A Scripture-Map of the Wilderness of Sin, Treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. Containes the Collaterall doctrine, that every unregenerate ſoule, is a loſt ſoule, expounded and improved.
ANd thus have you heard what advantages Satan hath, what paines he takes, what meanes are made uſe of unto the bewildring of poor ſoules. And thus much for the diſcovery of the point. Inſtead of Application (becauſe I have all along applied things in particular) I ſhall ſubjoyne a Collateral doctrine,A Collateral Doctrine. and that is this; If every unregenerate heart be in a bewildred condition, then that
Every ſoule that is in an unregenerate ſtate, An unregenerate ſoule, is a loſt ſoule.is in a loſt eſtate, Pſal. 119.176. I have gone aſtray like a loſt ſheepe. Soules that are aſtray, that is, ſpiritually bewildred, are ſpiritually loſt. Chriſt binds downe this truth with a three-fold Cord, three Parables, Luk. 15. The loſt ſheepe, verſ. 4. The loſt piece of ſilver, verſ. 8. The loſt Prodigall, verſ. 24. and all theſe to import the unregenerate condition. An unconverted ſoule, is a loſt ſoule.
Loſt? —I know not what word goes higher to expreſſe an undone eſtate. Many ſay, I had a good wife, but I have loſt her; a dear childe, but I have loſt him; a precious friend, a faire eſtate, but I have loſt them. I beleeve if you ſhould be queſtioned for the cauſe of moſt of your complainings, 'twould be found that (loſt) lies at the bottome of them: Loſſes are burthenſome, we know not how to beare them. Rachel had loſt her Children, and ſhe refuſed to be comforted: Let me look then among you Mourners and Complainers: one mourns for the loſſe of a debt, a Ship taken by Pirats, an houſe burnt; another for the loſſe of a friend, a relation, &c. A third hath loſt his ſtrength, his limbs, his hearing, his ſight; and amongſt you all are there none whoſe lamentation is, Oh! but I have loſt a precious ſoule. 'Tis ſtrange that that there is ſo much moan for other loſſes, & ſo little for this; for let me till every unconverted heart amongſt you, that thou art not poſſibly lyable to ſuch another loſſe as this, for this is a comprehenſive, an irreparable, an eternal loſſe.
1 This loſſe is comprehenſive.1. This is a comprehenſive loſſe, even of all other loſſes, for that man that loſes his ſoule, loſeth himſelfe, and all things elſe, and what can be more?
1 Loſe thy ſoule, and loſe thy ſelfe.1. The ſoule is ſuch a thing, as in the enjoyment whereof a man enjoyes himſelfe, and therefore loſing it, loſeth himſelfe. You ſay of ſome mad diſtracted man, he hath a faire eſtate, a good wife, pretty children, but he hath not himſelf; and what pooreſt man amongſt you, would exchange Eſtates with ſuch an one? ſo the unregenerate of the world have honours, pleaſures, profits, what not? but they have not themſelves, they have loſt themſelves, becauſe they have loſt their ſoules, Mat. 16.26. It runs, What will it advantage, if a man gaine the world, and loſe his own ſoule? But Luk. 9.25. If he gaine the world and loſe himſelfe. He that loſeth his ſoule, loſeth himſelfe: You ſay, Anima hominis & homo, the ſoule is the man, ſure here it muſt paſſe for current undoubtedly, if thou have loſt thy ſoule, thou haſt loſt thy ſelfe. The Prodigal was a jolly man whilſt he was a loſt Sonne, but in the Lords eye, and his owne, when he came to be enlightned, he was not an enjoyer of himſelfe, Luk. 15. v. 17. When he came (that's by repentance) to himſelfe, he ſaid.
2. In the enjoyment of our ſoul,2. Loſe all other things too. we enjoy all things elſe. If thou canſt not ſay, that thy ſoule is thine, thou canſt not ſay any thing elſe is thine, therefore in loſing thy ſoule, thou haſt loſt all things elſe: as
1. God is none of thine. 1. Loſeſt God.Thus the Apoſtle expreſſing the unregenerate eſtate of the Epheſians, Chap. 2.12. ſaith, they were without God in the world. Hence our ordinary phraſe, unregenerate ones are ungodly ones; graceleſſe ones are godleſſe ones. What, my Brethren, loſt God? Heaven and Earth tremble at this loſs! loſt God? there's one word for all, for God is all in all. A Saint may ſay as Jacob ſaid, I have all, Gen. 33.11. for ſo the Hebrew Text bears, Qui habet habentem omnia, habet omnia, he hath all, that hath him that hath all. A Saint may ſay, this is my wine, and my wool, and my flax, and mine oyle, for the Lord is my God, and therefore
Secondly, Mammon is, and ſhall be none of thine.2 Mammon. Vaine men care not for loſing their ſoules, if that be the worſt of it, that they muſt loſe God by it, for they ſay unto God, depart from us: Vaine men care not for loſing their ſoules, ſo as that they may either get, or ſave their Mammon. But friend, if thou loſe thy ſoule, that's the way to loſe thy Mammon alſo. If thou canſt not ſay thy ſoule is thine, whoſe ſhall thoſe things be when that is gone? If thy ſoule be required this night of thee, then whoſe ſhall theſe things be that thou haſt provided? Luk. 12.20. The loſt Sonne was faine to rob the Swine, to fill his belly with their husks. Thou art a robber when thou takeſt either fleece or fleſh from the poor ſheep to feed thy belly, or to cloath thy back; and, ſave that the ſheep is dumb before the ſhearer and ſlaughterer, it would cry out Robbery and Murder, for it is more innocent then thou, neither is it any of thine, ſave onelyonly by Gods permiſſion and thine uſurpation. Therefore God ſaith, (as if thou uſurpeſt his right) I will recover my Wool, and my Flax, and take away my Corne and Wine, Hoſ. 2.9. if thy ſoul be not thine.
2. Irreparable.2. The loſſe of the ſoule is an irreparable loſſe, Mat. 16.26. To loſe his ſoul, Luk. 9.25. Or loſe himſelfe, is to be caſt away. Oh! that's a ſad word: ſuch an one is caſt away, that is, he is drown'd, and ſunk, and buryed in the bottome of the Sea, and can never be recovered any more. A poor wretch that loſeth his ſoule, is caſt away, that is; drown'd, and ſunck, and buryed in the bottome of Hell for evermore. If you have loſt your Gold by hiding it in the Earth, you may dig for it, and find it: but if you have loſt your Gold in the bottome of the Sea, 'tis irrecoverably loſt. If thou loſeſt a Wife, or a Childe, or an Eſtate, &c. theſe loſſes are recoverable; or if God take away theſe, he can for Counters give us Gold: But if thou loſe thy ſoule, nothing can repaire that loſſe, Mat. 16.26. VVhat ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoule? that is, there is nothing ſo much worth as it, nothing able to repaire the loſſe of it. Set apart the ineſtimable righteouſneſſe of the Lord Jeſus, and it would utterly begger heaven and earth to repaire the loſſe of any one poore ſoule. When we exchange our ſoules with any thing that this world can afford, we are as a rich fool, (and much more fooliſh then he) that gives away an exceeding great Eſtate for a painted Apple, or guilded Nut. An hundred thouſand times more then what he gets, would not countervaile the one thing that he loſeth.
3. Eternal.3. It is an eternall loſſe, becauſe it is the loſſe of that which is immortal. 'Tis in the ſoule that the worme lives that never dyeth: 'Tis upon ſuch a ſoule that the fire feedeth, that never goeth out, Iſai. 66.24. The griefe, the ſence, the ſorrow of other loſſes dyeth with thee; but this loſſe, and the unconceiveable ſadneſſe of it, begins moſt to live when thou dyeſt; the loſſe of temporal things is but temporal, but the loſſe of the immortal ſoul is eternal: What friend! loſt for ever? for ever? — Oh! let that word break thy heart.
From hence, let me firſt ſpeake to thoſe that are loſt, Uſe 1 and not yet found: This is, and ſhall be for a lamentation. To thoſe that are loſt and not yet found, lament.What my Brethren, have you loſt your ſoules, and not found them? Why, every one is ſolicitous for loſſes, 1 Sam. 9.3. The Aſſes of Kiſh were loſt, and he ſaid unto Saul, ariſe, take ſervants with thee, and go and ſeek the Aſſes. Up and call in helpe, and take all paines, and all to ſeek the loſt Aſſes. And thus they paſs through the Land of Shaliſhah, but they found them not, through the Land of Shalim, but there they were not; through a third Land, and yet found them not, Seek your ſoules.and yet on they went to ſeeke them ſtill, verſes 4.5. Oh! how ſhall this ſtory riſe up to condemne poor ſoules? Haſt thou ever taken ſuch paines to finde thy loſt ſoule? to go from Ordinance to Ordinance, from duty to duy, from one endeavour to another, reſtleſly laborious in ſeeking that which thou haſt loſt? You have a ſaying, that I love you as I love my ſoule. Why? upon the account of this hiſtory, I had rather be ſome mans Aſſe, then thy ſoule; yea, moſt mens Dogge, rather then thy ſoule; if they loſe their Dogge, they'l whiſtle for him: If a Gentleman loſe a ſetting Dogge, &c. all the Country ſhall be ſearched for it; but how few Gentles or others, take paines inſeeking their loſt ſoules? Alaſs! this is in a ſort, an infinite loſs, wherein thou loſeſt an infinite God? How ſad is it then, that herein thou ſhouldeſt be, or not at all, or ſo ſparingly affected? My friends, I ſee you are yet alive; and thus much according to the ſame truth, I would ſay to qualifie what was before ſpoken of this loſſe (for the ſake of broken hearts, not of obdured ſinners) that the ſoule is not ſo (as I ſaid) loſt until your lives be loſt: for until you have loſt your lives 'tis good ſeeking, and great hopes of finding your loſt ſoules?Poſſibility of being found. The loſt Sheepe, loſt piece of Silver, loſt Prodigall, were all three of them found, Luk. 15.6. Rejoyce with me, for I have found my Sheepe which was loſt, verſ. 9. Rejoyce with me, for I have found the Piece which I had loſt, verſ. 24. This my Sonne was loſt, and is found. Therefore though thy ſoule be loſt, yet ſeeke it, for there is comfortable hope that it may be found.
Querie. But maiſt thou ſay, How ſhall I do to ſeek my loſt bewildred ſoul?
Anſw. I anſwer, The way to ſeeke your ſoules, is to ſeek God, find him, and you find them, for he is the God of your ſoules. I would at once, have you to charge your ſoules to ſeek God, and to begge of God to ſeek your ſoules. Take you paines as they did in ſeeking the Aſſes; and as they, when they had done all, went to the man of God for them, 1 Sam. 9.6. So when you have taken, or ſhall take all paines, and uſe all endeavours to find your loſt ſouls, go out of your ſelves, and beyond your own labours, go to God that he may find you; thus David goes to God, and ſaith, Pſal. 119.176. I have gone aſtray like a loſt ſheepe, ſeeke thy ſervant. Art thou gone aſtray? is thy ſoule loſt? Oh! ſeeke to God to ſeeke you, Gods way to ſeek thee, is by making thee to ſeeke him. In this God works by making thee to worke with him. It is ſafer thus to joyne the Notions, then to make too nice diſtinctions in Theory, 'tis (I thinke) undoing to make diſtinctions in practice. If thou ſay, thou wilt ſtay till God ſeeke thee, thou maiſt never be ſought: and if on the other hand, thou truſt to thy owne ſeeking, thou maiſt nere be found; therefore as it were, quicken, and ſtir up God to quicken thee;Be exhorted hereto. 1. For your own ſakes. Yours the loſs. ſay unto God, Lord, ſeeke my poore loſt ſoule. Let me beg this of you.
1. For your owne ſakes. Oh! friends 'tis you, 'tis only you that can properly be ſaid to have the loſſe: if thy ſoule be loſt, ſurely it is thy loſſe: If thou loſe thy owne ſoule, mark thoſe appropriating terms, Mat. 16.26. Alas! thy damnation will not hinder either Gods being glorified, or thy faithful Miniſters being ſaved; but thine own ſalvation, thine owne glory, this is loſt, loſt eternally.
Secondly, For Gods ſake, for Heavens ſake.2. For God and heavens ſake. Heaven loſeth. Although not properly, yet in ſome ſort 'tis loſſe to Heaven, when a ſoule is loſt; for 'tis joy in heaven over any ſoule that is found. The Angels rejoyce; yea, God ſaith, Let us be merry, for this my Sonne was loſt, and is found, Luk. 15.32.
3. For the Goſpel ſake, for your Miniſters ſake.3. For the Goſpels ſake. That loſeth. You pretend to love the Goſpel, and to love your Miniſters; Oh! then look after your loſt ſoules. Friends, if your ſoules be loſt, 'twil be in a ſort the Goſpel's loſs, 2. Cor. 4.3. If our Gospel be hid, 'tis hid in thoſe that are loſt; thy loſſe is an Eclipſe, a kind of hiding to the Goſpel. Yea, if you be loſt, 'twil be in a ſort our loſſe alſo, 1 Cor. 3.9. (Though I rather take this Text to be meant of the building up of Doctrines, then of Hearers; yet give me leave to allude unto it. You have Miniſters called labourers with God, the labour is building, Chriſt is the foundation, v. 10. The materials are Gold, Silver, precious Stones, (theſe you know will abide the burning) Hay, Wood, Stubble, (theſe are combuſtible) v. 12. (Some are Saints and precious Soules, ſome Hypocrites, ſome wretched Creatures.) Now every mans worke ſhall be tryed by fire, of what ſort it is, v. 13. Whether you be rot…n or ſound, that day will manifeſt: Now if any mans worke abide, he ſhall receive a reward; (if your ſoules be ſaved, your Preacher ſhall be a gainer) v. 14. But if any mans worke be burnt, he ſhall ſuffer loſs, yet himſelfe ſhall be ſaved, yet ſo as by fire, v. 15. When God comes to look over a Goſpel Miniſter, and finds him faithful, (though ſoules have periſhed under his Miniſtry) himſelfe ſhall be ſaved; yet though he be ſaved, if they periſh, he ſhall ſuffer loſſe; for thoſe that convert many to righteouſneſs, ſhall ſhine as the Starres of Heaven, Dan. 12.3. Think of this you Formaliſts, in whoſe profeſſion there is no more ſubſtance, then hay, or ſtubble, no more durableneſs, then in wood before the devouring flame.
Encouragement hereunto. Chriſts office is to find loſt ſoules.Now for the encouragement, as to a ſearch after your loſt ſoules, I ſhal ſay no more, but onelyonly tell you where you may heare of them. If you loſe a Book, or any thing elſe in the Congregation, you go to the Clark to enquire for it, becauſe it is his office and buſineſſe to take up that which you have loſt, and to ſave it for you. Oh! goe to Jeſus Chriſt, 'tis his very office, Luk. 19.10. To ſeeke, and to ſave that which is loſt. If you would heare of your long-loſt ſoules, go to Chriſt, he can tell you tydings of them. Indeed it coſt Chriſt dear, before he could take them up, but you may have them againe at an happy rate. He that underſtands the value of his ſoule, or believes what I have ſaid this day, wil not thinke it an ill bargain to redeem his ſoule upon any terms. Come to Chriſt and welcome, you have loſt your ſelves in ſelling your ſelves for naught, as it is ſaid, Iſai. 52.3. But you may be redeemed without money, and without price.
Uſe. 2 Secondly, From hence a word to thoſe that were loſt, but are found:To thoſe that were loſt, but are found. Art thou found? Why, welcome friend, I am glad to ſee thee, onelyonly labour henceforward to follow cloſe after that God that hath found thee. The ſpouſe was once bewildred, but now ſhe is found; therefore ſhe will lean upon her beloved. That you may ſo do,
Rules. 1. Be ſhie of the wayes of ſinne.1. Be exceeding ſhie of th… wayes of ſinne, and of your owne hea…ts. Oh! how cautelous is that Caution, Prov. 4.14, 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evill men. Doe not goe, do not ſo much as enter. And then in the next verſe, Avoid it, paſſe not by it, turne from it, and paſs away. He cautioneth, as if he could never enough caution us, ſurely there is great danger in having the leaſt to do with thoſe wayes.
2. Be very obſervant of the true light.Be very obſervant of the true light, Pſal. 119.104. Through thy Precepts I get underſtanding, therefore I hate every falſe way.
3. Be watchful over thine Affections, the feet of thy ſoul.Thirdly, Be very watchful over thine Affections, the feet of thy ſoule, Pſal. 119.101. I have refrained my feet, from every evill way, that I may keepe thy word. Keepe the Word, and it ſhall keepe thee, If ſo be that the Lord have graciouſly found thee. Keepe thy feet, and thou ſhalt keepe the word.