SECT. I.

THESE Words as they are set down in the Hebrew, are (according to the Style of this Prophet) very short and sententious, and therefore diffi­cult to translate into English with­out some Periphrasis; but the Sense is here truly express'd, In me is thy Help; which you may see confi [...]d from [...].4. There [Page 2] is no Saviour beside me; and v. 14. I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave, O Death, I will be thy Plague, O Grave, I will be thy Destruction. Suppose the Prophet should speak here of temporal Salvation, Help and Ransom, (which he doth not) yet the Ar­gument is strong; if there be no Saviour from tem­poral Woe and Misery, but only the Lord Jesus, how much more is there from Woes eternal? Only un­derstand me here aright; I am not now speaking of Man's Deliverance and Salvation by Price, in Way of Satisfaction to Justice, (for that I have already hand­led) but of his Deliverance and Salvation by Power; not of Man's purchased Deliverance, which is by the Blood of Christ, but of Man's actual Deliverance, which is by the Efficacy and Power of the Spirit of Christ. Some Captives among Men, are redeemed by Price only, some by Power without Price; but such is the lamentable Captivity of all Men, under the Severity of Justice, and Power of Sin, that without the Price of Christ's Blood, Eph. 1.7. and the Pow­er of Christ's Spirit, John 8.36. there is no Delive­rance; the Lord Jesus having paid the Price for our Deliverance. Yet it is with us, as with a Company of Captives in Prison; our Sins like strong Chains hold us; Satan, our Keeper, will not let us go, the Prison Doors, thro' Unbelief, are shut upon us, Rom. 11.32. and thereby God and Christ are kept out from us; what Power can rescue us, that are held fast under such a Power, even after the Price is paid? Truly it can be no other but that in my Text, In me is thy Help: When our Ransom is paid, the Lord himself must come and fetch us out by a strong Hand, Isai. 53.1. To whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed? Truly to very few, yet to some it is▪ and certainly look as they ma [...]e Christ no Saviour indeed, who deny [Page 3] his Salvation by Price and Satisfaction; so those also make him an imperfect Saviour, who deny Salvation and actual Deliverance of Man, to be only the almigh­ty Arm and Efficacy of his Spirit and Power: Excel­lent therefore is the Speech of the Apostle, Acts 5.30, 31. God hath exalted Jesus to give Repentance and Re­mission of Sins unto Israel; look as Jesus was abased to purchase Repentance and Remission, so he is now ex­alted actually to give and apply Repentance and Re­mission of Sins. Whose Glory is it to remit Sins, but God's in Christ, and by Christ only? Whose Glory is it to give Repentance (which in this Place, compre­hends the Work of Conversion and Faith, as Bez [...] ob­serves) whereby we apply Remission, but the same God only? The one is as difficult to be conveyed as the other, and we stand in as much need of Christ to do the one as the other; all the Power of Christ exal­ted, is little eno' to give us Repentance and Remission, the Condition of the Covenant express'd in Repen­tance, and the Blessings in the Covenant, summed up in the Forgivness of Sins; the Socinians deny Redemp­tion and Salvation by Price; the Arminians, by Christ's Power, leaving Swasion only to him, but Power of Conversion to the Power and Liberty of the Will of Man; O adulterous Generation, that are thus hack­ing and cutting the Cords of their own Salvation! I shall here speak only to one Question, which is the principal and most profitable, and that is this,

Quest. How doth Christ redeem and save us by his Power, out of that miserable Estate; and consequently what is the Way for us to seek, and so to find and feel De­liverance by the Hand of Christ's Power?

Answ. As there are four principal Means & Causes or Ways, whereby Man ruins himself. 1. Ignorance of their own Misery. 2. Security and Unsensibleness of [Page 4] it. 3. Carnal Confidence in their own Duties. 4. Pre­sumption, or resting upon the Mercy of God by a Faith of their own forging. So on the contrary, there is a four­fold Act of Christ's Power, whereby he rescues and delivers all his out of their miserable Estate.

The first Act or Stroke is Conviction of Sin.

The second is Compunction for Sin.

The third is Humiliation, or Self-Abasement.

The Fourth is Faith.

All which are distinctly put forth (when he ceaseth extraordinarily to work) in the Day of Christ's Power; and whoever look for actual Salvation and Redemp­tion from Christ, let them seek for Mercy and Deli­verance in this Way, out of which, they shall never find it; let them begin at Conviction, and desire the Lord to let them see their Sins, that so, being affected with them, and humbled under them, they may, by Faith, be enabled to receive Jesus Christ, and so be blessed in him. It is true, Christ is applied to us next­ly by Faith, but Faith is wrought in us in that Way of Conviction and Sorrow for Sin; no Man can or will come by Faith to Christ, to take away his Sins, unless he first see, be convicted of, and laden with them. I confess the Manner of the Spirit's Work in the Conversion of a Sinner unto God, is exceeding secret, and in many Things very various; and there­fore it is too great Boldness to mark out all God's Footsteps herein; yet so far forth as the Lord himself tells us his Work, and the Manner of it in all his, we may safely resolve our selves; and so far, and no far­ther, shall we proceed in the Explication of these Things. It is great Prophaneness not to search into the Works of common Providence, tho' secret and hidden, Psal. 28.5. and 92.6. much greater is it, not to do thus unto God's Work of especial Favour and Gra [...]e upon his chosen.

[Page 5]I shall therefore begin with the first Stroke of Christ's Power, which is the Conviction of Sin.

SECT. II. The first Act of Christ's Power; which is the Conviction of Sin.

NOW for the more distinct Explication of this, I shall open to you these four Things,

• 1. I shall prove, That the Lord Christ by his Spirit, begins the actual Deliverance of his Elect here.
• 2. What is that Sin the Lord convinceth the Soul thus first of.
• 3. How the Lord doth it.
• 4. What Measure and Degree of Conviction he works thus in all his.

1. For the first, It is said, John 16.8, 9. that the first Thing that the Spirit doth when he comes to make the Apostle's Ministry effectual, is this, it shall re­prove or convince the World of Sin; it doth not first work Faith, but convinceth them that they have no Faith, as in Verse 9. and consequently under the Guilt and Dominion of their Sin; and after this, he convin­ceth of Righteousness, which Faith apprehends, Verse 10. It is true, that the Word Conviction here, is of a large Extent, and includes Compunction and Hu­miliation for Sin, yet our Saviour wraps them up in this Word; because Conviction is the first, and there­fore the Chief in order; here the Lord is not speak­ing now of ineffectual, but effectual and thoro' Con­viction, express'd in deep Sorrow and Humiliation. [Page 6] Now the Text saith, the Lord begins not thus with some one or two, but with the World of God's Elect, who are to be called home by the Ministry of the Word; which our Saviour speaks (as any may see who considers the Scope) purposely to comfort the Hearts of his Disciples, that their Ministry shall be thus effectual to the World of Jews and Gentiles; and therefore cannot speak of such Conviction as serves only for to leave Men without Excuse, for greater Condemnation; (as some understand the Place) for that is a poor Ground of Consolation to their sad Hearts. Secondly, I shall hereafter prove that there can be no Faith without Sense of Sin and Misery; and now there can be no Sense of Sin without a precedent Sight or Conviction of Sin; no Man can feel Sin, unless he doth first see it; what the Eyes see not the Heart rues not. Let the greatest Evil befall a Man, suppose the burning of his House, the Death of his Children, if he doth not first know, see and hear of it, he will ne­ver take it to Heart, it will never trouble him; so let a poor Sinner lye under the greatest Guilt, the so­rest Wrath of God, it will never trouble him until he sees it and be convinced of it, Acts 2.37. When they heard this they were pricked; but first they heard it, and saw their Sin, before their Hearts were wound­ed for it, Gen. 3.7. they first saw their Nakedness, before they were ashamed of it. Thirdly, The main End of the Law is to drive us to Christ, Rom. 10.4. If Christ be the End of the Law, then the Law is the Means subservient to that End, and that not to some, but to all that believe; now the Law tho' it drives us to Christ by Condemnation, yet in order it begins with Accusation. It first accuseth, and so convinceth of Sin, Rom. 3.20. and then condemneth. It's Folly and Injustice for a Judge to Condemn and bring a Sin­ner [Page 7] to Execution before Accusation and Conviction; and is it Wisdom or Justice in the Lord to do other­wise? And therefore the Spirit in making use of the Law for this End, first convinceth, as it first accuseth and lays our Sins to our Charge. Lastly, Look as Satan when he binds up a Sinner in his Sin, he first keeps him (if possible) from the very Sight and Know­ledge of it; because so long as they see it not, this Ignorance is the Cause of all their Woe; why they feel it not, why they desire not to come out of it; the Lord Jesus (who came to untie the Knots of Sa­tan, 1 John 3.8.) begins here, and first convinceth his, and makes them see their Sin, that so they may feel it, and come to him for Deliverance out of it. O consider this, all you that dream out your Time in minding only Things before your Feet, never think­ing on the Evils of your own Hearts; you that heed not, you that will not see your Sins, not so much as ask this Question, What have I done? What do I do? How do I live? What will become of me? What will be the End of these my foolish Courses? I tell you if ever the Lord save you, he will make you see what you cannot, what you now will not; he will not only make you to confess you are Sinners, but he will convince you of Sin, this shall be the first Thing the Lord will do with thee.

Quest. But you will say, What is that Sin which the Lord first convinceth of? Which is the second Thing to be opened. I answer in these three Con­clusions.

Answ. Concl. 1. The Lord Jesus by his Spirit doth not only convince the Soul in general, that it is a Sin­ner, and sinful; but the Lord brings in a convicting Evidence of the Particulars; the first is learnt more by Tradition (in these Days) by the Report and Ac­knowledgment [Page 8] of every Man, rather than by any spe­cial Conviction of the Spirit of Christ; for what Man is there almost but lies under this Confession that he is a Sinner? the best say they are Sinners, and if we say we have no Sin, we deceive ourselves, and I know I am a Sinner; but that which the Spirit principally convinceth of, is some Sin or Sins in particu­lar: The Spirit doth not arrest Men for Offences in general, but opens the Writ, and shews them the par­ticular Cause, the particular Sins, Rom. 3.9. We have proved, saith the Apostle, that Jews and Gentiles are under Sin, but how doth the Apostle (being now the Instrument of the Spirit, in this Work of Con­viction) convince them of this? Mark his Method, Verse 10, to 18, wherein you shall see it done by e­numeration of Particulars; Sins of their Natures, there is none Righteous; Sins of their Minds, none understand­eth; Sins in their Wills and Affections, none seek after God; Sins in their Lives, all gone out of the way; Sins of Omission of good Duties, there is none that doeth good, their Throats, Tongues, Lips, are Sepulchres, de­ceitful, poisonful, their Mouths full of Cursing, their Feet swift to shed Blood, &c. And this is the State of you Jews, ( verse 14.) as well as of the Gentiles, that all Flesh may stand convinced as guilty before God. If it be here demanded, What are those particular Sins which the Lord convinceth Men of? I Answer, In Variety of Men there is much Variety of special Sins, as there is of Dispositions, Tempers and Temptations; and therefore the Lord doth not convince one Man at first of the same Sins of which he doth another Man, yet this we may safely say, usually (tho' not always) the Lord begins with the Remembrance and Consideration of some one great, if not a Man's special and most be­loved Sin; and thereby the Spirit discovers gradually [Page 9] all the rest: That Arrow which woundeth the Heart of Christ most, the Lord makes it fall first upon the Head of the Sinner that did shoot it against Heaven, and convinceth, and as it were hits him first with that: How did the Spirit convince those 3000, those Patterns of God's converting Grace? Acts 2.37. Did not the Lord begin with them for one principal Sin, viz. their Murder and Contempt of Christ, by embruing their Hands in his Blood? There is no Question but now they remember'd other sinful Practices, but this was the Imprimis, which is ever accompanied with many other Items, which are then read in God's Bill of Reckonings, where the first is set down, Israel would have a King, 1 Sam. 8.19. Samuel, for a Time, could not convince them of their Sin; herein what doth the Lord do? surely he will convince them of Sin, before he leaves them, and this by such terri­ble Thunder as shall make their Hearts ake; and how is it now? What Sin do they now see? They first see the Greatness of that particular Sin; but this came not to Mind alone, but they cry'd out, 1 Sam. 12.19. We have added unto all our Evils this, in asking to our selves a King. Look upon the Woman of Sama­ria, John 4. The Lord Christ indeed spake first un­to her about himself the Substance of the Gospel, a­bout the Worth of this Water of Life; but what good did she get until the Lord began to convince her of Sin, and how does he that, he tells her of her secret Whore­dom she lived in, the Man that she now had was not her Husband; and upon the Discovery of this, she saw many more Sins; and hence Verse 29, she crys out, Come see the Man that told me all that ever I did in my Life. And thus the Lord deals at this Day; the Mi­nister preacheth against one Sin, it may be Whore­dom, Ignorance, Contempt of the Gospel, Neglect [Page 10] of secret Duties, Lying, Sabbath-breaking, &c. This is thy Case, saith the Spirit unto the Soul, remember the Time, the Place, the Persons with whom you lived in this sinful Condition; and now a Man begins to go alone, and to think of all his former Courses how exceeding Evil they have been; it may be the Lord brings upon a Man a sore Affliction; and when he is in Chains, crying out for that, the Lord saith to him as to those, Jer. 30.15. Why cryest thou for thy Afflic­tion? For the Multitude of thine Iniquities I have done this; it may be the Lord sometimes strikes a Man's Companion in Sin dead, by some fearful Judgment; and then that particular Sin comes to mind, and the Lord reveals it arm'd with a Multitude of many other Sins, the Causes of it, the Fruits and Effects of it: As the Father whips a Child upon occasion of one spe­cial Fault, but then tells him of many more which he winked at before this, and tells him, Now, Sirrah, remember such a Time, such a froward Fit, such un­dutiful Behaviour, such a reviling Word you spake, such a Time I called, and you ran away, and would not hear me, and you tho't I lik'd well eno' of these Ways, but now know that I will not pass them by, &c. Thus the Lord deals with his, and hence it is many Times, that the Elect of God civilly bro't up, do hereupon think well of themselves, and so remain long unconvinced of their woful Estates, the Lord suf­fers them to fall into some foul, secret, or open S [...] and by this the Lord takes special Occasion of work­ing Conviction and Sorrow for Sin; the Lord makes them hang down the Head, and cry, Unclean, unclean. Paul was civilly educated, he turn'd at last a hot Per­secutor, Oppressor, Blasphemer: The Lord first con­vinced him of his Persecution, and cry'd out from Heaven to him, Paul, Paul, Why persecutest thou me? [Page 11] This struck him to the Heart, and then Sin revived, Rom. 7.9. Many secret Sins of his Heart were then discovered, which I take to begin and continue in spe­cial in those three Days, Acts 3.9. wherein he was blind, and did (thro' Sight [...]f Sin and Sorrow of Heart) neither eat nor drink. As a Man that hath the Plague, not knowing the Disease, he hopes to live; but when he sees the Spots and Tokens of Death up­on his Wrist, now he crys out, because convinced that the Plague of the Lord is upon him; so when Men see one or more special Sins break out; now they are convinced of their lamentable Condition; yet it is not alway (tho' usually thus) for some Men the Lord may first convince of Sin by shewing them the Sinfulness of their own Hearts and Ways; the Lord may let a Man see his Blindness, his extream Hardness of Heart, his Weakness, his Wilfulness, his Heart­lessness; he cannot pray, or look up to God, and this may first convince him; or all that he doth is sinful, being out of Christ: The Lord may suddenly let him see the Deceits of his own Heart, and the secret sinful Practices of his Life; as if some had told the Minister, or as if he spake to none but him; that he is forced to fall down being thus convinced, and to confess, God is in this Man, 1 Cor. 14.25. Nicodemus may first see and be convinced of the Want of Regenera­tion, and thereby feel his Need of Christ; the Lord may set a Man upon the Consideration of all his Life part, how wickedly it hath been spent; and so not one, but a Multitude of Iniquities compass him about: A Man may see the godly Examples of his Parents or other godly Christians in the Family or Town where he dwells, and by this be convinced, that if their State and Way be good, his own (so far unlike it) must needs be stark naught: The Lord ever convinceth the [Page 12] Soul of Sins in particular, but he doth not alway con­vince one Man of the same particular Sins at first as he doth another, whether the Lord convinceth all the Elect at first of the Sin of their Nature, and shew them their original Sin in and about this first Stroke of Con­viction, I doubt not of it, Paul would have been alive, and a proud Pharisee still, if the Lord had not let him by the Law see this Sin, Rom. 7.9. And so would all Men in the World, if this should not be revealed first or last, in a lesser or greater Measure, under a di­stinct or more indistinct Notion: And hence arise those Confessions of the Saints, I never tho't I had such a vile Heart, if all the World had told me, I could not have believed them, but that the Lord hath made me feel it, and see it at last; was there ever such a Sinner (at least in Heart) which is continually opposing of him) whom the Lord at any Time received to Mercy, as I am?

Concl. 2. The Lord Jesus by his Spirit doth not on­ly convince the Soul of its Sin in particular, but also of the Evil, even the exceeding great Evil of those particular Sins. The Lord Jesus doth not only con­vince of the Evil of Sin, but of the great Evil of Sin. Oh thou Wretch, saith the Spirit, (as the Lord to Cain, Gen. 4.10.) what hast thou done, whose Sins cry to Heaven, who hast thus long lived without God, and done this infinite Wrong to an infinite God, for which thou canst never make him amends! That God w [...] could have long since cut thee off in the midst of thy Sins and Wickedness, and crush thee like a Moth, and sent thee down to these eternal Flames where thou now seest some better than thy self mourning Day and Night, but yet hath spared thee out of his mee [...] Pity to thee: That God hast thou resisted and forsa­ken all thy Life-time; and therefore now see and con­sider [Page 13] what an Evil and bitter Thing it is, thus to live as thou hast done, Jer. 2.19. Look, as it is in the Ways of Holiness, many a Man, void of the Spirit, may see and know them in the literal Expressions of them, but cannot see the Glory of them but by the Spirit, and hence it is he doth not esteem and prize them, and the Knowledge of them above Gold: so in the Ways of Unholiness, many a Man void of the Spirit of Conviction of Sin, may, and doth see many particular Sins and confess them, but he doth not, cannot see the exceeding Evil of them, and thence it is, tho' he doth see them yet he doth not much dislike them, because he sees not the great Hurt or Evil in them, but makes a light Matter of them; and there­fore when the Spirit comes, it lets him see and stand convinced of the exceeding Greatness of the Evil that is in them, Job 36.8, 9. In the Time of Affliction (which is usually the Time of Conviction of a wild unruly Sinner) he shews them their Transgressions, but how? that they have exceeded, that they have been ex­ceeding many and exceeding vile. Oh beloved, be­fore the Lord Jesus comes to convince, we have Cause to pray for and pity every poor Sinner, as the Lord Jesus did, saying, Lord, forgive them, they know not what they do. You godly Parents, Masters, how oft do you instruct your Children, Servants, and convince them of their Sinfulness, until they confess their Faults? Yet you see no Amendment, but they go on still; what should you now do? Oh cry out for them, and say, Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Their sins they know, but what the Evil of them is, alas! they know not; but when the Spirit comes to convince, he makes them see what they do, and what is the exceeding Evil of those sins they made light of before; like mad Men that have sworn, and curst, [Page 14] and struck their Friends, and when they come to be sober again, and remember their mischievous Ways, and how abominable their Courses were. Oh you that walk on in the Madness of your Minds now, in all Manner of Sin, if ever the Lord do good to you, you shall account your Ways Madness and Folly, and cry out, Oh Lord, what have I done in kicking thus long against the Pricks?

Concl. 3. The Lord Jesus by his Spirit doth not only convince the Soul of the Evil of Sin, but of the Evil after Sin, I mean the just Punishment which doth follow Sin, and that is this, viz. That it must die, and that eternally for Sin, if it remain in this Estate it is now in, Rom. 4.15. The Law works Wrath, i. e. sight and sense of Wrath, Rom. 7.9. When the Law came, Sin revived, and I died, i. e. I saw my self a dead Man by it; so the Soul sees clearly, God hath said, The Soul that sinneth shall die: I have sinned, and there­fore if the Lord be true, I shall die; to Hell I shall if the Lord stop my Breath, and cut off my Life, which he might justly and may easily do. Death is the Wages of Sin, even of any one Sin, tho' never so little; what then will become of me, who stand guilty of so many, exceeding the Number of the Hairs on my Head, or the Stars in Heaven? Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge, the Minister hath said so, the Lord him­self hath told me so, Heb. 13.4. I am the Man, my Conscience now tears me and tells me so, what will become of me? The Lord Jesus will come in flaming Fire, to render Vengeance against all that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel. This I believe, for God hath said it, 2 Thes. 2.7, 8, 9. and now I see that I am he that hath lived long in Ignorance, and know not God; I have had the Gospel of Grace thus long wooing and perswading my Heart, and oftentimes it [Page 15] hath affected me, but yet I have resisted God and his Gospel, and have set my filthy Lusts, my vain Sports, my Companions, Cups and Queens at a higher Price than Christ, and have loved them more than him; and therefore, tho' I may be spared for a while, [...]et there is a Time wherein Christ himself will come out against me in flaming Fire. To this Purpose doth the Spirit work: For, Beloved, the great Means whereby Satan overthrew Man at first in his Innocency, was this Principle, altho' thou dost eat, and so sin against God, yet thou shalt not die, Gen. 3.4. Ye shall not surely die, the Serpent doth not say, Ye shall not die, for that is too gross an out-facing of the Word, Gen. 2.17. but saith, Ye shall not surely die; that is, there is not such absolute Certainty of it; it may be you shall live, God loves you better than so, and is a more mer­ciful Father than to be at a Word and a Blow. Now look as Satan deceived and bro't our first Parents to Ruin, by suggesting this Principle; so at this Day he doth sow this accursed Seed, and plant this accursed Principle in the Soil of every Man's Heart by Nature; they do not think, they cannot believe they are dead Men, and condemned to die, and that they shall die eternally for the least Sin committed by them; Men nor Angels cannot perswade them of it, they can­not see the Equity of it, that God so merciful will be so severe, for so small a Matter; nor yet the Truth of it, for then they think no Flesh should be saved; and thus when the old Serpent hath spit his Poison before them, they sup it up, and drink it in, and so Thou­sands, nay, Millions of Men and Women are undone. The Lord Christ therefore when he comes to save a poor sinner, and raise him up out of his Fall, convin­ceth the Soul by his Spirit, and that with full and mighty Evidence, that it shall die for the least Sin, and [Page 16] tells him, as the Lord told Abimelech in another Case, Gen. 20.3. Thou art but a dead Man for this; and if the Spirit set on this, let who can claw it [...]ff. I tell you, Beloved, never did poor condemned Malef [...]ct [...]r more certainly know and hear the Sentence of Con­demnation past upon him by a mortal Man, than the guilty Sinner doth his, by an immortal and displeased God; and therefore those three Thousand cry out, Acts 2.37. Men and Brethren, What shall I do to be saved? We are condemned to die, what shall we do now to be saved from Death? Now the Soul is glad to enquire of the Minister, Oh tell me what shall I do? I once tho't my self in a safe and good Condition as any in the Town or Country I lived in; but now the Lord hath let me hear of other News; die I must in this Estate, and 'tis a wonder of Mercies I am spa­red alive to this Day. There is not only some blind Fears and Suspicions that it may possibly be so, but full Perswasions of Heart, die I must, die I shall in this Estate: For if the Spirit reveal Sin, and convince not of Death for Sin, the Soul under this Work of Con­viction, being as yet rather sensual than spiritual, will make a light Matter of it, when it sees no sensible Danger in it, but when it sees the bottomless Pit be­fore it, everlasting Fire before it, for the least Sin, now it sees the heinous Evil of Sin; the Way of Sin, tho' never so peaceable before, is full of Danger now, wherein it sees there are endless Woes and everlasting Deaths that lie in wait for it, Rom. 6.21. And now saith the Spirit you may go on in these sinful Courses as others do, if you see meet, but O consider what will be the End of them; what is it to enjoy the Plea­sures of Sin for a Season, and to be tormented for ever for them in the Conclusion, for be assured that will be the End: And hence the Soul seeing it self thus [Page 17] set apart for Death, looks upon it self in a far worse Estate than the brute Beasts, or vilest Worm upon the Earth; for it thinks, when they die there is an End of their Misery, but Oh then is the Beginning of mine for ever: Hence also arise those Fears of Death and of being suddenly cut off, that when it lyes down, it trembles to think I may never rise again, because it is convinced, not only that it deserves to die, but that it is already sentenced for to die: Hence also the Soul justifies God, if he had cut him off in his Sin; and wonders what kept him from it, there being nothing else due from God unto it: Hence lastly, the Soul is stopt and stands still, goes not on in Sin as before; or if he doth, the Lord gives it no Peace, Jer. 8.6. Why doth the Horse go on in the Battle? because it sees not Death before it; but now the Soul sees Death and therefore stops: O remember this all you that never could believe that you are dead condemned Men, and therefore are never troubled with any such Tho'ts in your Minds; I tell you that you are far from Con­viction, and therefore far from Salvation: If God should send some from the Dead to bear Witness a­gainst this secure World concerning this Truth, yet you will not believe it, for his Messengers sent from Heaven are not believed herein; wo be to you if you remain unconvinced of this Point.

3. But you will say, How doth the Lord thus con­vince Sin, and wherein is it express'd; which is the third Particular.

Answ. All Knowledge of Sin is not Conviction of Sin, all Confession of Sin is not Conviction; there is a Conviction meerly rational, which is not spiritual; there are three Things in spiritual Conviction.

1. There is a clear, certain, and manifest Light, so that the Soul sees its Sin, and Death due to it clearly [Page 18] and certainly; for so the Word, John 16.9. [...] signifies to evidence a Thing by Way of Argumenta­tion, nay Demonstration; the Spirit so demonstrates these Things that it hath nothing to object, a Man's Mouth is stopped, he hath nothing to say but this; behold I am vile, I am a dead Man: For if a Man have many strong Arguments given him to confirm a Truth, yet if he have but one Objection or doubtful Scruple not answered, he is not fully as yet convinc'd, because full Conviction by a clear Sun-light scatters all dark Objections, and hence our Saviour, Jude 15. will one Day convince the Wicked of all their hard Speeches against him, which will be chiefly done by manifesting the Evil of such Ways, and taking away all those Co­lours and Defences Men have made for their Language: Before the Spirit of Christ comes, Man cannot see, will not see his Sin nor Punishment; nay, he hath many Things to say for himself as Excuses and Exte­nuations of Sin; One saith I was drawn into it, (the Woman that thou gavest me) and so lays the Blame on others: Another saith, It is my Nature; others say, All are Sinners, the Godly sin as well as others; and yet are saved at last, and so I hope I shall: Others profess they cannot part with Sin, they would be bet­ter, but they cannot, and God requires no more than they are able to perform: Another saith, I will continue in Sin but a little while, and purpose hereafter to leave it: Others say, We are Sinners, but yet God is mer­ciful, and will forgive it: Another saith, Tho' I have sinned, yet I have some Good, and am not so bad as other Men: Endless are these Excuses for Sin. In one Word, I know no Man, tho' never so bad, though his Sin be never so grievous, but he hath something to say for himself, and something in his Mind to lessen and extenuate Sin: But, Beloved, [Page 19] when the Spirit comes to convince, he so convinceth as that he answers all these, pulls down all these Fences, tears off all these Fig-Leaves, scatters all these Mists, and pulls off all these Scales from the Eyes, stops a Man's Mouth, that the Soul stands before God, cry­ing O Lord, Guilty, Guilty; as the Prophet Jere­my told them, Jer. 2.23. Why dost thou say, I am Innocent? look upon thy Way, &c. so the Spirit saith, why dost thou say thy Sin is small? It is Disobedience, (as Samuel said to Saul, 1 Sam. 15.23.) which is Rebellion, and as the Sin of Witchcraft, and is that a small Matter? The Spirit of Conviction by the clear Evidence of the Truth, binds the Understanding that it cannot struggle against God any more, and hence let all the World plead to the contrary, nay, let the Godly come to comfort them in this Estate, and think and speak well of them, yet they cannot believe them because they are certain that their Estates are woful: Hence also we shall observe the Soul under Conviction, instead of excusing Sin, it aggravates Sin, and studies to aggravate Sin, Did ever any deal thus wickedly, walk thus sinfully, so long, against so many Checks and Chidings, Light and Love, Means and Mercies as I have done? And it is wonderful to observe that those Things which made it once account Sin light, make it therefore to think Sin greater: Ex. gr. my Sin is little, the more unkind thou (saith the Spirit) that wilt not do a small Matter for the Lord: My Sin is common; the more sinful thou, that in those Things wherein all the World rise up in Arms against God, thou joinest with them: God spares me after Sin, the greater is thy Sin therefore that thou hast con­tinued so long in, against a God so pitiful to thee: The dearest Sins are now the vilest Sins, because tho' they were most sweet to him, yet the Spirit convinceth [Page 20] him they were therefore the more grievous unto the Soul of God: You poor Creatures may now hide, and colour, and excuse your Sins before Men, but when the Lord comes to convince you cannot lie hid; then your Co [...]sciences (when Jesus Christ the Lord comes to convince) shall not be like the Steward in the Gospel that set down fifty for every hundred Pounds; no, the Lord will force it to bring in a true and clear Account at that Day.

2. There is a real Light in spiritual Conviction, rational Conviction makes Things appear notionally, but spiritual Conviction, really: The Spirit indeed useth Argumentation in Conviction, but it goeth fur­ther and causeth the Soul not only to see Sin and Death discursively, but also intuitively and really: Reason can see and discourse about Words and Propositions, and behold Things by Report, and to deduct one Thing from another, but the Spirit makes a Man see the Things themselves, really wrapt up in those Words: The Spirit brings spiritual Things as well as Notions be­fore a Man's Eye, the Light of the Spirit is like the Light of the Sun, it makes all Things appear as they are, Job. 3.20, 21. It was Jerusalem's Misery, she heard the Words of Christ, and they were not hid from them, but the Things of her Peace shut up in those Words were [...] from hey Eyes, (Luke 19.41.) Discourse with many a Man about his Sin and Misery, he will grant all that you say, and he is convinced that his E­state is most wretched, and yet still lives in all Manner of Sin; what is the Reason of it? truly he sees his Sin only by Discourse, but he doth not, nay cannot see the Thing Sin, Death, Wrath of God, until the Spirit come; which only convinceth or sheweth that really. A Man will not be afraid of a Lion when it is painted on a Wall; why? because therein he doth not see [Page 21] the living Lion; when he sees that he trembles. So Men hear of Sin, and talk of Sin and Death, and say they are most miserable in Regard of both; yet their Hearts tremble not, are not amazed at these Evils, because Sin is not seen alive, Death is not presented alive before them, which is done by the Spirit of Con­viction only, revealing these really to the Soul: And hence it is that many Men in seeing see not, (Isai. 6.3.) how can that be? thus, in seeing Things notionally, they see them not really. And hence many that know most of Sin, know least of Sin, because in seeing it notionally, they see it not really. And therefore hap­py were it for some Men, Scholars and others, that they had no notional Knowledge, for this Light is their Darkness, and makes them more uncapable of spiri­tual Conviction. The first Act of spiritual Convic­tion is to let a Man see clearly that he is sinful and most miserable; the second Act is to let the Soul see really what this Sin and Death is. O consider of this; many of you know that you are sinful, and that you shall die; but dost thou know what Sin is, and what it is to die? If thou didst, I dare say thy Heart would sink; if thou dost not, thou art a condemned Man, because not yet a convinced Man. If you here ask, how the Lord makes Sin real; I answer, by making God real: The real Greatness of Sin is seen by be­holding really the Greatness of God who is smitten by Sin; Sin is not seen because God is not seen, John 3.11. He that doth Evil hath not seen God. No Know­ledge of God is the Cause why Blood toucheth Blood, (Hos. 4.4.) the Spirit casts out all other Company of vain and foolish Thoughts, and then God comes in and appears immediately to the Soul in his Great­ness and Glory, and then the Spirit saith, Lo, this is that God thy Sins have provoked. And now Sin ap­pears [Page 22] as it is, and together with this real Sight of Sin, the Soul doth not see painted Fire, but sees the Fire of God's Wrath really, whither now it is leading, that can never be quench'd but by Christ's Blood: And when the Spirit hath thus convinced, now a Man begins to see his Madness and Folly in Times past, say­ing, I knew not what I did. And hence Questions, Can the Lord pardon such a Wretch as I, whose Sins are so great? Hence also the Heart begins to be af­fected with Sin and Death, because it sees them now as they are indeed, and not by Report only. A Man accounts it a matter of Nothing to tread upon a Worm, wherein there is nothing seen worthy either to be loved or feared; and hence a Man's Heart is not affected with it: Before the Spirit of Conviction comes, God is more vile in Man's Eye than any Worm; as Christ said of himself in another Case, Psal. 22. I am a Worm and no Man; so may the Lord complain, I am viler in such a one's Eye than any Worm, and no God: And hence a Man makes it a Matter of Nothing to tread upon the glorious Majesty of God, and hence is not affected with it; but when God is seen by the Spirit of Conviction, in his great Glory, then as He is great, Sin is seen great; as his Glory affects and asto­nisheth the Soul, so Sin affects the Heart.

3. There is a constant Light; the Soul sees Sin and Death continually before it; God's Arrows stick fast in the Soul, and cannot be pluck'd out; my Sin is ever before me, said David, (in his renewing the Work of Conversion.) For in effectual Conviction the Mind is not only bound to see the Misery lying upon it, but it is held bound: It is such a Sun-light as never can be quenched, tho' it may be clouded. When the Spirit of Christ darts in any Light to see Sin, the Soul would turn away from looking upon it, would [Page 23] not hear on that Ear, Felix-like. But the Spirit of Conviction sent to make thoro' Work on the Hearts of all the Elect, follows them, meets them at every Turn, forceth them to see and remember what they have done; the least Sin is now a Mote in the Eye, is ever troubling. Those ghastly, dreadful Objects of Sin, Death, Wrath, being presented by the Spirit near unto the Soul, fix the Eye to fasten here; they that can cast off at their Pleasure the Remembrance and Thoughts of Sin and Death, never prove sound, until the Lord make them stay their Thoughts, and muse deeply on what they have done, and whither they are going. And hence the Soul in lying down, rising up, lies down & rises up with perplexed Tho'ts, What will become of me? The Lord sometimes keeps it waking in the Night season, when others are asleep, and then it is haunted with those Thoughts, it cannot sleep; it looks back upon every Day and Week, Sabbath, Sermon, Prayer, Speeches, and thinks all this Day, this Week, &c. the Goodness of the Lord and his Patience to a Wretch hath been continued; I sin in all I do, in all my Prayers, in all I Think, the same Heart remains still not humbled, not yet changed.

And hence you shall observe, that Word that dis­covered Sin first to it, it never goes out of the Mind; I think, saith the Soul, I shall never forget such a Man, nor such a Truth. Hence also if the Soul grow light and careless at some Time, and casts off the Thoughts of these Things, the Spirit returns again, and falls a Reasoning with the Soul, Why hast thou done this? What Hurt hath the Lord done thee? Will there never be an End? Hast not thou gone on long eno' in thy lewd Courses against God, but that thou shouldst still add to the Heap? Hast thou not Wrath enough upon thee already? How soon may the Lord stop thy [Page 24] Breath? And then thou knowest thou hadst bett [...]r never to have been born; Was there ever any that thus resisted Grace; that thus adventured upon the Sword Point? Hast thou but one Friend, a patient, long-suffering God, that hath left thy Conscience with­out Excuse long ago, and therefore could have cut thee off, and dost thou thus forsake him, thus abuse him? Thus the Spirit follows; and hence the Soul comes to some Measure of Confession of Sin: O Lord, I have done exceeding wickedly, I have been worse than the Horse that rusheth into the Battle, because it sees not Death before it, but I have seen Death before me in these Ways, and yet go on, and still Sin, and cannot but Sin: Behold me, Lord, for I am very vile. When thus the Spirit hath let into the Soul a clear, real, constant Light, to see Sin and Death, now there is a thoro' Conviction.

But you will say, In what Measure doth the Spirit communicate this Light?

I shall therefore open the fourth Particular, viz.

4. The Measure of spiritual Conviction in all the Elect, viz. so much Conviction of Sin as may begin and work Compunction for Sin, so much Sight of Sin as may bring in Sense of Sin, so much is necessary and no more. Every one hath not the same Measure of Conviction, yet all the Elect have and must have so much: For so much Conviction is necessary as may attain the End of Conviction. Now the Finis proxi­mus, or next End of Conviction in the Elect is Com­punction or Sense of Sin; for what Good can it do unto them to see Sin, and not to be affected with it? What greater Mercy doth the Lord shew to the Elect therein, than unto the Devils and Reprobates, who stand convinced, and know they are wicked and con­demned, but yet their Hearts altogether unaffected [Page 25] with any true Remorse for Sin? Mine Eye, saith Je­remy, (Lam. 3.51.) affecteth my Heart. The Lord opens the Ears of his to Instruction, that he might humble, (Job 33.16, 17.) Some think that there is no thoro' Conviction, without some Affection. I dare not say so, nor will I now dispute whether there is not some­thing in the Nature and Essence of that Conviction the Elect have, different from that Conviction in Re­probates and Devils; 'tis sufficient now, and that which reacheth the End of this Question, to know what Measure of Conviction is necessary. I conceive the clear discerning of it is by the immediate and sen­sible Effect of it, viz. so much as affects the Heart truly with Sin.

But if you ask, What is that Sense of Sin, and what Measure of this is necessary? That I shall answer in the Doctrine of Compunction.

Let not therefore any Soul be discouraged, and say, I was never yet convinced, because I have not felt such a clear, real, constant Light to see Sin and Death as others have done; consider thou, if the End of Conviction be attained, which is a true Sense and Feeling of Sin, thou hast then that Measure which is most meet for thee, more than which the Lord regards not in any of his; but you that walk up and down with convinced Consciences, and know your States are miserable and sinful, and that you perish if you die in that Condi­tion, and yet have no Sense nor Feeling, no Sorrow nor Affliction of Spirit for those Evils, I tell thee the very Devils are in some Respects nearer the Kingdom of God than you be, who see, and feel, and tremble; wo, wo to Thousands that live under convicting Mi­nistries, whom the Word often hits, and the Lord by the Spirit oftens meets, and they hear and know their Sins are many, their Estates bad, and that Ini­quity [Page 26] will be their Ruin, if thus they continue: yet all God's Light is without Heat, and it is but the shi­ning of it upon the Rocks, and cold Stones; they are frozen in their Dregs: Be it known to you, you have not one Drop of that Conviction which begins Salva­tion. Before I pass from this to the second Work of Compunction, let me make a Word of Application.

USE 1. If the Spirit begins thus with Conviction of Sin, then let all the Ministers of Christ, co-work with Christ, and begin with their People here; be faithful Witnesses unto God's Truth, and give Warning to this secure World, that the Sentence of Death is past, and the Curse of God lies upon every Man for the least Sin: Lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet, was the Lord's Word to Isaiah, Isa. 58.1. and tell them of their Sin: Those Bees we call Drones that have lost their Sting. When the Salt of the Earth (the Ministers of Christ, Matth. 5.) have lost their Acrimony and Sharpness, or Salt­ness, what is it good for but to be cast out? Our Hearts will putrify and corrupt by hearing such Doctrines only as never search. When the Lord inflicted a grie­vous Curse upon the People, Ezek. 3.26. the Lord made Ezekiel dumb, that he should not be a Reprover to them. What was the Lamentation of Jeremy? Thy Prophets have seen vain and foolish Things for thee, and have not discovered thine Iniquity, (Lam. 2.14.) How would you have the Lord Jesus by his Spirit to convince Men? Must it not be by his Word? Veri­ly you keep the Spirit of Christ from falling down up­on the People, if you refuse to endeavour to convince the People by your Word. Other Doctrines are sweet and necessary, but this is in the first Place most necessary. Beware of Personating, beware of Bitter­ness and Passion, but Oh convince with a Spirit of Power and Compassion; and he that shall be instru­mental [Page 27] unto Christ, in this or any other Work for Christ's Sake, unto him the Lord will be the principal Agent, and by him will attain his own Ends, finish his great Work, gather in his scattered Sheep, who are in great Multitudes thro'out the Kingdom scatte­red from him; if once they be thoro'ly convinced that they are utterly lost, and gone out of the Way.

USE 2. May not this also be a sad Reproof and Ter­ror to them that stand it out against all Means of Con­viction, and will not see their Sin, nor believe the fearful Wrath of God due to them for Sin; not a Man scarce can be found, that will come to this Conclusion, I am a sinful Man, and therefore I am a dead Man, I am a condemned Man: But like wild Beasts fly from their Pursuers into their Holes, and Thickets, and Dens, their sinful Extenuations, Excuses, and Apo­logies for Sin, and for themselves, and if they be hunt­ed thither, and found out there, then they resist and article against that Truth which troubles them; they flatter themselves in their own Eyes, until their Iniquities be found most hateful, (Psal. 36.2.) Many a Man dislikes the Text, the Use, the long Use wherein his Sin is toucht, and his Conscience tost; especially if it be his darling Sin, his Herodias, his Rimmon, especially if withal he thinks the Minister means him, he will not see it, nor confess it; especially, if he apprehends he shall lose his Honour, or his Silver shrines and Pro­fit by it: He will not see his Sin, that he may not be troubled in Conscience for his Sin, that so he may not be forced to confess and forsake his Sin, and condemn himself for it before God and Men. O Lord, I mourn that I can scarce meet with a Man that either cares to be, or will be convinced; but hath something always to say for himself, their Sins are not so great, they are not so bad, but have some Good, and therefore [Page 28] have some Hope; and if God be merciful, it is no great Matter tho' they be exceeding sinful, or some such Thing; their Mouths are not stopped to say no­thing for themselves but guilty. There is less Con­viction in the World in this Age, than many are a­ware of. For I believe that all the Powers of Hell conspire together to blind Men's Eyes and darken Men's Minds in this great Work of Christ: Prin­cipiis obsta, it is Policy to stop Christ in his Entrance, in this first Stroke upon the Soul; but Oh! little do you think what you do herein, and what Wo you work to your selves thereby; Dost thou stifle and re­sist the first Breathings of Christ's Spirit, when he comes to save thee? What Hurt will it be to know the worst of thy Condition, now when there is hope hereby of coming out of it; who must else one Day see all thy Sins in order before thee to thy eternal An­guish and Terror? Psal. 50.21. When the Lord shall say to thee as unto Dives, Remember in thy Life-Time thou hadst thy good Things, remember such a Time, such a Place, such a Sin; which then you would not see: But now thou shalt see what it is to strike an infinite God. Remember thou wast forewarned of Wrath to come, but thou would not believe thy self ac­cursed, that so thou mightest have felt thy Need of him that was made a Curse to bless thee; and therefore feel it now: Oh you will wish then that you had known this Evil in that your Day. What dost thou talk of Grace? Thou thinkest thou hast Grace, when as thou hast not the first Beginning, nay, not the most remote Preparation for it in this Work of Conviction; what should we do for such as these, but with Jeremy, Jer. 13.17. If you will not hear, my Soul shall weep in secret for your Pride.

[Page 29]USE 3. Oh be perswaded therefore to remember your Sins past, and to consider of your Ways now. All the Prophaneness of thy Heart and Life, all the Vanity of thy Youth, Eccl. 11.9. all your secret Sins, all your Sins against Light and Love, Checks and Vows: Thus God's People have done, Ezek. 6.9. thus all the Elect shall do; Oh consider the Lord remembers them all, and that with Grief of Heart against thee, because thou forgettest them, Hos. 2.7. He that numbers thy Hairs, and tells the Sparrows that fall, numbers much more thy Sins that fall from thee, they are written down in his black Book. They are no Trifles, for he minds not Toys; the Books must be opened, oh reckon now, you have yet Time to call them to mind, which it may be shall not continue long; it is the Lord's Complaint, Jer. 8.6. of a wicked Generation, that he could hear no Man say, What have I done? Winnow your selves, (as the Word is, Zeph. 2.1.) O People not worthy to be beloved. I pronounce unto you from the eternal God, that e're long the Lord will search out Jerusalem with Candles, he will come with a Sword in his Hand to search for all secure Sinners, in City and Country, unless you awaken; he will make Inquisition for Blood, for Oaths, for Whoredoms, which grow common; for all secret Sins we are frozen up in: Oh be willing, be but willing that the Lord should search you and con­vince you, now in this Evening Time of the Day, before the Night come, wherein it will be too late to say, I wish I had considered of my Ways in Time; of all Sins, none can so hardly stand with Upright­ness, as a secret Unwillingness to see and be convinced of Sin, John 3.20, 21. The Helps and Means for attaining hereunto are these,

[Page 30]1 Help. Bring thy Soul to the Light, desire the Lord in Prayer as Job did, What I see not, O Lord, shew me, Job 34.32. Set the Glass of God's Law be­fore thee, look up in the Ministry of the Word unto the Lord, and say, O Lord search me: The Sun of this holy Word discovers Motes: On the Sabbath Day attend to all that which is spoken, as spoken unto thee, then examine thy self when thou hast Leisure. When David saw ( Psal. 19.) how pure the Law was, he crys out, Who knows his Errors?

2 Help. Look upon every Conviction of thy Con­science for Sin, as an Arrest and Warning given from the Lord himself; for sometimes the Word hits, and Conscience startles, and saith, This is my Sin, my Condition; yet how usual it is then for a Man to put a merry Face upon a foul Conscience? How of do Men think this is but the Word of a Man who hath a Latitude given him of reproving Sin in the Pulpit, and we must give Way to them therein? Or else their Hearts rise and swell against the Man and Word also; and why is it thus? because he thinks it is Man only that speaks, whereas did he see and believe that this was a Stroke, a Warning, an Arrest, a Check from the omni­potent God, would he then grapple think you with him? Would it pass lightly by him then? When Eli heard Samuel denounce sad Things against his House, It is the Lord, said Eli, 1 Sam. 3.18. When Paul heard Jesus speaking, Why persecutest thou me? Acts 9. he falls down astonished, and dares not kick against the Pricks any longer. An Arrest in the Kind's Name comes with Authority, and awes the Heart of the Man in Debt.

3 Help. Do not judge of Sin by any other Rule, but as God judgeth of it, according to the Rule of the Word by which all Men's Ways shall be judged at the [Page 31] last Day. What made Saul, 1 Sam. 15. extenuate his Sin to Samuel? he judged not of it as the Lord in his Word did: for had he done so, he would have seen Disobedience to a Command as bad as Witchcraft, as Samuel told him; which also made his proud Heart sink, and say, I have sinned. Remember for this End these Scriptures, Rom. 1.18. Rom. 2.9. Rom. 6.23. Gal. 3.10 by which thou mayst see, either I must die, (in the State I am) or God himself must lie. Remember that an angry Look or Word is Murder in God's Account; a wanton Eye, an unchast Thought is Adultery, (2 Cor. 5.10.) before a holy God, be­fore whose Tribunal thou must give an account of e­very vain Thought and Word. And therefore do not judge of Sin by the present Pleasure, Gain, Ho­nour, or Ease in it; for this is a false Rule: Moses for­sook the Pleasures of Sin for a Season, Heb. 11.25. Nor yet by not feeling any Punishment for it, for God reserves Wrath, Nahum 1.2. till the Day of Reckon­ing: Nor yet by the Esteem that others generally have of it, who make no more of wounding the Son of God by Sin, then they do of crushing Vermin un­der their Feet: Nor yet by the Practise of others; every Man sins, and therefore I hope I shall do as well as others: Nor yet by seeing thy self better, and thanking God thou art not as other Men; it may be so, thou didst never steal, nor whore, nor murther as yet, but hast thou had any one vain Tho't in Prayer? Hast thou heard one Sermon unprofitably? Hast thou sinned? Then know God spared not the Angels that sinned, & how wilt thou escape, unless the Lord die for thee? Nor yet, lastly, judge of it by thy own Opinion of God, in thinking God is like unto thee, that as thou makest Light of it, so he maketh less, Psal. 50.21. Oh take heed of judging the Evil of Sin by any of [Page 32] these Rules: Oh remember all Men are apt to think of themselves better than they are; are we blind also? say the Pharisees: Take heed that by judging of Sin by these false Rules, you deceive not your selves.

USE 4. Let this, lastly, be a Use of Thankfulness, to those whose Eyes the Lord hath opened to see, and so convincing you of your Sins. When David was going in the Heat of his Spirit to kill Nabal, and Abigail met him and stopt him, what said he? Oh blessed be the Lord for thy Counsel; (1 Sam. 25.32, 33.) so when thou wert going on in the Heat and Pursuit of thy Sin, toward eternal Death, that the Lord should now meet thee in thy Way, and convince thee of thy Folly, and so stop thee, what a World of Sin else wouldst thou have committed, how vile would thou have been? Oh say therefore, blessed be that Minister of the Lord, and blessed for ever be the Name of the Lord that gave me that Counsel. It is said, (John 16.7.) Christ will send the Comforter to convince of Sin; is it a com­fortable Thing to see Sin? Yes, it shall one Day be Matter of unspeakable Comfort to you that ever you saw Sin; that ever he shewed thee that Mystery of Iniquity in thy Heart and Life, those arcana imperii, those secrets of the Power and Dominion of Sin over thee: Thou shalt not hate but reprove thy Brother, (Lev. 19.17.) If the Lord should secretly keep thy Sin glowing in his own Bosom against thee, and never re­prove thee for it, nor convince thee of it; no greater sign of God's everlasting Hatred against thee. Oh it is infinite Love that he hath called thee aside, and dealt plainly and secretly with thee; and will you not be thankful for this? The Lord might have left thee in thy brutish Estate, and never made known thy lat­ter End; never have told thee of thy Sin or Flood be­fore it comes.

[Page 33] Object. It may be you will say, If I felt my Sin, and were deeply humbled for it, I could then be thankful that ever I saw it; what is it to see Sin?

Answ. This is a Favour the Lord shews not to all Mankind, many have no Means to bring them to the Knowledge of it, and those that have, yet are smitten with a deep sleep under those Means, that they know not when Death is at their Doors, nor what Sin means; and this it may be is the Condition of some of thy poor Friends and Acquaintance, that think it strange that thou runnest not with them in the same Way as they do.

2. Suppose some Reprobates do see Sin, yet the Lord puts a secret Virtue in that Work of Conviction upon thee, which makes thee cry to Heaven for a Spi­rit of Brokenness for Sin; which without this Sight of Sin, thou wouldst never so much as have desired; and this they have not.

3. However, Conviction is a Work of the Spirit, though it should be but common; and wilt not thou be thankful for common Mercy, suppose it be out­ward? How much more for this that is spiritual, tho' it should be common? Especially considering that it is the first fundamental Work of the Spirit, and is se­minally all. Sense of Sin begins here, and ariseth hence; as Ignorance of Sin is seminally all: Remem­ber that the Discovery of Faux in the Vault, was the Pre­servation of England. We use to remember the Day and Hour of the Beginning of some great & notable Deliver­ance; Oh remember this Time wherein the Love of Christ first brake out in convincing thee of thy Sin, who else hadst certainly perished in it: And thus much of this first Work of Conviction; now the second follows, Compunction.

SECT. III. The second Act of Christ's Power, in working Compunction or Sense of Sin.

COmpunction, pricking at the Heart, or Sense and Feeling of Sin, is diffe­rent from Conviction of Sin; the latter being the Work of the Under­standing, and seated in that principally; the other is in the Affections and Will, and sea­ted therein principally: A Man may have sight of sin, without sorrow and sense of it, Dan. 5.22. Jam. 1.24. Rom. 3.20, 21. Yet that Conviction which the Spirit works in the Elect is ever accompanied with Compunction, first or last. For the better unfolding this Point, let me open these four Things to you.

• 1. That Compunction or Sense of Sin immediately follows Conviction of Sin in the Day of Christ's Power.
• 2. The Necessity of this Work to succeed the other.
• 3. Wherein it consists.
• 4. The Measure of it in all the Elect.

1. That Compunction follows Conviction, is evi­dent from Scripture and Reason, Acts 2.37. When they heard this, that is, when they saw and were con­vinced of their sin in crucifying the Lord of Life, which they did not imagine to be a sin before, what follows next? it is said, they were pricked at the Heart, lo, here is Compunction. Ephraim also in turning unto God, Jer. 31.19. hath these Words, After that I was instructed, I sm [...]e upon my Thigh; (as Men in [Page 35] great Calamity befallen them use to do) I was ashamed, even confounded, because I did bear the Reproach of my Youth. The Men of Nineveh hearing by the Prophet they were all to die within forty Days, it is said, they believed God, (in the Work of Conviction) and then they fell to Sackcloth and Ashes (in the Work of Com­punction) which did immediately follow. Josiah, 2 Chron. 34.27. in his renewed return unto God, after he heard the Words of the Law, his Heart melt­ed, and he wept before the Lord. For what is the End of Conviction? Is it not Compunction? For if the Lord should let a Man see his sin, and Death for Sin, and yet suffer the Heart to remain hard and unaffec­ted, the Lord did but leave him without Excuse; nay, the Lord should but leave him under greater Mi­sery, and under a more fearful Judgment, viz. for a Man to see and know his sin, and yet unaffected with it, and hardn [...]d under it, Hardness of Heart is one of a greatest Judgments: To see sin and not to be affected with it, argues greater Hardness. For it is no wond [...]r if they that see not and know not sin, re­main senseless of sin; alas; they know not what they do: But for a Man to be enlightned, and see his sin, and yet unaffected; Lord, how great is this Hard­ness, and how unexcusable will such a Man be lest before God, when the Lord shall reckon with him for his Hardness of Heart! What is the End of that Light the Lord lets into the Understanding in other Things? Is it not that thereby the Heart might be affected thoro'ly with it? Why doth the Lord let in the Light of the Knowledge of Christ and of his Will? Is it that this Knowledge should like Froth float in the Under­standing, and be imprisoned there? No verily, but that the Heart might be thoro'ly and deeply affected therewith. And do you think the Lord will in the [Page 36] Light of Conviction imprison it up in the Mind? I [...] there not a further End that by this Light the Heart might be deeply affected with sin? If any say that the End of Conviction is to drive the Soul to Christ, I grant that this is the remote and last End of it, but the next End is Compunction. For if the Under­standing be convinced of Misery, and the Heart re­main hard, the Mind may see indeed that Righteous­ness and Life only is to be had in Christ; yet the Heart remaining hard, the Will and Affections will never stir toward Christ, it's impossible a hard Heart, remaining such, wholly unaffected with Sin or Misery, should be truly affected with Jesus Christ; but of this more hereafter.

2. What Necessity is there of this Compunction to second Conviction?

Answ. I speak now of Necessity in way of ordinary Dispensation, not of God's usual and extraordinary Way of Working, where he useth neither Law not Gospel (as ordinarily he doth) to work by. Many have been nibling lately at this Doctrine, and demand­ed, What need is there of Sorrow and Compunction of Heart? A Man may be converted only by the Gospel, and God may let in Sweetness and Joy with­out any sense of Sin or Misery, and in nay Experience I have found if so; others godly and gracious also feel it so: Why therefore do any press such a Necessity of coming in at this back Door unto Christ? This Point I confess is very weighty, and much danger in denying the Truth of it; yet withal, there needs much Tenderness in handling of it, l [...]st any stumble; and therefore before I lay down the Reasons to shew the Necessity of it, give me leave to propound these Rules, both for the clearing of the Point, and answer­ing sundry Objections usually about this Point.

[Page 37]1. Rule. In this Work of Compunction, do not think that the Lord hath not wro't any true sense of sin, because you find it not in such a Measure as you imagine you should desire to have, and that others feel; sense of sin admits Degrees. I doubt not but Joseph's Brethren were humbled, yet Joseph must be more, he must be cast into the Ditch, and into the Prison, and the Iron must enter not only into his Legs, but in­to his Soul, Psal. 105.18. He must be more af­flicted in Spirit, because he was to do greater Work for God, and was to be raised up higher than the rest, and therefore did need the more Ballast: some are educated more civilly than others, and thereby have contracted less guilt and stoutness of Heart against God and his Ways, and therefore these have not such Cause of Trouble; and being less rugged, have less need of Axes to hew them: some Men's sorrow breaks in upon them more suddenly, like storms and breaches of the Sea, and the Lord is resolved to hasten and fi­nish his Work in them more speedily, and it may be more exemplarily; (for every Christian is not a fair Copy) as in those, Acts 2.37. In others their sor­rows soak in by Degrees, Gutta cavat lapidem, the Lord empties them by continual Droppings, and hence feel not that Measure of sorrow that others do: Eve­ry Christian is not a Heman, Psal. 88. who suffers distracting Fears and Terrors from his Youth up, verse 15. who is afflicted with all God's Ways, verse 7. for he was a Man of exceeding high Parts and Gifts, as you may see, 1 Kings 4.31. and therefore the Lord had need of hanging some special Plumets on his Heart to keep it ever low, lest it should be lifted up above Measure. Some sense of sin the Lord will work in all he saves, but not the same Measure; the Lord gives not alway unto his, that which is good in it self, [Page 38] (its good I confess to be deeply affected and humbled) but that which is fit, and therefore best for thee.

2. Rule. Do not think there is no Compunction or Sense of Sin wro't in the Soul, because you cannot so clearly discern and feel it, nor the Time of the Working and first Beginning of it. I have known many that have come with Complaints, they were never humbled, they never felt it so, nor yet could tell the Time when it was so, yet there hath been & many Times they have seen it by the Help of other Spectacles, and blest God for it. When they in Isai. 63.17. complained, Lord, why hast thou hard­ned our Hearts from thy Fear: Do you think there was no softness nor sensibleness indeed? Yes verily, but they felt nothing but a hard Heart, nay, such Hardness as if the Lord had plagued them with it by his own immediate Hand, and not born and bred with them only, as with other Men. Many a Soul may think the Lord hath left it, nay, smitten it with a hard Heart, and so make his Moan of it, yet the Lord hath wro't real Softness under felt Hardness, as many Times in Roprobates there is felt Softness, when within there is real Hardness. The stony-ground Hearers were plow­ed and broken on the Top, but were stony at the Bot­tom. Some Men may be wounded outwardly and mor­tally, this may easily be discerned. The Lord may wound others and they may bleed out; their sorrow is mere inward and secret, and therefore cannot point with their Finger to their Wound as others can.

3 Rule. Do not think the Lord works Compunction in all the Elect in the same circumstantial Work of the Spirit, but only in the same substantial Work: The Lord works a true sense of sin for Substance and Truth of it, yet there are many circumstantial Works, like so many Enlargements and Comments upon one and the [Page 39] same Text, e. g. The same sin that affects Paul, it may be doth not affect Lydia or Apollos. The same Notions for the Aggravation of sin in one, do not come into the Mind of the other; the same Com­plaints, and Prayers, and Turnings of Spirit in the one, may not be in the same Circumstances, and with the like Effects as in the other, and yet both of them feel sin, and therefore complain; they both feel Sin, yet by means of various Apprehensions and Aggrava­tions. This I speak, because you may the better un­derstand the Meaning of God's Servants in opening the Work of Humiliation. You may hear them say, the Soul doth this, and thinks that, and speak another Thing; it may be every one does not so think in the same individual Circumstances, and therefore are to be understood as producing only exemplum in re simili; something like this or for the Substance of this is there wrought.

4 Rule. In this Work of Compunction we must not bring Rules unto Men, but Men to Rules; crook not God's Rules to the Experience of Men (which is fallible, and many Times corrupt) but bring Men un­to the Rule, and try Men's Estates herein by that: For many will say, some Men are not humbled at all, never had any precedent sorrow for sin. God's Mercy only hath melted their Hearts, and Experience proves this, and many find this, who are sincere and gracious Christians. I answer,

We are not in this or any other Point to be guided by the Experience of Men only, but attend the Rule; if it be proved, that according unto the Rule Men must be broken and affected with their sin and Mise­ry before Mercy can be truly apprehended or Christ accepted; What tell you me of such or such Men? [...]et the Rule stand; but let Men stand or fall accor­ding [Page 40] to the Rule: Many are accounted gracious and godly for a Time, much affected with Mercy and Christ Jesus; yet afterward fall or wizen into no­thing; and prove very unsound.

What is the Reason?

Truly the Cause was here, their first Wound and Sorrow for Sin was not right, as hereafter shall be made good; many Thousands are miserably deceived about their Estates by this one Thing, of crooking and wresting God's Rules to Christians Experience; let all God's Servants tremble and be wary here; wrack not the holy Scriptures, nor force them to speak as thou feelest, but try all Things by them, 1 Thes. 5.21.

5. Rule. Do not make the Examples of converted Persons in Scripture Patterns in all Things of Persons unconverted: Do not make God's Work upon the one, run Parallel with God's Work upon the other.

Some say, That many in Scripture are converted to Christ without any sorrow for sin, and produce the Example of Lydia, whose Heart God sweetly o­pened to receive Christ; and the Eunuch, Acts 8. converted in the same Manner.

I answer,

These are Examples of Persons converted to God before, who did believe in the Messiah, but did not know that this Jesus was the Messiah, which they soon did when the Lord sent the Means to revea [...] Christ; and therefore Lydia, a Jewish Proselyte is called a Worshipper of God, Acts 16.14. and so was the Eunuch, Acts 8.27. and in the same Condition was the Centurion, Acts 10.2. who feared God, and whose Prayers were accepted. ver. 4. (which cannot be without Faith) yet did not know that this Jesus cru­cified was the Messiah, until Peter came unto him [Page 41] So that suppose here was no sense or sorrow for sin, at this Time; doth it therefore follow they never had any when the Lord at first wro't upon them? Are these Examples in Persons converted, fit to shew forth God's Work in Persons unconverted? In some Things indeed they are Examples, in others not so: Their Examples of believing in Christ are not in that act Examples of sorrow for Want of Christ. And yet, let me add, To say that God opened Lydia's Heart to believe in Christ, and yet opened not her Heart to lament her Sin and Misery in her Estate without Christ (suppose she were without Christ) is more then can be proved from the Text; for it is said, Her Heart was opened to attend unto the Things that were spoken by Paul: And can any think that Paul, or an Apostle, ever preached Christ without Preaching the Need Men had of him? And could any preach their Need of Christ, withing Preaching Men's undone and sinful Estate without Christ? And do you think that Lydia was not made to attend unto this? Do you think that when Philip came to open the 53d of Isaiah to the Eunuch, that Christ was bruised for our Iniquities; that he did not let him understand the infinite Evil of Sin and Misery of all Sinners, and of him in special, unless the Lord Jesus was bruised for him.

6 Rule. In Examples recorded in the Scripture of God's converting Grace, do not think they had no Sorrow for Sin, because it is not distinctly and ex­presly set down in all Places: For the Scripture u­sually sets down Matters very briefly; it oftentimes supposeth many Things, and refers us to judge of some by other Places; as Acts 6.7. it is said, Many of the Priests were obedient to the Faith; doth it there­fore follow that they did immediately believe without [Page 42] any Sense of Sin? Look to a fuller Example, Acts 2. and then we may see, as the one were converted to the Faith, so were the other, having a Hand in the same Sin, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. Paul, he was a Perse­cutor, but the Lord received him to Mercy, and that God's Grace was abundant in Faith and Love: Doth it hence follow that Paul had no casting down, because not mention'd here? If we look upon Acts 9. we shall see it otherwise.

7. Rule. Do not judge of general and common Workings of the Spirit upon the Souls of any to be the Beginnings of effectual and special Conversion; for a Man may have some inward and yet common Knowledge of the Gospel and Christ in it, before there be any sorrow for sin; yet it doth not hence follow that the Lord begins not with Compunction and Sor­row, because common Work is not special and effec­tual Work; when the Spirit thus comes, he first be­gins here, as we shall prove.

8. Rule. The Terrors, and Fears, and Sense of Sin and Death, be in themselves Afflictions of Soul, and of themselves drive from Christ; yet in Hand of Christ, by the Power of the Spirit, they are made to lead, or rather drive unto Christ, which is able to turn Mourning into Joy, as well as after Mourning to give Joy; and therefore 'tis a vain Thing to think there is no need of such Sorrows which drive Men from Christ; and that Christ can work well enough therefore without them; when as by the mighty Power and Riches of Mercy in Christ, the Lord by wound­ing, nay, killing his of all their carnal Security and self-confidence, saves all his alive, and drives them to seek for Life in the Son.

These Things being thus premised, let us now hear of the Necessity of this Work to succeed Conviction.

[Page 43] Reas. 1. Else a Sinner will never part with his Sin; a bare Conviction of Sin doth but light the Can­dle to see Sin; Compunction burns his Fingers, and that only makes him dread the Fire, Cleanse your Hearts ye Sinners, and purify your Hearts ye double-minded Men, (saith the Apostle James, Chap. 4. Verse 8.) But how should this be done? He answers Verse 9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, turn your Laugh­ter into Mourning. So Joel 2.12. the Prophet calls upon his Hearers to turn from their Sin unto the Lord; but how? Rend your Hearts, and not your Garments. Not that they were able to do this, but by what Sor­row he requires of all in general; he thereby effectual­ly works in the Hearts of all the Elect in particular; for every Man naturally takes Pleasure, nay, all his Delight and Pleasure is in nothing else but Sin; for God he hath none, but that. Now so long as he takes Pleasure in Sin, and finds Contentment by Sin, be cannot but cleave inseparably to it: Oh 'tis sweet, and it only is sweet; for so long the Soul is dead in Sin. Pleasure in Sin is Death in Sin, 1 Tim. 5.6. So long as 'tis dead in Sin, it is impossible it should part with Sin; no more than a dead Man can break the Bonds of Death. And therefore it unde [...]ably follows, that the Lord must first put Gall and Wo [...]m­wood to these Dugs, before the Soul will cease suck­ing, or be weaned from them; the Lord must first make Sin bitter, before it will part with it; load it with Sin, before it will set down and desire Ease: And look as the Pleasure in Sin is exceeding sweet to a Sinner, so the Sorrow for it must be exceeding bit­ter, before the Soul will part from it.

'Tis true, I confess, a Man sometimes may part with Sin without Sorrow; the unclean Spirit may go out for a Time, before he is taken, bound and slain [Page 44] by the Power of Christ. But such a kind of parting is but the washing of the Cup, 'tis unsafe and unsound, and the End of such a Christian will be miserable; for a Man to hear of his Sin, and then to say, I'll do no more so, without any Sense or Sorrow for it, would not have been approved by Paul, if he had seen no more in the careless Corinthians, (2 Cor. 7.10.) in tolerating the incestuous Person; but their Sorrow wro't this Repentance. No, the Lord abhors such whorish wiping the Lips; and therefore the same Apostle, (1 Cor. 5.2.) when he reproves them for not separating the Sinner, and so the Sin from them, he sums it up in one Word, You have not mourned, that such a one might be taken from you: Because then Sin is severed truly from the Soul, when Sorrow or Shame, from Sense and Feeling of the Evil of it, be­gins it. Not only Sin is opposite to God, but when the Lord Jesus first comes near his Elect in their sin­ful Estate, they are then Enemies themselves by Sin unto God. And hence it is they will never part with their Weapons, until themselves be thoroughly Wounded: And therefore the Lord must wound their Consciences, Minds and Hearts, before they will cast them by. Now if there be no parting with, no Separation from Sin, but Sin is as strong, and the Sinner as vile as ever before, hath Christ (who now comes to save his Elect from Sin) the End of his Work? What is the Man the better for Conviction, Affection to Christ, name what you can, that remains still in his Sins? When the Apostle would sum up all the Misery of Men, he doth it in those Words, (1 Cor. 15.17.) Ye are yet in your Sins: So I say, thou art convicted, but art yet in thy Sin; art affect with Christ, and takest hold of Christ, but art yet in thy Sin; he that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin, shall find Mercy.

[Page 45] Object. You will say, May not the Sweetness of Christ in the Gospel, and Sense of Mercy, separate from Sin, without any Compunction?

I answer,

1. Sense of Mercy and Christ's Sweetness (I con­ceive serve principally to draw the Soul unto Christ. Jer. 31.3. With loving kindness have I drawn thee. But Compunction or Sense of Sin principally serves in the Hand of Christ, to turn the Soul from Sin. A­version from Sin is district from, and in order goes before our Conversion unto God.

2. Sense of the Sweetness of God's Grace in Christ keeps out Sin, but it doth not thrust out Sin at first.

3. Christ cannot be effectually sweet, unless Sin be first made bitter; there may be some general No­tice of Christ's Excellency, and some thirty Pieces given for him; some Esteem of his Grace, and Hope of his Mercy, which may occasion Sorrow; but I dare not say, that this is any sound or thoro' Work, till after Sorrow, Isai. 50.4. Christ hath the Tongue of the Learned given him to speak a Word in Season: Unto whom? It is added, unto the Weary. They are the Men that will prize Mercy, and they only to pur­pose; they that have felt the Bitterness of Sin and Wrath, find it exceeding hard to prize Christ, and to taste his Sweetness; how shall they do it indeed that find none at all? Sweetness before Sense of Sin, is like Cordials before purging of a foul Stomach; which usually strengthen the Humour, but recover not the Man.

Reas. 2. Because without this, no Man will either Care for Christ, or feel a Need of Christ; a Man may see a Want of Christ by the Power of Conviction, but he will never feel a Need of Christ but by the Spi­rit of Compunction. The Whole need not the Physician, [Page 46] but they that are Sick. A whole Man may see his Want of a Physician, but a sick Man only feels his Need of him, will prize him, send for him. By the Whole are not to understand such as have no Need of Christ (for what Sinner but hath Need of him?) but such as feel no Need of him: As by Sick cannot be meant such as are sinful and miserable, for then Christ should come actually to save all Men; but those that did feel themselves so, as a sick Man that feels his Sickness; these only are the Men that feel a Need and Necessity of Christ; these only will come to Christ, and be glad of Christ, and be very thankful for their Recovery of Christ. And hence ariseth the great Sin of the World in despising the Gospel, not at all affected with the glad Tydings of it, because they are not affected with their Sin and Misery; or if they be affected but in Part with the Gospel, it is because they are not thoro'ly affected with their Mi­sery before.

And hence it is, that when the Lord called his Peo­ple to him, yet they would not come to him (Jer. 2.31.) because they were Lords, and well eno' without him. Why did not they come to the Supper, being invited? It wat because they had Farms and Oxen and Wives to attend unto; they felt no Need of Coming, as the poor, lame, blind, and halt did, ( Luke 14.) The Prodigal cares not for Father not Father's House, un­til he comes to see, Here I die, (Luke 15.17.) It is true, the Grace of the Gospel draws Men unto Christ; but it is very observable, that the Gospel reveals no Grace, but with Respect and in Reference unto Sin­ners, and Men in extream Misery; the Gospel saith not that Christ is come to save; but to save Sinners, and to save his People from their Sins. It reveals not this, that God justifies Men, but he justifies the Ungodly; it [Page 47] reveals not this, ( Rom. 5.6, 7, 8.) that Christ died for us, but that he died for them that were Weak, for Sinners, for Enemies. And if so, can any Man ima­gine that this News will be sweet, unless Men see and feel the infinite Misery of Sin, and the Fruits of it? Will not Men say or think, what great Matter is there in that? suppose we be Sinners and Enemies, yet we are well enough; ( Col. 3.7.) before Christ comes a Man's Life lies in his Sin. Now suppose any should proclaim to a Company of Men the great Favour of their Prince towards them, that he is such a gracious Prince, as will take away all their Lives; will this be glad Tydings? Gospel Grace cannot be set out, much less felt, but in Reference to Sin and Misery, (2 Cor. 5.14.) which must be first felt, before it can be sweet.

Reas. 3. Because Christ will never come but only unto such as feel their Misery; for you will say, a Man may come to Christ without it: I say again, If he doth (as he hath many Followers) yet Christ will not come to him, nor commit himself to him; (Mat. 9.13.) I came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance; in which Place note, that as by the Righ­teous is not meant such as are sincerely so, but such as think and find themselves so; so by Sinners, is not meant all Manner of impenitent and hard-hearted Sinners, but such as think and feel themselves such, and lament under it: Now God the Father sent him only unto such; he is sent not to heal the hard-heart­ed, but the broken-hearted; ( Luke 4.18.) Indeed he is sent to make Men broken-hearted, who have hard Hearts; but he is not sent to heal them until then; the Lord leaves the Ninety nine that needs to Re­pentance to wilder for ever; the one lost Sheep, who feels itself so, and feels a Need of a Saviour to come [Page 48] and find it out; who cannot come and find out him: The Lord Jesus will come unto, and unto him only, leaving all the Ninety nine, Luke 15.7.

Reas. 4. This may lastly appear, by considering the End of Man's Fall into sin, and the publishing of the Law to reveal sin; and of the Gospel also in Re­ference unto Sin and Misery; why did the Lord suf­fer the Fall of Man? What was his great Plot in it? It is apparent this, that thereby Way might be made for the greater Manifestation of God's Grace in Christ. The Serpent poisons all Mankind, that the Seed of the Woman might have the Glory of recovering some: This was God's last End: The Perdition of some (of themselves) being but subordinate unto this, Rom. 9.22, 23. Surely Adam might have glorified Grace if he had stood, and God had revealed his Grace in preserving him (made mutable) from falling. But the Lord saw Grace should not be sufficiently advan­ced to its highest Dignity by this, and therefore suffers him actually to fall, and that into an extream Depth of Misery. Now consider, Man's Fall in it self can­not be a Mean of glorifying Grace, but rather ob­scures all the Glory of God; how shall the Lord at­tain his End then hereby? Truly if the Lord let Men see and feel their Fall and Misery by it, now Grace offered will be accepted and glorified. And there­fore the Lord sends the Law to reveal sin, and make it exceeding sinful; and Death for sin that this End might be attained, Gal. 3.22. And therefore feel­ing of Sin and Death and Misery being the Means, must precede the other as the End; and therefore as Grace may be seen by Conviction of Misery, so the Sweetness of it only can be felt by feeling Misery in this Work of Compunction.

But you will say, What is this Compunction, and wherein doth it consist?

[Page 49]This is the third Particular to be opened; in gene­ral it is, whereby the Soul is affected with sin, and made sensible of sin; but more particularly, Com­punction is nothing else but the pricking of the Heart, or the wounding of the Soul with such Fear and Sor­row for Sin and Misery, as severs the Soul from Sin, and from going on toward its eternal Misery; so that it consists in three Toings;

• 1. Fear.
• 2. Sorrow.
• 3. Separation from Sin.

The Lord Jesus when he comes to rescue his E­lect; look as Satan held them in their Misery; first, by blinding of their Eyes from seeing of it; secondly, by hardning their Hearts from feeling of it; so the Lord Jesus having cut asunder the first Cord of Satan by Conviction, breaks asunder the second by Com­punction, and causing the Soul to feel and be affected with its Misery; and as the whole Soul is unaffected before he comes, so he makes the whole Soul sensible when he comes, and therefore he fills the Conscience with Fear, and the Heart with Sorrow and Mourn­ing, so as now the Will of sin is broken, which was hardned before these Fears and Sorrows seized upon it. Let me open these particularly, that you may taste and try the Truth of what I now deliver.

1. I say the Lord Christ in this Work of Com­punction lets into the Heart of a secure [...]nner a mar­vellous Fear and Terror of the direful Displeasure of God, of Death and Hell, the Punishment of sin; O beloved, look upon most Men at this Day, this is the great Misery lying upon them, they do not fear the Wrath to come, they fear not Death nor Damning, even then when they hear and know it is their Por­tion; but their Hearts are set to sin, Eccl. 8.11.

[Page 50]The Lord Christ therefore lets in this Fear, that look as the Lord when he came to conquer the Ca­naanites, Exod. 23.27, 28. He sent his Hornets before him, which were certain Fears, which made their Hearts faint in the Day of Battle, and by this subdued them; so the Lord Christ when he comes to conquer a poor sinner that hath long resisted him, and would go on to his own Perdition, lets in these Fears, that the Soul shrinks in with the Thoughts of its woful E­state, and crys out secretly, Lord what will become of me, If I die in this Condition? Paul (Acts 3.6.) trembles astonished at his Misery and Wickedness, and now he cries out; the Jaylor was very cruel a­gainst Paul, (Acts 16.) but when the Lord Jesus comes to rescue him from this Condition, you shall see him trembling. The Lord hath let in that Fear, that now he is content to do any Thing to be saved from the Danger he saw he was now in; when a Man sees Danger and great Danger near and imminent, now Man naturally fears it: Before Christ come, the Soul may see its Misery, but apprehends it far off, and hoping to escape it, and hence doth not tear it; but when the Lord Jesus comes, he presents a Man's Danger, Death, Wrath, and Eternity near unto him, and hence hath no Hope to escape it, as now he is, and therefore doth fear; and seeing the Misery exceeding great, he hath an exceeding great (tho' oft-times deep) Fear of it; as Men near Death, and apprehending it so, begin then to be troubled, and cry out when it is too late. The Lord Jesus deals more mercifully with the Elect, and brings Death and Eternity near them before they draw near to it; whiles it is called to Day: The poor Jaylor began to think of killing him­self when Fears were upon him, ( Acts 16.) and so many under this stroke of Christ, have the same Tho'ts, [Page 51] because they see no Hope; but this Measure is not in all, this Work is in all. Put them in fear, O Lord, that they may know they be but Men, (Psal. 9, 20.) be­fore this Fear comes, Men are above God, and think they can stand it out against him; the Lord therefore lets in this Fear to make them know they be but Men, and that as proud, and stout, and great as they are, yet that they are not above God, and that it is in vain to kick against the Pricks, and go on as they have done; for if they do, he will not endure it long: The Spirit of Bondage makes Men fear, before the Spirit of Adopti­on comes, those Fears therefore are such, as the Re­generate, after they have received the Spirit of Adop­tion, never have; and therefore they are such as pur­sue the Soul with some threatning of the Word, pro­nouncing Death and Perdition to him in that Estate: e. g. He that believes not is condemned already, thus the Word speaks to Conscience, John 3.17. Thou be­lievest not saith a Man's own Conscience, the Spirit Witnessing with it, therefore thou art Condemned saith Conscience; now the Spirit of Bondage, is the Testimony of God's Spirit Witnessing to both the Pre­mises and Conclusion: Now this Spirit no Regenerate Man indeed ever hath after this Time, but the Fears he hath arise from another Principle of Corruption of Conscience, and Malice of Satan thro' the present de­sertion of the Spirit leaving him; not from any posi­tive Witness of the Spirit of any such untruth, which yet is truth, while the Soul is under this Stroke and not Regenerate: Mark therefore diligently that this Fear is the Work of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, and hence it follows.

1. That these Fears are not meerly natural, (as those, Rom. 2.15.) arising from natural Conscience only, which only accuse of Sin, but never affect? but [Page 52] they are supernatural, they are Arrows shot into the Conscience by the Arm of the Spirit; so dreadful that no Word nor Meditation of Death and Eternity can beget such Fears, but creates them.

2. Hence it follows, that they are clear Fears, (for the Spirit's Work is ever clear before he leaves it, Eph. 5.13.) they are not blind confused Fears, and sus­picious and sad Conjectures, whereby many a Man is afraid and much afraid and affrighted like Men in a Dream, that think they are in Hell, yet cannot tell what that Evil is which they fear; but they are clear Fears whereby they distinctly know and see that they are miserable, and what that Misery is.

3. Hence it follows that they are strong Fears, be­cause the almighty Hand of the Spirit sets them on, and shakes the Soul; they are not weak Fears which a Man can shake off, or cure by weak Hopes, Sleep or Business, &c. like some Winds that shake the Tree, but never blow it down: But these Fears ca [...] down the tallest Cedar, and appall the Heart, and cool the Courage and Boldness of the most impenitent and audacious Sinner. The Spirit presenting the greatest Evil in eternal Separation from God: hence no Evil in this World is so dreadful as this, I had bet­ter never been born than to bear it (saith the Soul) and hence casts off all other Thoughts, and cannot be quiet; and hence it is that these Fears force a Man to fly and seek out for a better Condition. A Man like Lot lingers in his Sin, but these Fears like the Angel drive him violently out, the Lord saying to him, Away for thy Life, lest thou perish with the World, for thy sins are come up to Heaven, the [...] mayest die before one Day be at an End, and their what will become of thee? Ah thou sinful wretched Man! May not the Lord justly do it? Are not thy [Page 53] sins grown so many and great, that they are an intol­lerable Burden for the Soul of God to bear any lon­ger? And hence you shall observe, if the Soul after sad Fears grows bold and careless again, the Spirit pursues it with more Cause of Fear, and now the Soul crys out, Did the Lord ever elect thee? Christ shed his Blood to save his People from their sins, thou livest yet in thy sins, did he ever shed his Blood for thee? Thou hast sinned against Conscience, after thou hast been enlightned, and fallen back again, hast thou not therefore committed the unpardonable Sin? Thou hast had many a fair Season of seeking God, but hast dallied and dream'd away thy Time; is not the Day of Grace therefore now past? It is true, the Lord is yet patient and bountiful, and lets thee live on com­mon Mercy, but is not all this to aggravate thy Con­demnation against that great and dreadful Day of the Lord which is at Hand? Are there not better Men in Hell then thou art that never committed the like sin? Thus the Spirit pursues with strong Fears, till proud Man falls down to the Dust before God. The Soul is now under Fears, not above them; and there­fore cannot come out of these Chains, by the most comfortable Doctrine it hears, nor particular Appli­cation of it by the most merciful Ministers in the World, until the Lord say, as Lam. 3, 57. Fear not; the Lord only can asswage these strong Winds, and raging Waters, in which there is no other Cry heard of this Soul thus tossed with Tempests, but O I perish? Only the Lord making Way for the Spirit of Adop­tion by these in his Elect; drives them out to seek if there be any Hope, and so they are not properly desperate Fears, yet as I say, strong Fears, not alike extensively, yet alike intensively strong in all; a small Evil when Tidings is bro't of it he doth not fear, but if [Page 54] the Evil be apprehended great and near too, the very Suspicion of it makes the Heart tremble; when a House is on Fire, or a mighty Army entred the Land and near the City, Children that know not the Great­ness of the Evil fear them not; but Men that know the Danger are full of Fear. The Wrath of the Lord that fire those Armies of everlasting Woes, are great Evils, the blind World may not much fear them, but all the Elect whose Minds are convinced to see the Greatness of them, cannot but Fear, and that with strong and constant Fears; nor is it Cowar­dice, but Duty, to fear these everlasting Burnings. And hence the Soul in this Case wonders at the Se­curity of the World, dreads the Terrors of the Lord that are near them, and usually seeks to awaken all its poor Friends. I once tho't my self well, and was quiet as you be, but the Lord hath let me see my Wo, which I cannot but fear; O look you to it.

Thus the Lord works this Fear in some in a grea­ter, in others in a lesser Measure. O consider whe­ther the Lord hath thus affected your Hearts with fear; Oh, secure Times what will God do with us! Many of you having heard the Voice of the Lion roar­ing, and yet you tremble not. The Lord hath fore­told you of Death and eternal Wo for the least sin, do you believe it, and yet fear it not? How art thou then forsaken of God? Many of you that like old Marriners can laugh at all foul Weather, and like Weather-Cocks set your Faces against all Winds; and if you be damned at last you cannot help it, you must bear it as well as you can, you hope to do it as well as others shall do: Oh! how far are such from the Kingdom of God, the Lord not yet working nor pricking thy Heart so much as with Fear?

[Page 55]2. Sorrow and Mourning for Sin is the second Thing wherein Compunction consists. And look as Fear plucks the Soul from Security in seeing no Evil to come; to Sorrow takes off the present Pleasure and Delight in sin, in a greater Measure than Fear doth. The Lord therefore having smitten the Soul, or shot the Arrows of Fear into the Soul; it there­fore grows exceeding sad and heavy, thinking within it self, What good do Wife or Children, House or Lands, Peace and Friends, Health and Rest do me? in the mean Time, condemned to die, and that eter­nally; it may be reprobated, never to see God's Face more: The Guilt and Power of sin in Heart and Life living still upon me? And hereupon the Soul mourns in the Day, and in the Night, desires to go alone and weep; and there confesseth its Vileness before God, all the Days of Vanity, and Sins of Ignorance, think­ing, Oh what have I done! and seeks for Mercy, but not one smile, nothing but Clouds of Anger appear; and then thinks, if this Anger, the Fruit of my Sin, be so great, Oh what are my Sins, the Cause hereof! When the Angel had set out the Sin of the Israelites in making a League with the Canaanites, (Judges 2.1.) and told them that they should be Thorns in their Sides, they sat down, (Verse 4.) and lift up their Voice, and wept: so 'tis with a contrite sinner. Note nar­rowly that eminent Place of Scripture, Isai. 61.3. the Lord Christ is sent to appoint Beauty for Ashes, and the Oil of Joy for the Spirit of Heaviness to them that mourn. Out of which Note these four Things for the Explication of this Sorrow or Mourning.

First, It is such a Mourning as is precedent unto spiritual Joy. And hence it is not said, I will give the Spirit of Gladness to beget Mourning, (tho' the Lord doth so after Conversion) but this goes in order before that. Ephraim like, who seeing what an un­ruly [Page 56] Beast he had been, unaccustomed to God's Yoke, smites upon his Thigh, and bemoans himself, (Jer. 31.18.) It is God's Method (after his Pe [...]le have sin­ned) to sad their Hearts, and then to turn Mourning into Joy; much more at first Beginning of God's Work upon the Soul, they shall first mourn, and la­ment, and smite upon the Thigh: If God wounds the Soul for sin, it shall smart, and bleed too, before God will heal.

Secondly, It is a great Mourning, because it is called a Spirit of Mourning, Hos. 6.1, 2. As a Spirit of Slumber is a deep Slumber. When the poor Jews shall be conver­ted, their great Sin shall then be presented before them, of cursing and crucifying the Lord of Life; as it was to those, Acts 2.36. And by reason of this, there shall be a great Mourning, Zech. 12.11. that they shall desire to go alone in secret every one apart, and take their Fill of Mourning, before the Lord open the Fountain of Grace, Chap. 13.1. It is not a Summer Cloud, or an April Shower, that is soon spent, but a great Mourning. For,

1. Before this Spirit of Sorrow comes, a Man's Heart takes great delight in his sin, 'tis his God, his Life, and sweeter than Christ, and all the Joys of Hea­ven; and therefore there must be great Sorrow, sin must be made exceeding bitter. A Man that is very hungry and thirsty after his Lust, must find such Meat and Drink exceeding bitter, else he will feed on it. Solomon took great Content in Women, but what saith he when the Lord humbled him? I find a Wo­man more bitter than Death, Eccl. 7.26. Hear this you Harlots, and you that live in your wanton Lusts, the Lord will make your sweet Morsels more bitter than Death to you, if the Lord saves you.

2. Because the greatest Evils are the Objects of this Sorrow, viz. Sin and Death. It is true, a Man may mourn for smaller Evils sooner; but when the Spirit [Page 57] sets on the greatest Evils, then they sad much more. Mine Iniquities are too heavy to bear, Psal. 38.1, 2. Why so? Many a Man can bear them without sinking. True, but in the Elect the Spirit sets on, loads the Soul herewith, A wounded Spirit who can bear? Prov. 18.14. Because the greatest Evils lye upon the most tender Part of a tender Soul, pressed down by the omnipotent Hand of Christ's Spirit: For now the Multitude of sins more than the Hairs on the Head, (Psal. 32.2, 3. and 40.12.) come now to Mind; as also the long Continuance in them, Cradle sins. No sooner, saith the Soul, did I begin to live, but I began to sin. Obstinacy also in them lies very heavy; I have had Warnings, Checks, Resolutions against them, and yet have gone on, ( Jer. 31.19.) The Power of sin also sads it; that it is said, Prov. 21.9. When the Wicked reign, the People mourn; so doth the Soul when it feels sin reign. I cannot subdue it, nay, the Lord will not, that I fear, the Lord hath left me over to it. The Increase of Sin it feels, makes it mourn also ( Dan. [...].12.) I grow worse and worse, saith the Soul; the Leak comes in faster than he can cast it out. The Greatness of sin makes it mourn: Was there ever such a Sinner as I? And lastly, the Sense of Condemnation for sin lies upon him; this is the Fruit of your evil Ways, saith the Spirit, Jer. 3. ult. The Soul doth not let sin pass by it now as Water down the Mill, but being stop'd by Conviction and fear of the Evil of it, it swells high, and fills the Heart full of Grief and Sorrow, that ma­ny Times it is overwhelmed therewith.

3. Because Christ will not be very sweet, unless this Mourning under Misery be very great; the healing of a cut Finger is sweet, but of a mortal Wound is exceeding sweet; a little Sorrow will [Page 58] make Christ sweet, but great sorrow under sense of deadly Wounds is exceeding sweet; and without this Christ hath not his Honour due to him, if he be not only sweet, but also exceeding sweet and precious.

4. Because it is such a sorrow, as nothing but that that hath wounded the Soul can heal it. Let Men have the greatest outward Troubles, outward Things can cure them; or else they will wear away. As if a Man be sick, or in debt, Physick and Money can cure these; but this Wound, neither can, or ever shall be healed but by the Hand that wounded it, Hos. 6.1, 2, 3. And hence a Man can take no Com­fort in Meat, Drink, Sleep, Friends, Mirth, nor Pastime, while this Wound, this Sorrow lasts; for if any Thing else can heal it, it is not the right Wound or Sorrow the Lord breeds in his Elect. An adulte­rous Heart indeed may be quieted with other Lovers; Cain can build away his Sorrow: Nay, I'll say more, this wounded Soul cannot comfort it self by any Pro­mises, till the Lord come: David had a Promise of Pardon from Nathan, yet he cries out to the Lord to make him hear the Voice of Joy and Gladness, that his broken Bones might rejoice, Psal. 51.8. Did not the Lord make him hear the Voice of Joy by Nathan: Yes, outwardly; but the Lord that had broke his Bones, must make him hear inwardly. Nay, when the Lord comes himself to comfort, much ado the Lord hath to make him hear it; as the Israelites that hearkened not unto Moses's Voice because of their hard Bondage, that unless the Lord did invincibly Comfort, it would lie bleeding to Death, and never live. It must needs therefore be great Sorrow, which all the World, Men nor Angels can remove.

5. You may be confirmed in this, if lastly you consider the many Ways the Lord takes to beget [Page 59] great Mourning, if the Soul will not be sorrowful: As, sometimes great Afflictions; Manasseh must be taken in the Bushes, and be cast into Chains, (2 Chron. 53.11, 12.) Sometimes strange Temptations, hellish Blasphemies, Is there a God? Are the Scriptures his Word? Why should the Lord be so cruel as to Re­probate any of his Creatures, to torment it so long, &c. Sometimes long Eclipsing of the Light of God's Countenance; no Prayers answered, but daily Bills of Indictment. And sometimes it thinks it hears and feels a secret Testimony from God, that he never had a thought of Peace toward it, and that his Purpose is immutable. Sometimes it questions, Can God for­give sins so great? Can it stand with his Honour to put [...]ud so much Wrong? Sometimes it feels its Heart so extream hard and dedolent, that it thinks the Lord hath sealed it up under this Plague till the Judgment of the great Day. And sometimes the Lord makes Melancholy a good Servant to him to further this Work of sorrow. But thus the Lord rebukes many a hard-hearted sinner, that will not bear the Yoke, nor feel the Load; and now the Lord turns the Beauty of the proudest into Ashes, and withers the Glory of all Flesh. Nay, sometimes you shall observe the Lord tho' he comes not out as a Lion to rend, yet as a Moth he frets out by secret pinings and languishings, the senseless security of Man, that he shall mourn to pur­pose before he leave him. I do not mean by this, as if all Men had the like Measure of sorrow; but a great sorrow it is in all. Every Child is delivered by some Throws; those that stick long in the Birth may feel them longer and very many.

Nor yet do I press a Necessity of Tears, or violent and tumultuous Complaints; the deepest Sorrows run with least Noise. If a Man can have Tears for [Page 60] outward Losses, and none for sins, 'tis very suspicious whether he was ever truly sorrowful for sin; other­wise, as the greatest Joys are not always express'd in Laughture, so the greatest sorrows are not always ex­press'd in shedding of Tears; what the Measure of this great sorrow is, we shall hear hereafter.

Thirdly, It is a constant Mourning, for so it is here called, a Spirit of Heaviness; as that Woman that had a Spirit of Infirmity, and was bowed down many Years: Hannah constantly troubled, is called, a Wo­man of a sorrowful Spirit, 1 Sam. 1.12, 15. As the Spirit of Pride and Whoredom, Hos. 4.12. is a con­stant Frame, where tho' the Acts be sometime suspend­ed, yet the Spirit remains; so a Spirit of Mourning, such sorrow, as tho' the Acts of Mourning be some­time hindred, yet the spirit and spring remains; Hy­pocrites will mourn under Sin and Misery, but what is it? It is the hanging down the Head like a Bull-rust, Isai. 58.5. in bad Weather for a Day. Oh how many have Pangs and Gripes of Sorrow, and can quickly ease themselves again! these Mourners come to nothing in the Conclusion: I grant the sorrow and sadness of Spirit may be interrupted, but it returns a­gain, and never leaves the Soul until the Lord look down from Heaven. Lam. 3.48, 40, 50. The Cause continues, guilt and strength of sin, and there­fore this Effect contiues.

Fourthly, It is such a Sorrow as makes Way for Gladness, for so it is here said, the Lord gives Beauty for these Ashes, and hence it is no desperate hellish Sorrow, but usually mixt with sense of some Mercy, at least common, and some Hope; not that which ap­prehends the Object of Hope particularly (which is done in Vocation) but that the Lord may find out some way of saying it, Jonah 3.9. Acts 2.37. which [Page 61] Hope, with sense of Mercy waiting so long, preser­ving from Hell and Death so oft, &c. doth not har­den the Heart, (as in Reprobates) but serve to break the more, and to load it with greater Sorrow; thus the Lord works this Sorrow in all his Elect. I know it is in a greater Measure, and from some other Grounds after the Soul is in Christ; but this Sorrow there is for Substance, mentioned for the Reasons gi­ven; if Christ hate you, you shall mourn, but never till it be too late; if he love you, you must mourn now; how great and many are many of your sins, how near is your Doom? The Lord only knows how fearful your Condemnation will be, you have oft heard; but yet how [...]w of your Hearts are sad and very heavy for these Things? Sin is your Pleasure, not your Sorrow; you sly from Sorrow as from a Temptation of Satan who comes to trouble you, and to lead you to Desp [...]ir; David's Eyes ran down with Rivers of Waters, because others brake God's Law, and Jeremy wish'd he had a Cottage in the Wilderness to mourn in, and yet you do not, you cannot pour out one Drop, nor yet Wish you had Hearts to lament your own sins: But Oh know it, that when the Lord Christ comes, he will sad thy Soul, when he comes to search thy old sores by the Spirit of Conviction, he will make them sinners and ble [...] abundantly by the Spirit of Compunction.

3. S [...]paration from sin is the third Thing wherein Compuncti [...]n consists, such a fear and sorrow for sin, under a sinful Estate, as s [...]parates the Soul from sin, is true Compunction: without which the Lord Christ cannot be had: The Soul is [...]t and wounded with sin by fear and sorrow, but it is cut off by this stroke of the Spirit, not from the B [...]ng, but from the grow­ing Power of sin; from the Will to sin, not from all [Page 62] sin in the Will which is mortified by a Spirit of Ho­liness, after the Soul is emplanted into Christ; for Compunction, Contrition, Brokenness of Heart for sin (call it what you will) is opposite to Hardness of Heart which is in every sinner while Christ leave him; now in Hardness (as in a stone) there is, First, In­sensibleness. Secondly, A close cleaving of all the Parts together, whereby it comes to pass that hard Things make Resistance of what is cast against them: so in Compunction there is not only sensibleness of the Evil of Sin and Death, by fear and sorrow, but such as makes a separation of that close Union be­tween Sin and Soul: And hence it is that the Lord abhors all Fastings, Humiliations, Prayers, Tears, un­less they be of this stamp, and are accompanied with this Effect. The Lord flings the Dung of their Fast­ings and Sorrows, (Isai. 58.5.) in their Faces, because they did not break the Bands of Wickedness; to mourn for Sin and Misery, and yet to be in thy sin, is the Work of Justice on the damned in Hell, and all the Devils at this Day, that are pincht with their black Chains not loosened from them; and not the Work of the Grace of Christ in the Day of his Power, He that confesseth his Sin shall have Mercy; that is true, but remember the Meaning of that Confession in the next Words, and forsaketh, he shall find Mercy, ( Prov. 28.13.) What is the End of the Mother in laying Wormwood and Gall upon her Breast, but that the Child by tasting the Bitterness of it might be weaned and have his Stomach and Will turned from it? What is the End of fear and sorrow, but by this to turn away the Soul from sin? This Point is weighty and full of Difficulty, of great Use, and worthy of deep Meditation, ( Job 33.15, 16, 17.) For as the first Wound and stroke of the Spirit is, so it is in all [Page 63] after-works of it, both of Faith and Holiness in the Soul, if this be right, Faith is right, Holiness is right; if this be imperfect, or naught, all is according to it afterward: The greatest Difficulty lies here, to know what Measure of Separation from sin the Spirit makes here; for after we are in Christ, then sin is morti­fied; how then is there any separation of the Heart from it, before it doth fully believe; or what Mea­sure is there necessary? Here therefore I shall answer to the fourth and last Particular, viz.

Fourthly, What is the Measure of Compunction the Lord works in all the Elect?

Answ. So much Compunction or sense of sin is necessary as attains the End of it: Now what is the End of it? No other but that the Soul being hum­bled might go to Christ (by Faith) to take away his sin; the Finis proximus or next End of Compunction is Humiliation, that the Soul may be severed from sin, as to renounce it self for it; the Finis remotus, or last End is, that being thus humbled, it might go unto Christ to take away sin: For, beloved, the Condem­nation of the World lies not so much in being sinful under Guilt and Power of Sin as in being unwilling the Lord Jesus should take it away: This I say is the greatest Hindrance of Salvation, John 3.19. and 5.40. O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean? Jer. 13.27. that was their great Evil, they were not only polluted, but they would not be made clean: The Lord Jesus therefore rolls away this stone from the Sepul­chre, beats down this Mountain; and because it must first believe in Christ before it can receive Grace from Christ, it must come to Christ to take away sin, be­fore the Lord will do it; hence so much loosening from sin as makes the Soul thus to come, is necessary. So much fear and sorrow as loosens from sin, and so [Page 64] much loosening from sin as makes the Soul willing, as at least not unwilling that the Lord Jesus should take it away, is necessary: For who ever comes to Christ, or is not unwilling Christ should come to him to take away all his sin, hath (whatever he thinks) some antecedent loosening and separation from sin.

Oh, saith a poor sinner, when the Lord hath struck his Heart, and he feels Guilt, and Terror, and migh­ty strength of Corruption, if the Lord Jesus would take away these Evils from me, tho' I cannot, Means cannot, that will be exceeding rich Mercy. The Lord doth not wound the Heart to this End, that the Soul should first heal it self, before it come to the Phy­sician, but that it might seek out, or feeling its Need, be willing and desirous of a Physician, the Lord Jesus, to come and heal it. It is the great Fault of many Christians, either their Wounds and Sorrows are so little, they desire not to be healed; or if they do, they labour to heal themselves first, before they come to the Physician for it; they will first make themselves holy, and put on their Jewels, and then believe in Christ. And hence are those many Complaints, What have I to do with Christ? Why should he have to do with me that have such an unholy, vile, hard, blind, and most wicked Heart? If I were more humbled, and more holy, then I would go to him, and think he would come to me. O for the Lord's sake dishonour not the Grace of Christ. It is true, thou canst not come to Christ, till thou art loaden, and humbled, and separated from thy sin. Thou canst not be in­graffed into this Olive, unless thou be cut, and cut off too from the old Root▪ Yet remember for ever, that no more sorrow for sin, no more separation from sin is necessary to thy Closing with Christ, than so much as makes thee willing, or rather not unwilling [Page 65] that the Lord should take it away. And know it, if thou seekest for a greater Measure of Humiliation an­tecedent to thy Closing with Christ than this, thou shewest the more Pride therein, who wilt rather go into thy self to make thy self holy and humble, that thou mightest be worthy of Christ, than go out of thy self, unto the Lord Jesus, to take thy sin away. In a Word, who thinkest Christ cannot love thee, until thou makest thy self fair, and when thou thinkest thy self so (which is Pride) wilt then think otherwise of Christ. The Lord therefore when he teacheth his People how to return unto him after grievous Sins, directs them to this Course, not to go about the Bush to remove their Iniquities themselves, or to stay and live securely in their sins, until the Lord did it him­self; but bids them come to him and say, Take away Lord) all Iniquities, Hos. 14.1, 2, 3. You shall see Ephraim bemoaning himself, Jer. 31.18. But how? Doth he say he feels his sins now all remov'd? No, but he desires the Lord to turn him, and then (saith he) I shall be turned.

As if he should say, Lord, I shall never turn from this stubborn vile Heart, nor so much as turn to thee, to take it away, unless thou dost turn to me, and then I shall be turned to purpose. What saith the peni­tent Church? Come, say they, let us go unto the Lord, Hos. 6.1. They might object and say, Alas, the Lord is our Enemy, and wounds us, and hath broken us to Pieces, we are not yet healed, but lie dead as well as wounded; shall such dead Spirits live? Mark what follows, True indeed, he hath wounded us, let us therefore go to him, that he may heal us, and af­ter two Days he will revive us. The Lord requires no more of us than thus to come to him. Indeed after a Christian is in Christ, labour for more and more sense [Page 66] of sin, that may drive you nearer and nearer unto Christ. Yet know before you come to him, the Lord requires no more than thi [...], & as he requires no more than this, so 'tis his own Spirit (not our Abilities) that must also work this; and thus much he will work, & doth require of all whom he purposeth to save. If thou wilt not come to Christ to take away thy sins, thou shalt undoubtedly perish in them. If the Lord work that sorrow, so as to be willing the Lord should take them away, thou shalt be undoubtedly saved from them.

If you would know what Measure of Willingness to have Christ take away sin is required; you shall hear when we come to open the fourth Particular in the Doctrine of Faith.

If you further ask, How the Spirit works this Loose­ning from Sin in the Work of Compunction?

I answer, The Spirit of Christ works this by a double Act,

• 1. Moral.
• 2. Physical.

As in the Conversion of the soul by Faith unto God, the Spirit is not only a moral Agent perswading, but also a supernatural Agent, physically working the Heart to believe, by a divine and immediate Act; so in the Aversion of the soul from sin, the Spirit doth affect the Heart with fear and sorrow morally, but this can never take away sin, as we see in Judas and Cain deeply affected and afflicted in Spirit, and yet in their sin. And therefore the Spirit puts forth its own Hand physically or immediately, and his own Arm brings Salvation to us, by a further secret immediate Stroke, turning the iron Neck, cutting the iron sinnews of sin, and so makes the Disunion or Separation. You think it is easy to be willing that Christ should come and take away all your sins; I tell you the omnipo­tent Arm of the Lord that instructed Jeremy in a [Page 67] smaller Matter, can only instruct you here; both these Acts ever go together, according to the Measure mentioned; the latter cannot be without the first, the first is in vain without the latter.

Quest. But what Evil in Sin doth the Spirit morally affect the Heart with, and so physically turn it from Sin?

Answ. He affects the soul with it as the greatest Evil: by Sin I mean not as considered without Death, (for at this Time the Soul is not so spiritual, as that Sin, without Consideration of Death, and the Wrath due to it should affect it) but Sin and Death, sin arm­ed with Wrath, sin working Death, pricks the Heart as the greatest Evil, and so lets out that Core at the Bottom, as may fit the Soul for healing.

For,

1. If the Spirit make a Man feel sin truly, the Soul feels it as it is; it is not the Name and Talk of the Danger of sin that trouble it, but the Spirit (ever making Things real) loads the Soul with it indeed, and as it is; now it is the greatest Evil, and therefore so it feels sin. Believe it, you never felt sin indeed as it is, if you have not felt it thus.

2. Else no Man will prize Christ as the greatest Good, without which no Man shall have him, Mat. 10.37.

3. Else a Man will live and continue in sin. If sin had been a greater Evil to Pilate than the Loss of Caesar's Friendship, he would never have crucified Christ. If sin had been a greater Evil to Jehu than the Loss of his Kingdom, he had never kept up the two Calves. If sin were a greater Evil than Poverty, Shame, Grief in this World, many a Professor would never lose Christ and a good Conscience too, for a lit­tle Gain, Profit or Honour. Beloved, the great Curse and Wrath of the Lord upon all Men in the [Page 68] World almost is this, that the greatest Evils should be the least of all felt; and the smallest Evils most of all complained of. What is Death that only sepa­rates thy Soul from thy Body, to sin that separates God blessed for ever from thy Soul? ( Acts 3.16.) And therefore the Lord Jesus will remove this Curse from whom he saves.

Quest. But you will say, What is that Evil the Soul sees at this Time, that thus affects the Heart with it, as the greatest Evil? This is the last Difficulty here.

Answ. There is a threefold Evil especially seen in sin:

• 1. The Evil of Torment and Anguish.
• 2. The Evil of Wrong and Injury to God.
• 3. The Evil of Separation of the Soul from God.

The first may affect Reprobates, as Saul and Judas, who were sore distressed when they felt the Anguish of Conscience by sin.

The second is only in those who are actually justi­fied, called, and sanctified, who lament sin as it is a­gainst God, and a God reconciled to them, and as it is against the Life of God begun in them; and hence they cry out of it as a Body of Death.

The third, the Elect feel at this first stroke and wound which the Spirit gives them; the Anguish of sin indeed lies sore upon them, but this much more. Christ is come to seek that which is lost, Luke 15.7. The Sheep is lost, when, first, it is separated and gone from the Owner; secondly, when it knows not how to return again, unless the Shepherd find it and carry it home: so that Soul is properly and truly lost, that feels it self separated and gone from God, knowing not how to return to him again, unless the Lord come and take it upon his shoulders, and carry it in his Arms: This lies heavy upon it, viz. that it is [Page 69] gone from God, and wholly separated from all Union to him, and Communion with him. You may ob­serve, John 16.9. that the Spirit convinces of Sin; how? because they believe not in me, i. e. Because they shall see and feel themselves quite separated from me; they shall hear of my Glory and Riches of Mercy, and that Happiness which all that have me, shall and do enjoy; but they shall mourn that they have no Part nor Portion in these Things; they shall mourn that they live without me, and that they have lived so long without me.

I confess many other Considerations of the Evil of sin now come in, but this is the main Channel where all the other Rivulets empty themselves. And hence it is that the Soul under this stroke is in a state of seeking only, yet finds nothing; it seeks God and Christ, and therefore feels a Want, a Loss of both by sin; for the End of all the Fears, Terrors, Sor­rows, &c. upon the Elect, is to bring them back a­gain to God, and into Fellowship with God, the only Blessedness of Man. Now if the Soul ordained and made for this End should not feel its present Separation from God by sin, and the Bitterness of the Evil of it, it would never seek to return again to him as to his greatest Good, nor desire ever to come into his Bo­som again; for look as sin wounds the Soul, so the Soul seeks for healing of it; if only the Torment of sin wound, ease of Conscience from that Anguish will heal it: so if separation from God wounds the Heart, only Union and Communion with God will heal it, and comfort it again. The Lord Christ therefore having laid his Hand upon the Soul to bring it back to himself first, and so to the Father, being designed to gather in all the Outcasts of Israel, those he ever makes to feel themselves Out-casts, as cast [Page 70] away out of God's blessed Sight and Presence, that so they may desire at last to come home again: Repro­bates, not made for this End, have not this sense of sin, the Means of their return. And hence it is that the Souls of those God saves, are never quiet untill they come to God, and have Communion with him; but they mourn for their Distance from him, and the Hiding of his Face, until the Lord shine forth again; Whereas every one else tho' much troubled, yet sits down contented with any little odd Thing that serves to quiet them for the Time, before the Lord return to them, or they enter into their Rest, in that ineffable Communion with him.

Let me now make Application of this, before I proceed to open the next Particular of Humiliation.

USE 1. This may shew us the great Mistake of two sorts;

1. Such as think there is no Necessity of any sense of Misery before the Application of the Remedy or their Closing with Christ; because, say they, where there is Sense there is Life: (all Sense and Feeling a­rising from Life) and where there is Life, there is Christ already. And hence it is that they would not have the Law first Preached in those Days, but the Gospel; the other is to go round about the Bush.

I answer, that for my own Part this Doctrine (of seeing and feeling our Misery before the Remedy) is so universally received by all solid Divines both at Home and Abroad, that I meet with; and the con­trary Opinion so cross to the Holy Scriptures, and ge­neral Experience of the Saints, and the Preaching of the other so abundantly sealed to be God's own Way by his rich Blessings on the Labours of others of his Servants faithful to him herein; that were it not for the sake of some weak and misled, I would not dare [Page 71] to question it; the Lord himself so expresly speaking, that he came not to call the Righteous, but on the con­trary only to heal the sick, who know and feel their sickness chiefly by the Law, Rom. 3.20. Dost thou think therefore, that there is spiritual Life where ever there is any sense? Then I say, the Devils & Damned in Hell have much spiritual Life, for they feel their Misery with a Witness.

As for the Preaching of the Gospel before the Law to shew our Misery; it is true, that the Gospel is to be look'd at, as the main End; yet you must use the Means, before you can come to the End, by the Preaching of the Law, or Misery in despising the Gos­pel, End and Means have been ever good Friends, and you may join them well together, you cannot sever them without Danger. I do observe that the Apostles ever used this Method: Paul first proves Jews and Gentiles to be under Sin, in almost the three first Chapters of the Romans, before he opens the Doc­trine of Justification by Faith in Christ. I do not observe that ever there was so clear and manifest o­pening of Man's Misery, as by Christ and his Apo­stles, who bro't in the clearest Revelations of the Re­medy. I do not read in Moses, or in all the Prophets, such full and plain Expressions of our Misery as in the new Testament: The Worm that never dies; the Fire that never goes out; the Wrath to come, &c. and there­fore assuredly they tho't this no Back-Door, but Faith the Door to Christ, and this the Way to Faith. To say that a Man must first have Christ and Life, before he feel any spiritual Misery, is to say, that a Christian must first be healed, that he may be sick; cured, that he may be wounded; receive the Spirit of Adoption, before he receive the Spirit of Bondage; and that he may receive the Spirit of Bondage to fear again.

[Page 72]If Ministers shall preach the Remedy before they shew Misery, wo to this Age, that shall be deprived of those Blessings, which the former gloried in, and blessed the Lord for. Mark those Men that deny the Use of the Law to lead unto Christ, if they do not fall in Time to oppose some main Point of the Gospel. For it is a righteous Thing but a heavy Plague, for the Lord to suffer such Men to obscure the Gospel, that in their Judgments zealously dislike this Use of the Law. You must preach the Remedy; that is true: But you must also first preach the Wo and Misery of Men, or rather so mix them together, as the Hearts of Hearers may be deeply affected with both; but first with their Misery. It argues a great Consumption of the Spirit of Grace, when Christians lives are preserved only by Alchermys and choice Cordials, Notions about Christ, nay, choice ones too, or else the old and ordinary Food of the Country will not down. I tell you, the main Wound of Christians is want of deep Humiliations and Castings down; and if you believe it not now, it may be Pestilence, Sword, and Famine shall teach you this Doctrine, when the Lord shall make these Things wound you to the very Heart, and put you to your very Wits End, that were not, that would not in season be wounded at the Heart with sin.

Are we troubled with too many wounded Con­sciences in these Times, that we are so solicitous of Coining new Principles of Peace? What is every Man by Nature, but a Kind of an infinite Evil? All the sins that fill Earth and Hell, are in every one Man's Heart, for sin in Men is endless; and canst not thou endure to be cast down? Nothing is so vile as Christ to a Man not humbled, and can you easi­ly prize him, and taste him, without any casting down?

[Page 73]2. Such as think there is a Necessity of Sense of Misery by the Work of the Law, before Christ can be received; but they think there is no such Feeling of Misery, as hath been mentioned; but that it is common to the Reprobate as to the Elect, and con­sequently, that in sense of sin there is no such special Work of the Spirit as separates the Soul from sin be­fore it comes unto Christ, but that this is done after the Soul is in Christ by Faith, viz. in Sanctification, being first justified by Faith.

This is the Judgment of many holy and learned; and therefore so long as there is no Disagreement in the Substance of this Doctrine, it should not trouble us; only let it be considered, whether what is said, is not the Truth of Christ; and if it be, let us not cast it aside. The Jewish Rabbins have a Speech at this Day very frequent in their Writings, Non est in leg [...] unica literula aqua non magni suspensi sunt montes: It is much more true of every Truth; and if I much mistake not, much depends upon the right Under­standing of this Point.

That therefore,

1. There must be some Sense of Misery, before the Application of the Remedy.

2. That this Compunction or Sense of Misery is wro't by the Spirit of Christ, not the Power of Man to prepare himself thereby for further Grace.

3. That these Terrors and Sorrows in the Elect do virtually differ from those in the Reprobate, the one driving the Soul to Christ, the other not; these are agreed on all Hands. The Question only is, Whe­ther there is this farther stroke of severing the Soul from sin, conjoined with the Terrors and Sorrows in the Elect before their closing with Christ, which is not in the Reprobate? Or in one Word, Whether [Page 74] there is not a special Work of the Spirit turning (at least in order of Nature) the Soul from sin, before the Souls returns by Faith unto Christ.

For the Affirmative I leave several Considerations,

1 Consi. That there is gracia actualis, or actual Grace, as well as habitualis, or habitual Grace, Scho. orth. Spec. cap. 50.31, 35. learned Ferrius makes a vast difference between them; and there­fore to think that there can be no Power of sin removed but by habitual or sancti­fying Grace, is unsound; for actual Grace may do it, the Spirit may take away sin mediately by habi­tual Grace, and yet it can do it immediately also by an omnipotent Act, by that which is called actual actuating or moving Grace; Christ can and must first bind the strong Man, and cast him out by this working or actual Grace, before he dwells in the House of Man's Heart, by habitual and sanctifying Grace. The Gardiner's Knife may immediately cut off a Cyen from a Tree, thereby taking away all its Power to grow there any more, before it hath a Power to bring forth any Fruit, which is wro't only by im­planting it into another Stock: New Creation (which is at first Conversion) may well be without habitual Graces that are but Creatures.

2 Consi. Whether any Man since the Fall is a subject immediately capable of sanctifying or habitual Grace; or whether any unregenerate Man is in a next Disposition to receive such Grace; as the Air is immediately of Light, out of which the Darkness is expelled by Light, and so the Habits of Grace do ex­pel the Habits and Power of Sin (say some) I suppose the Affirmative is most false, and in near Affinity with some gross Points of Arminianism. Adam, in his pure Naturals, and consider'd meerly as a living Soul, was [Page 75] such a subject; like a white Paper, fitted immediately to take the Impression of God's Image; but since, by his Fall, sin is fallen like a mighty Blot upon the Soul, whereby a Man not only wants Grace, as the dark Air doth light, but also resists Grace, John 14.17. Hence this Resistance must be first taken away, be­fore the Lord introduce his Image again. To say that a Man can of himself dispose himself unto Grace, was Pelagianism in Aquinas his Time: Yet some Dis­position is necessary, saith Ferrius; not unto actual Grace, or that which wro't upon a Man, per modum actus, (as he saith) but unto the Reception of habi­tual or sanctifying Grace, it being in the Soul per modum formae, no Form being introduced but into materiam dispositam, i. e. Matter fitted or prepared, or into such a Vessel which is immediately capable of it.

There is in Man a double Resistance against Grace.

1. Of a holy Frame of Grace, by original Cor­ruption, which is opposite to original and renewed Holiness, or to this holy Frame.

2. Of the God of Grace himself when he comes to work it, Job 21.14. Ezek. 24.13.

The first is taken away in that which we call the Spirit of Sanctification, after Faith; the second is ta­ken away not only in the Act of it, (as by Terrors it may be in Reprobates, Psal. 66.2.) but in some Measure in the inward Root and Disposition of it, only in the Elect) there being (as hath been said) no more Separation from sin, at this Time required, then so much as may make the Soul come to the Lord to take it away, or at least not unwilling, nor resisting the Lord, when he comes to do it himself.

3 Consi. Whether doth not the Work of Union unto Christ, go before our Communion with Christ? [Page 76] I suppose 'tis undeniable, that Union must be before Communion; and that Union to Christ is a Work of Grace as peculiar to the Elect, as Communion with him.

Now Justification and Sanctification are two Parts of our Communion with him, and follow our Union, Rom. 8.1. Our Union therefore must be before these, of which there are two Parts, or rather two Things on our Part, necessarily required to it:

1. Cutting off from the wil [...] Olive Tree, the old Adam. 2. Implanting into the good Olive Tree, the second Adam. The first must go before the second; for where there is perfect Resistance, there can be no perfect Union. But take a Man g [...]ing upon his own Root of Nature, there is no [...] but perfect Re­sistance, Rom. 8.7. And therefore that Resistance must first be taken away, before the Lord draw the Soul to Christ, and by Faith impl [...]nt it in [...]o Christ. In a Word, I see not how a Man can wholly resist God and Christ, and yet be united unto him at the same Instant: And therefore the one (in order of Nature at least) goes before the other: And therefore let any Man living prove his Union to Christ, and to his Lust also if he can. You will believe in Christ, many of you, and yet you will have your Whores, and Cups, and Lusts, and World too, and oppose all the Means that would have you from th [...]se also. I tell you, you shall find one Day how miserably de­ceived you have been herein. You cannot serve God and Mammon. How can ye believe, saith Christ, John 5.44. that seek Honour one of another? If you can have Christ, and be ambitious too, take him; but how can you believe till the Lord hath broken you off from thence.

[Page 77]4 Consi. Whether Vocation (as peculiar to the E­lect as Sanctification) doth not go before Justification and Glorification, Rom. 8.38. Whether also there are not two Things in effectual Vocation:

1. Is not Christ, that Good, the Term to which the Soul is firstly called?

2. Is not Sin and World, that Evil, the Term from which the Soul is called? I suppose 'tis evident, that the Soul is effectually called, and therefore ac­tually and firstly turned from Darkness to Light, from the Power of Satan unto God. First from Darkness, then unto Light; first from the Power of Satan, then unto God; as is evident by the Apostles own Words, Acts 26.18. where he methodically sets down the wonderful Works of Christ's Grace by his Ministry; the first is to turn them from Darkness to Light, and from Satan's Power unto God, which are the two Parts of Vocation, that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins in Justification, (Vocation being a Means to this End) that they may receive an Inheritance in Glorification among such as being justified are sanctified also by Faith in his Name. The Apostle doth not say, that he was to return Men to Light and unto God, and so turn them from Darkness and from the Power of Satan, (tho' this is true in some sense) but he was first to turn from Darkness and Satan, and so to return them un­to Light, and God in Christ. For how is it possible to be turned unto Christ, and yet then also to be turned to Sin and Satan? Doth it not imply a Con­tradiction, to be turned toward Sin, (which is ever from Christ) and yet to be turned toward Christ to­gether? All Divines affirm generally, that in the Working of Faith, the Lord makes the Soul willing to have Christ, Psal. 110.2, 3. but withal they affirm, that of unwilling he makes willing, and there­fore [Page 78] it follows, that the Lord must first remove that Unwillingness, before it can be willing, it being im­possible to be both willing and unwilling together.

5 Consi. Whether the Cause of all that counterfeit Coin and Hypocrisy in this professing Age, doth not arise from this Root, viz. Not having this Wound at first, but only some Trouble for sin without separati­on from it, sore Throws without Deliverance from sin? Is not this the Death of most, if not all wicked Men living? How many are there that clasp about Christ, and yet prove Enemies to the Cross of Christ; fall from Christ scandalously or secretly afterwards? What is the Reason of it? Certainly if the Lord had cut them off from their sin, they had never fallen to everlasting Bondage in sin again; but there the Spirit of God forsook them, the Lord not owning so much Love to them. Consider seriously why the stony and thorny Ground Hearers, Mat. 13. came to nothing in their Growth of seeming Faith and sanctifi­cation; Was the Fault in the seed? No verily, but only in the Ground; the one was broken, but not deep enough, the other was broken deep, but not through enough, the Roots of Thorns choaked them, the Lusts and Cares of the World were not destroyed first, and therefore they destroyed that Ground.

I conclude therefore with that of Jeremy, Jer. 4.3, 4. Break up your fallow Grounds, seek to the Lord to break them for you, and sow not among Thorns, take heed of such Brokenness which removes not the Thorns of sinful secret stubbornness, lest the Wrath of the Lord break out against you, and burn that none can quench it. Do not cut off John Baptist's Head, you that can be content to hear him gladly, and to do ma [...]y Things, but he must not touch your Herodias, and make a Divorce there, but suffer him to come in the [Page 79] Spirit and Power of Eliah, nay, of Christ Jesus, to beat down your Mountains, fill up your Vallies, make your crooked rough Ways smooth, that you may see the Glory of the Lord Jesus, without which he shall be ever hid from you. Cry you faithful Servants of the Lord, that all Flesh is Grass, and all the Glory of Man, of Sin, of World, is a withering Flower; that the Lord Jesus may be revealed ever fresh, and sweet, and precious in the Eyes of the Saints.

The Evidence of this Truth in the general, put blessed and learned P [...]mble upon another Way; for when he perceived (as himself confesseth) that it is the Doctrine of all orthodox Divines, viz. that actual Faith is never wro't in the Soul, till beside the super­natural Illumination of the Mind, the Will be also first freed in Part from its natural Perverseness, (God making all Men of unwilling, willing) hereupon he concludes that this is done by the Spirit of Sanctifica­tion, and one supernatural Quality of Holiness uni­versally infused in all the Powers of the Soul at once; so that the Spirit instantly first sanctifies us, and puts Life in us; then it acts in Sorrow for, and Detesta­tion of Sin, and so we come actually to believe. And because he foresaw the Blow, viz. that in this Way Christians are sanctified before they be justified; he answers, yes, we are justified declaratively after this.

Others (who follow him) answer more roundly, viz. that we are sanctified before we are really and actually justified, and herein differ from him.

Now when it is objected against this, viz. that our Vocation is that which goes before our Justification, Sanctification being a Part of Glorification follow­ing after, Rom. 8.30. Hereupon some others (tread­ing in his Steps) affirm, that Vocation is the same with Sanctification, and not comprehended under Glorification.

[Page 80]Others perceiving the Evil of this Error, viz. to place Sanctification before Justification, good Fruits before a good Tree, they do therefore deny any sa­ving Work, whether of Vocation or Sanctification, before Justification. And hence on the other ex­tream, they do place a Christian's Justification, be­fore his Faith in Vocation, or Holiness in his Sancti­fication: so that by this last Opinion a Christian is not justified by Faith, (which was Paul's Phrase) but ra­ther (as he said wittily and wisely) faithed by his Justification. Before I come to clear the Truth in these spiritual Mysteries; let this only be remem­bered, viz. That Sanctification, which Pemble calls our spiritual Life, may be taken two Ways:

• 1. Largely.
• 2. Strictly.

1. Largely, for any Awakenings of Conscience, or Acts of the Spirit of Life, and so 'tis true, we are quickned by these Acts, and so in a large sense sanc­tified first.

2. Strictly, for those Habits of the Life of Holi­ness, which are opposite to the Body of Death in us; and that we are not first sanctified before we are justi­ [...]ed in this Sense, we shall manifest by and by. On­ly let me begin to shew the Error of the last Opinion first, viz. That a Christian is not justified before Faith, or Vocation, may appear thus:

1. It is professedly cross to the whole Current of Scripture, which saith, We are justified by Faith, and therefore not before Faith: and to say that the Mean­ing of such Phrases is, that we are justified declara­tively by Faith, or to our Sense and Feeling in fo [...] conscientiae, is a meer Device; for our Justification is opposed to the State of Unrighteousness and Con­demnation going before, which Condemnation is not [Page 81] only declarative, and in the Court of Conscience, but real, and in the Court of Heaven: for so saith the Scripture expresly, John 3.18. He that believeth not, is condemned already: and Verse 36. The Wrath of God abideth on him: And Gal. 3.22. The Scripture which is the Sentence in God's Court) hath concluded all under Sin. Hence a second Argument ariseth.

2. If a Man be justified before Faith, then an actual Unbeliever is subject to no Condemnation; but this i [...] expresly cross to the Letter of the Text, He that believe [...]ot, is cond [...]mned already, John 3.18. and the Wrath of God doth lie upon him. The Subjects of Non-Condemnation are those that be in Christ, by Faith, Rom. 8.1. not out of Christ by Unbelief. Rom. 11.20. there is indeed a merited Justification by Christ's Death, and a virtual or exemplary Justi­fication in Christ's Resurrection, as in our Head and Surety; and both these were before not only our Faith, but our very Being; but to say that we are therefore actually justified before Faith, because our Justification was merited before we had Faith, gives us a just Ground of affirming that we are actually sanctified while we are in a State of Nature unsancti­fied, Eph. 2.1. because our Sanctification was me­rited by Christ before we had any Being in him.

We must indeed be first made good Trees by Faith in Christ's Righteousness, before we can bring sorth any good Fruits of Holiness, John 15.3, 4, 5. God makes us not good Trees without being in Christ by Faith, no more than we are bad Trees in contracting Adam's Guilt without our being first in him; God gives us first his Son (offered in the Gospel, and re­ceived by Faith) and then gives us all other Things with him; he doth not justify us without giving us his Son; but having first given him, gives us this also.

[Page 82]2. That Sanctification doth not go before Justifi­cation, may appear thus:

1. If Guilt of Adam's Sin go before original Pollu­tion, Rom. 5.12. then Imputation of Christ's Righ­teousness before renewed Sanctification.

2. To place Sanctification before Justification, is quite cross to the Apostle's Practice, (which is our Pattern) who first sought to be found in Christ, Phil. 3.9. (in the Work of Union) not having his own Righteousness in the Work of Justification (which in order follows that) that he may then know him in the Power of his Death and Resurrection in Sanctification (here comes in Sanctification) if by any Means he might attain to the Resurrection of the dead in Glorification, (the last of all.)

3. This is quite cross to the Apostle's Doctrine, which makes Justification the Cause of Sanctification, and therefore must needs go before it, Rom. 5. As Sin goes before spiritual and eternal Death, so Righ­teousness goes before spiritual Life in Sanctification, and eternal Life in Glory: The Lord holds forth Christ in the Gospel first as our Propitiation, Rom. 3.24. and then in comes dying to Sin, and living to God in Sanctification, Chap. 6.1. Holiness is the End of our actual Reconciliation, Col. 1.21, 22.

4. If Sanctification go before Justification by Faith, then a Christian's Communion with Christ, goes be­fore his Union to him by Faith; but our Union is the Foundation of Communion, and it is impossible there should be Communion without some precedent Union. 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ is made Righteousness and Sanctification; unto whom? read the Beginning of the Verse, and then you shall see, it is only to those that be in Christ, which is by Faith.

[Page 83]Let none say here (as some do) that we have Union to Christ, first by the Spirit, without Faith, in order going before Faith: For understanding of which, let us a little consider of our Union unto Christ; our Union to Christ is not by the essential Presence of the Spirit, for that is in every Man, as the Godhead is every where, in whom we live and move. This is common to the most wicked Man, nay, to the vilest Creature in the World. Hence it follows that our Union is by some Act of the Spirit peculiar to the Elect (who only shall have Communion with Christ) working some real Change in the Soul, (for of real, not relative Union I now speak) this Act cannot be those first Acts of the Spirit of Bondage, (for they are common unto Reprobates) they are therefore such Acts as are essential unto the Nature of Union. Now look as Dis-union, is the Disjunction or Separation of divers Things one from another; so Union is the Conjunction or joining of them together, that were before severed. Hence that Act of the Spirit in uni­ting us to Christ, can be nothing else but the bring­ing back the Soul unto Christ, or the Conjunction of the Soul unto Christ, and into Christ, by bringing it back to him, that before this lay like a dry Bone in the Valley separated from him. Thus, 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joined, or (as the Word signifies) glewed to the Lord, is one Spirit with him. The Spirit therefore brings us to the Lord Christ, and so we are in him. Now the Coming of the Soul to Christ, what is it but Faith? John 6.35. Our Union therefore is by Faith, not without it: for by it only we that were once seperated from him by Sin, and especially by Unbelief, Heb. 3.12. are now come not only un­to him, as Iron unto the Load-stone, John 6.37. but (which is most near) into him, as Branches into the [Page 84] Vine, and so grow one with him; and hence those Phrases in Scripture to believe in Christ, or into Christ, I speak not this as if we were united to Christ with­out the Spirit on his Part; (for the Conjunction of Things several must be mutual, if it be firm) I only shew that we are not united before Faith by the Spirit unto Christ; but that we are by Faith (wro't by the Spirit) whereby on our Part we are first conjoined unto him: And then on his Part he by the Person of the Spirit is most wonderfully united unto us. The Spirit puts forth Variety of Acts in the Soul; as it acts us to good Works, 'tis the Spirit of Obedience; as it infuseth Habits of Grace, so 'tis the Spirit of Sanctific [...]; as it assists us continually, and guides us to our End, and witnesseth Favour, 'tis the Spirit of Adoption; as it works fears of Death and Hell, 'tis the Spirit of Bondage; but as it draws us from Sin to Christ, so 'tis the Spirit of Union; and therefore to imagine Union before and without Faith by the Spi­rit, is but a Spirit indeed, which when you come to feel it, you shall find it a Nothing, without Flesh, or Bones, or Sinews. As our Marriage Union to Christ must have Consent of Faith on our Part, wro't by the Spirit, or else the Lord Jesus is a vain Suitor to us; so now the Spirit on Christ's Part must apprehend our Faith; and dwell in us, who otherwise shall sud­denly go a Whoring from him, 1 Pet. 1.5. Eph. 3.17.

3. That Vocation is not all one with Sanctifica­tion, may appear thus:

1. Vocation is before Justification, Rom. 8.30. But Sanctification is not before Justification, as we have proved, and therefore they are not the same.

2. Sanctification is the End of Vocation, 1 Thes. 4.7. therefore it is not the same with it.

[Page 85]3. Faith is the principal Thing in Vocation: the first Part of it being God's Call, the second Part be­ing our Answer to that Call, or in Coming at that Call, Jer. 3.22. Now Faith is no Part of Sanctifi­cation strictly taken, because it is the Means and In­strument of our Justification and Sanctification, Acts 26.18. Our Hearts are said to be purified by Faith, Acts 15.9. not our Lives only in the Acts of Holi­ness and Purity, but our Hearts in the habitual Frame of them. Gal. 2.20. I live by the Faith of the Son of God, saith Paul. We pass from Death to Life, John 5.24. therefore it is no Part of our spiritual Life: You will not come to me (which is Faith) that you may have Life, John 5.40. and 6.50, 51. therefore Faith is the instrumental Means of Life, and therefore no Part of our Life: As Faith comes by Hearing, and therefore Hearing is no Part of Faith; so Justi­fication comes by Faith, and therefore is no Part of Sanctification: All our Life both of Justification and Sanctification is laid up in Christ our Head; this Life according to God's great Plot shall never be had but Coming to Christ for it, Heb. 7.25. else Grace and Christ should not be so much honoured, Rom. 4.16. It is of Faith, that it might be of Grace; Sanctification therefore is the Grace applied by Faith, Faith the Grace applying; by Coming to Christ for it, we have it; and therefore have it not, when first we come.

I am sorry to be thus large in less Practical Mat­ters; yet I have thought it not unuseful, but very comfortable to a poor Passenger, not only to know his Journey's end, and the Way in general to it, but the several Stadia or Towns h [...] is orderly to pass through; there is much Wisdom of God to be seen not only in his Work, but in his Manner and Order of Working; for want of which, I see many Christians [Page 86] in these Days fall very foully into Erroneous Appre­hensions in their Judgments, the immediate ground of many Errors in Practice; the Objections made against what hath been delivered, are for the Principal of them Answered; the main end (my Beloved) of Propounding these Things is, that you would look narrowly to your Union, Oh take heed you miss not there: If you close with Christ, believe in Christ, and yet not cut off your Sin, viz. that Spirit of Resistance of Christ, you are utterly and eternally undone. This is the Condemnation of the World, not that Men love Darkness wholly, and hate Light, but that they love Darkness more than Light; not that the unclean Spirit is not gone out, but that he is not so cast out, as never to return again; the Wound of all Men, yea the best of Men that profess Christ, and yet indeed out of Christ, lies in this: they were never Severed from their Sin by all their Prayers, Tears, Fears, Sorrows; and hence they never truly come to Christ; and hence Perish in their Sin.

Trouble me no more therefore in asking Whether a Christian is in a State of Happiness or Misery in this Condition? I Answer, he is preparatively Happy, he is now passing from Death to Life, though not as yet wholly passed: nor yet, whether there is any saving Work before Union? I Answer, No; for what is said, is one necessary Ingredient to the working up of our Union, as cutting off the Branch from the old Stock, is necessary to the Ingrafting it into the new; indeed, without Faith it is impossible to please God; nor do I say that this Work doth please: i. e. it doth not pacify God, (for that is proper to Christ's perfect Righteousness received by Faith) yet as it is a Work of his own Spirit upon us, it is pleasing to him; (as the after-work of Sanctification is) though it neither [Page 87] doth pacify him; nor do I see how this Doctrine is any way opposite to the free offer of Grace, and Christ, because it requires no more Separation from Sin, than that which drives them unto Christ; nay, which is less, that makes them (by the Power of the Spirit) not Resist, but Yeild to Christ; that he may come unto them and draw them: You cannot Repent nor Convert yourselves; Be converted therefore, saith Peter, Acts 3.19. that ye may receive Remission of Sins; and in this offer the Spirit works; and verily he that can truly receive Christ without that sense of Misery as Separates him from his Sin, (as explained to you) let him believe notwithstanding all that which is said; and the God of Heaven speak Peace to him; his Faith shall not trouble me, if he be sure it shall not one Day deceive himself.

USE 2. Of Lamentation for the Hardness of Men's Hearts in these Times: As it is said the Lord Jesus mourned when he saw the Hardness of the People's Hearts, Mark 3.5. Are there not some so far from this, as that they take Pleasure in their Sins, they are Sugar under their Tongues, as sweet as Sleep, nay, as their Lives? And you come to pull away their Limbs when you come to pluck away their Sins: Tho' they have broke Sabbaths, neglected Prayer, despised the Word, hated and mocked at Saints, been stubborn to their Parents, curst and swore, (which made Peter go out and weep bitterly) tho' lustful and wanton, (which broke David 's Bones) tho' guilty of more Sins than there be Motes in the Sun or Stars in Heaven, tho' their Sins be Crimson, and fill Heaven with their Cry, and all the Earth with their Burthen, yet they mourn not; never did it one Hour toge­ther; nay, they cannot do it, because they will not: If you were weary and loaden, where are your un­utterable [Page 88] Groans? If wounded and bruised, when are your dolorous Complaints? If sick, where is your Enquiry for a Physician? If sad, where are your Tears, in the Day, in the Night, Morning and Evening, a­lone by your selves, and in Company with others? Oh how great is the Wrath of God, hardning so many Thousands at this Day! Whence comes it that Christ is not prized, but from this Senselessness? Name any Reason, why the blessed Gospel of Peace, and all the sweet Promises of Life are under-valued, but from hence: And what do you hereby poor Crea­tures, but only aggravate your Sins, and make those that are little exceeding great in the Eyes of God? Whence is it that you treasure up Wrath against the Day of Wrath, Rom. 2.2, 3, 4, 5. This Hardness is that which blunts the Edge of God's Ordinances, whence God's poor Ministers sit sorrowful in their Closets, seeing all God's Seed lost upon bare Rocks: Oh this is the Condition of many a Man, and which is most fearful, the Means which should make the Heart sensible, make it more proud and unsensible. Tyre, and Sydon, and Sod [...]m, are more fit to mourn, than Chorazin and Capernaum that have enjoyed humbling Means long. Nay, how many are there that mourn out their Mournings, confess out their Confessions, and by their own Humiliations grow more senseless afterward? Did we ever live in a more impenitent secure Age? We shall seldom meet with one broken with Sin, but how few are broken from Sin also? And hence it is many a tall Cedar that were s [...]t down in the Table-Book for converted Men, once much hum­bled, and now comforted; stay but a few Years, you shall see more dangerous Sins of a second Growth; one turns Drunkard, another Covetous, another Proud, another a Sectary, another a very dry Leaf, a [Page 89] very Formalist; another full of humorous Opinions, another laden with scandalous Lusts: Wo to you that lament not now; for you shall mourn. Dost thou think that Christ shall ever wipe off thy Tears that sheddest none at all? Dost thou think to reap in Joy, that sowest not with these Showers? Verily God will make his Word good, Prov. 29.1. He that hardens his own Heart, shall perish suddenly; hear this you se­cure sorrowless Sinners, if ever God's Hand be stretcht out suddenly against thee, in blasting thy Estate, snatching away thy Children, the Wife of thy Bosom, the Husband of thy Delight; in staining thy Name, vexing thee with Debts and Crosses, sharp and sore, or lingering Sicknesses; know that all these come upon thee for a hard Heart: But Oh mourn for it now, you Parents, Children, Servants, the Tokens of Death are upon you; desire the Lord to break your Hearts for you: Lie under God's Hammer, be not above the Work, and suffer the Lord to take a­way that which grieves him most, even thy stony Heart, because it grieves thee least: Meditate much of thy woful Condition, chew the bitter Pill; re­member Death and rotting in the Grave, that many are now in Hell for thy Sins, that Christ must die, or thou die for the least Sin; remember how patient and long-suffering the Lord hath been to thee, and how long he hath groaned under thy Burthen, that it may be, tho' he would, yet he cannot bear the Load long: Let these Things be mused on, that thy Heart may be at last sorrowful before it be too late. But Oh the sad Estate of many with us, that can mourn for an Evil, except it be for the greatest, Sin and Death, and Wrath that lie upon them.

USE 3. Of Exhortation: Labour for this Sense of Misery, for this Spirit of Compunction: How can [Page 90] you believe in Christ, that feel not your Misery with­out him? A broken Christ cannot do thee good, without a broken Heart: Be afflicted and mourn, ye Sinners, turn your Laughter into Mourning, tremble to think of that Wrath, which burns down to the Bottom of Hell, and under which the eternal Son of God sweat Drops of Blood: Great Sins which thou knowest thou art guilty of, cause great Guilt, and great Hardness of Heart, and therefore are seldom forgiven or subdued without great Affliction of Spi­rit; they have loaded the Lord long, they must load thee. Little Sins are usually slighted, and extenua­ted, and therefore the Lord accounts them great; and therefore thy Soul must be in Bitterness for them, before the Lord will pass them by: It is not every Trouble that will serve the Turn; look that it be such as separates thy Soul from thy Sin, or else it will separate between thy Soul and God. I know it is not in your Power to break your own Hearts, no more than to make the Rocks to bleed, yet remem­ber he that bids thee cast up and prepare the Way of the Lord, he hath promised that every Mountain shall be brought low, and the crooked Ways made plain, and the rough smooth, and the Valleys filled: He only can do it for thee, and will do it for some, it may be for thee; he that broke the Heart of Manasseth and Paul after their Blood and Blasphemies, when they never desired any such Thing, he can break thine much more when thou art desiring him to do it for thee; here are many of you that fear you were never humbled nor burthened enough; I say fear it still, fear least there be a Stone in the Bottom, not so as to discourage and drive thy Heart from Christ, but so as to feel a greater Need of his Grace to soften thy Heart, and to take thy Senselessness away: The Lord doth purposely [Page 91] command thee to plough up the fallow Ground, that thou mightest feel thy Impotency so to do, and come to him to take it away: Every Thing will harden thee more and more, until the Lord come and take thy stony Heart away by his own Hand: All God's Kindnesses will make thee more bold to sin, and all God's Judgments more fierce and obstinate in sin, unless the Lord put to his Hand; if Pharaoh's Heart be softned for a Time, yet it will grow hard again, if the Lord take it not away; the Means therefore for the to get this Compunction is, 1. To feel the Evil of thy hard Heart; no surer Token of Reprobation than Hardness, if continued in; especially for thy Heart to grow hard under or after softening Means, at it was in Pharaoh. 2. To look up to the Lord in all Ordinances, that he would take it away.

USE 4. Have you not great Cause of abundant Thankfulness, into whose Hearts the Lord hath let in Fears and Sorrows, concerning your Estates? The blind World looks upon all Troubles of Conscience as Temptations of the Devil to Despair, and the very Way to run mad; but to consider what the Lord hath done for you that have such: What if the Lord had left you without all Feeling, as those in Eph. 4.19. What if the Lord had smitten you with a Spirit of Slumber, as those, Rom. 11.8. would not your Estate have been then lamentable? And have you no Hearts to acknowledge his unspeakable Goodness in awakening of you, in shaking the very Foundations? Dost thou think that any ever had such a hard Heart as thou hast? Dost not say so in secret before the Lord sometimes? Oh then what rich Grace is this to give thee any Sense and Feeling of thy Sin and Danger by it, tho' it be never so little in thine Eyes! Some think these Terrors are a Judgment; it is true, if they [Page 92] were meerly imaginary, or worldly and desperate; but saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7.7. I thank God I made you sorry. Suppose thy Sorrow should be only in Regard of the Punishment of Sin, yet this is the Lord's Goodness to make thy Heart so far sensible; that once did go like a Beast to the Slaughter, fearing no Danger at all; the very Means to prize Favour from God, is to feel Wrath, (as well as Sin) and the very Reason why the Lord hath let thee feel thy Pu­nishment heavy, is, that thy Soul might feel the Evil of Sin, by considering that if the Fruits be so bitter, what then is the Cause? Jer. 30.15. Be not there­fore weary of thy Burthen, so as to think the Lord powers out his Vengeance on thee while thy Trouble remains; Oh consider that this is the Hand of the Lord Jesus, and that he is now about to save thee, when he comes to work any Compunction in thee; especially such, as whereby he doth not only cut thy Heart with Fears and Sorrows, but cut thee off from thy Sin; so far only as humbles thee and drives thee to the Lord Christ to take them away. And so I come to the third Particular of Humiliation.

SECT. IV. The third Act of Christ's Power, which is Humiliation.

THE Lord Jesus having thus broken the Heart by Compunction, is not like a foolish Builder that leaves off his Work [...] fore he hath fully finished it, and th [...] fore having thus wounded a poor Sinner [...] goes on to humble him also; for tho' in a large [...] [Page 93] a wounded contrite Sinner is an humble Sinner; yet strictly taken there is a great Difference between them; and therefore he is said to dwell with the con­trite and humble, Isai. 57.16. i. e. not only with those that be wounded with Sin, but humbled for Sin; al­tho' it is certain the Soul is seldom or never effectually wounded, but it is also humbled at the same Time. A Man may be wounded sore even unto Death, and yet the Pride of the Man is such that he will not fall down before him that smites him: so it is with many a poor Sinner, the Lord hath sorely wounded him that he will resist no more, yet he will rather fly to his Duties to heal him, or die alone and sink under his Discouragements, than stoop. O Beloved, Man must down before the Lord Christ will take him up: and therefore in Isai. 40.5, 6, 7. The Glory of the Lord is promised to be revealed: But what Means must be used for this End? Cry, saith the Lord: What shall I cry? saith he; the Lord answers, that all Flesh is Grass, and that the Glory of it fades, and that the Peo­ple are this Grass, i. e. not only that Men's Sins are vile, but that Themselves also are Grass; nay, their Glory and Excellency is withering and fading; and therefore not only Mountains must be pull'd down, but all Flesh, and the Glory of it wither, before the Lord shall be revealed.

I shall briefly open these four Things:

• 1. What is this Humiliation.
• 2. What Need there is of it.
• 3. What Means the Lord useth to work it.
• 4. What Measure of it is here required.

1. What is this Humiliation?

Answ. Look as Pride is that Sin, whereby a Man [...]ceited of some Good in himself, and seeking some [...]cellency to himself, exalts himself above God; so [Page 94] Humiliation (in this Place) is that Work of the Spirit whereby the Soul being broken off from Self-Conceit, and Self-Confidence in any Good it hath or doth, submitteth unto, or lieth under God, to be disposed of as he pleaseth, I Pet. 5.6. Lev. 26.41. That look as Compunction cuts the Sinner off from that Evil that is in him, so Humiliation cuts it off from all high Conceits and Self-Confidence of that Good which is in him, or which he seeks might be in him, and so the Soul is abased before God.

2. What Need or Necessity is there of this?

Because

Answ. 1. When the Lord hath wounded the Hearts of his Elect, this is the immediate Work of their Hearts, (if the Lord prevent them not by his Grace, as many Times he doth) they look to what Good they have, or if they find little or none, then they seek for some in themselves, that thereby they may heal their Wound, because they think thus, that as their Sins have provoked God to anger against them, so if now they can reform and leave those Sins, or if not, repent and be sorry for them; if now they pray, and hear, and do as others do, they have some Hope that this will heal their Wound, and pacify the Lord towards them; when they see there is no Peace in a sinful Course, they will therefore try if there be any to be found in a good Course: And look as Adam when he saw his own Shame and Nakedness, hid him­self from God in the Bushes, and covered his Naked­ness with Fig-Leaves; so the Soul not being able to endure to see its own Nakedness and Vileness, not knowing Christ Jesus, and he being far to seek, [...] therefore labour to cover his Wickedness and Sinful­ness which he feels, by some of these Fig-Leave [...] And hence, Micah 6.7. they enquire wherewith [...] [Page 95] should come before the Lord, should they bring Rivers of Oyl, or Thousands of Lambs, or the first born of their Body to remove the Sin of their Soul? Paul did account these Duties Gain, Phil. 3.7. and set them at a high Rate, because he thought that God did so himself: When the Lord hath wounded the Soul, the first Voice it speaks, is, What shall I do? Do; saith Conscience, leave thy Sins, do as well as others, do with all thy Might and Strength, pray, hear, and confer, God accepts of good Desires, and requires no more of any Man but to do what he can. Hence the Soul plies both Oars, tho' against Wind and Tide, and strives, and wrestles with his sins, and hopes one Day to be better, and here he rests. And observe it, look as Sin in his greatest Evil, so the casting away of his Sins, and seeking to be better, is very sweet to him; and being so sweet, rests in what he hath, and seeks for what he wants, and so hopes all will be well one Day, and so stays here; altho' (God knows) it be without Christ, nor cannot rest on him, tho' he hath heard of him a thousand Times. And hence it is if they cannot do any Thing to ease themselves, then their Hearts sink, or it may be quarrel with God, that he makes them no better. But, Beloved, it is wonderful to see how many Times Men rest in a lit­tle they have and do.

2. But while it is thus with the Soul, he is unca­pable of Christ; for he that trusts to other Things to save him, or makes himself his own Saviour, or rests in his Duties without a Saviour, he can never have Christ to save him. Rom. 9.32. it is said, the Jews lost Christ's Righteousness, because they sought it not by Faith, but sought Salvation by their own Righteous­ness. He that maketh Flesh his Arm, (as all Duties and Endeavours of Man be, when trusted to) the [Page 96] Lord saith, Cursed be that Man, Jer. 17.5, 6. On­ly the Lord doth not leave his Elect here; he that is married unto the Law, Rom. 7. cannot be matcht unto Christ, till he be first divorced, not from the Duties themselves, but from trusting to them, and resting in them. And therefore saith Paul, Gal. 2.19. I thro' the Law am dead to it, that I might live unto God. He that trusteth to Riches, cannot enter into the King­dom of Heaven, no more than a Camel thro' a Needle's Eye, because it is too big for so narrow a Room: so he that trusteth to his Duties and Abilities, is too big to enter in by Christ; the Lord must cut off this Spirit, and lay it low, and make it stoop as vile before God, before it can have Christ in this Estate; the Lord must not only cut it off from this Self-Confidence in Duties, but also so far forth as that the Soul may lie under God, to be disposed of as he pleaseth. And the Reason is, because such a Soul is unwilling to stoop, is unhumbled; and he that is so, doth not on­ly on his Part resist God, but the Lord also resists him, Jam. 4.7, 8. And hence you shall observe, many a one hath lain long under Distress of Con­science, because they have either rested in their Du­ties, which could not quiet, or because they have not so cast off their Confidence in them, so as to lie down quietly before God, that he may do what he will with them; being so long Objects of God's Resistance, not of his Grace.

3. By what Means doth the Lord work this?

Answ. In general, by the Spirit immediately acting upon the Soul; but after a Christian is in Christ he hath, by the Habit of Humility, and the Virtue of Faith, some Power to humble himself: But now [...] Spirit of Christ doth it immediately by its own omni­potent Hand; else the proud Heart would never [Page 97] down: For we are first Created in Christ (which is by God's Omnipotent immediate Act) unto Good Works, before we do from ourselves, or by the Power of Faith, put forth Good Works, Eph. 2.10. These Acts of Self-confidence may not be stirring in all Christians; but in all Men there is this Frame of Spirit, never to come to Christ, if they can make any thing else serve to heal them or save them; and therefore the Spirit cuts off this sinful Frame in part in all the Elect; he hews the Roughness and Pride of Spirit off, that it may lie still upon the Foundation it is now prepared for. Now tho' the Spirit works this, yet 'tis not without the Word; the Word it works chiefly by, is the Law, Gal 3.19. I thro' the Law am dead to it, (i. e. from seeking any Life or Help from it) that I might live unto God.

Now the Law doth this by a four-fold Act,

1. By discovering the secret Corruptions of the Soul in every Duty, which it never saw before; it once tho't, I shall perish for my Sin, if I continue therein, without Confession of them, or Sorrow for them; but it also did think that this Confession, Sor­row, and Trouble for Sin will serve to save it, and make God to accept of it: But the Law (while the Soul is earnestly striving against his Sin) discovering that in all these there is nothing but Sin, even secret Sins it did never see before, hereupon it begins thus to think, Can these be the Means of saving me, which being so sinful, cannot but be the very Causes of con­demning of me? I know I must perish for the le [...]st Sin, and now I see that in all I do, I can do nothing else but sin. What made Paul alive without the Law? You shall find, Rom. 7.7. it was because he did not know that Lust, or the secret Concupisences and first Risings of the Soul to sin, were Sin; he saw not these [Page 98] secret Evils in all that which he did: And hence he rested in his Duties, as one alive without Christ: But the Lord by discovering this, let him see what little Cause he had to lift up his Hand, for any good he did: so it is here, when the Soul sees that all its Righ­teousness is a menstruous Cloth, polluted with sin: now those Duties which, like Reeds, it trusted to be­fore, run into the Hand, nay, Heart of a poor Sinner; and therefore now it feels little Cause of resting on them any longer: Now it sees the infinite Holiness of God by the exceeding Spiritualness of the Law, it begins to cry out, How can I stand or appear before him with such continual Pollutions?

2. By irritating or stirring up of original Corrup­tion, in making more of that to appear than ever be­fore; that if the Soul thinks, all I do is defiled with sin, yet my Heart is good, and so it rests there; the Lord therefore stirs that Dunghill, and lets it see a more hellish Nature than ever before, in that the holy and blessed Command of God (to its feeling) makes it worse, more rebellious, more averse from God: Rom. 7.9, 10, 11. When the Commandment came, Sin revived, saith Paul, and that which was for Life was Death to him, Sin taking occasion by the Law; and hence Paul came to be slain and die to all his Self-Confidence. It was one of Luther's first Positions in opposing the Pope's Indulgences, that Lex & voluntas sunt duo aversarii sine gratia irreconciliabiles: For the Law and Man's Will meeting together, the one holy, the other currupt, make fierce Opposition when the Soul is under any lively Work of the Law; and by this Irritation of the Law, the Lord hath this End in his Elect, to make them feel what wretched Hearts they have, because that which is in it self a Means of Good, makes them (thro' Man's Corruption) more [Page 99] vile to their own Feeling than ever before; and hence comes those sad Complaints on a Soul under the hum­bling Hand of Christ, I am now worse than ever I was, I grow every Day worse and worse, I have lost what once I had, I could once pray, and seek God with Delight, and never well, but when one Duty was done, to be in another; but now I am Worse, all that Joy and Sweetness in seeking of him, and in holy Walking, is gone; I could once mourn for sin, but now a hard Heart takes hold of me, that I have not so much as a Heart to any Thing that is good, nor to shed a Tear for the greatest Evil. It is true, I confess you may grow (to your Feeling) worse and worse, and it is fit you should feel it, that the Lord hereby might pull down your proud Heart, and make you lie low; it is the Lord's glorious Wisdom to wither all your Flowers, which refreshed you with­out Christ, that you might feel a Need of him; and therefore I say the Lord pulls away all those broken Planks the Soul once floated and rested upon, that the Soul may sink in a holy Despair of any Help from any Good it hath; the Lord shakes down all Building on a sandy Foundation: And then the Soul cries out, It is ill resting here.

3. By loading, tiring, and wearying the Soul by its own Endeavours, until it can stir no more; for this is in every Man by Nature; when he sees that all he doth is sinful, and all he hath, his Heart and Nature to be most sinful; yet he will not yet come out of himself, because he hopes tho' he be for the present thus vile, yet he hopes for future Time his Heart may grow better, and himself do better than now; and hence it is that he strives, and seeks, and endeavours to his utmost to set up himself again, and to gain Cure to all his Troubles by his Duties: Now the Law, [Page 100] whose Office is to command, but not to give Strength, and the Spirit that should give Strength withdrawing it self, because it knows the Soul would rest therein without Christ; hence it comes to pass that the Soul feeling it self to labour only in the Fire and Smoke, and to be still as miserable and sinful as ever before, hereupon it is quite tired out, and sits down weary, not only of its Sin, but of its Work, and now crys out, I see now what a vile and undone Wretch I am, I can do nothing for God or for my self, only I can sin and destroy my self; all that I am is vile, and all that I do is vile, I now see that I am indeed poor, and blind, and miserable, and naked; and the Truth is, Beloved, here comes in the greatest Dejections of Spirit; for when the Lord smites the Soul for sin, it hopes that by leaving of sin and doing better it may do well; but when it sees that there is no Hope here of healing the Breach between God and itself, now it falls low indeed: And I take this to be the true Meaning of Matth. 11.28. Ye that labour, i. e, you that are wearied in your own Way, in seeking rest to your Souls by your own hard Labour or Works (as the Greek Word signifies) and are tired out therein▪ and so are now laden indeed with Sin, and the heavy Pressure of that, finding no Ease by all that which you do: Come to me, saith Christ, and you shall then find rest unto your Souls: The Jews seeking to establish their own Righteousness, seeking I say, if by any Means they might establish it, lost Christ: The Lord therefore will make his Elect know they shall seek here for Ease in vain; and therefore tires them ou [...].

4. By clearing up the Equity and Justice of God in the Law, if the Lord should never pity nor par­don it, not shew any Respect or Favour to it; for this is the Frame of every Man's Heart, if he cannot find [Page 101] Rest in his Duties and Endeavours, as he once expec­ted he should, but sees Sin and Weakness, Death and Condemnation wrapping him about (like Jonah's Weeds) in all he doth, then his Heart sinks, and quar­rels, and falls off further from Christ by Discourage­ment, and grows secretly impatient that there should be no Mercy left for him, because it thinks now the Lord's eternal Purpose is to exclude him; for if there were any Thoughts of Peace towards him, he should have found Peace before now, having so earnestly and frequently sought the Lord, and having done so much, and forsaken his sinful Ways, according to his own Commandment from him; and hence it is you shall find it a certain Truth, that the Soul is turned back as far from God by sinking discouraging Sorrow for sin, as ever it was to a state of Security by the Pleasures of sin; and hence sometimes it thinks it is in vain to seek any more, and hence leaves off Du­ties; and if Conscience force them to it, yet it sinks again, because it's Foot is not establish'd upon the Rock Christ, but upon the Weakness of the Waters of it's own Abilities and Endeavours; what therefore should the Soul do in this Case, to come to God? It knows not, it cannot; fly from him it dare not, it shall not; the Spirit therefore by revealing how equal and just it is for the Lord never to regard or look af­ter it more, because it hath sinned and is still so sinful, makes it hereby to fall down prostrate in the Dust before the Lord, as worthy of nothing but Shame and Confusion, and so kisseth the Rod, and turns the othe [...] Cheek unto the Lord even smiting of him, acknow­ledging if the Lord shew Mercy, it will be wonder­ful, if not, yet the Lord is righteous, and therefore hath no Cause to quarrel against him for denying spe­cial M [...] to him, to whom he doth not owe a Bit of [Page 102] Bread. And now the Soul is indeed humbled, be­cause it submits to be disposed of, as God pleaseth; thus the Church in her Humiliation, Lam. 3.22. having in the former part of the Chapter, drunk the Wormwood and the Gall, at last lies down and professeth, it is the Lord's Mercy, it is not consumed; and Vers. 29. he puts his Mouth to the Dust, if there may be any Hope; and Ver. 39. Why should a living Man complain, for the Punishment of his Sin? You think the Lord doth you Wrong, and neglects your Good and his own Glory too, if he doth not give you Peace and Pardon, Grace and Mercy, even to the utmost of your asking, and then think you have good Cause to fret, and sink, and be discouraged: No, no, the Lord will pull down those Mountains, those high Tho'ts, and make you lie low at his Feet, and acknowledge that it is infinite Mercy you are alive, and not consumed; and that there is any Hope or Possibility of Mercy, and that you are out of the nethermost Pit: And that if he should never pity you, yet he doth you no Wrong, but that which is equal and just, and that it is fit your sinful forward Wills should stoop to his holy, righte­ous, and good Will, rather than it should stoop and be crooked according unto yours. Believe it Brethren, He that judgeth not himself thus, shall be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.31. How can you have Mercy that will set yourselves up in God's sovereign Throne to dispose of it, and will not lie down humbly under it, that it may dispose of you? For are you worthy of it? Hath the Lord any Need of you? Have you not provoked him exceedingly? Was there ever any that dealt worse with him than you? Oh, Beloved, lie low here; and learn of the Church, Micah 7.9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. It was a most bles­sed [Page 103] Frame of Spirit in Aaron, Levit. 10.3. when he saw God's Hand against him in cutting off his Chil­dren, and Aaron held his Peace; so if the Lord should cast thee off, cut thee off, never take Pleasure in such a polluted broken Vessel unfit for any Use for him, hold thou thy Peace; quarrel not, be silent before him, and say as they did, 2 Cor. 12.5. The Lord is Righteous, but I am vile; let him do with me what seems good in his own Eyes: And thus the Lord Jesus by the Law doth dead the Soul to the Law, until it be made to submit like Wax, or like Clay to the Hand of the Potter, to frame it a Vessel to what Use he pleaseth; and as the Apostle most excellently, Rom. 7. divorceth it from its first Husband, (i. e. Sin and the Law) that it may be married unto Jesus Christ. In a Word, when the Lord Christ hath made the Soul feel not only its Inability to help it self, and so saith as Paul, Gal. 2.20. It is not I, but also its own Unworthi­ness, that the Lord should help it, and so crys out with Job, Behold, I am vile; now at this Instant, 'tis vas capax; a Vessel capable (tho' unworthy) of any Grace, James 4.6.

4. The last Question remains, What Measure of Humiliation is here necessary?

Answ. Look as so much Conviction is necessary which begets Compunction, and so much Compunc­tion as breeds Humiliation; so, so much Humiliation is necessary as introduceth Faith, or as drives the Soul out of it self unto Christ: For as the next End of Conviction is Compunction, and that of Compunc­tion is Humiliation; so the next End of Humiliation is Faith, or Coming to Christ, which we shall next speak unto.

And hence it is that the Lord calls unto the weary and heavy laden to come unto him, Matth. 11.27. So [Page 104] much as makes you come for Rest in Christ, so much is necessary, and no more. If any can come without being thus laden and weary in some Measure, let them come and drink of the Water of Life freely; but a proud Heart that will make it self its own Sa­viour, will not come to the Lord Jesus to be his Sa­viour; he that will be his own Physician, so long cannot send out for another. Nay, let me fall one Degree lower, if the Soul cannot come to Christ, (as who feel not themselves unable when the Lord comes to draw?) and find not the Lord Jesus coming unto them, to draw them, and compel them in; yet if the Soul be so far humbled, as not to resist the Lord, by quarrelling with him, and at him, as unworthy of the least Smile, as worthy of all Frowns; verily the Lord will come to it, and no more is requisite than this, and thus much certainly is: For thus the whole Scripture runs, He gives Grace to the humble, James 4.6. I dwell with the contrite and humble, Isa. 57.16. The poor afflicted shall not always be forgotten, Psal. [...].12, 18. When their uncircumcis [...]d Hearts are hum­bled, so as to accept of the Punishment of their Iniquity, the Lord then remembers his Covenant, Lev. 26.41, 42. Conceive it thus: There can be no Union to Christ, while there is a Power of Resistance and Op­position against Christ. The Lord Christ must there­fore in order of Nature (for I now speak not of order of Time) first removere prohibens, remove this Re­sistance, before he can, and that he may, unite. I do not mean Resistance of the Frame of Grace, but (as was said) of the Lord of Grace, whereby he comes to work it.

Now there is a double Resistance or two Parts of this Resistance, like a Knife with two Edges.

[Page 105]1. A Resistance of the Lord, by a secret Unwil­lingness that the Lord should work Grace: Now this the Lord removes in Compunction, and no more Brokenness for Sin or from Sin is necessary there than that.

2. A Resistance of the Lord by sinking Discou­ragements, and a secret Quarrelling with him, in Case the Soul imagines he will not come to work Grace, or manifest Grace. Now this the Lord takes away in Humiliation; and no more is necessary here, than the Removal of the Power of this which makes the Soul in the Sense of its own infinite Vileness and Un­worthiness not to quarrel at the Lord, and Devil-like grow fierce and impatient before and against the Lord, in Case he should never help it, never pity it, never succour it; the Lord will not forsake for ever, if the Soul thus lies down, and puts its Mouth in the Dust, Lam. 3.30, 31.

Which Consideration is of unspeakable Use and Consolation, to every poor empty Nothing, that feels it self unable to believe, and the Lord forsaking it, from helping it to believe. And I have seen it con­stantly, that many a chosen Vessel never hath been comforted till now, and ever comforted when now; they never knew what Hurt them till they saw this, and they have immediately felt their Hurt healed, when this hath been removed. In comforting Chris­tians under deep Distress, tell them of God's Grace and Mercy, and the Riches of both, you do but tor­ment them the more, that there should be so much, and they have no Part, nor Share in it, and think they never shall, because this is not the immediate Way of Cure; tell them rather, when they are full of those Complaints, that they are as they speak, vile and sin­ful, and therefore worthy never to be accepted of [Page 106] God, and that they have Cause to wonder that they have their Lives, and are on this side Hell, and so turn all that they say to Humiliation and Self-loathing; verily you shall then see, if the Lord intends good, he will by this do them good, and the weakest [...]hristian that cannot come to Christ, you shall see first or last shall see Cause to lie down, and be silent, and not quarrel, tho' the Lord should never come to him. And that this is necessary, may appear thus: Other­wise,

1. The Lord should not advance the Riches of his Grace; the Advancement of Grace cannot possibly be without the Humiliation and Abasement of the Creature; the Lord not only saves, but calls Things that are not, that no Flesh might Glory, 1 Cor. 1.28, 29.

2. Otherwise the Lord should not be Lord and Disposer of his own Grace, but a sinful Creature who quarrels against God, if it be not disposed of, not as the Lord will, but as the Creature will. If a Stranger comes to our House, and will have what he wants, and if he hath not, he quarrels and contends with the Master of the House, what would he say? Away proud Beggar, dost think to be Lord of what I have? Dost draw thy Knife to stab me, if I do not please thee and give thee thy asking? No, thou shalt know that I will do with my own as I see good, thou shalt lie down on the Dust of my Threshold before I give thee any Thing. So 'tis with the Lord, It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth Mercy. It is his principal Name, I will be merciful to whom I will be merciful; and there­fore if you will not believe me, yet believe the Lord's Oath, Isai. 45.23. Unto me shall every Knee bow, and do you come to lord it over him, and quarrel, [Page 107] and fret, and sink, and grow sullen, and vex, if the Lord stoop not unto your Desires? No, no, you must and shall lie upon his Threshold, nay he will make thee lay thy Neck upon the Block, as worthy of no­thing but cutting off; then when this Valley is filled, all Flesh shall see the Glory of the Lord, Isai. 40.5. Thus Humiliation is necessary in this Measure men­tioned. Not that I deny any subsequent Humiliation, after a Christian is in Christ, arising from the Sense of God's Favour in Christ, than which nothing makes a Christian of an evangelical Spirit more ashamed of himself: Yet I dare not exclude this which is ante­cedent, arising from the Spirit of Power immediately subduing the soul to Christ, that it may be exalted by Christ, 1 Pet. 5.6. It is true, all Things that per­tain to Life and Godliness are received by Faith, 2 Pet. 1.3. yet Faith itself is a saving Work, which is not received by another precedent Faith. Faith therefore is to be excepted, not only as begotten in us, but as it is in the begetting of it in the Conviction and Humiliation of every Sinner.

USE 1. Hence see what is the great Hindrance between the Mercy of God, and the soul of many a Man; if it be not some sin and Hardness of Heart under it, whereby he cares not for Christ to deliver him, then 'tis Pride of Spirit, arising from some Good he hath, whereby he feels no Need of Christ, hoping his own Duties shall save him, or else is above Christ, and not under him, willing to be disposed of by him. And hence the Lord makes this the High-way to Mer­cy, Levit. 26.40. if first they shall confess their Sin, secondly, humble themselves, (both which I know the Lord must work) then he will remember his Covenant. Look as it is with a Vessel before it can be fit for Use, it must first pass thro' Fire, and the Earth and Dross [Page 108] severed from it, then it must be made hollow and empty, which makes it vas capax, a Vessel capable of receiving that which shall be poured out into it; if (O Brethren) the Lord hath some Vessels of Glory, which he prepares before-hand, and makes capable of Glory, Rom. 9.21, 22. if the Lord doth not s [...]v [...]r you from sin in Compunction, and empty you of yourselves in Humiliation, you cannot receive Christ, nor Mercy, you cannot hold them; and if ever you miss of Christ by Faith, your Wound lies here. How many be there at this Day, that were once Profane and Wicked, but now by some Terrors and outward Restraints upon them, they leave their Sins, and say they loath them, and purpose never to run Riot as they have done, and hence because they think them­selves very good, or to have some good, they fall short of Christ, and are still in the Gall of Bitterness, and in the midst of all Evil. It were the Happiness of some Men, if they did not think themselves to have some good, because this is their Christ. O you that live under precious Means, and have many Fears you may Perish and be deceived at the last: But why do you fear? I knew you will Answer, Oh some secret and unknown Sin may be my Ruin; It is true, and you do well to have a Godly Jealousy thereof. But remember this also, not only some Sin, but some Good thou thinkest thou hast, and resteth in without Christ. And lifting thee up above Christ, may as easily prove thy Ruin, because a Man's own Righteousness rested in, doth not only hide Men's Sins, but strengthens them in some Sin by which Men Perish; Trusting [...] ones own Righteousness, and committing Iniquity are couples, Ezek. 33.13. Nor do I hereby run into the Frenches of that wicked Generation of the Fa [...] lists, denying all Inherent Graces; Evidence of Fa­vour [Page 109] from any Christians Obedience, or Sanctification in Holy Duties; or that a Christian should Profanely cast off all Duties, because they cannot save themselves by them: No, no, the Lord will search with Candles one Day for such Sons of Darkness, and exclude such foolish Virgins that they have neither Oyl in their Ves­sels, nor Light in their Lamps: I only speak of that Good, that Righteousness which is rested in without Christ, and lifts up Men above Christ, which in Deed and in Truth is not true Righteousness, but only a true Shadow of it. And therefore as Beza well ob­serves from Rom. 9.32. Why did not Israel, that fol­lowed after Righteousness attain it? Because they sought it not by Faith, but as it were by the Works of the Law: they were not fruits of sincere Obedience to the Law, but as it were the Works of the Law; now this, saith the Apostle, ver. 33. is the Stumbling-Stone in Sion. Christ will have all Flesh vail, and be stript Naked, and made nothing before him, before they shall ever be built upon him; now this Men stumble at, they must bring something to him, they will not be Vile, Emptiness and Nothingness, that he may be all to them; verily observe your selves and you shall find, if there be little Humiliation, there is little of Christ; if much Humiliation, much of Christ; if unconstant Humiliation, uncertain fruition of Christ; if real Hu­miliation, real possession of Christ; if false Humilia­tion, imaginary fruition of Christ. Know it, you cannot Perish if you fall not short here, you must Perish if you do.

USE 2. Be exhorted therefore to lie down in the Dust before the Lord, and under the Lord; nay, in­treat the Lord that he would put thee upon his Wheel, and mould thy Heart to his Will: Why will you [...] in any Good you have? O remember thy Father [Page 110] was a Syrian ready to perish, and thy self polluted, an infinite, endless Evil. Whatever Good thou dost, is it not a polluted Stream, of a more polluted Spring? Nay, suppose the Spirit works any Good in thee, yet is it not polluted by thy unclean Heart? Nay, sup­pose any Actions should be perfect, yet remember that the Lord spared not the Angels that sinned: Perfection present cannot satisfy Justice for Pollution past. Cry out therefore, and say, O Lord, now I see not only that my Sin is vile, but that my Self and all my Righteousness is vile also; and now tho' the Lord stands at a Distance, speaks no Peace, hears no Prayers, yet because thou art very vile, lie down un­der him, that if he will he may tread upon thee, and thereby exalt himself, as well as lift thee up, and exalt thee. Be not careless whether the Lord help or no, but be humbled, not to quarrel in Case he should not: For,

1. Suppose thou art not only miserable, but sinful, and the Lord (thou sayest) takes it not away, yet re­member that to quarrel with God for with-drawing his Hand, is a Sin also, Lam. 3.39. And wilt thou add Sin to Sin?

2. Why art thou quiet and still when the Lord denies thee any common Mercy? Is it not because the Lord will have it so? Now look as we say of him that hates Sin as Sin, that he hates all Sin; so he that is meekened with God's good Pleasure in any one Thing because of his good Pleasure in it, upon the same Ground will at least desire to stoop in [...] Thing. Suppose therefore it be the Lord's good Pleasure to deny thee Mercy, I grant you must pray for it, yet with Submission to the good Will of the Lord, saying, the Lord's Will is good, but mine is [Page 111] evil, otherwise, thou hast no Meekness in any Thing, that art not meekly subject to his Will in every Thing.

3. The greatest Pride that is in Man, appears here; for suppose the Lord should deny thee Bread, or Water, or Cloaths, was it your Duty to murmur now? Nay, was it not Pride, if the Heart would not lie down, and say, Lord, I am worthy to have my Bread pluckt from my Mouth, and my Cloaths from my Back. Now if it be Pride to murmur in Case the Lord denies you smaller Matters, the Offals of this Life, dost not thou see that it's far greater Pride for thee to sink and quarrel with him, if he de­nies thee greater, and the Things of another Life? Is he bound to give thee greater, that doth not owe thee the least? Suppose a Beggar murmur at thy Door, if thou dost deny him Bread, or a Cup of Drink, wilt thou not account him a proud stout Beggar? But if thou dost give him that, and then he quarrel and murmur at thee because thou dost not give him a thousand Pounds, or thy whole Estate when he asks it, will you not say, I never met with the like Insolen­cy? The Lord gives you your Lives, blessed be his Name, but you ask for Treasures of Grace and Mer­cy, Thousands of Pounds, Christ himself, and all that he is Worth, and the Lord seems to deny you, and now you sink, and grow sullen, and discontented, and quarrel, and murmur at God, not directly, but se­cretly and slily; may not the Lord now say; Was there ever such Pride and Insolency? And therefore as Christ spake of himself, John 12.24, 25. A Corn of Wheat cannot live, unless it die first; so know it, you shall never live with Christ, unless you die and perish in your selves, unless you be sown and lie un­der the Clods of your own Wretchedness, Faith will never spring up in such a Soul. As 'tis in Burnings, [Page 112] the Fire must be first taken out, before there can be any healing; so this impatient Spirit which torments the Soul, must be first remov'd, before the Lord will heal thee.

4. Consider the approaching Times: I do believe the Lord at this Day is coming out to shake all Na­tions, all Hearts, all Consciences, all Conditions, and to tear and rend from you your choicest Blessings, Peace and Plenty, both External and Internal also; for there is need of it, our Age grows Full, and Proud, and Wanton, Man's price is fallen in the Market, unless his Looks and new Fashions commend him to the World. O consider, when God comes to read all from you, then you may find a need of the Exer­cise of this Duty; it may be the time is coming wherein you shall have nothing to support your Hearts, you shall find rest in no way but this: I know Assurance of God's Love may quiet you; but what if the Lord shake all your Foundations and deprive you of that! What will you then do? And therefore as Zeph [...], Chap. 2.3. having foretold of the evil Days; crys unto his Hearers, Seek meekness ye meek of the Earth; seek Meekness; so say I to you; for you will find all little enough. Come down from thy Throne and he the Footstool and Threshold of Christ Jesus, before the Days of Darkness come upon you; be content to be a Cypher, a Steping-stone, the very Offall of the World.

Quest. But you will say, Wherein shall I express this Humiliation and Subjection?

Answ. 1. Be highly thankful for any little the Lord gives, Lam. 3.22, 23.

2. Be Humble and judge thy self worthy of nothing when the Lord denys; and verily you shall find the Lord Jesus e're long speaking Peace unto you, and [Page 113] giving thee rest in his Bosom, that now art quietly contented to lie still at his Feet.

For some Helps thereunto,

1. Remember whose thou art, viz. the Lord's Clay, and he thy Potter, and therefore may do with thee what he will, Rom. 9, 20.

2. Remember what thou art, viz. a polluted Ves­sel, a kind of infinite endless Evil, as I have oft said; see the Picture of thy own Vileness in the Damned in Hell who are full, and shall thro' all Eternity pour out all manner of Evil, Job 40.3, 4.

3. Remember what thou hast been, and how long thou hast made War against Christ with all thy Might and Heart, and Strength; why should the Lord there­fore choose thee before others, Jer. 3.5. when as, (ask thy Conscience) was there ever such a Wretch since the World began as thou hast been.

4. Remember what thou wilt be; fit for no use to Jesus Christ, good for nothing, but to pollute his Holy Name when thou medlest with it; and why should the Lord take up such a dry Leaf, Isa. 64.6. and breath upon such a dry Bone?

5. Remember how good the Lord's Will is, even when it crosseth thine; he shall have infinite Glory by all his denials to thee of what thou wouldst; he shall gain that, tho' thou loosest thy Peace and Quietness, that Good which thy foolish sinful Will desires at his Hand, John 12.27, 28. And if so, blessed be his Name, let God live, but let Man die and perish, that he may be exalted of vile Man.

6. Remember the sweet rest thou shalt have by the Subjection to the Lord; nothing is Man's Cross, but Man's Will; a stubborn Will like a stubborn Heifer in the Yoke galls and frets the Soul; Learn Meekness, saith our Saviour, of me in taking my Yoke on [Page 114] you, and then you shall find rest. Hell would not be Hell, to a Heart truly humbled. Sometimes you find Enlargements, then you are glad: Sometimes none, then you sink: Sometimes you have hope of Mercy, then you are calm: Sometimes you loose your hopes, then the Sea works: When the Lord pleaseth you, then you are well, but if a little cross befall you, then your Spring is Muddy, and a little thing troubles: Oh be humble and vile in thine own Eyes, and verily such uncertain fits of Peace and Trouble are done, and the Days of all your Mourning are now ended.

USE 3. Of Thankfulness, to all those whom the Lord hath truly humbled: Time was, when the Lord first convinced you, that so long as you could make any Shift, find rest in any Duties, you would never lie down at Christ's Feet, now the Lord might have left you to have stumbled at that Stumbling-Stone, and to have stuck in those Bushes, but you may see that the Lord will save you even then when you would not be saved by him: And especially take No­tice of two Passages of God's Dealings with you, wherein usually you find Matter of Discouragement, rather than of Acknowledgment of God's Goodness to you therein.

1. That the Lord hath withdrawn all Feeling of any Good, which it may be you once felt, and that the Lord hath let out more of the Evil of your Hearts than ever you imagined was in them, nay so much Evil that you think there is none like unto you, who hast now no Heart nor Power to stir, think, desire, will, or do any Thing that is Good: O bless the Lord for this, for this is God's Way to humble, and empty, and make thee poor; the Lord saw (tho' it may be you did not) that you rested in that Good you felt, and was or would be lifted up by these, [Page 115] and therefore the Lord hath broke those crazy Crut­ches, famish'd now, brought you down to nothing, made you like dry Desarts; all the Hurt the Lord aimeth at in this, being only to humble you, and tho' these Desertions be bitter for the present, yet that by these he might do you Good in your latter End, Deut. 6.19. O Brethren, the Apostle stands at a stay, and desires the Corinthians to consider, You see your Calling, faith he, 1 Cor. 1. Not many Mighty, not many Wise, but Things that are not doth he call, that no Flesh might glory: The Lord, saith Moses, Deut. 8.2, 3. suffered thee to want, (that was the first) and then fed thee, that he might prove thee and humble thee; remember this, saith he; so say I to you, remember this Mercy, that when the Lord makes you worst of all (not real, but) in your own Eyes, that then the Lord is about this glorious Work.

2. That the Lord hath kept you (it may be a long Time too) from Sight and Sense of his peculiar Love; one would wonder why the Lord should hide his Love so much, so long, from those to whom he doth intend it; the great Reason is, because there is in many a one a Heart desirous of his Love, and this would quiet them if they were sure of it: They never come to be quieted with God's Will, in case they think they shall never partake of his Love: But are above that, op­pose and resist, and quarrel with that, unhumbled un­der that, the Lord therefore intending to bestow his Favour only upon a humbled Sinner, he will therefore hide his Face until they lie low, and acknowledge themselves worthy of nothing but Extremity of Mi­sery, unworthy of the least Mercy: The People of God, Lam. 1.16. cry out that the Comforter which should refresh their Soul, was far from them: What was God's End in this? You shall see the End of it, [Page 116] ver. 18. The Lord is righteous, (here the Church is humbled) for I have rebelled; or (as Zanchius reads it) I have made his Mouth bitter, that the Lord speaks no Peace to me, but bitter Things. The Cause is in my own self, and therefore if he never comfort me, nor speak a good Word unto me, yet he is righteous, but I am vile; and you will find this certain, that as the Lord therefore humbles that he may exalt, so the Lord never refuseth to exalt (in hiding his Face) but it is to humble. And is this the worst the Lord aims at, and will you not be thankful? Why are you then discouraged when you find it thus with you? Do not say the Lord never dealt thus with any as with me; suppose that; the Reason then is, because the Lord sees, never had any such an high Heart as thou hast; but Oh be thankful, that notwithstanding this, he will take the Pains to take it down.

4. Thus much for Humiliation; I come now to the fourth and last, which is Faith.

SECT. V. The fourth and last Act of Christ's Power, is the Work of Faith.

THE Lord having wounded and humbled his Elect, and laid them down dead at his Feet, they are now as unable to believe as they were to humble their own Souls; and therefore now the Lord takes them up in his Arms, that they lean and rest on the Bosom of their Beloved by Faith. After Joseph had spoken roughly to his [Page 117] Brethren, and thereby brought the Blood of their Brother to Remembrance, and so had humbled them, and then he can contain no longer, but discovers him­self to them, and tells them, I am Joseph whom you wickedly sold, yet fear not; so doth our Saviour car­ry it towards his Elect, when he laid them low: Now is the very Season for him to advance the Glory of his Grace, he cannot now contain himself any longer; but having torn and taken away that Vail of Sin and of the Law from off their Hearts, now they see the Lord with open Face, even the End of that which was to be abolished, 2 Cor. 3. The Explication of the great Work, is of exceeding great Difficulty; nothing more stirring than Faith in a true Christian, because he lives by it, yet it is very little known; as Children in the Womb, that know not that Navel-string by which they principally live: I shall therefore be wary, and leaving larger Explications, acquaint you with the Nature of Faith, in this brief Description of it.

FAITH is that gracious Work of the SPIRIT, where­by an humbled Sinner receiveth CHRIST; or whereby the whole Soul cometh out of itself to CHRIST, for CHRIST and all his Benefits, upon the Call of CHRIST in his WORD.

Before I open this Particular, give me Leave to premise some general Considerations; Faith is the Complement of effectual Vocation, which begins in God's Call, and ends in this Answer to that Call; the Lord prevents a poor humbled Soul, with his Call, either not knowing how, or not able, or not daring to come; and then the Soul comes, and hence Men called, and believing are all one, Rom. 9.24, with 33. Many a wounded Sinner will be scrambling after Christ, from some general Reports of him, before the [Page 118] Day and Hour of God's glorious and gracious Call Now for any to receive Christ, or come to Christ, before he is called, is Presumption; to refuse Christ when called, is Rebellion, to come and receive when called, is properly and formally Faith, and that which the Scripture stiles, the Obedience of Faith, Rom. 1.5. And now Christ at this Instant is fully and freely given, on God's Part, when really and freely come unto and taken on our Part.

This receiving of Christ, or coming to Christ, are for Substance the same, tho' the Words be divers; the holy Ghost useth to express one and the same Thing in Variety of Words; that our Feebleness might the better understand what he meaneth. And hence in Scripture, believing, coming, receiving Christ, rolling, trusting, cleaving to the Lord, &c. set out one and the same Thing; and therefore it is no Wonder if our Divines have different Descriptions of Faith in Vari­ety of Words; which if well considered, do but set out one and the same Thing: And I do conceive they do all agree in this Description I have now mentioned; I know there are some who tread awry here, whom I shall briefly note out, and so pass on to what we intend,

1. The Papists, with some others of corrupt Judg­ments, at least of weak Apprehensions among our­selves, describe Faith to be nothing else but a super­natural Assent to a divine Truth, because of a divine Testimony: ex. gr. To assent to this Truth, That Christ is come, that he is the Son of God; that he was dead and is risen again, that he is the Saviour of the World, &c. and to confirm this they produce Matth. 16.16. 1 John 4.3.

Answ. It is granted that this Assent is in Faith, for Faith always hath Respect to some Testimony; for Man by his Fall hath lost all Knowledge of divine and [Page 119] supernatural Truths; hence God reveals them in his Word; hence Faith sees them and assents to them, because God hath spoken them: To see and know Things by Vision, is to see Things in themselves intu­itively and immediately; but to see Things by Faith is to see them by and in a Testimony given of them, John 20.20. Blessed is he that hath not seen, (i. e. Christ immediately) but believed, i. e. his Testimony, and on him in it; this Assent therefore is in Faith (for we must believe Christ before we can believe in him) but this comprehends not the whole Nature of Faith; I mean of that Faith we are now speaking of; viz. as it unites us to Christ, and possesseth us with Christ. For,

1. This Description placeth Faith only in the Un­derstanding, whereas 'tis also in the Will, as the Words, trusting, rolling, &c. intimate.

2. This Assent is meerly general, without particu­lar Application, which is ever in true Faith, Gal. 2.20.

3. This is such a Faith as the Devils may have, Jam. 2.19. and reprobate Men may have, 2 Pet 2.20, 21. Heb. 10.26. There is a wilful refusing of the known Truth.

4. It is the Papist's Aim to vilify Faith hereby, by describing it by that which is one Ingredient in it, but excluding that which is principal; those Phrases there­fore of believing Christ is come in the Flesh, 1 John 4.3. and that he is the Son of God, Mat. 16.16. as if this were the only Object to Faith, are not to be under­stood exclusively, excluding other Acts of Faith, which the Scripture in other Places, sets down clearly; but inclusively, as supposing them to be contained herein: For as we in our Times describing Faith by relying upon Christ for Salvation, do not exclude hereby our believing that he is the Messiah; but we include it, [Page 120] or suppose it, because that is not now questioned, the Truth of the G [...]spel being so abundantly cleared; so in those Times, they described Faith by one prin­cipal Act, to believe that he was the Son of God, and come into the Flesh, because this was the main and principal Thing in Question then: And if the Lord had not set our Faith by other Acts in Scripture, we shall not vary from our Compass in such Expressions in the Word in these Days: For their Faith then is exemplary to us now; because the Word doth more fully s [...]t it out in more special Acts, hence we set it al­so by them; for 'tis evident, as the Jews did believe in a Messiah to come, so they did also believe and look for all Good from him, John 4.25. He will teach us all Things when he comes; and therefore their Faith did not confine itself to that historical Act that a Messiah should come, or that this was the Messiah, but they did expect and look for all Good from him: And hence the Apostle expounding this Saying, viz. believing that Christ is dead and risen again, we shall hereby be saved: Rom. 10.9, 10. If thou believest (saith he) with thine Heart this Truth, thou shalt be saved. Now to believe with the Heart, as it doth not exclude Assent, so it necessarily includes the Acts of the Will and Affections in relying upon him, and coming to him. And hence, when Peter had made that Confession, Matth. 16.16. Christ tells him, Thou art Peter; i. e. a Stone resting upon the Rock, (as some good Interpreters expound it) and therefore Peter's Faith did not exclude these principal Acts of resting on Christ, cleaving to Christ, but did include and suppose them.

2. Some run into another Extream, and make Faith nothing else, but a Perswasion or Assurance that Christ died for me in particular, or that he is [Page 121] mine. That which moves some thus to think, is the universal Redemption by the Death of Christ; they know no Ground or Bottom for Faith but this Propo­sition, Christ died for thee, and hence makes Re­demption universal: And hence the Arminians boast so much of their Quod unusquisque tenatur credere, &c. But,

1. This is a false Bottom, for Christ hath not died for all, because he hath not prayed for all, John 17.2.

2. This is a sandy Bottom and Foundation, which when a Christian rests upon, it shakes under him, when the Soul shall think, tho' Christ hath died for me, yet no more for me, than for Judas, or Thou­sands of Reprobates now in Hell. Indeed after Faith, a Christian is bound to believe it, as Paul did, Gal. 2.20. 1 Cor. 15.1, 2.

I conceive therefore those holy Men of ours who have described Faith by Assurance, have not so much aimed at a Description of what Faith is in it self, as it possesseth us with Christ; but of what Degree and Extent it may be, and should be in us; they describe it therefore by the most eminent Act of it, in full Assurance: And therefore consult with the Authors of this Description, and enquire of them, Is there no Doubting mixt with Faith? Yes, say they, Man's Doubtings sometimes are even unto a Kind of De­spair, but then (say they) it should not be thus. The Papists commend Doubtings, and deny Assurance, place Faith in a general Assent; our Champions that were to wrestle with them, maintained it to be a particular Application, (and not only a general Assent) and that with a full Assurance of Perswasion, which being the most eminent Act of Faith, excludes not other inferior Acts of it, which as they are before it, so may possess the Soul with Christ without it. Al­tho' [Page 122] withal, it is certain, that there is no true Faith, but it hath some Assurance, of which afterward.

Let me now come to the Explication of the De­scription given, where note these five Things.

• 1. The efficient Cause of Faith, it is a Work of the Spirit.
• 2. The Subject, or Matter in which it is seated, viz. the Soul of an humble Sinner.
• 3. The Form of it, viz. the Coming of the whole Soul to Christ.
• 4. The End of it, viz. for Christ and all his Be­nefits.
• 5. The special Ground and Means of it, viz. the Call of Christ in his Word.

SECT. I. First, Justification.

THIS is the first Benefit which immediately fol­lows our Union unto Christ by Faith, that look [Page 190] as we are no sooner Children of Adam, and Branches of that Root by natural Generation, but we imme­diately contract the Guilt of his Sin, and so original Pollution; so we are no sooner made Branches of the second Adam by Vocation, and so united unto Christ by Faith, but immediately we have the Imputation of his Righteousness to our Justification, after which we receive in order of Nature (not Time) our Sanc­tification; there is no Truth more necessary to be known than this, it being the principal Thing con­tained in the Gospel, Rom. 1.17. The Law shewing how a Man may be just and live; but it hath not the least Word how a sinful Man may be just and not die, this is proper to the Revelation of the Gospel: Let me therefore give you a Taste of the Nature of it.

Our Justification is wrought by a double Act. 1. On God the Father's Part, he by a gracious Sen­tence absolves and acquits a Sinner, and accepts of him as righteous. 2. On God the Son's Part, pro­curing the passing of this Sentence by his Satisfaction imputed and applied. The Father being the Person principally wronged, hath chief Power to forgive, yet in Justice he cannot acquit, nor in Truth account a Man unrighteous as righteous, unless the Son step in and satisfy; for whose Sake he forgives; as the A­postle expresly saith, Eph. 4. ult. So that our Justi­fication is wholly out of our selves, and we are meer­ly passive in it. Justification is not to make us in­wardly just, as the Papist's Dream; but it is a Law-Term, and is opposed against Condemnation, Rom. 8.33. Now look as Condemnation is the Sentence of the Judge, condemning a Man to die for his Offences, or Sin; so Justification is the Sentence of God the Father, absolving a Man from the Guilt and Punish­ment [Page 191] of Sin for the Sake of the Righteousness of Christ: That you may more particularly understand me, take this Description of it.

JUSTIFICATION is the gracious Sentence of GOD the FATHER, whereby, for the Satis­faction of CHRIST, apprehended by Faith, and imputed to the Faithful, he absolves them from the Guilt and Condemnation of all Sin, and accepts them as perfectly Righteous to eternal Life.

Let me open the Particulars herein briefly in seve­ral Queries.

Quest. 1. What it is in general to justify?

Answ. 'Tis to pass Sentence of Absolution; to pronounce a Sinner righteous; 'tis God's Pardon, Remission of Sins; this appears from the Opposition mentioned it stands in unto Condemnation, as a Judge Pardons a Man when he saith he shall live; or as a Man manifestly forgives another when he gives him a Promise, or a Bill of Discharge; so that (note this by the Way that) our Justification is not God's eternal Purpose to forgive, but it is God's Sentence published, a Sinner is justified intentionally in Election, but not actually 'till this Sentence be past and pub­lished; the only Difficulty here is, Where this Sen­tence is pronounced; for Answer whereof note, that there is but a double Court wherein 'tis passed; 1. Publickly in the Court of Heaven, or in the Court-Rolls of the Word; (for there is no other Court of Heaven where God speaks, but this.) 2. Privately, in the Court of Conscience. By the first we are justified indeed from personal Guilt; by the second we feel our selves justified by the Removal of Con­science Guilt. The first is expresly mentioned, Acts 10.43. and Rom. 1.17. The second is expresly set [Page 192] down also, Psal. 32.4. The first is the Cause and Foundation of the second; the second ariseth from the first: Otherwise, Peace of Conscience is a meer Delusion: The first is sometimes long before the se­cond, Psal. 88.15. as the Sentence of Condemna­tion in the Word is sometimes long before a Man feels that Sentence in his own Conscience; the second comes in a long Time after in some Christians: The first is constant and unchangeable; the second very changeable: He that hath Peace in his Conscience to Day, may lose it by to Morrow. So that you are not (in seeking the Testimony of our Justification) to look for a Sentence from Heaven immediately pronounced of God, but look for it in the Court of his Word, (the Court of Heaven) which tho' we hear not, sometime, yet it rings and fills Heaven and Earth with the Sound of it, viz. There is no Condemnation to them that believe: For hereby the Lord mercifully provideth for the Pence of his People more abundantly. As when a poor Creditor is acquitted, or a Male­factor pardoned, I beseech you (saith he) let me have an Acquittance, a Discharge, a Pardon under your own Hand, and this quiets him against all Accusers: So 'tis here; the Lord gives us an Acquittance in his Word, under his own Hand and Seal, and so gives us Peace, Heb. 6.18.

2. Who is it that justifieth?

Answ. 'Tis God the Father, Rom. 8.34. Father forgive them, saith Christ. And hence Christ is an Advocate with the Father, 1 John 2.2. All the three Persons were wronged by Sin; yet the Wrong was chiefly against the Father, because his Manner of Working appear'd chiefly in Creation, from the Righteousness of which, Man fell by Sin. The Father forgives primarily by sovereign Authority; [Page 193] the Son of Man Christ Jesus forgives by immediate Dispensation and Commission from the Father, John 5.22. Matth. 9.6. the Apostles and their Successors forgive ministerially, John 21.23. The Father for­gives by granting Pardon, the Son by procuring, the Ministers (where the Spirit also is) by publishing or applying Pardon: So that this is great Consolation, that God the Father the Party chiefly incensed, 'tis he that justifieth, 'tis he that passeth this gracious Sentence, and then who can condemn?

3. Why doth the Father thus justify?

Answ. 'Tis meerly his Grace, and out of Grace. And hence I call it his gracious Sentence, Rom. 3.24. justified freely by his Grace. What is his Grace? The Prophet Isaiah expounds it to be not our Grace, or Works of Grace, (altho' wro't by Grace) but his own Names Sake, Isai. 43.25. In some Respect indeed it is just for God to forgive, viz. in Regard of Christ's Satisfaction, 1 John 1.7. Rom. 3.20. The Mercy Seat and the Tables of the Law in the Ark, may well stand together, but that Christ was sent to satisfy Justice, and that thy Sins were satisfied for, and not anothers; thus it's wholly of Grace. If therefore you think the Lord pardons your Sins because you have been less Sinners than others; or if you think the Lord will not pardon your Sins, be­cause you are greater Sinners than any else, you sin exceedingly against the Riches of God's Grace in this Point.

4. What is the Mean by which the Father doth thus justify?

Answ. 'Tis for the Satisfaction or by the Price of the Redemption of Christ, Rom. 3.24. and 5.10. Eph. 1.7. for Mercy would, but Justice could not forgive, without Satisfaction for the Wrong done. [Page 194] Hence Christ satisfies, that Grace and Mercy might have their full Scope of forgiving. So that, neither Works before Conversion, which are but glistering Sins, Rom. 1.18. nor Works of Grace in us after Conversion, can be the Causes of our Justification: For Abraham when he was justified and sanctified, yet had not whereof to boast, but believed in him that justified the Ungodly, Rom. 4.5. And the Apostle Paul saith expresly, We that believe have believed, that we might be justified, Gal. 2.16. 'tis therefore the Price of Christ's Redemption which doth procure our Jus­tification. But understand this aright, for this Price is not applied to each particular Man as the common Price, redeeming all, (for then every Believer should be accounted a Saviour and Redeemer of all) but as the Price of those Souls in particular, to whom it is specially intended, and particularly applied. Christ's Righteousness is sufficient to justify all to whom it is imputed, but it is no further imputed than to the at­taining the End of Imputation, viz. to justify and save me in particular, not to make me a Head of the Church or a common Saviour: It argues a Man weakly principled, that denies the Necessity of Christ's Satisfaction to our Justification, because forsooth every Believer should then be a Redeemer.

By Satisfaction I understand, the whole Obedience of Christ unto the very Death, which is both active and passive, by which we are justified, Heb. 10.10. Phil. 2.8. That Righteousness of Christ (wro't in his Satisfaction) is imputed, which satisfies the Law and divine Justice, Gal. 4.1, to 4. which is both active and passive: The very Reason why the Law requires perfect Obedience of us, which we cannot possibly bring before God, is, that we might seek for it in Christ, that fulfilled all Righteousness: And [Page 195] therefore he is called the End of the Law for Righteous­ness, Rom. 10.3, 4. And it is strange that any should deny Justification by Christ's active Obedience, upon this Ground, viz. because that by the Works of the Law (which satisfy the Law) shall no Sinner be justified; and yet withal say, that we are justified by that which satisfies the Law.

This Righteousness of Christ is not that of the Godhead, (for then what need was there for Christ to do or suffer?) but that which was wrought in the Manhood. And hence it is finite in it self, tho' in­finite in Value in that it was the Righteousness of such a Person. This Righteousness of God may be con­sidered two Ways, First, Absolutely, in it self, Se­condly, Respectively, as done for us.

1. Christ's absolute Righteousness is not imputed to us, viz. as he is Mediator, Head of the Church, having the Spirit without Measure (which is next to infinite) &c. for tho' these Things are applied for our Good, yet they are not imputed as our Righteousness; and therefore the Objection vanish­eth, which saith we cannot be justified by Christ's Righteousness, because it is of such infinite Perfection.

2. The respective or dispensative Righteousness which some call justitia fide jussoria, is that whereby Christ is just for us in fulfilling the Law, in bearing God's Image, we once had, and have now lost by Sin; and thus we are truly said to be as righteous as Christ by Imputation, because he kept the Law for us: And here observe, that the Question is not, whether all that Christ did and had is imputed to us as our Righteousness, but whether all that he did pro [...]bis, for us, as a Surety in fulfilling the Law, be not for Substance, our Righteousness; and therefore to think that we are not justified by Christ's Righteous­ness, [Page 196] because then we are justified by his working of Miracles, preaching of Sermons, which Women are not regularly capable of, is but to cast Blocks before the Blind; so that tho' Christ doth not bestow his personal Wisdom and Justice upon another, yet what hinders, but that that which Christ doth by his Wis­dom and Righteousness for another, the same should stand good for him for whom it is done? For thus it is in sundry Cases among Men; Christ's essential Righteousness, infinite Wisdom, Fulness of Spirit without Measure, &c. is not imputed to us; yet these have conspired together to do that for us, and suffer that for us, by which we come to be accounted righteous before God: He shall be called the Lord our Righteousness, Jer. 23.6. This Righteousness therefore imputed to us justifies us, Rom. 5.18. we are said to be made the Righteousness of God in him; not the Righteousness of God whereby he is just, but whereby we are just; opposed to the Righteousness of Man which is called our own Righteousness, Rom. 10.3. and 1.17. Not Righteousness from him (as the Papist's dream) but Righteousness in him; nor Re­mission by Christ only, but Righteousness in Christ; this imputed justifies; as Sin imputed condemns.

5. Who are the Persons the Lord doth justify?

Answ. They are Believers; we are justified by Faith, Rom. 5. or, for Christ's Righteousness appre­hended by Faith, Phil. 3.9. it is by Faith not as a Work of Grace, but as by an Instrument appointed of God for this End. Christ did not die that our Sins should be actually and immediately pardoned, but mediately by Faith, John 3.16. and 17.20. and the Lord in Wisdom hath appointed this as the only Means of applying Righteousness, because this above all other Graces casts down all the Righteousness of [Page 197] Man in Point of Justification, and so all Cause of Boasting, and advanceth Grace and Mercy only, Rom. 3.27. & 4.16. & 4.5. & 9, 30, 31, 32. The Faithful account themselves ungodly in the Business of Justification, and thence it is said, that Abraham (tho' a godly Man in himself, yet) believed in him that justifies the Ungodly: He only is Righteous whom God pro­nounceth and saith is Righteous. Now Faith above all other Graces believes the Word; and a Believer saith, I believe I am Righteous before God, not be­cause I feel it so in my self, but because God saith I am so in his Son, so that you are not justified before you believe; nor then only, when you have per­formed many holy Duties, but at the first Instant of your closing with Christ, you are then to see it, and by Faith to admire God's rich Grace for it.

6. What is the Extent of this Sentence?

Answ. The Description saith, that Christ's Sa­tisfaction thus applied, the Father doth two Things,

1. He absolves them from all Guilt and Condem­nation of Sin, so that in this Sense, he sees no Iniquity in Jacob, Chastisements they may now have after Justification, but no Punishments; Crosses not Curses; such as destroy their Sins, no Punishments to destroy their Souls: Hence those Phrases in Scripture, Scat­tering Sins as a Mist, blotting them out, remembring them [...]o more, setting them out as far as the East is from the West: For Christ being made Sin for his People, and this being imputed, he abolishing all Sin, by one Offe­ring, Heb. 10. Hence all are forgiven; and hence it is that there can be no Suit in Law against a Sinner, the Law being satisfied, and the Sinner absolved; nay, hence Sin is condemned, and the Sinner spared, Rom. 8.3. as Christ died for us, so he was acquitted for us, and we in him; we in him in Redemption, [Page 198] we by him in actual Faith and Application. Whe­ther all Sins, past, present, and to come, are actually forgiven at the first Instant of believing, I will not, dare not determine; this is safe to say,

1. That the Sentence of Pardon of all thy Sins is at an Instant, Rom. 8.1. but not the Sense nor Exe­cution of Pardon: Actual Sentence of Pardon, not actual Application of Pardon, till they be actually committed, Col. 2.13. Heb. 9.12. and 10.1, 2. Rom. 3.25. There is a Pardon of Course (some say) for Sins of Infirmities, I say there is also a Par­don of Course for Sins of Wilfulness, all Manner of Sins; but not Sense of Pardon always.

2. He accepts and accounts us perfectly Righte­ous, Rom. 4.3. Faith is accounted for Righteousness, not the Act of Faith; as the Arminians would, but the Object of it apprehended by Faith, Rom. 5.17. The Lord accounts us as Righteous thro' Christ's Righteousness, as if we had kept all the Law, suffered all the Punishments for the Breach of it; Who can lay any Thing to the Charge of God's Elect, whom God hath justified? saith the Apostle, Rom. 8. Satan may answer, Yes I can, for the Law saith, The Soul that sins must die: Christ answers, but I have died for him, and satisfied the utmost Farthing to Justice in that Point: True, my Satan say, here is Satisfaction for the Offence, but the Law must be kept also; the Lord Christ answers, I am the End of the Law for Righteousness, I am perfectly holy and righteous, not for my self, (for I am a common Person) but for this poor Sinner who in himself is exceedingly and wholly polluted; and hence the Lord covers Sins, as well as pardons Sins; cloaths us with Christ, as well as remits Sin for Christ's Sake; and as we are account­ed Sinners by Imputation of Adam's legal Unrighteous­ness, [Page 199] so are we accounted Righteous by the second Adam's legal Righteousness, and that unto eternal Life, Rom. 5.17, 18. Thus you see the Nature, now the Lord opens your Eyes to see the Glory of this Privilege; you that never felt the heavy Load of Sin, the Terrors of a distressed Conscience arising from the Sense of an angry God, cannot prize this Privilege; but if you have, you cannot but say as he did, O blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven, and whose Sin is covered; and again, Blessed is the Man to whom the Lord imputes no Sin, Psal. 32.12. The Lord pity us; how many be there in these Times, that know there is no Justification but by Christ's Righteousness, and yet esteem it not? Let me there­fore give you one Glimpse of the Glory of it in these Particulars,

1. This is the Righteousness by which a Sinner is Righteous: The Law shews you how a Man may be Righteous, but there is not the least Tittle of the Law, which shews you how a Sinner may become Righteous, this never could have entred into the Thoughts of Angels how this could be; it is cross to Sense and Reason, for a Man accursed and sinful in himself, to be at that very Time blessed and righteous in another; to say, Lord, Depart from me, for I am a sinful Man, Luke 5.8. is the Voice of natural Conscience awakened, not only concerning God out of Christ, but even when God appears in Christ as he did then to Peter; but that the Lord should become our Righteousness, when we think no Sinners like our selves, no Cases, no Afflictions, no Desertions like ours; who can believe this? Yet thus it is; the very Scope of the fourth Chapter to the Romans, Rom. 4.5. is not to shew how a just Man may be made Righ­teous, but how a Sinner may; our own Duties, Works, [Page 200] and Reformation, may make us at the best but less sinful, but this Righteousness makes a Sinner sinless.

2. By this a Sinner is Righteous before the Judg­ment Seat of God: What Man that hath Awaken­ings of Conscience, but trembles exceedingly when he considers the Judgment Seat of God, and of his strict Account there? But by this we can look upon the Face of the Judge himself with Boldness. It is God that justifies, who shall condemn? Rom. 8.32. Can Christ condemn? He is our Advocate. Can Sin condemn? Why did Christ die and was made Sin then? Can Satan condemn, if God himself justify us? If the Judge acquits us, what can the Jaylor do? Can the Law condemn? No, the Lord Christ hath fulfilled it for us, to the utmost: Oh the Stings that many have, saying, What shall I do when I die and go down to the Dust? May not the Lord have some­thing against me at the Day of Reckoning that I ne­ver saw, nor got cancelled? O poor Creatures! Is Christ now before God without Spot? Hath he cleared all Reckonings? Verily as he is before him, so are you; thro' that Righteousness which is in him for you.

3. By this you have perfect Righteousness, as per­fectly Righteous, as Christ the Righteous, 1 John 2.1, 2, and 3.7. All yo [...] own Righteousness tho' it be the Fruit of the Spirit of Grace, is a blotted, stained Righteousness, very imperfect and little; but by this the Faith of David, Peter, Paul, was not more pre­cious than thine is, because thou hast the same Righ­teousness as they had, 2 Pet. 1.2. What sincere Soul but esteems of perfect Holiness more than of Heaven it self? Oh consider thou hast it (in this Sense I now speak of) in the Lord Jesus.

4. By this you have continual Righteousness. What dost thou complain of daily? Is it not because thou [Page 201] feelest new Sins, or the same Sins confessed, and la­mented, and in Part subdued; nay, some to thy feeling wholly subdued; but they return upon thee again, and the Springs in the Bottom fill thy Soul again, that thou art weary of thy Self and Life. O but remember, this is not a Cistern, but a Fountain opened, Zech. 13.1. for thee to wash in; as Sin a­bounds, so Grace in this Gift of Righteousness abounds much more; the Lord hath Changes of Garments for thee, Zech. 3.1, to 7. by Means of which, there shall never enter into the Lord's Heart, one hard Tho't toward thee of casting thee off, or of taking Revenge, upon any new Occasion or Fall into Sin.

5. By this you have eternal Righteousness, that never can be lost: If the Lord should make thee as perfectly Righteous as once Adam was, or Angels in Heaven are, and put on thy royal Apparel again, thou wast in danger of losing this, and of being stript naked again; but now the Lord hath put your Righteous­ness into a safer Hand which never shall be lost, Heb. 9.12. Dan. 9.24.

6. By this you please God, and are more amiable before him, than if you had it in your self; Do not say this is a poor Righteousness, which is thus out of thy self in another; why do you think Righteousness in your self would be best? Is it not because hereby you think you shall please God? Suppose thou hadst it, yet thy Righteousness should be at the best but Man's Righteousness, but this is called the Righteous­ness of God, which cannot but be more pleasing to him, than that in thy self, 2 Cor. 5.20. What is angelical Righteousness to the Righteousness of God? 'Tis but a Glow-Worm before the [...] The Smell of Esau's Garments, the Robes of this Righteousness of the Son of God, are of a sweeter Odour than thine [Page 202] can be or ever shall be, Eph. 5.1, 2. 'Tis said, By Faith, Abel, Enoch, &c. pleased God: Their Persons were sinful, their own Duties were weak, yet by Faith in this, they pleased God: Thou thinkest when thou goest to Prayer, if I had no Sin, but perfect Holiness in me, surely God would hear me. I tell you when you bring this Offering of Christ's Righteousness, the Lord had rather have that, than all you can do, you bring that which pleaseth him more, than if you bro't your own. For ask thy own Conscience, if it be possible for the Righteousness that is done by thy self to be more pleasing to God, than the Righteousness of the Son of God, the Lord of Glory himself, done and perfected for thee.

7. By this you glorify God exceedingly, as Abra­ham believed, Rom. 4. and gave Glory unto God. In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified, and shall Glory, Isai. 45.15.

1. By this you glorify him perfectly in an Instant, for you continue to do all that the Law requires that Instant you believe. The Apostle propounds the Question, Rom. 3.21. Whether a Christian by Faith doth make Void the Law? No, saith the Apostle, But we establish the Law. How is that? Praeus shews three Ways: One is this, Because that perfect Righteous­ness which the Law requires of us, we perform it in Christ by Faith. So that in one Instant thou conti­nuest to do all that the Law requires, and hence ari­ [...]th the Impossibility of a true Believer's Apostacy, as from one principal Cause: They that deny Satisfaction by Christ's doing of the Law, because by our own Works and Doings we cannot be justified before God, may as well deny Satisfaction by Christ's Suffe­rings, because by our Sufferings we cannot be justified; our Obedience to the Law in Way of Suffering, is as [Page 203] truly the Works of the Law, as our Obedience in Way of Doing.

2. By this you glorify God's Justice; whatever Justice requires to be done or suffered, you give it unto God by Faith in Christ.

3. By this you glorify Grace and Mercy, Eph. 1.7. for by this Means Mercy may over-bound toward you, and you may triumph in it as sure and certain to you. What a blessed Mistery is this! Doth it not grieve you that you cannot glorify God in your Times and Places? Behold the Way, if thou canst not do it by Obedience, thou mayst by Faith: And thereby make Restitution of all God's Glory lost and stolen from him by thy Disobedience to him.

8. By this you have Peace in your Consciences; by this, Christ's Blood is sprinkled upon them, and that cools the burning Torments of them, Rom. 5.1. The Commers unto the levitical Sacrifices and Wash­ings, (Types of this Offering of Christ) could not thereby be perfected and be without the guilty Con­science of Sin: None of your Duties can pacify Con­science, but as they carry you hither to this Righte­ousness: but the Commers to this have no more Ter­rors of Conscience for Sin, I mean they have no just Cause to have any; this Rain-bow appearing over your Heads, is a certain Sign of fair Weather, and that there shall be no more Deluge of Wrath to over­whelm thee.

9. By this all Miseries are removed; when thy Sins are pardoned, there is something like Death, & Shame, and Sickness, but they are not; it is said, Isai. 33. ult. There shall be none sick among you; why so? Be­cause they shall be forgiven their Iniquities: 'Tis no Sickness in a Manner, no Sorrow, no Affliction, if the Venom, Sting, and Curse be taken away by Par­don [Page 204] of Sin; thy Sickness, Sorrow, Losses, Death it self is better now than Health, Joy, Abundance, Life; you may here see Death, Hell, Grave, swallowed up in Victory, and now tread upon the Necks of them, I Cor. 15. You may see Life in Death, Heaven in the deepest Hell, Glory in Shame: When thou seest all thy Sins done away in the Blood of Christ Jesus. This is the Blessedness of all you poor Believers and Commers to the Lord Jesus: What should you do but believe it, and rejoice in it? If the Wicked that apply this Righteousness presumptuously say, Let us Sin that Grace may abound, and make no other use of Forgiveness, but to run in Debt, and sin with a License? Why shou'd not you say, on the other side, Let me believe and own my portion in this Righteous­ness, that as my Sins have abounded, so my Love may abound; as my Sins have been exceeding great, so the Lord may be exceeding sweet; as my Sins con­tinue and encrease, so my Thankfulness, Glory in God, Triumph over Death, Grave, Sins, through Christ, may also encrease; as you see Righteousness in Christ for ever yours, so you may from thence expect from him such a Righteousness as may make you Righ­teous also as he is Righteous. Tremble thou hard-hearted impenitent Wretch, that didst never yet come to Christ, nor feel thy Need of him, or prize his Blood; this is none of thy Portion, all thy Sins are yet upon thee, and shall one Day meet thee in the Day of the Lord's fierce Wrath, when he shall appear as an everlasting Burning before thine Eyes, and thou stand guilty before him as chaff and stubble.

SECT. II. Secondly, Reconciliation.

THIS is the second Benefit which in Order of Nature follows our Justification, altho' some­times in a large Sense it is taken for the whole Work of Justification, strictly taken, it follows it, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by Faith, we have Peace with God, i. e. not only Peace from God in our Con­sciences, but Peace with God in our Reconcilement to him, and his Favour toward us: Being justified, we shall be saved from Wrath, i. e. not only the out­ward Fruits of Wrath, but Wrath from whence those come; Christ is first King of Righteousness, then King of Peace, Heb. 7.2. For is not Sin the Cause of God's Anger? Must not Sin therefore be first removed in our Justification, before we can have God's Anger allayed in our Reconciliation? So that as in our Jus­tification the Lord accounts us just, so in our Recon­ciliation (himself being at Peace with us) he accounts us Friends; indeed our meritorious Reconciliation is by Christ's Death; as the King's Son who procures his Father's Favour toward a Malefactor, who yet lies in cold Irons and knows it not; and this is before our Justification or Being, Rom. 5.9. but actual and efficacious Reconciliation, whereby we come to the Fruition and Possession of it, is after our Justification, Rom. 3.24, 25. Christ is a Propitiation by Faith, and here the Malefactor hath Tidings of Favour, if he will accept of it, Eph. 2.15, 17. and of this I now speak: God and Man were once Friends, but by Sin a great Breach is made, the Lord only bearing the Wrongs is justly provoked, Isai. 65.2, 3. Man that only doth the Wrong is notwithstanding at En­mity [Page 206] with him, and will not be intreated to accept of Favour, much less to repent of this Wrong, Jer. 8.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. the Lord Jesus therefore heals this Breach, by being Mediator between both; he takes up the Quarrel, and first reconciles God to Man, and Man to God, in himself, in Redemption, and after this reconciles God and Man by himself in (or imme­diately upon) our Justification.

This Reconciliation consists in two Things chiefly.

1. In our Peace with God, whereby the Lord lays by all Acts of Hostility against us, Rom. 5.1.

2. In the Love and Favour of God. I do not mean God's Love of Good-will, for this is in Election, but his Love of Complaisency and Delight, for 'till we are justified, the Lord behaves himself as an Enemy and Stranger to us who are polluted before him, but then he begins thus to love us, 1 John 4.10, 16. Col. 1.21, 22. A Gardiner may intend to turn a Crab-tree Stock into an Apple-tree, his Intention doth not alter the Nature of it until it be actually ingraffed up­on: So we are by Nature the Children of Wrath, Eph. 1.3. The Intention of God the Father, or his Love of Good-will, doth not make us Children of Favour and Sons of Peace, until the Lord actually call us to and ingrafft us into Christ, and then as Christ is the Delight of God, so we in him are loved with the same Love of De­light, Isai. 4.1, 2. Peace with God, and Love of God, are different Degrees of our Reconciliation: A Prince is at Peace, or ceaseth War, against a Re­bel, yet he may not bring the Rebel before him, into his Bosom of special Favour, Delight, and Love; but the Lord doth both, towards us Enemies, Strangers, Rebels, Devils, in our Reconciliation with him.

5. Oh consider what a blessed Estate this is to be at Peace with God: It was the Title of Honour the [Page 207] Lord put upon Abraham, to be the Friend of God, Isa. 41.8. I am not able to express what a Priviledge this is, 'tis better felt than spoken of; as Moses said, Psal. 90. Who knows the Greatness of his Wrath; so I may say, Who knows the Greatness of this Favour and Love?

1. That God should be pacified with thee after An­ger, this is exceeding glorious, Isai. 12.1, 2. What is Man that the Lord should visit him, or look upon him, tho' he never had sinned? But to look upon thee, nay to love thee, after Provocation by Sin, after such Wrath, which like Fire hath consumed Thousand Thousands, and burnt down to the Bottom of Hell, and is now and ever shall be burning upon them; Oh blessed are they that find this Favour!

2. That the Lord should be pacified wholly and thoro'ly, that there should be no Anger left for you to feel. The poor afflicted Church might object a­gainst those sweet Promises made here, Isai. 27.1, 2, 3. that she left no Love: You are mistaken, saith the Lord, Fury is not in me, ver. 4. Indeed against Bri­ars and Thorns, and obstinate Sinners that prick and cut me to the very Heart by their Impenitency, I have, but none against you: Out of Christ, God is a con­suming Fire, but in Christ he is nothing else but Love, 1 John 4.16. and tho' there may be fatherly Frowns, Chastisements, Reproofs, and Rods, tho' he may for a Time hide his Face, shut out thy Prayers, defer to fulfil Promises, &c. yet all these are out of pure Love to thee, and thou shalt see it, and feel it so in thy latter End, Heb. 12.8, 9. Never did David love Jonathan (whose Love exceeded) as the Lord loves thee from his very Heart, now thou art in Christ by Faith.

3. That the Lord shall be pacified eternally, never to cast thee off again for any Sins or Miseries thou fallest [Page 208] into, this is wonderful: Those whom Men love they forsake, if their Love be abused; or if their Friends be in Affliction, they then bid them good Night; but the Lord's Love and Favour is everlasting, Isai. 9.7. The Mountains may depart out of their Places, and the Hills cast down to Valleys, but the Lord's Kindness never shall, never can; he hath hid his Face a little Moment, Isai. 45.10. whiles thou didst live in thy Sin and Un­belief, but now, with everlasting Mercy will he em­brace thee; nay, which is more, the abounding of thy Sin is now the Occasion of the abounding of his Grace, Rom. 5.20. thy very Wants and Miseries are the very Causes of his Bowels and tender Mercies, Heb. 4.15, 16. Oh what a Priviledge is this? Did the Lord ever shew Mercy and Favour to the Angels that sinned? Did not one Sin cast them out of Favour ut­terly? Oh infinite Grace, that so many Thousand Thousands every Day gushing out of thy Heart against Kindness and Love, nay the greatest dearest Love of God, should not incense his sorest Displeasure against thee! The Lord that poured out all his Anger upon his own Son for thee, and for all thy Sins, cannot now pour out, nay he hath not one Drop left, (though he would) to pour out upon thee for any one Sin.

4. That the Lord should be thus pacified with Enemies; a Man may be easily pacified with one that offends him a little, but with an Enemy that strikes at his Life, (as by every Sin you do) this is wonderful, yet this is the Case here, Rom. 5.7, 8.

5. That the Lord shall be pacified, even with E­nemies, by such a wonderful Way as the Blood of Jesus Christ, Rom. 5.7, 8. this is such Love, as one would think the infinite Wisdom of a blessed God could have devised no greater; by this ( v. 6.) he commended and set out his Love, which tho' now it [Page 209] grow a stale and common Thing in our Days, yet this is that which is enough to burst the Heart with Astonishment and Amazement, to think that the Par­ty offended, (who therefore had no Cause to seek Peace with us again) should find out such a Way of Peace as this: Wo to the World that despise this Peace.

6. That being thus pacified, you may come into God's Presence with Boldness at any Time, and ask what you will: I wonder what he can deny you if he loves you, Rom. 5.2. and which is yet more, that now all Creatures are at Peace with you, Job. 5.23. is when the Captain of the Army is pacified, none of his Soldiers must hurt or strike that Man; nay, that hereby all your Enemies should be forced to do Good to you; Oh Death where is now thy Sting?

I have oft wondered, If Christ hath born all our Miseries and suffered Death for us, why then should we feel any Miseries or see Death any more? And I could never satisfy my own Heart by any Answers gi­ven, better than by this, viz. That if the Lord should abolish the very being of our Miseries, they should in­deed then do us no hurt; but neither could they then do us any good; for if they were not at all, how could they do us any good? Now the Lord Jesus hath made such a Peace for us, as that our Enemies shall not only not hurt us, but they shall be forced (himself ordering of them) to do much good unto us; all your Wants shall but make you Pray the more, all your Sorrows shall but Humble you the more, all your Temptations shall but Exercise your Graces the more; all your Spi­ritual Desertions shall but make you long for Heaven, and to be with Christ the more: It is now part of your Portion, no [...] only to have Paul and Apallos; and World, not Death it self, [...] Cor. 3.22. to do you good: Oh Lord what a b [...]ess [...]d Estate is this; which, though [Page 210] Thousands living under the Gospel of peace hear of, yet they regard not; they can strain their Conscien­cies in a restless pursuit of the Favour of Men, and in seeking Worldly Peace; yet to this Day (tho' born Enemies to God) never spent one Day, it may be not one Hour, in Mourning after the Lord for Favour from him, nor care not for it, unless it be upon their own Terms, viz. that God would be at Peace with them, but they may still remain quietly in their Sins and War against God; and thence it is, that the Lord will shortly take away Peace from the whole Earth, and Plague the World with War and Blood-shed: And as it is in Zech. 11.6. Deliver every Man into the Hand of his Neighbour, and into the Hand of his King, and they shall smite the Land; even for this very cause, for despising the Peace and Reconciliation with God, you might and should have accepted in the Gospel of Peace.

SECT. III Thirdly, Adoption.

THIS is the third Benefit, which in order of Nature follows our Reconciliation, whereby the Lord accounts us Sons, and gives us the Spirit and Privilege of Sons: For in order, we must be first beloved before we can be loved so as to be ac­counted Sons, 1 John 3.1, 2. For the Lord of un­just to account us just in our Justification is much; but for the Lord to account us hereby as Friends, this is more: But to account us Sons also, this is a higher Degree and a farther Privilege; and hence our Adoption follows our Faith, John 1.12. Gal. 3.26. [Page 211] And if Adoption, then the Spirit of Adoption much less doth not precede Faith. By Christ's active Obe­dience (our Divines say) we have right unto Life; by Adoption we have a farther right; the one de­stroys not the other; for a Man may have right un­to the same Thing upon sundry Grounds: We know there are two Sorts of Sons: 1. Some by Nature, born of our own Bodies, and thus we are not Sons of God, but Children of Wrath. 2. Some by Adop­tion, which are taken out of another Family, and ac­counted freely of us as our Sons; and thus Moses was for a Time the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter. And of this Son-ship by Adoption I now speak, the Lord ta­king us out of the Family of Hell to be his adopted Sons. Christ is God's Son by eternal Generation, Adam by Creation; all Believers are Sons by Adop­tion. Now Adoption is two-fold,

1. External, whereby the Lord takes a People by outward Covenant and Dispensation to be his Sons, and thus all the Jews were God's first-born, Exod. 4.22. and unto him did belong the Adoption, Rom. 9.4, 5. And hence their Children were accounted Sons, as well as Saints, and holy, 1 Cor. 7.14. Ezek. 16.20, 21. but many fall from this Adoption, as the Jews did.

2. Internal, whereby the Lord out of everlasting Love to particular Persons in special, he takes them out of the Family of Satan, and by internal Love and special Account reckons them in the Number of Sons; makes them indeed Sons, as well as calls them so, Isai. 56.5. Isaac by special Promise was accounted for the Seed, Rom. 9.8. and of this we now speak. Now this is double,

1. Adoption begun, 1 John 3.1, 2. now we are the Sons of God. To some of which, (tho' Sons indeed) yet the Lord behaves himself toward them for some Time, and for special Reasons, as unto Servants, [Page 212] exercising them with many Fears, Gal. 4.1, 2. Some Spirits will not be the better for the Love of their Fa­ther, but worse; and therefore the Lord keeps a hard Hand over them: to others, the Lord behaves himself with more special Respect, in making them cry with more Boldness, Abba, Father, Rom. 8.15, 16. who will be more easily overcome, and bent to his Will, by Love.

2. Adoption perfected, when we shall receive all the Privileges of Sons, not one excepted, Rom. 8.23. where we are said to wait for our Adoption, the Redemp­tion of our Bodies; by the first we are Sons, but not seen nor known such, 1 John 3.1, 2. By the second, we shall be known before all the World to be such: We now speak principally of Adoption begun, where­by we are Sons in God's Account, and by real Re­ception of the Spirit of Sons: The Manner of this Adoption is thus,

1. God loves Jesus Christ with an unspeakable Love, as his only Son, and as our elder Brother.

2. Hence when we are in Christ his Son, he loves us with the same Love, as he doth his own Son.

3. Hence the Lord accounts us Sons, Eph. 1.5, 6. God's Love is not now toward us as to Adam his Son by Creation, viz. immediately diffused upon us; but in loving his own Son immediately, hence he loves us, and hence adopts us, and accounts us Children.

Oh that the Lord would open our Eyes to see this Privilege; Behold it, saith John, 1 John 3.1. Stand amazed at it, that Children of Wrath should become the Sons of the most high God; for a Beggar on the Dunghil, a Vagabond, Runnagate from God, a Pro­digal, a Stranger to God, whom the Lord hath no Cause to think on, to be made a Son of God almighty.

If Sons, then the Lord doth prize and esteem you as Sons: If a Man hath twenty Sons, he esteems the [Page 213] poorest, least, sick Child he hath, more than all his Goods and Servants, unless he be an unnatural Father; I tell you that the least of you, the poorest and most feeble Believer, is accounted of God, and more esteem­ed than all his Houshold-stuff; than Heaven, Earth, and all the Glory in it, and all the Kings and great Men in the World, Isai. 43.4, 5, 6. not because thou hast done any Thing worthy of this, but only because he accounts thee freely as his Son.

If Sons, then the Lord surely will take Care for you as for Sons; a godly Father hath a double Care of his Children. First, of their Temporal, Secondly, and chiefly of their eternal Estate: We are ready to ques­tion in Times of Want, what we shall eat, drink, how we shall live; Oh consider, art thou a Son of God, and will not he that feeds the Ravens, and cloaths the Lillies, Mat. 6.31, 32. provide for thee? Yes verily, he will take Care for thy temporal Good. It is true, you may be bro't into outward Straits, Wants, Miseries, yet then the Lord is thereby plotting for thy eternal Good, for hence come all God's Corrections, Deut. 8.5. Heb. 12.8. the Lord took all they had from them by their Enemies in War, and carried them away Captive into a strange Land, yet Jer. 24.5. this was for their Good; we think the Lord many Times takes no Care for us, and so make him of a worse Na­ture than the savage Beasts, or bloody Men toward their young, but this is certain, he never denies any Thing to us in outward Things, but it is to further our eternal Bliss with him, to do us Good in our latter End: What say godly Parents? It is no Matter what be­comes of my Children, when I am dead, if the Lord will but give them himself to be their Portion; if at last they may see the Lord in Glory: Do not wonder then if the Lord keeps you short sometimes.

[Page 214]If Sons, then he loves you as Sons, as a Father doth his Sons; you think the Lord loves you not, because you do not alway feel his Love, nor know his Love; is thy Son not thy Child, because while it is young, it knows not the Father that begat it, or because thou art sometime departed from it, and hast it not alway in thine own Arms? Israel saith, My God hath for­saken me and forgotten me, Isai. 49.14. and yet no Mother tenders her Child, as the Lord did them; you think because you have so many Sins & Afflictions one upon another, that the Lord loves you not: Judge righteously, hath thy Child no Father because it is sick long together, and therefore kept under a spare Diet? No, he knows our Mould, and that we are but Dust, and freely chuses us to be his Sons, and hence loves notwithstanding all our Sins, Psal. 89.32, 33. If he sees Ephraim bemoaning his Stubbornness, as well as his Sickness and Weakness, Jer. 31.20. doth not the Lord profess, Is he not my only Son?

4. If Sons, then we are Heirs and Co-Heirs with Christ, saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.17. Sons by Na­ture are not always Heirs, but all Sons by Adoption are: We are Heirs with Christ, the Lord Christ as our elder Brother managing all our Estate for us, because unable to do it our selves: We are Heirs, 1. Of the Kingdom of Glory, 1 Pet. 1.4, 5.2. Heirs of all this visible World, 1 Cor. 3.22. not that we have the whole World in our own Hand (it would be too cumbersome to us to manage) but the Lord gives us the Rent of it, the Blessing and Good of it, tho' it be possessed by others. 3. We are Heirs of the Promise, Heb. 11.9. & 6.17. whereby Jehovah himself comes to be our Inheritance and Portion for ever; and look as Christ was in the World and Heir of all, tho' trod under Foot by all, so are we; what can we desire more?

[Page 215]5. If Sons, then we have, and shall ever have the Spirit of Sons, Rom. 8.15, 16. And what are we the better for this Spirit? Truly hereby, First, we cry unto him, we are enabled to pray, who could not pray before, because Guilt stopt our Mouths. Se­condly, we cry Abba Father, and this Spirit witnesseth that we are the Sons of this Father: It is not said that it witnesseth to our Spirits, but it witnesseth with our Spirits, i. e. our renewed Conscience, thus; all Believers called and justified of God are Sons, but I am such a Believer, therefore I am a Son, now the Spirit bears witness with us in every Part, both Pre­mises and Conclusion, only it being the clearest and strongest Witness, it testifies the same Thing our Consciences do, but yet more clearly, more certainly, more comfortably & sweetly, ravishing the Soul with most unspeakable Peace and Joy, especially in the Conclusion. I know there is a Noetick Testimony, but it is lastly resolved into this; I'll not now dispute it, only this is certain; that this Testimony all the Sons of God have by Means of their Adoption. They may not indeed sometime hear it; if they do they may object against it thro' the Unbelief in Part remaining in them; or if it be sometimes suspended, what you want in the Witness and Comfort of it, you have it in the Holiness of it; and therefore the Spirit sealing is called the Holy Spirit, Eph. 4.30. 1 Pet. 1.6, 7, 8. and is not this a great Privilege? Rom. 8.14, Thirdly, Hereby you are led and guided, and that continually toward your last End. For as if Adam had stood, he should have had the Spirit of God, this very Spirit to have kept him and all his Posterity from falling at any Time from God, so Christ having stood for us, justi­fied us before God, sends the immutable constant As­sistance of the Spirit in Adoption, which tho' it doth [Page 216] not alway quicken us, nor comfort us, nor assure us, &c. yet it is every Moment guiding and leading of us unto our utmost End. From hence it is, that the same Sins which harden others, at [...] humble us, the same Temptations by which others fall and perish, serve at last to purify us; hence our Decay in Grace leads us to Growth at last, hence our Fears & Doubts serve to establish at least, hence our wildrings from God, for a Time, make us esteem more of the Pre­sence and Ways of God at last; because the Spirit of Adoption is that by which we are led, and constantly assisted and carried toward our latter End: Oh mourn thou that art as yet no Son, but a Slave to Satan, and unto thy filthy Lusts; a Servant at best, working for Wages only, and fear of the Whip, who shalt not alway abide in God's House as Sons shall do: Nay it may be hast hated and reviled the Sons of God; Time shall come that you shall wonder at their Glory who are not known now.

SECT. IV. Fourthly, Sanctification.

THIS is the fourth Benefit which follows in Order of Nature, our Justification, Re­conciliation, and Adoption, for upon our being Sons in Adoption, we receive the Image of our heavenly Father in Sanctification; be­cause we are under Grace. Hence it comes to pass that we are freed from the reigning Power of Sin, Rom. 6.14. so that our Sanctification follows our Justifica­tion, and Adoption, goes not before it. In justifica­tion, we have the Love and Righteousness of the Son; in Reconciliation, the Love of the Father; in Adop­tion, [Page 217] the Love of a Father and Presence of the Spirit assisting, witnessing; in Sanctification, the Image of our Father by the same Spirit: And this I conceive, with Submission, is the Seal of the Spirit, mentioned, Eph. 1.13. the Seal sealing, is the Spirit it self; the Seal sealed, consists first in the Expression of it in A­doption; secondly, in the Impression of it in Sanctifi­cation, and that he only shall pass as current Coin, that hath both these: I know the most full and clear Expression & Testimony of the Spirit is after all God's Work is finished in Glorification, but the Beginning of it is here in Adoption, a full Measure of it in Sanc­tification; God's Seal is ever set to some Purpose (as Men's Seals to some Bonds, not to Blanks) the Lord's Promise of actual Justification and Reconciliation, pertains only to Men sanctified or called: In Adop­tion therefore we receive the Spirit, which looks both Ways; testifying either thou sanctified, art justified, or thou called, art justified and reconciled.

I speak not now of external Sanctification by out­ward Shew and Profession, and common Illumination and Operation of the Spirit upon Men, from which many fall away, Heb. 10.29. but of internal and spe­cial; the Nature of which, you may best conceive in these three Degrees,

1. It is the renewing of a Man, Tit. 3.5. So that by it a Man is morally made a new Man, another Man; all Things are become new, 2 Cor. 5.27. he hath new Thoughts, new Opinions of Things, new Desires, new Prayers, and Praises, new Dispositions, Regeneration not differing from it.

2. It is a renewing of the whole Man, 1 Thes. 5.23. For as every Part and Faculty of Man is corrupt by the first Adam, so they are renewed by the second Adam; not that we are perfectly renewed in this Life [Page 218] by Christ, as we are corrupt by Adam, but in Part in every Faculty, Rom. 6.19. and from hence ariseth our spiritual Combat and Warfare with Sin, yea with all Sin; it is not because of our Sanctification simply (for if it were perfect, we should War and Wrestle no more;) but from the Imperfection of it. And this renewal in Part, is in every Part, even in the whole Man: And as the first Adam propagates Sin chiefly and radically in the Soul, especially into the Heart of Man; and from thence it diffuseth it self like Leaven into the whole Lump of our Lives, so the Lord Jesus chiefly communicates this Renewal into our Hearts, and thence it sweetens our Lives; and hence it is called the inner Man, Rom. 7.22. Eph. 3.16. You see a little Holiness in a Christian; I tell you, if he be of the right Make, there is a Kind of infinite endless Holiness within him from whence it springs, as there is a Kind of infinite endless Wick­ekness in a wicked Man, from whence his Sin spring: If a Man be outwardly holy, but not within, he is not sanctified, no more than the painted Sepulchres of the proud Pharisees; if any Man say his Heart is good, tho' he makes no Shew in his Life, he speaks not the Truth, if the Apostle may be believed, 1 John 1.6. for Sanctification is the Renewal of the whole Man, within and without; it is not for a Man to have his Teeth white, his Tongue tipt, and his Nails pared; no, no, the Lord makes all new where he comes.

3. It is a Renewal unto the Image of God, or of God in Christ; an unsanctified Man may be after a Sort renewed in the whole Man, his outward Con­versation may be fair, his Mind may be enlightned, his Heart may taste of the heavenly Gift, Heb. 6.4, 5. he may have a Form of Godliness, 2 Tim. 3.5. he may have strong Resolutions within him unto Godliness, [Page 219] Deut. 5.29. And hence with the five foolish Virgins, may be received into the Fellowship of the Wise, and not discerned of them neither, till the Gate is shut; but they are never renewed in their whole Man after the Image of God, i. e. they do not know Things, and judge of them as God doth, they do not Love and Will Holiness and the Means thereto, as God doth; they hate not Sin, as God doth; they do not delight in the whole Law of God, it is not writ in their Hearts, and hence they love it not as God doth: And this is the Cut of the Thread between a sanctified and un­sanctified Spirit; by Sanctification a Man is renewed unto God's Image, once lost, but here again restored, Eph. 4, 24. John 1.16. we receive from Christ Grace for Grace, as the Seal on the Wax hath Tittle for Tittle, to that in the Seal it self, we are changed into the same Image of Christ by beholding him in the Glass of the Gospel, by Faith, 2 Cor. 3.18. I delight in the Law of my God in my inward Man, Rom. 7.23. And hence a Christian by the Life of Sanctification, lives like unto God; at least hath a holy Disposition and Inclination (the Habits of Holiness) so to do, Gal. 2.19. I live unto God, he calleth us from Darkness into his marvellous Light, that we might shew forth his Vertues; and that this is true Sanctification, may thus appear; because our Sanctification is opposed to our original Corruption, as our Justification to our original and contracted Guilt of Sin: Now as original Corruption is the defacing of God's Image by contrary Disposi­tions to Sinfulness, so our Sanctification can be no­thing else but the Removal of this Pollution, by the contrary Habits and Dispositions to be like unto God again: Our Sanctification is to be holy, Lev. 20.7. 1 Pet. 1.14, 15, 16. our Holiness hath no other pri­mary Pattern but God's Holiness, so that our Sanctifi­cation [Page 220] is not the Righteousness and Holiness as it is in­herent in Christ, for that is the Matter of our Justifi­cation, and therefore Sanctification must be that Ho­liness which is derived unto us from Christ, whereby we are made like unto him; and thus Christ is made Sanctification unto us, 1 Cor. 1.30. There should be no Difference between Christ our Righteousness and Sanctification, if that Holiness which is in Christ should be both unto us. Hence also Sanctification is not the immediate Operation of the Spirit upon us, without created Habits of Grace abiding in us, as the Spirit that came upon Balaam, and mightily affected him for a Time, but left him as destitute of any Grace or Change of his Nature as the Ass he rode on; no, no, it renews you unto the Image of God himself, if you be truly sanctified. And therefore let all these Dreams of the Familists (denying all inherent Graces, but only those which are in Christ, to be in the Saints) let them vanish and perish from under the Sun, and the good Lord reduce all such who in Simplicity are misled from this blessed Truth of God. I will not now enter into the Depth concerning the Means of our Sanctification in Mortification by Christ's Death and Vivication by the Resurrection of Christ: This may suffice for Ex­plication of the Nature of it.

Only see and for ever prize this Privilege, all you blessed Souls, whom the Lord hath justified; thou hast many sad Complaints, what is it to me, if I be justified in Christ, and be saved at last by Christ, and my Heart remain all this while unholy & unsubdued unto the Will of Christ; that he should comfort me, and my holy Heart be alway grieving of him; what tho' the Lord save me from Misery, but saves me not from my Sin; Oh consider this Benefit. It is true, thou findest a woful, sinful Nature within thee, cross [Page 221] and contrary unto Holiness, and leading thee daily in Captivity; yet remember the Lord hath given thee another Nature, a new Nature; there is something else within thee, which makes thee wrestle against Sin; and shall in Time prevail over all Sin, Mat. 12.20. this is the Lord's Grace sanctifying of thee. Oh be thankful that the Lord hath not left thee wholly corrupt but hath begun to glorify himself in thee, and to bless thee in turning thee from thine Iniquities.

1. By this thou hast a most sweet and comfortable evidence of thy Justification and Favour with God; he that denies this, must (whatever Distinctions he hath) abolish many Places of Scripture, especially the Epistles of James and John, who had to do with some Spirits, that pretended Faith and Union to Christ, and Communion with him, and so long as it was thus, this was Evidence sufficient to them of their justified Estates. What saith James? Thou say'st thou hast Faith, shew it me then; prove it: for my Part, saith he, I'll prove by the blessed Fruits and Works which flow from it, as Abraham manifested his, Jam. 2.18, 22. What said John? You talk (said he) of Fellowship and Communion with Christ, and yet what Holiness is there in your Hearts and Lives; if you say you have Fellowship with him, and walk in Darkness, you lie, and do not the Truth; but if you walk in the Light, then al­tho' your Holiness, and Confession, and daily Repen­tance for Sin doth not wash away Sin, yet the Blood of Christ doth wash us, 1 John 1.6, 7. Again, you say, you know Christ, and the Love and Good-will of Christ toward you, and that he is the Propitiation for your Sins: How do you know this? saith he: He that saith I know him, and keep not his Commandments, is a Liar, 1 John 2.4. True, might some reply, he that keeps not the Commands of Christ, hath thereby a sure E­vidence [Page 222] that he knows him not, and that he is not u­nited unto him; but is this any Evidence that we do know him, and that we are united to him, if we do keep his Commandments? Yes verily, saith the A­postle, Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments, ver 3. and again ver. 5. Hereby know we that we are in him: What can be more plain? What a Vanity is this to say, that this is running upon a Covenant of Works? Is not Sanctification the writing of the Law in our Hearts, a special Benefit of the Covenant of Grace, as well as Justification? Heb. 8.10, 12. and can the evidencing then of one Benefit of such a Covenant by another, be a running upon the Covenant of Works? Is it a Truth contain­ed in the Covenant of Grace, viz. That he that is justified is also sanctified, and he that is sanctified is al­so justified? And is it an Error against Grace to see this Truth, That he that is sanctified is certainly justi­fied; and that therefore he that knows himself sanc­tified, may also know thereby that he is justified? Tell me how will you know that you are justified? You will say, by the Testimony of the Spirit; and cannot the same Spirit shine upon your Graces, and witness that you are sanctified as well? 1 John 4.13, 24. 1 Cor. 2.12. Can the Spirit make the one clear to you and not the other? Oh Beloved, its a sad Thing to hear such Questions and such cold Answers also, that Sanctification possibly may be an Evidence; may be? is it not certain? assuredly, to deny it is as bad as to af­firm that God's own Promises of Favour are not true Evidences thereof, and consequently, that they are Lies and Untruths; for search the Scripture, and consider sadly, how many evangelical Promises are made unto several Graces, i. e. unto such Persons as are invested with them; you may only take a Taste from Mat. 5. [Page 223] 3, 4. &c. where our Saviour (who was no legal Preacher) pronounceth, and consequently evidenceth, Blessedness by eight or nine Promises, expresly made to such Persons as had inherent Graces of Poverty, Mourning, Meekness, &c. there mentioned; the Lord Jesus leaving those precious Legacies of his Promises unto his Children, that are called by those Names of Mourners, poor in Spirit, pure in Heart, &c. that so every one may take, and be assured of his Portion manifested particularly therein; that I many Times wonder how it comes to pass, that this so plain and ancient Principle of Catechism (for so it was among the Waldeneses many hundred Years since) grounded on so many pregnant Scriptures, should come to be so much as questioned [...] our Days; sometimes I think it ariseth from some wretched Lusts Men have a Mind to live quietly in; desirous to keep their Peace, and yet unwilling to forsake their Lusts; and hence they exclude this Witness of Water, the Witness of Sancti­fication to testify in the Court of Conscience, whether they are beloved of God and sincere hearted or no, because this is a full Witness against them, and tells them to their Faces, that there is no Peace to the Wicked, Isai. 57. ult. Deut. 29.19, 20. and that they have no­thing to do to take God's Name in their Lips, that secretly hate to be reformed, Psal. 50.16. In others I think it doth not arise from Want of Grace, but because the Spirit of Grace and Sanctification runs very low in them; 'tis so little that they can scarce see it by the Help of Spectacles; or if they do, they doubt conti­nually of the Truth of it; and hence because it can speak little, and that little very darkly and obscurely for them; they have no great Mind that it should be bro't in as any Witness for them. Others I think may have much Grace and Holiness, yet for a Time [Page 224] cast it by as an Evidence unto them, because they have Experience how difficult and troublesome it is to find this Evidence; and when 'tis found, how trouble­some to read it, and keep it fair, and thereby have constant Peace and Quietness; and hence arise those Speeches, Why do you look to your Sanctification, a blotted Evidence? You may have it to Day, and lose it to Morrow, and then where is your Peace? And I do believe the Lord deprives many of his pre­cious Saints from the Comfort of this Evidence; ei­ther because they look only to this, and not unto Christ and their Justification by Faith, Rom. 5.1. or else because there is some secret Lust or Guile of Spirit, Psal. 31.1, 2. which the Lord by sore and long Shakings about their Call and Sanctification, would first winnow out, or because there is a perverse Frowardness of Spi­rit, whereby because they feel not that Measure of Sanctification which they would, do therefore vilify, and so come to deny what indeed they have; because they feel a Law of Sin in their Members, leading them away Captive; will not, with Paul, take Notice of the Law of their Minds, whereby that inner Man delights in the Law of God, and mourns bitterly under the Body of Death, by which they might see with Paul, that there is no Condemnation to such, Rom. 8.1. To conclude, whatever is the Cause of this Crookedness of Judgment, I do believe that the general Cause is, want of Attendance and standing unto the Judgment of the Scriptures in this Controversy: For if this was stood unto, Men would not produce their own Expe­rience, viz. that they could never find any Evidence from Sanctification, but they have met with it in ano­ther Way, by the immediate Witness of the Spirit only; nor would Men cry it down, because Grace being mixt with so much Corruption, it can hardly be dis­cerned, and so will be alway left in doubts, and that [Page 225] the Heart is deceitful, and many that have evidenced their Estates hereby, have been deceived: I confess thus the Popish Doctors argue against Assurance of Faith from the Scriptures without special and extraor­dinary Revelation; but what is all this to the Purpose if the Scripture make it an Evidence? Away then with thy corrupt Experience, shall this be judge, or the Scriptures rather? What tho' many judging of themselves by Marks and Signs have been deceived; yet if the Scripture make it an Evidence, (as we have proved) then, tho' Men thro' their own Weakness or Wickness have been deceived in misapplying Pro­mises; yet the Scriptures cannot deceive you: What tho' it be difficult to discern Christ's Grace in us; yet if the Scriptures will have us try our Estates by that Rule, which in it self is easy, but to our Blindness and Weakness, difficult many Times to see; who shall, who dares condemn the holy Scriptures? Which as they shall judge us at the last Day, should judge us now. Suppose that divers Books, and many Ministers some­times give false Signs of Grace and God's Favour, yet doth the Scripture give any? I shall propose one Thing to Conscience, as the Conclusion of this Discourse: Suppose thou wert now lying upon thy Death-bed, comforting thy self in thy elected and justified Estate, suppose the Spirit of God should now grapple with thy Conscience, and tell thee, if thou art justified, then thou art called and sanctif [...]ed, 2 Thes. 2.13, 14. Is it thus with thee? What wilt thou answer? If thou sayst thou art not sanctified, the Word and Spirit will bear Witness then agai [...]t thee, and say, then thou art not elected nor justifi [...]d; if thou sayst thou knowest not, thou lookest not to Sanctification, or Fruits of the Spirit, they will then [...]ply, How then canst thou say that thou art elected or justified? For it is a Truth as clear [Page 226] as the Sun, and as immoveable as Heaven and Earth, none are elected and justified, but they are also sanctified, and they that are not sanctified are not justified, Rom. 18.1, 13. And now t [...]ll me, how can you have Peace, unless you make your Faces like Flint before the Face of God's eternal Truth, or heal your Conscience by such a Plaister as will not stick? If therefore the Lord ever made Sin bitter to thee, let Holiness be sweet; if Continuance in Sin hath been an Evidence into thee of thy Condemnation, Oh let the Riches of the Grace of Christ in redeeming thee from the lamentable Bon­dage and Power of Sin, be an Evidence to thee of thy Salvation: O bless God for any little Measure of Sanctification; do not scorn or secretly despise this Spirit of Grace, as many in this degenerate Age begin to do, saying, You look to Graces, and Fruits, and Marks, and Signs, and a holy Frame of Heart and Sanctification; what is your Sanctification? Oh let it be the more precious to thee, mourning that thou hast so little, and blessing the God and Father of all Grace for what little thou hast, wearing it as a Brace­let of Gold about thy Neck, knowing hereby thou art born of God, and that the whole World lieth in Wicked­ness, and shall perish without this, 1 John 5.18, 19.

2. This is your Glory and Beauty, this is Glorifi­cation begun; what greater Glory than to be like unto God? To be like unto God is to be next to God: And therefore this is called Glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. We are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory. Every Degree of Grace is Glory, and the Perfection of Glory in Heaven consists chiefly in the Perfection of Grace; what is the Work of some Men at this Day but to cast Reproach upon Sanctification, our Glory?

3. This will give you abundance of sweet Peace, and therefore, Heb. 12.11. it is called the quiet Fruit [Page 227] of Righteousness; for from whence comes the sore-Troubles and continual Doubts of God's Favour in many Men's Consciences? Is it not some Decay or Guile here? Psal. 32.1, 2. Is it not some Boldness to Sin; that they walk not in Fear, and therefore not in the Consolation of the Holy Ghost? Acts 9.31. Is it not their secret Dalliance with some known Sin, con­tinued in with secret Impenitency? Is it not because they labour with some strong unmortified Corruption, Pride, or Passions, that they are in daily Pangs and Throws of Conscience for? Psal. 32.1, to 4. What was the rejoicing of Paul? Was it not that in all Sin­cerity and Simplicity he had his Coversation among Men, 2 Cor. 1.12. What was Hezekiah's Peace when dying, as he tho't? Was it not this? Lord, remember I have walked before thee uprightly, Isai. 38.2, 3. not that this was the Ground of their Peace, for that only is free Grace in Christ, but this is the Means of your Peace, John 14.22, 23. It's a cursed Peace which is kept by looking to Christ, yet loving thy Lust.

4. This is that which will make you fit for God's Use, 2 Tim. 2.20, 21. a filthy unclean Vessel is good for nothing till cleansed; God will not delight to glorify himself much by an unsanctified Person; what is thy Wife, Children, Friends, Family, the better for thee, if thy Heart remain unsanctified?

5. A little Holiness is eminently all, springing up to eternal Life; this little Spring shall never cease running, but it shall fill Heaven it self, and thy Soul in it with abundance of Glory, John 4.14. & 7.38. You despise it because it is but little; I tell you this little is eminently all, and contains as much as shall be pou [...]ed out by thee so long as God is God: 'Tis true, thou sayst its weak, and oft foiled, and gives thee not compleat Power and Victory over all Sin, yet know [Page 228] that this shall (like the House of David) grow stronger and stronger, and it shall at last prevail, and the Lord will not break thee tho' thou art bruised by Sin daily, until Judgment come to Victory; and the Prince of this World be judged, and thy Soul perfected in the Day of the Lord Jesus.

SECT. V. Fifthly, Audience of all Prayers.

THIS is the fifth Benefit, which tho' it be a Fruit of other Benefits, yet I name it in special, because I desire it may be especially observed; and I place it after our Sanctifi­cation, because of David's Speech; If I regard Iniquity in my Heart, the Lord will not hear my Prayer, Psal. 66.18. And that of the Apostle, 1 John 3.22. We believe that whatever we ask we receive, because we keep his Commandments, and do those Things which are plea­sing in his Sight. As the Lord hath Respect to the Prayers of his People, not only in Regard of their Ju­stification, but in some Sense in Regard of their Sanc­tification also; a justified Person, polluted with some personal or common Sins of the Times, may want that Audience and Acceptance of his Prayers I am now speaking of.

That God will hear all the Petitions of his People, can there be a greater Privilege than this? Yet this our Saviour affirms twice together, because it is so great a Promise, that we can hardly believe it, John 14.13, 14. Whatsoever you ask the Father in my Name, that will I do; mark the Scope of the Words, our Saviour had promised, that he that believes in me shall do greater Works than I have done: New because this [Page 229] might seem strange and impossible, the Lord in those Verses tells them how, for (saith he) Whatsoever ye ask in my Name, that will I do for you, I will do indeed all that is to be done, but yet, it shall be by Means of your Prayers; Christ did great Works when he was upon the Earth, but for him to do whatever a poor sin­ful Creature shall desire him to do, what greater Work of Wonder can there be than this? This is our Confi­dence (saith the Apostle) that whatever we ask according to his Will, he heareth us, 1 John 5.15. The greatest Question here will be, What are those Prayers the Lord Jesus will hear? I confess many Things are excellently spoken this Way, yet I conceive the Meaning of this great Charter is fully exprest in those Words, In my Name. If they be Prayers in Christ's Name, they shall be heard, and it contains these three Things,

1. To pray in Christ's Name, is to pray with Reli­ance upon the Grace, Favour, and Worthiness of the Merits of Christ, thus this Phrase is used, Micah 4.5. To walk in the Name of their God, is in Confidence of the Authority, and Excellency, and Favour of their Gods, that they will bear them out in it; so to pray in Christ's Name, is to pray for Christ's sake, thus, Eph. 2.18. Thro' him (i. e. thro' his Death and Sanc­tification rested upon) we have Access with Confidence unto the Father, Eph. 3.12, In whom we have Boldness, and Access with Confidence, by the Faith of him. There are three Evils that commonly attend our Prayers, when we see God indeed. 1. Shame and Flight from God, the Apostle saith therefore, that by Faith in Christ we have Access. 2. If we do accede and draw near to him, there is a secret Fear and Straitness of Spirit to open all our Minds; therefore saith he, we have Bold­ness, the Word signifies Liberty of Speech to open all our Minds without Fear, or Discouragement. 3. Af­ter [Page 230] we have thus drawn near, and opened all our De­sires and Moans before God, we have many Doubts, viz. Will the Lord hear such a Sinner, and such weak, and imperfect and sinful Prayers? And therefore he also affirms, that we have Confidence and Assurance of being heard; but all this is by Faith in him: For look as Christ hath purchased all Blessings for us by his Death, and hence makes his Intercession for those Things daily according to our Need: So we are much more to rest upon, and make that Satisfaction, the Ground of our Intercession; because Christ's Blood purchased this, therefore, O Lord grant this.

2. To pray in his Name, is to pray from his Com­mand, and according to his Will; as when we send another in our Name, we wish him to say thus, Tell him that I desire such a Thing of him, and that I sent you; so it is here, and thus the Phrase signifies, John 5.43. I am came in my Father's Name, i. e. by his Authority and Command, Deut. 18.18, 19. To pray in Christ's Name therefore, is to pray according to the Will of Christ, and from the Will of Christ; when we take those Words the Lord puts into our Mouths, Hos. 14.1, 2, 3. and desire those Things only that the Lord commands us to seek, whether ab­solutely or conditionally; according to his Will reveal­ed, and with Submission to his Will concealed, 1 John 5.14. Whatever we ask according to his Will, he hears us, Psal. 27.8. Rom. 8.26. If you ask any Thing not according to God's Will, you come in your own Name, he sent you not with any such Message to the Father.

3. To pray in his Name, is to pray for his Ends; for the Sake and Use of Christ, and Glory of Christ; thus the Phrase is used, Mat. 10.41, 42. To receive a Prophet in the Name of a Prophet, i. e. for this End and [Page 231] Reason, because he is a Prophet. A Servant comes in his Master's Name to ask something of another, when he comes, as from his Command; so also for his Master's Use: So when we pray for Christ's Sake, i. e. for his Ends, not our own; these ever prevail, Jam. 4.3. You ask, and have not because you ask amiss, to spend it on your Lusts, John 12.27, 28. Psal. 145.18. this is to ask in Truth, to act for a spiritual End; to make it our utmost End, ariseth from a special, pe­culiar, supernatural Presence of the Spirit of Life: and consequently a Spirit of Prayer which is ever heard. And hence you shall observe the least Groan for Christ's Ends is ever heard; because it is the Groaning of the Spirit, because it is an Act of spiritual Life, the For­mality of which consists in this, that it is for God, Gal. 2.19. the Lord cannot deny what we pray for for Christ's Ends, because then he should crush Christ's Glory: And therefore let a Christian observe, when he would have any Thing of God that concerns him­self, not to be solicitous so much for the Thing, as to gain Favour and Neerness to God, and a Heart subject unto God in a humble Contentedness, to be denied as well as to be heard, and he shall undoubtedly find the Thing it self; a Lust is properly such a desire (tho' for lawful Things) wherein a Man must have the Thing because it pleaseth him, as when Rachel asked for Children; she must have them, else she must needs die: Give us Water that we may drink was their brui­tish Cry, Exod. 17.1, 2. not that we may live to him that gives it: Holy Prayers or Desires (opposed unto Lusts) are such Desires of the Soul, left with God, with Submission to his Will, as may best please him; Now the Lord will hear the Desires indeed of all that fear him, but not fulfil their Lusts.

These three are the essential Properties of such [Page 232] Prayer as is heard, or if you will, of that which is properly or spiritually Prayer: Fervency and Assu­rance, &c. are excellent Ingredients; but yet the Lord may hear Prayer without them: It is true, the Lord may sometimes not h [...]r us presently, for our praying Time is our sowing Time, we must not look presently for the Harvest. The Lord hears the Prayers of the destitute, Psal. 102.17. the original Word is, of the Shrub, or naked Place of the Desart, which the Prophet saith, Jer. 17.6. Sees no Good when Good comes, yet such as feel themselves such, the Lord doth regard them, and will have a Time to answer them: And tho' the Lord may not give us the Thing we pray for, nor as good a Thing of the same Kind, yet he ever gives us the End of our Prayers; he that is at Sea and wants stiff Winds to carry him to his Port, yet hath no cause to complain, if the Lord secretly carries him in by a strong Current of the Sea it self; and it is certain, at the End of all God's dealing with you, you shall then see how the Lord hath not failed to answer you in any one Particular, Joshua 23.14.

Oh therefore see and be perswaded of this your Priviledge, that God will now hear every Prayer; many make a Question, How may we know when the Lord grants out any Blessing as an Answer to Pray­er? Many things are said to this purpose; but the Simplicity and Plainness of the Answer lies in this, viz. If it be a Prayer, God hears it; if it be put up in Christ's Name, it is then a Prayer: And that you may believe this, and glory in this, consider these Reasons only, to confirm this truth.

1. From the Promise of Christ as in this place, John 14.13, 14. which was a Promise in special to to be accomplished when he came to his Kingdom; and therefore, tho' it is true, God's Grace is free, and [Page 233] therefore you think the Lord may as well refuse to hear you, as hear; yet consider that by his Promise, he hath bound himself to hear.

2. From the Fatherly disposition that is in God, John 16.26, 27. and hence he loves us, and hence cannot but hear us.

3. Because all Prayers put up in Christ's Name, Christ makes Intercession that they may be heard; Heb. 7.25 He hath laid down his Blood, that all our Prayers might be heard, (as we have proved) and in­deed, hence ariseth the infinite efficacy of Prayer, be­cause it is built upon that which is Infinitely and Eter­nally worthy.

4. Because all Prayers of the Faithful arise from the Spirit of Prayer, Rom. 8.26. because as that which is for the Flesh, is of the Flesh; so that which is for the Spirit or for the sake of Christ; for Spiritual ends, is ever of the Spirit, John 7.18.

5. Because of the Glory of Christ, that the Father may be glorified in the Son: Cannot Christ be glori­fied unless he hears all Prayers? Yes he could, but yet his Will is to reveal his Glory by this means; so that tho' thou and thy Prayers be vile, and therefore deservest no Acceptance, nor Answer, yet remember that his Glory is dear; it is the glory of Kings to hear some Requests and Petitions, but they cannot hear nor answer all; it is the glory of Christ to hear all, be­cause he is able, without the least dishonour to himself thus to do.

Oh be perswaded of this, how should your Joy then, be full, how should you then delight to be oft with him, how would you then encourage all to come unto him, how would you then be constrained to do any thing for him, who is ready to do all for you? but Oh Woe unto our Unbelief, for that which (the Apostle [Page 234] saith, 1 John 5.14.) was ground of his Confidence, viz. that what ever we ask according to hss Will, he hears us, is no ground to us, and we may say, and mourn to think, this is our diffidence, that what ever I ask according to Christ's Will, he hears me not: But Oh recover from such a distrustful Frame, and from all dead-heartedness in this Duty withall, lest the Lord send Task-Masters and double our Bricks, and then we groan, and sigh, and cry, and learn to Pray that way, that will not Pray nor Believe now. If the Lord will but give us Hearts, assuredly you might not only rule your selves and Families, but by the Power of Prayer pull down, and raise up Kingdoms, dispose of the greatest Affairs of the Church, nay of the World, you might hereby work Wonders, by means of him who Ruling all Things yet is overcome by Prayer, Hos. 12.4, 5.

SECT. VI. Sixthly, Glorification.

THIS is the sixth and last Privilege and Bene­fit, and you all know is the last Thing in the Execution of God's eternal Purpose to­ward all his beloved and chosen Ones; whom he hath predestinated, called, justified, them he hath also glorified, Rom. 8.30. hereby we are made perfect in Holiness, no more Sin shall stir in us; per­fect also in Happiness; no more Tears, nor Sorrows, nor Temptations, nor Fears shall ever molest us, Heb. 12.23. Rev. 14.13. And all this shall be in our immediate Communion with God in Christ, Col. 1.28. John 17.23, 24. we shall be then, saith Paul, forever with the Lord: If the Lord would but open our Eyes, [Page 235] and give us one Glimpse of this, what Manner of Per­sons should we be? How should we then live? How willingly then should we embrace Faggots & Flames, Prisons and Penury? The light Afflictions here, would not they work for us Glory? Nay, the Apostle useth such a Phrase which I believe may pose the most cu­rious Orator in the World to express to the Life of it, an exceeding Weight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. What is our Life now but a continual dying, carrying daily about us that which is more bitter than a thousand Deaths; what saith the Apostle to us, Col. 3.3. You are d [...]d, yet when Christ shall appear, you shall appear with him also in Glory: The general Security of these Times foretold by Christ (especially when Churches become Virgins, and People are seeking after Purity of Ordinances) it shall not be in a Want of Watch­fulness against the present Corruptions of the Times, so much as in a careless Want of Expectation of the Coming of Christ in Glory, not having our Loins girt, and Lamps burning, nor Readiness to meet the Lord in Glory, Mat. 25.1, to 5, &c. Oh that I were able therefore to give you a Blush, and a dark View of this Glory, that might raise up our Hearts to this Work.

1. Consider the Glory of the Place: The Jews did and do Dream still of earthly Kingdom, at the Coming of their Messiah; the Lord dasheth those Dreams, and tells them his Kingdom is not of this World, and that he went away to prepare a Place for them, that where he is, they might be, John 14.2, 3, and be with him to see his Glory, John 17.23, 24. The Place shall be the third Heaven, called our Father's House; built by his own Hand with most exquisite Wisdom, fit for so great a God to appear in his Glory ( John 14.2, 3.) to all his dear Children; called also a Kingdom, Mat. 25.31. Come, ye Blessed, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, which is the Top of all the worldly Excellency, [Page 236] called also an Inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.3. which the holy Apostle infinitely blesseth God for, as being our own and freely given to us, being our Father's Inheritance divided among his Sons, which is a greater Privilege than to be born an Heir to all the richest Inheritances on this Earth, or be Lord of all this visible World: For this Inheritance he tells us, is, 1. Incorruptible, whereas all this World waxeth old as a Garment. 2. 'Tis unde­filed, never yet polluted with any Sin, no not by the Angels that fell, for they fell in Paradise, when Guar­dians to Man, whereas this whole Creation groaneth under the Burden and Bondage of Corruption, Rom. 8.3. This never fadeth away; 'tis not like Flowers, whose Glory and Beauty soon withers, but this shall be most plea­sant, sweet, and ever delightsome; after we have been ten thousand Years in it, as it was the first Day we entred into it, (for this is the meaning of the Word, and so it differs from incorruptible) whereas in this World (suppose a Man should ever enjoy it, yet) there grows a secret Satiety and Fulness upon our Hearts, as it grows common, and Blessings of greatest Price are not so sweet, as the first Time we enjoy them; they clog the Stomach, and glut the Soul; but here our Eyes, Ears, Minds, Hearts, shall be ever ravished with that admirable Glory which shines brighter than ten thousand Suns, the very Fabrick of it being God's Nee­dle-work, (if I may so say) quilted with Variety of all Flowers in divers Colours, by the exactest Art of God himself, as the Apostle intimates, Heb. 11.10.

2. Consider of the Glory of the Bodies of the Saints in this Place; the Lord shall change our vile Bodies, which are but as Dirt upon our Wings, and Clogs at our Feet, as the Apostle expresseth it, Phil. 3. ult. Paul was in the third Heaven, and saw the Glory doubtless of some there, see what he saith of them, 1 Cor. 15.42, 43, 44.

1. It shall be an incorruptible Body; it shall never [Page 237] die, nor rot again, no not in the least Degree tending that way, it shall never grow weary, (as now 'tis by hard Labour, and sometimes by holy Duties) nor faint, nor grow wrinkled and withered. Adam's Body in Innocency, potuit, non mori, we say truly; but this non potest mori, it cannot die: And hence it is, that there shall be no more Sickness, Pains, Griefs, Faint­ings, Fits, &c. when it comes there.

2. It shall be a glorious Body, it shall rise in Honour, saith Paul; and what Glory shall it have? Verily it shall be like unto Christ's glorious Body, Phil. 3. ult. which when Paul saw, Acts 9. did shine brighter than the Sun: And therefore here shall be no Imperfection of Limbs, Scars, or Maims, natural or accidental Deformities; but as the third Heaven it self is most lightsome, Gen. 1.1, 2. so their Bodies that inhabit that Place shall exceed the Light and Glory thereof, these being more compacted, and thence shining out in greater Lustre, that the Eyes of all Beholders shall be infinitely ravished to see such Clods of Earth, as now we are, advanced to such incomparable Beauty and Amiableness of hea­venly Glory.

3. It shall be a powerful, strong Body; it is sown in Weakness, saith Paul; it shall rise in Power; it shall be able to help forward the divine Operations of the Soul, which are now clogg'd by a feeble Body; it shall be able to bear the Weight of Glory, the Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory, which our weak Bodies cannot long endure here, but we begin to burst and break in Pieces (like Vessels full of strong Spirits) with the Weight and Working of them; and therefore the Lord in Mercy keeps us short now of what else we should feel; it shall be able to sing Hallelujahs, & give Honour, Glory, Power, to the L [...]b that sits upon the Throne for evermore, without the least Weariness.

[Page 238]4. It shall be a spiritual Body; our Bodies now are acted by animal Spirits, and being earthy and na­tural, grows, feeds, eats, drinks, sleeps, and hath na­tural Affections and Desires after these Things, and is troubled if it wants them; but then these same Bodies shall live by the indwelling of the Spirit of God poured out abundantly in us, and upon us, and so acting our Bodies and swallowing up all such natural Affections and Motions as those be here; as Moses being with God in the Mount forty Days and Nights, did not need any Meat or Drink, the Lord and his Glory be­ing all unto him; how much more shall it be thus then? I do not say we shall be Spirits like the Angels, but our Bodies shall be spiritual, having no natural Desires after any earthly Blessing, Food, Raiment, &c. nor troubled with the Want of them: And hence also the Body shall be able as well to ascend up, as now it is to descend down; as Austin shews by a Similitude of Lead, which some Artists can beat so small as to make it swim; we are now earthly, and made to live on the Earth, and hence fall down to the Center; but we are made then to be above for ever with the Lord, the Lord proceeding from Imperfection to Perfection, as the Apostle here shews; not first spiritual, & then natural; but first that which is natural, (in this Life) and then that which is spiritual.

3. Consider the Glory of the Soul; now we know but in Part, and see but in Part; now we have J [...]y at some Times, and then Eclipses befall us on a sud­den; but then the Lord shall be our everlasting Light, Isai. 60.19. then we shall see God Face to Face, 1 John 3.1, 2. we shall then know and see those Things that have been hid, not only from the Wicked, but from the deepest Tho'ts of the Saints themselves in this World, 2 Cor. 12.4. Paul saw some Thing not [Page 239] fit to be uttered, or that he could not utter; we shall be swallowed up in those Depths of Grace, Glory, im­mediate Vision, God shall be all in all.

The Souls shall now enjoy, 1. The Accomplish­ment of all Promises which we see not here made good to us, 1 Cor. 15.24. then you shall have Restitu­tion of all these at Times of Refreshing, wherein your Sins shall be publickly blotted out from the Presence of the Lord, Acts 3.14. If Joshua said, Josh. 23.14. when the People's Warfare was ended, See if the Lord hath been wanting in one Word to you; much more will the Lord Jesus say unto you then.

2. Then you shall receive a full Answer to all your Prayers, all that Grace, Holiness, Power over Sin, Satan, Fellowship with God, Life of Christ, Blessing of God, which you sought for, and wept for, and suf­fered for here, you shall then see all answered.

3. Then you shall find the Comfort of all that you have done for God, Rev. 14.13. your Work in this Sense shall follow you, you shall then infinitely rejoice that ever you did any Thing for God, that ever you tho't of him, spake to him & for him, that ever you gave any one Blow to your Pride, Passions, Lust, natural Concupiscence, &c. you shall then enjoy the Reward of all your Sufferings, Cares, Sorrows for God's Christ, Fastings, and Days of Mourning, whether publickly, or secretly for God's People, 2 Cor. 4.17. The same Glory God hath gi­ven Christ, the Lord shall at that Time give unto you, John 17.22. It shall not be with us there as it was with the wicked Israelites, who when they came into the good Land of Rest, they then forgot the Lord and all his Works past; no, no, all that which God hath done for you in this World, you shall then look back, and see, and wonder, and love, and bless, and suck the sweet of, for evermore; it's a fond weak Question to think whether we shall know one another in Hea­ven [Page 240] verily you shall remember the Good the Lord did you here, by what Means the Lord humbled you, by what Ministry the Lord called you, by what Friends the Lord comforted and refreshed you; and there you shall see them with you; do you think you shall for­get the Lord and his Works in Heaven, which (it may be) you took little Notice of, and the Lord had little Glory for here?

4. Consider the Glory of the Company and Fellow­ship you shall have here; 1. Angels, Heb. 12.23, 24. they will love you and comfort you, and rejoice with you, and speak of the great Things the Lord hath done for you, as they did on Earth to the Shepherds, Luke 2.10. Be not afraid, saith the Angel; Mat. 28.5. I know you seek Jesus: So will they say then, be ever comforted, you blessed Servants of the Lord, for we know you are loved of the Lord Jesus. 2. Saints, you shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of God, be taken into the Bosom of Abraham, into the Bosom of all the Children of Abra­ham, and there we shall speak with them of the Lord's Wonders, of his Christ and Kingdom, Psal. 145.11. and every Sentence and Word shall be Milk & Honey, sweeter than thy Life now can be unto thee; we shall know, and love, and honour one another exceedingly. 3. The Man Christ Jesus: when Mary claspt about him, John 20.17. Let me alone, said he, touch me not, I am not yet ascended o my Fathe [...]. As if he had said, (saith Austin) the [...] shall be the Place and Time wherein we shall embrace one another for ever­more. Never was Husband and loving Wife so fa­miliar one with another, as the Lord Jesus will be (not carnally, and in an earthly Manner) but, in a most heavenly, glorious, yet gracious Manner with all his Saints; Come, ye Blessed, will he then say to them; we shall then ever be, not only in the Lord, [Page 241] but with the Lord, saith Paul, 1 Thes. 4. ult. & 5.10. Just as Moses and Elias in his Transfiguration, that talked with him, (which was a Glimpse of our future Glory) so shall we then, Luke 12.37. and you shall then see that Love of his, that blessed Bosom of Love opened fully, which the Apostle saith passeth Know­ledge, Eph. 3.19. I need not tell you of our Fellow­ship with the Father also, when the Son shall give up the Kingdom to him that he may be all in all.

5. Consider the Glory of your Work there; which is only to glorify this God.

1. You shall then live like Christ in Glory, Rev. 4.10, 11. we shall speak and think all with Glory, 1 John 3.1, 2. our Strings shall be then raised up to the highest Strain of sweet Melody and Glory.

2. You shall then bless him, Eph. 1.6. and 4.13. and that with Ravishment; you shall come then to the full Acknowledgement of the Son of God; you shall see and say all this is the Work and Grace of Christ, and then shall cry out, Oh let all Angels, Saints ever bless him for this. What shall I speak any more? You will say, Is this certain? Can this be so? Yes assuredly, for Christ is gone to prepare this Place and Glory for you, John 14.2, 3. We have also the first Fruits of this Glory which we feel sometimes, where­by we see, and taste, and drink, and long for more of that Joy unspeakable, and Peace that passeth Under­standing, that Triumph over the Rage and working Power of remaining Corruption, that dark Vision of God, and holy Glorying and Boasting in him as our everlasting Portion, &c. which cannot be Delusions and Dreams, which never feed, but ever leave the deceived Soul hungry, but are Realities and Things indeed, which satiate the weary Soul, and fill it up with the very Fulness of God himself, Eph. 3.19. and therefore 'tis certain, that we shall have the Harvest that [Page 242] thus taste of the first Fruits, and the whole Sum paid us faithfully that have already the earnest Penny. The Lord also fits us for this, as the Apostle disputes, 2 Cor. 5.4.5. What Means the Lord to deny our Requests in many Things as long as we live? What is his Mean­ing not to let us see the Accomplishment of many of his Promises? Is it because he is unfaithful? Or be­cause he would let us know there is a Day of Refresh­ing he hath reserved for us, and would have us look for, wherein we shall see it hath not been a vain Thing for us to pray, or him to promise? Why doth he af­flict us, and keep us mor [...] miserable both by outward Sorrows and inward Miseries than any other Peo­ple in the World? Doth he not hereby humble us, empty us, wean us from hence, and make us as it were Vessels big eno' to hold Glory, which we hope for in another World? But you will say, Can this Glory be thus great? We see 'tis certain it shall be so; but shall it be so exceeding great and endless? Yes, verily, because,

1. The Price is great which is paid for it, Eph. 1.14. 'tis a purchased Possession, (by the Blood of Christ we enter into the Holy of Holies) a Price of infinite Value must bring a Kind of infinite Glo [...]

2. We are by Christ nearer to God than Angels are, whose Glory we see is very great.

3. Shall not our Glory be to set out the Glory of Christ? 2 Thes. 1.10. and if so, then if his Glory be exceeding great, ours must bear a [...] Proportion, and be very great also.

4. Doth not God pick out the poor & vile Things of the World, to be Vessels of Glory? 1 Cor. 1.27. and is not that an Argument that he intends exceeding­ly to glorify himself on such, to raise up a most glorious Building, where he lays so low a Foundation?

5. Are not we loved with the same Love as he hath [Page 243] loved Christ? John 17. ult. and shall not our Glory abound then exceedingly?

6. Is not the Torment and Shame of the Repro­bates to be exceeding great and grievous? Doth not God raise them up to make his Power known? Rom. 9.23. What then shall we think on the contrary of the Glory of the Saints, wherein the Lord shall set forth ' [...]is Power in glorifying them, as he doth the Glory of his Power in punishing others? And there­fore, 2 Thes. 1.9. the Punishment of the Wicked is express'd by Separation of them from the glory of the Lord's Power: because that in the Glory of the Saints, the Lord will (as I may so say) make them as glorious as by his Power rul'd by Wisdom he is able to make 'em.

This is therefore the great Glory of all those whom God hath called to the Fellowship of his dear Son; and which is yet more, blessed be God the Time is not long, but that we shall feel what now we do but hear of, and see but a little of, as we use to do of Things afar off: We are here but Strangers, and have no abiding City, we look for this that hath Foun­dations; and therefore let Sin press us down, & weary us out with Wrestling with it; let Satan temp▪ and cast his Darts at us; let o [...] Drink be our Tears Day and Night, and our Meat Gall and Wormwood; let us be shut up in choaking Prisons, and cast out for dead in the Streets, nay, upon Langhils, and none to bury us; let us live alone as Pelicans in the Wilderness, and be driven among wild Beasts into d [...]s [...]rts; let us be scourged, and disgraced, stoned, sawn asunder, and burned; let us Eve in Sheep-Skins▪ and Goat-Skins, destitute, afflicted, tormented, (as [...] looks not for such Days shortly?) yet, O [...], the Time is not long, but when we are [...] worst, and Death ready to swallow us up; we [...] cry out, Oh Glory, [Page 244] Glory, Oh welcome Glory! If our Miseries here be long, they shall be light; if very bitter, they shall be short; however, long or short, they cannot be to us long, who look for an eternal Weight of Glory. Who would not (that considers of these Things) dispise this World, and set it at his Heels, who hath all these Privi­leges and Benefits with Christ in his Eye? Who would not abhor a filthy Lust, to enjoy such a Christ? Who would ever look back upon his Flesh-pots, or Father's House, that hath such Welcome made him the first Moment he comes to the Lord Jesus, in having pre­sent Fruition of some of these Benefits, but present Right unto all; Fruition of some by Feeling, of all by Faith. But Oh the Wrath of God upon these Times, that either see not this Glory, or if they do, despise so great Salvation! Christ, and Pardon, and Peace, A­doption, Grace and Glory is bro't home to our Doors, but their Price is fallen in our Market, and we think [...]t better to be without Christ with our Lusts, than to be in Christ with his Benefits. The Reproach of Christ was dearer to Moses (as great a Courtier, & as strong a Head-Piece as our Times can afford) than all the Riches and Honours of Egypt, but the Grace, & Peace, and Life, and Glory of Jesus Christ, is viler to us than the very Onions, and Leeks, and Flesh-pots of Egypt; if you had but naked Christ (our Life) for a Prey in these evil Times, you had no Cause to com­plain, but infinitely to rejoice in your Portion; but when with Christ you shall find all these Benefits and Privileges coming in as to your Portion, and yet to de­spise him? Assuredly the Lord will not bear with this Contempt alway [...]. Away to the Mountains, and ha­sten from the [...]owns and Cities of your Habitation, where the Grace of Christ is published, but universally despised, you blessed called Ones of the Lord Jesus; [Page 245] for the Days are coming, wherein for this Sin, the Heavens and Earth shall shake, the Sun shall be turned into Darkness, and the Moon into Blood, and Mens Hearts failing for Fear of the horrible Plagues which are coming upon the Face of the Earth. Dream not of fair Weather, expect not better Days, till you hear Men say, Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord, who thus blesseth his with all spiritual Blessings in Christ, Eph. 1.3. I now proceed to the last.