Three Decades of Sermons

SERM. I.

• JOb 13. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest to possess the inquities of my youth.
• The Text divided, p. 2. and explained by answering 5. Queries, 1. What's meant by bitter things, p. 3. 2. What's meant by writing of them, p. 3. 3. What's meant by the sins of youth, p. 4. 4. What's meant by possessing the sins of youth; p. 5. 5. Why doth Job a holy man (whose sins were pardoned) complain of himself, p. 6.
• Doct. That sins committed in our youth will cause much smart and bitterness in our elder years.
• Method of handling the Doctrine.
• 1. By Scripture proof, p. 7.
• 2. By three Reasons. 1. D • awn from the rule of Justice: p. 8. Reas. 2. Drawn from the nature and quality of sin, p. 9. Reas. 3. Drawn from four Aggravations of youthful sins, viz. 1. They are committed with a great deal of violence, p. 9. 2. They are committed with abundance of delight. p. 10. 3. Young men make many vain pretences, ibid. 4. Youthfull sins are committed after many Invitations, Calls, and Warnings, p. 11.
• 3. By improving all in four Uses, 1. For Humiliation, p. 12, 13, 14. Here are four sins especially reproved; 1. Voluptuousness, p. 15. 2. Contempt of Superiors, p. 16. 3. Affectation of Novelty, p. 17. 4. Pride, p. 18. Use 2. For Exhortation, p. 19. Four Considerations are pressed. 1. From God's Omniscience, p. 20. 2. God keeps Record, ibid. 3. Consider what sin will cost thee, ibid. 4. Consider the four last things, p. 21, 22. Use 3. For Direction. 1. Be humbled for all sins, p. 22. 2. Look through thy Humiliation to Christ, p. 23. 3. Walk circumspectly, ibid. Use 4. For Consolation, ibid.

SERM. II.

• Gen. 6. 3. And the Lord said, my Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh, yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
• The Text Divided and Explained, p. 28, 29.
• Doct. 1. That it is a most dreadful judgment upon a people when the Spirit of God refuseth to strive any longer with them, p. 30.
• Doct. 2. That it's an exceeding great mercy to a people, when the Lord vouchsafeth them time and space of Repentance, ibid.
• Method of handling the first Doctrine.
• 1. From Scripture Testimony, p. 30, 31, 32. Three signs of Night, 1 When shadows grow long, p. 32. 2. When wild beasts go abroad, and 3ly. when Laborers go to their rest, p. 33.
• 2. Seven ways the Spirit strives: 1. By its Motions, p. 35. 36. 2. By the Ministry of the Word, p. 37, 38. 3. By the checks and convictions of conscience, p. 39, 40. A fourfold Rule for examining of conscience, p. 40. 4. By the tenders of mercies, p. 41. 5. By the exercise of patience, p. 42. 6. By National Judgments, p. 43. 7. By Personal Judgments, p. 44.

SERM. III. upon the same Text, viz. Gen. 6. 3.

• 3. Reas. 1. Because man is flesh, p. 45, 46. Reas. 2. Because the Spirit is a free Agent. p. 47. Reas. 3. Drawn from the rule of Divine Justice, p. 48, 49.
• 4. For Application. Use 1. For Information, of the greatness of the Judgment when the Spirit ceaseth striving; in 4. Aggravations: 1. God takes away his Ordinances, p. 50. 2. God suffers not the Spirit to work by the Ordinances. 3. God gives them over to a Spirit of delusion, ibid. 4. God gives them over to a hard heart: p. 53. • se 2. For Exhortation. Three Morives: 1. From the brevity of our lives, p. 55. 2. From the Uncertainty of the Spirits striving, ibid. 3. From the certainty of the Day of Judgment, p. 56. Use 3. For Reproof of 4. sorts of persons especially. 1. Such as contemn the Spirit, p. 56. 2. Such as are barren and unfruitful, p. 57. 3. Such as are secure, p. 57. 4. Impenitent persons, p. 57. Use 4. for Examination in three Queries. 1. How we may distinguish the strivings of God's Spirit from a spirit of error and delusion, p. 58, 59. 2. How we may distinguish the strivings of God's Spirit from our own spirit, p. 59. 3. How we may know whether God's Spirit hath effectually stroven with us, p. 59, 60. Use 5. for Direction, in four particulars, p. 60. Use 6. for Consolation.
• Doct. 2. That it is an exceeding great mercy, when the Lord vouchsafes unto any person time and space for Repentance, p. 60. Reas. 1. To glorify the Riches of God's Mercy, p. 61. Reas. 2. To glorify his Justice, ibid. Reas. 3. At the request of God's servants many are spared, ibid. Use 1. For admiration of God's infinite mercy. Use 2. For terror unto presumptuous sinners Convictions. 1. It's great folly to put off Repentance, 2. It argues great contempt, 3. It argues high presumption. Use 3. for Exhortation, in four Considerations. 1. Now the Spirit strives, 2. Now is the limited time, 3. Now is the accepted time, 4. Now once past cannot be recalled. Use 4. for Caution, in five particulars, 63, 64. The 5. • se for Admonition, in five particulars, p. 64, 65. The 6. Use is for Comfort, ibid.

SERM. IV.

• 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?
• The Coherence and Text explained and divided, p. 65, 66, 67, 68.
• Doct. That the serious consideration of the day of Judgment should in an especial manner engage us unto an holy life and conversation, p. 69.
• Method of handling the Doctrine.
• 1. By Scripture Testimony, p. 69, 70. 2. By evidence of three Reasons. 1. Because only holy persons shall be able to stand in judgment, p. 71. Q. Whether the Saints shall have their sins mentioned at the day of Judgment? p. 71. Reas. 2. This is the present time, ibid. Reas. 3. Judgment returns all as death leaves them, p. 72. 3. By particular Application in five Uses. 1. For terror unto three sorts: 1. Scoffers at holiness, p. 73. 2. Hypocrites, p. 74. 3. Secret sinners, p. 75. Use 2. for Exhortation, p. 76, 77. 9. Motives 1. We are elected unto Holynesse, p. 78. 2. We are created unto Holynesse, ibid. 3. We are redeemed to be holy, ibid. 4. Its God's will that we should be holy, ibid. 5. Holynesse is our calling, p. 79. 6. Heaven is a place for holy persons, ibid. 7. There shall be holy employment, ibid. 8. There shall be holy company, ibid. 9. This is the time of laboring after holiness, ibid. Use 3. for Examination. in 12. Characters: 1. Spiritual poverty, p. 80. 2. High estimation of Jesus Christ, ibid. 3. The heart is in love with holiness, p. 81. 4. Irgenuous sorrow for sin, ibid. 5. Mourning for others sins, p. 82. 6. The heart approves itself to God, ibid. 7. There will be a pressing forward towards perfection, p. 83. 8. A strict watch over the heart, ibid. 9. The desire and endeavor must be universally extensive, ibid. 10. The Spirit is without guile, p. 84. 11. There will be the practice of Mortisication and Vivification, p. 85. 12. A burning in love to Jesus Christ, ibid. Use 4. for Direction, in 6. Particulars: 1. Pray for the spirit of sanctification, p. 85. 2. Wash and cleanse thy heart, ibid. 3. Be exercised in Meditation, p. 86. 4. Consider the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God, ibid. 5. Set an high estimate on God's Ordinances, ibid. 6. Associate yourselves with holy company, p. 87. Use 5. for Consolation.

SERM. V.

• Joh. 3. 10. Jesus answered and said unto him, art thou a Master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
• The Text divided and expounded, p. 91.
• Doct. There may be, and are many men, otherwise of great Learning, yet grossly ignorant in the main Fundamental Doctrine of Regeneration, p. 92.
• This is proved by Scripture Instances, p. 92. and by 3. Reasons. 1. From the nature of Regeneration, p. 93. Reas. 2. Drawn from the Nature of Unregeneracy in a foursold estate. 1. Of Impurity, p. 94. 2. Of Enmity, ibid. 3. Of Blindness, ibid. 4. Of Death, p. 95. Reas. 3. From the Free workings of God's Spirit.
• Application in 5. Uses.
• 1. For Exhortation, and that to Teachers, p. 96, 97. and to Disciples, p. 98, 99.
• Use 2. For Information.
• 1. What Regeneration is not. 1. Not in Nicodemus his sense, p. 100.
• 2. Not in a new Physical Being, ibid. 3. Not in Civility and Morality, ibid. 4. Not in great parts and abilities, p. 101. 5. Not in common graces, ibid. 6. Not in a bare Profession of Christ, ibid. 2. What Regeneration is: 1. The new Nature, p. 102. 2. A new Understanding, ibid. 3. A new Will, ibid. 4. New Affections, ibid. 5. A new Heart, ibid. 6. A new life, ibid.
• Use 3. for Excitation.
• Mot. 1. From the Necessity, p. 102. 2. Unregenerate persons can obtain no acceptance, p. 103. 3. Nothing defiled shall ever come into heaven, ibid.
• Use 4. for Direction.
• 1. Pray hard for Divine Wisdom. 2. Wait upon God in his Word. 3. Pray for the Spirit.
• Use 5. for Consolation. And their duty is:
• 1. To pra • se God. 2. To walk as becometh Converts. 3. To set an high price on God's love.

SERM. VI.

• Esth, 9. 27, 28. The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they might keep these two days, according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year, &c.
• The Text divided and expounded.
• Doct. That it's the duty of a delivered people to keep mercies upon Record, and make a thankful remembrance of signal deliverances, and perpetuate the Memorial thereof from Generation to Generation, p. 108.
• Reas. 1. Because God's name and honor is from Eternity to Eternity, p. 109. Reas. 2. Because Thankfulness is God's Tribute, ib. Reas. 3. Drawn from the excellency of the Duty. Reas. 4. Drawn from many obligations, viz. 4. Vinculo Creationis, Redemptionis, Gratitudinis, Gloriae divinae promovendae, p. 110, 111. Use 1. For Information. In the Popish Treason eight particulars are considered. 1. Length of time in projecting, p. 112. 2. Unwearied pains, p. 113. 3. Cunning conveyance, ibid. 4. Inveterate malice, ibid. 5. The persons acting, p. 114. 6. The persons against whom, p. 115. 7. The place, ibid. and 8. their cruelty, ibid. Observe, 1. The Means of discovery by Auricular Confession, p. 116. 2. The seasonableness, p. 117. 3. The just Retribution, ibid. Use 2. for Caution. 7. Popish opinions. 1. That the Pope is Christ's Vicar, p. 119. 2. That he hath power of b • nding and loosing. 3. That he may depose Princes, ibid. 4. That Protestant Princes may be Excommunicated, ibid. 5. That they may be murdered, ibid. 6. That Faith is not to be kept with Heretics, ibid. 7. That Equivocation is lawful. Protestants Principles: 1. That the Pope is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , p. 120. 2. That a Papist cannot go beyond a Reprobate, ibid. 3. That the e • ought to be no peace with Rome, ibid. 4. That a Papist living and dying in the opinion of his own merits cannot be saved, p. 121. 5. That Babylon is Rome, ibid. Use 3. for Exhortation. 1. Remember, and transmit the memory of this day to Posterity, p. 121. 2. Praise God for the Deliverance, p. 122. 3. Remember and be vigilant, ibid.

SERM. VII.

• Rom. 2. 16. In the day that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel.
• The Text divided and expounded, p. 124, 125, 126.
• Doct. 1. There shall be a day of Judgment, p. 126.
• Doct. 2. At that day the secrets of all men's hearts shall be judged.
• Doct. 3. Christ shall be Judge at that day.
• Method of handling.
• The first Doctrine proved by Scripture out of the Old and New Testament, p. 126. and confirmed by six Arguments: 1. From God's Decree, p. 127. 2. From God's Justice, ibid. 3. From conviction of conscience, p. 128. 4. From the dependence and connection between the Resurrection and day of Judgment, ibid. 5. From the general expectation of the Saints, p. 129. 6. From God's glory, ibid. Use 1. For Reproof to ungodly persons, p. 131, 132. Use 2. for Instruction, to Magistrates and Ministers. 6. Lessons commended. 1. Entertain serious thoughts concerning the day of Judgment, p. 134. 2. Let this consideration engage us to holiness of life and conversation, ibid. 3. Let this read us a Lecture of Patience, p. 135. 4. Lets be engaged to watchfulness. 5. Lets learn to fear God, ibid. 6. Lets learn compassion and charity, ibid. Use 3. for Consolation. 1. From the nature of the day, p. 136. 2. From the Judge, Christ, ibid. 3. From the sentence, ibid. 4. From the eternal happiness, ibid.
• Doct. 2. That at the day of Judgment the secrets of all men's hearts shall be judged, p. 136.
• Reas. 1. Drawn from God's Omniscience, p. 136. Reas. 2. From God's justice, p. 137. Reas. 3. For the acquitting of the godly, ibid. Reas. 4. For the further condemnation of the wicked, p. 138. Use 1. for terror unto the wicked, ibid. Use 2. for comfort to the godly, p. 139. 3. For counsel to both, p. 140.
• Doct. 3. At the day of Judgment Jesus Christ shall be Judge, p. 140.
• 1. Proved by Scripture, p. 140. 2. By 3. Reasons. 1. From Equity and Retaliation, ibid. Reas. 2. For the comfort of the godly, ibid. Reas. 3. For the terror of the wicked, ibid. Q. 1. Is the Father excluded? A. p. 141. Q. 2. How shall Christ appear? A. p. 141. Q. 3. Whom shall Christ judge? A. ibid. Q. 4. What will be the manner of Christ's judging? A. ibid. Q. 5. What signs are there of this day? A. p. 143. Q. 6. Why God defers the day of Judgment? A. ibid. Q. 7. Whether man can determine when the day of Judgment shall be? A. p. 143. Q. 8. Whether we must desire this day? A. p. 144. 4. Ob • ections answered, p. 144, 145. Use 1. for comfort unto the godly, ibid. Use 2. for terror unto the wicked, ibid. Use 3. for Exhortation to prepare for the coming of Christ, p. 148.

SERM. VIII.

• Mat. 10. 17. Good Master! what shall I do that I may inheherit eternal life? pag. 148.
• The Text divided and expounded, p. 148, 149.
• Doct. The main inquiry and business of Christians ought to be employed concerning their eternal condition, p. 150. Method propounded.
• 1. What Eternity is? It is answered negatively by four Propositions: 1. Eternity admits no succession of time, p. 150. 2. Eternity admits no alterations, ibid. 3. Eternity admits no augmentation nor diminution, p. 151. 4. Eternity admits no revocation, ibid. Eternity is defined and explained particularly, p. 152, 153.
• 2. The Doctrine is illustrated by Scripture examples, p. 153.
• 3. By Scripture Precepts, p. 153, 154.
• 4. By Scripture Reasons. 1. Privatively: Because 1. We are freed from sin. 2. From Tentations of Flesh, Devil, and World, p. 154, 155. 3. We are freed from Punishments, p. 155. 2. Positively. 1. The Saints shall enjoy the blessed vision, p. 155, 156. 2. They shall enjoy the Society of Saints and Angels, ibid. 3. They shall be busied in rare employments, p. 156. 4. This employment shall be in our Fathers house, p. 157. 5. Glorifyed Saints shall keep an Eternal Sabbath in heaven, ib. Use of Exhortation, p. 157. 4. Motives pressed. 1. The study of Eternity is an honorable study, p. 159. 2. This is a sweet study, p. 160. 3. This is a profitable study, ibid. 4. This is a seasonable study, p. 161.

SERM. IX.

• Mal. 1. 14. But cursed be the Deceiver, which hath in his flock a Male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: For I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts, and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen.
• The Coherence and Text expounded, p. 162, 163, 164, 165. Doctrine handled.
• In all our services, its God's expectation, and our obliged duty, is offer the best we can possible unto the Lord, p. 166.
• Method propounded.
• 1. How must our services be performed in the best way? A. In six distinguishing Characters. 1. All must be performed with a pure heart, p. 167. 2. The beauty of the season must be regarded, ibid. 3. We must make Religion our business, p. 168. 4. We must do all in Faith, p. 169. 5. We must do all in the Name of Christ, ibid. 6. We must do all with reverence and godly fear, p. 170.
• 2. The Doctrine is asserted and proved by Scripture, p. 171, 172.
• 3. By Application: 5. Uses are made. Use 1. For Exhortation: 1. To all in general, p. 173. 2. To Magistrates and Ministers in particular, ibid.

SERM. X. upon the same Text.

• 7. Considerations: 1. From the Majesty of God, p. 176. 2. From the Holynesse of God, ibid. 3. From the Equity of the Duty, p. 177. 4. From the credit of the Gospel, p. 178. 5. From the greatness of the sin, made up of 4. Ingredients, viz. Folly, Contempt, Presumption, Sacrilege, p. 179, 180, 181. Notwithstanding failings all will be accepted through Christ, p. 181, 182. 7. Consider the dreadful curse against Hypocrites, p. 182. Use 2. for Reproof. 1. Of the Hypocrite, p. 183. 2. Of negligent, lazy persons, p. 184. 3. Of such who put off Repentance to old age, p. 185. Use 3. for Examination. 1. Whether we give God the best in Duties, p. 186, 187, 188, 189, 190. 2. Whether we give God the best in our Graces, p. 191. 3. Whether we give God the best in our lives and conversations, ibid. & p. 192. Use 4. for Direction. 1. What impediments are to be removed? A. 1. An ignorant mind, p. 192. 2. A frothy vain spirit, p. 192, & 193. 3. A worldly spirit, ibid. 4. An unbelieving heart, ibid. 2. What duties are to be practiced? A. 1. Set God before thine eyes, p. 193. 2. Labor for sincerity of heart, ibid. 3. Embrace the present season, p. 194. 4. Be much in prayer, ibid. 5. Make Religion thy business, ibid. Use 5. for Consolation. Consid. 1. Infirmities befall the best, p. 194. 2. God's Children allow not themselves in sin, p. 195. 3. A sincere heart is accepted, ibid. 4. A sincere heart labors for more Grace, ibid. 5. We must not go by others examples, ibid. 6. Perseverance obtains the Crown, ibid.

YOU are all well acquainted with the History of Job, this eminent pattern of Integrity, as to his sufferings and patience, which are upon Divine Record, both for our instruction and imitation, Jam. 5. 10, 11. I shall wave the Narrative, being so abundantly known, even to a Proverbial Speech: Only thus much I shall premise to make my passage clear unto my Text: Job being on the Dung-hill sorely afflicted with variety of sufferings, his Friends came with an intention to comfort him, but, through mistakes, they proved miserable Comforters, even Physicians of no value; and added affliction to affliction, passing uncharitable Censures upon him, and looking upon all his Sufferings as just Punishments of his Hypocrisy: Many Dialogues there passed between Job and his Friends, with several Answers and Replyes. At this time he hath to deal with Zophar the Naamathite; Zophar gives him good counsel indeed, To put iniquity far away, Job 11. 13, 14. It's true in Thesi, but not in Hypothesi: The Doctrine is good, the Application, as to this upright man Job, altogether impertinent; thereby he insinuates, as if some Bribery was in the hands of Job, being an innocent Person, as to Men; and indeed chastened thus by God, not because he was a greater Sinner then others, but for his trial, the demonstration of his Faith and Patience, and to make it appear to all the World, that the Devil was a Lyar; Job, I say, vindicates himself from his Friends aspersions, and betakes himself, in the 12, 13, and 14 Chapters, to a plenary answer; his affliction makes him to speak, he's sensible how cheap an esteem they had of him, Job 12. 3, 4. He was as one mocked of his neighbor: The remedies they apply to him, are worse then his disease; he speaks plainly to them, Job 13. 4. But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all Physicians of no value: He's surrounded with miseries, he's like a very Skeleton, all his Bones may be told; he lives a dying life. Mark his Question, Job 13. 14. he gives in an excellent Answer and Resolution, Job 13. 15. But that which renews his grief, is God's hiding his face from him; if men fail him and despise him, he can easilier brook that; he stands upon his vindication, quoad hominem; but if God be angry, and account him an enemy, there's his grief, that's the wound indeed, v. 24. He further expostulates the matter, v. 25. (i. e.) Wilt thou break that which hath no power? A leaf is a weak thing, its driven too and fro; Wilt thou set thy power against weakness? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble, that will be soon on a flame, and consumed? Now Job is inquisitive after the cause; God is angry, but there's good cause for it; God writes bitter things against him, but youthful sins are called to remembrance, and now reckoned for in old Age.

The words read are a heavy Charge, or a Bill of Indictment against a Delinquent; wherein you have two generals. 1. The Charge itself. 2. The Sentence given upon it. In the Charge, you are to consider of the matter or thing charged, 1. Iniquities. 2. The aggravation of them, drawn from the Age that commits them; they are sins of youth. 3. The person against whom this Charge was drawn, viz. against Job. In the Sentence given, you have here set down sore afflictions, which Job reckons as exceeding heavy upon him, which may be represented by these aggravations.

1. These are not ordinary afflictions, but bitter things. 2. They are assured, and made firm to him two ways. 1. By writing, there is as it were, a writing drawn firm and sure. 2. By possession: And makest me to possess, as if he had authentic Writings, and Livery, and Seisin, given for these bitter things. Now in handling this Scripture, I shall first premise an Explication of the words, then draw forth a point of Doctrine, and prove it, and so conclude with particular Application.

For Explication of the words, these Queries are to be resolved. 1. What is meant by bitter things in the Text? some understand by bitter things, the evil of sin, and indeed, sin is a very bitter thing, Deut. 29. 18. It is called a root that beareth gall and wormwood: There's an Exposition of this place, Heb. 12. 15. where it is called a root of bitterness. Though sin be sweet in the acting, yet there will be bitterness in the end; like the Roll, which was sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly. This is a plain truth, that sin will bring all bitterness to the soul: yet I shall rather incline to Mercers Exposition, By bitter things he understands bitter punishments, and grievous sorrows, wherewith Job was afflicted: And this I take to be the proper meaning, you shall hear Job complaining of terrors, pouring out his soul, &c. Job 30. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Now amongst several kinds of savors, bitterness is most offensive to the Pallate: Bitterness is spoken of, and applied to sad afflicted conditions, Ruth 1. v. 20. Call me not Naomi, (i. e.) pleasant and delectable, but call me Marah, (i. e.) Bitter, for the Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me. Afflictions in themselves are very grievous and bitter, most distasteful to the Pallate; No chastening for the present, seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: So then by bitter things we are to understand those sad crosses, and bitter afflictions which were incumbent upon Job, those Arrows of the Almighty which stuck fast in his sides, all evils of punishment or chastisement.

2. What's meant by writing of bitter things: This, saith Learned Mercer, is a judicial phrase, the Grecians were wont to write these Sentences in their judicial proceedings: Writing alludes to that which in Civil Law is an a • cusation called Libelling. Its the usual course of Law, to bring in Charges or Bills of Indictment in writing against the Offender A Reverend Divine observes on the place, That God hath a double Book, and both in a Figure; he hath a Book of resolved Decrees, and a Book of his acted Providences: This Book of his acted Providences, is but a Transcript of the former; Job is to be understood of this latter Book of Providences, in which God writ bitter things against him. By Writing, Chrysostom understands, The firm and irrevocable Decree of the Judge: This writing is firm and steadfast, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith Pilate, which is as if he should say, It is written under my hand, it shall stand; like the Laws of the Medes and Persians, which alter not: Jobs wish gives a good gloss to our assertion, Job 31. 35. where he marketh, that that his Adversary had written a Book against him. The Laws of Draco were written in Blood, and the Decrees of God against Job (as he conceived) were written with gall and wormwood.

3. Why doth Job make such peculiar mention of the sins of his youth? Why is such a brand of Infamy put upon young men? For Answer, Pineda mentions, That some think that God imputes his children's sins unto him, as if he were remiss in his duty towards them: And the version of the 70. seems to favor this sense, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (i. e.) Thou hast imposed or laid upon me: But this sense is foreign, though God doth punish Children for their Parents, and Parents for their Children's sins; yet I conceive it not so to be understood here; and we have a good warrant for a more charitable opinion of Job, c 1. v. 5. because we read he sanctified his sons. Job here is to be understood, speaking of his own personal sins: Sins of Infancy and Childhood could not so well be remembered, but youthful sins may more easily be called to remembrance: Ita Jobus ipse meditatur, quia eum recentium peccatorum non morderet cruciaretque conscientia, &c. As if Job had not been conscious to himself of late sins, therefore he conceives that he now suffers for former sins; thus some con • ecture, as Sanctius observes on the place: But this savors not of Jobs spirit, though he was exemplary for holiness, yet he was sensible of daily sins, he knew himself to be a daily sinner, he knew what a sinful nature he had, full of pollution, yet his youthful sins carried the greatest filth and guilt in them, which, in his apprehension, made the greatest gashes and wounds upon his conscience; he knew that his youthful sins had most aggravating circumstances in them, that a Bill of Indictment drawn up against them would be blackest, and charge him homest: Where upon Judicious Mr. Calvin gives two reasons why he speaks of the sins of his youth; one is, Because in that age lusts are most predominant, the nature of a man, which is sinful, doth then cast up his greatest froth; the passions are most violent, and therefore that age hath need of the strongest Bridle. Another reason is, Because Job meant to declare, that God brought all his sins to remembrance, as if he should frame an Indictment against him of all that he had done ever since he was a child. And herein he seems to complain of rigor, seeing thou hast pardoned them, wherefore dost thou lay them before me? But we may not find fault with God, he punisheth less then we deserve: The Lord is righteous, we have sinned against him.

A fourth Query is, what is meant by possessing the sins of youth: Jerome reads it, consumere vis, youthful sins may bring Consumptions upon old Age. The Chaldee Paraphrase reads it, Me haereditare facis: Thus Junius interprets, Efficis ut possideam haereditario jure. As if elder years did inherit youthful sins: Gray Hairs, even old persons gray headed in sins, receive the punishment of their youthful green headed sins for their inheritance: It's an observable note of Pineda on the place, * Punishment is the Daughter of sin: An old man is successor to himself a young man. There is, as it were, a natural succession and derivation of sins committed in youth, to become the inheritance of old age: So that a sinner becomes his own Heir, the old sinner the young man's Heir. The meaning is, A man that runs on in a riotous ungodly course, following his swinge and full career in wickedness in the days of his youth, shall feel the smart and bitterness of his sins in his old crazy bones: We render the word in the Text ordinarily to possess, and that is Emphatical: A man that hath present possession of his Inheritance, hath most points in the Law; The right next Heir hath a legal Title. Now when the Heir hath possession of his Inheritance, this adds to the strengthening of his right. Now an old sinner doth inherit and take possession of his youthful sins; and this is a sad possession, to possess the inheritance of sin. It was charged upon Ahab, for killing and taking possession; there is the killing of the soul, when there is possession took of sin. He then may be said to possess the sins of his youth, who feels the smart and pain of them, who suffers bitter sorrows for them, when the sins committed in his youth, even breaks his bones when he comes to be old.

I have one Query more to propound: How is it, since Job an holy [Q.] [ 5] man, whose sins were pardoned, yet complains of such an hand-writing against him, charging upon himself youthful sins?

For answer, you must know, 1. That sins repented of and pardoned, [A.] [ 1] may yet prove gall and wormwood to the soul: They that have repented, must renew their repentance. The remembrance of the wormwood and the gall, the bitterness of sin will cost God's people many a salt tear.

2. Though sins may be pardoned, yet the soul may not be able [ 2] to read that pardon, it may want the manifestation of the pardon; though there may be a pardon sealed, an acquittance, a white stone in the Court of the Judge, yet it may not appear so in the Court of a man's own Conscience.

3. We are to know, that Fatherly chastisements are the lot and [ 3] portion of God's dearest Children, as the Scripture plainly showeth There is a Judgment of Revenge, and a Judgment of Chastisement; Judgments of Revenge are the portion of the wicked; Judgments of Chastisement are incident to the generation of the righteous: As a Judge, God will not pass an eternal Judgment against his people; They are the beloved of his Soul, and he loves them to the end; but as a Father he may, and doth pronounce many temporal Judgments as Chastisements against them: The fruit whereof is, to take away their Dross and Tin, and to make them partakers of his holiness.

4. It is wisdom in a godly man, when present sufferings are upon [ 4] him, to call former sins to remembrance: Afflictions brings sins to remembrance. Job looked back upon his former failings, he was not unmindeful of his present failings, but his former, in an especial manner, might call for a rod of correction to whip out his folly. When afflictions befall us, we should inquire into the cause, and search out our sins, and be humbled for them: So Josephs Brethren, when distress befell them in Egypt, called to mind their cruelty against Joseph, many years before committed.

Thus you have heard the Explication of the words, from which I will draw one Point of Doctrine, which I take to be the fundamental Doctrine of the Text:

That sins committed in our youth, will cause much smart and bitterness [Doct.] in our elder years.

This Point lies plainly in the Text, & I shall make it the groundwork of my ensuing Meditations: In the prosecution whereof, I shall pursue my plain and accustomed method, by proving the Point from Scripture, confirming it by evidenc • of Reason, and reducing all to point of practice, by way of Use and particular Application.

For Scripture proof, Job speaking of the momentary joy of wicked men, cap. 20. v. 5. sets forth his judgment, v. 11. His bones are full of the sins of his youth, Hos. 12. 14. He shall leave his blood upon him, (as Diodate and others observe) God will not pardon him his sin, nor cleanse him from it, but will keep it still in remembrance, to punish him for it at his appointed time. God makes a grievous complaint against Samaria and Jerusalem, under the names of Aholah and Aholibah; Aholahs youthful Whoredoms are charged upon her, Ezek. 23. v. 8. And likewise the same charge is given in against her Sister Aholibah, v. 19. See their doom, v. 33, 34. The cup of astonishment and desolation should be their portion. David being sensible both of the sins of his youth, and riper age, how heavy they would be upon him if God called them to remembrance, prays earnestly, That God would not remember them against him, Psal. 25. v. 7. Though he was a potent King, and an excellent Musician, a Man of a sanguine complexion, (and such naturally are most cheerful) yet after he had committed those two scandalous sins, Murder and Adultery, he lost his former cheerfulness, he complains of broken bones, Psal. 51. 8. of restless bone, Psal. 37. 3. of diseased bones, Psal. 6. 3. His sad condition is fu • there aggravated, Psal. 6. 6, 7. & 38. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. You know by experience, that some sprains and bruises that you have got in the heat of your youth, afflict you sore in your old age; old men feel some blows, some aches and pains which they have got many years before; some over-strain themselves by running, wrestling, or such like violent Exercises, and they feel the smart thereof in their old bones: So likewise the sins which young me • venture on, their Whoredoms, Voluptuousness, Carousing and Gaming, which they make light of now, may lie heavy upon their spirits in old age; so that when green sins and gray hairs, young sins and old bones meet together, there will be more bitterness in the remembrance of them, then ever there was pleasure in the commission of them. The Devil will let a man alone a great while, whilst he is young and follows his Voluptuousness: The Devil thinks he is sure enough of him; But when old age comes, and a sinner then is awakened from his security, then the Devil bestirs himself all that he can; bringing all his sins to remembrance, and tempting him to d • speration. It's a good note of Estius, Insidebit calcaneo: The Serpent will be most busy to do us mischief in the end of our life; So then, take it which way you will, when God comes to reckon with sinners, there will be bitterness: Sin itself is a bitter thing; Affliction is the punishment of sin, and that is a bitter thing; and Repentance, which is the instrumental means prescribed, is no pleasant potion. The issue is indeed sweet, because they that sow in tears shall reap in joy: Yet the Scripture sets forth Repentance by breaking the heart, afflicting the soul, going mourning all the day long, like the mourning for an only Son, Zech. 12. 10. Sin will cause bitterness in the end. That this may appear more evidently, I will give in the demonstration of the Point, by evidence of Reason.

The first shall be drawn from the rule of Equity and Justice: There is a Commutative and a Distributive Justice; in the Commutative Justice, Inter vendenda & emenda, equity and good conscience must take place; the Commodity sold must be worth the money given, and the money given must be worth the Commodity, this is most true, yet not in that sense which I drive at this present: But there is a distributive Justice, and the rule thereof is, suum cui{que} Tribuere, this serves for my purpose: It's just with God to give a sinner his own, to pay him in his own coin, to let him reap what he hath sowed; That as in his youth he hath sown the seeds of wickedness, so in his old age he should reap the fruits of sorrow and bitterness: It's Eliphaz experience, Job 4. 8. They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness, reap the same; youth will have its swinge: No bands will hold them, no bounds will keep them in, they will have their own ways, and its just with God to let them be filled with their own ways, Prov. 5. 22, 23. His own iniquity shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin: he shall die without instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray: Compare those two different Sentences together, Isa. 3. 10, 11. Sin hath a voice, it cries aloud for it's wages, and that is a dead pay, Rom. 6. 23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Young men rush into sin with greediness, but they take not into their thoughts the consideration of a day of an account: There will come a day of visitation a day of recompense, when God will reckon with thee for thy most delightful sins. In thy elder age thou must feel the smart of them and possess a bitter inheritance: Read that sacred Irony of the wise man, Rejoice O young man &c. Eccles. 11. 9.

A Second Reason shall be drawn from the nature and quality of sin, every sin is a pollution, a defileing of the conscience, there is an abundance of filthiness in every sin, this the Psalmists question implies wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways? Psal. 119. 9. Sin in Sctipture is called lewdness, folly, perverseness, uncleanness, compared to a menstruous clothe, to dung, vomit, mire, poison &c. There is nothing so loathsome in our eyes, as sin is in the pure eyes of God, sin is the poison of the soul, sin is worse then hell, then the Devil, more black, more ugly then either of them, Quod efficit tale est magis tale. There would be neither hell, nor devil were it not for sin. Now then if every sin be thus filthy, what shall we say of youthful sins, which are committed with vigor, greediness, alacrity. when men sell themselves to work wickedness, and spend their marrow and strength in the devils service, these (though they little think of it) will one day feel the smart of their youthful vanityes if God open their eyes to see the filthiness of their ways and to loath themselves, their sins will cost them many a salt tear: Hence will follow an holy self-confusion self-displacency, and abhorrence, as was i • Ephraim, and Job. Though they wanted 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fore wit, Its a great mercy if they have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 after wit.

A Third and last Reason shall be drawn from the several aggravations of those sins which are committed in the days of our youth.

1. They are committed with a great deal of impetuousness and violence: Though the story of Phaeton be fabulous (and I purposely wave Poetical Fictions) yet the moral is sound, that rash young men may set all in a combustion: Job hath a full comparison: A young man is like a wild Asses Colt. Aristotle accounts him an unfit hearer of moral Philosophy. Neither Aristotle his Ethics, nor Tullyes offices, can break a young colt. This one word Volo is the bane of many young men. They are refractory, and will have their own will, and a self-willed-man is felo de se, his own executitioner: with what violence do young men pursue their lusts? They leave no stone unmoved for the satisfaction of their humors: They measure not things by the light of judgment, much less by the rule of the word, but they act according to fancy and passion. And there is an Anarchy in their passions, or such a tumult or Ataxy in them, as that they love what they should loath, desire what they should abhor, rejoice when they should mourn: Nitimur in vetitum, is the main trade they drive. And thus unbridled youth, without all government, is like a City without gates and walls Satan and all his instruments will enter in speedily and surprise them.

A Second aggravation is because s • nnes committed in days of youth are with abundance of delight and complacency acted by sinners. Old men cannot act some • inns (though their hearts are as naught as ever) by reason of natural Impedements, and indisposition of their present constitution: But young-men whose bones are full of marrow, they delight in jovial company, drinking, gameing, seeing Theatricall Interludes, They are young, and therefore they put far from them the evil day, Let them read that dreadful woe Amos 6. 3. 4. 5. 6. Its the young man void of understanding that was enticed by the Whore, Prov. 7. 22. Absalom was a young man that rebelled against hi • Father, O what eager pursuits was there, what delight what desire and endeavor to accomplish his designs? He falls a fawning and flattring and so steals away the hearts of the people, and then he will not tarry till his fathers death, but on he goeth with his design, A vow to God he pretends in his mouth, but he meditates Treason and • ebellion in his heart, And you know what became of him. David seems to extenuatet he matter, when he bids deal gently with the young man Absalom. However the Rebell is no whit less in excuseble.

A Third aggravation is drawn from the many Pleas, and vain pretences that young men make, they will tell you that youth must have a grain allowed, what's a Gentleman but his pleasure, Now they are young hereafter they will think upon their souls, They must have a time to sow their wild Oats, They can quote the Tragedian; Mirth becomes a young man, gravity an old man. Would they were as well verst in the book of God, there they may read 2 Tim. 2. 22. Flee youthful Lusts: I have often seriously thought that Its no wonder to see so many wanton youths, when as there remain so many wanton Authors (Poets I mean especially) such as Horace, Martial, Catullus, Tibullus, Propertius &c. • ho corrupt many young men, Its high time that all such books were either thoroughly purged or else condemned to the fire as theirs were Act. 19. 19. You youngmen do not plead for your pleasures, Solomon tells you that Childhood and youth are vanities. I remember Tertullian hath a saying Vides convivium peccatoris interroga ejus conscientiam &c. There is death in the Pot; In the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowful. There is death in the Adulterers bed, death in the Drunkards cup, death in the deceivers false weights, never plead pleasure in sinful ways.

But youth will plead, will you allow no Recreation?

I Answer that no recreation that is sinful may at any time be allowed, no recreation of ill report and scandalous, no recreation as a vocation, no misspending of time, for we are commanded to redeem time or making a good Market of time. Only such recreations may be used as are of Good report, which may serve as files and whetstones to devotion, to draw thee nearer to God, and not to keep thee farther off. I may say of recreations as a Reverend Divine said of Ceremonyes some are tolerable, none necessary, but most be abominable, Would you know the right pleasure? It's in the ways of wisdom Prov. 3, 17. would you know the right object of rejoicing? It's in God Phil. 4. 4. Bernard hath an excellent saying Wouldest thou never be sad, live well. Lay aside all your vain pleadings, study the scripture, be much in prayer, much in meditation, and s • earching your own hearts, and then you will find by experience that there is more true pleasure in one moments communion with God, then in all the delights and vanityes of the whole world were they all put together.

The fourth and last Aggravation that I shall name, is this, Sins of youth are greater sins, and will cause the greatest bitterness, because young men sin after so many invitations, calls and warnings from God. The soul of God loves the first ripe fruits; The Holy Ghost calls today, not tomorrow, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth: Thou must consecrate thy fresh green years to God; Thou must dedicate the first fruits, the •• first born, the •••• dren of Israel were to give their first fruits, their first born, the best of their flock, a Lamb withot blemish God calls for thy youth, Wilt thou put him off with the refuse, thy old crazy bones, (that I may speak it with reverence) when the Devil hath sucked out the Marrow? Wilt thou offer God empty bones? Mal. 1. 8. Thy Governor will not accept of it: Now thy sin is aggravated, because thou dost refuse God's call at present, upon presumption of space, and grace for the future, neither of which are in thy power; He may give thee neither, whilst thou art a refusing at the call of God, to give him thy youth. and thy fresh green years, he may be a sweating that there shall be no more time, and cut thee asunder in the midst of thy sins, and cast thee into eternal torments; or if God give theespace, it's doubtful whether he will give thee grace, It's said of Jezebel, Rev. 2. 21 I gave her space to repent but she repented not: There is a Peradventure, 2 Tim. 2. 25. They encouraged the blind man, saying, Behold he calleth thee: Christ knocks at the doors of your hearts, he offers to be your guest, Will not you now open to entertain Jesus Christ: Now we are sent on Embassy, 2 Cor. 5. 20. To pray you to be reconciled unto God: If you hearken not today, our commission may be out of date tomorrow; I know Christ calls at several hours, I dare not set a bar against ancient people, I invite them to come unto Christ, and Ministerially persuade them: For, saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5. 10. We persuade men: Now let them begin and bewail their mis-spent time, and though they have begun later, let them work the harder that work of faith, that labor of love, that patience of hope: Yet I dare not encourage any, for all the world, to put off their repentance to their old age; They that begin soonest, will find the most comfort, the most experience, and the less work to do when they come to die: Yet let not elder persons say 'tis too late, let them not shut the door of mercy against themselves, and so judge themselves unworthy of eternal life: But let them lay aside all excuses, and now come and work in Christ's Vineyard, and be faithful, and they shall receive their penny.

Thus I have given you the Doctrinal part of the Text, I shall improve it in four Uses for Humiliation, Exhortation, Direction, and Consolation: This shall be my particular Application of all unto ourselves.

The first Use shall be for deep Humiliation: Let us all be humbled for the sins of our youth▪ Let us smite upon our Thighs, sigh to the breaking of our loins: Let us abhor ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes. Youth is easily over-taken with sin: Plato tells us, Furiosus est Juvenibus animi habitus: Aristotle saith, He is headstrong, given to his passions: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . But Solomon gives his experimental verdict, instar omnium, Eccles. 11. 10. Youth is vanity: Let us refle • t upon our youthful sins, and aggravate them with all their sinful circumstances, and be confounded and abased even to the dust, at the remembrance of them. Mr. Bolton in that excellent Tract, Entituled, Helps to Humiliation, takes it for granted, that Christians keep two Catalogues of their sins; one before, another after their conversion: Did we indeed keep a Diary of our lives, we should find abundant cause of a heart-melting Humiliation; as for all, so especially for those notorious Pollutions that cleave to our youthful days. Austin made Confessions and Retractations, which Books, amongst his Works, can never be enough admired, but are accounted the very Marrow and Quintessence of all his Works: In his Confessions, amongst other sins, he sets out a sin which many idle Truantly Boys nowadays would laugh it out, and would make nothing of, accounting it only as a trick of youth: It was [ 1] the robbing of an Orchard, which he confesseth with a bleeding heart in several aggravations. 1. Saith he, This sin which I committed, was not only forbidden in the book of God, but I had it daily in my heart. 2. I did it with a previous resolution, with full purpose of heart. 3. I did it not for want, but in disdain of goodness, [ 2. 3. 4. 5.] and out of an eager desire to do wrong. 4. I had abundance of the same kind at home, and better. 5. I did steal them not so much to enjoy the thing, as my own lust, That it might be said to my old companions, that I robbed an Orchard. 6. He aggravates his sin [ 6] from the bad company, there were a great many swaggerers, and incarnate Devils with me. 7. From the unseasonableness of the time, [ 7. 8.] It was at mid-night. 8. From the base employment they had been at, before they came there; we did it when we had been Sporting, Dancing, and Drinking. 9. We carried all away, so that they were a burden [ 9. 10.] to us. 10. When we came home, we gave them to the Swine. I have enlarged this Confession of Austin, hoping, through the Grace of God, that it may do a great deal of good. My Brethren, I beseech you look back on former sins, call to remembrance your many mad pranks committed in your youth: Some nowadays glory in their youthful sins, and will make a Jest of them: But you know Solomon's censure of such, Prov. 14. 9. That fools make a mock of sin: Some will boast even of those sins that they never •• mmitted, thereby to ingratiate themselves with their boon Companions. Many there are, who will find matter for discourse, by talking of their old sins, with what delight and merriment can they talk of youthful vanities, such slippery tricks and wanton carriages? and by the delighting in the narration and repetition of them, they possess their youthful sins, and they act them over again. I am fully of that Reverend Divines opinion, who hath took excellent pains in his Exposition upon the place, That so often as a man remembers a sin which he hath committed, with consent, he commits it again: Take heed then of boasting and telling pleasant stories of your youthful sins; Be humbled, be humbled for every sin, especially for youthful sins: Call to mind your profanations of Sabbaths, Sabbath sins will sit close upon the conscience: Call to mind your barrenness under the means of Grace, your rashness, precipitancy, frothyness of wit, wantonness, self-willedness, all your youthful vanities; spread the letter before the Lord (as Hezekiah did in the case of Rabshakeh) spread the black Bill of Indictment against yourselves, take shame to yourselves, glorify God, by making confession to him; if there may be any possibility of hope, any healing of your errors; you are yet alive on this side Hell, on this side the Grave and Eternity, you cannot promise unto yourselves the least moment of time. Now there is hope, there is a door of mercy opened, the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land, you live under the sound of the Gospel: Now I am sent in • mbassy, the substance whereof, is to persuade you to make sin your greatest sorrow, and Jesus Christ your greatest joy, to be sensible of the stingings of the Fiery Serpents, to be affected with the wounds of sin, & then to look up to the brazen Serpent Jesus Christ for a perfect cure. Had not you better mourn for sin now, whilst you have breath, space, hope, then weep and wail, and gnash your teeth in Hell fire, in that hopeless condition whence there is no redemption, where the Judge hath veiled his face, and past a Sentence irreversible: And because many Scholars bewail in an especial manner their University sins, considering, that here they have committed those sins with delight, which in their elder age, will prove Gall and Wormwood, even Gravel, as Solomon speaks: Give me leave, out of love to your souls, to deal plainly with you, and to be your Remembrancer of some peculiar reigning sins, which upon observation, I find more ripe amongst young men; I exclude not, nor excuse them from other sins, for who can say his heart is clean? whose heart is not a Womb, to bring forth the most hideous Monsters? whose heart is not a Garden to bring forth the most rank poisonous weeds? whose heart is not a sink, to entertain the most noisome carrion? but that Grace preventing, renewing and sanctifying Grace steps in, and keeps a soul from such foul acts: • ut I say, upon grounded experience, these sins amongst young men are most notorious, for which there is exceeding great cause of humiliation.

The first sin I shall mention, is Voluptuousness: Young men are all for their pleasures, addicted to their sports and vanities: It's lamentable to consider what a great deal of precious time is thrown away in vain pleasures by some young men (I wish there were none such within our Walls) What abundance of time is spent, I say, mis-spent by many young men, in Ball-courts, Cards, Dice, Tables, with Hawks, Hounds, one of which hours cannot be recalled. I have read the Story of John Hus, whom Luther calls Sanctissimum Martyrem, when the Bishops put a ridiculous Crown upon his head, to make him their Ludibrium; he made this Answer, My Lord Jesus for my sake did wear a crown of Thorns, why should not I then for his sake wear this l • ght crown, be it never so ignominious? Truly I will do it, and that willingly: You know (saith he) In my younger years (which grieveth me now) I have d • lighted oftentimes to play at Chess, have neglected my time, and have unhappily provoked both myself and others to anger many times by that play: You may make good use of the words of this Holy Martyr, which were the words of a dying Man; and an eminent Martyr for Christ: I shall not dispute at present the lawfulness or unlawfulness of that Play: Be it never so innocent, never so indifferent, where those ill consequences are produced, viz. Loss of much time, and provocation to much anger; its the safest way to lay it aside: and the like may be said for other Games, which are doubtful & disputable, Abundance cautela non nocet: Aristotle by no means will have happiness to consist in pleasure: He calls voluptuous persons Slaves, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that lead a life more beseeming a Beast then a Man. The best of Orators gives this character of Pleasure, That it is esca omnium malorum, and looks upon a voluptuous person, as one that hath un-manned himself, and not worthy the name of a man. It was a famous Speech of Titus Caesar, That he had lost that day wherein he had done no good: Consider of this, that day is lost wherein you have done God no service; when you have wasted your time in idle Company, Drinking, Gaming, Carowsing, What comfort can you take when you come to die? What good will your boon Companions do you? They will prove as miserable Comforters, (as the High Priests to Judas) Matth. 27. 3. They said, What's that to us, see thou to that: O this sin of Voluptuousness reigns throughout the Land; How many make their Recreation their business, their employment, eating and drinking, and rising up to play, with the Idolatrous Israelites: Believe it (my Brethren) mis-spent time will lie heavy upon your consciences when you come to die: Then thou wilt cry, Call time again, call time again, as some have done on their Death-beds: Then what promises wouldest thou make if thou mightest live a little longer? Thou wouldest redeem every vanity with an age of preciseness. O how thou wilt curse those profane Companions that called thee from thy Study to the Tavern; that enticed thee from a Sermon to a Whore-house! Then thou wilt find by experience that thou hast been mistaken all the while, and that there is no solid real pleasure in the ways of sin: May these considerations disengage and wean your hearts from sensual Pleasures: Neither do I cry down all Pleasures this day, only I persuade you to make the best choice, to turn the stream of Carnal and Sensual, into Spiritual and Heavenly Pleasures: Would you have Pleasures follow Wisdoms Tracts? Prov. 3. 17. Are you all for Delights? Delight yourselves in God, Psal. 37. 4. Are you for Joy? rejoice in God, The joy of the Lord is your strength, Neh. 8. 10.

A Second sin I shall name is contempt of superiors, Young men would gladly have the reins of government let loose, they will fain be lawless, left to their own liberty, everyone to do that which is good in his own eyes, no Bonds will hold head strong refractory spirits, they join with those in their resolution to break of all bands. Psal. 2. 3. I could wish heartily those complaints were not verified of our times Isa: 3. 5. Lam. 5. 12. Lam. 4. 16. I am sure the 5th commandment is obligatory, so is the precept. Heb. 13. 17. God is the God of order, and not of confusion: if the order primi & secundi be not observed, If there be not governing and obeying: But if Levelling designs of a rude multitude that bellua multorum capitum, take place, there will be a dissolution of the continuum, and we shall be reduced into the first Chaos. Therefore to you (my Elder Brethren) I address my exhortation, to keep up that authority that God hath put into your hands; Let no man despise you: Keep up good discipline: Set up Catechising in all your houses: Teach those under your charge their particular duties, season them with the knowledge of God in their youth and train them up in their duty, and when they are old, they will never forget it. I have heard that in the beginning of that horrid Irish rebellion, some Servants cut their masters throats, and told them they should have taught them better. Were there better Masters, there would be better servants. You that are Tutors and have the inspection of others, look upon yourselves as Pro-parents, and be faithful in your trust. Do you read diligently to them? I wish you all did else. Take heed of slothfulness, of hiding your Talents in a Napkin. But let me ask you plainly, you that find young men licentious, head-strong and refractory, do you pray frequently with them, and for them? Do you Catechize them? Do you teach them knowledge in Aristotle, and do you not much more teach them knowledge in Jesus Christ? Let us then all in our places and capacityes look to our charge, and do our duties with diligence and fidelity, and leave the success to God.

A Third sin is an affectation of Novelty, or devising ways besides, or quite contrary to the knowledge of the word of God; We brayd of the humor of old Athens: we have Itching ears after novelty. It is sad to consider how many young men's heads affect froth of wit, and spend much time in reading stage plays, Poets, Pasquills, Romances, high-flown non-sense of late Scriblers: Others out of curiosity are not afraid to meddle with Judicial Astrology, which was Mr. Perkins his sin in his younger years, and his sorrow in his elder years. Another sort there are, who are much affected with New-Lights, (i. e.) Antinomian and Familisticall writers, who with a swelling Title in the frontispice, allure men, as the Sirens do with their Music, and then devour them; Some of their books are no better then guilded Pills, or guilded Rats-bane, which whilst they pretend the exaltation of Christ and bright morning beams (as some • e of their Titles pretend) they deceive young heads, and whilst they pretend new lights, they revive old Antiquated Her esies, and like an ignis fatuus mislead multitudes, ho follow after to their own destruction. Therefore lets all as one man be exhorted not to be wise above what is written, not to follow any further then they follow Jesus Christ. Keep close to the good old rule, unto the law and the testimonies, study the Scriptures and converse with those Mnasons, those old disciples, study their works such as were Greenham, Perk • ns, Regers, Hildersham, Dod, Dyke, &c. Their memory is blessed, their works praise them in the gate. And let me communicate an experience unto you: I have observed of some, that at first out, of pregnancy of parts, and singularity, they would be skeptical and hold Paradoxes in Philosophy: In tract of time they stayed not there, but they would set their wits a working and afterwards they became skeptical and Heterodoxe in Divinity. And therefore take heed of Sceptisme: There is One whom I knew very well, a man of a proud spirit, that used in the schools to be s • epticall and maintain Paradoxes, and to go against the principles of Philosophy: He is gone further now, and hath wrote a blasphemous book against the Divinity of the holy Ghost. Whither will not pride and vain glory carry any man? And what becomes of the best wit, the best parts, when God leaves any man unto himself?

The Fourth and last sin I shall now name is pride, and of all pride, spiritual pride is most dangerous, when a man is proud of any gift of God, his pride will prove like the wild gourd, est mors in olla. Pride is the poison of the soul, it soon swells a man, and then bursts him. And many times men of learning smart for their pride, God bereaves them of their senses and they do even obrutescere with Nebuchadnezzar, who in the midst of his proud vainglorious boasting, was sent a grazing among the beasts of the field. And there is another sort of pride, which I dare not let go unreproved (i. e.) the strange Exotick Garbs of these times, worse then former ages, m • ny cannot be content with the hair that God gives them, they like not the color of it, but they borrow other folks hair, some are so fantastical as to Crisp and Powder their hair, and wear long Locks, fitter to be called Pride-locks then Love-locks. I cannot hold my peace, to see such vanities and prodigious sights, even like bushy Comets p •• tending some mischief to the place where they live. You shall not talk scarce with any Trades-man, but he will tell you, its a hard time, he hath much ado to live: And many poor householders have much ado to keep themselves alive: when as in the mean time a Phantasticall Gallant wears so many Ribbands (even all the co • lours of the Rainbow) in his Hat, so many Ribbands about his waste, so many Poynts about the knees, as the price paid for them would maintain many poor families a great while. Brethren, I speak these things sadly and seriously, when I consider such superfluityes and vanityes, which if they were pared off, and that money converted to the poor, it might supply the honest necessity of many a poor servant of Jesus Christ. Hopeing therefore of your Reformation, I proceed to a Second Use for Exhortation.

Let old men call to mind their youthful sins, and mourn for them: I am confident there are divers aged persons, that have repented of their youthful sins, which sins were they to commit again, they would not commit them for all the world. And do not pass by the sins of your riper years: David prays that God would charge neither upon him, but remember him according to mercy, Psal. 25. 7. Covetousness and Passion are amongst others two especial sins that accompany old age. Beware of these in an especial manner. These are beloved bosom sins, O subdue them: when Goliath was slain the Philistines were vanquished presently. When Covetousness and Passion (which are the championsins, the accustomed sins of old age) are conquered, other sins of ordinary incursions will more easily be subdued. I have read of Bellarmine, that when the Priest came to confess him, he could not remember any particular sins of his present age, but was fain to call to mind the sins of his youth: put surely this man was a mere stranger to his own heart, he had not studied his own heart, otherwise he might have found many present sins to bewail, if he had not gone back as far as his youth: • owever the oldest Saints find matter of humiliation, for daily and hourly sins, and they lam • n • their sins committed in all ages, (viz) Infancy, Childhood, Youth and old age: • nd to you that are young, let me beseech you to give God the prime of your youth, consecrate your youth to God. A young Timothy O how delightful is he to God, The time you have before you, O redeem it, and be good husbands of it, and improve every minute of time to the glory of God! and the best advantage of your precious souls. O labor with a holy greediness to get saving graces, faith, love, hope, patience, meekness and humility. Now you have a time of plenty, store up against a year of famine. Now you have many prices put into your hands, to get wisdom withal, O that God would give you hearts to make a right improvement of them! You have strength • nd marro • in your bones, you are in the flower, and prince of your age, your spirits are vigorous, your memories mos • retentive, O then consecrate all the members of your bodies, and faculties of your souls to the service of the Lord. We usually say Spes Ecclesiae in Juventute: There are many hopeful young plant • in God's garden, they must bring • orth more favory fruit in their elder age. In a word, let me exhort you so to spend your time, as when you come to be old, you may look back upon your young days with comsort, and bless God, that hath seasoned you with his fear from your youth: Both to old and young let me apply myself, and fasten on them these few moving considerations, which may be as so many 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or preservatives, and means to prevent sin.

1. Consider seriously the omniscience of God, so did Joseph Gen. 39. 9. This was a Monitour to Job, chap. 10, 14. and Heb. 4. 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as I may say naked and anatomized before him. Imagine God to be, as the Arabians fancied, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all eye to see thee, He knows thy thoughs, penetrates thy secretest recesses, knows the Meanders, windings and diverticles of thy heart. Did men seriously consider that they are always in the presence of an Omniscient Lord; This consideration might prevent sin.

2. Consider, as God knows thy ways, so he keeps exact Records. Here is a Chirograph in the text for iniquities, and he keeps a Book of remembrance of the Saints religious conferences together, Mal. 3. 16. In a proper sense we cannot say that God keeps a Book, the formality of writing down is infinitely below God. This is a sigurative speech, the meaning is, that all that is thought, done, or spoken is always before him. Conscience likewise keeps a Book that one day will act the part of witness, accuser, and judge.

3. Consider before hand what sin will cost thee. Reckon the cost of it. Rom. 6. 21 old, and young will have cause of shame, as Peter Martyr *observes. Who of understanding would be a slave to so unprofitable a master as sin is? When you are tempted to sin, ask thyself the Question, shall I displense an holy God? shall I defile my soul? wound my Conscience by sin? will there not be bitterness in the end? When thou art tempted to uncleanness consider • ore hand that he that is abhorred of God is enticed of a Whore, • nd wouldest thou be abhorred of God? I'have read that a young •• an thus tempted by a Whore, bit off a piece of his Tongue, that so he pain of it, might divert him from so wicked a Temptation. Say • ot Who • edome is a Trick of youth, such youthful tricks (unless • epented of) will damn thy soul to all eternity. When thou art empted to Immoderate Drinking, consider before hand thy body • hold be the Temple of the Holy Ghost, shall I make it a Tem • le for Bacchus? will not days of mourning follow days of Jolli • ye • nd Carrousing? will not cups of trembling follow cups of health • ng? may not there be such an Hand-writing against me as was against Belshazzar? In a word could men seriously premeditate a • orehand, what sin would cost them, they would not so rashly • dventure upon it, to wound their conscience, and displease so holy a Lord God.

4. Consider the four last things, Death and Judgment, Hell and Heaven: 1. Consider Death, Its the statute law of Heaven: That all shall die, and everyone shall see death, as we read Heb. 9. 27. Psal. 8. 9 40. This life is of a short continuance; compared to a flower, a vapor, a Weavers Shuttle: Young die as well as Old: Upon this moment depends eternity: And in eternity we return to the Land of the living. We all stand at the door of eternity: we may be summond by death presently, for ought we know. So ought we to live every day, as if it were our last day that we may have nothing to do but to die. Wouldest thou have death call thee suddenly? art thou prepared? Dost thou so live, as thou canst look the King of • errors in the face, and with comfort and confidence breath out thy soul unto Jesus Christ? O therefore cleanse thy soul, set upon the work of purification, Trimme up thy soul to entertain Jesus Christ.

2. Consider of the day of judgment, 2 Cor. 5. 10 Consider before hand that of Solomon Eccles. 11. 9. Consider there will come a day of account. As death leaves thee, so judgment will find thee. If thy peace be not made with God before thou diest, Judgment will return thee an enemy to Jesus Christ: And if Christ be thy enemy who is thy Judge, thou wilt wish that the hills might fall upon thee, and that the mountains might cover thee from the face of the Lamb. Let the consideration of the day of • udgment be always in your thoughs, and ask thyself the Question, Do I that which I can answer at the day of judgment? shall I not be called to an account for these things?

3. Consider the Torments of Hell, the lot and portion of all those who are unreconciled to Jesus Christ. Ask thyself the Question, doth not Whoredom, Drunkeness &c. lead thee away into the pit? will not cursed delights in burning lusts end in eternal burnings? Will not sin cry aloud for its wages, and bring with it but a dead pay?

4. Consider of the joys of Heaven, the inheritance of the Saints, no unclean thing shall enter there; nothing that defiles shall ever enter into the new Jerusalem. Would I then be in Heaven hereafter? Heaven must begin in me upon earth. Do I desire happiness? I must labor to be holy: Mark to whom blessedness is appropriated Psal. 119. v. 1 To the undefiled and pure in heart, Matth. 5. 8. Everyone of these considerations seriously laid to heart, may be preservatives against sin.

In the next place I must prescribe some Directions which that I may do, I will descend to

A third Use, which shall be for direction: You that would gladly have this Ch • rographum in my Text cancelled, and be healed of the sores and wounds of sin, I prescribe these means.

1. • e humbled to the dust for all your sins: Be afflicted and mourn, let your laughter be turned into heavyness, and your joy into mourning: Let there be such a bitter sorrow for sin, as for the loss of a first-born; like the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddo: Peter denied shamefully, and wept bitterly: David watered his Couch with his tears: Mary Magdalene, out of whom Christ cast seven Devils, washed Christ's feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head: Let it be bitter to remember, that thou hast been so undutiful to so gracious a God, that thou hast provoked such a merciful God to wrath, whose nature is to show mercy: O how this consideration should melt thy heart into a soul-reforming sorrow! Sins may be compared to the waters of Marah, so bitter as none could drink of them: Sin is a very bitter thing, it produceth bitter effects: But God shown Moses a Tree, which made the Waters of Marah sweet. The bitter Tears of Repentance, and the most bitter afflictions which sin produceth, will end in joy to those that are truly penitent.

2. Though thou must be humbled (and he that was never humbled, never truly believed) yet thou must not rest in thy humiliation, but look unto Jesus Christ for a cure; Thou must be sensible of the stings and wounds of sin, and look unto Jesus Christ, by the eye of Faith, for a cure: He is our peace, Eph. 2. 14. No reconciliation but by him, 2 Cor. 5. 19. No way to get healing, pardon, salvation, but by him; sue then out a Pardon sealed by the Blood of Christ: O pray that be would cancel the hand-writing against thee, and that by his Blood he would Justify, Sanctify, and Save thee: No name, no Mediator, no Blood can make an Atonement for thee, but this Blood of Sprinkling, which speaks better things then the Blood of Abel.

3. Having got a pardon through the Blood of Christ, walk circums • ectly in thy whole conversation, Eph. 15. 5. There is an Emphasis in the Adverb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , bids be watchful and circumspect, take heed of re-acting thy youthful sins; • ill be renewing thy repentance, and pray for more manifestation of God's love unto thy soul.

4. And lastly, To conclude, here is one word of comfort unto those, upon whom God hath poured the Spirit of Repentance: Old people, that have truly repented of their sins, shall have them imputed unto Christ, and Christ's righteousness unto them for Justification; and let them read their blessedness, Psalm 32. 1, 2. Happy are they, whose souls are washed white in the blood of the Lamb: You that mourn for sin, you shall be comforted: You that bewail your sins and hate them, and endeavor to walk closely with God, in a holy conformity to his will, you shall have this hand-writing blotted out: And whether your sorrow be right and genuine, you must try it by those Apostolical Characters, 2 Cor. 7. 10, 11. Let no man apply comfort to himself, but upon Gospel terms: And to you that are young, upon whose hearts God hath wrought saving Grace in your tender years; I must pronounce comfort to you, Happy is it with you, that God hath begun with you betimes, and hath planted his fear in your hearts betimes: You have heard how dear youthful sins cost many in their elder years, O now be advised, take warning, fly youthful sins, labor to be grave and serious in your carriages: God hath done much for you, what will you do for him? speak good of his name, advance his glory, encourage your fellows to come unto God: Remember that counsel which Christ gives Peter, When thou art converted, streng then thy brethren. I beseech you all in the fear of God, in the close of my Sermon, to beware of youthful levity: There is a great deal of frothy with amongst young men. A Reverend Divine, now with God, used to pray, That of all spirits, God would be pleased to deliver him from a frothy spirit: Beware of foolish Jesting. Though the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be allowed in Aristotle, yet it is condemned by St. Paul. Eph. 5. 4. Let young Timothy be a pattern for your imitation, of whom Paul had such confidence: And always labor to cleanse your ways, according to that rule which I shall leave with you for a close of all, Psal. 119. v. 9. By taking heed thereto according to the word.

Judgment and Mercy.

IN the precedent Chapter you have the Genealogy of the long lived Patriarchs of the old World: It's observable, that every ones particular age is exactly reckoned, and though they lived some more, some fewer years; yet everyone agrees in the same conclusion, And he died. Methuselah, who lived the longest of all, lived nine hundred sixty and nine years, and he died: The longest livers saw death, and could not deliver themselves from the hand of the Grave. These ancient Fathers, though dead, may be said to live in their Posterities: They left behind them a numerous offspring, the Earth is full of people, and mankind is now multiplied into multitudes, v. 1. And as the People, so their wickednesses are multiplied: The more people, the more sinners: O stupendous ingratitude! God multiplies their offspring, and revives their memory in the fruit of their loins: For what are Parents of many Children, but themselves so much the more multiplied; yet these wicked Wretches, by how much the more God increased and multiplied them in their Posterity, by so much the more they increased and multiplied their wickedness against him their Creator: And now their abominations are come to the full, and they are ripe for destruction.

The Lord exercised Mercies, bowels of Mercies, patience, longsuffering towards them, waiting upon them many years, Preaching to them by the Patriarchs, calling them to Repentance, and notwithstanding all the loving kindnesses, forbearances, patient expectations of a gracious God, ye • they remain obstinate, refractory, incorrigible, whereupon the Lord will not suffer his patience to be abused any longer, his Servants and Ministry to be contemned, his Holy Spirit to be grieved, v. 7, 8. The Creatures were made for the service of Man, both he and they should be took away together: Man was the Lord over the Creatures, and when he was took away, what use would there be of them, as Chrysostom observes: Man had abused the Creatures over which he had dominion: Master and Servants both fall together; thus the whole Creation gro • neth, by reason of man's Apostasy from God. As the Beasts were made for Man, so they became subject to vanity and destruction. through Mans iniquity, Rom. 8. 20, 22. But this sharp Sentence God pronounceth with a great deal of reluctancy, he is said to repent in this verse, and v. 6. both to repent, and be grieved at his heart: This is an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , repentance cannot in a proper sense be attributed to God: Repentance in God, is the unchangeable disposition of changeable things, as Augustine observes: God may will a change where he doth not change his will. There's no change in the Creator, the change is in the Creature; and here we may see how God takes upon him our affections, and so condescends to our capacity: As we repent, and are grieved when anything displeaseth us, so God here speaking after the manner of men, is said to repent and grieve: Hence we may observe what an heinous and abominable thing sin is, that causeth God to grieve. Calvin, on the place, supposeth God pleading on this wise: This is not my work, this is not the man created after mine Image, endowed with such noble faculties; this adulterous and degenerate world I scorn to own for mine.

But wherein consists the greatness of the sins of the old World, against whom the Lord threatens destruction?

You have a general charge given in by God himself, v. 5. compared with Gen. 8. 21. It's said there, The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth: They were habituated in wickedness generally, both heart and life stark n • ught; they were gray hair'd in wickedness. and now arrived at the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the highest point and degree of impiety; and the heart, which the Philosophers say is the seat of life, and Scripture saith; It is the seat of the soul, and principle of the understanding, will, affections and motions, this is depraved, and become the forge of all abominations: It's said, Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually: Of this change in general, the Lord gives a clear proof by particulars, v. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair, &c. By sons of God, some understand Angels: This was the conjecture of Tertullian, Justin Martyr, Clemens Alexardrinus, and others: But Chrysostom urgeth that Scripture, which to me seems a full confutation of their opinion, Matth. 22. 30. In the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. Others understand by sons of God, the sons of Princes, and those great Personages that lived in those days: I shall rather wave these • xpositions, and concur with Calvin, Luther, Musculus, Ainsworth, and other solid Commentators, who unanimously, by Sons of God, understand the Posterity of Seth, such as were the sons of God by external Profession, the men of the Church of God, and these took the daughters of men, (i. e.) The Posterity of Cain: The holy Seed mingled themselves with the profane Seed, they looked at naught else besides Beauty and satisfaction of • usts. Beauty was the *object of their Love: This desire of Beauty was the Harbinger of their ruin. It seems they took any Women whatsoever, having no regard to goodness, no regard to God, none to their Parents advice, they made their own choice: Beauty, Lust, Violence, their own will was the rule they went by, and might prevailed above right: Violence and power carried all before them, v. 4. some derive the word quasi, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sons of the Earth. This Etymology savors of a Poetical Figment, therefore I discard it altogether. The word in the Original is Nephilim, it comes from Naphal, to fall; they were Apo • ates and fell from God, and by reason of their tyranny and cruelty, caused many to fall before them. It's said Haggibburim, they were mighty men. The Chaldee calls them Gibbaraja, mighty men: So Nimrod was Gibbor, mighty, Gen. 10. 8. He hunted souls, he was a monstrous Tyrant and Persecutor of the Church of God. These men were famous, they had a great name, but they were famous only for oppression and cruelty; their Will was their L • w, and their strength and might bore down all before them: They got power and a name by the Injuries and Persecutions which they exercised upon the Church of God. Calvin gives a remarkable observation, That it was the first Nobility of the world, That no one should too much please himself with a long and famous series of Images of Ancestors. And Luther gives another note, writing of the fame of these wicked Giants, and the renown they got by their Villanies; he compares them to the Popes, Cardinals, and Bishops, who would not be called by those names they deserved; they would not be called Tyrants, Impious, Sacrilegious, but Merciful, Holy, Reverend: So the renown of these Giants is mentioned for their Villanies. They were famous Oppressors, cruel Blood-suckers, wicked Tyrants. And thus you have a draught of the old World set before your view: Their crying sins were profaneness of heart and life, promiscuous Marriages, Polygamies, contempt of God and Parents, Oppressions, Cruelty and Persecution: They had many warnings from God, many reproofs and admonitions by the Ministry of the Patriarchs, and all in vain, wherefore the Lord threatens in the Text, My spirit shall not always strive, &c.

Which words are a Sermon Preach'd by the great God of Heaven and Earth, to the old wicked World; which Sermon is a Pattern, and the Archetipam for Ministers to Preach by, and consists of Judgment and Mercy.

1. Here's a dreadful Judgment, or a sad Commination of the heaviest punishment that can befall a people on this side Hell: My spirit, &c.

2. Here's a strong reason to enforce: For that he also is flesh. In the Mercy contained in the Text.

1. You have something implied: Its said, Not always, implying, that it hath striven some time, and a long time too: In Justice God might cut sinners asunder in the midst of their rebellions, and send them to Hell: But O the infinite mercy and patience of God thus to strive at all, and to strive so long with rebellious sinners.

2. Here's a mercy expressed: It's wrote in such legible Characters, as he that runs may read it: Yet his days, &c.

The words have need of a Paraphrase: I shall open them briefly in their order. By Spirit, Ainsworth understands that holy Spirit of Christ, by which he Preached in the Patriarchs, and especially in Noah, to the disobedient spirits of the old World, and exhorted them by the Fathers to amend their lives; so I take the sense to be: It followeth, Shall not strive. The 70 read it, My spirit shall not abide: But this I take not to be the meaning: the word hath many significations; it signifies, to judge, to chide and dispute: As if the Spirit of God should say, I have set Judges over you, I have chid you, reproved you, argued the case with you, sent my servants, Noah, Enoch, Methuselah, exhorting you to come and repent, but you are incorrigible, impenitent, you are never the better, notwithstanding all my patience, forbearance, waiting on you, trying you, therefore now my spirit shall no longer strive with you, I will take no more pains with you, I will dispute the case no longer, but send a Deluge to decide the controversy: And so I understand the words.

In seculum, so the 70 read it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Here you may see an Abyss of kindness to mankind: So Chrysostom: That the Spirit hath ever strove with any, is a great mercy: But if the Spirit strive by Messengers, rising early, and going to bed late, and by its motions and whispers, if the Spirit be still resisted and abused, it will leave striving, and leave a people inexcusable. Luther speaking of this Text, saith, This was a public Sermon, preached in a public Assembly: When those that were God's Messengers spent their spirts in vain, and saw that the people were desperate, past all hopes of reclaiming, they let them alone to take their course, and to be filled with their own ways.

Then here's a Reason given, For that he also is flesh: The word sets forth the corrupt nature of mankind, and is here put by way of opposition unto the Spirit: It is the same with Animalis, or Carnalis homo. Man that was created after the Image of God, hath defaced that Image, hath corrupted his way, and is become fleshly. This God complains of, That the order which he put is inverted, and his Image transformed into flesh, as Judicious Calvin observes.

Lastly, Here's a gracious reprieval and space allowed for repentance: Yet his days, &c. This is not to be understood as if an hundred and twenty years were the limited term of years for mankind to live in this world: It's apparent, that many after the Flood lived longer: But the meaning is, that an hundred and twenty years shall be given them, if haply they be converted. This space God allows them for repentance, and they had Noah a Preacher of righteousness, and they saw the Ark a building, and every stroke stricken: The building of the Ark should have been a Monitor of repentance; this was great and wonderful longsuffering, as we read, 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20. By which he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah.

The words thus opened, contain two fundamental Doctrines.

1. That it is a most dreadful judgment upon a people, when the [Doct. 1] Spirit of God refuseth to strive any longer with them.

2. That it is an exceeding great mercy to a people, when the Lord [Doct. 2] vouchsafeth them time and space for repentance.

I resume the first, and I shall cast the Heads of my Meditations into this plain and familiar method.

1. I shall assert the truth of the Doctrine from Scripture Testimonies.

2. I shall particularly represent unto you how the Spirit may be said to strive with man.

3. I shall inquire into the Grounds and Reasons for confirmation of the truth.

And lastly, Conclude with particular Application unto ourselves.

1. To prosecute the first Head propounded, time would fail me in Scripture Quotations; but I shall gather sparingly from so great a cloud of Witnesses, mentioning some select Proofs, and leaving the rest to be supplied in your Meditations.

Now that this is so great a Judgment, for the Spirit of God to leave striving with a people, may be exemplified in several persons, recorded in Scripture as signal Spectacles of Divine vengeance to Posterity. The Lord spared Sodom and Gomorrah a long time: Abraham undertakes, though dust and ashes, to intercede for them. He intreats, That if fifty righteous persons be found there, that they may not be destroyed: His request is granted, he abates five of fifty, and then comes down to forty, after that to thirty, from thirty to twenty, and at last to ten; and it is to be observed, that God never left off granting, till Abraham left off begging: They had good Lot to reprove and exhort them, and they vexed his righteous soul day by day with their unclean conversation; he spent his spirits, his counsels, admonitions, all in vain: Now God will spare them no longer, the Angel delivered Lot from them, and as soon as ever he was gone, the Lord destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah with Fire and Brimstone, Gen. 19. 24, 25. The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven, and he over-threw those cities and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. The Lord waited a long time upon Jerusalem, sending his Prophets, and warning them; he puts them in remembrance of his exemplary Judgments upon others, Jer. 7. 13. I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but you answered not, therefore I will do to this house, &c. as I have done to Shiloh: He expostulates the case with them, Jer. 13. 27. I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields: Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem, Wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be? and Ezek. 18. 32. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, wherefore turn yourselves and live ye: The House of Israel was the Vineyard upon which God had bestowed so much pains, cost and charges, Isa. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill, and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a Tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes, &c. But all is labor lost, v. 5, 6. And now go too, I will tell you what I will do with my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up, and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden, and I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged, but there shall come up briars and thorns: I also will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. *They had many choice spirited Prophets, Isaiah, Hosea and Jeremiah, &c. They were knotty pieces, wherefore the Lord hewed them by the Prophets, Hos. 6. 5. Therefore I have hewed them by the Prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. They had warning upon warning, Prophet after Prophet; yet no more hope of doing them any good and working reformation upon them, then of changing the Ethiopians skin, or Leopards spots, Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil. Now let us hear the doom, God will smite them no more, Isa. 1. 5. Why should ye be stricken anymore? ye will revolt more and more; the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. God will not let them fare the better for those righteous persons that are amongst them, who are Advocates for them, Jer. 15. 1. Though Moses and Samuel stood before me; yet my mind could not be towards this people, cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth: So Ezek. 14. 20. Though Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter, they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. Further, God will straiten the spirit of Prayer in his Prophets, Jer. 7. 14, 15, 16. Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by name, as I have done to Shiloh; and I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim: Wherefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee. Ephraim he is obstinate and incorrigible, I will strive no longer by reproofs and admonitions, let him be filled with his own ways: He is given to idols, let him alone. It's a dreadful Judgment upon Jerusalem, Luke 19. 42. If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes. This is further implied in the parable of the fruitless fig-tree, Luke 13. 7. Behold, these three years I come, seeking fruit on this fig-tree and find none, cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground? All these are Types and Examples, and as so many warning-pieces unto us. God waited a long time upon them, wooed and entreated them by the Ministry of his Messengers to come in and repent; but they (as much as in them lay) tried conclusions with God, and ungrateful wretches as they were, strove to tire out and weary the patience and longsuffering of God, wherefore his spirit would strive no longer with them; and when God's spirit will no longer strive, what's the sequel, but ruin and destruction?

Let us reflect upon ourselves, in Israel's glass we may behold our own faces, and they will gather blackness.

The inferences we should make are set down, Luke 13. 5. I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish: And Amos 4. 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, and because I will do thus unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel: Likewise I will add, Zeph. 2. 1. Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired, before the decree bring forth, &c.

Some Reverend Divines have given three Signs of night.

1. When the shadows grow long, when wild Beasts go abroad, and when Laborers go to their rest. Now he's a mere stranger in Israel, who knows not how of late years Shadows, fruitless and ridiculous Ceremonies, have been advanced and stickled for, and violence hath been offered unto many tender consciences: Hinc illae lachrymae: Many godly Ministers, with their Families, have been ruined for non-conformity; and others have been forced to leave the Land of their Nativity, when as in the mean time the fundamentals of Religion, Faith, Repentance, Love, Regeneration were neglected, and much discountenanced, and the zealous Preachers of these Doctrines, stigmatized with the odious nicknames of Puritans, which in a proper sense, is that proud Heresy of Novatus, as Eusebius records in his Ecclesiastical History: But through the iniquity of the time, was used as a brand of Infamy to reproach the most strict and conscientious Professors.

Secondly, Wilde Beasts went abroad: Then those of the Tyrannical Prelacy persecuted the old Puritans, under the name of non-Conformists: May such persons never range again, under more plausible names and specious pretences; or more covertly, like wolves but in sheep's clothing. I wish the Jesuit may appear barefaced, that we may know him, and beware of him: It is a plain Jesuitical design, to set Brethren together by the ears in circumstantial matters, and so make them almost dispute and jangle away their Religion. I wish what was blame-worthy amongst some, be not Preached and practiced by others that succeed them; though names may differ, yet if the same thing remain, it's to the same purpose. Melanchthon was desirous to die for two reasons: One was, That he might be with Christ: The other was, That he might be freed from those bitter contentions that were in the Church in those days.

Thirdly, And likewise Laborers go to their rest: It is to be observed, that within few years as many able men, both of the Magistracy and Ministry, have gone to their long home (as the oldest alive can remember in a greater space of time) so true is that of the Prophet, Isa. 57. 1. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken from the evil to come. Methuselah, that godly longest lived Patriarch, died but the year before the Flood came: His name signifieth a Messenger of death: His death did presage the Flood. Thus Austin was taken away by death, immediately before the sacking of Hippo, where he lived. Pareus died a little before the taking of Heidelbergh. Luther a little before the Germane Wars: And we have many Reverend Preachers, the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel (it were easy to give you a Catalogue of them) who of late years have gone to their Graves in peace. By all their Ministries God's Spirit hath stroven with us, and waited for our amendment of life: We read Histories, that we may not be subjects of History. Herodotus tells us of an Inscription upon Sennacherib's Statue, Look upon me, and learn to be righteous. Peruse the sacred Annals, read the History of the old World, the destruction of Jerusalem, the casting off the Jews to this very day; read the History of the Church in all ages, acquaint yourselves with the History of Germany and Palatinate of later years, and be not like many Travelers, who are better acquainted with foreign Lands, then that of their Nativity. Take notice of the acts, the strange acts of the Lord in our L • nd: Hath not God, to this very day, continued many faithful Laborers in his Vineyard, notwithstanding some of the Prelatical party suppressed (what lay in them) powerful Preaching: yet like the Palm-tree, The more it is pressed down, the more it grows; o • like Pharachs afflicting the Is • aelites, the more he afflicted them, the more they multiplied, and notwithstanding the subtle practices of many, what name to give them, I cannot tell, for they know not what names to give themselves, neither know they what they would have: I say, notwithstanding their Stentorean voices, crying down Ministry, Sabbaths, Ordinances, yet God graciously confirms them all in their liberty and purity; and if we improve not these prices of Grace put into our hands, if we hearken not to the calls and whispers of the Spirit of God, if we neglect and despise this great salvation tendered in the Gospel, the Spirit of God will be gone, and take the Ordinances from us, or us from the Ordinances. The Spirit will threaten this dreadful judgment in the Text, to strive no longer: And that people are under a most dreadful Judgment, with whom the Spirit of God will not strive any longer: That Commin • tion runs parallel with this of my Text, Hos. 9. 12. Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left; yea, woe also to them when I depart from them.

And thus I have dispatched the first Head propounded, namely, The assertion of the truth of the Doctrine from Scripture Te •• imonies: I proceed in the second place, according to my method propounded, to make a particular representation unto you, how the Spirit may be said to strive with man.

The Spirit of God, though it be a most free agent, bloweth when and where it listeth; yet from experience we may discern, that it usually strives some of these seven ways, viz. By its motions and whispers. By the Ministry of the Word. By the checks and convictions of conscience. By the tenders of mercies. By the exercise of patience and longsuffering, by inflicting of s • gnal, exemplary judgments up • n others: And if none of these will prevail by the execution of personal judgments upon ourselves: Thus ordinarily upon a ground of experience, we may discern the several strivings of the Spirit.

For the enlargement of these particulars. 1. The Spirit of God strives by its motions, inspirations, and sweet whispers, when we hear, as it were, a voice behind us, telling us, This is the way, walk therein: Thus the Spirit of God infuseth holy thoughts, holy motions into us: We have not one good thought, we cannot of ourselves think one good thought without the inspiration of the holy Spirit. The Spirit of God rebukes sin in us, quickens us to our duties, moves, woes, beseecheth us to try conclusions no longer with God, nor to offer any violence to the Spirit of Grace, but to cherish its sweet motions, and hearken to its whispers. We may know the Spirit of God from the spirit of delusion the same way we discern good Gold from counterfeit, by examining them by the touch-stone of the word of God, Isa. 8. 20. To the Law, and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them: The Spirit of God directs the • e to the rule of the word: It is not any rule that will serve, but it is this rule, Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. But the Spirit of error directs thee to devised ways, it counsels thee to be wise above what is written. The word of God is the just Standard, we must not add to it, nor take away from it, if we would escape that dreadful curse, Rev. 22. 18. I testify to everyone that heareth the words of the Prophecy of this Book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of life, and out of the holy City, and from the things which are written in this Book. There be many that pretend to voices, dreams, revel • tions, nowadays, they would have a Platonic Christ, and fain a teaching of the Spirit besides, and contrary to the written word: Many of them are led like Absolom's followers, in their simplicity, knowing nothing for whom we must pray, as the Prophet did for his Servant, Lord open their eyes that they may see, and let them read with fear and trembling, that dreadful Anathema from the written word, Gal. 1. 8. Though we, or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you, then that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed: I will be your remembrancer of one story, 1 King. 13. 17, 18, 19. It was said unto me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread, nor drink wa • er t • ere, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest: He said unto him, I am a Prophet also, as thou art; and the Angel spake unto me, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water, but he lied unto him: So he went back, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. The man of God had a sure word of Prophesy, the word of God was in his mouth; yet he must be hearkening after a new devised word, a new pretended light or revelation from the old Prophet, he forsook the true word, and believed a lying word; what a sad Catastrophe befell him, v. 24. When he was gone, a Lyon met him by the way and slew him, and his carcase was cast in the way, and the Ass stood by it, and the Lyon stood also by the carcase: Yet notwithstanding extraordinary Revelations, Dreams, Visions, Extasies, Enthusiasms, though they have ceased long ago, and we have no warrant to expect them, because we are to keep close to the revealed will of God written in his holy word: Yet I say, we are to take notice of the sweet motions and spiritual illapses upon our souls: Though Prophesies cease, yet there are manifold discoveries of Christ unto the soul: The secret and intimate acquaintance of the soul with Christ, the souls ravishing consolations, the breaking in and flashes of heavenly light upon the soul, the heavings, aspirings, and harmony of the heart with Christ, experience of mercies, issues out of temptations, protections of Angels; all these are Heavenly, constant revelations out of the Word of God, manifested to the souls of the faithful by the Spirit, according to the word: Let us therefore embrace and cherish the gracious motions of the Spirit of God: Where the spirit of Grace is in the heart, it cannot be idle or lie dead, but it's exceeding operative. The Spirit gives light to teach thee, it gives heat to warm and comfort thee: It is a spirit of burning and purging, to burn up the stubble of corruption, to purge out thy sins: It is a spirit of refining and purifying: Therefore when the spirit of God strives by its gracious motions, enlightening, purging, inflaming, comforting, wooing thee to walk closely with God, bidding thee beware of wounding thy conscience, of resisting the light, and going against known truth: O beware of grieving this holy Spirit of God! Do not, O do not force the spirit to depart sadded and grieved from thee. This is one way whereby the spirit strives, viz. by its motions and whispers.

A second way whereby the spirit strives, is by the Ministry of the word: It is said, Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. The Spirit of God knocks at the doors of your hearts by the hammer of the word: The spirit knocks louder and louder, and the Ministers are to cry aloud and spare not, Isa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show thy people their transgressions, and the House of Jacob their sins. The Lord calls upon us by every Sermon we hear: Why will ye die? Why will ye bolt the door against the frequent knockings of the Spirit of God? The Spirit of God hath strove with some of us ten years, some twenty, some fo • ty, some sixty years: How many years have we lived under the sound of the Gospel, having heard the voice of the Turtle crying in our Land? How many powerful Preachers have spent their strength, their breath, wasted their spirits, wooing, entreating, beseeching us to be reconciled unto God? many of them are gone to their rest, their works praise them in the Gate, their memory is blessed, and their name is like sweet Ointment poured forth: How many are yet alive to this day, who Preach Jesus Christ faithfully and experimentally? how do they pray and wrestle with God? how zealously do they preach? how many admonitions, reproofs, exhortations, warnings, do they give us? And if we will not take warning, the Ministers shall deliver their own souls, and our blood will be upon our own heads; and the time will come, when it shall be known that we have had Prophets amongst us. I shall make an allusion to that Scripture, Deut. 20. 11, 12, 13. It shall be if it make thee answer of peace and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee: And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it; and when the Lord hath delivered it into thy hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword. Just so God proclaims peace, and the Ministers are Ambassadors of Peace, and deliver their commission after this manner, Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house: And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall turn to you again. The Lord now bese •• eth your hearts by the Ministry of the word, and offers you peace and reconciliation; if you will submit unto his Scepter, and cast down your rebellious weapons, the Lord will have mercy on you; but if you hold out the flag of defiance, and will not come in to Jesus Christ, what remains but utter ruin and destruction? Every Sermon you hear, is like the water of Jealousy, when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that if she be defiled, and hath done trespass against her Husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, &c. but if she be not defiled, she shall be free: When the word is received into an honest and good heart, it doth it good and makes it fruitful, when into a corrupt heart it rots it, and makes it worse. Its an observation of a Reverend Divine, That it is an indignity beyond all apprehension to the spirit of grace, when we suffer him to wait daily at our Bethesda's, our houses of mercy, and all in vain, to spend his sacred breath in the Ministry of reconciliation, in doubling and redoubling his requests unto our souls, that we would be content to be saved: Yet all this while we harden our hearts, and stop our ears, and set up the pride and stoutness of our own reasonings, till we even weary the spirit of God, chide him away, and cause him to depart sadded and grieved from us. O my Brethren, despise not prophesying, undervalue not the Ministry of reconciliation: An indignity or affront offered unto Christ's Messengers, Christ takes it as done unto himself, Luke 10. 16. He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. Be then exho • ted to set an high price of the Gospel, and make much of the motions of God's holy Spirit in the Ministry of the word.

Ursin relates, in his Preface to his Catechism, That those godly Protestants that fled beyond the Seas for their Religion, in that Marian quinquenium of Persecution, ackno • ledged, That that great innundation of misery came justly upon them, for the neglect and unprofitableness under the Gospel in King Edward the sixth's days. And if they were so severely punished for a few years unprofitableness under the means of Grace, of how much forer punishment shall we of England be accounted worthy, who well nigh a hundred years have enjoyed the purity of the Gospel, and yet we are barren and unfruitful: Let us everyone acknowledge his own unfruitfulness, that notwithstanding fattening Ordinances we have lean souls; and let us everyone pray in particular, Lord, lay not my unfruitfulness under the Ministry unto my charge. The Spirit will not always strive and wait at those Bethesda's. God may in judgment say, I will take this kingdom from you, and give it to others who will bring forth the fruits of it: I will no more suffer my servants to be abused, no more suffer my word to be despised; I will rain Mann • h no more round about your tents, if you have so cheap an esteem of it. Let us all deprecate this dreadful judgment which the P • ophet Amos threatens, Amos 8. 1. Behold a basket of summer-fruits, and he said, What seest thou? and I said, A basket of summer-fruit; then said the Lord unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel, I will not again pass by them anymore: This is the second way whereby the Spirit •• rives, viz. By the Ministry of the word.

A third way whereby the Spirit strives, is by the checks and convictions of conscience. Bernard makes a sad complaint in that excellent Tract, De interiori domo: Many have knowledge, but few have conscience. He lays down there three choice qualifications of a good conscience, To have sincerity in the heart, truth in the mouth, and rectitude in the conversation: These are distinguishing Notes for trial and examination. Now the spirit of God strives by the checks of conscience: Conscience flew in Judas his face, a legal qualm came upon him, I can call it no better: It sprang from the horror of the wrath of God, and Hell fire flashing in his face: It was no Evangelical repentance: Judas got thirty pieces of silver, but conscience forced him to a restitution. Conscience is a reflect act, it looks back upon a man's self: It is like a Musket over-charged, it will recoil upon a sinner: It is like a Blood-hound that will follow by the scent, and will never leave searching till it hath descried the Delinquent.

Wherefore Brethren, let us take special notice of the checks of Conscience: Let us keep faith and a good conscience join'd, as the Apostle exhorts: Let us not break God's link. Let Paul's (Herein I exercise) be our continual Monitor, Acts 24. 16. Herein I exercise myself, to have a conscience void of offense towards God and towards men. A Christian may have a pardon in the Court of the Judge, and yet not discern it in the Court of his conscience: In case of desertions, withdrawings and suspensions of God's gracious countenance, a Christian may not be able to apprehend God's reconciled countenance; but in this case there are encouraging, supporting promises, Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God: We read likewise Psal. 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart: and Psal. 112. 4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: God is gracious and full of compassion, and righteous in all his ways: But what shall we say when a sinner is condemned both in the Court of the Judge, and of conscience? how great is that condemnation? Spira had a check of conscience, and a voice forbidding him, O do it not! He paid full dear for the wounding of his conscience. It's an observatian of an excellent Divine, in a precious Book, called, Moses self-denial: We had better (saith he) have all the world cast shame in our faces, and upbraid us, then that our consciences should cast dirt into them: It's better to endure all the frowns and anger of the greatest Potentates on earth, then to have an angry conscience within our breast: It's better to want all the pleasures that earth can afford, then to loose the delights which a good conscience will bring in: O let the Bird in the breast be always kept singing, whatsoever we suffer for it! We all subscribe to this in The • , whether we do thus in Hypothesi, let's examine our awakened Conscience: Let us everyone deal impartially with his own conscience: All our hearts are naked unto him, with whom we have to deal. Let everyone pray, study, confer for the information of his own Conscience; nothing may be done doubtingly, for that is not of faith, and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. In the whole course of our lives, let us bring all our actions to the rule of the word of God, and let that decide the controversy.

Here's a four-fold infallible rule. Let

1. Everyone be persuaded in his own heart.

2. Let us abstain from all appearances of evil.

3. Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.

4. Hold faith and a good conscience.

Let us keep close to these known, plain rules, discarding carnal policy, carnal interests, which are the devised ways of men, and then let our resolution concur with Luther's: I bear this title, I yield to none.

Now then when the Spirit thus strives by the checks of conscience, let us not resist nor stifle those motions, let us not shut our eyes against known light breaking in upon us. This is a third way whereby the Spirit strives, viz. by the checkings and convictions of Conscience.

A fourth way whereby the Spirit strives, is, by the tenders of mercies and loving kindness, openings of bowels of compassion towards poor sinners: These mercies are tender mercies, and there is a multitude of them, Psal. 51. 1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions: They are the sounding of Bowels, the fountain opened, Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David, and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. Here is a free tender of Jesus Christ, and the riches of his mercies; The spirit makes many Proclamations and Invitations to come in to Jesus Christ: One is, Isa: 55. 1. Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price: A second is, Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. A third invitation is, John 7. 37. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Rev. 22. 17. A 4th is, The Spirit & the Bride say, Come, and let him that heareth, say, Come, and let him that is athirst, come, and whosoever will, let him take of the waters of life freely. The l • st I shall name, is the most prevalent obtestation in all the world, Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Put forth thy labor to make a Catalogue of the mercies of God, they exceed all Arithmetic; measure them, their dimensions are infinite. The Apostle makes four dimensions, breadth, length, heighth, and depth, Eph. 3. 18. The mercies of God reach to the Heavens, his faithfulness to the clouds: All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep his covenant and testimonies, Psal. 25. 10. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting, his mercy is above all his works. Had we the tongues of Men and Angels, we could not sufficiently set forth the mercies of God; yet let us summon up all the members of our Bodies, and all the faculties of our Souls, to praise the Lord for his mercies, and tell the wonders which he hath done for the children of men. How many National mercies and signal deliverances have we received, and we yet are in peace, even to a miracle of mercies, our fleece is yet dry, whilst others are wet with blood? Thousands have fallen beside us, and ten thousand at our right hands, and no evil comes nigh our dwelling.

What variety of personal mercies do we receive? How many deliverances have we received from the Grave, being ready to fall in, and yet we are reprieved, and have space to repent? How many deliverances have we received from Fire, Water, Pobbers, unreasonable men, and all the plots and projects of Malignant Enemies unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Further, What mercies do we receive for our souls? Do we not enjoy Sabbaths, Ordinances, public assemblies? Blessed be God, our eyes yet behold our teachers, and our Gospel is not driven into corners: How many mercies, so many mouths: All these mercies, have so many mouths calling upon us to thankfulness and amendment of life. Now the holy Spirit of God strives by all these mercies to win us to repentance: It is our obliged duty, as God strives with us in mercy and loving kindness, so we should strive with him in our return of thankfulness and reformation of our lives: Every mercy should be a Lord-stone, to draw us up to Christ: Every mercy should be as a footstool, to raise us up higher to Heaven: Every mercy should be as a Looking-glass, wherein we should behold the visible resemblances of the loving kindness of God. O then, take heed of neglecting the voice of the Spirit, when he calls by mercies: For if he be neglected when he speaks in the sweet music of mercies, he will speak terrible things in the thunder of judgment.

5. Yet further, The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience, forbearance and long sufferance towards sinners: God is not willing that any should perish, but that they should repent and be saved: O the unwearied patience of a merciful Father! How long did God bear with the old▪ world, with the Amorites, Jerusalem? The Lord waits to be gracious, he delights in mercy: It is his nature to be merciful: Judgment is called his act, his strange act, Isa. 28. 21. The Lord will rise up, as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth, as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act: This is to show his unwillingne • s to punish sinners till needs must: He is said to hyer a Razour to shave them, as if he had none of his own, Isa. 7. 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the King of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet: See and admire the wonderful patience of God, though we provoke him every day: O wonderful patience! that the Drunkard dies not in his vomit, that the Swearers & Blasphemers tongues fall not presently out of their heads: Still the Lord waits knocking at the doors of our hearts, exercising infinite patience and forbearance towards poor sinners: He whets his Sword and bends his Bow, Psal. 7. 12. He might cleave us asunder presently, but there we have experience of singular patience: God was but six days in creating the world; yet (as Chrysostom observes) he was seven days in encompassing the Walls of Jericho, before he destroyed it: but let us take heed of abusing patience; patience abused, breaks forth into extremity of fury: Mercy pleads, I am slighted, I am abused, I will no more have mercy on them; then patience interposeth, I will wait longer, but patience being abused, it pleads, I will be no longer tired out nor abused: At last comes longsuffering, I am gentle and merciful, and I will wait longer and longer; but if longsuffering be wearied out, What will plead for us? What will become of us? The longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, whilst the Ark was preparing, as the apostle Peter speaks, 1 Pet. 3. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (as some men count slackness) but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance: We should account the longsuffering of the Lord our salvation, Rom. 2. 4. or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance.

6. The Spirit of God strives by many signal exemplary Judgments inflicted upon others: We have read of the Wars of Jerusalem in Josephus, but more pathetically set forth in the • ook of the Lamentations: We have read of the heavy Judgments of God upon Germany and Palatinate: We have read of the barbarous butcherings of those blood-sucking Caribals in Ireland, upon the Protestant Party: We hear now of a Sword letting out blood in Scotland, good blood and bad blood being let out together, the Sword destroying one as well as another: We hear of sad breaches and heart-divisions widened more and more in England: You hear a general complaint of poverty and decay of Trade: By all these Judgments the Spirit of God strives with us, and woes us to repentance, to break off our sins by repentance, that our tranquility may be lengthened, and that there may be a healing of our errors. The use we are to make, is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted: Let us not pass uncharitable censures upon others, as greater sinners, for greater sufferings, but remember, that except we repent, we shall likewise perish.

Seventhly and lastly, Let us consider how the Spirit of God strives by personal Judgments inslicted on ourselves: There is a Judgment of chastisement, and a Judgment of revenge. God sends Judgments by way of revenge upon the wicked of the World, but by way of chastisement unto his own children: When God takes away thy riches, and other outward comforts, as a child, a wife, &c. by these the Spirit of God strives with thee, and sends thee to God to inquire into the cause, and walk more closely and humbly with God; and thy duty is, to pray to God to teach thee what thou understandest not: If God send thee a sore disease, a grievous pain; suppose the Stone, Strangury, Collick, &c. by all these the Spirit strives with thee, and reads thee a Lecture of thy Mortality, and warneth thee to make a serious and speedy preparation for death. Afflictions are sent by God, as Scullions, to scour away the rust and canker of God's children: They are the Shepherds Dogs, to bring home the straying Sheep: Luther saith, Afflictions teach us to understand Scripture: Where God teacheth with the rod, there he bestoweth a choice blessing, Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law. God sends affliction on an errand: Go affliction, take down such a man's pride: go, awaken another from his security: Affliction is God's Ordinance, and with the same hand he gives Jesus Christ, that he gives correction to his own children: Thus the Spirit strives by personal judgments and afflictions.

The use we must continually make, is Heb. 12. 5, 6. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth: Hence saith the Apo •• le, Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and Jam • s 1. 2. My brethren count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations: The rod hath a voice, and we are called upon Mich. 6. 9. Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

Thus you have heard how God's Spirit strives, by its motions, by the Ministry of the Word, the checks of Conscience, tenders of Mercy, exercise of patience and longsuffering, inslicting of exemplary and signal Judgments upon others, and personal Judgments upon ourselves. Now the Lord give us his Grace, and teach us to make much of, and cherish the strivings of his holy Spirit, and let us all deprecate the fearful judgment in the Text, My spirit shall no longer strive with you.

Judgment and Mercy.

Set forth from Gen. 6. 3.

HAving dispatched those two Particulars, according to my method propounded in the unfolding of this Text: In the third place, I am to inquire into the Grounds and • easons for the further confirmation of the Point. Amongst many that may be given, I shall reduce the Reasons of the Text into three Heads.

The first shall be drawn from the very reason in the Text, for that he also is flesh. Man is corrupted by reason of sin. Man was created, statu integro, in integrity and innocence, resembling the Image of God in righteousness and holiness; but now statu corrupto, by reason of Adams prevarication, he became depraved in the faculties of his soul, and all the members of his body, and they are become instruments unto wickedness. The Holy Ghost sets forth sinful man in a full Character, Psal. 14. 1, 2, 3. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God, they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see whether there were any that did understand and seek God: They are all gone aside, they are become altogether filthy, there is none that doth good, no not one. Suppose we heard the Lord thus expostulating the case: Is this man? Is this he that I advanced to the highest rank of visible Creatures? whom I created after mine own Image, whom I endowed with noble faculties, an understanding, the bright luminary of the soul to know his Maker, and a will to obey him: Is he now become flesh, fleshly in his imagination, fleshly minded? Doth he walk after the flesh, minding the things of the flesh? Hath he thus turned Apostate, & rebel'd against his Lord and Maker? This charge being all very true, wherefore should I have anymore to do with him? wherefore should my Spirit strive with vile sinful flesh? Thus God might plead, and in judgment withdraw the strivings of his holy Spirit: Betwixt the spirit and the flesh, what agreement can there be? The Spirit will not thus be unequally yoked; since man is become thus fleshly, thus depraved, such a degenerate Plant, so corrupt, its just with God's spirit to strive no longer with man.

By flesh, in Scripture, is comprehended a Mass of corruption, man in his worst estate, Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh: What is predicated of it, v. 6, 7, 8, 9. To be carnally minded is death, because the carnal mind is enmity against God: So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. And what an Antithesis is there between flesh and spirit, v. 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye, through the spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. The same disproportion there is, as between death and life, heaven and hell, salvation and damnation: That God strives with any, is a great mercy, that the Spirit waits knocking at our doors, when as he might knock us down dead: O great mercy! But when the Spirit strives, and flesh resists its motions; the Spirit spends his sacred breath, wooing us, and inviting us to do good unto our own souls, and the carnal mind bids defiance unto the Spirit of grace, when notwithstanding all the beseechings, wooings, and solicitations of the Spirit, the flesh rebels, carnal men will not hearken to the voice of this spiritual Charmer, though he charm never so wisely; what then remains but utter ruin and destruction, but that the Spirit should leave striving, and fall a destroying rebellious sinners, and carnal minded persons? This is one reason, He also is flesh; the spiritual part that is obliterated, he hath degenerated from his original, he is become corrup •• d, he also is flesh.

Another reason may be, because the Spirit is a most free agent. This holy Spirit moveth when and where it pleaseth. The Spirit of God is bound to none. The Spirit is not at our command and beck; yet vile man puts the Spirit of God to the condition of a slave: for so the Lord complains, Is. 42. 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices, but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins; thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. It's more than the Spirit owes any of us to move once; he may move once, and may never move more; he may choose whether he will move at all: God now shoots warning-pieces; the Spirit woes you to come in and make your peace with God, to break off your sins by Repentance, no longer to stand out in opposition unto Jesus Christ, if you will not take warning, God may suddenly shoot his Murdering-pieces and destroy you. The Spirit cries, today, today, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation; if we accept not of this golden opportunity, and now • e come not in and embrace this great salvation tendered, for ought we know the Spirit may be gone, and never make a further tender of grace unto us. Though the Spirit itself is most free, and limits not, nor ascribes to itself when and where to work, but calls some sooner, some later into the vineyard; yet the Spirit limits and prescribes us a time of repentance: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time, as it is said, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. It's a common observation; He that hath promised time to the penitent, hath not promised a morrow for repentance: Wherefore we are commanded, Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near: and Acts 17. 30. The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. The Spirit now knocks by its motions, by the Word, by conviction of Conscience, and invites you to come presently to Jesus Christ. When a Treatise of Happynesse was brought to Antipater, he answered, I am not at leisure; a lamentable case not to be at leisure to read a Treatise of Happynesse. Felix would hear Paul at a convenient time; we never read that he sent for him anymore. In proverbial speeches we say, Strike whilst the Iron is hot; When there is a fair gale hoyst up thy sails; and delays are dangerous. Shall we then neglect the present opportunity upon a presumption of a future? Shall we presume either of space •• grace, neither of them being in our power? God is not bound to give space; he struck Uzzah dead in the place for meddling with the Ark: It's said, the Oxen stumbled: Uzzahs intention might be good, but a good intention cannot justify a bad action: He invaded the Priests function; his work was to drive on the Oxen, not to touch the Ark. God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for their hypocrisy: So often times God strikes dead the Drunkard in his vomit, the Lyar, Swearer, Blasphemer with the lie, oath, blasphemy in each man's tongue. But suppose (which is uncertain) God gives thee space, yet often times where he gives space he denies grace, as it was said of Jezebel, Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication, but she repented not. There is a peradventure put in, 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure may give them repentance unto the acknowledging of the truth. My brethren, consider in your most serious and composed thoughts, that we deal for life and immortality, and our negotiations are for the great things of Eternity: Shall we dally in such weighty matters? Shall we procrastinate our Repentance? And shall we stop our ears, bolt the doors of our hearts when the Spirit calls and knocks? In matters of worldly employments, what post-haste, what expedition do men make? they fear delays may much prejudice them: And shall we be thus wise for the world, and such errand fools for our souls? Shall we be penny-wise and pound-foolish? Shall we be so industrious to grasp the trash and pelf of the world, and neglect our souls? Every ones soul being a precious jewel is more woe • th than the world in all its pomp and bravery. Let us lay hold on the golden season of the present time, the time which the Spirit limits. If thou neglectest this day, for ought thou knowest, thou mayst be in hell tomorrow. Whilst thou art dallying and delaying God may be a swearing in his wrath, that thou shalt never enter into his rest.

The third reason, and the last, that I shall name shall be drawn from the rule of divine justice. It's most just when people neglect God's limited time for God to allow them no more time, when people squander out God's seasons and misspend their choice opportunities, it stands with justice to deny any further opportunity. When the season is past, it is like an Arrow out of the Bow, like a swift stream, not to be called back. Theres a dreadful judgment threatened, Prov: 1. 24. because I have called and ye have refused, I have stretched out my hands, and no man regarded, therefore I will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh. God usually pays sinners in their own coin, and punisheth them by way of retaliation; As appears in Adonibezeks confession, who said, Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and great toes cut off gathered thered their meat under my table, as I have done so hath God requited me. God punisheth number with number, according to the number of their cities so were their gods. Jer. 2. 28. Where are thy God's which thou hast made thee? let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble, for according to the number of thy cities, s • are thy gods, O Judah. And the Lord numbered them out to the sword, and left them few in number. God punisheth choice with cho •• e; they chose new gods, and the Lord in judgment left them to their choice, and in their extremities bade them go to their gods, and see whether they would deliver them. The Lord punished contrariety with contrariety; If ye will not be reformed by these things, but will walk contrary unto me, then will I also walk contrary to you, and punish you yet seven times for your sins. And when we refuse to hearken to him when he calls, he will refuse to hearken to us in our greatest extremities when we call upon him. It's a broken, but a very pathetical speech of Christ to Jerusalem, O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes. There is a Critical day set down; there is a dreadful judgment upon those that brought not the Lord's offering in its season: The man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from his people, because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. The old world gave no heed to Noah's Preaching, they neglected the time that God allowed them for repentance. No mo • e time was allowed, when that was once expired, a deluge overwhelmed them. The five foolish Virgins sl • mbred and slept, when they should have been preparing of their lamps, they went to buy oil, and in their absence Christ came and perpetually shut them out. Esau sought the Blessing carefully with rears, yet he was rejected, he came when it was too late: How many mischiefs befall men for neglecting their opportunities? All these considerations should be as so many warning-pieces unto us, and as so many prevalent incentives to cherish the whispers of the Spirit, to take the benefit of the season: Now whilst the Lord bids us, seek his face, our hearts must echo back, Thy face, Lord, we will seek. Let us hearken to the motions of the Spirit, and the checks of our conscience, let us make much of the Spirit, let us take heed of quenching and grieving of the holy Spirit whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption. An Angel swears in the Revelations, There shall be no more time. How soon time may cease, & the Spirit cease working, we cannot tell, and time may be swallowed up in Eternity. And therefore take this Caution as a word spoken in due season: Beware of sadding the Spirit, drive him not away from you; for once having a repulse, for ought you know, he may come no more.

And th ••• have dispatched three Heads propounded of my Method: I have asserted the truth of the point from Scripture • e • timonies, plainly evidencing the greatness of the Judgment when the Spirit of God departs from, and will strive no longer with a people. I have shown how many ways the Spirit usually strives with a people, I have given in the reasons for the confirmation of the point. In the next place it remains that I should reduce all home unto point of Practice, by way of Use and particular Application.

This Doctrine affords six special Uses: For Information, Exhortation, Reprehension, Examination, Direction, and Consolation.

In the first place, this serves for Information; what a dreadful judgment lies heavy upon any person whatsoever, with whom God's Spirit will strive no longer. Was it not an heavy judgment when God's Spirit left Saul, and an evil spirit was sent to torment him? Was it not an heavy case, and dreadful, when the Philistines made war upon him, and the Lord was departed from him: And Samuel said to Saul, why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophets, nor by dreams, therefore I have called thee, &c. When God's Spirit quite leaves a soul, then the evil spirit takes possession of it. Satan entered into Judas his heart, and set him on work to betray Christ; and when conscience gave him a bang, and made him throw down the money, he felt Hell-fire flashing in him, and betook himself to a desperate remedy, to be his own executioner. So I have read of Julian after he had departed from God, and turned Apostate, he had in his conscience more blows and butcherings. At last, when a dart hit him, and gave him his fatal wound, no man knowing from whence that dart came (for it was a signal blow from heaven, and was indeed the immediate hand of God) at last he confessed, Thou hast overcome, O Galilean, thou hast overcome.

Now a little to set forth the greatness of the judgment upon those with whom God's Spirit will strive no longer, I will represent it you in these ensuing aggravations.

When God takes away his Spirit, he usually takes away his Ordinances. Whilst the Palladium remained with the Trojans, they thought themselves secure. The Jews put great confidence in the Ark, they fet the Ark, and went to battle with it against the Philistines, and afterwards cried up, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: Herein they were superstitious, they f • iled in putting too much confidence in the Temple: They were Idolaters, and followed Baal and Ashtaroth, and thought the Ark would secure them. The Ark would no more shelter profane, idolatrous people, than the horns of the Altar would secure and shelter a Murderer: Yet questionless the Ark of God's presence was a very great mercy and privilege. The Ark was kept away twenty years, and they thought it long, and the Text saith, all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. The sad report of the loss of the Ark, brake Eli's heart first, and he fell down backward and his neck brake: He heard of the death of his sons, their death went near, but the loss of the Ark went nearer: and Phinehas his wife named the child I • habod, saying, the glory is departed from Israel, because the Ark of God was taken. She fell in travel upon that sad news, and died presently. The taking away Ministers, Ordinances, Sabbaths, are dreadful judgments upon a people: This the Prophet Amos foretells of; Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord. And Christ himself threarens, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And these judgments God oftentimes inflicts upon those that contemn his Ordinances, and often • imes causeth a people to know the worth of them, by the want of them.

Or secondly, if God continue his Ordinances, and a people still resist the strivings of his Spirit; this is another aggravation, that the Lord will not suffer his Spirit to work in the Ordinances. What's the Word without the Spirit but a dead letter? The Word is the seed, it is the Spirit that quickens it. Now when God denieth his Spirit in an Ordinance, and people hear only a bare sound, which goeth in at one ear, and out of another, and reap no profit, and are never a whit wrought upon by an Ordinance, this is a lamentable condition. Enthusiasts cry up the Spirit, and cry down the Word. Formalists cry up the Word, they keep their Church well (that's their own phrase) but they regard not the workings of the Spirit. This is Argumentum à been conjunctis ad male divisa. We have no warrant to leave the bright shining light of the Word, and to follow a wild rambling light of our own. The Spirit works by the Word, and tyes us to the rule. New devised lights may meet with the same judgment as Nadab and Abihu met withal for offering strange fire unto the Lord. Neither may we (as Formalists do) rest in our coming to, and hearing of Ordinances; we must examine the working of God's Spirit upon our souls: When God gives quickening Ordinances, let us pray for the energetical effectual working of God's Spirit. Deadnesse of Spirit (saith Mr. Greenham) is the grave of spiritual graces. Between a lazy and a fervent performer of duties, you may see the difference, 2 Kings 4. 31, 32, 33, 34. Gehazi went on in a careless formal manner, and laid his staff upon the child, but there was neither voice nor hearing: But when Elisha put his eyes upon the child's eyes, and his mouth on the child's mouth, the flesh of the child waxed warm. O beware of slighting, or resis • ing the • pirit in an Ordinance, lest in judgment God may give thee a bare Ordinance, or resting contented with a bare outside formal service, without any lively workings of the Spirit upon thine heart, and that will be but as a carcass when the soul is gone.

When people drive away God's Spirit and will not regard its strivings then God gives them over in judgment to a spirit of delusion. 2 Thes. 2. 11. For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they shall believe a lie. When Ministry, the Lord's-day, and other Sabbath-Ordinances are trampled under feet, when the plain infallible rule of the Scriptures is laid aside, when some flatter themselves with high swelling conceits of their own gifts, upon pretence of a Light within them, Dreams and Revelations, then God in judgment gives them over to a spirit of delusion. The Devil works upon their fancies, and puffs them up with pride, and their pride swells them and bursts them. Beware of Pride, and above all Pride of spiritual Pride. Beware of itching ears after novel Doctrines. Upon pretence of new truths many suck in antiquated, long since explo • ed • rrours. And if it be an error (though I take it not so) yet account it an error of love, I advise, especially young beginners, to beware of Scepticism, & high-slown curiosities in the study of divinity. It's a ground of experience, Scepticism frequently produceth Heresy, & • ere • e terminatesin Atheism, and my counsel is grounded upon the known rule; Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not in doubtful disputat • ons. Would Schoolmen (saith Pet. Martyr) had observed this Scripture. Study Fundamentals, & get a Body of Divinity in your heads and hearts, before you venture upon Polemicals. Be well provided and furnished with weapons from the Principles of Divinity, before you grapple with gain-sayers.

A fourth and last aggravation I shall mention is this; when God's Spirit hath stroven long, knocked and waited, and is abused and resisted, then God gives over such persons to an hard heart, and a reprobate mind: And an hard heart and a reprobate mind is an hell upon earth. Isa. 6. 9, 10. Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert and be healed. It's cited by all the four Evangelists, and in the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle to the Romans, by such frequent repetition of the self-same thing, aggravating the greatness of the judgment. It's accounted the grand curse of the Gospel, Joh. 9. 39. For judgment am I come into this world, that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind. When men have been a long time under the sound of the Gospel, and the Spirit hath moved and wooed, beseeching us to amend our lives, and walk in an holy obedience and conformity to the will of God; and yet we stand out, and bid defiance to the Spirit of Grace, then it is just for God to say, hard heart, seize upon such a one, reprobate sense, take hold of another, let them be Sermon-proof, and Judgment-proof, let them remain insensible, let their consciences be cauterized. O wha • a fearful judgment is this, as the Apostle mentions! But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. May these aggravations make deep impressions upon all our spirits, and make us fear and tremble anymore to withstand the sweet motions and whispers of the Spirit of God.

A second use is for Exhortation: I entreat, beseech, exhort, conjure you by all the motions of the Spirit, by all the tenders of mercies, patience, and longsuffering of God, that you would take heed of quenching, resisting, sadding the holy Spirit of God, but cherish, embrace, make much of all the strivings of the Spirit of God with your souls. To day the Spirit calls, hear his voice; today the Spirit woes and would make a contract with your souls, O now accept of him; today the Spirit invites, lay aside all excuses and come. It's the Embassy that God's Ministers are sent upon: Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God. O • r commission may be out of date tomorrow: Christ now waits till his locks be wet with dew, now he calls sinners to repentance. He hath sent me on an errand this day to invite thirsty souls to come unto him, and he will give them drink; to invite those that are heavy laden, and he will give them rest. It's my business this day to tender Jesus Christ, the Fountain opened; to press home the Exhortation of the Holy Ghost, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. Now what answer shall I return unto him that sent me? Suffer I beseech you (Fathers and Brethren) the word of exhortation, not to suffer the holy Spirit to spend his sacred breath in vain: You have many prizes put into your hands, improve them in your several capacities to the glory of God, and mutual edification one of another. Let Rulers rule with diligence, let Governors, Tutours, Masters of Families, all unite their endeavors to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and put Joshua 's resolution into practice, but as for me, I and my house we will serve the Lord. O that we could be spiritual Fathers to those that are committed to our charge. Governors and Tutours should look upon themselves as Pro-parents, and upon the Scholars under them as children, and therefore ought to have special care over them, and principally to inquire how it fares with their souls, what knowledge they have of Jesus Christ: What a comfort will it be another day when we can say, Behold, Lord, here we are, and the children which thou hast given us. Thou • ord hast made us spiritual Fathers unto these young Pupiss. Now whilst the Spirit stays waiting upon us, whilst we have time, talents, and opportunities vouchsafed unto us, whilst we live under the sound of the Gospel, and hear admonitions, reproofs, and many Exhortations to repentance; let us not put off the Spirit with anymore delatory answers, but resolve with the full purpose of our hearts to cleave unto the Lord.

I have two or three plain moving considerations to add, for the better setting home of my Exhortation.

Consider the brevity of our lives: What's our life but a bubble, a flower, a vapor, a shadow? By these resemblances, the Holy Ghost sets forth the shortness of our lives: We had need be a working while day lasteth: I must work the works of him that sent me, while day lasteth; the night cometh, when no man can work: A night of death is coming, wherein no man can work, and we must always remember, that the Spirit strives not always, not during the whole course of our lives: It moves when it pleaseth, and on a sudden ceaseth; yet at the most it moveth no longer, nor striveth no longer, but this little moment of time, whilst we are on this side the grave. After death there will be no more warnings, no more admonitions, no place left for repentance, no Purgatory, that's a Popish dream: He that dieth filthy, will so remain unto all Eternity. Now then, my Brethren, considering you have but a little time, and upon this moment depends Eternity, and after death there will be no further tenders of Grace and Mercy, let us husband this time to the best advantage: Let us prize Sermons, Sabbaths, and all those Evangelical Dispensations vouchsafed to us, more then ever we did: Let us redeem the time, as we are exhorted, Eph. 5. 16. buying out, or making a good market of the season. Every thing is beautiful in its season; there's a season acceptable, and there's a season perilous: Let's come when God calls, that's the accepted time; let's not prescribe a time of our own, that's the perilous season; let's not account time a slight matter, for each minute ought to be valued.

A second consideration shall be drawn from the uncertainty of the spirits strivings: If the holy Spirit be rejected, its uncertain whether ever he will come again: The Spirit will not always bear reproaches & indignities: If we refuse to give God the glory of his mercy, he will show upon us the glory of his Justice and Power: If we will not open when God knocks at our doors, he will not open when we knock at his door: Unkindness will drive away a friend from our houses: When the Spirit invites himself unto us, if we will open, he will come and dine, and sup with us; if we refuse this Heavenly guest, how shall we escape? our destruction will be inevitable. This Spirit is often compared to fire, nothing more comforting, nothing more consuming than fire: If thou wilt not suffer the Spirit to purge and refine thee, it will consume thee: Nothing more comfortable then light, warmth, and witness of the Spirit: Nothing more terrible then the bondage, conviction and condemnation of the Spirit: Therefore beware of resisting any good motions that the Spirit of God puts into thy heart this day, lest if the spirit have a repulse, he may go away and never return anymore.

3. Thirdly, Consider the certainty of the day of Judgment, 2 Cor. 5. 10. For 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 it be good or bad: Then there will be an account to be given for all the Sermons which we have heard, for all the Sabbaths we have enjoyed, for all the motions of the Spirit, for all the admonitions, reproofs, Gospel opportunities and advantages that we have received; we should therefore hear a Sermon now, as for ought we know, we may be presently summoned by death to appear before the Judgment-seat of Jesus Christ: Let us imagine that now we hear this day, as if it might be our last day: We hear for Eternity: Preachers and Hearers shall be called to an account at the great Assise: The Lord grant that we may all give up our accounts with joy.

The third Use shall be for reprehension of those who resist or stifle the strivings and the sweet motions of the holy Spirit: To come to particulars.

1. How sad is their condition, who are contemners of the sweet motions of God's Spirit: Let them read Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his: Such as quench the Spirit, which is forbidden 1 Thess. 5. 19. such as deride praying by the spirit, such as slight and scorn men of the spirit; I mean such as are of a precious annointing, in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells: O how sad will their Audit be!

2. It reproves barren and unprofitable hearers, who notwithstanding all the strivings, wooings and waitings of God's Spirit by the Ministry of the Word, yet remain barren and unfruitful: The Apostle tells their doom, The earth that drinketh in the rain, that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth a blessing from God; but that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned: When Christ found nothing on the Fig-tree but leaves, he said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever; and presently the Fig-tree withered away: And the Vine-dresser said, Behold, these three years I come, seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none, cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground?

3. It reproves secure persons settled on their. Lees: Let God's Spirit strive never so often, it is all in vain: They think all is well with them, they conceive their Estates very good: Multitudes nowadays are possessed with a spirit of slumber and drowsiness, and this is a dreadful sin, and a judgment both, Rom. 11. 8. God hath given them a spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear to this day: Is not he a desperate fool that dares sleep upon the top of a Mast? Is not he much more, that notwithstanding judgments threatened in God's Word against rebellious sinners, yet is secure, heedless, and satisfied in his present condition? This is that carnal security mentioned, which is under such terrible woe, Deut. 29. 19, 20. It shall come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkenness to thirst, the Lord will not spare him; but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven.

4. And lastly, This reproves all impenitent persons, who notwithstanding all the Sermons they hear, notwithstanding all the reproofs, admonitions, wooings, knockings of God's spirit, yet remain impenitent: Impenitency is that great soul-damning sin. Christ tells us, Rev. 3. 20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man open to me, I will come in and sup with him: And the exhortation of the Prophet runs, Cast away from you all your transgressions, for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, wherefore turn yourselves and live: So God expostulates the case with them: Though by our own strength we cannot stand, not by our own powe • will any good thing; yet we may do much more good then we do: Can not the same legs carry a man to the Church, which carry him to an Ale-house o • Tavern? Its want of a good heart and love to the Ordinances of God, that make men so negligent of the good of their souls: Who forceth thee to swear? thou sayest thou can •• not leave it, custom is become another nature: Is it not thine own corrupt heart that causeth corrupt communications? The Devil cannot compel to sin, he persuades and enticeth, neither doth God tempt any man, Jam. 1. 13, 14, 15. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed, then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death: Tremble and stand amazed, thou impenitent person that resist •• so many strivings of God's Spirit, so many checks of conscience, so many warnings from the word: O that thy heart might be touched with remorse and repentance for thine impenitency! yet thou livest under the sound of the Gospel, who knoweth but the spirit may this day once more move, woe, and beseech thee to be reconciled? O do not refuse! O do not slight these invitations! A City besieged (as we read) Deut. 20. 11, 12. If it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, thea the people that are found therein shall become tributary unto thee; but if it will make no peace with thee, then thou shalt besiege it, and smlte every male with the edge of the sword. Just so now the Lord besiegeth thy heart, offers thee peace, intreats thee to repent of thy Oaths, Sabbath-breakings, contempt of the Gospel, Drunkenness, Uncleanness: If thou wilt not receive such a gracious offer of peace, to thy peril be it, thou art the murderer of thine own soul.

4. I proceed to a fourth Use, which is for examination: Three [Q. 1] Queries by way of trial, I shall propose and answer.

Q. 1. How may we distinguish of the strivings of God's spirit from a spirit of error and delusion?

I answer in this wise.

1. God's Spirit strives by the Ministry of the word, and directs [A. 1] us according to that rule, Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God: But a spirit of delusion deviseth ways of its own, and is wise above what is written, whereunto a curse appertains, Gal. 1. 8. Though we, or an Angel from heaven, preach a • other Gospel then that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

2. God's Spirit leads into all truth: It is a s • irit of truth: But the spirit of delusion leads us into all errors: God will send strong delusions, that they shall believe a lie, 2 Thess. 2. 11.

3. God's Spirit makes us humble, meek, gentle: A spirit of delusion makes us to swell with pride and pride and passions: God's Spirit meekens our spirit: An Antichristian deluded spirit makes us boystero • s, ino • dinate in our affections.

But secondly, The Query will be, How we may distinguish the [Q. 2] strivings of God's Spirit, from the strivings of our own spirits or natural conscience?

I answer thus. 1. A natural conscience acts from a principle of [A. 1] fear, of punishment, and upon legal convictions; hence come many torturings and strivings in natural men's consciences, as in Ahab, &c. Herod feared John the Baptist: But God's Spirit strives and moves the soul to act from a principle of love to Jesus Christ; when the love of Christ constrains to duty, that is genuine altogether.

2. The striving of a m • ns own spirit, and a natural conscience, are pacified with natural means, eating, drinking, sleeping, idle company, vain pleasures quiet mere natural convictions: But where God's Spirit strives, the soul cannot be quieted but by supernatural means; the in omes of God, the ravishing consolations of the holy Ghost, a white Stone, a pardon sealed; no mirth, sports, company, can satisfy a wounded conscience, only one remedy is reserved for a perfect cure, and that's the Medicine made up of the Blood of Christ.

3. The strivings of a man's own spirit are flashy, sudden, and soon gone when the judgment ceaseth: As soon as the judgment is removed, the strivings cease; but when God's Spirit strives, it is solid and serious: If the Jvdgement be removed, and the s • n unpardoned, there can be no quiet: If the Judgment be over, Pharaoh is quiet; but no quiet in David's spirit, till the sin be removed.

Q. 3. A third Query is, How may we know whether God's Spirit [Q. 3] [A.] hath effectually stroven and prevailed with us.

1. When we hearken to the call of God's Spirit, Psal. 27. 8. Thou saidst, seek my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

2. When we have the testimony of God's Spirit, as Rom. 8. 16. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God.

3, When we have the sealing of the Spirit, Eph. 1. 13. In whom, after ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise.

4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit, Eph. 1. 14.

5, When we have the annointings of the Spirit, 1 John 2. 20. Ye have an Unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5. 22, 23, 24. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

The fifth Use is for direction.

1. Pray for the Spirit to sanctify and cleanse thee: No work of sanctification but by the spirit.

2. Set an high price of, and be a diligent attendant of God's word: The Spirit usually works by the Word: The Spirit and Word agree together.

3. Cherish the sweet motions of God's Spirit, make much of every holy motion and inspiration: O do not grieve nor sad! O do not quench the Spirit of God, but account God's longsuffering your salvation! God waits, and is patient: O do not provoke, do not abuse his patience!

4. Observe all the calls, knockings and invitations of God's Spirit: The Lord calls by his word, by checks of conscience, by mercies and by judgments, do not then bolt the doors of your hearts, nor stand out against all the warnings, threatenings and promises; all these are upon record, Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.

Lastly, Here's one word of comfort unto all those who make much of the strivings of God's Spirit: These shall be filled with the consolations of the Spirit: The Spirit will comfort, support, help them: In Prayer, The Spirit helpeth their infirmities, Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit purgeth and purisieth them: The Spirit of God is their Counselor in doubts, their Comforter in all distresses; and the Spirit will guide them by his counsel till he bring them unto glory.

I now proceed in a few words to the second Doctrine: That it is an exceeding great mercy when the Lord vouchsafes unto any person time and space for repentance: Here the Lord alloweth to the old World 120 years, so long it was that the Spirit of God strove with the old World. We read in Gen. 18. 24, 25. the Lord staid communing with Abraham; making abatements from 50 to 45, from 45 to 40, from 40 to 30, from 30 to 20, from 20 to 10: Was it not a great mercy for the Lord to bear so long with the Amorites? They had a long time of forbearance: Thus did the Lord deal with Nineveh, Jonah 3. 4. Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown: So the Lord waited long on the Israelites, Psal. 95. 8. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: So Jerusalem, Luke 19. 42, 44. If thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes: The five foolish Virgins had a time allowed; both wise and foolish slept and slumbered, but the foolish wanted oil, and lost the accepted season: Jezebel had time alloted her, Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication, but she repented not.

The Reasons are. 1. To glorify the riches of God's mercy: Mercy waits upon us, wooing and alluring us to repentance: The Lord invites, Isa. 55. 1. Ho, everyone that thirsteth, let him come, &c. He calls sinners to repentance: He entreateth by his Ambassadors, 2 Cor. 5. 20. He waits to be gracious, Rev. 3. 20.

2. To glorify the Justice of God, and to leave a people without excuse: When mercy, patience, goodness, graciousness, longsuffering, are all abused, what remains but destruction, never fruit grow on thee more, Cut it down, I will take this kingdom from you, I will send you a famine of the word: These are terrible threatenings.

3. The Lord oftentimes is pleased to spare a people longer at the request of his servants, Luke 13. 8. The Vine-dresser prayed, Let it alone yet longer, till I dig about it and dung it: God's Ministers pray hard, and tug hard at the oar, they cry night and day, Lord, spare, try this people a little longer, exercise a little more patience towards them; let thy Word work upon them, they live under the sound of it, let it effectually prevail with them.

The Uses are, 1. For admiration: O admire the infinite mercies of God, who doth thus bear with sinners! notwithstanding their provocations, yet he tries, waits, and allows them a great deal of space, when as in Justice he might cut sinners asunder in the midst of their sins.

This breathes terrors unto all presumptuous sinners, who presume of space and grace, neither of which is in their own power: To some God gives space, others he destroys presently, in the midst of their rebellions: But admit he gives space, though he is not bound unto that; yet he denys grace to many to whom he vouchsafes space, as unto Jezebel; and we read of a peradventure 2 Timothy 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if peradventure God may give them repentance. This Doctrine speaks terror unto all them that procrastinate repentance: I will lay down these convictions.

It argues exceeding great folly and madness: Do we not see how many are cropped off in their buds? how many are cut off in their sins? we are wiser for the World: In gainful bargains we make haste, saying, Do not delay for fear of danger; and yet we are stark fools for our souls.

2. It argues a great contempt, an high affront and indignity against God, Mal. 1. 8. If ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? &c. offer it unto your governor, will he be pleased with thee?

3. It argues high presumption, to presume of patience, mercy, and longsuffering, when as we abuse them all, Rom. 2. 4, 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and long-s • ffering, not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance: A ter • ible curse will follow, if we neglect God's time when he calls, when we call he will neglect our time, Prov. 1. 24, 25. Because I have called, and ye have refused, &c. therefore ye shall call, but I will not answer.

The third use is for Exhortation, to lay hold upon the present tenders of Grace, and make the best of this opportunity: Defer not thy repentance a moment longer; lay aside all excuses: • ne pleads for his Oxen, another for his Form, another for his Merch • ndise: All these are unfit guests for Christ: Now therefore come into Christ. Is it not a great mercy that thou art yet alive, on this side Hell and the Grave? Now then close with God, set an high price of God's mercies, and let the riches of his mercy lead thee to repentance.

Consider, 1. Now is the Spirits striving time. [ 1]

2. Now is the limited time, Heb. 4. 7. To day if you will hear [ 2] his voice, &c.

3. Now is the accepted time, thy soul-saving time, 2 Cor. 6. 2. [ 3. 4.]

4. Now once past cannot be recalled: I therefore now beseech you by the mercies of God, by all the Sermons and Invitations of Christ, to make your peace with God, to embrace the mercies tendered, to break off your sins by repentance, and to regard the strivings and wooings of the Spirit of God.

The fourth use is fo • caution. 1. Beware of presuming of future offers of Grace, James 4. 13, 14. Go to now, ye that say, To day or tomorrow we will go into such a City, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. The fool in the Gospel was cut off in the midst of his presumption, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee: Esau mist his season: The five foolish Virgins mist their seasons: The old world presumed of life, never thinking of a Deluge; but when the Flood came, How did they wander? some got upon House-tops, some upon high Mountains, some would, questionless, have been entertained in the Ark, but the day of Grace was expired, the commission of Preaching of Repentance, was but for 120 years, that's past, and a Flood over-whelmed them all. O my dear Brethren! be persuaded to lay hold on the present season of Grace, lest ruin overtake you whilst you procrastinate.

2. • eware of sadding the Spirit of God, and resisting the sweet motions thereof, Eph. 4. 30. The Spirit invites, calls, woos, intreats thee to be re • onciled and make thy peace with God: Thou hearest a voice behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk therein: Hearken to the voice of this spiritual Charmer, which charmeth so wisely.

3. Beware of low and mean thoughts of the Ordinances of God, Heb. 2. 3. The Israelites slighted Manna, but they paid dear for it: God's Spirit strives by the Word, by Prayer, by the Sacraments: Take heed of undervaluing all these ways of striving: Sometimes God strives by an affliction, for that's God's Ordinance likewise, and calls upon thee to learn instruction, to smite upon thy thigh.

4. Beware of neglecting observations of particular experiences: Sometimes God strives with thee in a way of mercy by tenders of Christ, sometimes by threatenings; neglect not these strivings, but make a review of them, observe God's dealings with thy soul, how the Lord woos, invites, and waits on thee, how sometimes thy heart hath been opened, like Lydia's, to close with God; sometimes thou art quick, other times dull; sometimes thou hast hold of Christ, other times thou wantest his presence: This is the lot of God's people, sometimes they are in an ebb, some • imes in a float; sometimes their Faith is strong, other times they know not whether they have any at all or no: This was David's case, and thou must apply David's remedy: Why ar • thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me, still trust in God: Beware of trusting to thine own resolutions: O say some, I resolve hereafter to repent and close with God. This is that which ruins multitudes, because they presume in their own strength: What are our resolutions, but as the early dew which soon passeth away? What are the best of men, if God leaves them unto themselves? we must therefore take heed of sacrificing to our own nets and drags, trusting to our own strength; but come off from all those, and act in the strength of God: We can do nothing without him, but all things through Christ that strengthens us: Samson said, He would go out and shake himself, as at other times; And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.

Lastly, Beware of pride and stoutness of heart, trying conclusions with God, and reasoning and counter-striving against God: The proud men would not believe the Prophet, saying, Thou speakest falsely, the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there, Jer. 43. 2.

The fifth Use shall be for admonition: O that we could account the longsuffering of God our salvation! And O that the goodness of God, and the riches of his mercy, might lead us to repentance! In few words be admonished:

1. Take the benefit of the season, To day: Repent speedily, Isa. 55. 6. Heb. 4. 7.

2. Repent seriously and Evangelically, make not a slight matter of so great a work, neither rest satisfied in a legal repentance, extorted from the fear of Hell, and the wrath of an angry God; but let it be done Evangelically, from the love of God, the consideration of the displeasure of so good a God, and the sinfulness of sin; let those considerations melt thee into tears, and cause thee to mourn ingenuously.

3. Be continually renewing thy repentance, and when thou hast felt a pardon, get it fairer transcribed and renewed through the Blood of Christ: His blood cleanseth from all sins: