The Application of Redemption

While this life lasts, and the Gospel is continued, that is the particular Season and [ 2] Period wherein the Lord expresseth his good pleasure to work graciously upon the 〈◊〉 of His.

The time of Grace and day of Salvation, is here discovered in the Two Periods of it, which make up the parts of the Doctrine. 1 Grace is only to be gained in this life. 2 While the means of Salvation are continued, thats the Season, which the Lord usually takes to work upon the Souls of those 〈◊〉 belong to him, we shall severally open and prove both 〈◊〉 , and after make joint Application of them.

Preparation and Conversion of the Soul must be [ 1] made in this life, Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Isaiah, 55. 6. The time of our living is one of God's whiles, the time of finding Grace and Mercy, if ever we come to share therein? The 〈◊〉 of Jacob's Ladder is here on Earth, though the top of 〈◊〉 unto Heaven? The Lord must dwell with 〈◊〉 here in an humble and contrite heart, Isaiah, 57. 15. 〈◊〉 else we shall never dwell with him in that high and holy place, whither Christ is gone to prepare a mansion for us; Now is the time of 〈◊〉 and gaining Grace, in the other world we shall enjoy the fruit and sweet of it, here we must get the conquest if we think to wear the Crown in another world. Reasons are Two.

Because after the parting of the Soul from the body, and the dissolution of the whole, God's peremptory Sentence is passed, and the final doom of the Soul is determined a Sentence never to be revoked, a judgment never to be repealed, and therefore the sinner becomes irrevokably either miserable or happy, Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for all men once to die, and after death comes judgment. Death and Judgment are coupled immediately one to another: the end of the one, is the entrance of the other; as Death leaves us, so Judgment will find us: Though the full and complete execution of the Sentence is deferred until the great day of accounts, yet condemnation seizeth upon each part as soon as they be severed the one from the other, if they do deserve: The body is imprisoned in the dungeon of the grave, and the Soul (of him 〈◊〉 is wicked) is taken instantly and dragged by the Devils into torment, Luke, 12. 20. This night shall they fetch away 〈◊〉 Soul.

With the Saints contrariwise, Their bodies are laid in the Grave as in a bed of Down, perfumed with the precious Death and Burial of the Body of Christ, the ashes thereof carefully preserved, yea, loved by the Lord: So the Apostle, Rom. 8. last. I am persuaded that neither life nor death is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus: So that the Lord loves the very dust of the bodies of his Saints in the Grave, and receives their Souls to himself in glory, as soon as Body and Soul are parted one from another (Luke 16. 22. The Soul of Lazarus was by the Angels carried into Abraham's bosom) For at the great day of accounts we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether good or 〈◊〉 , 2 Cor. 5. 10. The Sentence we see shall not 〈◊〉 according to that men do in Purgatoty, as the Papists dream; but according to that only which they did while they had Being and Breathing in this Natural life.

The Condition of a man after this life is 〈◊〉 . [] For as the Godly after this life ended receive perfect Sanctification, and so become wholly 〈◊〉 of the Spirit of God, and thereby fully and unchangeably confirmed in the state of Glory, never more to be pestered or annoyed with the presence of Sin or Misery, Rom. 8. 23. Here in this world we 〈◊〉 but the first fruits of the Spirit; but there 〈◊〉 then the full Harvest.

So contrarily, the Wicked after Death, are 〈◊〉 delivered up to the tyranny and authority os 〈◊〉 Corruptions and there settled, and that 〈◊〉 , in a state of rebellion, and become utterly 〈◊〉 of receiving any spiritual Grace, or 〈◊〉 any spiritual Good, but sink down in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without hope of either. For those 〈◊〉 Graces whereby the Lord in the time of life 〈◊〉 their distempers and those outward 〈◊〉 , Word and Sacraments wholesome Laws and 〈◊〉 Counsels and Examples which formerly 〈◊〉 them from many notorious outrages, are now 〈◊〉 away: Now the Lord plucks up the Hedge, 〈◊〉 pulls down the Wall, takes away all the 〈◊〉 Gifts of his Grace, vouchsafes not one 〈◊〉 of his Spirit, to strive with the Sinner anymore, 〈◊〉 one check of Conscience to awe him, not the least 〈◊〉 of any Good to affect him anymore; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reins in the neck of the Rebel, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loose upon him to execute the fullness of the fierceness of his malice, to the uttermost; 〈◊〉 his rage was consined before, he could do no 〈◊〉 than his Commission allowed him, he had the 〈◊〉 of his temptations set; but now he takes full possesion of the Soul after death, and hath free leave 〈◊〉 exercise full dominion over it, as much as he will 〈◊〉 can: Yea, the Lord in his severe, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lets in the Sea of all sinful 〈◊〉 as with a mighty slow and full tide into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart, to carry him without all control or stay from ever enjoying either Means or Hopes of 〈◊〉 least expression of God's presence, for any good 〈◊〉 any kind: There is no heart to pity the 〈◊〉 Sinner, no Friend to pray for him, no Counsel 〈◊〉 advise, Reproof to stop, no Exhortation to persuade anymore, from the approving and 〈◊〉 of whatever might dishonor God. In the days 〈◊〉 his Life and Vanity, he was weary of all these, because they hindered him from having his full 〈◊〉 in the ways of wickedness; Now all these 〈◊〉 Means, as so many banks which kept in the swelling and boisterous rage of his accursed lusts, are all 〈◊〉 down; the bottomless depths of all abominations are opened; the power of all sinfulness, in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof, seizeth upon the Soul, and 〈◊〉 and prevails in it to all eternity, without lessening restraint, or alteration: For to imagine that the fire of Purgatory should purify the Sinner, from any Soul pollution, that a Material thing should 〈◊〉 upon a Spiritual Substance such as the Soul is, yea, a Natural thing work a Supernatural disposition, 〈◊〉 a senseless, and inconceivable Absurdity, not worthy the Consideration; much less any serious endeavor to Confute.

The Second Part of the Doctrine is, While the [ 2] Gospel is 〈◊〉 , that is the season of God's acceptation, he then puts forth the power of his grace to prepare the heart; so the word implies in the text, an opportunity of acceptation: It discovers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Three Particulars.

There is fitness of opportunity in regard of the [ 1] cause of the accomplishment of anything; when there is a concurrence or meeting together of many helps, for the bringing about 〈◊〉 that we desire and would have, for the effecting of any work we intend: Thus we use to say, when we have wind and tide, then is the fittest season to sail; while we have health and strength, is the 〈◊〉 time to set about works of greatest importance, not that the bare continuance of so many hours, or days, or years, makes any difference, for they are always the same, in sickness and in health; in youth, and in crazy, and decrepit age, in a still calm, and in a fair gale; but the fitness lies in the causes and means which now are happily afforded unto us, which hereafter we may be deprived of, or not able to improve though we do enjoy them.

Thus then there is a season of God's acceptation. when he affords means, sends his Messengers of glad 〈◊〉 of Peace, when he sets open the stall of the Gospel before our eyes, cries his commodities in our 〈◊〉 , and proclaims the offer or his rich mercy to all Comers, Ho everyone that will, let him come and take freely of the waters of the well of life and live forever: Now is the Season of God's gracious working and our receiving, greatest success in his Ordinances; this is the Exposition 〈◊〉 the Apostle ads in the following verse, behold now is the acceptable time, whiles the light shines, whilst Wisdom cries, and Ministers call, if ever there was opportunity of Conversion and Preparation now is the fittest of all other, for God to work it, for us to endeavor it; When the fat things are killed, and finest wines drawn and broached, servants sent to invite, and all preparations made ready to the marriage feast, Luke 14. 17. Then is it time to come, to feed, to refresh ourselves; behold all is ready, only come, when the door is open, and warning given, behold the bridgroom cometh, then is the nick of opportunity to follow hard after, if we would find entrance into the Bride chamber, ' Matt. 25. 8, 9. But when the Feast is over, and the door shut, we may have time to come and knock, but never shall we find entrance, or acceptance, or welcome, because the season is past.

There is a fitness in reference to the work, which [ 2] the thing now made might have, which hereafter happily could not attain; Thus came Esther to be Queen in a fit time, for Mordecais safety, the succor and deliverance of the Nation of the Jews; for though she might have possessed the same place, enjoyed the same Honor, and Royal Preeminence, afterwards; yet it had been too late to have defeated the Policies of Haman, or procured the Preservation of her People, from the Plots and pursuits of those who were armed for their utter ruin, Esther 4 Thus the Woman of Samaria was then called effectually by our Savior, John 4. when it was the pat opportunity to commuicate the notice of a Messias, and the work of his Grace to the Samaritans, who were as the regions of Corn, white unto the harvest, and ready to be cut and carried; so were the People ready to hear, attend, and embrace the glad tidings of Redemption through the Lord Jesus.

There is a fitness in regard of the Subject, which [ 3] howsoever it gives no cause nor help to the accomplishment of the work now in doing, yet it makes way for the further manifestation of the skill and goodness of the workman, and holds our the work done to greater admiration. Thus our Savior is said to come and reconcile all things in the fullness of opportunities, Ephes. 1. 10. because the Lord Christ came then when things were at the lowest ebb, the state of the Church of the Jews in 〈◊〉 extremity, when the root of David was dry, and the branches of the stock of David quite withered, Isa. 11. 1 that is, When the Scepter seemed to have departed from the Tribe of Judah, and a Law-giver from between his legs, Gen. 49. 10.

Now however the extremity of this distress was no cause of Deliverance, but rather a hindrance in itself; and though God the Father out of his own power and according to his own good pleasure might have sent his Son sooner, to have redeemed his people out of their distresses, yet now the greatness of misery made them such Subjects, wherein the glory of his rich Grace, might appear in the perfect beauty thereof.

Hence it is many times in the Dispensation of the work of Grace, the Lord takes the Sinner in the lowest and basest estate, in the most desperate condition when the distress grows deadly, the case to the eye of man is beyond cure and recovery, that so the sovereign virtue of his saving Grace might be set forth to the wonder of the World, and to the encouragement of those who should come to the like straits: Upon this ground it is that the Lord Christ chose that time to convert Paul when he was in the heat of his rage, when his fury was at the height, when breathing out threatenings against the Church, he came armed with authority, and hellish resolution to carry all to Prison, Acts 9. In a word, while Paul proceeds furiously with a 〈◊〉 intention, to oppose Christ to persecute his Members, and in the issue to procure and hasten his own everlasting ruin, then our Savior prevents him and pities him, and doth him most good, while he strives to do most harm, and to make havoc of the Church, the truth, and his soul also: yea, then works his conversion, when he most seriously endeavors to work his own Confusion of himself, and such as professed the Faith in sincerity; the aim of God in all the Apostle directed by the Spirit expresseth to be this, 1 Tim. 1. 16. I was a Persecutor, but I obtained Mercy, to the end that the Lord in me might show all longsuffering to the example of those that should believe on his Name. Such a forlorn Sinner at that time was the fittest subject to receive the full print of God's love and compassion in great Letters, as it were, that he might be a pattern to all 〈◊〉 , of the boundless compassions of the Lord. That as Seamen after a dangerous wrack and miraculous deliverance, set up a Monument of their Preservation to all that pass that way, to work fear in them to prevent shipwreck, and yet hope of Recovery if they do.

To the like purpose is the Conversion of the Apostle in this heat of his Rebellion set upon Record in public view: As though the Lord should say, Look here you forlorn sinners, see a desperate Rebel running post-haste to his everlasting ruin, and behold withal the hand of Mercy then stopping of him in his way; Paul persecuting Christ in his Members, Christ then pitying and preserving Paul, the one most kind, when the other is most vile and 〈◊〉 : Oh the madness of a deluded Soul 〈◊〉 reason! But Oh the Compassions of a Savior beyond all compare! Be afraid you never proceed to such hellish folly, and yet bless God, That there is such a Savior if you do. These be the Seasons of God's acceptation, the first here principally intended, the rest not excluded, and in these opportunities thus appointed by God in his Wisdom, according to his good will, he doth put forth the work of his Grace, to bring home the Souls of his unto himself.

Hence we learn, That a long life is a great blessing in itself, a great temporal blessing as it comes from the Lord. Why? Because all that while a man is in the way: Mercy may meet with him, and he may meet with it: While there is life, there is hope (unless a man have sinned against the holy Ghost) Physicians observe all the while there is strength in Nature, there is hope the Physic may prove profitable; It is much more for the comfort of the Soul, while there is life, there is yet a possibility: Thy heart is stubborn, and rebellious, and proud; but thou yet livest, and the Lord lives, and his Mercy lives, therefore it may be he may show mercy to thee: But when a man is dropped down into the grave, and the pit hath shut its mouth upon him, then all his thoughts perish, then with a sad heart he may remember all the helps he had, the opportunities [ 4] he had, but never had a heart to get any good by them: Then he reads over all the Sermons he heard, by the flames of Hell; and remembers all the kindnesses of the Lord, and then there is no hope.

You therefore that know your bosom abominations, you have your back doors, and your base haunts; you know your sins are not pardoned, you have not repented of them; when you are gone home, go your ways, and bless God that you live: For, let me tell you, This is all the hope in the world that yet you are alive, and therefore the Lord may show Mercy to you; if your days were ended, and you gone down to Hell, then not all the world, nay not Christ, nor the Mercy of God itself could not save you then: therefore look as it was with a Child which was followed by a Bear into a pond, the Child cried out to the people that were running and came to the ponds sides, Oh help, help; and still as the Bear 〈◊〉 him, first his Arms, than his Legs, and still he cried out, Oh help, help, yet I am alive, yet I am alive: this is your condition, believe it. Not Bears, but Sins and Devils are upon you, they have you in their clutches, tearing and devouring your Souls: Oh look to Heaven, and cry out unto the Lord, and say, Lord, a proud stubborn Creature, but yet I am alive, the Devil is Devouring my soul, but Lord, help me and deliver me, yet I am alive; bless God you are so, and know its all you have to show for your everlasting welfare. For while there is Life, there is Hope.

Matter of Caution and Advice, to fence our souls and fortify ourselves against that hellish distemper of self-Murder, that our hearts may be carried with hatred of it, and our souls preserved from the commission of it: when partly from discontentments, and partly from terrors of Conscience, men are not able to bear with themselves; but they will run to a Halter or a Knife, they will put an end to their lives that they may put an end to their sorrows; they will not live, that they may not live thus and thus. Why Consider, Art thou sure of a better life? They will Answer, No, thats my misery, I see all my sins before me, and Hell gaping for me, and the Devils attending to seize upon my Soul, and it makes me weary of my life. Weary of your life! Take heed of that, bless God for your life, and pray for life, and seek to preserve your life what you may, for while your life lasts, you are in the way to Mercy Dives had so much experience of the torments of Hell, that he sends to those that were alive, Oh take heed of coming hither, you are in a better condition than I, what ever your case be. Learn therefore forever to fear and fly from temptations to self Murder, as that which would put an end to your life, and to put an end to all hopes and possibilities of Mercy from the Lord.

But the main Fruit of the Point, which properly belongs to this Place, is a Use of Instruction, which ought to be observed and settled upon the Consciences of us all. Doth the Lord then usually accept of the Soul, and do good to it while he provides and continues the means of Grace? What then remains but we should give all diligence to attend upon his times, take his means, and improve all to the 〈◊〉 for our Spiritual good. Suffer me here to stay a while, and urge the Collection with an Argument or Two, and yet go no further than the Words, nor take other Reasons than the Text will afford, for it issues amain and with a full source from all Particulars mentioned before, the foregoing Truths meeting together, like so many streams, to make this more forcible upon the Conscience, and like a mighty Current, to carry us along to everlasting happiness.

It is a Season, and therefore to be Observed; an [ 1] Opportunity, and therefore to be Improved without Delay: We should address ourselves presently to this so great a work, Redeem the time, Col. 4. 5. Having opportunity, let us do good to all, Gal. 6. 10 If unto others, much more to ourselves: If to their bodies, especially to our own Soul; if to them in Temporal things, than most of all our best good in Eternal blessings is to be attended.

But the Season is not yet come, that Opportunity is not yet offered. Answ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the Apostle points at it as at hand, and in view: Behold now: while I am Speaking, and you are Hearing, while the doors of the Sanctuary are yet opened, while we are in the land of the living, behold now is the acceptable time. Oh let us not harden our hearts, nor shut our eyes, 〈◊〉 stop our ears, unto the voice of the Lord, but pursue opportunity present, strike while the iron is hot, 〈◊〉 our Harvest while the heat and Sun-shine is upon us, while wind and tide lasts, sail we cheerfully towards the Haven, the end of our hopes, the Salvation of our Souls. This is the Argument which the Apostle presseth with so much eagerness, as having such apparent evidence in it. That considering the Season, it is high time we should awake from the sleep of security, our salvation is nearer than heretofore, Rom. 3. 11. The Lord now speaks to us as sometimes to the secure Church, Cant. 2. 10. Arise my Love, my Dove, and come away; For lo the winter is gone. the flowers appear, the voice of the Turtle is heard in our land, &c. I may truly say, This Scripture is this day fulfilled in our ears, wherein the Lord Christ by the Ministry of his Word calls, and that with all instancy, upon every corrupt 〈◊〉 -hearted sinner to come to him, to receive the word of his Grace, and the power and comfort thereof upon his soul: Behold the foggy mists of Popery and ignorance are over, the shadows of 〈◊〉 are passed away, the flowers grow, and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apace, peace and prosperity, with abundance of outward blessings shoured down upon us, the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land, the sound of the Gospel, and the glad tidings of Peace, have been, and yet 〈◊〉 proclaimed in our streets.

Arise, arise, therefore 〈◊〉 secure and dead hearted Sinners, and come away. Arise ye drunkards, come 〈◊〉 from your Cups and Companies; Arise ye Adulterous wretches, come away from your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and beds of dalliance; come to him who 〈◊〉 kindly invites you, who promises to accept you, who is able and willing to save you. Oh! consider opportunities will not last always, we have no 〈◊〉 of them, much less command of them; and who knows whether we shall ever enjoy that which we now neglect? Especially, considering the Lord at the present, vouchsafes all helps to further and persuade us to this Preparation, dealing with us as 〈◊〉 he did with the stubborn-hearted Jews by Ezekiel, who to strike their hearts with an open Conviction that they must go into Captivity, he is enjoined to carry out his stuff, in the most plain manner in their sight, from one place to another, and the end is added: If it be possible (as some translations read it) if per adventure (as the propriety of the Hebrew bears it, all to one sense) they may consider it, Ezek. 12. 3. As if he should say, There is some small hope that something may procure their welfare, and if it be possible, this plain dealing is like to prevail: A lively picture and resemblance of God's special bounty to us-ward, who enjoy the means of Grace above many others: The Lord hath seen other Countries, but he hath settled his abode amongst us; he hath passed by many Congregations, but he hath lodged with those where he hath set up the Light of his Truth; the Son of 〈◊〉 hath sent abroad his beams to many corners of the Earth, a glimpse of his goodness hath appeared unto many places, but his saving health like the Sun in his full strength, hath stood over our heads as it did once in Gibeon, and the Moon in the valley of Ajalon: Some people have had many means, and many people have had some, but almost all have met together to procure our good, and to make up the fullness of opportunities, even the fullness of all fitness, that if it were possible we might consider it, and 〈◊〉 at the last convert and turn unto the Lord. The Birds of the Heaven, the Sinners upon Earth, and the Devils in Hell, know and pursue their 〈◊〉 Opportunities; the one for the comforts of nature, that they may enjoy them; the other for their 〈◊〉 , that they may enjoy their lusts, though they perish for it: Ask then (thou sluggard) of the Birds of the Heaven, and they will tell thee; demand of the Beasts of the Field, they will show thee; nay, 〈◊〉 of the Devils in Hell, and they will testify how Opportunities ought to be prized, and how 〈◊〉 improve them. Wilt thou be more unreasonable than the Beasts? More careless of thine own 〈◊〉 Comforts, than the Devils be to procure thy own Confusion? Shall the Lord provide all 〈◊〉 for our Good, and shall we neglect both him, and them, and our own everlasting welfare? Woe to our sluggishness.

Object. True, let this Opportunity 〈◊〉 great, so 〈◊〉 the Continuance of it long, and therefore we may take it hereafter.

Answ. No: Its a Day saith the Text, very short, [ 2] and yet most uncertain. It is but for the day 〈◊〉 this Life, and who knows how soon it may end; there be Skuls of all sorts in Golgotha, Skins of all sorts in the Market; young and old, aged and 〈◊〉 , haste unto the rend: No man yet had a lease of 〈◊〉 Life, which is as Grass, a Flower, a Bubble, and alas! how soon doth this Grass wither, this 〈◊〉 fade, this Bubble break?

And our day being short, so is it almost 〈◊〉 , many of us have past our highest point, the best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time, our Evening draws on; and behold pale 〈◊〉 , and feeble hands, crazy bodies, dangerous 〈◊〉 , which are as Har bengers of our dissolution, 〈◊〉 will soon bring us to the house of our age, to 〈◊〉 dust of death; thus is our breath but a shadow, 〈◊〉 soon passeth away and we are gone: Oh! that we 〈◊〉 wise to consider these things, and because our 〈◊〉 is short, and passeth away, we would take hold 〈◊〉 the opportunity present.

But the young man Replyes; It is a good thing 〈◊〉 the Eye to behold the Sun, Eccles. 11. 7. To 〈◊〉 this Light, to enjoy the present Pleasures, to 〈◊〉 the Rose while it is in the bud, to gather the 〈◊〉 whilst it is fresh, while time and strength 〈◊〉 take the pleasures of the world and enjoy the 〈◊〉 of my heart; not now to sit moping in a 〈◊〉 , go drooping and sorrowing for my sins; when 〈◊〉 hair grows gray, and decrepit age comes on, 〈◊〉 years hence, when my Sun grows near the setting, 〈◊〉 Life begins to decline, and my strength to decay, 〈◊〉 shall than have leisure to talk of holiness, to turn 〈◊〉 a new leaf, and betake myself to my Beads, and 〈◊〉 of Grace; in the mean time these jolly 〈◊〉 , speak unto Preparation and Humiliation, as 〈◊〉 sometimes to Paul. Go your way for this 〈◊〉 , and when we have a convenient time we will 〈◊〉 for you.

Answ. Thou fool, this night may thy soul be 〈◊〉 from thee, Luke 12. 20. How knowest thou but the Lord may pluck thee out of the land of the living, and send thee packing down to thy own place, give thee thy Portion with Unbeleevers and Despisers of his Grace? and then all thy thoughts perish, thy time is past, and Repentance too late, when the Pit hath shut her mouth upon thee, how fond to think to have leisure to Repent, when thou wilt not have time to Live?

2 Be it the day of thy Life continue, yet the day of Salvation may be ended; for this is but a minute or moment of that span of time, a point or 〈◊〉 of that opportunity; If the Lord remove his 〈◊〉 , take away the light of his Word, dam up the fountain of Grace, and stop the well-springs of Salvation, thou mayest perish for thirst, and live to 〈◊〉 the folly of the neglect of Means, when happily thou shalt not know where they be, nor yet have liberty and ability to enjoy them if thou knewest: while therefore the day of our life, and the day 〈◊〉 Salvation (the Mart of Mercy) lasts, both which are but short and uncertain, let us be watchful to observe, and careful to take all advantages to buy the chiefest and best Commodities, Humiliation and Faith. Especially considering it may be any 〈◊〉 particular day, as our Savior to Jerusalem, Oh that thou hadst known at least in this thy day, Luke 19. 42. When the Word is mighty, and the Spirit speaks powerfully unto thy soul, when the undeniable evidence of the Truth convicteth thy judgment, and the keen threatenings thereof, cuts and lanceth thy corrupt Conscience to the Core, and the Lord raps at the door of thy heart, by the hammer of the law; Oh now follow those motions, and cherish them, make much of a little, and suffer the blessed Ordinance of God to have its full blow upon thy Soul; go aside and consider seriously with thyself, Certainly the Lord came home this day unto my heart, touched me to the quick, and met with my particular Corruptions, withstood me to my face, and by the authority of his Truth, like the naked Sword in the hand of the Angel stopped me in my Course, and bad me back again; assuredly this is my part, a Portion carved out in special 〈◊〉 my Soul, this 〈◊〉 is my day of Salvation, in which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work the good work of his grace 〈◊〉 me: True it may be so, and for ought that thou 〈◊〉 I, or any under heaven know, it is so: Remember 〈◊〉 thou hadst a fair offer, and take heed how 〈◊〉 dost refuse it, lest thou never have the like 〈◊〉 . Break therefore through all Oppositions, cast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , listen to no alurements to the 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 while 〈◊〉 is called today harden not thy 〈◊〉 : And as Paul to his Company (Acts) 〈◊〉 thou never to see their faces more. I know (as one of the 〈◊〉 brings in his sins) our old 〈◊〉 like old 〈◊〉 will threap kindness from 〈◊〉 , plead prescription and continuance, we have 〈◊〉 long, taken much sweet Counsel together, 〈◊〉 much delight and content. Give us warning 〈◊〉 , before you give us a discharge, let us 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 for the while, and hereafter let 〈◊〉 think of amendment: Thus the same Father when 〈◊〉 had often resolved to renounce his bosom 〈◊〉 , and the beloved lusts of the flesh, still that sounded in his ears, To morrow, tomorrow; as the burden of Satan's song, To morrow soon enough, hereafter time enough; thus while he was startling and 〈◊〉 by the terrors of his Conscience, he lulled him, and rocked him a sleep again by delays, 〈◊〉 at last in a holy kind of violence and indignation of heart, breaks through all, demurs no more, delays no longer, but cries out, Why not today, why not today Lord? and from that day following God gave him victory. Go thy ways and do thou likewise, stand not haggeling and dallying with the Almighty, set down a resolution like the Laws of the Meads and Persians, never to be revoked; that thou wilt from this 〈◊〉 , and ever hereafter, wait upon the 〈◊〉 of grace, and give way to the work thereof. Dispute no more, but determine thus with thyself, Why yet am I here in the land of the Living, yet 〈◊〉 this side the bottomless pit, the Lord still tenders the offers of Salvation, strives still with this sturdy heart of mine, I know not how soon I may be taken from the Means, or the Means from me, or the Blessing of the Lord from us both; while therefore the spirit speaks to my Soul, Seek thou my face; give me a heart to echo back again, Thy face Lord will I seek this day.

After all this, the heart still sings loath to depart, and the deluded finner lingers after his lust, as Lot after Sodom, and therefore puts in a new Plea on this manner: Imagine the worst, should I put off this fair and kind Call of the Lord? Yet since it is in my power to entertain it hereafter, there is not so much danger though I now refuse it.

Answ. Be it granted, Thy life might be prolonged, the words of the text do most apparently dash this presumptuous conceit, Its the Season of God's acceptation; Its not in thy power, but depends merely upon his good Will: We are not the Patrons of the means of Grace, much less of their work, it is not in our Gift; the Sending and Blessing of both issues only from the good pleasure of the Almighty: prolong not then, put not off the time, deny not God's gracious offer, lest thou never have offer again; he that now holds out the golden Scepter of Mercy to receive thee, hath an Iron rod wherewith he can 〈◊〉 thee to nothing, and break thee in pieces like a Potters vessel: He that hath the Keys of David, and now sets open the gate of Salvation, he can shut it and no man shall open it anymore; and when thou hast stayed too long, and comest too late, thou mayest knock hard with the foolish Virgin, and cry aloud with Esau, and yet receive neither Blessing, nor Birthright, and its just with God it should be 〈◊〉 , that the Word which thou hast despised, should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dead, or killing Letter, and never work 〈◊〉 ; the motions of his Spirit which thou hast 〈◊〉 , should never stir more with thee. Thus Wisdom threateneth the scorners of her Counsel, Prov. 1. 24. Because I have called and they resused, I 〈◊〉 stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, 〈◊〉 they shall call, but I will not answer; they 〈◊〉 seek me early, but they shall not find me.

Nay, it may be thou shalt not only not find what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that with some eagerness, which is 〈◊〉 state miserable enough, but shalt not have a heart 〈◊〉 much as once to seek for Mercy, as many 〈◊〉 have, and Hypocrites do; and this is a 〈◊〉 next to the damned in Hell, inconceivably 〈◊〉 . This was Jerusalem's case just as the Lord 〈◊〉 it, Oh that thou hadst known at least in 〈◊〉 thy Day, the things belonging to thy peace, but 〈◊〉 they are hid from thine eyes, Luke 19. 42. Christ 〈◊〉 now weeping over the City, preaching his farewell 〈◊〉 amongst them, yea, now come to die amongst them: the presence of the Means makes the Plague more remarkable, when through God's just judgment for their contempt of the truth, they have eyes but they are made dim and see not, they have ears but 〈◊〉 heavy and hear not, and hearts made hard even 〈◊〉 the blessed Ministry of the Gospel, and so they understand not; they have all before their eyes, and 〈◊〉 all hid from their eyes: The like Curse the Lord usually pours out upon the hellish despisers of the Doctrine of Grace, deliver them up to blind minds, and seared Consciences, reprobate senses, that they who shut their eyes against the power of God's Ordinances, should never see nor be 〈◊〉 of, either that or their own misery, which is the 〈◊〉 misery of all.

Yet all this will not content, there is one cavil which the carnal [ 4] heart Objects, and its most desperate; Be it, God will 〈◊〉 vouchsafe Means nor Work by them, nor I receive any benefit therefrom, let me live as I list now, let me shift as I can hereafter; if I loose all, the loss is not great. Answ. What! 〈◊〉 great? God forbid that such a Thought should be in any 〈◊〉 Heart, such a Word come out of any man's Mouth. Its no less than Salvation itself, Its 〈◊〉 day of salvation saith the text, 〈◊〉 loss not to be valued, not to be recovered, will never, can 〈◊〉 be repaired again; yea, I appeal to thy own Conscience, and 〈◊〉 thyself in cold blood be thy own judge: Think but seriously 〈◊〉 the Rivers of pleasure which are at God's right hand, of 〈◊〉 Kingdom 〈◊〉 undefiled, and that sadeth not away, 〈◊〉 and consider of that Crown of Glory, that exceeding 〈◊〉 weight of glory reserved in the heavens; and weigh but with 〈◊〉 self, in thy most retired thoughts, the 〈◊〉 Mercy of a God, the 〈◊〉 Redemption of a Christ, the Comforts of a Spirit 〈◊〉 glorious; imagine you heard that Sentence passed, Come ye Blessed, 〈◊〉 the Kingdom, possess the Crown, enjoy 〈◊〉 Pleasures, and if thou hast but the heart of a man, let it Answer: Canst thou lose all these, and account the loss little? and yet if the day of Grace be gone once, all these go too; neglect that now, and never think to enjoy these: An Argument able to stay any in the most eager pursuit 〈◊〉 these lying vanities, and to cause him to 〈◊〉 , and steer his course another way.

As Elisha said, Is this a time to take 〈◊〉 ? So when 〈◊〉 consider all Opportunities, and Means, and Mercies, say, Is this a time, to follow the World, and the Profits thereof? to 〈◊〉 ourselves with sinful Delights, and forsake Christ, and his Gospel, and Salvation and all: Me thinks Nature would 〈◊〉 , Reason would Perswade, It is a Day of Salvation, our Lives, 〈◊〉 Hopes, our Comforts, our Salvation, and All depend upon 〈◊〉 . It is the time that God hath bestowed for this end, therefore 〈◊〉 sure to improve this time so, as we may attain this end. In 〈◊〉 word, It is a Day, therefore a Season; and but a Day, 〈◊〉 short; a Day of God's Accepting; and a Day of Salvation; The Season so Fit, the Time so Short, and the Purchase so Great, what remains then, but we should improve this Time to our utmost, that we may Receive that Spiritual Good from the Lord in it, that he is willing to bestow, and we stand in 〈◊〉 of, for our Comfort here, and our everlasting welfare in another World.

BOOK V.

WE have done with the Season of Salvation in regard of the means, consider we now the time which the Lord takes in regard of the Parties, upon whom it is wrought who do yet enjoy their lives, and the means of Grace: Amongst these the dispensation of the Lord is divers, dealing as it seems best to his Heavenly Wisdom; some he calls, and converts in their younger, some in their older, but most usual it is to bring home sinners to himself in their riper age.

For the scanning of this Point, we have made choice of this Parable of the Vineyard: which presents to us four things at the first view.

• 1 The 〈◊〉 of the Vineyard, who owed it.
• 2 The 〈◊〉 , who dressed it.
• 3 The 〈◊〉 , when they were hired.
• 4 The Reward here promised and given for their 〈◊〉 . Under the Letter or which words, this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 ought to be conceived.

The 〈◊〉 is the Church, Isai. 5. 7. The Master and Housholder, is the Lord Christ: The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are his redeemed ones, whom he calls by the effectual operation of his blessed Spirit in the 〈◊〉 of his Word, to be painful and fruitful in good works as in Christ they are created unto, and 〈◊〉 or dained they should walk in. The diversity of the time of their hiring, shows the difference of the times wherein they are converted, some sooner, and some later, and for the right and ready 〈◊〉 of this Circumstance, let it be remembered that it was the received manner amongst the Jews to divide their Nights into four Watches, and their Daies 〈◊〉 of twelve hours, into four Stations or Portions, designing three hours to each part; so 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 , was the Third hour; from 〈◊〉 to twelve, the Sixt hour; from twelve to three, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hour; from thence to five, the Eleventh 〈◊〉 , one hour before the ending of the day.

To apply: The Day is as it were our Life; God 〈◊〉 some of his Servants in the morning of their youth; some at mid-day, in their middle age; some at the eleventh hour, in their aged and declining time, when their Sun is near setting, and they drawing on to the end of their days, not long 〈◊〉 their death, not long before their souls depart out of their bodies, and they depart from the Land of the Living.

I am not ignorant that some Interpreters run another way, and conceive by Laborers, 〈◊〉 only to be understood, whether they be good or bad; and their 〈◊〉 , their calling unto that 〈◊〉 in the Church: He that is a Demas and seeks 〈◊〉 World, his penny, his praise, and applause, if 〈◊〉 ; his profit and wealth, if Covetous, and for that he makes his agreement with the Lord, when first he makes entrance upon the work of the Ministry: When he that is sincere hearted, and seeks the things of Christ, the penny for which he indents, and the hire he would have, is the hearts of poor 〈◊〉 , the conversion of souls, and 〈◊〉 of the body of Christ are instead of all the Tythes and 〈◊〉 , Livings, and Benesices he desires to look after: though the sense is pleasant and spiritual, yet I do not think it suits with the Scope 〈◊〉 this place, nor here intended by the Spirit. For of those 〈◊〉 Parable must be understood, of whom that conclusion in the last verse of the 19. chapter was spoken, Many that be first shall be last, and many that be last, shall be first: This Parable being inferred for the opening and proving of that, as the first words of the first 〈◊〉 of this 20. chapter, do plainly evidence, For the Kingdom, &c.

But they are without question, the 〈◊〉 only who are there meant, such who have left all for Christ's sake, such who shall inherit 〈◊〉 life, verse. 29. always with this proviso, Many that are first called, if they bear up themselves somewhat too much upon their own worth, shall be last rewarded; they who are last called, if yet they do renounce all confidence in their own excellency and sufficiency, and depend upon the free mercy of God, they shall be amongst the chiefest that shall be recompensed: Following then the sense which the Scope of the Text, and the best Interpreters give; the Point which fits our purpose, and offers itself to consideration without any forcing from the Words, is this:

BOOK VI.

THE General Nature of Preparation hath been opened 〈◊〉 , and those common Circumstances, that were of special consideration have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the freeness of the Work, and the fitness of the Time that the Lord is pleased to take, to bring the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that Spiritual good that was provided and stored up for them in the Lord Jesus. We are now to inquire about the Main and Substantial Parts of this so great a Work.

And these are Two:

• 1 The Dispensation of this Work as it comes from God.
• 2 The Frame and Disposition which is wrought in the Soul thereby.

For this Work of Preparation being a Transient Work as it proceeds from God, i. e. a work which so passeth from God unto the Creature as the proper subject about which it is exercised, as that it leaves some real impression, some alteration and change in the Creature, and therefore it implies necessarily as the 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 prepare, and who are prepared, so also the manner of the working of the one who doth it, and the disposition of the other who doth 〈◊〉 the impression thereof: And hence in these Two the whole Nature of Preparation is taken up, as the Nature of the whole is fully comprehended in the Parts. The manner of God's Dispensation in this, may thus be conceived and described.

Where we may attend these Particulars:

• 1 The Soul Naturally is settled in a sinful security, or is dead asleep in the security of a sinful condition.
• 2 It's unwilling to be severed therefrom, it's death to part with its distemper; it's against the 〈◊〉 and the heart, to have its corruption plucked away from it, to be awakened out of this sleep.
• 3 That with a holy kind of violence it's driven out of this condition, and drawn unto Christ by the hand of the Father.

We shall pursue these Particulars in the order propounded, and briefly handle the two first only to make way to a clear discovery, and right understanding of the last Point.

For the two first being apprehended in the full breadth of them, the necessity and mysterious depth of God's Dispensation in the last will appear with greater Evidence, and be more easily conceived, and assented unto with greater readiness.

For the ground of the first Point we have chosen the words of this Text, Rev. 3. 17. where we have the divers, nay, the contrary judgment of the Lord, and the Church of Laodicea touching their spiritual estate and condition; They fate down well apayed in the apprehension, nay the admiration of their own happiness, and professed they had as much as they needed, and were as good as they desired to be: When as the Lord who knew better, and could judge better of their condition, passeth a peremptory sentence to the contrary, that they were wretched, poor, and blind, and naked; they wanted not either wretchedness or misery, but wanted sense of either, and that was the reason they were secure under both.

Here then we see the guise of a graceless heart, of one 〈◊〉 his Natural estate before the Lord set upon the soul: They need nothing in their own apprehension though indeed they have nothing; they see no evil nor danger towards them, though they be compassed and beset on every side with sins and plagues: Men naturally are most secure in their sins, when they are most under the power and plague of them; see how well apaid they sit down in the present frame of their hearts (for it's spiritually meant as appears by the opposition, in the counsel which is administered in the following verse, I counsel thee to buy of 〈◊〉 Eyesalve, that thou mayest see, white Rayment and be zealous and repent) but I say, see how they please themselves in this present condition; if all men were as well contented with them as they are with themselves, they would be no better, and they conceive they should be no other; they neither need, 〈◊〉 should alter their condition, nor yet be disquieted with what it is, it's as good as they would have it. This is the meaning of the Parable, When the strong man keeps the house, all is in peace, Luke, 11. 〈◊〉 . As long as Satan hath the world at will, doth all, and disposeth of all according to his own mind, there is no opposition, and so no distraction, nor trouble; wicked men go as they are led; so the Apostles speaking of the Corinthians in 〈◊〉 , Natural condition 1 Cor. 12. 2. all go one way, and all is at 〈◊〉 they conceit their estates as safe as any other 〈◊〉 therefore it's needless 〈◊〉 disquiet themselves; so they who lifted themselves against Moses and Aaron, and concluded their penny as good silver as theirs, 〈◊〉 16. 3. Are not all the 〈◊〉 of the Lord 〈◊〉 ? you take too much upon you: They imagine it's the pride and singularity of some men, who require more strictness and a higher strain of Holiness 〈◊〉 is needful, that they may be 〈◊〉 more than ordinary, and so draw the eyes of men toward them, 〈◊〉 so raise a greater account of them than they do 〈◊〉 ; or else it is the simplicity and feebleness of 〈◊〉 who having some men's persons in admiration 〈◊〉 easy to believe more than they should, or 〈◊〉 a greater excellency than there is. As for their 〈◊〉 parts, they question it not, but their estates are good, and themselves happy: Thus Paul professed of himself, and speaks it in the stead of all men Naturally, as that which is incident to all, Rom. 7. 9. was alive without the Law. When he wanted the 〈◊〉 knowledge of himself, and of the Law of God, 〈◊〉 then imagined his condition was such, as those who had and led the life of Grace: But when the Law came, that the Lord by the Law discovered 〈◊〉 to himself, then indeed he did discern where he was, that sin was yet alive in him, that he was in a deadly and damnable condition: See the Point 〈◊〉 good in Five Particulars, wherein this security is expressed in the several degrees thereof.

A Natural 〈◊〉 before the Lord come to seize upon [ 1] him, he sees no danger in his estate, and therefore will not suffer himself to be persuaded to any such 〈◊〉 , what can be said to evict it by the most 〈◊〉 Arguments to win his assent thereunto; so it was with them in the old world. Mat. 24. 38. they 〈◊〉 and gave in marriage, they did eat and drink, and took up themselves in the eager pursuit 〈◊〉 these present pleasing contentments, which 〈◊〉 with our Natural hearts, but knew nothing either of the 〈◊〉 of their own sins, or the heaviness of the plagues decreed and threatened: Hence this Security is in Scripture compared to a dead sleep, Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee life, Eph. 5. 14. In a sleep, we know if it fall heavy upon any, he sees no dangers nor enemies though he was in the midst of them; if any evil be plotted or practiced against him he perceives it not, and therefore it is said, They that sleep, they sleep in the night: So it is here, though the sinner be compassed about with his own sins, and the judgments of God ready to be inflicted on him, and the Devils of Hell ready to devour him, yet being in a dead sleep he discerns not the danger he is in.

As they see none; so while the Lord is pleased to [ 2] abate them, the expressions of his heavy displeasure, nor yet proceeds to take them to task for their great and grievous offenses, they feel no evil: they see other men as vile as themselves, fare like themselves, and therefore they conclude there is no danger, Psal. 73. 7. Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart can wish, they are not in bonds like other men, and therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain, &c. Upon this ground it is, the falls-hearted resolve to join sides with the proud, because they saw their proceedings prosperous, We count the proud happy, say they, Mal. 3. 15. For Naturally, further than the Lord is pleased to grapple with the sinner) there is a benumbed kind of stupidness of spirit takes possession of them, they become senseless wholly or their sins, and so of the plagues that are threatened, and treasured up for them against the day of wrath; When the disease hath mastered Nature so that it hath lost its lively strength, when it's now dying it feels not death because sense was gone before. The Soul that is slain by sin it becomes senseless of it. As it 〈◊〉 the drunkard, Prov. 23. 35. They have stricken me, and I was not sick, they have beaten me, and I felt it not.

They fear no evil for the time to come: senseless [ 3] before, fearless now: they feel no evil for the present, and they fear none for the future; they reason from sense and experience, it hath not been, therefore it will not be. Thus those made a League with Hell and Death, Isa. 28. 15. They intrenched and fortified themselves in this fearless presumption against the approach of any future evil. And therefore in all the threatenings they read and hear, though such as express the direful displeasure of the Lord, yet they take off the edge of all, they imagine its nothing but a kind of policy in men who Preach these threatenings, that so they might awe others by a prudent way of proceeding, and partly its folly in those who believe them and entertain them as real, when there is no such thing to be feared. This was the Conclusion of those who sat upon the Lees and Dregs of this Security, Zeph. 1. 12. They profess, the Lord will neither do good, nor evil.

Hence the sinner in a blind kind of deluded Confidence, [ 4] puts the safety of his Condition beyond all question and dispute, to doubt of God's love or the work of God's Grace in his heart, or his own everlasting happiness; he cannot talk of it but with detestation, looks at that as a thing that is past, That Dale is mown, and the danger over and gone: give any good proof or sound evidence of his spiritual Welfare he cannot, yet dispute it he will not; takes it for granted, and therefore will not trouble himself with it anymore. Whatever searching truths are expressed for the narrowest search and saving trial of the soundness of the work of God's Grace, and so a sure title for eternal life, he catcheth at those and takes them for his own, without any enquiry or consideration, Whether they do belong to him, or no: Whether his heart be right and sound in God's statutes he will not dispute, but that he shall be happy he will certainly conclude; and that conclusion he will hold: He doubts not but to die 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 go to Heaven as well as the most precise Professor of them all. Thus they in Deut. 29. 19, 20. When they heard all the Curses of the Law, yet they blessed themselves, saying, I shall have peace.

Let men speak what they will, Preach as they please, he promiseth himself comfort and success in his way; men (says he) must have their 〈◊〉 , and will vent their passions and humors, but concludes what he conceives is the right, all the world shall not persuade if there were a hundred, and a hundred Ministers to that, they shall never make him believe but his Condition is safe, 〈◊〉 his way and person such as God will accept. So they to Jeremy, Jer. 43. 2 Thou speakest falsely, the Lord 〈◊〉 not sent thee to say, Go not into 〈◊〉 .

The things of Christ, and ways of his Grace which [ 5] he hath revealed in his Gospel, and enjoins all to follow, because they put them beyond their pace, and exceed either their cannal and formal course, and the frame of happiness which they have fancied in their own minds and thoughts, they look at them with disdain, and casts the name of giddiness and folly upon them, and follows them with all the reproaches and contempt that may be, 1 Cor. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 he natural man perceives not the things of God for they are foolishness unto him; Thus the Gospel, the glad tidings of salvation, and the only way of life in Christ, It was foolishness to the Greeks, and to the Jews a stumbling block: 1 Cor. 1. 23. To become fools that we may be wise, to cast away the robes of our own conceived Righteousness, worth, and sufficiency, and to go a begging to Christ to 〈◊〉 our nakedness: it is a thing 〈◊〉 cross to carnal reason as nothing more, Rom. 10. 3. The Jews that 〈◊〉 establish their own Righteousness, they would not submit to the Righteousness of Christ.

Therefore if the ways of 〈◊〉 be pressed and [ 6] 〈◊〉 with zeal, as matters absolutely necessary, 〈◊〉 that their commodities seem to be cried down, and their comforts dashed, and their persons 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 under 〈◊〉 as that they are 〈◊〉 men, even your most civil naturallist, a man 〈◊〉 is most 〈◊〉 in his carriage, will count, it a matter of 〈◊〉 to proceed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against such, and you shall 〈◊〉 these men, most 〈◊〉 and restless in persecution, because they do it upon a misconceit, as a duty of 〈◊〉 . They conclude they are as good as men should be, and do as much as any ought. Acts 26. 9. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with myself 〈◊〉 to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus: and 〈◊〉 Savior Christ 〈◊〉 it, 〈◊〉 . 16. 2. That they 〈◊〉 think they do God good service in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposing the ways and Servants of Christ, and 〈◊〉 in the highest degree. So that if the Lord let in any light to such a one, to reveal either more or better to him, he stands amazed as a man new come out of a dream, he knows not where he is, or what he hath done all his life long. If this be true, I never knew either my sin, or myself; I am of all men most miserable: As Paul, when the Lord met him and stopped him in his way, and broke in upon him with his Converting Grace, he falls down trembling and astonished, Lord, 〈◊〉 thou? And, What wilt thou have me to do? Acts 9. 5, 6, 7. He neither 〈◊〉 Christ, nor himself, nor his own estate, he was as far to seek as if he had never heard of these things; therefore the Apostle Peter expresses it thus, 1 Pet. 2. 9. Who hath called you 〈◊〉 darkness to his marvelous, light: That a man begins to wonder and marvel to see themselves so wonderfully cozened and deluded all their days, they have often heard of sin, but never saw it before now, they have heard of humiliation, and faith, and sanctification, but never understood what they were; but now they begin to see an absolute need of them, and there never was any man whom God called effectually to himself, but he stands wondering at his sins that they should be so loathsome, and yet that he should love them so much; at the beauty and excellency of Christ, that he hath neglected so much, marveling at his own pride and security in that miserable estate that now he finds himself in.

Gather up the Point then: If he neither see 〈◊〉 feel any evil in his Condition, and therefore fears no danger in it, and therefore blesseth himself in his present estate; accounting whatsoever is more required, to be foolishness, and persecutes whatsoever seems to blemish it, then he is (and can be no other than) abundantly satisfied and settled immovably in the security of his carnal estate.

The Reasons of it are chiefly Three.

From the Deceitfulness and Subtilty of sin which pretends nothing, promiseth nothing but that which is full of content to the sinner, and therefore he pleaseth himself in it for the present. As the 〈◊〉 hides his sting that may poison, and shows only his speckled skin that may please the eye, so it is with 〈◊〉 , it presents nothing to the view but that which may please the flesh, either profits to enrich, or honors to advance, or pleasures to delight, either 〈◊〉 of the flesh, or the 〈◊〉 of the eyes, or the pride of life, 1 Joh. 2. 16. As the wise man speaks of the young man led aside with the harlot, that with her oiled words she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and he follows her as an Ox 〈◊〉 to the slaughter, and a fool to the stocks, and knows nothing till a dart strikes through his liver, Prov. 7. 22. As the Fisher that shows 〈◊〉 to the Fish but the Bait to allure, but hides the Hook that will catch: So the Fowl sees nothing but the Grain to feed her, not the Net that takes her. So it is with the Deceitfulness of sin, it promiseth nothing but all the Content that we have, and would have; but the Hook that should catch us, and the 〈◊〉 that should 〈◊〉 us, that is kept back for the present.

If taken from the sensuallity of the Soul of every man naturally, which is so suitable to the nature of 〈◊〉 , that it tastes nothing but that which 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 , and therefore they will not believe there is anything there to distaste. A sinful heart meets with temptations, they do fit and suit one with 〈◊〉 , and because the soul takes content in sin, it cannot believe that there is anything else there, but what it now finds: nay, sometimes though the judgment is informed, and Conscience convinced these 〈◊〉 your sins, and these will be your ruin; the 〈◊〉 heart says, It is false; I taste no such matter: As it is in a distempered body when the stomach is 〈◊〉 with noisesome humors, because the bitterest 〈◊〉 seem sweet to the raste so distempered; the Physician cannot persuade, they cannot believe that 〈◊〉 are bitter. So it is with a distempered heart which tastes nothing but its own lusts and humors, which are so incorporated into it, and 〈◊〉 with it, that let all Ministers, and Reasons, say what 〈◊〉 can to the contrary; say they, I believe it not; 〈◊〉 taste it not; Its the best life in the world to follow 〈◊〉 own mind, to have my own will, and to satisfy 〈◊〉 own lusts: Prov. 10. 23. It is a sport to a fool 〈◊〉 do 〈◊〉 : No pastime is so pleasing to him, as to suit the carnal disposition of his heart in his sinful ways: but he's a fool for it, that is, A 〈◊〉 man.

Self-love, and Self-ease will not suffer the 〈◊〉 to hear of anything that may disquiet or distemper and therefore 〈◊〉 the mind and heart with the daily fears and suspicions of terrors and discouragements that attend a good Course, that it dare not listen in the least measure to anything that tends 〈◊〉 way. Hence it is there is such a noise and 〈◊〉 raised against the good ways of God's Grace, and God's 〈◊〉 , that if ever he gives way to the power of them to have his sins revealed and 〈◊〉 by them, he thinks he shall never have quiet more 〈◊〉 and therefore in a carnal Family, if one man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and careful in his course, and have got 〈◊〉 knocks from the Word, they cry out, Their Children are undone, and they fear to come under 〈◊〉 stroke of the truth, lest they should be troubled. 〈◊〉 the meaning of that, Psal. 36. 2. The wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself in his own eyes: As who should say, This is the only way you are in, you may 〈◊〉 quietly and comfortably, and go to heaven 〈◊〉 all this ado: Ay, do so, and be so, says the heart And as 2 Pet. 3. 2. They are willingly ignorant A man that is loath to rise, shuts his eyes from 〈◊〉 light, and stops his ears, that he may not hear 〈◊〉 knocks at the door; so a man that would sleep 〈◊〉 in the security of his natural state, he would 〈◊〉 suffer the certainty of God's Judgments and the terribleness of them, to come home to his soul to awaken him out of his dead sleep.

Thus the Deceitfulness of Sin promiseth nothing but Good; the 〈◊〉 of a man's heart is such, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing but Good, men's Self-love and 〈◊〉 is such, it will not suffer anything but Good to be presented to the view of the soul.

These are the Grounds why a sinful Heart settles itself in security, and blesseth itself, though nothing belongs to him but misery.

Hence we may see the Reason why sharp and soul-saving Preaching, seems so grievous and tedious to the carnal hearts of wicked and natural men; they hardly vouchsafe audience, but not acceptance: Whats the cause? It would awaken them out of their sleepy security in which they lie: To bring a Candle to a sleepy man is unpleasing but to pluck off the Clothes, he will hardly bear it, but will let fly at you: Why will you not suffer a man to be quiet in his bed? &c. All men are naturally in a dead sleep of sin, therefore to bring the Candle of the Law to them, to show them their condition, to pluck away all their coverings and hidings that they may see their sins and themselves as they are, it is death to a man in this case: Plain dealing and rough dealing evermore finds harsh entertainment here: still Music is pliasing and rocks men asleep; but sound blows will awaken men, and not suffer them to sleep in their sins, and therefore they cannot bear them; they have itching ears (saith the Apostle) heaping up Teachers to themselves after their own lusts, and therefore they cannot endure sound doctrine, 2 Tim. 4. 3. Such Ministers, and such Preaching as answer their desires and please their pallats, that they and their sins and all may go to Heaven together, this they like very well of: Itching ears must be scratched, not buffeted. You know what he said to Elias, Art thou he that troubles Israel? And hast thou found me O my Enemy? 1 King. 18. 17. 〈◊〉 had 400 false Prophets, he could endure them well enough, because they never disquieted him in his sins; but Elias was a troubler of Israel, because he troubled his sin; therefore he was not able to bear with him.

Hence again, We should be persuaded and informed its the heaviest plague that can befall a man, That God should suffer him to sleep in his sins and prosper in a wicked Course: Because it argues (for ought any man knows) that God intends no good to him, nor will work no good for him; but as if the Lord hath left such a one to be a prey to sin and Satan; he is in the hands of his lusts, and become a spoil unto them; Jesus Christ passeth by him (as it 〈◊〉 ) pities him not, meddles not with him, to rescue him out of that Condition; as if the Lord should say, I have nothing to do with him, he is none of mine.

Therefore know this to your terror, all you that never knew what it was to be in distress of Conscience for sin, nay when the Word hath come home to you, to convince you of your miserable estate, for you have not been able to bear it, bate of your sleep nor rest you cannot, lose anything of your 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 you will not, nay, you bless yourselves in this condition, thinking your case is good enough: Mark now, The Lord Jesus sees sin and Satan have thee in their power, hurrying thee down to Hell with them, and he passeth by, and saith, Let them alone, they belong not to me, I will not rescue them nor save them, my Word and Spirit shall not convince 〈◊〉 nor work upon them; this is the heaviest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can befall thee in this world, Acts 17. 30. The 〈◊〉 of this ignorance God regarded not: they lived in their sins without God, and Christ, and 〈◊〉 , and the Lord never regarded them so as to look after them to recover them out of this estate: Acts 14. 16. He suffered the Nations to walk in their own ways: It was the heavy displeasure of God towards them, he saw they followed their own ways, and he suffered them so to do, to go on still in the broad and the road way that leads to eternal Death: All sinners are sick persons, and we know 〈◊〉 a sad thing, for those that are sick unto death not to be seen, not to be helped and succoured, when the Physician will not so much as look in upon them: Luke 19. 44. Jerusalem had her day of 〈◊〉 ; she was sick at the heart, and God came to 〈◊〉 her, but she would not take his advice, therefore the Lord left her and let her alone; this is a woeful case, when the Lord leaves a sinner to himself and doth not visit him with his saving health, its a sign that he hath no love unto, nor care to do good to such a soul.

Of Trial. Hence we way get undoubted Evidence to ourselves, whether we are yet in our natural condition, or brought out of it, I shall press it only negatively now: Is the day yet to dawn, the hour yet to come, that ever thou didst endeavor to come out of thy natural condition, nay, happily thou never sawest cause why thou shouldest? But thou 〈◊〉 and conceivest that all things remain alike with thee from the first beginning unto this day: as thou wast, thou art: thou hast lived quietly, and walked comfortably all thy life long. Truly know it if thou art not another man than when thou camest into the world, thou art but a natural man, thou art but a damned man. Thou camest flesh and blood into the world; thou camest a Child of wrath, and thou art so still; and if so be thou doest live so, and die so, thou art sure to be damned for ever, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 15. 50. We know says the Apostle that we are born of God, and the world lies in wickedness, 1 Joh. 5. 19. Brought to bed in 〈◊〉 as the Original says, thou art one that livest in some base wicked courses, and liest in the bed of security, and thou shalt perish with the world. Its observable in the Parable, when all things were at peace, the strong man kept the house, that's certain! As its said of the City of Laish, Judge. 18. 7. They were quiet and secure and had no business with any man: Is it so with thee? Thou art quiet and secure, and hast no business with the Word of God, thou dost come, and sit, and return again as if thou hadst no business with the Lord, thy Conscience not convinced, thy affections not stirred, thy heart not affected with saving remorse for thy sinful condition, truly know, The strong man keeps house there unto this day.

Nay, Let me tell you this, That all may hear and fear, and be awakened; if Christ never awaken thee, he will never give thee light; and if ever he give thee light, he will awaken thee first. Nay, the truth is, So long as thou livest so senseless and careless, know it, Christ never came into the world to do thee any good. Luke 19. 10. The Son of man came to seek, and to save that which is lost: They that are sensible of their lost and undone condition, by reason of their sins against the Lord, they see Hell gaping, God plaguing, and Conscience accusing, being every day ready to drop into Hell, Christ came to save such: But thou that never yet in any measure wast troubled about thy condition, and humbled for thy sins, Christ will never seek thee, nor save thee; nay, he was not sent to seek, or save that miserable soul of thine: God will make thee sensible of thy evils before ever thou canst have any hope that he intends good to thee.

I will not now Dispute how far God may awaken a man, and yet not communicate saving grace, that belongs to another place. That I Urge now, is this, That its certain, He that never yet was awakened, or brought out of his carnal Security, never was nor can be made partaker of Jesus Christ.

Exhortation. To all you secure dead hearted sinners, that have been carried on in a Calm all your days: Oh! know it, and consider of it, a man becalmed, is drowned; 〈◊〉 stir up thyself, and think of the time of awakening, it will come; and as Mariners becalmed seek for winds, so should you for the Gales and Breathings of the Spirit of Christ. Many of you have been 〈◊〉 up in good Families, and many of you are civil, honest, quiet people, all things remain with you as they were from the first, until now; you know not what Sin means, nor what Faith and Repentance means in the power and practice of them; you have a quiet life, but a miserable life: Its easy for a Mariner to be in a Calm at Sea, he hath quiet there, but he dies there: Women in Child-birth longs for Throws, if their Throws leaves them, their life leaves them and all; but if they have many and strong Throws, then they hope well: so go your ways and call 〈◊〉 the Throws of Conversation: For a Child to be born into the world, and the Mother asleep, its against Nature, and Reason, and Sense, and Experience and all; so before ever you be born again, before ever Christ be formed in you, it will cost you many Prayers, and Tears, and much Sorrow; but if 〈◊〉 Throws come thick, then there is hope: Oh! therefore call for the sight of sin, and sorrow for sin, for conviction, and humiliation, as you love your Lives and Souls call for these. You know what they said to 〈◊〉 , Chap. 1. 6. when the Sea was fierce, and the Winds high, and the Storm great, every man fell to his Prayers, and they came to Jonab, 〈◊〉 thou sluggard, arise and call upon thy God: So if God raise a storm in your Consciences, be sure you call upon Jonab, those sluggish hearts of yours, Awake and call upon your God.

I would advise those men that could never yet say they have any grace in their hearts, they cannot say they have anything more than they brought with them into the world: they come to sit and hear, but for Humiliation, Conversion, for the saving work of God upon their souls they know no such thing. Let me advise you thus much: Be suspicious of your estates, certainly all is not well, all is not right; unless I be born again, and repent, and be another man, and have another heart and life, I cannot enter into Heaven; thus suspect yourself: And when you have done so, do not leave it there, but betake yourself to some faithful Minister or Christian, and debate your condition with them, and be sure you quiet not yourself till you come to see what you are; it may be they may help you, and show you the state of things with you.

If it shall appear upon good ground by sound Reasons from the Word, that your estate is naught, then go away convictedly 〈◊〉 it is so: Attend not those carnal Reasons that may take off the edge of that conviction, and hinder the working of it, but sit down without any cavil against it; but say, the truth is, I never saw my estate before, but now I do, I hope I shall never deny it; Excuses and carnal Reasons have taken me aside, but now I will hear nothing against it; the truth is, I am a miserable sinful damned Creature: Arise with this in the morning, 〈◊〉 , lie down with this at night, and walk with these thoughts all the day long, I am a Christless graceless man; and if the Devil say, hereafter time enough, hereafter loon enough; Ay, but say, I may die suddenly, and 〈◊〉 I am damned eternally; and if your own heart say, Am not I as good as such an one? and shall not I hope to do as well as such an one? Away with that too, I am a miserable damned man, give yourself for gone, and hold it here; 〈◊〉 hear nothing the Devil says that my heart says, that the world or my friends say, I am in a miserable damned condition; think so, and sleep so, and 〈◊〉 so, if you can: And when it's come to this, you may happily be prepared for the glad Tidings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

BOOK VII.

WE heard there were three Particulars wherein the Dispensation and God's Manner of working upon the soul when he will prepare it for himself was discovered.

• 1 The Soul Naturally is settled in the security of a sinful estate. And of that before.
• 2 That being thus lodged in his lust, and brought 〈◊〉 bed in his sinful distempers, it's wholly unwilling to be severed from them.
• 3 By a holy kind of Violence (as it were) the soul is driven out of this condition, and drawn 〈◊〉 the Lord Christ by God the Father.

We are now to attend the discovery of this second Divine Truth; the Explication whereof makes way for the mysterious manner of God's dealing with the sinner when he would bring him from under the power 〈◊〉 of his lusts. And for this purpose we have chosen this Text, as that which will afford us foothold for our following discourse.

The Aim and Scope of the Words is by force of Argument to fortify the conclusion formerly expressed in the foregoing verse, i. e. To mind the things of the flesh, is death, which is thus proved: That which is Enmity against God, will undoubtedly bring death, as opposing the God of Life and Comfort, but the wisdom of the flesh, is enmity against God, therefore to mind this, or to be led by this, is present death: The minor is thus again confirmed, because it submits not to the Law, and that is not for a present push only, and out of a surprisal of some temptation, but it's certain it will never, nay, it can never be other, because it's beyond its power, nay, cross to its Nature so to do, so that it hath no ability nor will for to do it, nor can it of itself attain any sufficiency thereunto.

To make way for the collection of the Point of which we purpose to speak, there be two words in the Text to be attended for Explication sake.

1 What is meant by The Wisdom of the flesh, or to be Carnally minded: The Original word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is of large compass, and in truth comprehends in this place the frame of the Reasonable Faculties, the Understanding and Will in the extent of their full work, what he understands and plots by Reason, the Will effects, and this latter of necessity implies the other, for so the word whence it comes is taken.

• 1 For the work of the Understanding, Acts, 28. 22. We desire to know what thou thinkest: they would understand his Opinion and Judgment touching the way of Christianity, so the Apostle speaks when he would confine our Reason to the compass of the Wisdom of the Scripture, and God's Counsel therein revealed; he adviseth, We should not be wise above that which is written, 1 Cor. 4. 6.
• 2 Again, It's used, and that often, to express the work of the Will, and therefore it is 〈◊〉 translated by Care, Phil. 4. 10. I rejoiced that your Care of me again flourisheth: Somtimes by the work of Seeking, If ye be risen with Christ, 〈◊〉 those things which are above, 3. Col. 1. Or by the act of tasting or savouring, Mat. 16. 21. Get thee behind me Satan, thou savorest not the things 〈◊〉 be of God: And therefore Beza is constrained to Paraphrase, and lay out the compass of it in a 〈◊〉 of words: That which the carnal man savors, is enmity, that is the frame of the plotting of the minds and affecting of the hearts of carnal men is enmity against God.

2 Enmity, as we say in the abstract, made up of nothing but malice and hatred, and that in an extreme manner against the Lord, more than against anything in the world: And if it be inquired, how that doth appear, and can be proved? The Evidence is added in the next words; It is not subject to the Law: As the heart is to the Law, so it is to the Lord; as it is to the Word of God, so it is to God himself. It wholly shakes off the Sovereignty and Authority of the Law; and it is not a pang only of a temptation that carries it, nor a push or 〈◊〉 of some present infirmity that overbears it, but in truth it is the very Nature of a naughty and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; That which is born of the flesh is flesh, John, 3. 6. and nothing else but 〈◊〉 , and therefore it can do nothing but oppose the Spirit, and the Law which is Spiritual; everything will do, and in 〈◊〉 can do no 〈◊〉 but its Nature. And this denial 〈◊〉 only of the Act of Subjection, but the very Power of Subjection shows the height of that opposition, that is in the heart against the Law, and so against 〈◊〉 Lord himself, for subjection is one degree lower 〈◊〉 obedience; it's possible for a Servant not to 〈◊〉 the command of his Master, and yet he may in 〈◊〉 and subjection submit himself to his authority, to bear what he will inflict upon him with 〈◊〉 , though not to do what he requires of him: A Patient may be subject in silence and meekness to 〈◊〉 the launcings of the Surgeon, to cut him and so cure him when he can in no wise help 〈◊〉 : and yet a carnal heart will not do this, for his 〈◊〉 of subjection implies.

• 1 It doth not acknowledge the Authority and 〈◊〉 of the Law.
• 2 It will not obey the Rule of it.
• 3 It will not bear the Power of it; whereby it would redress the sinfulness of our hearts, and reform the disorders and miscarriages of our lives, and pluck away that sin from us that would pluck away our hearts from God. He hath no right to challenge 〈◊〉 sovereignty, no reason to exercise it, no Lawful power but usurped that doth maintain it; and 〈◊〉 I do not acknowledge this right, nor obey that Rule, nor bear that Power says the Will, it would take away my lusts, and so take away my content 〈◊〉 life, and I will rather die than yield, rather be 〈◊〉 than abide my pleasing distempers to be crossed by the Law. Hence then the Point is plain.

The frame of the whole heart of a Natural man, is wholly unwilling to submit to the Work of the Lord that would sever him from his sins.

I say the frame of the whole man, to the words of the Text, and interpretation of them, each plotting of the Mind, each affecting of the Will, the 〈◊〉 current of the carriage of the inward man; and 〈◊〉 is not only unable to follow the direction of the Law and of the Lord, but not willing to bear the power thereof, to force it to the reformation of those 〈◊〉 and sins unto which it subjects itself, and sets itself resolutely to keep. So the Lord professed of Nimrod and his company when they had set themselves upon the building of Babel, out of their pride and self confidence, Gen. 11. 6. Now nothing will 〈◊〉 restrained from them which they have imagined to do, let us go down and confound their Language: It's in vain to persuade them, in vain to send Messengers and show Arguments never so sad and weighty to stop them, only confound their language that they may not be able to do what they would. It's the Scope of that Parable, Matth. 21. from 33. to 41. wherein the waywardness of the hearts of the sons of men, and their desperate unteachableness is apparently discovered: Messenger is sent after Messenger, all variety of means provided and continued, they beat one, evil entreat another, slay a third; and when the Son himself is sent, that Reason would have concluded that which the Master of the Vineyard conceived, they will reverence my Son; they were most outrageous against him, because happily he was more instant and importunate, to press them to Sanctification, the rendering of the fruit (your fruit in Holiness, and the end eternal Life, Rom. 6. 22.) they express greater opposition against him because he most of all opposed their sins, Come, say they, this is the Heir, let us kill him, and the Inheritance will be ours. Nor was this the guise of some graceless forlorn persons, but the disposition of all men; it's part of that Curse we inherit from the Loins 〈◊〉 our first Parents, Gen. 6. 5. The frame of the imagination of our hearts are evil, and only evil, and that continually: It's part of that Image received from the first Adam, and that Seed of wickedness in which we were warmed, which was born with us, and grows up with us, and will go to our graves with us, and to Hell afterwards unless the Lord relieve and deliver. And therefore 〈◊〉 expresseth the Pedegree of this perverseness of Spirit, Acts, 7. 51. Ye stiff-necked and hard-hearted, ye have ever resisted the Spirit of God, as your Father did, so do ye.

See this unwillingness expressing itself in the several degrees of it.

A carnal heart is unwilling to make out after the [ 1] discovery of the Truth, and like Bats, live most at ease when they have least light, fly abroad in the night: the less knowledge they have, the less trouble they find, and therefore they are willing to make no enquiry to know that they are not willing to do: Rom. 3. 11. It's one part of the description of a Natural man's condition, There is none that understands, none that seeks after God: or if they do sometimes seem to express some pains this way, to seek after the Truth, it is as a Coward pursues his enemy: he is afraid to find, and therefore keeps aloof off, not willing to take notice of that which may be troublesome, and therefore looks after that which least concerns him, for the rest, he lets it lie by; 2 Pet. 3. 3. They are willingly ignorant, content not to know, that which they will not do if they did know.

If yet the Lord bring home wholesome Counsels [ 2] and Directions even to their doors sends out the light of his Truth by the Ministry of his faithful Servants, to shine in their faces, and the sound thereof to beat in his Ears, they are loath to hear of the Ear, Ioth to show their unfeigned acceptance, and readiness of Spirit to take acquaintance of the Truth: As you may have seen sometimes a Churl, when he hath seen somebody coming that might happily have deserved entertainment, and the Law of Honesty and common Humanity might have caused him to lodge them, he presently slips aside and turns away, that he may not meet them, and see them, and salute them, lest he be forced to receive them: So these men when they perceive the evidence of some troublesome Truths are like to meet with them in the mouth (as we say) they are-not able to avoid the power of them, and yet not able to take up the practice of them, like troublesome guests put them to charges, and lie heavy upon them, they are desirous to make an escape from the power of such Arguments, play least in sight, and loath they are to meet a Truth that comes attended with constraining Reasons, Job, 22. 14. They say to the Almighty depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy 〈◊〉 : yea, Isa. 30. 10, 11. They say to the Seers, see not, and to the Prophets, 〈◊〉 not, cause the holy One of Israel to cease from us: the presence of the Truth is marvelous grievous, they look at it as an overpassing burden, as he of Elias, Hast thou found me O 〈◊〉 Enemy? Were it not for shame they could be willingly content to give a Discharge, and Pass, for its departure; as he to Amos, chap. 7. ver. 12. 〈◊〉 away to thy own Country and prophesy there.

If yet the Lord will continue the Truth, and him [ 3] under it, he begins to clip the wings of the Truth, and breaks as it were the strength of the blow, that it may not enter so deep, to the dividing of the Marrow and the 〈◊〉 , and take away such secret and sweeter evils, stops as it were the passage of the Truth, that it cannot proceed so far, and prevail so much as it would: they will keep the truth in a 〈◊〉 as we 〈◊〉 prisoners at a door, look abroad, but not at liberty; so they are not willing the Truth should be at liberty; as they dealt with our Savior, he made as though he would have gone further, but they 〈◊〉 him, and as it were withheld him by force: So men deal with the Truth which is of a large extent, and would go through a man's life in his several occasions, these men are not willing to serve the Truth, but make it serve 〈◊〉 , and their turns: Thus many hold General Rules, but bring such down to Particular Practices, in the several Branches, there they are not willing the jurisdiction of the Truth should extend so far: Thus corrupt hearts deal with the Truth, as sick men of weak and 〈◊〉 ick eyes deal with the light, some light they would have, but to have it come clearly and 〈◊〉 upon them, they are not able to brook that, therefore they say, draw the Curtain, there the Sun comes full in mine eyes; 〈◊〉 not drunk with Wine wherein is excest, Eph. 〈◊〉 . 18. they yield to the Evidence of the Text, and letter of the Scripture, therefore be not drunk with the world, do not affect that too much, 〈◊〉 stay there. To take and deta in another man's goods is open theft 〈◊〉 the acknowledgment of all, Thou shalt not steal; therefore to Covenant, and not to keep; to borrow, and not to return; to owe, and not to pay, is 〈◊〉 detain that which is not 〈◊〉 , therefore it's 〈◊〉 theft; 〈◊〉 , draw the Curtain, 〈◊〉 the Sun 〈◊〉 full in my face, Deut. 12. 31. Thou shalt not worship the Lord thy God as the Heathen Idolaters, 〈◊〉 the Truth have his full scope now, therefore not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; 〈◊〉 , draw the Curtain a little 〈◊〉 that way: Fashion not yourselves according to the world, Rom. 12. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in loose locks and long Hair, therefore not in your Garments neither, why should you imitate their vanity in the one, or in the other, since both are worldly?

If yet the Power of the Truth, and the evidence of [ 4] the Argument take off all these pretences, and would seem to compel the Judgment, then a corrupt heart calls in all Forces, leavies new Armies of Arguments to maintain its own Station, and withstand the 〈◊〉 , and therefore though the thing be plain, and be see it, yet he will not be satisfied, but seeks 〈◊〉 as hoping to 〈◊〉 some Dispensation for itself, or some evasion out of the Word; Numb. 23. Balaam consults again with God after he sufficiently understood the mind of God. Now therefore I pray you stay with me this night that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more: why, he knew before, and the Lord had told him plainly, 〈◊〉 shalt not go, thou shalt not curse; he well understood God's mind, but he would have had him of another mind; therefore he devises ways still to try, verse 14. here he must have seven Altars; if he might bribe God with his Sacrifices to give him leave to go and curse them. But if he can find no allowance to dispense with the Truth, then he begins to invent Cavils and carnal Reasonings against it: he cannot get it by running, he will get it (if he can) by doubling; he is not willing to yield, therefore is resolved to quarrel and wind away from under the force of the Argument, and to make an escape, Acts, 17. 18. They encountered Paul, they came into the field with Cavils against his Doctrine: observe how careful an unwilling heart is to invent a shift, and how content to take it; and if yet he fail of his hopes, and is not able to make his party good with the 〈◊〉 , he unlocks all the Devils Chests, and 〈◊〉 his Skul for devices; and though the Reasons be of no weight nor worth, nor strength, yet he is well 〈◊〉 to be cozened with them, though there be scant any appearance of a pretence, when the young man had professed all readiness to follow the Command of the Lord, and saw nothing would serve turn unless he sold all, overpowered with the Authority of the Truth, he left it in the plain field, and went away sorrowful.

If yet the 〈◊〉 that's rivetted in his resolution to [ 5] hold his own, cannot 〈◊〉 the Truth, then he falls to flat opposing of it, Jer. 44. 16. As for the word which 〈◊〉 hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken to it; that is the short and the long: they then begun to be plain and peremptory, Jer. 18. 12. They said there is no 〈◊〉 , but we will do after our devices, and we will walk every man after the imagination of his own heart. If they cannot undo the Bonds, they will break the Bonds of God's Commands, Come (say they 〈◊〉 . 2. 2.) let us break 〈◊〉 Bonds, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their cords from us: Thus the Jews when they saw the Word of the Lord to prosper in the 〈◊〉 of Paul and 〈◊〉 , they were filled 〈◊〉 envy, and 〈◊〉 against those things that were spoken by Paul, contradicting and 〈◊〉 ; in so much that Paul professed they put away the 〈◊〉 that would have plucked away their sins 〈◊〉 them, Acts, 13. 46. John must 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 rather than Herod will part with his Harlot: When 〈◊〉 cannot get leave of God to do what he desired, he goes without leave, Numb. 24. 1. he 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 , as if he would prevent God's 〈◊〉 , and curse 〈◊〉 before God 〈◊〉 be aware of it. To have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tormented and kept upon the 〈◊〉 , and themselves crossed in their corrupt courses, so that either they dare not keep their lusts, or else have no quiet if they do, they fly in the face of the Truth, it's a hard saying, who can hear it? who can 〈◊〉 it? Acts, 19. 28. see what an uproar, and what a dust Demetrius raiseth against Paul's Doctrine: Masters, you know, that by this craft we get our living; therefore what they wanted in Argument, they would carry it in clamors, There was an 〈◊〉 for the space of two hours, Great is Diana of the Ephesians: So they dealt with the two 〈◊〉 , Revel. 11. 10. they were never content before they were removed, they could not have their 〈◊〉 in quiet, as long as they had their lives, for they tormented them with their witness: the Truth is dreadful, and torments carnal men, that cannot bear the light and power of it.

If yet the Conscience be not seared with a hot Iron, [ 6] but there remain any sense of common Principles in it, they will be daily quickened and awakened by the Power of the Word: and that will be daily vexing, provoking, and pressing the heart; you know, says Conscience, this is the Command, your Duty, and will be your Comfort to yield obedience thereunto; you may oppose, but you will perish for it; you may do what you please, but it will be your destruction, God will require it at your hands when you will not be able to answer for what you have done, nor bear what God will inflict. The 〈◊〉 then endeavors to still the clamors, and to stop the mouth of Conscience, and to weary it out 〈◊〉 impudency in wickedness, and stifling the 〈◊〉 of it, and not suffer it to take place, and so by custom in sinning, he takes away the sense of sin, and so it befalls them as those the Apostle speaks of, they become past feeling, Eph. 4. 19. This is to hold 〈◊〉 the Truth in unrighteousness, Rom. 1. 18. Truth is pressing, this ought, this should, this must be done, or else you die for it; you see the Word pregnant, the way plain, the Duty undeniable; say nothing says unrighteousness in the heart, I do love it, I must follow it, therefore speak not a word more, I cannot hear it, nor bear it, as they said Judge. 18. 25. when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after them for his gods, Let not thy voice be heard amongst us, left angry fellows fall upon thee: Thus you see how this unwillingness to be subject to the Truth shows itself. They seek it not, receive it not, stop the passage of it, defeat the Power and Evidence of it, they professedly oppose it, and privily stifle the 〈◊〉 of the Truth which may trouble them in sinning, until their 〈◊〉 be without sense, and they without care, or purpose to reform their evil ways.

But are not the wicked many times willing to part with their corruptions? see how far they speak, how freely they profess, Deut. 5. 27. All that thou hast spoken, we will do. Jer. 42. 5. The Lord be Judge 〈◊〉 thee and us, inquire at the mouth of the Lord for us, and whatever it be, whether good or evil, we will do it: what more can be desired? what more could be expressed?

I Answer in Three Things.

The Text denies not, nor doth the Doctrine, that [ 1] Natural men are willing to profess subjection to the Law of God: but that they neither do, nor can, nor will do what they say, therefore it is added in Deut. 5. 28, 29. This People have said well, but O that there were such a heart in them; there was good words, but they wanted good hearts, they said well, but their wills and endeavors were not answerable, they professed fair with their lips, but dissembled with their hearts, so the Prophet Jeremiah told them to their faces, Ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye said inquire of the Lord for us, Jer. 42. 20.

It's possible, nay ordinary for a corrupt heart [ 2] when it doth most reform sin outwardly, then most of all to love, and to give himself to the practice of some sin secretly; because then all the streams are turned into one Channel, he neglects all other that he may wholly bestow and lay out his heart upon that one; and when he professeth against sin, he conceives he may sin without suspicion, and distraction, without suspicion from others, and without distraction in himself, when by confessions and reformations, he will put in Bail upon his Conscience, and agree with it as Bankrupts use to do with their Creditors.

When it co nes to a straight and a justle, that the [ 3] Word meets him (as the Angel met Balaam) he cannot pass unless he part with his beloved lust, his Isaac, his 〈◊〉 , his 〈◊〉 , he will then show and discover his falseness.

But are not the Servants of the Lord many times unwilling to bid adieu to their special and ancient 〈◊〉 , that have been bred and born with them, brought up and lived with them a long time together?

There is two men in a regenerate man, a heart and a heart, a will and a will, Rom. 7. last, Paul delighted in the Law of God after the inward man, but in his lust after the corrupt man; With my mind I serve the Law of God (says he) but with my 〈◊〉 the Law of Sin; or as our Savior, The Spirit 〈◊〉 willing, but the Flesh is weak, Matth. 26. 41. the spiritual part is ever pressed, and ready, and wholly willing for good, for he that is born of God so, sins not, and Paul professeth, it's not I, but sin in me; but says he, The good that I would, I do not, and the evil that I would not, that I do, Rom. 7. 18. still the heart and will of a regenerate man stands Godward, against every sin, and for every good that he is convinced of.

The Reasons of the Point are Four, and they are of great weight.

The First is taken from the Nature of the Will of man, which since the Fall, is wholly tainted, and totally infected with corruption, which universally overspreads the whole man; As he in another case, the whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint, the whole man wholly possessed with sin, no sound part: As Jobs contagion wherewith the Devil infected his Body and Natural man, he was all one botch from the crown of the head, to the sole of the foot: So in regard of thr Spiritual man, the whole man is as it were a man of sin, called therefore the old man, Eph. 4. 22. As though a corrupt heart were made up of nothing else but Apostacies, backslidings, and departings from God, and swervings from his righteous Law, Whatsoever is born of the flesh, is flesh, that is sinful and sensual, and we are all of us altogether so born, and have nothing of the Spirit of Grace in us; so the Apostle Jude, verse 19. These are sensual, having not the spirit: The Sons of Adam are (all of us) partakers of his Image, and hence also called the Seed of the Serpent, Gen. 3. 15. that as each Creature and Plant answers the Seed whereof it is made, hath no more in it but that; so men's hearts are only framed and constituted out of that corrupt 〈◊〉 whereby Satan carried aside our first Parents, Paul so professeth of himself, In me ( 〈◊〉 is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing, Rom. 7. 11. nothing that is spiritually, savingly, and 〈◊〉 good; and therefore in the old Law, our corrupt Nature is signified by the Leprosy, which overspread the whole man: The sin of Adam had in it this peculiar to itself more than any, nay, I may 〈◊〉 say more than all the sins that ever was committed, in that it was the Deordination of the whole Nature of man, and that against the whole Law of God. For Adam did not sin as a particular man (so as all the Sons of Adam do sin) but as a common stock, as one who was in the room of all, and had the Human Nature as the common stock of all Man-kind; so that the Nature of Man, as one would say Humanity in Adam, as it was under the Covenant of the Law, so it went wholly against the holy and righteous Law of God, and therefore the whole Nature of man broke when it made a breach upon the Law: As he that justles his finger against a rock breaks that only, he that runs his hand unjoynts that; but if all the whole body fall from a steep place upon it, it breaks all the whole frame of Nature in pieces: So it is comparatively between the sin of Adam, and the sin of any of the sons of Adam: They sin personally; one is unjust, and he makes a breach against Justice, and so far that disposition of heart is perverted, and so unfitted for the work of Justice; but in Adam the whole Nature of Mind, and Will, and Affections, which was the subject of all Grace, it comes against the Law, and so brings a ruin upon the whole Frame of Grace? Ad hereunto (to make up the Evidence) that this was indeed against the whole Law; as that wherein he neither loved God nor himself, nor 〈◊〉 neighbor: But take it here, he made a breach upon the seal of the Covenant, and trampled that underfoot, and so consequently made void and 〈◊〉 upon the Covenant wholly, and cast it behind his back as not worth caring for: Now Reason 〈◊〉 that as the Seal confirms and ratifies the 〈◊〉 , and all the Conditions of it jointly, so the 〈◊〉 of that nullifies and makes void the whole Covenant. So that this transgression of Adam let 〈◊〉 a Deluge of Sin, that as in Noah's Flood when the Windows of Heaven were opened, and the great depths were broken up, the waters covered the face of the whole Earth that no dry Land appeared: So 〈◊〉 is here, when the deeps are broken up (as it were) the whole Law opposed by the whole Nature of man, the Deluge of corruption spreads itself over the whole face and frame of Nature: Therefore the Apostle first Summarily gives in his Judgment, in the 3. to the Romans, the 9. verse, That all are under sin: And then Particularly, They are all become abominable, there is none that doth good, no not one, their throat is an open Sepulcher, vents nothing but venomous steams of deadly distempers; the poison of Asps is under their tongues, their feet swift to shed blood, 12, 13, 14, 15. verse. And if all the Parts be such, what is the heart within that acts all, vents all, fills all these? That as it befell the Temple of Jerusalem, after the destruction of it, there was not a stone left upon a stone; so with the soul in regard of that glorious frame of Grace which was in it in the first Creation, there is not a stone left upon a stone; nothing but pollution and corruption remains in the whole Nature of every man.

But you will say, Are there no Relics left of that glorious Image of God in the Will and Understanding?

There is something left of the Law, but nothing left whereby a man can be enabled to do anything as an act of Spiritual Life that may be acceptable to God: In a word, there are these Two things to be attended, and may be observed in every man naturally at the lowest and the worst (as I look at these poor Indians, amongst whom we live, as the very ruins and rubbish of mankind, the forlorn Posterity of Adam.) 1 They are made for another, and for a better. 2 They ought to yield obedience to that other, and better: But to know the Will of God and do it, to be able to close with God, and to do that which is acceptable unto him, this is far estranged from all the sons of men by nature. If a man came where the Temple of Jerusalem was, and saw some ruins of the Buildings, and the rubbish of it, he would say, This was a glorious Temple, and here was the holy of holies, and it was thus, and so specious and beautiful, though it be not so now: So when we look upon the rubbish of the Image of lost Adam, we may say so, and conclude so, There was a glorious Image of God here, and by that which is left, we may see, That man is made for another, and a better; for this man Rules all the Creatures, they all serve him, and therefore he should serve another and a better; the whole frame of the soul tells a man this: But to have any ability to close with God, and to be subject to him, that is not to be found in the nature of lost man.

That soul which is wholly acted and carried by the power of sin, is not, cannot be willing to be severed from it, But so it is with the soul. That's the first Reason.

The Second Reason is taken from the Revenging Justice of God, which having been dishonored and 〈◊〉 by the sin and Apostasy of Adam, it hath delivered up the soul (according to his just Judgment, and the souls just desert) unto the 〈◊〉 of sin: Thus the Lord rewards man according to his works, and recompenceth his own ways upon his own head. They would none of God, they should none of him then, they would have their sins, and they should have them. And as the Lord 〈◊〉 in another like case, Man receives a righteous and proportionable recompense to his own proceedings.

Adam turned from God to the Creature (there was in his sin, Aversio a Deo & Conversio ad Creaturam) God also turned from him, and left him to the Creature: He would act from himself, and the Lord left him to himself to settle upon the deluded conceit of his own sufficiency. Adam went away from God, God with-drew himself from him, and took away that Wisdom which he despised and would not follow, and took away that Holiness and Righteousness by which he would not be ruled: He plucked his Livery over his ears (as they say) because of his Rebellion and Treachery: Stripped him naked of those glorious Ornaments of his Image, wherewith he had at the first beautified and honored him.

But that's not all.

Adam by his transgression coming in opposition to his Holy and Righteous Will, by the strength of his infinite Justice the Lord pushed him away from him, and delivered him wholly unto the 〈◊〉 and authority of his Apostacies and distempers of his Spirit: As if he had said, Thou wilt not be guided by my Wisdom, but hast followed the temptation of Satan, and thy own device; be thou forever therefore deluded, and blinded; take him Ignorance and Folly, and take possession of him forever: Thou wilt not be Ruled and Governed by my Holy and Just Will, be thou forever therefore perverted, and led captive, by the way ward stubbornness and Rebellion of thine own Will, take him perverseness and stiffness of Spirit, and take possession of him forever: Thus Sin comes armed with Commission from Divine Justice, to do what it will, and wholly to captivate the soul unto itself: Thus it is said, God made man right, fitted for himself and his righteous Will, and ready to be acted by it; and while he had gone under the stream of his Providence, he should have hit the right way, and arrived at the right end. But he found out many inventions, He would not follow God's invention and the way that he had found out, that he might have found rest and peace in himself, for peace shall be upon all those that walk according to this Rule, Gal. 6. 16. But he found out many findings, ways of his own fancying, and finding; and God fills him full of these findings and devices of his; and hence it is that each man is led by his own self-deluding spirit to his own end.

It was a deep and a sweet Speculation of Austin, It was in the power of the mutability of Adams Will, to have used his Will either well or ill, God would not hinder him and his work, and no Creature could hinder him: and because he did use this liberty and mutability ill, therefore God put him under the power of that perverted mutability 〈◊〉 he never should, nor could do anything but evil. It was not a fault to be mutable, had he kept himself under the stream of God's holy and 〈◊〉 will, he had never been hurt; but he that will pervert his own mutability to go against the Law, he shall ever be perverted by it. This is the full and proper meaning of that Text, which carries a mysterious 〈◊〉 with it, Rom. 7. 8. Sin taking occasion by the Commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, for without the Law sin was dead: Namely, when Adam went against the Law (and to God's Justice) the Lord by an Almighty revenging act of Justice, in way of contrary, broke him in 〈◊〉 , turned him aside, pushed him away from him, bad his blindness and stubbornness take full Commission, and exercise Authority over him forever: Sin takes this occasion, steps in, and while God is pushing of him away, takes advantage, and carries headlong the sinner from God, to act all manner of evil upon all 〈◊〉 . Hither belongs that also, Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have 〈◊〉 over you, because you are not under the law, but under Grace: that is, You are not under the Covenant of the Law broken, for that gives Commission to sin to exercise sovereign Jurisdiction over the Sinner.

The Glass that is brittle, yet doth not break; 〈◊〉 doth not prevail against it while it is in a man's 〈◊〉 and kept from harm, but if it fall against a stone, the hardness of the stone severs the parts of it, brittleness takes occasion by that blow, and steps in and shatters it all in pieces: It breaks because brittle, for things that are not such, though they do fall, do not break; but that would not domineer & prevail but because of that blow: so it was with Adam, a glassie 〈◊〉 , a mutable man, he falling against the Law; that opposing, pusheth him aside and delivers him up to the power of his corruptions, and they have dominion over him by reason of that act of the Law delivering him up to his sins. 〈◊〉 is also the meaning of that place, 1 Cor. 15. 56. The strength of sin is the Law: Sin is as strong as the provoking and opposing power of the Law, for it falls in with it, and takes occasion to act the soul by it; and hence it is you shall ever find it, so far as we act by our own principles as under a Covenant of works, so far sin ever prevails. This lastly is the meaning of that text, Rom. 7. 6. wherein a man is said to be married to his sin, for the comparison holds. As long as the Husband lives, so long the Wife is bound, and is subject to him: so while we remain in our natural condition, under the Covenant of Works, we are in Covenant with our sins, and married to them so, that we cannot be to any other, we are hand-fasted and cannot part. 1 Sin claims a propriety in the soul. 2 Takes possession of it. 3 It wholly orders and acts it. (as the woman hath not power over herself but the man) On the 〈◊〉 side the Soul 1 Gives itself away to it. 2 Submits to the authority of it. And, 3 Is wholly acted by it.

Therefore it is, That they that are in the flesh cannot please God, Rom. 8. 8. The act of Sin cannot please, but the Spiritual 〈◊〉 of the Soul is acted by Sin; therefore it cannot please God while a man is in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .

This KEY will Open many Doors.

Hence it follows, Original Sin is not a mere Privarion, [ 1] or want of Original Righteousness, but an active 〈◊〉 , or running wrong of all (the wheels) the Faculties of the Soul of man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only take away his Image, but 〈◊〉 up the soul to the power of Corruption, and 〈◊〉 its discovered by the actions of Fighting, 〈◊〉 . 5. 7. The Flesh lusts against the Spirit. 〈◊〉 , Rom. 7. 21. The Law of Flesh 〈◊〉 against the law of my mind, captivating the 〈◊〉 , erecting and setting up a sovereignty, and height 〈◊〉 jurisdiction in the soul, there is a law of sin and 〈◊〉 , Rom. 8. 2.

As Adam actually by his own Fault and Folly [ 2] 〈◊〉 away the Holiness and Righteousness of God: 〈◊〉 himself to the sinful distemper of his own 〈◊〉 , so he doth also Meritoriously work, i. e. by 〈◊〉 sin deserve that God should take away the one, 〈◊〉 deliver up to the power of the other: And if 〈◊〉 , then also Actually; for to work a 〈◊〉 meritoriously, is so to do a thing according to 〈◊〉 of Covenant our selves, and that we should 〈◊〉 another should do to us, or for us, what is suitable 〈◊〉 the Covenant either broken or kept. In a word, As Adam works his own death by 〈◊〉 , so also 〈◊〉 procures both the loss of the Image of God, & the 〈◊〉 of Corruption to take possession of him and 〈◊〉 , for both these are included in that, Thy 〈◊〉 is of thyself, Oh Israel, Hos. 13. 9.

Hence also it comes about, That the law is the [ 3] 〈◊〉 of sin, 1 Cor. 15. 56. and sin as strong as the Law, because the Law of God gives 〈◊〉 to sinful distempers to take possession of it. So 〈◊〉 look what power the Kings Commission is of in 〈◊〉 hand of the High Sheriff, the same power hath 〈◊〉 Sheriff when he hath that Commission. So look what strength there is in the Commission from Divine Justice, the same strength sin hath, which hath that Commission.

Hence again, All sins Original and Actual which [ 4] follow therefrom, are punishments of the 〈◊〉 of Adam, as they come from God: Its 〈◊〉 with God, That he that will reject his Wisdom 〈◊〉 Holiness, should be deprived of it: its just, that 〈◊〉 that will choose his own Delusions and 〈◊〉 before God's directions and Covenant, should be delivered up to the power of them, and staked 〈◊〉 in them. Thou wouldst be so, why remain so 〈◊〉 : And every putting forth of Original Corruption takes occasion from this act of revenging 〈◊〉 pushing the soul away from him: But as they 〈◊〉 from Adam, so they are sins properly called. For Adam doth not properly punish himself, he 〈◊〉 not the execution of any act of Justice, 〈◊〉 is it 〈◊〉 that he doth evil, but it is his delight, 〈◊〉 takes content therein, even to depart from God, which is the sentence of the second Death.

Hence lastly, There is no possibility that a 〈◊〉 [ 5] should be recovered by any power he hath, or by 〈◊〉 virtue of any Creature, to deliver the will of a 〈◊〉 from under the power of his sin, or from 〈◊〉 carried with it: Because he is sealed up under 〈◊〉 by the Curse of the Covenant broken, and the 〈◊〉 of it in a righteous Course: For as 〈◊〉 could be no other reward of a good work, but to 〈◊〉 immutably carried by the Spirit of the Lord, and enabled to work so forever. (We can go no farther than the last end, to please God is the last end 〈◊〉 chief good of the Creature, the immutable 〈◊〉 and constancy in that, is all the good we 〈◊〉 have. Do, and Live: That is, Do and Do; 〈◊〉 me once, and please me forever; that is, Thou shalt be enabled forever to please me, and to be happy in so doing.)

So contrary wise, The Curse of the breach of the Covenant is forever to be acted by the power of sin, 〈◊〉 break it, Do not, and Die: that is, Displease 〈◊〉 by Disobedience and be so accursed, that thou 〈◊〉 ever displease me.

The just punishment which is answerable to our 〈◊〉 of the Lord, and our chief good is, that 〈◊〉 shall ever reject it. For if a man could please God and so 〈◊〉 his end after his Disobedience and 〈◊〉 of Covenant, he might then be happy, and 〈◊〉 be in his sin, and so never be punished for it, which is impossible.

The Sum of this Argument in short returns to thus much, That if the Will of a man be under Commission of. Divine Justice, and is delivered up to 〈◊〉 power of Sin to be possessed of it, and acted by it; therefore it is not, nay, cannot be willing to be 〈◊〉 from its sins.

The Third Reason of the Doctrine, is taken from the Power which Satan hath to lead, and so to 〈◊〉 all sinners wholly according to his own desire, 〈◊〉 the lord hath given him allowance thereunto. As 〈◊〉 said to Satan touching Job, All that he hath is 〈◊〉 thy hand, Job, 2. 6. So all these that will not be my Subjects, but are turned Traitors, lo they be in 〈◊〉 hand, they shall be thy slaves. Thus he rules in the Children of disobedience, Eph. 2. 2. Thus he 〈◊〉 them at his will, 2 Tim. 2. last. He is the strong man that maintains possession in the Soul, and the sinner goes as he is led, 2 Cor. 12. 2. Malefactors are the Kings Prisoners, but under the keeping of the 〈◊〉 : so sinners have their Mittimus, and they are put into Satan's hand, he keeps them in the chayns of 〈◊〉 , and reserves them to the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 day, if they be not rescued out of his hand by Jesus Christ.

The last Reason is taken from the Naturalness and near Alliance there is between our hearts and our lusts, that we count it death to part with them; nay, we cannot be without them: hence in Scripture they are called as the members of our body (Col. 3. 5. mortify your members) and those the dearest and tenderest, the right eye, and the right hand, Mark 9. 43. 47. They are as the skin of our hearts, Jer. 4. 4. circumcise your hearts: They are as ourselves, hence we are commanded to deny ourselves, that is our lusts, Matt. 16. 24. If any man will be my 〈◊〉 , let him deny himself; the old man. Rom. 6. 6. Our old man is crucified: Nay, they are our very lives, 1 Tim. 5. 6. they that live in sin: our very heaven and happiness; the young man went away sorrowful when he should exchange his Possessions for the Kingdom of Heaven: So that first the corrupt Will must cease to be, or else it cannot but be willing to maintain its distempers, for everything labors to preserve itself, for to destroy itself is to be contrary to itself, and therefore the corrupt Will cannot but preserve its Corruption, for it is itself, and it cannot destroy itself. So that now to gather up all,

If the dominion of sin wholly possesseth the soul, the power of Satan wholly leads it, the naturalness of sin wholly contents it; then it is not possible that ever the carnal heart should be willing to part with his Corruptions. Here's a dominion that cannot be gainsaid, a power that cannot be opposed, a contentment that cannot be bettered; therefore there is no other expectation but that the corrupt Will should be unwilling to be severed from its sins.

Hence we may learn: It is the heaviest plague in the world for a natural man to have his own will: It is the direful dread of the vengeance of the Lord when he delivers a man up to the distemper of his own heart, to follow it, and to have it, and to be under the power of it; and that follows thus. To be severed from God, and never to be severed from his sins, is the greatest plague in the world: But 〈◊〉 man naturally will never be severed from his sins, this is the desire of his heart: therefore to have this, is the heaviest plague that can befall a man in this world. As it is in Psal. 81. 11. Israel would none of me, so I gave them up to the lusts of their own hearts, to walk in their own counsels: Is it so? That as they did, thou dost; and as they would, thou wouldst; that thou professedst the same inwardly, I will none of the ways of God, but I will have my own will and my own lusts, then this is the plague of God upon thy soul, thou shalt have thy 〈◊〉 , and Hell with them too; thou shalt have nothing of God, nothing of his Grace here, nor of his Glory hereafter. Hath the Lord so ordered it towards thee, That as its said of David, he never displeased Adonijah, never crossed him of his will, so thou hast had thy will still, and hast prospered in a 〈◊〉 course, this is a sign that God never intends good to thy soul, that he hath thus delivered thee up to the distempers of thy own heart. When Physicians give men for gone, they leave them, and say, Let him eat what he will, if he cal for Milk, or Drink, let him have it, he's but a dead man, live he cannot. Is it so with thee? That God hath given thee over, and left thee to thyself, that now thou hast what thou wilt, and dost what thy corrupt will carries thee to. This is the most dreadful plague of all, Thou dost walk in the counsels of thine own heart, to thy own eternal ruin.

Hence its also clear: The Will of a Natural man is the worst part about him. The worst thing he hath, and the greatest Enemy he hath, is his own Heart and Will. It follows thus, It is that which maintains all the sinful distempers of his soul, it keeps the whole Army of Corruptions all in their Ranks, that Victuals them, and provides for them, that hinders a man from using the means, or from getting good by all the means of Grace: Its the corrupt will of a man that keeps him under the power of his sin, and keeps off the power of an Ordinance, that would procure his everlasting good. I speak it the rather to dash that dream of wickedmen, when they do ill, and speak ill; yet (say they) my heart is good. Its true, I cannot speak so well, nor do so well, nor make such a show as others can, but my desires are good. No truly, If thy Life be naught, thy Heart is worse. Its the worst thing thou hast about thee. Matt. 12. 34, 35. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: And an evil man out of the evil treasure of 〈◊〉 heart brings forth evil things. There is a treasury of evil in thy heart, variety and abundance of wickedness there: The Heart is the storehouse, a man's carriage in his life is but the shop; men do not use to bring out all into their shop, but keep it in their storehouse that is full still: So be it known unto you, you who in your speeches and carriages discover it, you are desperately proud, and worldly, and carnal, and profane; there's a thousand times more of that wickedness in your hearts; there's a treasury, a storehouse of all abominations. Nay, the deceitfulness of the Heart is above all; the masterfulness of the Heart is beyond all that we can conceive: A man may discern a man's life, and perceive what is there suitable, or cross to the Will of God; but the heart is desperate decentful, who can know it? Jer. 17. 9. The Will of Man is uncontrollable. That which the Apostle James speaks of the tongue, That it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison, none can tame it, Jam. 3. 8. It is much more true of the heart, for whatever wickedness is vēted by the tongue, its first in the heart; and its there much more: men may gag a man's mouth, and fetter his hands and feet, but Oh the corrupt will of man, who can restrain that? The truth is, it will stand out against all Reasons and Arguments, and nothing can move the will except God work upon it. As they said, in 1 Sam. 8. 19. When Samuel gave them Reasons against Monarchy; they say not, Your Reasons are not good, we will Answer them, and bring better Reasons for what we desire; No, but we will have a King. And as the Lord says to the House of Israel, Ezek. 33. 11. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, why will you die? Give me the reason of it: It is not my will you should die, I forbid it; its not suitable to reason, that gain-say it; its not agreeable to nature that abhors it, to have your sins, and to have the plagues of them forever: nay, but we will have our sins whatever come of it. This is the nature of the Corrupt will of every carnal man.

Hence again we may see how cross to Reason and common sense the corrupt carriage of ungodly men is, when they be left to their own wills: we look at it, not as a part of weakness, but a madness in truth; if a Malefactor will lie in the Dungeon, when means of deliverances is afforded; for a man to choose his fetters, and to keep on his chains and bolts, when he may be freed: yet this is the case and condition, yea the disposition of men who are not willing to be severed from their sins, nor to be set free from those chains of darkness wherewith they are fettered, and go up and down imprisoned in the world. Sin is compared to a deadly poison; the poison of Asps is under their tongue, Rom. 3. 13. that is, Such 〈◊〉 which is deadly and venomous which admits no remedy, no cure, no recovery: Now, shouldest 〈◊〉 see a Patient that should be offended with the Medicine that would Cure him, or with the Physician that would counsel him, and recover him out of 〈◊〉 Disease? Or take it heinously, and grievously that any should keep him from drinking the Poison that would destroy him? Each man would conclude that his brain were more distempered than 〈◊〉 body, as doing that which is directly cross even to nature, which desires the preservation of itself, even in unreasonable Creatures. Turn but the tables as we say, consider aright thine own carriage, 〈◊〉 thou wilt confess it is thy case, thou art the man Thou art poisoned with the loathsome, and 〈◊〉 lusts of thine own Heart, which threaten thy everlasting ruin, and that beyond recovery in 〈◊〉 course of ordinary means; Thou art not able 〈◊〉 hear the Counsel that would direct thee for 〈◊〉 Cure, nor bear a savory and seasonable 〈◊〉 which would take away the poison of those 〈◊〉 distempers: Thou canst not endure to be severe from that which will sever thy soul from God: 〈◊〉 canst not abide the Word, or the Messengers 〈◊〉 would take away that from thee which will take 〈◊〉 way thy peace, thy comfort, thy happiness and a Thus Herodias waited for the Baptists life, 〈◊〉 he endeavored to cross her in her Incestuous 〈◊〉 and loathsome abominations, Mark 6. 19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel, a secret grudge again him, and would have killed him: She lay at 〈◊〉 she was watchful and covetous to observe and 〈◊〉 any hint of opportunity offered to do him harm, because he desired, and endeavored to do her the greatest good that he could. A type of this we may 〈◊〉 in the Israelites when their own hearts could tell them, and their own experience could testify, and that unto their own sense, it was the greatest pressure that ever they found, the 〈◊〉 of the wrath of Pharaoh, and that they sighed under it, and their groans went up to heaven. And yet they would return to their own ruin, and to the house of bondage: And, Would God, said they, we had died in Egypt: Egypt typified the kingdom of darkness, the state of sin and death; and Pharaoh was a type of Satan, who exerciseth the fierceness of his fury upon the souls of those that are under his power: sometimes men will cry unto the Lord by reason of the hard usage they find from Sin and Satan, yet when God comes by his Word and the Counsels of his Servants to pluck them out of their sins, and out of their bondage, they cannot endure that, they will rather return again unto, and lie down under the bondage of sin and Satan, than be delivered from it.

John 5. 40. Our Savior Christ tells the Jews there, You will not come to me, that you might have life: Christ hath Purchased it, and Promised it, and Offred it; yet says he, You will not come to me, you will not, though you may have life and happiness for the coming for.

Here's also a ground of Trial. We may hence discern, and that undeniably, and easily, what our condition is, Whether we be yet in our Natural estate, so far from the interest and possession of Christ, or any saving work of his Spirit, as that indeed we have not attained any through preparation hereunto.

We need not send up to Heaven to look into the Cabinet Counsels of God's everlasting Decrees: 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 what is 〈◊〉 concerning us. Descend thou into thy own soul, thou hast that in thy bosom will be the best discovery of thy condition: Ask but honestly, plainly, and in earnest thy own heart, and that will cast the balance, and that beyond all question. Such as thy will is, such is thy condition; look what thou wouldest be, that thou art in truth, and in the account of the Almighty. The Lord cares 〈◊〉 for all the Court Complements thou canst express in the ways of Christianity; he 〈◊〉 not for 〈◊〉 thy fair 〈◊〉 , and the quaint appearances of 〈◊〉 ; was thy carriage gilt over with the most glorious shows of Godliness, and thy tongue tipped with the language of heaven; this will not do the deed. This would not answer the Lord's expectation, nor thine own hopes and comforts in the issue. It was said concerning Eliab, David's elder brother, when it was conceived that he should be the man appointed for the Kingdom, and indeed holy Samuel was deceived in his goodly stature, Surely this is the Lord's Anointed: The Lord himself checks his judgment, Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh upon the heart, 1 Sam. 16. 7. Look we then as God looks, and judge we as he judgeth, if we would have comfort and truth in our judgment, that we may not fail in that, and so our hopes and happiness and all fail in the issue. Thou sayest, Thy 〈◊〉 is savory and free, thy understanding large, thou art able to search the Mysteries of Grace, thou knowest in a great 〈◊〉 the things of Grace, and art able fully to express what thou knowest; and thou pretendest readmess and zeal for the service of the Lord. Thou 〈◊〉 all these are thus. And I say, What is thy heart thou lookest to these? I say, Look to thy heart, and then to these, that is God's way. The people in Deut. 5. 28. made as full and free a profession as all the world could desire, but the Lord desired somewhat more, 〈◊〉 went further, They have well said, but Oh that 〈◊〉 were such a heart in them, v. 29. It is the heart then that gives the casting Evidence of a man's condition, and will not deceive.

The Woman that hath two Suiters that make love and express their 〈◊〉 to her, if she ask her own Spirit, that will easily speak which is the man that must be her Husband; the Answer which will 〈◊〉 it is this; Such a one hath her heart, he hath got her good will, and therefore hath gained the woman, 〈◊〉 is his; to give one all good language, and 〈◊〉 entertainment, that is nothing, if another hath the heart. So if the Question be (which is indeed a Question of the greatest consequence in the world) Whether art thou to be matched to thy Sin, or to thy Savior? to thy Lusts, or to the Lord Jesus? This will put it beyond peradventure, hath some bosom lust got the will of thy soul, and holds it to this day? thou art certainly a corrupt and carnal wretched Creature. All thy 〈◊〉 carriage and 〈◊〉 entertainment, or good language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord Jesus, it's nothing, thy lusts have thy heart, and Satan hath thy heart by means of them, and this is thy condition to this very day. It's 〈◊〉 , as experience proves it, that he that is the Owner of a Country, may be forced by the power of an Enemy 〈◊〉 in upon him, to forsake the Skirts and Borders of it; but if yet the strong Places, 〈◊〉 , and Citadels be in his possession, which command the Country, each man concludes he is Lord and 〈◊〉 of the Country still, hecause he hath these 〈◊〉 , and strong Forts, whereby he can command it at his pleasure. As in the Country, so in the Rule of a man's Carriage and Conscience; possible it is, nay ordinary that there may come some 〈◊〉 Power and Evidence of Truth, and the Lord may so mightily assault the soul with the Battery of his Word, and levy such Forces of Arguments against the prevailing power of sin, in our practice, as that 〈◊〉 may cause our corruptions to retire and forsake the Frontiers, and out-works, the tongue, and hand, and behavior; but if yet the will, which is the main Castle, and hath command of all, if that, I say, be still at league with our Lusts, and the power of corruption is there entertained and acknowledged, thou art yet under the power of Satan, and possession of thy sin. The unclean Spirit may now and then go on walking, and be cast out from exercising that Sovereignty and extent of Jurisdiction, as to act the hand, and eye, and tongue to the practice of evil; but as long as his house is swept and garnished, the soul willing to give way, and welcome to any bosom distemper, he returns again and prevails as much, nay, more than ever, Matth. 12. 43, 44, 45. Whatever thou hast received, if thou hast not a heart against thy sin, thou hast nothing will do thee good. Whatever thou givest to God, or doest for him, unless thou givest thy heart unto him, and bestow that upon his Service, thou doest nothing that will stand thee in any stead: The want of this was that which Moses so heavily complained of, Deut. 29. 3, 4. You have seen all that the Lord hath done for you, the signs and wonders that he hath wrought for you, yet the Lord hath not given you an heart unto this day: As who should say, all these will but aggravate your sins, and increase your plagues, your naughty hearts will abuse all, and bring a Curse upon all the Blessings you enjoy: All thy Services without a heart severed from thy sins, is but as a dead Sacrisice, which the Lord loathes: As she to Sampson, though he pretended all love, yet this she looked at as an evidence of want of love, because his heart was not with her; How canst thou say thou lovest me, when thy heart is not with me? So the Lord to all the fair pretences of falls-hearted Professors; How can you say you love me, when your hearts are not with me? you will not part with your Lusts.

But you will reply, This is a hard saying, who can hear it? who can bear it? this is all we have to bear up and support our hearts and hopes with. True it is, our Natures are naught and corrupt, our distempers strong, infirmities many, and failings great; we cannot deny that which our actions discover, we are too frequently and shamefully snatched aside, and surprised by our corruptions, and our distempers overbear us; yet the Lord knows, and we would have you to know, we would be other, we want power against our distempers, yet we want not will to be severed from them.

So said, and so done, well and good: You profess so, prove what you profess, and it 〈◊〉 ; I wish it were so, and that's the worst I wish you: but try it then, and be sure you do not fail, for you are brought to the lowest and the last cast; it's as the Book to the Malefactor: This is the very Door of Grace, and the Gate of Heaven, to be willing to be severed from sin: God never wrought upon you for good, unless this be wrought in you.

The Evidences are Four.

He that is willing to part with his sin, is speedy and unweariable in seeking and improving of those [ 1] means whereby he may get rid of it, and which may remove it from him. The Will is the great Wheel which sets all, and keeps all a going, and will cause a man to break through all discouragements and 〈◊〉 that can be cast in the way, neither difficulties nor oppositions be they what they will be, can either daunt it wholly, or put it upon delays; the hands may be bound, the feet fettered, either want of liberties or opportunities may prejudice a 〈◊〉 practice, or the opposition may be so 〈◊〉 and fell, that may force a man for the while to cease the performance of his work, but if the will be settled and resolved that cannot be removed: So the Apostle, Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me: though he cannot do what he is enjoined, God requires, and Duty 〈◊〉 , yet he can will what he cannot do: so the Prophet David, Psal. 119. 4, 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy Precepts, Oh that my heart were so upright, and my ways so directed that I might keep them; I do not, I cannot do as my Duty is, but Oh that I could do so; I cannot do as I should, yet I cannot but wish it. This you shall find when the faithful are at the greatest under, when some spiritual damps and qualms come over their hearts, yet these privy yernings of their hearts towards God and the ways of his Grace will appear: As in a swound, when all the acts of the Sences are bound up, and the Pulse is not to be perceived, yet hold a glass to the mouth of a fainting man, and you shall perceive some 〈◊〉 breathing ever: So it is when all abilities, enlargements seem to fail; when temptations, desertions, and violent surprisal of some venomous distempers, take away sense and feeling, power and performance; yet you shall perceive his breathing, if you bring the soul to a Command or a Promise, Oh that my heart were so upright, Psal. 119. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy Commandments at all times, 〈◊〉 David: and 〈◊〉 Paul, Rom. 7. 19. The good I would, I do not, the evil I would not, that I do: I do evil, but I would not do it; I do not the good, but I would do 〈◊〉 . And therefore, as blind Bartimaeus when his heart was set to seek the recovery of his sight, as soon as he heard that Christ passed by, he cried out, Jesus thou son of David have mercy upon me; they rebuked him, and he cried yet more earnestly, thou son of David have mercy on me; and our Savior asked him, what ailest thou? what was his will set upon? Oh Lord that I may receive my sight. So it is with a sinner whose will is set to seek relief against his sins, if there be any opportunity offered, means afforded, any occasion that may lend relief against his sin, how speedily upon the least inkling will he listen to it? If Christ pass by, in Conference, in Communion, in public or private, in set seasons, or such as could not be expected; whereby the healing virtue of the blood of Christ may be dispensed, they greedily repair thither: and if the question be what wouldest thou? the Answer of the soul is, Oh Lord that I may receive power against my sin: and if he get it not he will be unweariable to pursue the Lord, until he hath attained it. So the lamenting Church they took unto themselves words, the sum and substance of all their requests, Hos. 14. 3. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; not take away the punishments that pinch us, not the Judgments and terrors that may justly perplex us, in the times of our necessities, but take away our iniquities: A wicked man may have a velleity, some sleepy wish for a turn against his sin, for the attainment of his end, but it's but for a fit, and not for the removal of his sin, but some evil that it brings: Nay, the heart of an ungodly man holds counsels against the holy Commandments of the Lord, and plots how he may fitly put by the authority of the Truth that would take away his evil, Job, 22. 18. The Counsel of the wicked is far from me. There is a 〈◊〉 purpose of Spirit to maintain some distemper which cannot be in a godly man.

He that is willing to part with his sin, he takes greatest delight in those means which either discover his sin more fully, and work most kindly upon the heart, that godly sorrow which causeth Repentance never to be repented of, and are the most piercing and powerful to remove it from him. For it's the greatest delight that can befall a man to have his will and desires answered: that which the Will desires most to have when it wants, it delights most in when it hath it. It is so in the diseases of the Body, when the blood is foul and so feverish, and fit to cause a Pleuresie, the Humors gross and 〈◊〉 , and molest the stomach, so that Nature desires to be unburdened; he that hits the right vein, and that Physic which works kindly and strongly upon the right humor: the Patient receives marvelous ease, and Nature special relief and refreshing; that which takes away most of the burden, bring most ease. So it is with a soul truly willing to be severed from his sin, being burdened and infested with the venomous pollution thereof, it finds most delight in that Ordinance that works most kindly and effectually upon it; the saddest counsel, the sharpest reproof, the most searching trial, that ransacks every corner of a corrupt conscience, now a man hath his Will, and is marvelously pleased with it.

So David when Abigail met him and reproved him, and counseled him against his sin, 1 Sam. 25. 32, 33. says he, Blessed be thou, and blessed be thy counsel, and blessed be the Lord, which hath kept me this day from shedding blood; that hast kept me this day from venting this distemper, and hast met me so 〈◊〉 and spake so effectually unto my soul. 〈◊〉 heart that finds his special corruption his greatest 〈◊〉 wherewith he is most pestered, is therefore 〈◊〉 willing to be rid of that, which is most 〈◊〉 to him, and therefore the word that meets 〈◊〉 directly, and works most powerfully, his will, 〈◊〉 God's will meet there fully, and therefore he is 〈◊〉 pleased: When a reproof stabs him to the 〈◊〉 , Oh more of that Lord; and that comfort 〈◊〉 would remove his main discouragement, he 〈◊〉 the continuance of that: That exhortation 〈◊〉 would awaken his sluggish spirit, and put life 〈◊〉 virtue into his soul, he says, speak home there Lord, Prov. 2. 10. When wisdom entereth into thy 〈◊〉 , and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul: Oh 〈◊〉 hath wished this, longed for, looked for this, and 〈◊〉 now he hath his will, and his hearts desire, 〈◊〉 is pleased at the heart; when the Lord brings off his spirit kindly that was awk and wearish in duty, 〈◊〉 the best day that he hath seen a long time; Oh 〈◊〉 he that I had such a heart still, ever to be in this 〈◊〉 , for God and against my sins: and still he 〈◊〉 in that frame; Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what God will speak to my soul: whereas a corrupt heart when the Word meets with his beloved lusts 〈◊〉 the heart is in league, and indeed would not only pinch, but pluck it away by main force; it's death to him, and so distasteful as that he cannot endure it, though he can hear many Counsels, receive some general Reproofs, and listen to many 〈◊〉 , yet this he bears not: It is as though a man should rent a member from his Body, or pluck one part from another; the sinner riseth up with fell opposition here: As she said when she had lost her Darling, and conceived that the Man of God had a hand in it, What have I to do with thee, thou man of God? So what have 〈◊〉 to do with that Reproof, that 〈◊〉 , that Admonition, that Examination: thus 〈◊〉 Acts, 22. 22. They heard Paul till he came to 〈◊〉 word that was most cross to them, and then they cried out away wich him, they could bear him 〈◊〉 longer then. When Demetrius his Trade was 〈◊〉 to fall, he could not want his gain, and 〈◊〉 not renounce his Idol, all is in an uproar, Acts, 〈◊〉 there was an outcry by the space of two hours, 〈◊〉 is Diana of the Ephefians; they would not 〈◊〉 with their Gain, nor with their 〈◊〉 . So 〈◊〉 dealt with Stephen when he came close to them, 〈◊〉 discovered the rebellion of their hearts and lives; Acts, 7. They were not able to bear it, but stop 〈◊〉 Ears, and run upon him, and he must lose his 〈◊〉 rather than they be disturbed in their lusts: this 〈◊〉 the guise of the heart of every Natural man who 〈◊〉 not willing to part with his sin.

If the sinner be seriously willing to part with 〈◊〉 sin, he is restless, and unsatisfied until it be 〈◊〉 and taken away from him, he finds nothing that 〈◊〉 can have any sweet contentment in as long as he 〈◊〉 that distemper which is cross to his will, and God's will also. As Haman when he had all the caps in the Country uncovered to him, and all knees 〈◊〉 before him, yet all this was nothing to him, 〈◊〉 avails all this (says he) so long as I see Mordecai 〈◊〉 in the Kings Gate? Esther, 5. 13. So had he all abilities, did God vouchsafe unto him all enlargements, had he the hearts and approbation of all 〈◊〉 in the world, to honor him, to esteem him, yet 〈◊〉 dasheth all, what avails it so long as this Pride, 〈◊〉 peevishness, this frothy vain heart remains within me? When the heart is assaulted with some sudden qualm or deadly fume that assaults the spirits, 〈◊〉 ye drive it from his heart, nothing will do him good, Oh he is sick at the heart, now I thank the Lord it's gone from my heart: So it is with the plague of 〈◊〉 that assaults the heart, a man that knows it, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and is really sick of the lusts and corruptions that are in his heart, he can never be at quiet till he find his heart in some measure freed from the power and poison of those sinful distempers: as Rebecca said, If Jacob should take a wife of the Daughters of Heth, what good shall my life do me? Gen. 27. last: So what good will my credit, my profit, my profession, all my privileges and performances do me, if my heart be married to any base lust? 〈◊〉 my corrupt will, and my wayward; peevish, stiffness, and malignancy of heart continue with me still.

But thou that canst lift up thy head and know all these evils in thee, that God knows and thou knowest there are such bosom abominations which thy heart finds and takes contentment in, thou canst live with them, talk with them, lie down and sleep with them, and arise with them again; nay, and thy corrupt heart is restless if it may not be pleased and satisfied with thy lusts: Amon is sick of Incest, Ahab of Covetousness, unless they may enjoy 〈◊〉 lusts, they cannot enjoy their lives. Grace! I would not trouble myself, or spend any time to prove that such have any grace.

When a man's sins are so far from being his vexation, that it is his vexation that he cannot have free 〈◊〉 to commit his sins, that he is vexed with the word that discovers his evil, vexed with Conscience that checks him for it, plagued and tormented with all that come in his way that will cross him in his lusts: if there be a graceless heart in Hell thou art one to this very day, thou didst never know what it was to put off the will of sinning.

Observe where the will takes up its last stand, and [ 4] what it looks at as that which lastly satisfies its desire either in pretended parting with sin, or in performance of duties, or improvement of means. The end steers the action, and gives in evidence of the goodness of it: The Merchant and the Pirate goes in the same channel, useth the same wind to carry them, the same Compass to direct the one about his honest Affairs to serve God's Providence and his own Duty, and the other to serve his own covetous and unlawful lusts of Theevery and spoiling: So here, I speak it for this purpose, because it's one of the cunning cheats of a deceitful heart, he will perform such Duties, and forsake such sins, not because he either loves the Duty, or loathes the sin, but because he would land himself at the place where he would be, at some other end of his own. Nay, it's possible and ordinary for a man to part with his sin for a push, when indeed it is only that he may keep his sin: As Paul spake of Onesimus, he departed from him for a season that he might be received forever; and as the Adultress chides her mate before others, that she may enjoy him more freely without fear or suspicion; so it's usual for a false heart to chide with his corruptions, and to speak great words against them, when yet the secret 〈◊〉 is but to enjoy them more freely by that means: therefore let not the Devil cozen you with colors, your confessions and resolutions, your prayers and tears against your sins, and that in secret, and that unto God; if your hearts 〈◊〉 these but as means for your own ends, you never were willing to part with sin.

The 〈◊〉 of a gracious heart is, Never to take up his stand till he come to God and the guidance of his Grace and Spirit, Hosea, 14. 2, 3. &c. Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, what have I to do anymore with Idols? &c. and the heart will never more have to do with these sins, but with God; he sees these evils, sorrows for these, 〈◊〉 to have these removed that he may be under the power of God and his Grace; As Samuel said to Israel, 1 Sam. 7. 3, 4. If you do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away your gods, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: So if you be indeed resolved to forsake your sins, and renounce your corruptions, then abandon them, and all occasions leading to them, and all beginnings of them, and submit yourselves, your thoughts and affections to the Lord, and to his Word, and serve him only: Lodg thy soul here, and let it never take up its stand until it come hither.

The last Use is of Exhortation and Direction both together: It should guide us, and it should persuade us, to take the right way of Reformation: Never leave thy prayers, and tears, and sorrows, and remorse, until thou come to thy very heart; thy tongue professeth fair, and thy hand forbears the practice of evil, but ask thy heart, Heart what sayest thou? Shame may prevail with thee, Authority of men may constrain thee, and conscience may force thee to abstain from evil; I but, what says thy Heart? art thou willing to part with thy sin? I do not do it, I dare not do it; but Will, what sayest thou? Heart, what sayest thou? Never cease before you be able to answer, I am really willing to part with every sin I am convinced of. It was the great complaint of Moses concerning the People of Israel, that notwithstanding all that the Lord had done for them, yet they had not a heart to fear him, and to walk in obedience before him: So 〈◊〉 may say, God hath crowned thee with 〈◊〉 , honored thee with encouragements, thou hast the Esteem of others, thou hast all Liberties and opportunities to be as good as thou shouldest be, but truly all these will do thee no good, unless thou hast a heart for God and against thy sin, therefore rest nowhere until thou hast this. The great Fort that must be taken, is the Will, or else all the rest is as good as nothing: he that will cure a disease must not only skin it over, but must take away the core of it, if he think to heal it thoroughly, and cure it fully: So here, it is not enough to wash a man's mouth, and to wipe his hands, but the core of a man's corruptions must be got away, thy soul must be brought off from the Will of sinning, as well as from the Practice of sinning, or else thy soul will never be brought home to God: stay not therefore till thou comest hither, and be sure to make sound work here. Men that clear ground, they content not themselves to lop off the tops of trees, but they stub up the roots, then they make clear work: So here, be sure you stub up the heart and will of sinning (that's the root of all) or else all that you do is in vain; it was our Saviors expression to the Pharisees, Luke, 11. 39. Ye fools that make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness: they began on the wrong side, they contented themselves to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 , their outward conversation to manward, and left corruption in their hearts unsubdued, unremoved, and therefore our Savior Christ calls them fools and hypocrites for their labor: What can you say to my life? what hath any man against me? if thou hast no more 〈◊〉 say for thyself than that comes to, thou hast nothing at all; 〈◊〉 thy heart be not cleansed from those iecret corruptions of thine. [ 1]

Let me leave Two or Three Directions here, that are just in my way, not interfering with anything to be spoken afterward.

Know that the greatest work of Reformation, Repentance, and the comfort of a man's spiritual condition, it lies mainly in the Will: the greatest work and the greatest difficulty lies here, Brethren. If you look at it as a matter of ease, that thou canst do it with the turning of a hand, and make wash-work of it, thou never knewest it, and thou shalt never attain it: It's one of the Devils greatest delusions whereby he cozens thousands, to persuade men it's an easy matter to be Religious: No, 〈◊〉 know it, unless you find it the greatest work in the world, you will never find endeavors suitable, nor success answerable for the comfort of your own souls. Oh therefore that every man would go home convinced and persuaded, God hath helped me to temper my tongue, and to keep my hands, the Lord hath given me an enlightened Judgment, a reformed life, but Oh the difficult work is behind, this wretched heart of mine, the hardness of that, the impossibility of that! conclude it therefore, and resolve upon it, it will cost me hard work, and unless the Lord enable me, and set in mightily and constantly upon my soul, the work will never be done: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, Jer. 17. 9. there is no hope of it, as it were, the hand, and eye, and tongue may be reformed, but the heart is desperate, who can know it? who can mend it? who can overpower it? If thou hast found it easy, nay, if thou didst never stand amazed at the difficulty of the work about thy heart to get that severed from thy sins, thou never hadst the right discerning of it to this day.