The Continuation of Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Treatises · Treatise 1 · Part 1 (3 of 3)

The Continuation of Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints · Treatises · Treatise 1 · Part 1 (3 of 3)

p. 34Eighthly, In the next place, the neglect of ſecret duties is the cauſe of the deadneſs of our hearts in all duties of Religion; ſecret duties are the beſt quickners; when a man goeth alone, and ſerveth God alone, as it is ſpoken of Peter, when his heart was dead and untoward in the high Prieſts hall, if he had had any life, he would have ſtood for Chriſt; What if I be one of them? what ſay you to that? I am one, and I confeſs it, and if that be my fault, it ſhall be my fault ſtill; but he was dead and had no life; now what courſe did he take? he went out (and went by himſelf) and wept bitterly; Matth. 26.Matt 26he went to a private and ſecret duty, to humble his ſoul before Almighty God; when a man is ſick and would recover his health, he goes and be takes himſelf to a chamber, and ſhuts the windows, and will not let the air come in; ſo if a man would recover life and quickning, the ſaving health of his ſoul, he muſt take himſelf to his chamber, and privately deal with God concerning his own ſoul, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Zech. 12. every family apart, the houſe of David apart, and the houſe of Nathan apart; when Jeremiah would humble himſelf before God, Jer. 15. 17. I ſate alone, ſaith he; ſo even go and ſit alone.

But you will ſay, are not publique duties better then private? 'tis true; they are ſo, when we may have publique duties as on the Sabbath day, or any other day, when we may go to publique ordinances, then to go to private duties, to private prayer, &c. this is to deſpiſe Gods publique worſhip; but if we be not diligent in ſecret duties, in private calling upon God, if we be not p. 35frequent in theſe, all outward duties of Gods worſhip will do us no good; the preaching of the Word will do us no good, except we preach to our ſelves; the prayers in the congregation will do us no good, if we pray not in our cloſets; now when men neglect private prayer, and ſeeking of God; when a good motion comes into their mind to ſeek God in ſecret, they put it off, they will do it anon, they ſhall have more lieſure another time, and if they do it, they do it lothly and hoverly, even ſo, ſo, they do not do it roundly and throughly as they ought to do; this deads their hearts, Lam. 3. 28. the Church ſat… alo…e; that is the way to be quickned; if a man did love quickning, …e would plot and ſtudy to be alone, nay, he would ſearch all the …orn…s o… his houſe for privacy; if he did love his own quickning, he would do thus, he would be frequent with God in ſecret; it is noted that the greate… work that ever Jacob did, it was in private, Gen. 32. 24. he had ſent all his company away, and diſpatched them over the brook, he was l…ft al…, and ſo went to …ug with God all alone, and there wreſtled ſo hard, this he would not let the A…g…l go until he had bleſſed him; ſo this were the way for people to take God aſide, and go between him and them, and th…re afflict their ſouls and acknowledge all their vileneſs, there to be inſtant with him, and look up to him and bleſs him; as it is noted of our Saviour Chriſt, he would ſhift out of the way many times, and go and pray alone, Mat. 14 23. We may do that when we are alone, that w… cannot do in any company; we may ſpeak that in private, which is not fit for the Wife, or the brother to hear; a man may do that alone, which he is not able to do when he is in company; how many ſecret arguments hath a man to move God in private many ſecret buſineſſes that only God and his own ſoul knows off; ſo that if he would be diligent in private duties, he knows not what good h… might do to his own ſoul: Now the neglect of this bleſſed Ordinance of God, of ſe…king of him in ſecret, is the cauſe of this deadneſs; nay, the want of this duty is the cauſe why publique Ordinances do … no more good.

Ninthly, The next cauſe of deadneſs is the not looking after inward duties in a mans own breſt; ſpiritual life and quickning is an inward thing, and it is inward duties that muſt cheriſh it; and the omitting of theſe duties doth moſt deſtroy it and let it die. I ſay inward duties; outward duties it is more eaſie doing of them; as for a man to pray, and hear, and receive the Sacrament, and externally to obſerve the Sabbath, or outwardly to confer and ſing Pſalms, an… read a Chapter; theſe outward duties a man may do them with more eaſe; nay, hypocrites may do them, and do do them, and yet never come to life and quickning; they do them after their manner; but there is no man can do them aright, but they that are quickned up to God; but I ſay men may do this, and never be quickned but now there be inward duties, and theſe are the main quickners of the heart, and the careleſ…eſs of theſe is a great cauſe of deadneſſe; but what are theſe?

It is the ſetting of God before a mans eyes, thinking when he goeth up and down of God, of his holineſs, of his precepts, of the danger of being under his diſpleaſure, and of the happineſs of being in his favour; it is for a man to be ſtriving againſt temptations, and oppoſing his own wickedneſs; if ſin riſe up at an… time, to beat it down; theſe be inward duties, which no man can ſee▪ if a man were in the market croſs, he might do theſe duties and no man ſee him; no man can tell what a man thinks, what he is doing in his boſome; now I ſay, if a man would be careful of theſe inward duties, what a deal of good might he gain? theſe inward duties are they that raiſe up quickning, Mal. 2. 15. take heed to the ſpirit; many take heed to their lips, they will not ſpeak; and to the outward man, they will not do evil; but take heed to your ſpirit, Eph. 5. 19. ſpeak to your ſelves, ſaith the p. 36Apoſtle, we ſpeak, may be, to others about God; this is an outward duty; but we ſhould ſpeak to our ſelves; if a man loved quickning, he would reaſon the caſe with his own ſoul, and ſpeak to himſelf, and ever and anon upon occaſion retire into his own boſome, and recolle upon his own heart, and commune with himſelfe; this is it, to be inwardly reſiſting the Devil, and cheriſhing of good motions; this is an excellent thing, and nothing deads a Chriſtian ſo much as the neglect of theſe duties. It is obſerved of Nehemiah, when he was ſpeaking to the King, he was doing of an inward duty at the ſame time, Neh. 2. 4. At the ſame time that he ſpake to the King, he was careful of the inward duty to ſpeak to God to bleſſe him, and to be with him: So when Moſes was exhorting all Iſrael to believe in God, Exod. 14. 13, 14. At the ſame time when no body knew what Moſes did, he was doing of an inward duty, he was crying to God; as the Lord ſaith, ver. 15. Moſes, why crieſt thou unto me? This was when he was converſing with Iſrael, and talking with them; theſe inward duties may ſtand with any duty; they run along in prayer, and hearing of the Word: they run along when a man is in company, and when he is alone; when he is at home, and when he is abroad; when he is eating and drinking; theſe inward duties, if men would make much of them, it would make a man to have a gracious living heart. Now what ſhould ayle us but that we may doe theſe duties? we have no excuſe for the not doing of them; when we are in company, what ſhould ayle us but we may think thus? I will take heed now, I will not ſpeak words that my heart may reproach me for afterwards, I will behave my ſelfe as I ought; though a perſecutor of Religion were in company, can he know theſe thoughts? No man can perſecute or mock him for any of theſe; a man may think as good thoughts as he will, if he hath an heart to them; and this will keep up a mans quickning; when a man goeth abroad, what ſhould hinder but he may be imployed in inward duties, conſidering ſeriouſly, and thinking ſolemnly, how it ſtands between God and his ſoule? what ſhall hinder a man from theſe duties? Now the neglect of theſe is the cauſe of the deadneſſe of mens hearts; people come to Church, and hear Sermons; but what do ye do within? do you ſet up Gods Ordinances in your boſomes? do you ſet up a Chriſtian watch in your boſomes? and prayer in your boſoms? how do you go up and down all day long? is heaven in your boſoms? is the fear of God in your boſoms, preſerving and keeping of you? This is that which will quicken you; and a man can never be quickned, if he make not conſcience of this.

Laſtly, Another cauſe of deadneſſe, is peoples contenting themſelves with what they have attained unto; if they have g…tten any thing, they are apt to ſet up their ſtaves there, and content themſelves as if all were well; this is the cauſe of the deadneſſe of peoples hearts, becauſe every little ſufficeth them; if they have but any hope that they are of God, and fear his name; if they finde they have any thing in them, they are apt to be ſecure, and not to be earneſt to grow in grace from day to day. Now when this gets into a mans heart, it will dead him preſently; therefore the Apoſtle, when he perceived many of the Hebrews deaded their hearts this way, he ſhakes them up, Heb. 6. 1. Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, let us go on unto perfection: As who ſhould ſay, Let us on, on, for ſhame unto perfection, let us proceed further, let us not ever be learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth; let us not be ever laying a foundation, and never building thereupon; let us not be ever going about repentance, and faith, and the firſt principles of the Oracles of God, and never come to perfection: This is the effect of the Epiſtles of Peter, that people ſhould not content themſelves with what they have, but that p. 37they may grow and goe forward; Deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2. 2. and grow in grace, 2 Pet. 3. 18. He is beating upon this, that no man ſhould content himſelfe with any meaſure already attained; if he do, his heart will be deaded, and made dull and blockiſh to all goodneſſe; and this is another cauſe of the deadneſs of peoples hearts, they are at a ſtay, they are at a ſtand; every man (may be) would be a good Chriſtian, and a childe of God; and if he can get but any hope that he is a childe of God, now he is ſafe, and now he goeth dully and blockiſhly on, if he can but hold there; and if he hath any fears that he is not right, then may be he begins to ſtir himſelfe a little; but as ſoon as ever he gets any hopes again that he is right, he goeth on in a blockiſh manner, and paſſeth over holy things otherwiſe then he ought to doe; and then if any ſpurs come into his conſcience, and awaken him, may be he ſtirs again, till he gets up a little hope that his condition is good, and then he falls off, and grows as ſecure again as he was before; and this deads the hearts of people.

I come now to the meanes how a man may be quickened, and the firſtMeans of quickning. 1. Means. is this. If we would be quickened, we muſt believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, we muſt goe to him (I ſpeak now to good people) if you would be quickned, you muſt goe and fetch it from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; he is a fountain of life opened unto all that come unto him; I am come (ſaith Chriſt) that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly, John 10. 10. Chriſt is not only come to quicken the dead, and raiſe them up that they may be alive towards God, barely, and nakedly; but he came to make all his people lively, that they ſhould have more life and quickning, and be more enlarged in grace; he came not onelyonly to work the thing, but to work a growth and increaſe of it more and more: Now if you would know how to come by this life in Chriſt Jeſus, the only way is to believe in Chriſt, John 7. 38 He that believeth in me, out of his belly ſhall flow Rivers of living water; there ſhall be rivers of ſpiritual life in that man, that ſhall never be drawn dry; ſo then, doe any of us ſtand ſticking at this, how ſhall we be quickned, and ſhake off this deadneſs that is in us? I ſay, look up to Chriſt, and labour truly and unfainedly to deſire him, and hunger and thirſt after him; if we did ſearch after Chriſt, wee ſhould be quickned preſently; there is no man is dead, but he that hath no care to look after Chriſt, and deſire him; if we would have Chriſt, if our hearts be open to him, if we doe but deſire him, and long for him, if we have but theſe groanes, and outgoings in our ſouls, oh that I had but Chriſt ſhed abroad in my heart! if I had him, I ſhould have life and quickning; if I had him, I ſhould have right and title to all Gods heavenly comforts; if our hearts did but goe up and down longing after Chriſt, this is the way to attain to quickning. Iſa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters, &c. Come, and ye ſhall have waters that ſhall never be dried up; the want of faith is the cauſe of hardneſs of heart, and of deadneſſe; as our Saviour Chriſt, when he ſaw they were dead, Matth. 16. he did upbraid them with unbeliefe: if a man did but once believe, if a man did but truly caſt his ſoul upon God, if he had but once his eyes opened to ſee the vanity of all other things, to ſee the danger of ſinne and iniquity, the miſery of all unregenerate people, and to ſee the worth of Chriſt, and the infinite goodneſſe of God in Chriſt, what an admirable pearl it is to enjoy him; how it is better then life it ſelfe, better then the whole world, yea, then thouſands of worlds; if a man did but ſee this, and had his heart affected with this, to be drawn to Chriſt, and to have his heart and minde run after him, to be poſſeſſed of him, this is faith; you that would know whether you have faith or no, if you had all the faiths in the world, you are p. 38infidels without this faith; but if you have this faith, you have true faith; if you have a heart running after Chriſt, minding him, and longing for him, and caſting your ſoules upon him for all good, accounting this your principal, and total, and main good, and accordingly affecting this, theſe are the works of faith; and if you have theſe works, you may be quickned; believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſet your hearts upon him, and ſeek after him, and you ſhall have all manner of good, even life it ſelf.

The ſecond meanes is, a careful learning of the Word of God preached.Second means When the Corin…hians were marvellouſly blocked u… in their minds and hearts, and were ſtraightned in good things, 2 C…r 6 12. mark what the Apoſtle ſaith v. 11. Our m…uth is …pen to you &c. as who ſhould ſay, in our Miniſtery there is abundance of grace, abundance of life, and largeneſſe of heart, abundance of gracious things; all manner of good things we bring with us in our Miniſtery; peace, and comfort, and hope, and all the promiſes of God, and all the rich treaſu…es of Jeſus Chriſt; we come with our armes full; you are not ſtraightned here, but you are ſtraightned in your … bowels; as who ſhould ſay▪ you may be enlarged ſweetly by our Miniſtry; w… deliver unto you abundance of grace and mercy, and abundance of ſupply; all thoſe deadneſſes, and lockings up of heart in you, would be healed by the Miniſtery of the Word; ſo may, I ſay, if your hearts are locked up, certainly it is for not taking what the Word offers; if you would come hungerly and greedily to the Word of God, with an heart deſirous to be edified and inſtructed, and to apply what the Word ſpeaks to your ſouls, certainly you ſhall here meet with abundance of grace and life; for the Word is the Word of life, and the Miniſtery of the Word is the Miniſtery of the Spirit of God and life, ſo that the deadneſs of all people is meerly from their own bowels; you are not ſtraightned in us, ſaith the Apoſtle; no, in th… Miniſtery of the Word is abundance of life.

The third meanes is, A careful ſhunning of all thoſe cauſes of deadneſs which we named formerly; we muſt take heed of ſin; for if we give way to ſinne, it will dead the heart, it will make a make a man ſhy of God, and put a man to woful tasks, and bre…d lo…hneſs to goe about duties; it will make a man to have a guilty conſcience, and dead a man that way; it will grieve the ſpirit of God, and quench all the operations, and ſweet influences, and gracious motions of the Spirit, that the ſweet livelineſſe of his workings will be gone away, if a man give way to ſinne; if he give way to the world, or ſlackning in a godly courſe; if a man give way to pride or vanity, or any ſin; this will dead the heart, a mans heart will preſently be deaded, if he give way to the Devil, and to his temptations. In particular, you muſt take heed of niggardlineſſe in Religion; they that love quickning, muſt labour for a frank and free ſpirit, that will rather overdoe in Gods ſervice then underdoe; as long as a man hath a free heart, he ſhall have a quickened heart; therefore labour to preſerve it; doe as Philemon, I kn…w thou wil… d…e more than I ſay. Paul knew he had a free ſpirit, that if be commanded him a little, he would doe more; he would rather overdoe then underdoe▪ our Saviour Chriſt calls for this free ſpirit; I… a man take thy coat, give him thy cloak alſo; rather overdoe then underdoe in any good thing; have a free heart; if God bid thee pray, pray thr…e times, five times a day, rather then not often enough; there be m…n… duties that God doth not ſet down how often, and how frequent, and ho… long; now labour for a free ſpirit; rather do twice as much, then underdo.

Again▪ Take heed of lowneſſe of Religion, of taking up a low, and baſe, and mean kinde of Religion, that will not reach the Kingdome of p. 39God; there is a low kinde of Chriſtianity, that wil not be able to attain to ſalvation; a low faith, that doth not make a man to have his converſation in heaven; a low repentance, that reacheth not to mortification; a low profeſſion of Religion, that comes not to the power of Godlineſs, Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above; it is an high thing, therefore take heed of low Religion; for people think that any kinde of righteouſneſs will ſerve turn; if they have but a little Reformation and Religion, they preſently think this is godlineſs; but let us take heed of this low Religion, that will never do the deed.

Again, We muſt take heed of want of Watchfulneſſe; we muſt ſet up a gracious and Chriſtian watch in our hearts from day to day; when the Lord had found fault with the Church of Sardis for being dead, in the next words he bids them be watchful; as who ſhould ſay, the want of this watchfulneſs, and looking to your ſelves, and having a care over your thoughts and a…fections, leſt you ſhould be drawn aſide, the neglect of this is the cauſe of all deadneſs.

Again, We muſt take heed of vanity; as David ſaith, Pſal. 119. 37. Turn away mine e…es from beholding vanity, and quicken me O Lord.

Again▪ We muſt take heed of covetouſneſs; for we ſhall never have any gracious work upon us, if we give way to it.

Again, We ſhould take heed of ſlacking and abating private duties; we ſhould carefully call upon God every day in ſecret, when there is no body by but God and our own ſouls; if we finde backwardneſs to this duty, know it comes from the Devil, that would drown us in perdition if he could; therefore we muſt reſiſt him, and goe about it; for certatnly otherwiſe we cannot be quickned.

Again, We ſhould take heed of ſlighting inward duties, the holy ordinances of God in our boſoms, holy meditations, gracious ſtrivings againſt corruptions when they ariſe, ſetting the Lord before us, ſeeking Gods preſence in all places; we muſt have a care we have gracious purpoſes, and endeavours, and ſtrivings inwardly in our boſomes.

Laſtly, Let us take heed of contenting our ſelves with any pitch we have attained; but ſtill labour to grow in grace, leſt we fall ſhort, and never enter into Gods reſt.

The next meanes is to be earneſt with God to quicken our hearts; to prayThe fourth meanes. to God for his grace, that God would be pleaſed to put life into us; we ſhould make Elijahs prayer, that prayed to heaven for fire to come downe upon the ſacrifice; ſo pray earneſtly to God to ſend down his celeſtial fire into thy heart, to warm thee, and heat thee, and ſtir thee up to that which is good; as the Church doth, Pſal. 80. 18. Quicken us, and we will call, &c. Of all Petitions under heaven, we ſhould pray moſt of all for life, next unto the glory of God, and the ſalvation of our ſouls (nay indeed, as the very means for both) we ſhould pray that God would quicken us; into all our prayers let us put in this Petition, that God would quicken us; evermore to have it as the ſtanding deſire of our ſouls, and the daily requeſt and ſuit we have at the throne of grace that God would quicken us; there is no grace we have more need of then this; and indeed it is that which ſets all other Graces awork; if we did know how ready God would be to welcome ſuch a ſuit, we would be more ready to pray to God for it; there is no man ſo tenderly welcome to God, as he that prayes for quickning; the more he is weary of deadneſs and common profeſſing of God, the more welcome to God; he would fain fear God indeed, and pleaſe God indeed; when a man is poſſeſſed with deep ſtudies how to attain to this, this man is a welcome man to the throne of grace; therefore let us ſtir up our ſelves to this; there is no mercy better then this, that God ſhould quicken us, Pſalm p. 40119. 156. Great are thy tender mercies, quicken me, O Lord! He takes here quickning for all Gods gracious mercies and tender compaſſions; he takes the quickning of his heart as a gracious effect of Gods infinite mercy to his ſoul; if we had but this, how welcome would good duties and opportunities of doing and receiving good be unto us?

The fifth meanes is to be diligent, and to take earneſt and effectual pains5. Meanes. in this work, and in all Chriſtian duties, in all the worſhip of God; there is a ſecret bleſſing of God upon thoſe that take pains, even in the meaneſt calling; you ſhall have poor Widows that have four or five ſmall children to keep; yet being painful, it is a wonderful thing what a bleſſing of God is upon them, that they make a ſhift to live, and never come to trouble the Pariſh; ſuch a bleſſing of God there is upon the diligent, as Solomon ſaith, The hand of the diligent maketh rich, Prov. 10. 4. So it is in regard of ſpiritual life; there is a ſecret bleſſing of God upon the men and women that labour, and are diligent about the meanes of grace, and are careful to take paines to have them made profitable to their ſouls; upon thoſe that are diligent in prayer, and ſtriving againſt ſin, diligent in hearing of the Word, diligent in partaking of the Sacrament when it comes, and diligent about the Sabbath, that they may not loſe the benefit of it; it is a wonderful bleſſing that ſhall accompany ſuch men; they ſhall thrive in grace, when as others ſhall be like Pharaohs lean kine, that devoured all their fellows, and yet were lean and ill-favoured ſtill; it is not the greatneſs of a mans comings in that makes a man rich, but the well-managing of it; there is many a rich Heir comes to poverty, when as another that was never born to a foot of Land, yet with pains, and labour, and induſtry, is well able to live, and give more to any good uſe, then twenty baſe idle fellows; let a man hold but a little ground, twenty acres, he may grow more rich upon it, being a good husband, then another man that holds twenty times as much, and is a ſpendthrift, and lazy, and careleſs, and never looks how buſineſs goes forward; there is a bleſſing of God upon labour and induſtry, as Solomon ſaith, Prov. 13. 11. He that gathers by labour ſhall increaſe. So it is here; it is not he that lives under the beſt Miniſtery, that is moſt quickned, but he that lives under a poor Miniſtery, and is diligent, he is better then hundreds that live under the powerfull Preaching of the Word, and never are carefull to improve it. It is noted of Johns hearers, that many of them had more life, then they that ſate under Chriſts Miniſtery: It is noted of Job, though he dwelt in Midian, where was no meanes of grace, yet he had more grace and life in his heart then almoſt all the Church of God that dwelt in Zion; there was hardly a man in all Iſrael like Job; Paul, though he came into the Vineyard after all the Apoſtles, yet by his labour and diligence he gat before moſt of them all; ſo a man that ſits under the Miniſtery, and takes pains with his heart, that the Sermons he heares may do him good, that he may be the better for them; if a man labours to get good by the Sacrament, to get good by conference; if he labour to have every Ordinance of God made profitable to him; this man, with a little grace, ſhall grow more then thouſands that goe on idly, and yet have more helps then he; therefore if we deſire to be quickned, let us be diligent, and take pains, and not go with our hands in our boſomes, like Solomons ſluggard.

Sixthly, Another means is to exerciſe that grace we have; there is never6. Means. a man in this Congregation hath ſo little grace, but if he did exerciſe it, ſo far as it would goe, who knows how much quickning he might quickly have? which of you do not know that there is a God? and that there is a Heaven, and an Hell, and the Principles of Religion? if you would but make conſcience to make uſe of all the checks of conſcience, and the p. 41knowledge you have, if you would but make uſe of the relentings you have now and then, and the motions you have now and then, if you would but make uſe of them, and exerciſe them, this is the way to quicken you▪ let a man have but a little knowledge, and let him exerciſe it and improve it, and frame his life an… converſation accordingly, knowledge ſhall be multiplied to this man; and ſo again, let a man have any relentings, any meltings now and then at a Sermon and exerciſe theſe, ſtrike while the iron …s hot, and put them to the utmoſt, this is the way to be quickned; as it is the ſaying of one, Every thing is increaſed with the exerciſe of its own kind; as it was with the bread in the D…ſciples hands, while they were diſtributing of it, it increaſed; ſo it is with the graces of Gods ſpirit, peculiar and ſaving graces, and common graces; let a man exerciſe the graces of Gods ſpirit, this is the way to abound in them, and to have them quickned and ſtrengthned, and made more and more operative in a man; therefore let us exerciſe all the graces of Gods ſpirit, and improve them all; grace is like a ſnow-ball, the more it is rouled up and down, the bigger it grows; ſo let a man but go and improve all the graces of Gods ſpirit that he hath beſtowed upon him, there will be addition to every one of them; by repenting a man may learn to repent; and by relenting, a man may learn to relent; and by ſtriving againſt ſin, he may learn to ſtrive againſt ſin more and more.

The laſt means is to conſider the examples of the worthies in all ages,7. Meant. and ſuch as are even in our dayes, we ſhould conſider theſe, and theſe will quicken us up to be more forward; when St. James would quicken up theJames 5.Jas 5 Chriſtians to whom he writes, to waite with patience the coming of the Lord, he quickens them by the example of Job and the Prophets; ſo when he would quicken them up to prayer, he preſſeth them by the example of Elias, he w… man as well as we, ſaith he, and had the like paſſions, yet he prayed when the heavens had been ſhut three years and ſix months, &c. Conſider this; the zeal of others may provoke us; ſpecially if we ſet it before our eyes, we ſhould think with our ſelves, What he ſo believing, and I ſo full of doubting? he ſo lively, and I ſo dull and blockiſh? he ſo affected, and I ſo untoward? this ſhould ſhame us, and provoke us to ſtir up our ſelves by looking upon ſuch, eſpecially upon thoſe that have taken up the profeſſion ſince we did, and yet have gone beyond us; it ſhould awaken us; this is an excellent means to quicken us; as our Saviour Chriſt, when he would exhort his Diſciples to ſuffer perſecution, ſaith he, conſider the Prophets that were perſecuted before you; ſo if we would be quickned up, we ſhould look uponMatth. 6.Matt 6 the Saints that have been quickned before us, that we may have their grace and comfort.

We come now to the laſt thing, and that is to perſwade you by ſomeMotives. 5 Motives to ſhake off this deadneſs; Motives are ſpecial things to quicken up a man; the Apoſtle when he would quicken up the Corinthians to love, he uſeth divers Motives unto them; the firſt is taken from the collation of love, with all the extraordinary gifts of Gods ſpirit; he ſhews, without love they are all nothing, though a man had all knowledge, and all faith, ſo that he could remove mountains, and had not love, it were nothing; ſo that you ſee love is an excellent grace, 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3. Another Motive he takes from the effects and adjuncts of love, love ſuffereth long, &c. from the fourth to the ſeventh verſe. Thirdly, He uſeth another Motive to ſhew how love doth generally ſurpaſs moſt graces in the endurance of it; Propheſies they ſhall ceaſe, knowledge that ſhall ceaſe and be done away, but love that ſhall never be done away; love never faileth. Laſtly, He compares it with the cardinal vertues, with the principal graces, namely, faith and hope, and ſhews how love is beyond them; hope edifies a mans ſelf, but love edifies the whole Church p. 42of God; faith and hope muſt vaniſh, and will not go into the Kingdom of heaven with us, but love it doth alwayes accompany us; ſo that you ſee the Apoſtle is careful to uſe motives to quicken up people to that which he exhorts them unto; the Scripture as it doth bid us do a duty, ſo it uſeth motives to quicken us up to the doing of it.

And again, When it forbids any ſin, it uſeth motives to take off our hearts from that ſin; as when the Apoſtle would diſwade from the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament, what abundance of motives doth he heap one upon another to terrifie us from it? 1 Cor. 11. 23. &c. the firſt is from the inſtitution of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, I have received of the Lord that which alſo I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jeſus, &c. as who ſhould ſay, what will you prophane his inſtitution. Secondly, From the time when he inſtituted it, the ſame night he was betrayed; in his agony and in the midſt of his ſorrows he thought of your good, & will you prophane ſuch a mercy & bleſſing? Thirdly, From the nature of the Sacrament, it is the Sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and will you not reverence that? Another is from the end of the Sacrament, it is to ſhew forth the Lords death till he comes; therefore how ſhould we have a care of this? that we may come to the Sacrament in a gracious and reverent manner, duly meditating what it is, having a lively apprehenſion of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and to keep a conſtant memory of what he hath done for us. Another is from the greatneſs of the ſin of unworthy receiving, he ſhall he guilty of the body and blood of Chriſt; again, from the danger of it, whoſoever eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himſelf; again, from the particular judgements that God had inflicted upon that town, for this cauſe many are ſick among you, and many ſleep; and queſtionleſs it is for this cauſe, for your unworthy receiving of the Sacrament; you ſee what abundance of motives he brings for this; now I ſay if Motives be good in any point, look whatſoever we exhort people unto if it be good to uſe Motives to ſtir them up to it, then much more in this point; in the point of deadneſs to ſhake it off, in the point of quickning that they would labour to get it; and indeed when a man uſeth Motives to faith and repentance, it is not only to get that, but to quicken them up to faith and repentance; when a man ſpurs a horſe, it is not only to make him go, but to quicken him up to go; we are all dull and careleſs and blockiſh; now Motives ſerve to ſtir us up, Eccleſ. 12. the words of the wiſe are as go…ds to provoke and ſtir up people.

Well then, The firſt motive ſhall be this, to conſider the woful ingredients1. Motive. of this ſin of deadneſs, the horrible ſins that are contained in it, what a compound of ſpiritual diſeaſes are in this ſin.

Firſt, There is a dulneſſe and blockiſhneſſe of mind, dull and heavy to learn any thing that is good; as it is ſaid of the Jews, Acts 28. 27. when a man hath an unteachable mind, though he be never ſo long under the word of God, it cannot ſtrike into his heart, and enter into his underſtanding, his mind cannot …eel the weight of divine truths; take outward truths of profit and pleaſure, a man may lead him up and down with theſe truths, he feels weight in theſe; but for the word of God he hath no underſtanding in that; may be he can tell what the Miniſters ſay, and talk of it; but for the weight of divine reaſon, the mind is blockiſh to this; men are like to a blockiſh ſcholler that hath gone ſeven years to ſchool, and yet is not beyond the primmer; ſo when a man ſhall ſit ſo long under the Miniſtry of the word, and yet be a ſtranger to it, as if he had never heard of it; he hears diſcourſes of faith, and can ſpeak of it, and talk of it, of the letter of it as well as the beſt believer, and yet is as blockiſh to go about it as can be; what an horrible thing is this? that the truth ſhould come to a mans mind, and a man ſhould be dull to conceive it.

p. 43Secondly, Another evil is awkneſs and averſeneſs of heart, liſtleſeneſs to the wayes of Jeſus Chriſt; as Chriſt ſaith of the Jews, Mat. 15. 8. their hearts cannot be pulled to that which is good, their hearts are untoward, and have no liſt or diſpoſition that way; even as if a man ſhould go about a thing that he hath no heart to, ſo people go about prayer and the hearing of the word, as if they had no heart to it; they have no heart to prayer, they have no heart to think ſoundly of God, and of their latter end; they come to duties, but their hearts are a thouſand miles off.

Thirdly, There is ſenſeleſneſs of conſcience, it is not tender of little ſins, it feels them not at all; and as for great ſins, it feels them but a little; may be peoples conſciences find fault with them from day to day for doing what they do, and tells them they ought not to do it, but yet they will not leave their ſins; it tells them thus and thus they ought to do, but it hath no power to make them do it; may be it accuſeth them, but they are never the better, peoples conſciences are dull and blunt and have no force at all.

Fourthly, For coldneſs and lukewarmneſs of affections; the affections of a man are not ſet upon God; they pray without affections, and hear without affections▪ the doctrine of eternal life doth not affect their hearts; hatred of evil is cold, and love of God and goodneſs is cold, as Chriſt ſaith, the love of many ſhall waxe cold, and ſo their deſires are cold andMatth. 24.Matt 24 languiſh and come to nothing; we can find tears for other matters, but not for our ſins; we can have our affections ſoon ſtirred when our ſelves and our own wills are croſſed, but God may be diſhonoured a thouſand wayes, and we never grieved or moved at it; ſo when we hear a fine ſtory, and carnal news, this delights; but when we hear the word of God, the truth of God that concerns our eternal well doing, we are not moved, or affected at all with that.

Fifthly, Another ingredient of this ſin is the weakneſs and faintneſs of endeavours; if people have any endeavours, any kinde of putting themſelves forth to that which is good, it is with faintneſs, as if they cared not whither they went about it yea or no; as Solomon ſaith, Prov. 13. 4. people deſire mercy and pardon, and would have hope and ſalvation, and the Kingdom of God, but will not be at the coſt and charges they ought to be at for theſe things; this is nothing but the deadneſſe of our hearts.

Laſtly, That ſame dulneſs and drowſineſs of the whole man; though men be careful enough of outward things, yet how careleſs are they of their ſouls? were our hearts broken and contrite under theſe things, we ſhould be ſoon quickned; as the Lord ſaith, Iſa. 57. 15. I rev…ve the ſpirit of the contrite one; ſo God would revive us if we were ſenſible of theſe diſtempers of ours; if we would humble our ſelves before God, and plead to him for help, he would help us; but when we do not lay theſe diſtempers to heart, and ſeek out to God for redreſs, no marvel though we are dead and dull ſtill; well then, is it ſo? that there are ſo many horrible ingredients in this ſin of deadneſs, then how ſhould we labour to fling it away, and uſe all means to be quickned? the Apoſtle being to diſſwade from following the will of the Gentiles, he uſeth this very argument, the abundance of the vile ingredients that is in the will of the Gentiles, 1 Pet. 43. ſo you may ſee how the wiſe man diſſwades, Prov. 26. 25. when he ſpeaketh fair, believe him not; for there are ſeven abominations in his heart: ſo let us think there is ſeven abominations, yea ſeventy times ſeven abominations in this ſin of deadneſs; therefore let us look out that God may help us and quicken us, and revive us in all our wayes.

The ſecond motive is to conſider that as long as we are dead we cannot2. Motive. p. 44pray, Pſal. 80. 18. Lord, quicken us and we will call upon thy name; as who ſhould ſay, Lord, we are not fit to pray and call upon thy name except thou quicken us; therefore quicken us, that we may call upon thee: So Miniſters cannot preach unleſs they be quickned; as Dr. Ames tells a ſtory of a godly man of France, there was ſuch cold preaching that he was fain to go out of the Town to ſ…t under a powerful Miniſtry; therefore we cannot preach if we be dead; the Scribes and Phariſees preached without Authority and life, they were dead, and therefore had no authority in their preaching, but Chriſt preached with Authority; if we were quickned we ſhould be the better able to preach: So again, you are not able to hear unleſs you be quickned; a dead heart may hear a thouſand Sermons, but what doth it work upon them? even as good as nothing; if Paul or Apollos, or an Angel from heaven ſhould preach to us, unleſs God quicken us, all is nothing; nay, Chriſt tells us, that his own Miniſtry, and Johns Miniſtry, there were not two ſuch in all the world again, yet how dead and fruitleſs were they? whereunto ſhall I liken this generation? &c. Mat. 11. 16. &c. the meaning is this, John the Baptiſt he came mourning and in a doleful manner, faſting and afflicting himſelf, and crying out Repent; he mourned but none would relent; Chriſt he came piping, he came in another manner, he came eating and drinking, and he preached gracious things, the Kingdom of God and the acceptable year of our Lord; now ſaith he, you have not daunced, all theſe things have not affected your hearts a jot, you are as blockiſh as if you had no Miniſtry at all; as Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 8. 22. let the dead bury their dead; what doth he mean by that? he means thoſe that are dead in their ſouls; thoſe that are dead in their ſpirits and ſouls, they are fit for dead imployments and nothing elſe; the coherence was this, there was a man came to Chriſt, and was willing it ſeems to be the Diſciple of Chriſt; but oh ſai…h he, firſt I pray thee, let me go and bury my father; bury thy father? ſaith he, any man may ſerve for that, let the dead bury their dead, thoſe that are fit for nothing elſe may do that; but if thy heart be alive, thou art fit for me, thou art fit for ſpiritual employments; but when a man hath a dead heart he is ſit for nothing; as Chriſt, he gave the bag to Judas, he was the fitteſt man for that; ſo let a man be in office, if he be dead, he hath no heart to puniſh ſin, no not ſo much as to uſe his faithful endeavour to root it out; nay, he will pull down the guilt of the ſins of the pariſh upon his own ſoul, rather then he will ſtickle a little for God, Judg. 4. 8. how backward was Barak to go againſt the enemies of the Lord? if you will go, I will go, ſaith he to Deborah, otherwiſe he had no heart to go; ſo Eſther, how dull was ſhe to ſtand for the Church of God? ſhe would let the Church be ruinated rather then ſhe would go and ſpeak to the King in the behalf thereof, but that Mordecai ſtirred her up ſoundly; now is not this a ſufficient motive to ſtir us up to labour for quickning? how can we do the things God calls for from day today? we ſhould ſtand for him, and call upon him, and ſet up his worſhip in our families; we ſhould fear his name, and ſet him before our eyes, and fight againſt ſin, and labour to pleaſe him in all our wayes; now without being quickned we are ſit for none of theſe things; now what a woful thing is it when we ſhall not be furniſhed to every good work as we ſhould, and fitted to do that which God requires of us; therefore let us ſhake off this dulneſs and blockiſhneſs of ſpirit.

Thirdly, Another motive is this, we can have no true ſign at all to our3. Motive. ſouls, that we have any true grace at all as long as we are dead; when Chriſt is ſaid to give a man grace, he is ſaid to quicken a man, Joh. 5. 21. converſion is called the life of the dead; a mans repentance is no better then the repentance of a reprobate, unleſs it be repentance from dead works, and repentance unto life; if a man hath faith, it is not the faith of Gods elect if it p. 45doth not quicken him, I live by faith, ſaith Paul, Gal. 2. 20. juſtification is communicated only to a man that is quickned; God together with juſtification doth quicken a man, he doth revive him and make him alive towards God; nay, we have no argument that we have our ſins forgiven us, unleſſe God hath quickned us, Col. 2. 13. he hath quickned them, having forgiven them all treſpaſſes; when God forgives the treſpaſſes of his people, he doth quicken them, h… takes away the dulneſs of their hearts, and the blockiſhneſs of the…r minds, and the ſenſeleſneſs of their conſciences, and their awkneſs and untowardneſs to that which is good; he doth quicken them up … every man hath life, for we ſee how lively men are in ſeeking after their profits and pleaſures, people have life enough, but it is upon things here below; and they have affections enough, love enough, and hope enough, and joy and delight enough in the world, but they are ſet upon carnal things; but if grace comes into the heart, it is the vigour of the heart; now as long as we are dead and dull, what ſign of grace can we have? if we have grace ye… we cannot have any proof and comfort of it as long as we are drowzy and dull; 'tis true, no man can have any grace but he hath ſome life▪ but if he doth not quicken up himſelf, he hinders himſelf of the peace and comfort that otherwiſe he might have; hence it is that the conſcience is troubled, and people are unſetled, and are ſo full of fears to dye; hence i… is that people are ſo like to the ſea, the waves whereof cannot reſt; their minds are unquiet and unſetled; it is for want of quickning, if we were quickned we ſhould have great peace come into our ſouls.

Fourthly, We cannot grow in grace unleſs we are quickned; as long as4. Motive. we are thus dull and heavy and lumpiſh to the things that are good, we cannot grow in grace. Hoſ. 14. 7. they ſhall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine; firſt they ſhall revive, and then grow; firſt God quickens a man, and then he makes him grow; the Philippians love was dead to Paul, afterwards it quickned again; now ſaith he, your love flouriſh…th, Phil. 4. 10. now their hearts were quickned, it began to grow; but when a man hath a dead heart, how can he grow? as he ſaid, Joh. 15. 4. can the branch bear fruit without the vine? ſo may I ſay, can a mans heart grow in goodneſs without life? it is only a living creature that can grow; if a plant be once dead, it withers away and cannot grow; if a man have a dead heart, though he ſhould hear lectures and ſermons every day, he would never grow, he would be never the more holy, never the more godly; if he ſhould have family prayer, cloſet prayer, yet if he ſhould be dead, he ſhould have never the more ability againſt his temptations; though the ordinances of God be admirable helps to growing, yet if a man be dead and dull, they will never help him to grow in grace; though grace be of a growing nature, yet a dead heart ſtarves all the graces that a man hath.

Fifthly, Another motive is this as long as we are dead, we ſhall be ſo5. Motive. far from growing▪ that we ſhall be hardly able to keep our own, Rev. 3. 2. ſtrengthen the things that remain, that are ready to dye; as who ſhould ſay, thou art ſo far from growing, that the good things that are in thee are even ready to dye; thou wilt loſe that very good that is in thee if thou doſt not ſha… off this d…dneſs and careleſeneſs, and heartleſeneſs to that which is good; as it is with a man that hath a conſumption upon his body, he is ſo far from growing that he rather pines away, he waxeth more and more faint and groweth d…ader, and waxeth neerer to his end, he pines away; ſo when a man is dead, (though not quite dead) his heart is deaded, he doth pine away; as the Prophet ſaith, Ezek. 33. 10. if we pine away, how ſhall we do o… yet thus it is … man hath a dead heart he doth pine away; I, and again▪ how is it poſſible for a man whoſe heart is dead to prayer, and he hath no affections to … which is good? if there be any opportunity to that p. 46which is good, he hangs off; how can this man doe otherwiſe but wax worſe and worſe? for he wants that which ſhould work out ſin; if it be a ſpringing water, it will work out the mud; but if it be a ſtanding water, it will grow thicker and thicker, and will be noyſome; ſo if the body be alive, though it be never ſo full of ill humours, if it be lively, nature will work them out; but if the pangs of death be upon a man, every diſeaſe and diſtemper gets the victory, his nature cannot work it out now; ſo it is with a man that hath a dead heart, he cannot work out the corruption that daily bubbles up in his heart; as Eli, though he had never ſo many corruptions, he had no heart to root them out; 'tis true, he reproved his ſons, but it was to no purpoſe: as good never a whit as never the better; ſo when Solomon was grown dead, and had loſt his former life of grace, afterwards when corruption grew in his heart, he could not work it out; for when God had choſen Jeroboam to be put in his room, though Solomon knew that it was of God, and he ſet him up to be King, yet he could not work out this corruption, but his heart to his dying day roſe up againſt Jeroboam, and he ſought to kill him; he wanted the life of grace he had before, and ſin got up, and he could not work it out ſoundly to his dying day. Now is not this a moſt grievous thing? the very conſideration of this, how ſhould it provoke us to ſhake off this deadneſs? Can that body do well that hath loſt his expulſive faculty? when diſtempers ariſe it cannot expell them, it muſt needs be the deſtruction of the body; ſo when the life of the ſoul is either in part or wholly taken away, how can he work out his corruptions and diſtempers that daily ariſe in him? we have need of grace, and life, and quickning; we are tempted every day, and the corruptions that dwell in us, are ever boyling up. Now if we have not the expulſive faculty to purge them out, the heart muſt needs be in a woful condition.

Sixthly, This ſin of deadneſs, in ſome ſenſe, is worſe then any other ſin,6. Motive. and that in ſix reſpects.

Firſt, Other ſins, for the moſt part, are in one part of a man; as drunkenneſs is in the appetite, and covetouſneſs is in the concupiſcible faculty, and pride and oſtentation is in the heart, and ignorance is in the minde; but deadneſs is in all the whole man; as it is with a languiſhing diſeaſe; other diſeaſes, one may be in the head, another in the neck, another in the back; but a Conſumption runs over all the whole man; So it is with deadneſs; as it was with the Church of L…odicea; when they were grown dead and careleſs, he chargeth them that they were dead all over; Thou art poor, and blind, and miſerable, and naked; this heaps all miſeries upon a man;Rev. 3.Rev 3 ſuch a man is like unto Judah, From the crown of the head, to the ſole of the foot, there was no ſound part, Iſa. 1. 6. It is a general diſeaſe; it is like the deluge that drowned the whole world, it drowns the whole man; I confeſſe drunkenneſs, and adultery, and ſuch particular ſinnes, may kill and damn a man; but I ſay by accident, deadneſs is worſe then they; 'tis true, drunkenneſſe, and adultery, and prophaneſſe are worſe; but why are they worſe but becauſe they have this deadneſſe too? but if they could be taken alone▪ and a man might have a living heart towards God otherwiſe, they ſhould not be worſe then deadneſs.

Secondly▪ Other ſins are againſt one commandement of God, or two, or ſo; but this deadneſſe is againſt all the commandements of God; it is a ſin againſt prayer, for we ſhould pray with life; it is a ſin againſt hearing, for we ſhould hear with life; it is a ſin againſt the Sabbath, for we ſhould keep it with delight; it is a ſin againſt all the Ordinances of God, for we ſhould come to them all with life and affection. Suppoſe a ſervant, his Maſter ſhould bid him do a thing; he bids him goe to one place, he goes p. 47to another; he goes & drinks, and ſwills; another ſervant he goes about that his Mr. bids him, but whatſoever his Mr. bids him do, he goes about it ſlothfully, and by halfs; this ſervant is a worſe ſervant then the other; why? becauſe thi… ſervant offends in all the buſineſs he hath to do; whatſoever his Mr. ſets him about, he marrs it, and doth it to halfs: So deadneſs of heart, it diſables a man to every duty, to whatſoever God requires of a man; and this is one of the reaſons why he that breaks one of the commandements of God, is ſaid to break them all, Iam. 2. 10, 11. Why? becauſe he deads his heart, a man that gives way to ſin againſt any one commandement, deads his heart to all; and ſo by reaſon of that deadneſs, he becoms guitlty of all.

Thirdly, Other ſins are not ſo deep in the ſoul; but this deadneſs is deeper then all; a man will be willinger to lay down any ſin then deadneſs, and to take up any duty then quickning; a man had rather do any thing, if he may do it without life; if the bare hearing, praying, and profeſſion will ſerve turn, may be he will do that; but to do all with life, this the heart is loth to come to; when it comes to lay out all the ſtrength and vigour of the whole man upon God, the heart cannot abide this. Judah was content to turn to God; but to do it with life, this they would not do, Jer. 3. 10. Treacherous Judah hath not turned to me with the whole heart, &c. He doth not deny but they turned unto him; but they would not do it with their whole heart, with life, with all their power and ſtrength; thus they did not turn unto him. As it was with the Ruler in the Goſpel, he was content to obſerve the commandements of God, not to murther, not to commit adultery, not to ſteal, not to ſwear; All theſe have I obſerved from Matth. 19.Matt 19my youth, ſaith he; but when Chriſt came to call for life, that he ſhould ſell all, forſake all, and follow him; that is the life of a man, the ſoule and heart of a man muſt be put forth; he was ſad at that ſaying: So Laodicea was content to do any thing; the ſpirit of God layeth nothing to her charge, he chargeth her with no particular ſin, but lukewarmneſſe onelyonly; ſhe would do any thing; but to be fervent and zealous in it, to lay out her ſtrength for God, that ſhe would not do; ſo that we had need to take heed of deadneſs of all other ſins; it is a deep ſin, and is the harder to be gotten out; and the harder it is to be gotten out, the more paines is to be taken.

Fourthly, other ſins may be but acts; as a man may be drunk, but he may not have the habit of drunkenneſs; as Noah was drunk, but he was not a drunkard; we ſee David committed adultery, but he had not the habit of adultery; but deadneſs is an habit, Eph. 2. 1. Now when a man leaves ſin in a dead manner, he leaves it, but his affections are not crucified to it; he doth good duties, but he is dead to them; this man comes neer to the eſtate of ſin: now an eſtate of ſin is worſe then any particular act of ſin.

Fifthly, Other ſins are the firſt death of the ſoul; we are all under treſpaſſes and ſins, Rom. 5. Death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned. We are all by nature the children of wrath; we were all once dead, but now, if after we are Chriſtians, we grow dead again, we grow twice dead; of all ſins we ſhould take heed of deadneſſe, for that cauſeth the ſecond death; not the ſecond death of damnation, but of being dead after a man hath been quickned; as Saint Jude ſpeaks ver. 12. twice dead; ſo we are twice dead. Now other ſins do make a man but once dead; but after the Goſpel hath come among us, and hath ſtirred up our hearts, and quickned us in ſome meaſure, if we grow remiſs and dead, and cold again, we are twice dead, or at leaſt grow and tend that way, and ſo our eſtate is more dangerous; therefore how ſhould we take heed of this!

Laſtly, Other ſins, though God threatens hell and damnation againſt p. 48them, yet more ſpecially againſt deadneſs; did you ever hear of a more ſpecial threatning then that 2 Theſſ. 2. 10, 11, 12. when men doe not receive the truth in the love of it. He doth not ſay, When they do not receive it, but When they do not receive it with affection, with all their hearts. You may ſee there how terribly God threatens, when we do not receive the truth in the love of it; we do not love Gods Word; we do not love prayer, and his ordinances; we do not love the communion of Saints; we do not love obedience to Gods truth; this is a moſt woful thing; though we doe receive it, yet if we do not receive it in the love of it, ſee there what he ſaith; For this cauſe God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſ…ns, that they ſhould believe a lye that they might all be damned, &c. So when Epheſus left her firſt love, God threatned to remove the candleſtick, Rev. 2. 4, 5. When Laodicea was grown cold and careleſs, and of a middle temper, Gods threatens to ſpue her out of his mouth, Rev. 3. 16. When Eli was grown cold and remiſs, and wanted zeal and life to ſtand for him, ſee how terribly God threatens him, I will doe a thing that whoſoever heares it, both his eares ſhall tingle, 1 Sam. 3. 11. Nay, ſaith he, I will judge his houſe for ever for this thing, v. 13. What remains then, but that we ſhould with all our might, and all care and diligence, even ſet to both our ſhoulders for the caſting off this ſin of deadneſs, that if it be poſſible, we may come to be quickned, and ſerve God as we ought to do, and follow his heavenly Kingdome with eagerneſs, that none of theſe things we have ſpoken may befall us.

Conſider firſt, we have life, and why may not God have it? He hath breathed into our ſouls the breath of life; in him we live, move, and have our being; he hath given unto us all life and breath; and if we have life, why may not God have it? if he hath given us affections, why ſhould they not be given to him again? if he hath given us thoughts, why ſhould we not beſtow them upon him? if he hath given us diſpoſitions and inclinations; why ſhould they not be ſet upon him? The Rivers that come from the ſea, return to the ſea again. It is ſaid of the Macedonians, that they did yield themſelves to the Lord, 2 Cor. 8. 5. So we ſhould yield our ſelves to the Lord; if God did ask any thing that were not in us, it were another matter; if we had no thoughts and affections; if we had no heart and inclinations; then no wonder though we did not give him them; but when we have them, why ſhould not he have them? all things are of him; therefore let all things be to him; ſhall our luſts have our thoughts, and not God? ſhall the world carry away our minds, and not God? that is againſt reaſon.

Secondly, Conſider that all the world is alive in their own courſes; let Chriſtians be alive in theirs; as the Prophet ſpeaks, Micah 4. 5. Every man walks in the name of his god, let us walk in the name of our God. So I ſay, every man follows his god; thoſe that have their belly for their god, all their minde and affections run that way; thoſe that have their pleaſure for their god, and their profit for their god, how eager are they after theſe things? as one ſaith, the world is like the Ant; poor little creatures, they goe carrying of ſtraws after their manner, and are ſo buſie; ſo it is with the world; what a deal of drudging up and down, and going this way and that way is there in the world? one for one thing, another for another; one for his Mammon, another for the luſts of his fleſh, and the pride of life; men are buſy and ſtirring, every one is ſetting forward; why ſhould not we be as forward in our way? if we be Chriſtians, and the ſervants of God, why ſhould not we beſtir our ſelves for him? the Devil himſelfe is a ſpirit, and is working and buſie, as himſelf ſaith, Job 2. 2. Then let us walk up and down and beſtir our ſelves this way, and that way, and every way for God, and be as active and agile for him; let us conſider how the poor priſoners in Ludgate beg for a token, what eagerneſs they uſe, that though a man p. 49had no minde, yet their importunity will make him give them ſomething; and ſhall not we beg earneſtly of God to pardon our ſins, and quicken us, and humble us for our deadneſs, and for the time to come, to make us earneſt for the Kingdom to come; if men be ſo earneſt for bables, how earneſt ſhould we be for theſe precious jewels?

Thirdly, Conſider the worth of theſe things; the worth of the Kingdome of Heaven, the worth of eternal life, the worth of the Goſpel, the worth of prayer and all Gods holy Ordinances; are they ſuch poor beggarly trifles, that we follow them with ſuch a ſlender purſuit? are they ſuch beggarly commodities that they are not worth the looking after? Certainly Heaven may juſtly challenge our beſt deſires, our beſt affections, our beſt pains and endeavours, and the beſt and flower of all our parts and learning, as the Church ſaith, Cant. 7. 9. My beloved is ſweet; ſo our beloved is ſweet; ſweet things goe down pleaſantly; ſo how ſhould the word be, and prayer be? how ſweet ſhould all the things of our beloved be they ſhould goe ſweetly down, nothing ſhould delight us more. When Solomon ſet up his Throne, it is ſaid that he laid out the beſt gold upon it; ſo if we would have the crown of life, we muſt lay out our beſt parts, and affections, and endeavours upon it; how ſweet ſhould the calling upon God, and the going to Gods houſe be? what a ſhame is it, that when ſuch heavenly things, ſuch precious jewels are to be had, people will not come to them, whereas theſe things ſhould be the ſweeteſt things in the world? if we were carefull of the good of our ſoules, and were affected with Heaven and heavenly things, as we ought to be, we ſhould be tender of this; how ſhould we take heed of pride, and covetouſneſs, and any thing that ſhould hinder us of ſo great ſalvation?

Fourthly, Conſider, if we be quickned, nothing will be hard; all the difficulty of Religion is over, if a man be quickned: for nothing is hard to a willing minde, when a mans heart and ſoule is ſet upon it; nothing is hard, as the Apoſtle ſaith, to him that loves God, His commandements are 1 John ….not grievous; all the difficulty, that we cannot pray, and hold our hearts to the Word, and overcome our corruptions, all lieth in the deadneſſe of our hearts; if we would have maſtery over our corruptions, if our hearts be dead, we muſt look for the more toyle, as Solomon ſaith, If the iron be blunt▪ if a man doth not ſharpen the edge, he had need put the more ſtrength to it, Eccleſ. 10. 10. So when a mans h…art is dull and dead, there is the more difficulty in the overcoming of any luſt, in the doing of any good duty, every thing comes hardly off. Now when a mans heart is quickned, it is like oyle to the wheele, it makes it goe eaſie; when a mans heart is quickned up towards God, what is it but that man can do?

Fifthly, Conſider, If we be quickned, we ſhall hae a great deale of peace, and joy, and comfort. I may ſay as the Church in another caſe, Revive us again, O Lord, and we ſhall rejoyce in thee, Pſal. 85. 6. So I ſay, if we were revived, if God did quicken our hearts, if we were earneſt with him to do it, and we could once attain unto it, we ſhould rejoyce in God; thoſe that follow God with an earneſt heart; they have thoſe joyes, which no other can intermeddle with; God gives them unknown comfort, unknown peace, and unknown ſupport; the more a man followes after God, the more he ſhall partake of God, a man ſhall have joy unſpeakable and glorious.

Sixthly, We ſhould make all heaven to rejoyce; when the Father had his prodigal Son come to him, that was before dead, and was now alive, ſaith he, It is meet we ſhould be glad, Luke 15. 32. So when any poor creature that was dead before to all goodneſs, is now made alive, and is quickned up in all the wayes of God, it is even meet that there ſhould be mirth in Heaven, that the Angels in Heaven ſhould rejoyce; whereas if a man go on in Gods p. 50ſervice dully and blockiſhly, it is as vinegar to the teeth, and ſmoak to the eys, and the heavens are ſad over us.

Seventhly, If we were quickned, we ſhould not only do our ſelves good, but we ſhould do others good too; we ſhould be earneſt to do it; there is an excellent place for this in the ſtory of David; David being marvellouſly quickned, juſt as he came from Gath, there met him 400 poor deſtitute and afflicted men, and preſently he made the 34 Pſalm, wherein he ſaith, O come and taſte and ſee how good the Lord is; bleſſed are they that truſt in the Lord: preſently he calls upon them to be quickned alſo. So Paul, when he was quickned up himſelf, though he were before the Judge, and went upon life and death, yet he regarded not that, but he laboured to quicken Agrippa too, inſomuch that he made him to cry out, Thou perſwadeſt me almoſt to become a Chriſtian; and he would not leave him there, but ſaith he, I would not that thou only, but that all that do hear me this day, were not only almoſt, but altogether Acts 26.Acts 26ſuch as I am, excepting theſe bonds. O, thought he, that all this company were but acquainted with that I feel and finde; a quickned heart will labour and ſtrive to do good unto others.