his meaneſt ſervants have enough, and to ſpare; he hath bread for ſervants, will he have none for a child? they have enough, I have none at all; they have to ſpare, and I hunger, I periſh with hunger, my condition is moſt miſerable, their condition is moſt plentiful; Well! thus I will not reſt, I will ariſe and go to him, &c. Before I handle that Aſſertion which the text will immediately afford, there may be many p. 68not unuſeful obſervations, which occaſionally and collaterally fall in: I will but mention them unto you, and then ſit down upon the principal intention of the Verſe.

1. That great afflictions may end in a ſweet converſion; or, the ſharpeſt miſeries, may prove a means to bring us to the ſweeteſt Great Afflictions may end in a ſweet Converſion.mercies: Storms, though they be to ſome ſhipwracks, yet they landſome; the prodigal met with famine, and that brought him back to his fathers houſe for bread. I had periſhed, ſaid one, unleſs I had periſhed; ſo may many a man ſay, Had I not been afflicted, I had been damned; my great loſſes have proved my greateſt gain; I never fell into the love of God, untill I came under the ſcourge of God.

2. That even a great ſinner is not uncapable of mercy or grace; a luxurious prodigal, who ſpent all among Harlots, is A Great Sinner is not uncapable of mercy.now returning home to his father, a penitent and grieved child: and the reaſon is this; Though the ſins of a man be great, yet the mercies of a God be free, and mercy advanceth its own glory, when it ſhines on the greateſt ſinners. Sin is great, but grace is ſtronger, it can quicken dead men. As the knottieſt wood, when it is ſquared, proves of ſtrongeſt ſervice; ſo the vileſt ſinner, once converted, proves the faithfulleſt and activeſt inſtrument of glory to God; and laſtly, God doth extend grace to great ſinners, that no ſinners might deſpair.

3. That God doth many times permit the ſinner to try to the utmoſt, and then converts him. A long ſeaſon ere ſome return: God ſometimes permits the Sinner to try the utmoſt, and then converts him.as Paul to breath out perſecutions, and to get authority to bind all, &c. and then he is ſtruck down; hereby he magnifies his patience, and more demonſtrates his mercies and goodneſs, that after all, hee will yet accept of ſuch a ſinner, and pardon him.

4. That an Ʋnconverted man is a mad man, he is beſides himſelf. Sin bereavs the ſinner of the right uſe of reaſon, and he An Unconverted man, is a mad-man.never comes to be ſober, to be himſelf, until he doth repent; whatſoever fury of ſpirit, wildneſs of fancies, rendings of cloaths, tearings of bonds, untameableneſs, ragings, inconſiderations, are extant in madneſs, the ſame are to be found in a meer ſinful heart and life: all theſe propoſitions are obſervable and uſeful, but that which I intend to inſiſt on, is this:

p. 69That a ſerious Conſideration, and the right Compariſon of the miſerable Doct. A ſerious Conſideration, and right Compariſon of the miſerable ſtate of a ſinful Condition, and happy ſtate of a Converted Condition, are ſteps to true and ſpeedy Repentance. What this Serious Conſideration is.eſtate of a ſinful Condition, with the happy eſtate of a Converted condition, are the prime ſteps and occaſions of a true and ſpeedy Repentance. For the Explication of this point, I muſt open ſome particulars; 1. Concerning a Serious Conſideration of a Sinful Condition: It is an Intentive work of the Judgment, wherein it doth narrowly and diligently meditate on the whole eſtate of ſin. It is called in Scripture, a remembring of our wayes; and ſometimes a bethinking of our ſelves, and a ſeeing what we have done, a pondring of our paths. It is oppoſed not only to Ignorance and Neſcience, but alſo to Negligence; yea, to raſhneſs and ſuddenneſs; and indeed it is a very deep ſearching, and minding, and weighing of matters: When a man ſits down and muſeth, ſo that his mind and thoughts are throughly imployed, he makes it a ſpecial buſineſs, he bends all his ſtrength rightly to inform himſelf, to bring himſelf to a right underſtanding of his eſtate; this is a proper conſideration. There be two kinds of thoughts and mindings: ſome are only Intuitive; they are but the caſt of the eye, a glancing, lightning motion. Others are Diſcurſive, fully ſearching; the mind in them doth throughly inſiſt on the Natures, Kinds, Circumſtances, Occurrences and Iſſues of things, it is taken up with it as a buſineſs. The ſerious conſideration of a mans ſinfulneſs, falls into this latter; it is not a confuſed work, or a light overly ſight of ſin, it is a ſetled and deep pondering of the eſtate in the Qualities, Acts and Fruits of it; Nature, Number, Circumſtances, Danger: v. g. When I ſeriouſly conſider of my ſinful eſtate, I reflect on my ſelf, what kind of life I lead, what are thoſe qualities, what thoſe wayes which I find and walk in: my Thoughts, my Affections, my Speeches have been thus; and thus my actions, and thus my courſe of Life. I have many bonds upon me to ſerve the Lord, and not to ſin againſt him; but, Wretch that I am, I ſee all my ways (which I took for pleaſures and profits) have been ſinful and vile. By them all I have violated a righteous Will, diſhonored and provoked a great God (whoſe wrath is a conſuming fire) I have (to ſatisfie them) loſt all my comforts, cauſed many evils to others, brought many miſeries on my ſelf, put Chriſt to death, and, if God be not merciful, loſt my miſerable ſoul for ever. Theſe wayes (will I p. 70not believe mine own eyes?) are extremely ſinful, and therefore (ſhould I not believe the Scriptures) are damnable: many a year have I run this courſe, and often times under checks of Conſcience; very much evil hath already been upon me, and all for ſin; ſome troubles of Conſcience: And that wrath which God threatens and is behind, is terrible. If I go on thus, I periſh for ever; for whilſt I keep my ſins, the leaſt ſin of them, I muſt neceſſarily part with God, and loſe my ſoul. Tell me, O my vainly deluded ſoul, can that be good which God hates, or ſafe, which God doth curſe? Wouldſt thou dye thus? O then thou dyeſt for ever; and why then wilt thou live thus any longer? O thou haſt preſumed too far already; perhaps Patience will bear no longer, and Mercy being often abuſed, may be for ever recalled; and then, thou, O my Soul, then whither wilt thou go? No, no, we muſt no more of theſe forbidden fruits, and no longer muſt we trade in the paths of death; there is a God who hath lookt on thee all this while, and hates thy wayes, and hath ſealed his implacable wrath with an Oath if thou return not: Come, my ſoul, think aright of God, of thy paſt acts, of thy preſent eſtate, of thy future condition; believe me, thy Guilts are many, thy Accounts will be bitter; God hath been ſtill diſhonoured, he will not be mocked; let us return, for we are out of the way of Heaven, and are even upon the brink of Hell.

2. Concerning the right Compariſon of the miſerableneſs of a What this right Compariſon is Oppoſita juxta ſe poſita, &c.ſinful, with the happineſs of a penitent Condition, I need ſay but little: It is nothing elſe, but after a diſtinct view of either, to ſet the one againſt the other in the Nature, Kinds, Qualities, Concomitants, Ends and Iſſues, v. g. Thus baſe and foul is an In penitent eſtate; thus excellent and glorions is a Converted eſtate; That how oppoſite to God, This how ſuitable; That how odious to God, This how acceptable; That how covered with threats▪ This how inriched with promiſes; That is a cloud of thunder, This a river of delight; That is a path of miſery, This a way of mercy: in that God Abhors me, in this God loves me; in that I feel his Frowns and ſtrokes, in this I feel his Smiles and comforts; that brings down all Curſes on me, this all Bleſſings on me; In that I ſhew my ſelf a Rebel, and do nothing but diſhonour God, in this a Servant, and in ſome p. 71meaſure bring him Glory; if I continue in that, farewell all Mercy and happineſs, I periſh with hunger, I am loſt for ever; if I attain to this, God is mine, Chriſt is mine, Mercy, Pardon, Favour, Comfort, Grace, Heaven, Happineſs, I ſha…l be ſaved for ever. Now, O my Soul, thou ſeeſt both Eſtates in their Nature, in their Fruits, in their Ends; yea, thou haſt felt the bitterneſs of the one, ſay, Is not Mercy better then Miſery? is not God better then Sin? is not Heaven better then Hell? is not Plenty better then Famine? Life, then Death? O then, ariſe, up, be gone, relinquiſh thy courſe of Sin, of Miſery, of Death, of Hell, and ariſe and go by true Repentance unto God, unto Chriſt, unto Grace, unto new Obedience, unto Mercy, unto Joy, unto Bleſſing, unto Life, unto Eternal Life, and that moſt happy, &c.

3. The third thing is to clear it, How theſe two are prime ſteps How theſe are prime ſteps to Repentance.to Repentance; viz. A Conſideration that a ſinful courſe is moſt miſerable, and a penitent is moſt happy and comfortable; are ſteps, &c. Only premiſe a difference twixt a Cauſe, and twixt an Occaſion of Repentance. The Spirit of God is the Cauſe, theſe conſiderations are Occaſions, and work by way of argument or means.They work by way of Argument or Means proved, By Scripture.

1. That they do ſo, appears by Scripture, 1 King. 8. 47. If they ſhall bethink themſelves in the Land whither they were carried Captive, and repent. Ezek. 18. 28. Becauſe he conſidereth and turneth away from all his Tranſgreſſions, &c. Nay, if inconſideration be given as a proper reaſon, why ſome repented not (no man repented, ſaying, What have I done?) then è contra, Conſideration of our ſins muſt be a right ſtep unto Repentance: Here you ſee clearly, that ſolid conſideration is, as it were, the Foundation of true Converſion; there it begins and takes riſe: there is a Bethinking of ſin, before a Repenting from ſin.

2. Nay, and it is evident in Example too: I thought on my wayes (ſaid David, Pſal. 119. 59.) and turned my feet unto thy By Example.Teſtimonies: Like a Traveller, who in a Journey ſtands ſtill and conſiders with himſelf, ſurely this way is wrong, I am out of my way, and then he turns about and gets him into the right way again. So in this caſe, the like may be ſaid for compariſon of an Unconverted courſe, with the happineſs of a Converted and p. 72penitent condition, Hoſ. 2. 7. Then ſhall ſhe ſay, I will go and return to my firſt husband, for then was it better with me then now. The condition in which the Church then was, was a condition of much miſery and affliction; her way of ſin was hedged up with thorns, verſ. 6. and the way of obedience ſhe conſidered of to be a path of mercy, and much proſperity; and comparing the one condition with the other, hereupon reſolves, to return to her first husband (i.) to turn unto God by true Repentance.

3. It may be cleared by Argument and Reaſon, that theſe two, viz. Solid Conſideration, and Right Compariſon, are ſteps unto By Argument.Repentance.

1. For Solid Conſideration, thus: If inconſideration be the cauſe of impenitency (or of going on in a ſinful courſe) then Conſideration For ſolid Conſideration.is a proper means and way for Repentance; for as much as theſe two are contraries, and contrary cauſes produce contrary effects; but inconſideration is a cauſe of impenitency, ſo the Prophet, If inconſideration be the cauſe of impenitency, then conſideration is a proper means for Repentance.Jer. 8. 6. No man repented him of his Wickedneſs, ſaying, What have I done? every one turned to his courſe, as the horſe ruſheth into the battel. They minded not what they did, whether lawful, or unlawful, or what would be the iſſue of theſe things; but like the horſe, which without fear or wit ruſheth into the battel among ſwords and pikes.

2. Conſideration of ſin, removes many qualities which keep the Conſideration of ſin removes many qualities of ſin, which keep the hea…t …n impenitency. as,heart in impenitency; therefore it is a good ſtep and way unto Repentance. There are three qualities which hold faſt the ſoul from returning:

1. Ignorance; therefore darkned underſtandings, and hearts alienated from the life of God, are conjoined, Eph. 4. 18. a blind mind, and a wicked life, are inſeparable; yea, greedineſs to ſin, and ignorance, are there alſo coupled, verſ. 18, 19. no man ſo forward Ignorance.to ſin, as he who knows it not. Now ſolid Conſideration removes ignorance, it opens the eies of our underſtanding, and makes us to ſee and behold that evil in ſin which we never ſaw before; in a right conſideration there is 1. Lumen ſcientiae. 2. Conſcientiae. 3. Experientiae.

2. Security; for preſumptuous men will never leave ſin, if they may be ſafe. He who fears not miſerable evil, will not be Security.perſwaded to forſake his ſinful evil: He who thinks that he may be wicked and ſafe, will be wicked ſtill; nay, he adds drunkenneſs p. 73to thirſt who preſumes of peace. No evill ſhall befall us, ſaid they who deſpiſed all warnings to Repentance; but ſolid conſideration removes this ſecurity and preſumption; it makes the ſoul to ſee, that as ſin is an evil thing, ſo it will prove a bitter thing; and that the way which is ſinful (of all wayes) is the moſt fearful: it makes the ſinner to behold the Angel with the ſword drawn in the way of ſin; my meaning is, to behold God exceedingly diſpleaſed, the Wrath of God revealed againſt all Unrighteouſneſs, ſeverely threatning, and one who will aſſuredly execute his wrath to the utmoſt, if ſinners will not hearken and return; by no means acquit…ing the guilty: Except ye repent ye ſhall periſh. 3. Hardneſs of heart: That brawny Rockineſs which is ever accompanyed with Hardneſs of Heart.an impudent reſolution, caſting off, and ſlighting all means, and which is gainſaying, or fruſtrating all the Leſſons of Mercies, Afflictions, Ordinances, &c. they made their hearts as an Adamant ſtone, leaſt they ſhould hear the Law, &c. Zach. 7. 12. But ſolid conſideration helps much againſt this unſenſible temper; it is of great force towards the melting of the heart, working ſtrongly upon the affections, as Peter thought thereon and wept bitterly. Then ſhall ye remember your wayes, and ſhall loath your ſelves: For now a man ſees indeed that he is in a very evil condition, and loſt for ever, if the Lord be not the more merciful to him; and this will ſtartle him ſomewhat, pierce him, make him, with them in Acts 2. cry out, Men and brethren, what ſhall I do?

3. Solid Conſideration of ſin, makes ſin appear to the ſoul in Solid Conſideration makes Sin appear in in its own proper Nature.its own proper nature, colours and effects: As we are drawn to …ommit ſin, ſo likewiſe to continue in it: through falſhood and error, we are deceived and err in our hearts, and therefore we continue in ſinful wayes; but as Truth doth riſe in the mind, ſo Reformation will appear in our hearts and wayes; know therefore that ſin appears unto us two wayes; either Erroneouſly, as inveſted and clothed with pleaſures, profits, much ſerviceableneſs to our ends, and as ſatisfactions of our deſires; as Judas lookt on his ſin in the money, and went on; and thus they tend to impenitency, they keep us faſt in an evil way, becauſe of ſenſible ſweetneſs. Or, Properly, and nakedly as ſin; as the Violation of a moſt holy Will, diſhonour of a great God, and ſeparation from a good God, and as expoſing us to the wrath of God, p. 74curſe of the Law, and pains of Hell and all outward Calamities. And thus apprehended, new Arguments and Reaſons of hatred and Deteſtation ariſe within the Soul: Should I love that, or live in that, which is Gods diſhonour, and will prove mine own damnation? My troubles, loſſes, fears come all from my ſins; theſe are my ſins and my doings, they are the cauſe of all this trouble, inward and outward: But ſolid conſideration makes ſin to appear as ſin in its own nature and true effects; therefore it occaſioneth hatred of ſin, and conſequently Repentance.

2. For Compariſon of the miſery of a ſinful, with the happineſs Compariſon of the miſery of a ſinful, with the happineſs of a penitent condition, a ſtep to Repentance. For, This breeds ſound Judgment of things that differ.of a penitent and converted condition; that this likewiſe is a ſtept and way to Repentance, may be thus proved:

1. This Compariſon breeds ſound Judgment in us of things that differ: All corrupt works are rooted in a corrupted mind; like ill rhumes in the Head, which come from ill qualities in the Stomack; or rather like ſome ill diſeaſes and irregularities in the Lambs, Arms and Feet, which come from unſound humours in the Brain. So it is in this caſe, men go on confidently in ſin, and are taken exceſſively with thoſe poor baits of ſenſual pleaſure and profit, as if there were no other pleaſure, delight, gain, acquirable, or to be found, but in the wayes and ſervice of ſin; as they in hell, think there is no other heaven: Or as fooliſh children, who conceive no other ſport or delight like a rattle or dirting their hands, &c. But now, when by a compariſon and true ſurvey of either eſtate, it ſhall appear unto the ſoul that all theſe ſinful pleaſures and profits are but ſtolen waters, and at the beſt but for a ſeaſon, they will end bitterly; and on the contrary, That Repentance from ſin makes way for the moſt precious fountains of the moſt living comforts; that it enables a man for a nearer conjunction with the trueſt happineſs, and fulneſs of moſt infinite goodneſs, and lets in to ſuch pleaſures and joyes which paſs all underſtanding, &c. Now the ſoul is reduced to a right judgment, and begins to contemn thoſe falſe, vain, deluding temptations by ſin, and is carried off to another courſe or way which will afford the real, ſolid, ſuperlative advantages in happineſs and comfort, &c.

2. This Compariſon will win our love and affection to a Converted and penitent condition: It is true, that as long as the heart loves This wins our love to a converted condition.ſin, it will never leave it; for love is an iron claſp, a ſtrengthning quality, a ſtrong and tenacious quality; but if a mans love be p. 75changed, then his ſinfull wayes will quickly be changed; for that way doth the heart and life go, that love do…h go; they are not out who ſay that Amor is Radix actionum, as well as Paſſionum. Now by a right compariſon of eſtates, there will appear in a converted and penitent condition the ſole and ſufficient cauſes of Love; viz. Good, and the beſt good, and only good, and moſt proper and ſutable good; all which is apt to draw love, and conſequently Repentance, for as much as Converſion from ſin, begins in love to God.

3. This comparing of eſtates, in the wofulneſs of the one, and This occaſionally ſtirs up the beat to fly to God by Prayer, and in the uſe of meanes.in the happineſs of the other; that the one is death, and the other is life (as Moſes propounds it to the Iſraelites) occaſionally ſtirs up the heart to fly unto God by prayer, and in the uſe of other means, for grace and ability to leave the paths of death, and to walk in the wayes of life; for naturally men do affect life and happineſs, and are afraid of death and miſery.

The firſt Uſe which I would make of this ſhall be for Information. Uſe For information. Of the cauſe why many are yet in their ſins.You here ſee the Cauſe why many are yet in their ſins; that they repent not, though we preach, though God puniſheth, though man counſels. Surely they never yet did ſearch their hearts and wayes, they never did conſider of what they have done; they are like the Laodiceans, who thought themſelves to be rich and increaſed, and to ſtand in need of nothing; but they never yet ſaw their blindneſs, nakedneſs, and extreme poverty and miſery. There are many duties unto which men will be perſwaded, as to hear the Word, receive the Sacrament, give ſome Almes, ſay ſome Prayers, and now and then to confer of ſome good; but of all the duties which do ſo nearly concern them, they are hardly perſwaded to this, viz. to conſider of their ſins: 'tis true, they will confeſs, That all men are ſinners, and themſelves too, but as ſome do with their debts, they care not to ſee and view them; ſo many with their ſpiritual eſtates, they have no mind to ſearch into them, to look them over, to meditate of the Vileneſs of them.

Conſider theſe things, 1. That this inconſideration leaves many a ſin already committed upon a ſad account. God doth conſider Conſiderations to ſuch as doe not Conſider their wayes.them, though we will not; they are in his book and before his eye, though we will not think and look on them. 2. That it ripens ſin exceedingly: The heart which will not conſider of paſt, will p. 76break out into ſin future; it will be high in ſinning, if negligent in conſidering; he will venture deeply, who knows not the nature nor the merit of ſinning. 3. All the work of Repentance will lye flat and dead: Why? where can be that brokenneſs of heart? that filial lamentation for ſinning? that remorſe of ſpirit? that indignation, that deteſtation of it? that reſolution againſt it? that watchfulneſs and fear? until by a ſound conſideration we come to ſee the vileneſs and miſerableneſs of ſinning, &c. He who thinks his way right, will not turn aſide; and that man who knows no better, will never leave, or change, a bad courſe. 4. You advantage Temptations exceedingly: You are under the edge and power of them all, for you ſee nothing to hinder you; the motions to ſin will paſs without any contradiction, for you know not the evil nor miſery of being impenitent. Great ſins will ſeem but little, little will ſeem none; how eaſie is he to ſin, who conſiders not the great evil in ſin? 5. All the edge of the Ordinances is blunted and dulled by inconſideration; they are but water on the Tiles, which paſſe away: For what are Threatnings againſt ſin? what operation have they on us to make us tremble and humble our hearts, whiles we hear them as Pieces diſcharged at others, not at our ſelves? And ſo, what force have the Precepts for new Obedience, or the Promiſes for much mercy to the Penitent, until we ſee that we are the men (as Nathan ſaid to David) whom all this concerns. 6. You will never prize Chriſt aright, nor the love of God in giving of Chriſt, nor will you ever ſeek him to purpoſe (with hungrings and thirſtings) until you do ſeriouſly conſider of your ſinful eſtates: A man, if whole, will not ſeek to the Phyſician, and if he hath but a ſcratch, will not ſend to the Chyrurgion: No, ſenſe, or ſlight ſenſe of ſin, hath no influence on ou… affections; but let a man ſadly view and find out that he is bad indeed, out with God, ready for Hell, muſt periſh for ſin, this man will cry out, Is there no Balm in Gilead? is there no hope for us ſinners? He will enquire for a Saviour, and when he knows him, he will with tears beſeech him (O the hope of Iſrael and the Saviour thereof in the time of Trouble!) Maſter, have mercy on me or elſe I periſh: if thou canſt do any thing, ſave me. 7. You will never come to any true ſetledneſs, nor grounded aſſurance of peace with p. 77God, nor in your own Conſciences, until you do throughly conſider of your ſinful conditions and eſtates: For how know you whether you be good or bad? in Covenant, or out of Covenant with God? that he will ſave you or condemn you? what ſhall become of you when you die? Untill you by ſolid Conſideration find out the vileneſs and miſerableneſs of your ſinful condition, out of which you muſt indeed be tranſlated, if ever you would be ſaved, or know aſſuredly that you ſhall be ſaved. 8. You will not know how to make ſpecial requeſts unto God: For you know not the nature nor danger of that pride, of that hypocriſie, of that uncleanneſs, of that envy and malice, &c. which are in you: When we do not know what our ſelves are, what our eſtates are, we can never make ſpecial requeſts for the ſupply of ſpecial wants; either we make no prayers at all, or only general, and faint, and flat Petitions. 9. Laſtly, If you will not think on your wayes with a Penitential Conſideration, you muſt one day think on them with a Judicial Conſideration: Tis better to conſider of them now and Repent, then to feel them and find them in Hell and be Damned.

Object. But you'l ſay, We are Ignorant, and it belongs to This belongs to ſuch as have learning.ſuch as have Learning to conſider throughly of their ſinful eſtates.

Sol. 1. It doth indeed belong to the Learned, but not only to them: A learned conſcience is neceſſary for every ſinner, though not a Anſwered.learned head: the Subject who ſhould conſider, is not the learned man, but the lamed ſinner; art not thou one? 2. God hath given thee a Reflexive Faculty, a conſcience, a memory inabling thee to review what hath been done; thou haſt theſe ſtill in thee, and thou canſt make uſe of them for other buſineſſes; why not in this? 3. But then, ſtudy the Word more, that thou mayeſt thence be inlightned to conceive of ſin aright, &c. get knowledg, get underſtanding, &c.

Obj. But we are not at Leiſure, we have ſo much buſineſs to do, &c.We are not at leiſure.

Sol. 1. This is a moſt neceſſary work, it deſerves thy pains and time: What, not at leiſure to ſave thy ſoul? at leiſure Anſwered.to eate, to drink, to play, to be idle, to ſin, and not at leiſure to conſider of ſin? to repent of ſin? to ſave thy ſelf from p. 78ſin? Have you leiſure to go to Hell, and none to goe to Heaven? 2. It is a moſt Beneficial work: it will deliver thee from Hell, and make way for Heaven. 3. It is the m…ſt excellent work that thou canſt ſpend time upon, the change of thee from Sin, to Grace; from a ſinful, to an holy condition; it is a glorious change, even into the Image of God in Chriſt.

Object. But it will make me nothing but mourn, and ſigh, and Object. It will make me morne, deſpair, and fear. Anſwered.deſpair, and fear.

Sol. 1. So Satan tells thee; ſo doth not God nor his Word tell thee. 2. If conſideration of Sin, breeds godly ſorrow for Sin; and Godly ſorrow, Repentance unto Salvation, thou haſt little cauſe to grieve to be thus grieved. 3. Nay, the neglect of timely conſideration, that is the cauſe indeed of ſuch fear and deſpair. O, ſay men! had we thought of this courſe, known this heretofore, we had never run on ſo, we had never come into this extremity of horror, &c. It is with ſin as it is with diſeaſes, if taken or not taken in time.

Another Uſe which I would make of this Point, ſhall be of Uſe 2. To Settle and Relieve Troubled Souls.Satisfaction to ſettle and relieve troubled Souls, who fear much whether they have ever throughly and rightly conſidered thus of ſin or no; and conſequently, fear the truth of their Repentance. For the fuller ſatisfying of them I will propound ſome Caſes, the Reſolution of which may afford more clear Some Caſes Reſolved for Satisfaction. Caſe 1. How a man may know his Conſideration is Right. If it work in him a Condemnation of Sin.light:

1. How a Chriſtian may know that his conſideration of ſin is right and penitential? I conjecture thus,

1. If it work in him a Condemnation of ſin: Before a man conſider aright of ſin, he is ready to call the proud happy; he knows how to commit ſin, and to approve it, and defend it, and plead for it. Sin ſeems his daintieſt bit, and choiceſt bait; as if nothing elſe bore delight and contentment but ſin: but when the heart is brought rightly to ponder and to conſider of ſin, he is enabled not only to condemn ſin in the general, (thus, ſin is an evil thing;) but alſo in particular (theſe my ſins are vile and evil things; I have done exceeding fooliſhly, ſaid David;) O that I ſhould ever open my mouth for them, that ever I ſhould love them, follow them as I have done; I now behold them as the only diſhonour of God, grief of his Spirit, Violations of his Righteouſneſs, Injuries of his p. 79patience, abuſes of his goodneſs and mercies; the ſpeares in the heart of Chriſt, the ſpots in my ſoul, the wounds in my conſcience, &c. It is one thing to look upon ſin as a meer Object, and it is another thing to look upon ſin as a vile Object: to look on ſin as a meer Object, this is but the natural act of the underſtanding, which, like the eye, is ready to ſee all colours; but to look on ſin as a vile Object, this is the work of a penitential underſtanding, wherein a perſon ſees ſo much intolerable and exceſſive foulneſs in his ſinful wayes, that he now condemns and judgeth thoſe wickedneſſes and abominations; and himſelf too for higheſt folly and madneſs for love, ſervice and obedience to them.

2. If it work in him humiliation for ſin; we read of Peter If it work in him Humiliation for ſin.that he conſidered, or thought on the words of Jeſus (and through them, of his great ſin in the denial of maſter) but how did he conſider of them? What, only by his ſimple reflection, that Chriſt had forewarned him, and that he had done evil in denying him? Surely thus he thought, but the matter went further then his thoughts; he conſidered it in an affecting, or rather, in an afflicting way; for the Text ſaith, That when he had thought thereon, he went out and wept bitterly. There is a fourfold conſideration of ſin: One is only a conſideration of ſin; when a man thinks of ſin as he hears a Sermon, hear it only: ſo, think of it only, and that's all; this is an empty conſideration. Another is, a ſinful conſideration only; when a man conſiders of ſin in a ſinful way, either to boaſt of it, or to excite his heart to more delight and propenſion to ſin; this is a guilty conſideration. A third is a Judicial conſideration, which ariſeth from the promptings and ſuggeſtions of a conſcience awakened, now accuſing, and condemning, and purſuing the ſinner, both with the remembrance of former ſins, and with the evidence of Gods preſent and future indignation. A fourth is, a Penitential conſideration; wherein, upon the evidence of ſinning, the ſoul is ſenſible, not to deſpair, which breeds hopeleſs terror, yet to repentance, wherein it is exceedingly grieved, and troubled, and diſpleaſed for the ſins committed. If the conſideration of ſin be a dry act, ſuch an act as ſets where it riſeth (only in the mind) and hath no influence upon the affections; if it be not a ſympathizing act (.i.) ſuch an act as works p. 80grief in the ſoul, as well as diſcovery of evil in the mind, it is but a vain thing and never conduceth to repentance; for as it is with mercies received, unleſs the apprehenſion of their kindneſs and goodneſs deſcends to the affections, they never ſtir up thankfulneſs; and as it is with the promiſes, unleſs their excellency and ſutableneſs come down from the mind to the will, they never excite faith: ſo is it with ſin; unleſs, beſides the conſideration of it, there be not an operation and influence upon the heart to grieve and mourn, it will never prove right and penitential.

Thou ſayeſt, thou knoweſt thy ſins as well as any man can tell thee: Be it ſo, but if thy heart remain hard, not humbled, abaſed, broken, grieved for theſe ſins, alas! as their unworking faith, Jam. 2. ſo thy unaffected ſpeculation of ſin, is vain: but findeſt thou this, that upon the ſerious conſideration of thy ſins, thy heart is humbled and abaſed in thee? that thou art caſt down in the ſenſe of thy exceeding vileneſs? O wretched man that I am! O Lord to me belongs nothing but ſhame and confuſion! and that thy heart is grieved within thee and afflicted? that bitter mournings ariſe becauſe of bitter ſinnings? my ſoul hath them in remembrance and is humbled within me; Lam. 3. Thy heart melts before the Lord; I aſſure thee, this is a right and bleſſed conſideration of ſin.

3. If it work in him Deteſtation of ſin. Griefe ſeemes to be more If it work Deteſtation of ſinpaſſionate, but hatred is a more fixed quality, as I may ſo phraſe it, Ezek. 36. 31. Ye ſhall remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good (here is the conſideration we ſpeak of) and ye ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight for your Iniquities and your abominations (here is deteſtation, the proper effect of true conſideration;) for in a right conſideration, the ſingular cauſes or reaſons of hatred do ariſe: v. g. Exceſs of evil, abſolute repugnancy to our beſt good, effectual prejudice, and greateſt injury. Repugnans & Offendens, the Schoolmen make the two chief grounds of hatred. Vide Summiſtas in 1. 2dae. q. 29. But I will not proſecute that. Now then peruſe thy ſelf, Haſt thou conſidered of thy ſinnes aright? if thou doeſt not hate them, thou haſt not; Seeſt thou ſinne, and art thou brought to hate it? Let me but propound a few things unto thee, that thou mayeſt ſee whether p. 81thou loatheſt and hateſt ſin, or no. "Is it peace, or is it war? If ſin lies quietly in the ſoul, it is peace, it is not hatred; hatred breeds variance, enmity, oppoſition, conflict. Paul hated ſin, Rom. 7. 15. and wars with it, v. 23. "Is it a deadly war? is it for life? will this ſuffice thee, that ſin doth not terrifie thy conſcience; or wilt thou not be ſatisfied, till ſin be mortified and crucified in the luſts and affections thereof? "Is it like Davids war, wherein he left not one Amalekite to eſcape and carry tidings; and not like Sauls, to kill ſome, and ſpare the reſt? Canſt thou ſay, Lord, I hate the thing that is evil? Pſal. 97. 10. and I hate every falſe way? Oh, if there be raiſed in thee, upon the conſideration of ſin, a deadly enmity and defiance with it, an implacable, general diſlike, abomination, reſiſtance, and deſire to root it out; happy art thou; thy conſideration of ſin is rightly and effectually penitential.

4. If it work in him, Reformation of ſin: Do you not read in If it work in thee, Reformation.Pſal. 119. 59. that David conſidered and thought on his wayes? I thought on my ways, ſaith David, (ſo do many, many indeed do ſo, but not as David did; for after he had ſaid, I thought on my ways, he addeth,) and turned my feet unto thy teſtimonies. He ſo thought of his ill ways, that he left them, and betook himſelf unto good ways. If thinking on ſin doth not produce leaving of ſin, it is nothing; if thinking of ſin doth not breed leaving of ſin, then going on in ſin will make you leave thinking of ſin: And though we think of an ill way, yet if we do not enter into, and walk in a good way, it is nothing. There is a two-fold leaving of ſin, one which is proper to the condition of Glory; another which is proper to the condition of Grace. I ſpeak not of the former, which is the abſolute diſſolution of ſin; but of the latter, which is an imperfect (though true) ſeparation from ſin; conſiſting, in Affection, wherein the Will is alienated from ſin; the evil which I would not do, ſaith the Apoſtle: In Mourning; O wretched man! who ſhall deliver me from this body of death? In Endeavour; willing, or endeavouring to live honeſtly, Heb. 13. 18. There is a purpoſe to walk in new obedience, and an hearty deſire ſo to do, and not to ſerve ſin any longer; and alſo an active endeavour to put off the former converſation, and to crucifie the fleſh, with the affections and luſts thereof. p. 82To conſider of ſin, and yet ſtill to love it, and ſtill to live in it, to ſtudy to fulfil the luſts of it, to give up our ſelves to the ſervice of it, to walk in darkneſs, to be the ſame in our affections to it, and in our obedience unto it, this is not onelyonly a vain, but a fearfull conſideration: But if, when we have throughly conſidered of ſin in the vileneſs of it, we are effectually wrought upon to ariſe from our ſinfull courſe; O Lord! I have ſinned exceedingly, and done very fooliſhly; I am reſolved to leave this ſinfull way; Lord! help thou me, give me thy grace; turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned; turn away my heart and eyes, cauſe me to put off my old converſation; enable me to walk and live in newneſs of life. This is an happy Fruit, eſpecially if it hath two other Effects accompanying it, viz.

1. Fervent Supplication; if it carries the ſoul to God in Chriſt for mercy, for grace, for ſtrength. The reſolution to reform, if it goes no further than the ſtrength of the ſoul, it will eaſily cool, and quickly fail us; if ever it prove right, it muſt carry us to Chriſt, for as much as it is by his ſtrength, and by his grace, that we get our hearts turned from ſin, or that we are able to forſake our ſins. Haſt thou conſidered of thy ſins? why and doeſt thou not diſcern ſuch infinite guilt in them, as makes thee for ever accurſed, if thou haſt not mercy in Chriſt? and doeſt thou hereupon apply thy ſelf, in all humbleneſs of heart, to the Throne of mercy? O Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner; according the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my tranſgreſſions: Behold me through the bloud of Chriſt, yea, O Lord! heal my ſinfull ſoul; O Lord! change my heart; O Lord! diſſolve the powers of ſin in me, by thy mighty power ſubdue my iniquities; turn me from all ſin, make me a ſervant of righteouſneſs.

2. Diligent application of our ſelves to the Means, private and publick, ordinary and extraordinary; through the right uſe of which, we may expect ſufficient grace from God to work Repentance never to be repented of. Haſt thou rightly conſidered of ſin, why! what art thou now doing? where mayeſt thou now be found? what courſe doeſt thou take to leave ſin? what helps doeſt thou apply thy ſelf unto? what occaſions of ſin doeſt thou decline? what furtherances of a new life doſt thou regard and p. 83uſe? If there be no watchfulneſs over thy ſpirit, no reſtraint to thy fleſh, no ſtoutneſs of reſolution, no ſeparation from the occaſions of ſin, no humble ſtudy and reſpect to the Word, no fruitfull converſe with holy ſociety, how is it that thou ſayeſt thou haſt conſidered thy ſins?

Whether the conſideration of ſin may be right, and available to Repentance, when yet there are ſome ſins which a man thinks not II. Caſe. Whether Conſideration of ſin may be right, when there are ſome ſins that a man thinks not of? Particular inconſideration, if it be voluntary, doth prejudice Repentance.on? To this, I conjecture it may be thus anſwered. 1. That actual or particular inconſideration, if it be voluntary and affected, doth prejudice Repentance: For it is to be ſuppoſed, that he who will not take the pains to think of his ſins, hath … yet found an heart or a will to leave his ſins. Therefore conſider, that actual inconſideration may ariſe, either, From want of light or evidence; the eyes of the mind are not yet ſo fully opened, they are not ſo perfectly acquainted with the Law, which diſcovers ſin; much ſin they ſee, but not all; not that they would not, but becauſe they cannot; ſo a weak eye hath not ſuch clear and full ſight: Or, From hypocriſie of will; when means of evidence are preſent, and commands of conſideration are urged; but either from a ſecret love of ſin, or from a lazineſs of ſpirit, the perſon will not take pains to conſider throughly of his manifold ſins, this kind of inconſideration being wilfull and affected will be interpreted for Impenitency, becauſe the perſon will not endeavour faithfully the wayes of Repentance. 2. That the latitude of the Object conſidered, doth not ſo immediately diſcover and decide, as the efficacy and influence flowing from conſideration it ſelf. Though I am not able to find out every particular wherein I do offend; yet if by the conſideration of thoſe ſins, which I do conſider of, my heart doth melt and mourn, and ſtrives to loath and forſake them, becauſe they are ſinfull: If theſe drive me out of my ſelf unto Chriſt; if theſe occaſion me earneſtly to acquaint my ſelf with God, to beg for Reconciliation, for Grace, for Mercy, for Strength, &c. though there be many ſins which I have not actually thought on, yet this may be a right and penitential conſideration.III. Caſe. Whether a ſingle Conſideration of ſin be ſufficient to repentance?

Another Caſe may be this; Whether the Conſideration of ſin, tending to Repentance, muſt be frequent? or, Whether a ſingle Conſideration may be ſufficient? For the reſolution of p. 84this Caſe, thus. 1. Divines diſtinguiſh of Repentance, that Diſtinctions premiſed. Repentance is either Initial, or Gradual.it is either Initial, or Gradual: The Initial Repentance is, the firſt turning from ſin, nay, the very firſt will and deſire ſo to do, with a purpoſe and endeavour to effect it: The Gradual Repentance is, the ripening and perfecting of Repentance in the degrees of all the parts of it. 2. Again, There is a two-fold conſideration of ſin: One is ſolemn, wherein the There is a twofold conſideration of ſin. Solemn.ſoul ſequeſters it ſelf, earneſtly ſearcheth into the Law of God, and into its own ſpirit, and into the ways of Life; peruſing and reviewing the ſinfull condition all over, in the parts and kinds, in the hainous circumſtances and agravations; and hereupon ſolemnly indites it ſelf before the Lord, by confeſſing, judging, &c. Another is ordinary; which is a daily looking Ordinary.over the Book, and peruſing of the ſinfull Accounts from time to time. 3. You muſt diſtinguiſh twixt the Diſtinguiſh twixt the Grace of Repentance, and the Act of it.Grace or quality of Repentance, and twixt the Act or exerciſe of Repentance; the Grace is wrought onelyonly by Gods Spirit; the Exerciſe or operation is wrought▪ and occaſioned by conſideration. Theſe things being premiſed, I conjecture thus much.

1. That ſolemn Conſideration is neceſſary to initial Repentance. Solemn conſideration neceſſary to Initial Repentance.The Heart is not effectually excited to the actual leaving of ſin, until it doth firſt ſeriouſly examine and try it ſelf, find out and ponder the vileneſs of its ſinning and tranſgreſſion; ſlight thoughts work no more then ſlight confeſſions, That we are all ſinners, and there's an end; but the heart muſt look on ſin in the kinds, circumſtances, helliſh vileneſs of its thoughts, if ever it will repent indeed. 2. That ordinary conſideration is neceſſary to gradual Repentance. If ever you would perfect your Ordinary conſideration neceſſary to Gradual Repentance.Repentance, you muſt ever think of your ſins, thoſe that are paſt, thoſe that are preſent. By ordinary conſideration, I do not mean, a ſlight and perfunctory view of them; but a daily view, though not in length of time, yet having the ſame diſpoſition of heart to condemn and abhor them, and quickning us more fervently to ſeek God for ſtrength, and to decline the occaſions of ſin, and to grow more watchfull and tender, &c. If you do not ordinarily conſider of the vileneſs of ſin, you will be ordinarily inſnared by the deceitfulneſs of ſin; if you would enjoy conſtant victory and deliverance, p. 85you muſt admit of frequent conſideration. As for the ſolemn Conſideration, that I conjecture is not neceſſary at all times, but upon ſpecial occaſions: Either 1. Before we Solemn conſideration not neceſſary at all times. The times when it is neceſſary.enter into ſome weighty buſineſs: 2. When we lie under ſome weighty afflictions: 3. When we are to die, and make ſtraight our weighty accounts: 4. When we are more ſolemnly to meet the Lord and renew our Covenan…s with him; as in the day of Humiliation, or when we are to come unto the Sacrament. Now are we more ſolemnly and ſeriouſly to conſider of our ſins, partly, 1. Becauſe now the Lord Reaſons of it.conſiders them who come into his ſpecial preſence, how you come. 2. Becauſe you are ſeriouſly to renew your Repentance, which you cannot ſeriouſly do, without ſerious conſideration. 3. Becauſe you are to renew your Covenants with God, to keep a more ſerious watch, &c. Therefore now let us ſearch our hearts, try, and conſider of our ways, renew our Repentance, turn with all our ſtrength unto the Lord, put away iniquity far from us, humble our ſelves low before the Lord, confeſs our ſins, judge our ſelves; thus if we do, we ſhall find more ſtrength in our Repentance, more peace in our Conſciences, more ſweetneſs in the Sacrament, more confidence towards Chriſt, and may comfortably expect the pardon of our ſins, and ſalvation by his bloud.

The third and laſt Uſe ſhall be for Exhortation, to ſet upon Ʋſe 3. Exhortation to conſideration and compariſon. What is required to enable us thereto. Knowledge.theſe two works of Conſideration and Compariſon. Here let me propound two things unto you, reſpecting the practical exerciſe of them. Qu. 1. What is required to enable a perſon rightly to conſider, and to compare? &c. I conceive thus. 1. There muſt be knowledge: Right Conſideration and Compariſon, are works of an illightened mind; to underſtand the proper nature and diſtinction of things, neceſſarily requires knwoledge: For Ignorance can neither conſider nor diſtinguiſh; therefore ſtudy the Word, and other Books, to underſtand what objects are, of which you are to conſider. 2. There muſt be ſome Wiſdome: For every Underſtanding cannot find out things, Wiſdome.nor is able to make their differences of vileneſs or excellency; as David ſaid of the Works of God, that a brutiſh man underſtands them not, &c. Pſal. 92. 5, 6. that we ſay p. 86of perſons onelyonly enlightened, That if they have not ſpiritual Wiſdome, to compare things, or to conſider of them, they will never, by the evidence of the vileneſs of Sin, or excellency of Grace, be drawn to Repentance. 3. There muſt be Retiredneſs, or Sequeſtration: You muſt ſeparate your ſelves, as Solomon Retiredneſs.ſpeaks. Tumults of buſineſs. or violence of noiſe, diſtract the thoughts, and alienate them, utterly diſabling to conſider. 4. You muſt gather your ſelves together: You muſt ſtrive againſt diviſion in mind; be carefull to unite and to center your thoughts, Gathering our thoughts together.not ſuffering your ſelves to be ſcattered, or blown away from your ſelf. 5. You muſt pray unto God to open your eyes Prayer.to ſee, and to give a judgment to diſcern, and to unite your hearts, and enable them to go through the work; for verily you ſhall find much reluctancy and oppoſition of ſpirit, to ſuch a work.

Queſt. 2. In what manner we are to conſider, and to compare, &c. I Anſwer, 1. The Rules for a right conſideration, ſo In what manner we muſt conſider and compare. The Rules for right conſideration. Do it in a free time. Do it with a full time.as to occaſion Repentance, are theſe. 1. Do it in a free time; there are times, wherein a man is moſt unapt for ſuch a work as this, as when very ſick in body, or under ſome paſſion of grief, or fear, or loſs: Now the ſoul is in a Tumult, it cannot ſee things aright, nor judge aright. Take a calm time for all works of moment, either to know, or to judge thy Eſtate. 2. Do it with a full time: The matter is weighty, not the work of a day, as they ſpake concerning the ſeparation in Ezra, it was not a work to be done in one day. Nor is this of ſound Conſideration, a buſineſs which can be haſtily done, and well done; you muſt do it deliberately and ſeriouſly; for there are many ſins, and many circumſtances to be conſidered of, and to be weighed and judged, &c. 3. Do it throughly: Do not begin a little, and then give over; leave not till you come to the bottome; ſee the worſt Do it throughly.of it, and the utmoſt of it, if ever you will ſee the good of it: You are never a jot the worſe, by ſeeing how bad you are; but you may be the better all the dayes of your life for it. You muſt be faithfull to your own ſoul, not to paſs over any ſin that you can well conceive your ſelf guilty of. 4. You muſt do it orderly: Conſider not of all ſins in a Lump, but break your Do it orderly.thoughts: And as they in Judgment conſider of one Cauſe, and then of another; ſo do you of your ſins; what are your chief ſins, p. 87in affection, or practice, or inclination, and ſo go to other, &c. in their order, time, place, &c. 5. You muſt do it ſo long, Do it till your heart begin to Relent.until your heart begin to relent, and grows tender and ſoft: Ah! how vile, and abominable, and wretched, &c. and then ſtrike in with God by Prayer and Confeſſion, &c. And this is a way to bring you to Repentance.

Secondly, the Rules for Compariſon. If you would ſo compare Rules for compariſon of the ſinful and converted ſtate. Compare them in their proper nature and effects.the miſerableneſs of the ſinfull, with the happineſs of a converted condition, ſo as to be brought to Repentance, then 1. You muſt compare them in their proper natures and effects; not by that which is accidental, but by that which is natural; there may be ſome trouble to a converted eſtate, and ſome delight upon an unconverted eſtate; theſe then are preternatural, they ariſe not from the things themſelves, but are contingent accidents: But compare the real natures and fruits of the one with the other, and then you ſhall ſee reaſon to leave the one, and to chooſe the other. 2. You muſt compare them by a proper Compare them by a proper Rule.Rule: not ſtanding, in point of definitive ſentence, what your own heart, or what the World approves; but onelyonly what God in his Word doth ſentence to be moſt vile and miſerable, and what he pronounceth to be moſt good and comfortable. The Rule of Compariſon muſt ever be pure, impartial and perfect. 3. You muſt have ſo much faith alſo, as to believe what God ſaith Believe what God ſaith of either ſtate.of either eſtate: For though you ſhould refer the deciſion unto him, yet if upon his reſolving, you are reſolved to quarrel againſt it, and diſpute the truth and validity, and ſay yet, It is otherwiſe, we will not believe that our ſinfull courſe is ſo bad and ſo dangerous; alas! you will never repent while you live: But you muſt reſolve of this, that the Word ſhall captivate your thoughts, and ſhall diſcover, and ſet the differences of eſtates; and ſo you may be occaſioned to repent. 4. You muſt take an humble and firm reſolution to take and follow that way which God diſcovers Reſolve to follow that way G…d diſcovers to be beſt,unto you for the beſt; and to decline that way which God diſcovers to be bad and damnable: (i.) You will betake your ſelves induſtriouſly and ſtedfaſtly unto all the ways and means by which you may be ſtrengthened to leave your ſins, and to walk with God in newneſs of obedience.