Direction 1.

Fear and Search. It will much help us to the understanding of our Work, if we could once get to an understanding of our state; to the under­standing of our state, a search is necessary, and no such narrow search is like to be made, as when we search with Fear; therefore let the first Direction be, Fear and Search.

Let Fear set you on searching, and let it assist you in your search; let it follow you into every Corner both of your Heart and Life. Fear is suspicious, and Suspicion will be inquisitive; it [Page 194] will not take up with Reports or Appearances, but wil inquire diligently whether Matters be so or no.

Christians know that they must pass under the search of God, and their fear how they shall abide his tryal, will put them upon the more narrow tryal of themselves.

Besides the great tryal that will be in the last and general Judgment, which we use to have a spe­cial eye unto, in all our tryals of our selves, there is a search which God makes into us even in this life; And he searcheth us,

• 1. By his Eye.
• 2. By his Hand.

1. By his Eye. Psal. 11.4. His Eye behold, his Eye-lids try the Children of Men. Jer. 17.10. I the Lord search the Heart, I try the Reins. God searcheth not as Man searcheth, by enquiring into that which before was hid from him; his search­ing is no more but his beholding; he seeth the Heart, he beholdeth the Reins; God's very sight is searching. Heb. 4.13. All things are naked and open to his Eyes, [...], dissected or anatomized. He hath at once as exact a view of the most hidden Things, the very Entrails of the Soul, as if they had been with never so great cu­riosity anatomized before him.

2. By his Hand; that is, by his Judgments and Chastisements, which he sends forth to try them that dwell upon the Earth, Rev. 3.10. Zeph. 1.12. I will search Jerusalem with Candles. Every Ar­row which God shoots, is a Candle to search out [Page 195] Mens Iniquities. When God sends a Sword, or Famine, or Pestilence upon the Earth, these are the Lord's Searchers, which he hath sent forth to try the Children of Men.

A fearing Christian will search himself, that he may approve himself to the search of God's Eye, and that he may prevent the search of his Hand. God's Eye is upon me every day, proving mine Heart and my Reins; I doubt he may see what he will not like in me: Search, O my Soul, what there is that may offend, and whether there be not something in thee also which the Lord loveth. God's Searchers are coming abroad, and who may abide the day of their coming? Is not Poverty to be feared? Is not Sickness to be feared? Is not Sword, or Famine, or Fire, to be feared? O what sharp work may these Searchers make upon me? Since 'tis so hard to endure, let me do what may be done, to prevent this kind of tryal of the Lord, by trying my self. But especially this Fear will put us upon a search of our selves, with re­spect to the severest Tryal, in the final Judgment of God.

But what must we search for? Why what is it that thou dost Fear? tell me that, and that will tell thee for what thou must search.

There are two things especially which thou hast to fear,

• 1. Lest there should not be found in thee that good thing which may evidence thee to be approved of God.
• 2. What-ever Evils there be in thee at which the Lord will be offended.

[Page 196]Fear this Fear and it will set you a searching accordingly.

1. Fear lest there should not be, and search whe­ther there be Truth and Ʋprightness in thine Heart towards God; whether the Seed of God, his spe­cial Grace hath taken root in thee. The Plough­ers have been ploughing, the Sowers have gone forth to sow, but what Seed hath there fallen up­on mine Heart, and what Root hath it taken there?

Such a search should not be made without fear. The Apostle, 2 Cor. 13.5. exhorting to this Work, Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith, prove your own selves, doth in the next words fright them to it. Know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates? Why should we examine? What if we be not in the Faith? Why you know what, sayes he, then you are Reprobates. You are Re­probates if ye be not Believers. Do ye know what 'tis to be under a Divine Anathema? to be in a state of Reprobation from God? is there not a doubt that this may be found to be your case? O how can you but search whether it be or no? And how can you but fear, while you are making such a search? Are you not afraid to let your selves go unsearch'd? Do you not tremble till you know how 'tis with you? And how can you set upon so great a Work without a trembling Heart?

Beloved, It is a strange thing, and it is a lamen­table thing to observe, what stupendious Security there is upon the Hearts of Men concerning the state of their Souls. There's no need of search­ing, with the most they are already satisfied. 'Tis [Page 197] well with my Soul, sayes one; I shall have peace, sayes another; I do not doubt of Mercy, through the Grace of God, sayes a third: and so go on through a whole crowd of Sinners, and you may have the same account, every one at peace, every one already satisfied. But how came you to be satisfied in so great a Case? Have you ever search'd whether Matters be so well with you? or else, how can you but fear that you may be mista­ken?

And what if you should be mistaken? How strongly soever you are conceited of your upright­ness, how impregnable soever your confidence is at present, notwithstanding all your boastings of your integrity, yet God will not take you upon your words; trust your selves if you will, yet he will not trust you, you must be tryed what you are; Rom. 14.12. Every one of us to must give an account of our selves to God. Yet he will not take the account we give, without trying whether it be a true account; 2 Cor. 5.10. We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ, [...], we must be made manifest and laid open, (as the word imports) that it may plainly be seen what we are. And this severe search that shall be made in the Judgment, the Apostle calls in the next verse, the terror of the Lord. 'Twould shake the securest Hearts, to understand what a thorow search will be made of them in that day.

God will bring all things to light, God will lay all in the Ballance. What a dreadful Word was that to that King, Dan. 5.27. Thou art weighed in the Ballance, and found wanting. What if that should be your case at last? if God's Light should [Page 198] find you to be Darkness, if God's Ballance should find you too light? What if, whilst you count your selves Children, God should find you Bastards; if whilst you count your selves Vines, he should find you Thorns; if while you count your selves Be­lievers, Beloved, and Chosen of God, that day should declare you to be Infidels and Reprobates?

What if it should be so? you are stark Fools, and worse than mad, if you think such a question may not be put, What if I should be mistaken? Is such a mistake on which your eternal state depends, of so little consequence with you, as not to need such a question to be put about it? Are you so little concerned how matters shall go with you in the Judgment? Are you so little concerned what your final Sentence shall be? which of you for Life, and which for Death? who for Blessedness, and who for Burning? What Rocks are those Hearts of yours, if they do not rent and quake for fear? And if you do fear to think, what if I should be mistaken, let that Fear set you a search­ing, whether you have hitherto been mistaken or no.

Beloved, whether you fear or no, give me leave to tell you, I am afraid concerning you. 1. Some of you, I fear there are, upon whom there hath been no good wrought, no nor any thing done to­wards it; not a Clod broken, not a Thorn rooted out, not a Grain of good Seed fallen upon your Hearts. Upon whom the Lord hath been plough­ing, as upon Rocks, sowing as upon Heaths, ham­mering as upon Anvils, hewing as upon Iron; who with those Rebels, Isa. 48.4. have Brows of Grass, and Iron Sinews; who have hitherto resisted [Page 199] the Holy Ghost, and put from you the Word of Life; whom both the Seed and the Showers that have fallen upon you, have left hard and barren, bringing forth nothing but Briars and Thorns; In whom Oaths, and Lyes, and Drunkenness, and such like, are all the Fruits that have been brought forth; who are far from God, and yet far from fear; whom a very little search might be enough to convince you, that you are in the Gall of Bit­terness, and the Bond of Iniquity. If you would but cast an Eye upon God's Glass, your foul Faces would quickly shew you what you are.

O Sinners, if you your selves yet fear not, let others fears concerning you, thus far prevail with you, as to cast a serious Eye upon your selves. Make a little enquiry, Is it not thus with me? Is not my Soul in this very case? If I should ask, Where are my Sins? Behold, they compass me round about; they are in mine Heart, and in my Mouth, and my whole Life is filled up with Ini­quity. But if I should ask, Where is my Faith? where is my Repentance? where is the new Heart and the new Life? Where is the Knowledg, and Love, and Life, and Fear of God? What could I say, what answer could I give? Make a little enquiry thus; a very little, to a Man in thy case, me-thinks should be enough to convince and awa­ken thee.

2. Others of you I fear there maybe, upon whom the Lord hath been at work, but the Work is not yet brought thorow. Upon whom though the Plough hath entred and made some sign, yet it hath not gone deep enough; though the Thorns, some of them, are cut down, yet their Root re­maineth; [Page 200] though the Seed of God hath fallen up­on you, and some Blades have sprung up, yet it hath taken no root; upon whom though there ap­pear some dawning towards the Day, yet you are not come to Sun-rising.

As for you, it is a mercy that there is something done, especially if there be still more a-doing. It is a mercy that the Lord hath made a motion of Love to you, and that he is not totally rejected; that there is a Treaty for Peace, whereof you have so far accepted, as to yield to a Cessation of Arms, and a forbearance of those open Acts of Hostility against God which have been; that the Drunkards are become sober, that the Swearers now fear an Oath; that the Enemies of God, and of all Righteousness, are now content to hear of a Reconciliation. This is a mercy.

Much more, That any of you are so far convin­ced of the misery of Sin, of the excellency and necessity of Religion and Godliness, that you are wrought to some good liking of the Holy Wayes of God, and are wishing, and waiting, and mak­ing out after the Lord. This is a Mercy, because there is hope, that he that hath brought you hi­therto, will bring you on farther and farther till he hath brought you home. But yet there is mat­ter of great fear too, lest presuming you have al­ready attained, you should sit down short of Sa­ving-Grace, and so perish at last.

With a special respect to such as these, I shall shew,

• 1. How such Persons may be wrought to this Fear.
• [Page 201]2. How this Fear will work to a farther Search.

1. To work this Fear in such, let these follow­ing Particulars be considered;

• 1. There are preparations to Grace, that are not Grace.
• 2. There are Images of Grace, that are not Grace.
• 3. There are some properties of gracious Per­sons, that are no certain Evidences of Grace.
• 4. There is no one Grace, that is really so, which will put us out of doubt.
• 5. What-ever we have, that is short of Saving-Grace, it may go back, and we may be reduced to a worse State than ever before.

1. There are preparations to Grace, that are not Grace. God usually takes time, and leads Men on to Christ by degrees; we are not presently Converts, as soon as we cease to Bedlams. There may be awakenings of sleepy Souls, there may be enlightnings of dark Souls, there may be shakings of obdurate and hardned Souls, which though they may have a tendency to farther good, yet may be far enough short of it. There may be the pangs of travel, which may never bring to the Birth. In particular,

1. There may be Conviction of Sin, and yet no Grace. Conviction is not Conversion. Ahab was once a Convinced Person, and so was Judas also, but never Converts.

[Page 202]2. There may be a good Opinion of Grace, where there is no Grace. The Way of Christ may be right in your Eyes, and yet your Hearts not be upright in his Eyes. You may be perswaded in your Hearts concerning the Way of Godliness, that this is the Good Way, that this is the Right Way, and an Excellent Way; that the Life of a Christian, led according to the Rules of the Go­spel, is an Excellent Life; Rom. 2.18. Thou knowest his Will, and approvest the things that are more Excellent. And to this good Opinion Men may be wrought,

• 1. From the Self-evidencing Light of that Holy Doctrine, which prescribes and re­quires Godliness.
• 2. From the convincing Lives of the Sincere Professors of Godliness.
• 3. From the Self-condemnation that is to be ob­served in all other wayes.

1. From the Self-evidencing Light of the Doctrine of Godliness. The Doctrine of Christianity proves it self to be of God, by that Divine Light that shines forth in it, there is a stamp of Divinity imprinted upon it. Is God an Holy God? So is this Doctrine an Holy Doctrine. Is God a Mer­ciful and Gracious God? So is this Doctrine, a Doctrine of Mercy, a Doctrine of Grace; there is Grace and Mercy runs through the whole Body of it; nay, they are the very Soul and Life of it. Is God a God of Wisdom? The Doctrine of Christianity is the Wisdom of God in a Mystery. Is God a God of Truth and of Righteousness? [Page 203] Such is the Doctrine of the Gospel; that not on­ly is according to Truth, and reveals the Righte­ousness of God, but requires Truth and imposes Righteousness upon all that will embrace it. What is more contrary to this Word of Truth than a Lye, or than Hypocrisie and Guile? What is more contrary to this Word of Righteousness than Unrighteousness? Doth the Word of the Gospel allow any Iniquity? Is there any guile found in it, or any toleration whereof in its Pro­fessors? Doth it not command all Righteousness, and condemn all Unrighteousness? even while it justifies the Sinner, it condemns the Sin. This Religion is pure Religion, and undefiled before God, Jam. 1.25. Teaching us, that denying all ungod­liness and worldly Lusts, we should live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present World, Tit. 2.13, 14. Now he that knows that God is an Ho­ly and Wise God, a God of Grace, of Truth, and of Righteousness, and does but understand the Scriptures, may, without any great difficulty, be led into a good opinion of that Godliness which is there held forth and required.

2. From the Convincing Lives of the Sincere Pro­fessors of Christianity. I do not say, from the Lives of all Professors; some Professors of Chri­stianity there are, who are not Christians. Some such there are amongst Professors, who are disor­derly walkers, whose Wayes are so evidently con­trary to their Profession, as if the Devil had led them into their Christianity, on purpose to dis­grace the Gospel; and 'tis like enough, 'twas his doing indeed, to make Professors of them. This Tempter may tempt Men into Religion, as far as [Page 204] may sewe his own ends, and Mens Lusts may make them Disciples. Such, I mean, who while they pretend to the Spirit, do walk after the Flesh, who hold the Truth in Ʋnrighteousness, Rom. 1.18. who are proud, self-conceited, self-willed, heady, giddy, wandring and unstable Souls; like crooked Lines, that in some points touch with the Rule, but for the most part do swerve from it, on this hand and on that. Who are scrupulous about some smaller Matters, which they fancy to have an appearance of evil, and yet allow themselves in apparent Evils, straining at a Gnat, and swal­lowing a Camel, insisting much on some Circum­stances, and neglecting the weightier Matters of the Law, like those Mat. 23.23, 24.

'Tis but little that Godliness is beholden for the good Opinion it hath obtained to such as these; But to the sincere and single-hearted Pro­fessors, whose Lives are a Copy or Pattern of wholsom Doctrine, holding forth the Word of Life, exemplifying the Holy Rules laid down in Scripture, and shewing forth the Vertues of Christ before the World. Who are in the World, as he was in the World; who live by Faith, and walk in Love, being humble, meek, peaceable, merci­ful, temperate, true, righteous and holy, in all manner of Conversation. These are the Persons whose Lives do commend Godliness to the World; and force their very Hearts, many of them, to acknowledg: Sure this is the Way of God that these Men walk; it cannot be but God is in them of a very truth; sure these are the Servants of the Living God, this is Religion indeed; if there be any way of Life this is the way.

[Page 205]It's true, this way is every-where spoken against by the malicious, but the more like to be of God for that; So 'twas in the Apostles dayes, Acts 28.22. As for this Sect, we know it is every-where spoken against: Mark it, Christianity was coun­ted by the malicious but a Sect or a Faction, and Christians but Sectaries; so they were counted and called, about 1600 years ago, and therefore 'tis no disparagement if they be counted so still.

But sayes the considering Sinner, let them be called what Men please, Sectaries, Seducers, Hy­pocrites, or what else malice can invent; yet as it was said of Christ, John 10.21. These are not the words of him that hath a Devil; so it may be said of his Followers, Call them what you will, yet these are not the Lives of Schismaticks or Hypocrites, these Men are the Servants of the most High God, and their way is the way of Life.

3. From the Self-condemnation that all other wayes carry in them. If this be not the way of Life, there's none; if these be not the Servants of God, there are none such in the World. For where are they else to be found? Are the Igno­rant, and the Earthly, and the Irreligious, are these the Religious? Are the Carnal, and the For­mal, and the out-side Worshippers, that will give Christ the Cap and the Knee, and yet can Drink, and Riot, and Swear, and Scoff, are these the sincere Worshippers of God? This must be the Good Way, or which else can it, with any tole­rable probability, be imagined to be? Surely if this be not it, we must even all count to be damn'd, [Page 206] for there is no other, that so much as looks like the Path of Life.

The Atheist must say, I am not in the way to God, this Fool hath said in his Heart, There is no God.

The Pope with his Doctrine must say, I am not the Way, I am Antichrist, 'tis Christ only that brings us to God.

Formality must say, I am not the Way, for God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and in Truth, John 4.24.

Profaneness must say, I am not the Way to God, I am the Way of Death, and my steps lead down to Hell. If there be any Way of Death in the World, profaneness is it.

Drunkards, and Swearers, and Revellers, and Rioters, if their Consciences may but have the priviledg of their Tongues, will tell you, we are all out of the Way, we must take another course than the Devil and our Lusts will yet suffer us, or else wo to us that ever we were born; We would be loth to die in the Way we live in, we must turn a new Leaf or we are undone. These do not so much as pretend to be in the Way of Life.

Well, thus far now a Sinner may come; by be­holding the Self-evidencing Light that is in the Doctrine of Godliness, the convincing Lives of the Sincere Professors thereof, the Self-condemna­tion that is in all other Wayes, he may be led into a good Opinion of Sincere-Godliness. And this Good Opinion is but a little ground gotten to­wards it, It is not Godliness to think well of it.

3. Sinners good Opinion of Godliness, may beget good Inclinations towards it, and good wishes after [Page 207] it. Happy are those Souls that are in Christ, who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit; O that my Soul were among them, I could even find in mine Heart to be one of his Disciples. I am in a strait between two, (as the Apostle said in ano­ther case, Phil. 1.21.) and what I shall chuse I wot not; fain I would be a Christian in earnest, I see it would be best for me to be so, and O that I were! But on the other side, how shall I bear the Labours and Sufferings of that way? What shall I do? what shall I chuse? I would be a Dis­ciple of Christ, but I am afraid what may come of it.

4. Sinners good Opinions and good Inclinations, may bring forth some ineffectual Attempts and En­deavours; they may set forth after Christ; their enlightned Minds may set their Hearts upon them, and cause them to fall a reasoning thus with them­selves; If this be the good way, why should not I walk in it? Is a Godly Life such an Excellent Life? can I approve it in others? can I pronounce them blessed who so live? Come, my Soul, put in for a part in Christ, resolve once what thou wilt do, stay not in these Uncertainties, hang no longer betwixt Heaven and Hell; speak the word once, Wilt thou be for Christ? Shall the Sincere Christians God be my God, their Hopes my Hopes, their Life my Life? Shall I cast in my Lot among them, and take up my Lot with theirs? Come a­long, venture after the Lamb, venture for the Blessedness to come; set to Praying, set to Hear­ing, give thy self to the study and practice of that blessed course which thou knowest will have its Fruit unto Holiness, and its end Everlasting [Page 208] Life. And yet after all this, little or nothing may be done.

These now are fair Preparations to Grace, but this is not Grace. Conviction is not Conversion; the approving, and liking, and wishing for, and making some ineffectual Attempts and Offers at Godliness, this is not chusing and embracing it.

2. There are Images of Grace, which are not Grace. There is a form of Godliness which is not Godliness, 2 Tim. 3.5. An Image is not the same, an Image of a Man is not a Man, the I­mage of a Christian is not a Christian. The Image of Christ is a Christian, but the Image of a Chri­stian is no Christian; as great a likeness as there is, yet there is as great a difference also as betwixt Living and Dead.

There is something like Faith which is not Faith, something like Repentance which is not Repentance; something like the New Man, and is not it, but the Old Man new dressed up; and so like it may be, in Complexion, in Language, in Carriage, that it is often taken to be the same. The Pangs of Travel may bring forth, but when all comes to all, it may be but a dead Child; there may be all the Parts, the Head, the Eyes, the Hands, and every Limb, but no Life; and yet when it is but newly brought forth, it may be hard to discern whether it be alive or dead; so difficult is it to discern between Common and Special Grace; so many Counterfeits have there been found, which have both been Decei­vers and deceived, as is enough to make the Hearts of many Christians indeed to shake.

[Page 209]3. There are some Properties of Gracious Persons, which are no certain Evidences of Grace; but may be found also in Hypocrites. Nothing can evidence the Truth of Grace, but that which is so adae­quately proper to Saints, that it cannot be found in an Hypocrite. What-ever maybe found in an Hypocrite, can never certainly prove me to be no Hypocrite. Assuring Marks must be distiguish­ing Marks, such as separate betwixt the Precious and the Vile; and nothing can distinguish the Sound from the Unsound, but that which the Unsound cannot attain. As 'tis said of some Sin­ners, Deut. 32.5. Their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; So may it be said of all Saints, Their Grace is not the Grace of his Enemies; and we can never come to give a clear and comfortable Judgment of our selves, till we find something in us, which is not to be found in any Hypocrites in the World.

But some Properties there are of Sincere Chri­stians, which may be found in Hypocrites; which yet some Divines have some-what unwarily made use of, and proposed for Peoples Tryal of their States.

Indeed it is much to be wished, that we were more exact and cautelous in this Matter, than ma­ny of us are at this day. Though good use may be made of probable. Evidences, yet should we declare to our People, which are but probable Marks, and which are certainly concluding. Of those Properties of Christians, which some Di­vines have formerly given as Marks of Sincerity, I shall mention three;

• [Page 210]1. Prayer.
• 2. Hearing the Word.
• 3. Reforming the Life.

1. Prayer. This is a property of a Sincere Christian, He is praying Person. Behold be pray­eth, 'twas said of Paul, when he was a young Convert, Acts 9.11. The whole Generation of the Saints, are called, Psal. 24.6. a Generation of Seekers; This is the Generation of them that seek thee. But are there no praying Hypocrites, as well as praying Believers? See Mat. 6. Will he alwayes call upon God? saith Job, Chap. 27.10. But though he will not pray alwayes, yet will he never pray?

2. Hearing the Word. This also is the property of Christians, they are Hearers of the Word. Joh. 10.27. My Sheep hear my Voice.

3. Reforming the Life. 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you; that is, Drunkards, Revilers, Covetous, Fornicators, &c. but ye are washed. Ye are now reformed Persons; and are there no reformed Hypocrites? Every Reformation is not Sanctification.

'Tis a good sight to see Men that once lived like Heathens, and never called upon God, to set upon a course of serious Prayer. 'Tis a good sight to behold others, that not only neglected the Word, but mocked at, and persecuted those that heard it, to be now become constant Hearers themselves. 'Tis a good sight, and a comfortable, to behold those that were once loose livers, Drun­kards, Swearers, &c. to become Reformed Per­sons, [Page 211] to see some see Men from Persecutors to become Pofessors of Religion; these things are a good fight, but they are no sure sign of Sincerity. Men may Pray, and Hear, and be much reformed in their Lives, and yet be short of Christ.

The neglect of Prayer and Hearing, and the going on in a course of Sin, are certain signs of a wicked Man; Thou that prayest not, and wilt not receive Instruction, and hatest to be reformed, art thou a Saint? Thy gross neglects, and thy evil doings, are Satan's Marks upon thee. Art thou still going on in thy wickedness? How canst thou say or think but that thou art of the wicked One? Yet the performance of these Duties, Praying, Hearing, and somewhat of Reformation, are no certain signs that thou art of God.

A total and thorough Reformation, a withdraw­ing our selves from every evil way, a resigning up our selves to the Government of Christ, and the Conduct of the Spirit, and an actual care and en­deavour to walk uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel, is the best and last proof of our Sincerity. But much Reformation there may be in the Life, and yet the Heart not right with God.

Beloved, while we are comforted over you, and rejoyce that there is so much done upon many of you, as there is, that there are so many Praying Ones among you, who were wont to neglect Prayer; that there are so many of you to be found at a Sermon, who were once more like to have been found in an Alehouse, (blessed be God that there is such visible Reformation among you, both of your Persons and Families). Besides those of [Page 212] you that have given a good proof of an inward Saving-change, even this that appears upon others of you, is a comfort to us; Yet beware how you venture your Souls upon this, though hopeful, yet I doubt but partial Reformation; and all this not­withstanding, fear lest you should, and look dili­gently that you do not fall short of the Grace of God at last.

4. There is no one Grace that is really so, if it be alone, that will put us out of doubt concerning our state. There is no one Mark by which we can give a certain judgment of our selves, without the concurrent testimony of other Marks with it. The Graces of God in us, must give mutual testimony each to other, before any of them can give clear testimony to us. Our Love must prove our Faith to be sincere, our Holy Obedience must prove our Love to be sincere, before either our Faith or Love will prove either themselves or us to be so. If I have the very Faith of God's Elect, and I yet que­stion whether I love or no; If I feel I love, and cannot prove 'tis in sincerity by my Obedience, neither the one nor the other will give me confi­dence before God. One Grace wanting, will be an Objection against those that appear. I believe, but sure I fear, 'tis not with Faith unfeigned, be­cause I cannot find I love, and so in the rest.

Not but that any one Saving-Grace, where-ever it is found to be such, is an infallible Evidence of Sincerity; But still the doubt will be, whether this Grace I find, be Grace indeed; and unless it be witnessed, by the concurrence of other Graces, that doubt is never like, in an ordinary way, to be clearly resolved. Therefore that Exhortation [Page 213] of the Apostle, Add to your Faith Vertue, and to Vertue Knowledg, and to Knowledg Temperance, &c. 2 Pet. 1.5, 6. is necessarily to be minded, in order to the obtaining that Assurance which the Apostle in the following Verses, directs and exhorts with diligence to follow after.

5. What-ever you have, and yet all short of Sa­ving-Grace, it may all go quite back, and you may return to a worse estate than ever you were before. The unclean Spirit that is at present gone out, may return again, and thy latter end may be worse than thy beginning. Let us a little consider that Scrip­ture, Mat. 12.33, 34, 35. When the unclean Spi­rit is gone out of a Man, he walketh through dry pla­ces, seeking rest and findeth none; then he saith, I will return into my House from whence I came forth; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished; then goeth [...] and taketh with him se­ven other Spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, and the last state of that Man is worse than the first. Though this Text be parabolical, and was intended against that wicked Generation, yet is it applicable to particular per­sons still.

[When the unclean Spirit goeth out of a Man.] That Sinners are so vile and abominable, it is from that wicked Spirit, Satan, that dwells in them. Every Sinner is a possessed Person, possessed of a Devil. When they are a little reformed, they seem for the time to be dispossessed; but there is diffe­rence betwixt the Devil's going out, and his being cast out: Satan may a little with-draw from Souls, as to the Impetus or violence of his Suggestions and Operations, whilst still he holds his Dominion.

[Page 214][He walketh through dry places]. What these dry places may be, is not so easie to determine; some by these loca arida, understand loca v [...]na, void and empty places, the Desarts and Wastes of the Earth, where he finds no Body to tempt or molest. But could Satan think to find rest there, where was no House for him to lay his Head in? Would the Tempter wast time in seeking whom to devour in those wast places, where he knew wel enough there were none to be found? he knows too well where Sinners dwell, to go to seek them where they are not; more like to find the Devil in a Market, than in a Wilderness. This therefore seems not to be the sence.

May I give my conjecture? Why may not these dry places be the Saints on Earth, the Fountain of whose Blood is dryed up? in whom the Sun hath dryed up their Dirt and Mire, in which this Swine loves to wallow. Satan may have his Walks through the best of Men, but these are no Habitation for him. The Devil, with the Swine, hath his Habitation in the filthy places, in the Mud and Mire; or with the Behemoth, of whom 'tis said, Job 40.21. He lyeth under the shady Trees, under the covert of the Reeds in the Fens. He loves to be in the Shade, where no Sun comes to disturb him; in the Moors and in the Fens, where he may have Mire enough to tumble in. Miry moo­rish Hearts, dirty Fennish Souls, are the Dens of Devils; the Saints in comparison of these are dry places.

[He seeketh rest]. This notes two things.

1. When the Devil is gone out of any Person, he is never at rest till he is gotten in again, either thi­ther [Page 215] whence he went out, or into some other Habita­tion where he may do mischief. Like Children, like Father; as 'tis said of them, so 'tis much more true of him, he rests not but in doing mischief.

2. The Devil loves to dwell where he may be at rest. That is, not from Work (his Work is his rest) but from Resistance or Opposition. In carnal and un­clean Hearts, the unclean Spirit may be at rest; there's nothing to disturb or give him disquiet. He may dwell at ease, and rule and domineer at plea­sure. Nay if he please he may be at rest, not on­ly from Opposition, but from Work too; he may take up such Habitations for his Houses to sleep in, his Work goes on whether he wakes or sleeps. Wicked Hearts do the Devil's Work to his hand, he may save himself much of his labour, they will run on to Death and Hell, without the De­vils driving them.

Foolish Sinners are apt to think themselves se­cure from the Devil, they live in I constant calm, and find no such buffetings and blusterings of the Devil upon them, as some of the Saints do, but are in quiet and at peace, and thereupon are confi­dent there's no Devil near them.

But stay Friends, not so confident; cast an eye upon Luk. 11.21. there you may read, When a strong Man armed keepeth the House, his Goods are in peace. It is not because the Devil is not near you, that you hear no more of him, but because he hath you sure enough, and needs not keep a stir to make you surer. Do but offer to depart and make an escape, give but a shake at his Yoke to get it off, and get you away towards Christ, and then you shall find whether the Devil be at hand [Page 216] or no. He is at rest in thee, Sinner, and that's the reason, thou hearest no news nor noise of him; he hath thee safe enough, or else thou shouldst be sure to find, he were not far off from thee.

[Seeking rest and findeth none]. He goes through these dry places, from Saint to Saint, from Heart to Heart, in hope to find entertainment, but is still disappointed. Here's little rest for me to be had; these dry places, I see, are no place for me; Here's such watching, and wrestling, and warring against me, such jealouses and suspici­ons of me; so much praying and complaining a­gainst me, that thre's no stay for me here.

This, whether it be the Truth of the Text or no, I will not peremptorily determine; but a certain Truth it is, The Devil seeks entertain­ment in the Saints, but cannot find to his mind.

[Then he saith, I will return to mine House from whence I came out]. Well, I see, there's no hope of rest for me here, but I know whither I may go, and be welcome, I'le back to my old Habitation.

[And when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished]. A little cleaner and hand­former than when he left it, the Devil can allow Sinners a little Reformation. But though it be a little cleaned and garnished, yet it lies empty still; there's no other Tenant hath taken it up, though the Devil went out, yet Christ was not let in, but there it lies void for the next that comes.

[Then goeth he and taketh seven other Spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in, and [Page 217] dwell there, and the last state of that Man is worse than his first]. Beware of a returning Devil; the Devil at his return, often makes seven-sold worse work than before he did.

Friends, it may be there be some among you, in whom the unclean Spirit hath been ruling and spurring, and riding you post on, upon all man­ner of wickedness; Drunkenness, Whoredom, Swearing, Cursing, and all manner of Abominati­ons; But at present it may be, he is for a season departed, and hath a little with-drawn from you; and now you are grown more sober, and temperate, and chast; much reformed of what you once were; you are swept and garnished; you have laid by your former profaneness, and ta­ken up the Profession of Religion, and put on a Form of Godliness; there is a better face upon you, and upon your wayes; and now you think all's well, you are become new Men, and your state is happy.

But do you not stand empty still? Hath Christ taken up these Hearts, for his own Habitation? If the Unclean Spirit be gone out, is the Holy Spirit come in? How much soever you are Re­formed, of what you have been, are you trans­formed by the renewing of your Mind? Are you not only garnished with common Grace, but are you furnished with special Grace? Is Christ with­in you? If not, O take heed, the Devil may come about again, and make his re-entry upon you, and then you have not been so wicked hereto­fore, but you may become seven times more vile, and your latter end may be worse than your be­ginning.

[Page 218]Beloved, I hope and am perswaded, that there are divers among you, from whom, through the abundant Grace of God towards you, the un­clean Spirit is not only withdrawn, but cast out; that you are not only a little overly swept and garnished, but established in the Grace of God. I hope and believe, that there are many here in whom the Holy Spirit hath gotten such footing, that the Devil shall never come in again, to set up his Throne, or take up his Rest in you; But yet I warn you, especially the younger Professors a­mong you, to maintain a Godly Jealousie of your selves, and to fear how it may be with you.

Now Friends, consider what hath been said; Are there Preparations for Grace which yet are no Grace? Are there Images of Grace, which yet are no Grace? And may they be so well like, that they are often taken to be the same? May you have many Properties of Sincere Christians, and yet be no Christians? May all you have of them, go back, and come to worse than nothing? Believe this, and see if it work not fear in you.

Direct. 2. Fear and beware. That's a speci­al use of fear, to make to beware. Fear sin and beware of it, fear the wrath of God, and beware, that it fall not on thee. Particularly.

• Fear and Hide.
• Fear and Flee.

1. Fear and hide. When our first parents had sinned, and were afraid, Gen. 3.7.8. They went and hid themselves, from the presence of God, among the trees of the garden. Its true, 'twas but a poor hiding place, that they found, there was never a tree in all the garden, that had shade enough, to hide them from the all seeing eye; but yet you see how their fear works, it made them to hide. Prov. 22.3. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself. If you ask, what or when, or how shall we hide, I answer,

1. Get your sins hid. Psal. 32.1. Blessed is he whose sin is covered. There is a covering of sin, which proves a curse. Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his sin shall not prosper, there is a cove­ring it, by not confessing it, or which is worse, by denying it. Gehazi's covering; a covering of sin by a lye; and there is also a covering of sin by justifying our selves in it; I have not done this thing, or I did not evil in it, all these are evil coverings, he that thus covereth his sin, shall not prosper. But there is a blessed covering of sin. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered, forgiveness of sin, is the [Page 298] hiding it out of sight, and that's the blessed­ness.

There is an uncovering of sin, which is something towards its covering. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy, Prov. 28.13. confession is the way to remission. Sin is never hid till it be thus open'd

There is an impudent opening of sin, and a pe­nitent opening of it.

1. An impudent opening of sin, Isa. 3.9. They declare their sin as Sodom, they hid it not; they are naked and are not ashamed; they make their boast of sin, and glory in their shame.

2. There is a penitent opening of sin, and that is, by confessing it, and condemning our selves for it; and this is the opening, that is the way to hide it. Confession leads on to repentance, and repentance to remission, the confessing peni­tent carries his sin to Christ for a pardon, and that's its covering. In that time the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found. Jerem. 50.20. [in that time] in what time? why in the day of pardon, as in the last words of the verse. [shall the iniquity of Israel be sought for] who will seek for it? will God rip up old sores? will God rake up old quarrels? who will seek it? why 1. Whether God seek it or no, to be sure, the accuser, Satan will be seeking for it. Yea and 2. God also, the justice of God, in a sence, maybe said to seek for it, the righteous­ness of God will (as I may so speak) have inquiry [Page 299] made, if any sin still stand upon Israels and Judahs score; if any uncancell'd bills, or uncrossed scores, may be found against them, but what ever en­quiry be made in that day, the day of pardons, there shall be none found. Their remission is such a covering of sins, as righteousness will not look through, to revenge them.

Beloved, get your sins thus hidden, see that they do not lye open to the revenger; confesse them, repent of them, get you to Christ for a pardon. Do not deny or extenuate them, 'tis sad covering sin with sin, that will be as the diping the wool in the furnace the second time, the dye will be the deeper. Get the Covenant, the blood of the Covenant for a covering. Carry your sores and your ulcers open before the Lord, for his co­vering. LORD 'tis a vain thing for me to deny it, or to excuse what I have done, it cannot be excused; I have done foolishly, I have done wick­edly, and mine iniquity is marked before thee, I am an unclean thing, all wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. A covering Lord a cove­ring to hide this unclean thing out of sight, a garment Lord, a garment rolled in blood, to hide the shame of my nakedness.

Friends, are your sins hid? yes, mine are I hope; but what covering hast thou gotten? There are five sorts of coverings (besides those already mentioned) under which mens sins are often hid.

1. A covering of ignorance; they know not sin to be sin, the blind see not their own spots, and thereupon think there are no spots upon [Page 300] them; their darkness serves them for a covering Thou that sayest thine heart is clean, it may be 'tis for want of eyes, thou seest not what an heart it is, when do we hear ever a word of complaint, or confession from thee? There is no soundness in my flesh, (saith the psalmist) because of thine anger, nor rest in my bones by reason of my sin, my wounds stink and are corrupt, my loynes are filled with a loathsome disease, and there is no soundness in my flesh, Psal. 38.3. &c. Such are the complain­ings of the righteous, but when dost thou com­plain? thou art whole and sound, thou sayest; I but tis because thou art blind, thou thinkest so; if God should open thine eyes, thou wouldest see such sights, as would amaze thee.

2. Oblivion, or their own forgetfulness, whilest mens sins are fresh in their memory, they are sometimes afraid, but after a while, they are forgotten, and all buried in Oblivion. Thou a good Christian? thou an honest man, and hast done no harm? remember thy self, look to the dayes of old, call back the things that are past. Where wert thou at such a time, and such a time, what wert thou then a doing? call to mind thine oathes, and thy lying, and thy drunkenness and thy companions in sin. Hast thou done nothing amisse? rub up thy memory, and that will help thine eye sight.

3. Hardness of heart, some sinners can feel no­thing; and they can see nothing but what they feel. Nothing is evil with them, but what is uneasie, nothing is sin, but what smarts. The [Page 301] Apostle tell us, Eph. 4.18.19. That men with­out understanding are past feeling, and sure those that are without feeling, are so much the more past understanding; the brawn upon their hearts, is a film upon their eyes. Seest thou nothing to trouble thee? O hard heart! what, such a drun­ard, such a scoffer, such an earthworm, such a prodigal, and yet seest thou nothing to trouble thee? if God should but smite this rock, that would open thine eyes.

4. Some hide their sins, in other mens greater sins, by looking on the greater blazes of other mens sins, their own embers, that lye most un­der the ashes are not seen. If they can say with the Pharisee, I am not as other men, they will not see, but they are honest men, and no hurt found in them.

5. Others will hide their sins in the Church, will take up some little profession of religion, and make so much reformation, as will give them admission into a congregation of Christians, or it may be but into a sect or party, that call them­selves Christians; to whom when they have once joined themselves, ther's an end of their old sins. If they have gotten a new skin upon them, and are hang'd on, as members of the bo­dy of Christ, (as they think) then they go for new men, and all their old things are vanished a­way.

But sinners, are these the only coverts, in which your sins are hid? in your ignorance, in your forgetfulness, &c. From whose eyes will these [Page 302] coverings hide them? will they hide them from Gods eyes, or is it onely from your own eyes? Is this all you need, to hide your selves from your selves? woe be to those men, whose sins are open before the eyes of the Lord, and only hid from their own.

Will any of these coverings hide them from the Lord? Because you see not, doth not God see? because you have forgotten, hath God forgotten? O if there were such a book of re­membrance, of all that you have done, present­ed to you, as is written against you before the the Lord, how pale would your faces grow? If God should now come in amongst us, and read over to each sinner, the roll that is written a­gainst him, what a trembling congregation would this be: how would you look one upon another, as men astonished! how would you strike upon your breasts, and smite upon your thighs, and speak trembling, men and brethren, what shall we do! what ease would it be to you, when you hear so much written in your own books, to think there is more written against some others? And what if you be gotten into the church, and your sins be buried under the shadow of the Altar, under your profession of religion? will not God see them there?

Consider sinners, are your sins repented of and pardoned? hath the Lord cast them behind his back, and blotted them out of his book? you have made a shift to blot them out of yours, but what if they should be still found on Gods book? nay is it not certainly so, do they not all stand there against you, even all the sins you have com­mitted [Page 303] in your lives? O look ye out for a better covering; hast ye, hast ye, cry for a pardon, sue out an act of oblivion from heaven, look unto Jesus, get your sins nail'd to his crosse, and bu­ried in his grave. Repent and be converted that your iniquities may be blotted out, and in that day, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found.

2. Get your souls hid; hid with Christ in God. I flee unto thee to hide me, Psal. 143.9. I will trust in the covert of thy wings, Psal. 61.4. Christ will be no hiding place for your sins, unless your souls also take sanctuary in him. Get thee in to Christ; if thou be found in him, thy sin shall not be found. Hide thee from Christ, in Christ; in the bloud and bowels of Christ a Saviour, from the fury and wrath of Christ a judge. Great is the wrath of that day; there will be no enduring, and there can be no escaping that wrath, but by himself. Woe be to those that shall then be found out of Christ, in what ever else they be found. The kings of the earth, and the grat men, the Rich men and the Captaines and the mighty men (that are found out of Christ). shall hide them­selves in dens, and the rocks of the mountaines, and shall say to the mountaines, fall on us, and to the rocks, cover us, and hide us from him that sit­teth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand, Rev. 6.15.16.17.

O sinners, you that have ventured it, to stand out from Christ hitherto, look before you, to [Page 304] that great day that comes; you that neglect the Mercy, think how you can possibly escape the Wrath of the lamb. Trust not to the secresie of dens, to the mercy of mountains, to the might of rocks; these will all be as deaf to your cry, as you are to the cry of the Lord. Now you have a rock before you, which will then be a re­refuge; put you into the clefts of this rock, and the indignation shall pass over you, stay out at your utmost peril.

Wretched souls, how is it that tis so hard, to perswade you in to Christ? How is it that the clifts of this rock, have so long opened to you, yea that the rock hath followed you, and cryed after you, put in hither and you shall be safe, and yet so few have been perswaded in? Lord how few! how many still stand without, and it may be, are mocking at the fears of them that are gotten in.

Sinner, how canst thou think without a trem­bling heart of being found out of Christ, in that great day of his wrath? O fear, fear and beware, fear and hide; hide thy self in Christ, and then thy great fear will be over, There is no condemna­tion to them that are in Christ, Rom. 8.1.

But how may we hide our selves in Christ? I answer,

• 1. Cry unto him to take you in.
• 2. Consent to him while he offers to take you in.

1. Cry unto him to take you in; to sprinkle you with his bloud, which alone will save you from [Page 305] his wrath, say, but with a better heart, and in a better sence, than they did, in the words of those Jews, Math. 27.25. His blood be upon us, and our children.

There's a double sence, in which these words may be spoken,

• 1. The guilt of his blood be upon us,
• 2. The attonement of his blood be upon us.

Twas in the first sence that those wicked Jews imprecated, his blood be upon us, let the guilt of his blood be upon us, let our own souls an­swer for the fact, of putting him to death.

Beware sinners, that that precious blood be not thus found upon you. Impenitent sinners, the guilt of Christs blood is upon them, they are his betrayers and murtherers, and by their im­penitence in sin, they allow the deeds of those wicked ones that crucifyed him.

What's said of Apostates, Heb. 6.6. is charg­able upon all impenitent sinners, They crucifie the Son of God afresh, for.

1. It was sin that did crucifie Christ, both as the meritorious cause, and as the instrumental cause, twas the sin of the Jews that set them on work.

2. There is such malignity in sin, that if it were able, would fetch Christ out of heaven again, and put him to death again.

3, Impenitent sinners stand with this weapon in [Page 306] their hand, to do their worst towards the repeating this wicked fact.

4. There is in the crucifying of Christ, a put­ting him to death, and a putting him to shame; the former they would do, and the latter they do, once and once again. What a shame was it, that his crucifiers cast upon him, in crying out, not this man but Barrabbas, Impenitent sinners do the like; in turning from Christ to thy sin, thou also sayest, not Jesus but Barrabbas; these murtherers for me, not Christ but my lusts, and wickedness; and though there be not such a word in thy mouth, yet this is the cry of thy fact, the guilt of his blood be upon me.

Sinners, your going on in your sins, is a kind of doing that wicked act, of crucifying Christ, once and once again. Every oath that you swear, every lye that you tell, every scoffe that you cast out, against Christ and his ways; is your cruci­fying him afresh. This is the voice of your sins, crucifie him, crucifie him; on with his mocking robes and crown again, spit at him and buffet him again, scourge him again, up with him to the crosse, and nail him, and pierce him again. Every sinner is bringing in more thornes, and more nailes, and more vinegar and gall, and more spears to thrust him thorough. Here, take my thornes, saith one, take my nailes, saith ano­ther, take my spunge and my spear saith another, and strike to the heart. And the cry of this your fact is, the guilt of his blood be upon us. Trem­ble O impenitents, did you ever think that there [Page 307] there had been so much in your impenitence as this?

But 2. There is the Attonement of Christs blood, and in this sence tis, I exhort you to cry; his blood by upon me; let that blood of sprinkling, which speaks better things than the blood of Abel, as it is peace and a propitiation for sin­ners, so let it be upon me. Beg of Christ to take you in, and make you partakers of the merit of his blood, of the vertue of his blood, whereby your iniquities may be pardoned, and purged away; that when they are sought for, they may not be found. Go sinner, go unto Jesus, lift up thine eyes, lift up thy voice, stand crying at his door, Lord open to me, Lord take me in a­mong thy pardoned ones, let the blood of the lamb be sprinkled upon me.

2. Consent to Christ, whilest he offers to take you in, you may know what's to be done, to get in to Christ, by considering over that special mark which I have already given you, to prove your being in Christ. Tis your consent, that will prove you to be in Christ, and the same which will be your evidence, will give you en­trance in him.

Sinners, give your consent to Christ; get your hearts to approve of him, to be will satisfied, that tis safe venturing upon him, that he is a sure refuge, that both can and will hide you from the wrath to come. Accept of Christ; If you be satisfied that tis safe venturing with him, make your adventure, embarque with this faithful Pi­lot, [Page 308] and with him trust your selves. Dedicate and give your selves to him, as his right and pro­perty, and be sure he will hide his own. Speak unto him this hour, here I am Lord, no longer mine own, I here pass away and make over my self unto thee for ever; take me as thine own, for thine I am resolv'd to be; take me for thine, own, and take care of me as thine own, I am thine save me. Give him the right, and give him the present possession of you; rise up this day ye servants of the Lord, and go and serve him. What wilt thou have me to do Lord? how wilt thou have me to live? speak Lord, i'le henceforth know no other voice but thine; this world shall be no longer heard, against the voice of Christ, this flesh shall be no longer heard, against the voice of Christ, depart usurpers, I am neither mine own nor yours, what have I any longer to do with you? I am Christs, and him only will I serve, and through the help of the Lord I will go from this place, bound in the spirit, and resolv­ed in mine heart; to be governed guided and em­ployed by him alone. This is the full and set­led purpose of mine heart, and O that this my resolution may be attended with such an effectu­al power, that may make a present actual change upon my whole course and way of life. Well I will go in the strength of the Lord, and let me find the presence and the power of the Almighty with me. O that I might not go out of this house, nor be seen in the streets, but the tongues of those that see me, might say, where hath this man, or this woman been this day? what hath been done to them? whence is this strange change? [Page 309] Is not this the man that was born blind? Is not this the cripple that sate for alms at the beautiful gate of the Temple? said they once: is not this the man that lived in blindness, and in ignorance of God? is not this he, that was such a lame, halting, trifling vain walker? how do we see him to have his eyes open, and living in the grace and power of God? what a change is here? how comes this to pass? surely this man hath been with Jesus; surely he is become one of the Lords, and the spirit of the living God is in him.

What say you friends, are you now for such a change? come and give your selves thus to the Lord, and then fear not, to commit your selves to his custody; trust him for your pardon, trust him for protection, leave the care of your souls upon him for ever. Faithful is he that hath called you, and will take care of you. Now you have a sure title to him, and are hid in his blood, and this blood of the lamb, shall be to you as the scarlet line on the window of Rhahab, was to her, Josh. 2.18. or as the blood of the Paschal lamb sprinkled on the lintels, and door-posts of Israel, Exod. 12. your certain security, that the indignation shall passe over you, and the de­stroyer shall not hurt you for ever.

2. Fear and flee, the ordinary effect of fear is flight, and the reason of flight is fear. There are three things in flight. 1. There is depar­ture in it; be gone, get thee up out of this place said the Angels once to Lot, Gen. 19. 2. There is haste in it. Flight is a departure in haste. Haste thee, stay not in all the plain. 3. Tis in order [Page 310] to an escape, escape for thy life, escape to the mountains.

Flee sinner, flee away from thy sins and live. What day thou hidest thee in Christ, thou must leave thy sins behind thee, or if thou carriest them to Christ with thee (which comes all to one) it must be only to be crucified, particular­ly,

• 1. Flee out of thy state of sin.
• 2. Flee from the practice of sin.

2. Flee out of thy state of sin, to say no more in this place to fright thee to thy heels, know that thy state of sin is a state of bondage, Act. 8.23, thou art a mere bondslave to the devil and thy lusts. Dost thou not feel the chains on thy neck, & the fetters on thy feet? art thou not made to serve under thine enemies, whom thou canst not find in thine heart but to obey, tho it be to the cutting of thine own throat? Thou art not left at liberty, to act as a Christian, according to the Gospel, no nor as a man according to thine own reason and conscience, but art made a mere brute of, to serve the pleasure of the devil and thy lusts. Art thou content to live and die such a slave? behold, the whole world is for liberty; what groanings are there under oppression, what out­cries against impositions, and invasions, upon rights and priviledges, and what impatience of vassalage and servitude? and canst thou be so pa­tient, of the impositions of lust, and thy vassa­lage under the devil? canst thou dwell for ever, under the usurpers? is there any tyranny like [Page 311] that of thy will and lust? is the worst of servi­tudes onely, easie to be born? arise thou slave, shake off thy fetters, get thee up out of thine house of bondage.

It is not barely a cessation from the acts of sin, that I am now pressing you to; (let him that stole, steal no more, let him that was a swearer, or a lyar, or a drunkard, swear no more, put away lying, and turn away from the wine and the strong drink) but get you free from your state of sin, get you up out of prison, cease not only from doing the work, but continue not under the do­minion of the divel, be no longer the practiser, no nor the prisoners of sin.

Christ came not to make your prison more clean or more easie, to cast out some of your filth, or to get you an abatement of some of your drud­gery work, but to bring forth the prisoners out of prison, Isaiah. 42.7. Christ calls not to the pri­soners, to take their rest, or to do their masters work by halves, no nor barely to let it all alone; but he saies to the prisoners go forth, Isa. 49.9.

Sinners are not only employed, and set on work by sin and the devil, but they are sold un­der sin, held under sin, shut up under unbelief. They are prisoners, not only by constraint but by consent also, they are voluntary prisoners, they have made a league with sin, and are its cove­nant-servants; they are not onely prisoners to Satan but to their own hearts, the heart of man is become so very a devil, that it is its own gao­ler; the devil cannot commit a sinner into safer custody, than by making his own heart his keeper.

[Page 312]Sinners, those hearts of yours are become such Devils incarnate, so desperately set against Christ, so deeply engaged in soul-damning works, that if God should leave you to the custody and conduct of your own natures, these will lead you on to your damnation. 'Tis now become natural to sinners, to hate the Lord and his way of life; Sin hath made such changelings of them from what they originally were, that 'tis their nature to play the fools, and the beasts; 'tis their nature to be proud, to be froward, to be malicious, 'tis mens corrupt nature, that so strongly enclines them, to follow the Devil and flee from Christ. The Chicken doth not more naturally follow the Hen, and flee from the Kyte; than Sinners do follow that Kyte, the Devil, and flee from Christ.

As 'tis said of the Devil, Joh. 8.44. When he speaketh a lye, he speaketh of his own, so may it be said of sinners, when they do wickedly, they do of their own; when they lye, and swear, and mock, and riot, they do of their own. Their inward part is very wickedness, Psal. 5.9. Their hearts are a fountain of iniquity, Jer. 6.7. As a fountain casteth forth waters, so she casteth forth wickedness. She casteth forth her wickedness, not only continually, as a fountain casts out wa­ters (the fountain runs night and day, Summer and Winter, from year to year) but with the same freedome also, there's no need of the Pump or the Bucket, to fetch it up, it flows forth of it self.

Such a state as this, are sinners in; they are Prisoners, and voluntary Prisoners, natural [Page 313] slaves; whose servile spirits are altogether suited to their servile state; who whilest they continue thus, are fit for nothing else but to be made slaves of, they are fit for no other Master but the De­vil, for no other work but wickedness. Cor­rupt nature is their chain to bind them to the Devil, and his cord to drag them to destru­ction.

Art thou not afraid, Sinner, to stay any lon­ger in such a state? sure thou dost not know where thou art, or thou could'st not but fear. When Christ intends to fetch sinners out, he first makes them to see where they are. Isa. 42.7. He opens the blind eyes, and brings forth the Pri­soners from the Prison. He opens their eyes, not barely that they may see their way out, but that they may see, what a Prison 'tis they are in, what a vile Prison, what a strong Prison, what Irons there are upon them, and what a dark hole, and dismal dungeon, there is in the bottom of it, into which they are dropping, and unto which they are reserved in these chains and fetters. There's little hope of perswading sinners out, till upon the sight of their misery and danger, they are afraid to continue longer there.

O I am afraid, and yet I cannot get loose; why what is it that hinders thee? O this evil heart holds me in, whatever danger I am in, this evil nature will venture it all, rather than go to Christ. All within me cries in mine ears, stay, stay where thou art, this bondage is liberty, in comparison of that state that Christ would bring me to. Ay, that's it indeed, this corrupt nature [Page 314] is thy Prison and thy Gaoler; and till the power of nature be broken, till the stream of nature be turned, till those bars and gates be cut in pieces, the fleshly will and its lusts, by which thou art holden in, there will be no getting forth. Thou hast been called back often, and yet thou goest on as thou didst; how comes this to pass? why thy nature leads thee on, thy nature holds thee fast, Hos. 6.7, You [like men] have transgressed, you like men have been hardned; you have done like your selves. Like men! like brutes or stocks rather, why that's the same, man is be­come brutish, and his foolish heart turn'd into a senseless stock, and yet this heart must have the custody and government of thee.

O flee every one of you, flee away from your selves, arise, escape for your lives; is this the state out of which you are so loth to depart? Men and Brethren, save your selves from this woful state. O generation, who hath forwarned you, that you should flee, (shall I say?) nay, who hath bewitched you, that you will not flee from the wrath to come? Get you up, get you up out of this evil state. How is it that you stir not? how is it that we yet hear no such cry a­mong you, Master save us, we perish. Thus saith the King, Come out; will you say, no, but I will dye here? Flee Sinners,

1. As Lot out of Sodome, though you must leave all behind you; all your substance, all your kindred and acquaintance; the fire and the brimstone is coming, get you gone and leave all behind you.

[Page 315]2. As Israel out of Egypt, whatever difficul­ties be in the way; the Mountains, the Red-Sea, the Wilderness, could not keep Israel to the brick-kilns. God will make a way through the Sea, through the most astonishing difficulties if you will venture to follow him out. Say not tis hard, say not 'tis impossible to escape; the Mountains shall be made a plain, the Sea shall become dry Land, the wilderness shall become a fruitful Land, to the followers of the Lord.

3. Flee as men out of an house all on fire, or a sinking ship, in haste. Say not 'twill be time enough to morrow, or hereafter; the house burns, the beam is falling, the ship is sinking, away, away, e're it be too late. 'Tis no time to stand delaying, 'tis no time to stand delibera­ting, Shall I, shall I? To day if you will hear his voice, 'tis high time to awaken out of sleep.

Rise up every man and woman, shake off your fetters, slay your keeper (some Prisoners have broken Prison by knocking their Gaoler on the head) get this old heart slain, and get you a new heart, when that's once done, then you have broken Prison, and your souls are escaped.

2. Flee the practice of Sin. Say not I am now in Christ, and my sin shall never separate me from him. If Christ do not separate thee from thy sins, thy going on in them, will prove thee separate from Christ, Isa. 1.16. Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to do evil. An evil life, argues an evil state, thou hast no part in Christ, who art still going on in thy wickedness; the practice of sin doth both [Page 316] evidence and uphold the power of sin; what clearer evidence that sin is Lord still, than when its Laws are obeyed? who can think that the root is dead, whilest the branches bear and flou­rish? How is a tree known, but by its fruits? Its true, that Moss and Mushromes, and such like excrescencies, may grow out of the best trees, but yet it may be still said of all trees, By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Do men gather Gourds of Vines, or Hawes of the fig-tree?

2 Tim. 2.19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. Art Thou in Christ, who art not turn'd from thy sins? Do not say, I hope I may be, (however) hereafter, and so indulge thy self thy liberty in sin, till Christ come and set thee free; but whether thou be in Christ, or yet short of him, put away ini­quity from thee; let there be a present forbea­rance of the acts of sin, and that will be a means to destroy its habits; as it is with some plants, by cutting them off above ground, you may kill the roots. Do not say, I will be a Drun­kard, till God give me a new heart, I will go on in this swearing, and lying, and mocking, till God work a change upon this evil heart; this is thy resisting the work of God, and such a wicked resolution as may provoke the Lord to leave thee for ever, under the power of Sin and the Devil. Whatever thou be, go presently and put away every iniquity from thee, greater or smaller, open or secret, corporal or spiritual wickednesses, have done with them all. Do not [Page 317] only lament, or mourn for sin, but fight against it, and the best fighting is by flying. The Soul­diers of this world when they flee once, the fight is lost; but Christ's Souldiers never fight well but when they fly; when you fly sin you have won the field; when the Devil flyes, he is over­come; when you fly, you have overcome.

Flee all sin, but especially your beloved and accustomed sins, remember what I have said of these already. Be not the men you have been us'd to be, do not the evils you have lov'd to do. I do not yet mean, that you should only change your sins, forbear covetousness, and turn prodigals, give off your drudgery for this world, and give your selves to idleness, for­bear prophaneness, and turn hypocrites, but put away all iniquity, especially your ac­customed and beloved sins.

Friends, whenever you see your old sins, that have gotten your hearts, coming upon you, and assaulting you, as suppose pride, suppose covetousness, or sinful anger, or the like, which you have been us'd to be overcome by, whenever you find your selves tempted to any of these again, let your hearts startle at it, Here comes my deadly enemy. I know you of old, what a snare you have been to me, what a meer slave you have made of me. I remember how it hath been with me, all the time that I have been go­verned by this covetousness, led by these com­panions, commanded by these passions, or this fleshly appetite; these are they, that kept me back from Christ, that thrust out every good thought, quench'd every good motion, resisted [Page 318] every good word, that was spoken to me. When the Word of God, the Ministers of Christ, and mine own Conscience call'd upon me, Go foo­lish Soul, joyn thy self to Christ, make thy peace with God, accept of Grace, submit to Mercy, turn at his reproofs, such was their power over me and I was so bewitched to them, that I could not bring mine heart to hearken to the Lord.

And are [you] come to me again? tempt­ing me and enticeing me again after you? what, shall I be a Drunkard again? an Earth-worm, an Epicure, and flesh-pleaser again? Away, away, I have done with all iniquity, but especially I must have an eye to you, I dare not touch with you for my life, and therefore come my soul, put on thine armour, stand upon thy guard, and resist them. And in special call up fear to thine help, and set that for thy Sentinel against them.

Fear will quickly espy, and will give the alarm to the Soul. Rise Sampson, the Philistines are upon thee. Rise Soul, the Devil is at thy back, sin lyes at the door; Fear will espy, and will not slight the danger we are in. The flesh counts sin a friend, that comes to do it a kindness: or if it be apprehended as an enemy, that's like to do the Soul a mischief, presumption will tell you, the mischief may not be great; if it make a breach upon thy peace, 'tis but repenting after­wards, and that will make it up; whatever wound it makes upon thy heart, it may soon be healed; the best that is, may be drawn aside and yet do well enough.

[Page 319]Or if Conscience say, it is not to be made light of, it is a dangerous and deadly enemy, yet security will tell you, the enemy is yet afar off, take thine ease, and trouble not thy self before the time. When the tempter is come, 'twill be time enough to look about thee.

But now fear will hold sin in constant suspi­tion, and it will ever suspect the worst, look to thy self, he is at hand that betrayes thee, sin lyes at the door watching for en­trance, and if it get in once, God knows what mischief it may do thee, e're ever thou get clear of it.

Whatever mischief sin hath done to any per­son in the world, thy fear will suspect it may do as bad by thee. How many Souls has this pride made to fall into the condemnation of the Devil? How many Souls hath this cove­tousness drown'd in perdition and destruction? How many Souls has this evil company led down into the deep? What did Nebuchadnezzar's pride do by him? why it drove him from men, amongst the beasts of the field. How did lust and luxurie serve the prodigal? It fetch'd him out from his fathers house, and left him at the Pigs trough. Whether did the rich man's glut­tony carry him? from the pleasures of his Ta­ble to the torments of Hell. What kindness did Gehazi's bribes do for him? they smote him a leper. What advantage did Achan's Gold, Judas his Silver, Ananias his lye, bring to them? was not death all their wages? yea, it will put it to be consider'd, what sin hath done, not only [Page 320] to particular persons, but to Kingdoms and Na­tions, to Countreys and Cities. what brought it on the whole world? A flood of waters to de­stroy them. What on Sodom? It burnt it to ashes. What on Shiloh? Destruction and Devastation. Look to thy self Soul, this same enemy that hath made such woful work every where in the world; this very enemy stands watching at thy door; every little sin that comes, thou knowest not who, or what may be at its heels: Dost thou not see Sword, and Famine, and Pestilence following after it! behold the Devil leading on the Van, and Death and Hell bringing up the Rear.

O what easie admission and entertainment (not­withstanding all this mischief sin hath done) do fearless Souls ordinarily give unto it? It's suf­fered to come upon them as it will, to lodge with them, and dwell with them, and walk with them. It meets them at every turn, at their Tables, their Beds, in their Shops, in their Fields, and yet it is with them, as if there were no enemy near. If your houses were haunted with the De­vil, you would flee out of them; if you saw Death in every cup of excess, if you saw a toad in every gluttonous dish, would you not be start­led at it, if you saw Robbers and Murtherers at your heels, would you not run for it? How is it that you are not running for your lives? Fear and you will run. How is it that you are no more carefully enquiring, which way may I take to escape? there's such a sin, or such a sin that is upon me every day, how may I get rid of it? Fear, and that will both put you [Page 305] upon asking, and help you to find out your way to escape.

But oh how is it, that there should be yet any pleading for, or excusing sin in the world! such fools there are every where found, who are only afraid of their friends, who are watching and fighting against their Remedy; who fall foul with a friendly admonisher, with a faithfull reprover; so far from taking heed of sin, that they can hard­ly take it well to be bid to take heed of it. Let any one come and say to them, Friend, dost thou well to be angry? dost thou well to be idle and vain, to be thus heady and wilfull in thy way? And it may be instead of an [I thank you for your friend­ly warning] this shall be all, [What's that to you? look to your self, and meddle not with me] Shame upon this folly and madness. Fear Sin as you ought, and you will never fly in the face of a faithfull reprover.

To conclude this direction; if you wil but heark­en to me in this one thing, so fear as to flee Sin, you will at once escape all that can hurt you. If I bid you flee from a Serpent, a Cockatrice may meet you; if you flee from the Sword, the Famine may meet you; if you flee from the Famine, the Pesti­lence may devour you; if you flee from the wrath of Man, the wrath of God may fall on you; onely flee Sin, and you are out of danger for ever.

Direct. 3. Fear and follow after. This Di­rection will concern,

• The Ʋnbelievers.
• The Believers.

[Page 306](1.) For Ʋnbelievers, who are yet void of the Grace of God, my word to them shall be this; Follow after true and saving Grace, in fear of falling short of it. Heb. 12.15. Looking dili­gently, least any man fail of the Grace of God. This Direction hath been in part prevented, in what hath been said in the two former: our seek­ing to get into Christ, and to get out of a state of sin, is the same in effect as to seek after Grace. What I shall adde to what hath been said, shall be onely these two words.

1. Let your aim be at Sincerity, and be sure you take not up with any thing that's short of it. This, I take it, may fairly be accounted the sence of that counsel of Solomon, Prov. 23.23. Buy the Truth. The words may as well be rendred, Buy Truth, or Sincerity; get an upright heart, what­ever it cost you.

Truth is sometimes taken objectively, for the Doctrine of Truth; the true Doctrine of God­liness. Sometimes it's taken subjectively for Sin­cerity and Integrity, that Truth in the inward parts, which God loveth, Psal. 51.6. Both may be here intended, but especially the latter. It is pernicious and dangerous to fall short of either, but especially of the last. To be false to our Re­ligion, is more dangerous of the two, than to be of a false Religion. An hypocritical Christian is in a worse case than an honest Infidel; there is more hope of some conscientious Papists, than of licen­tious Protestants.

Buy Truth. Whatever you miss of, whatever it costs you, get Sincerity and Uprightness. To [Page 307] buy it, here notes, 1. To make it our own. Make Religion your own; not only by getting a right Notion of it, a clear understanding, wherein the sincerity of Godliness lies, nor barely by holding the truth, and owning it in a bold profession, (there are that hold the truth in unrighteousness) but by getting it formed and engraven upon your hearts, and subjecting all your powers to the Authority and Government of it; not only hold­ing the Truth, but suffering the Truth to take hold of you, and to form you into its own image. This is to make Religion our own. 2. To buy, notes, to make it our own by way of Exchange, by parting with, and doing away whatsoever is inconsistent with it.

Buy sincerity whatever it cost you; it may cost you much ere you can get it. It must be bought, though not by a price; a price you have not to give; all that you have is not of that value to be a price for Grace. But though you have nothing to buy it with as a Price, yet you have something to part with as a Condition, without which you cannot obtain; all that you have must go for it, Luk. 14.33.

I have spoken much already, to shew you wherein Sincerity stands; study well those marks I have laid down, for Christians to prove them­selves by, and then propose it to your selves, never to give over till you are gotten up to that spirit and life of Godliness, that will abide the trial of those marks: Resolve to pursue it to the utmost, whatever it may cost thee. If thine Estate must go for it, let it go; better be poor than un­gracious: if thou must lose thy Friends, bid fare­well [Page 308] to them all; better be an Abject than an Hypocrite: if thy Name and reputation must go, let it go; better be a Reproach than a Repro­bate: if thy sloth and beloved ease must go, and it will cost thee labour and pains, as certainly it will; buckle to thy work, better Labour than eternal Poverty. Stick at no terms, whatever the Lord imposes, submit to it. Let me have Grace Lord, and let it stand me in whatever thou pleasest. Take from me what thou wilt, impose on me what thou wilt, only help me to bear and perform, and I am content, so that I may be par­taker of that Grace which accompanies Salva­tion.

Friends, let me again beseech and exhort you, thus resolvedly to follow on after sincerity and soundness, and beware you do not conclude you have obtained before you have, and so fall short at last. Once more let me remember you of what I have already told you, There are preparations for Grace which are not Grace, there are Images of Grace which are not Grace, there is something like Faith and like Repentance, which are not the same.

Have you set out after Christ? hath the Lord awakened any of your Souls? is the sleeping De­vil rouz'd, and hath he rais'd such storms as he sometimes does at his casting out? Doth Con­science stirre? hath it worried thee out of thine old sleep and security? Hath the great Shepherd sent forth his dogs, thy fears, after thee, to fetch thee in? and is thy Soul now in motion towards Christ? art thou put upon praying, and hear­ing, and considering thy wayes, and attempting [Page 309] an amendment? Hast thou thus set out after the Lord? O take heed thou take not up thy rest here, follow on till thou obtain.

Friends, 'tis great pity, that any of you should come so far, and yet not come thorough, but pe­rish in the way. Take encouragement from what is already done, but take not up your stand here: count not this all, and yet do not count it nothing. Man, be of good courage, the Lord who hath brought thee hitherto, hath therein said to thee, as to that Scribe, Mark 12.34. Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God. O thank God for that word; the next word may be, The Kingdom of God is within thee. What within a step of Christ? O take courage and put on, one stroke further, and thou hast shot the gulf; a little more Pray­er, a little more Labour, and the work may be done. Follow on after the Lord, and hope in God; behold how he cometh, leaping over the Mountains; behold the Father of this poor Pro­digal, running to meet his returning Son. The Sun of Righteousness, (behold) is even rising upon thee; O shall the Sun go back, or stand still? Cry to the Lord, Arise, shine upon this dark and be­nighted Soul, bring in that light of Life, which is already dawning upon me. O let not Sin and the World, now thou art gotten so near, pull thee back or hold thee at the door. Come on, come on poor Soul, the salvation of God is near, even ready to be revealed upon thee, the Lord stands waiting to be gracious to thee. Whilest thou canst not say, I have already attained, follow after, and thou shalt attain, and apprehend, and be apprehended of Christ; I will not say as Mo­ses, [Page 310] Stand still, but go on, and thou shalt see the salvation of God.

But yet, as there is hope, so there is also hazard; thou art still between hope and fear, let both joyn together, and force out thy stronger cryes, When Lord? when Lord? I see thou hast dealt graciously by others, now one's brought in, then another, but my Soul still sticks; though some­thing be done, yet how little is it? wo is mē, I am but as a Cake half bak'd, half perswaded, half resolved; O when shall this almost come up to altogether? Shall this be the day, when it shall be said, Salvation is come into this heart? O come Lord, when so many be taken, let not me be left; when so many be brought home, let not me be left at half-way; though I have been so long a coming towards thee, I doubt I am not yet come to thee; though I be come to thy door, do I not hitherto stand without? Lord take me in, Lord take me in, make me one of thy Disci­ples, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.

Cry thus, lift up each one his Soul, and beg this Grace of the God of Grace. Beg and be­lieve, believe and hope, hope and run, and wait for the Salvation of the Lord; but pray in fear, run in fear, wait in fear, lest after all this, you should fall short of the Grace of God. Heb. 4.1. Let us therefore fear, lest a Promise being left us, of entring into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2. Take encouragement to seek Grace from the Promise of obtaining. Matth. 7.7. Ask, and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock [Page 311] and it shall be opened to you; for every one that asketh receiveth, &c. Jam. 1.5. If any of you lack Wisdom, let him ask it of God, who gives to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. If any man lack Grace, let him ask it; he that will not be a Beggar shall ever be poor. Let him ask, and it shall be given him; it is not to be had without asking, and it is to be had for the asking. There are four especial Encouragements in this Promise.

1. The Lord [giveth] He is not like to him that sets up himself above God, Antichrist, who Sells all he has; God giveth, you shall have it freely, without money and without price, Isa. 55.1.

2. [To all men] to any man that asks, and asks aright, to the worst as well as the best. Those that need it most, if they be duely sensible of their need, are most like to speed; the emptiest Vessels are those that God will fill, the foulest Vessels are those that God will cleanse; he will give Grace to any (that seek it as they ought) to the worst as well as the best.

3. [Liberally] A drop is more than thou de­servest, but if thou wilt, the whole Fountain shall be thine; thou, as poor as thou art, mayst have Grace, and have it in abundance: these dry trees, these pining and perishing and starveling Souls, that sit lamenting your poverty, go to God and you may all have enough; every Vessel shall be filled with the water of Life.

4. [And upbraideth not] he will not up­braid any man, nor upon any account, that is a serious suitor to him. 1. He will not upbraid [Page 312] any man, with boldness or sauciness. If a poor man come to a Prince, to beg any great Favour from him, what is his ordinary entertainment? What a saucy Fellow is here? here's a bold Beg­ger indeed, get you gone, you are a saucy fellow; God will not upbraid any of you so, you may come boldly to the throne of Grace. 2. He will not upbraid any man with his unworthiness; Sirrah you are a Rebel, and mine Enemy; re­member how you have carried it to me; and be­sides, you are such a poor and inconsiderable thing, that you are never like to do me much service, if I should give you never so much; get you gone: thus men upbraid, but God will not do so; he hath gifts for Rebels, Grace for his Enemies, the unworthiest among them all; he hath put them into the hands of his Son, on pur­pose to distribute amongst such. Psal. 68.18. How is it Sinner, that thou hast gotten no grace all this time? how is it that thou art not yet be­fore the throne of Grace, a begging for it? O I am an unworthy wretch, a vile sinner, a rebell against God, sure he will not look upon such a one as I; No? yes, he will look upon any one that comes, he upbraideth no man. 3. He will not upbraid any man with coming too often, or asking too much. He will not say as men to Beg­gers, Why you were here but yesterday, my door can never be empty for you. He will not say, Can you not be content with a little? will not one Alms suffice you? God will rather say, why have you stay'd so long ere you came? why have I heard no sooner? or why hear I no oftner of you?

[Page 313]Go Sinner, speak to the Lord, for that poor graceless Soul of thine, beg thy pardon, ask his Grace and Mercy; knock at his door, and lye at his door, take no other answer but an Alms; God doth not use to send away his Beg­gers, that will not be deny'd, but sooner or later he will surely give unto them.

(2.) For Believers, who have already ob­tained Grace in truth, my word to them shall be, Follow on towards perfection, in fear of falling back from, or walking unworthy of that Grace wherein you stand. Hast thou obtained Grace? hast thou so indeed? May be, now thine heart will be ready to say to thee, Fear not, thou art now out of danger of miscarrying for ever, thou art pass'd from Death to Life, and shalt not come into condemnation. But yet take heed, for,

1. If thou be so secure from condemnation as thou thinkest thou art, yet thy Fear is one of those necessary Means by which thou must be pre­served from it. As the Apostle saith concerning Faith, 1 Pet. 1.5. so may we say concerning Fear, We are kept by the mighty power of God [through Fear] unto salvation. Consider that Scripture, Jer. 32.40. I will put my fear in­to their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

2. If thou be indeed secur'd from wrath, art thou secur'd from sin also? Is there no fear that sin may hurt thee, though thou shouldst not die for it? Is there nothing to be feared but Hell? is there no fear but that of a Slave? If thou be a Child of God, is there no fear of disingenuity and unworthiness? If thou be his Servant, is [Page 314] there no fear of ill husbandry? if thou be his Disciple, is there no fear of non-proficiency? He hath nothing of Christ, that thinks nothing is to be feared, but wrath and damnation.

Fear Sin, fear to be unworthy, unthankfull, un­fruitfull, fear sinfull decayes, and declinings, and negligences, and in that fear follow on towards perfection. Particularly,

1. Follow on the work of Mortification, in fear lest whatsoever wound sin hath received, it should recover and get head again. Hast thou got­ten it a little under? make it as sure as thou canst, though thou hast gotten over Jordan, and hast set thy foot on the banks of Canaan, yet the Ca­naanite is still in the land, and will be a briar and thorn unto thee. Thou wilt never have peace, thou wilt never prosper in the Grace of God, but according as thou prosperest in thy warre against sin. Dost thou ever design to come to any thing in Religion, and to grow up in the Grace of God? Let thine eye and thine hand be upon this adversary, which will otherwise cer­tainly keep thee down, and it may be bring thee much lower than thou art this day.

'Tis with Grace in an unmortified heart, as with poor Israel in Egypt, 'tis under Oppressi­on. The task-masters were upon Israels backs, to keep them in bondage; they were not their own men, to do as they would, they could not go and serve the Lord, their tyrants would not suffer them: and thus it's like to be with thee. Rom. 7. When I would do good, evil is present with me. O these Egyptians have me in hold, I am so captivated to the Law of sin, that I cannot [Page 315] do the thing that I would. What an hard servi­tude am I under? wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me?

Onely, betwixt oppressed Israel and this op­pressed Israelite (the new Creature) there is this difference, Israel, by how much the more they were oppressed, by so much the more they grew and multiplyed; 'twas more than all Egypt could do to keep them barren. But Grace will never grow and fructifie under the oppression of Sin; Grace oppressed by affliction, will prosper and grow, as Israel did; Christians are seldom in such a thriving state as when under trouble; and that may comfort us under all the oppressions of men; we may be as holy under them all, we may serve the Lord as well, it may be, better, we may enjoy the Lord as much, it may be more, in our afflicted, than in our prosperous state. But under the tyranny and usurpation of sin, Grace cannot thrive; 'twill hardly be kept alive whiles lust so lords it over it.

When the poor Soul under this oppression of lust, groans and cryes, as poor Israel did, Let me goe, let me go, that I may serve the Lord; the flesh possibly, when in a fright, (as the Egyptians did when they were smitten with their plagues) may say, Go, go and serve the Lord; be as holy as thou wilt, get thee up out of Egyt, get thee on towards Heaven. But then shortly after when the fright is over, it falls on again, and it may be, doubles the bondage. Go serve the Lord: To your work, says the flesh; or it may be, To your play, you shall not go. Or if the Soul hath gotten a little more liberty than ordinary, these [Page 316] Egyptians will after it again, Israel can never get free, and be let alone to serve the Lord indeed, till the Egyptians be dead.

'Tis in vain to hold a treaty with our flesh, to make terms and to article with it, for a larger allowance; till this enemy be dead, thy Soul will never prosper, nor go comfortably on its way. Get Egypt into the Red Sea, let thy Sin be drown'd in that Sea of Blood, the Blood of Christ; that's the only Ocean in which Sin will drown and die; when thou hast it there, then that oppressed thing within thee will grow and in­crease mightily, when Sin is dead, then Grace will thrive.

Grace in an unmortified heart, is as a spark of fire in green wood, it will not burn, all the blow­ing it up will hardly keep it alive, the sap and moysture of the wood will choak it; when the sticks are dryed, then 'twill burn. O what a flame of holy Affections, what a flame of Love and holy Desires would break forth! what burn­ing and shining Lights should we be, if these green Faggots, our lusts, were dried up and wi­thered? when you are dead to sin, then you shall be alive unto God, Rom. 6.11.

Christian, art thou nothing concern'd for that little Grace that's in thee? preserve it, for it is thy Life; and look upon thy lusts as its Op­pressors and Murtherers, that would strangle the babe in thy womb; and never count thy self se­cure, till they be dead which seek this child's life. Say within thine heart, I go in fear of my life, of them; there's no binding them to the Peace, or the good Behaviour, they are thy mor­tal [Page 317] Enemies, and thou canst have no security but in their death.

But how shall I doe to get my sins morti­fied?

Why, first let me ask thee, art thou so sensible of the evil of them, and the mischiefs thou art like to suffer by them, that thou darest not let them live? Art thou so heartily afraid of them, that nothing less than their death will give thee quiet? Art thou more afraid of thy living lusts, than of the labour and the smart that their death will cost thee? who would bear the cutting off of a limb, an arm or a legge, that is not sensible that his life is concerned in it? This mortifying work is one of the most painfull works of a Chri­stian; It is not so difficult to tell you how you should do it, as to make you willing to doe it. Physicians sometimes have an harder task, to perswade to the taking of the Physick, than to cure the Disease when once the Patient is willing; and when no other Arguments will prevail, 'tis Fear at last that must do it. Art thou in such a fear of thy Disease, that this does swallow up thy fear of thy remedy? Art thou for the death of sin, how painfull soever it may be to thee? Why if thou art in good earnest, then take these following Directions:

• 1. Lay the axe to the Root of sin.
• 2. Put a Knife to the Throat of sin.
• 3. Put a Bridle on its Jawes.
• 4. Set thy Foot on the Neck of sin.

[Page 318]1. Lay the Axe to the root of sin. When Christ appeared in the World, to cut off impe­nitent sinners, it is expressed thus, Matth. 3.10. Now also is the Axe laid to the root of the tree; every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen down. Sure enough the tree must down, when it is cut up at the root. What was to be done by those sinners, do thou by sin, lay the Axe to the root. There are sometimes some hopefull assaults made against sin, which yet prosper not, because the blow goes not to the root; the branches may be lopp'd, the Acts of sin may be cut off, the Drunkard may cease from his Wine, and the Adulterer from his Har­lots; swearing and lying and oppression, may be all cut down as to what appears; but soon after, all these branches and evil fruits may sprout forth, and grow up again; the root was not touched, whatever was done upon the boughs. The heart-Adulteries, and heart drunkenness, the swearing and lying and oppressing heart, the root of all these wickednesses remained un­touch'd. Let that inward corruption of Nature, which is the root of Actual sin, be first and most effectually laid at. The root of sin is to be de­stroyed,

• By the Word of Christ.
• By the Blood of Christ.

1. By the Word of Christ. Heb. 4.12. The Word of God is quick and powerfull, sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of the joynts [Page 319] and marrow. It reaches to the inwards, and pier­ces the Entrails. Like the Lightning, it will melt the sword in the scabbard, 'twill break the bones, 'twill slay the babe in the womb. When they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, Act. 2.37. Friends, do not open the Ear only, but open the Breast to the Word, set the point of this Sword to the very heart of your sins, and count not that it hath done its work, whatever slaughter it hath made of your sins without, till the Soul of them, the inward pravity of your Natures, and the inward lusts immediately issuing thence, have received their mortal wound.

2. By the Blood or Death of Christ, Rom. 6.6. Our old man is crucified with him. Ay, that's it that must do it; 'tis Christ crucified that must crucifie sin.

We read Mark 5.29. of a Woman, that had been many years afflicted with an issue of Blood, who by the influence of Christ, through the touch of his hemme, had the fountain of her blood dried up, and so her bloody issue cured. The irruptions and breakings forth of lust into action, are as so many Issues of blood running upon us; the workings of pride, the workings of Cove­tousness, sensuality, and the like, are a filthy fluxe, so many unclean issues, or running sores upon us. Those that sport themselves with their sins, are as men that make a sport of their filthy ulcers and unclean diseases.

Now the way of cure of these unclean issues, may be illustrated from that Scripture. There are three things to be noted in the cure of that wo­man.

[Page 320]1. The bloody Issue was cured by the drying up the Fountain of her blood. These filthy fluxes of lust and wickedness, will never be cured, till their Fountain be dryed up, till the Body of sin be destroyed.

2. The fountain of her blood was dried up by vertue issuing from Christ. There went out vertue from him, 'tis said, upon which the wo­man was cured. Sin can never be slain but by vertue and influence from Christ: Therefore he is said to be a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, Zech. 13.1. Here's a Fountain pre­pared against a Fountain; and a fountain of blood against a fountain of blood; the blood of Christ is a fountain opened, to drayn out and dry up our fountain of iniquity. 1 Joh. 1.7. The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.

3. The vertue of Christ was received, and the cure wrought, by a touch of the hemme of his garment: that is, by the faith of the woman, who said, that is, who believed, If I may touch the hemme of his garment, I shall be whole. Her faith was it which got out the vertue, as Christ him­self afterwards testifies, vers. 34. Thy faith hath made thee whole.

Friends, would you be healed of your plagues? Go to Christ for a cure. Put forth the hand of faith and touch: touch, not the hemme of his gar­ment, but his side and his heart, his hands and his feet; touch this Jesus as a crucified Jesus; Christ can heal you with a touch, but he will not touch your diseased Souls, unless your faith first touch him.

[Page 337]We read, Numb. 21. that a look of a stung Israelite (which was the same thing with this womans touch) on the brazen Serpent, got out such vertue from him who was signified by that Serpent, as cured him of his sting. Christ look'd on by faith, will not only heal thee of the sting, but will kill the Serpent, that it shall never smite thee with such a deadly sting again.

Go to Christ sinner, say within thy self, If I can but touch him, I shall be made whole; look to the brazen Serpent, and both thou shalt be healed, and the fiery Serpent slain. Believe that there is such vertue in Christ, as will do the cure, and lay hold and relye upon him for it. Bring thy unclean fountain to that fountain which is opened for sin and for uncleanness, and thou shalt certainly find that this blood of Christ shall cleanse thee from all sin.

Thou that art a Saint mayst set thy Probatum est to this remedy; thou hast been with Jesus, and thy Faith hath made thee whole; thine Old man is crucified with him, and the body of sin is destroyed; onely, because the cure is but be­gun, and must be perfected by degrees, by the same remedy, as long as thou livest in this im­perfect state; by renewed acts of faith upon the blood of Christ, expect thy total cure. From the continual issuing forth of the same vertue, by which sin hath received its deaths wound, let it die daily, till it cease to be for ever.

2. Put a knife to the throat of sin. My meaning is, cut it short of that Provision that would feed and nourish it. The old man is given to Appetite, and you know what the counsel is [Page 338] in that case, Prov. 23.2. Put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Look how many lusts there are, so many sorts of feed­ings there are, to keep them in heart: Pride must have ornaments, or honour, applause, respect and observance, and for want of other feeding, 'twill feed upon thoughts, upon our self-reflections and dotages; any vain conceit of some worth or ex­cellency we find in us. Covetousness must have money, houses and lands, the hopes of getting, and the content of possessing them. Sensuality must have carnal pleasure and mirth, wine and strong drink, and dainties and varieties, &c. and whilest the flesh may have its lust, it growes head­strong and imperious, there's no way to keep it tame, but by keeping it short of what it craves. Make no provision for the flesh, (saith the Apostle, Rom. 13.14.) to fulfill the lusts thereof. And you may observe it, that he prescribes this as a remedy to cure those intemperances, riot and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, strife and envying, mentioned ver. 13.

It may be thou complainest sometimes of thy corruptions, of the impetuousness of lust, of the unruliness of thy spirit, and confessest it, and prayest against it; but whilest thou prayest, thou canst not find in thine heart to make thy lust to fast, it must have its provision still allowed it. It may be even when thou art praying against thy pride, thou letst it feed upon thy very Prayer; thy elo­quence or affectionate Enlargement, or any thing thou apprehendest to be praise-worthy, this must be meat for thy pride. It may be thou prayest against thy covetousness or sensuality, but as soon [Page 339] as thou art off thy knees, away thou goest, to work for the one, or to thy play to please the other. When some of thy last words are, lead us not into temptation, it may be thy very next steps may be running into temptation; this is but mocking of God, and deluding thy self. If thou would'st prosper against this enemy, whil'st thou stormest it by seeking to God, starve it by deny­ing thy self.

3. Put a bridle on its Jaws. My meaning is, restrain it from its actings; if thou canst not prevent its conception, strangle it in the birth; if the fire be kindled within, yet give it no vent: allow not the lust of thine heart, the priviledge of thy mouth, or the command of thine hand: if thou canst not restrain thy covetous desires, yet hold in from covetous practices; if thou lovest the wine and the strong drink, yet withhold the cup from the lip; if thou canst not so easily rule thy spirit, yet bridle thy tongue; the fire of pas­sion doth not waste by spending, but rather in­creases: the ordinary preventing and restraining the acts of sin, will weaken its habits. I have heard some persons vainly speaking at this rate, when I have anger in mine heart out it must, and then I am friends; and so take it for their vertue rather than their sin, that they cast out all their mire and dirt in a storm, because then a calm fol­lows. Thou fool, hast thou conquered thine unruly spirit, by suffering thy self to be thus con­quered by it? what do'st thou think of him that conquers his lust by going to an Harlot? when thou hast eas'd thy stomach, by thy Bedlam-lan­guage, then there is a calm; but thou neither [Page 340] considerest the sin of letting fly thine angry words, nor yet wilt mind that the fire will kindle the sooner, for that it finds so easie a vent. Damme up the furnace, and that's the best way to quench the coals.

4. Set thy foot on the neck of Sin. Have any of thy lusts fallen before thee? make them sure, tread them under thee, that they rise not up again; do not slight them as conquered enemies, which now thou needest no more to fear; those which are now under thy foot, if thou look not well to them, may be Lords over thee again. Hath the Lord humbled thy proud heart, broken thy un­ruly spirit, and seem'd to turn a Lyon into a Lamb? whilest thou sayest, I hope I shall never be proud again, never be so froward or peevish again, whil'st thus thou hopest, thou shalt not, yet still fear lest thou should'st; whil'st sin hath any life in it, thou art still in danger; as we use to say of dying men, whil'st there is life there is hope; so may it be said of these dying beasts, while there is life there is fear. Let that fear be as the foot upon their necks, to prevent their rising and return upon thee.

Well, thus set upon sin, let it be destroyed; reward it as it would serve thee, and because it will be long a dying, let it be killed all the day long, draw not back thine hand, whil'st its life is left in it.

O what an advantage will the death of of sin be to the life of holiness! when the body of sin is dead, 'twill stink; dead bodies will do so, and all the issues of it will be noisome and loathsome to thee. Lust is never deadly, but when it lives, [Page 341] and is sweet and pleasant; when it dies and stinks, and is become an annoyance to thee, it will be the less thine hindrance; it hath now done its worst, the more it offends, the less it will hurt.

Do'st thou find sin sweet? Is it still a pleasure to thee? beware of it, 'tis a sign 'tis still alive; it would stink if it were dead, thou would'st nau­seate it, thy stomach would rise against it: O this stinking pride, this stinking covetousness, these stinking pleasures, away with them, my very soul is sick with the stench they make, and when sin stinks, then holiness will be pleasant, and the work of holiness a delight: the very severities of Religion will be sweet, when the pleasure of sin ceases.

The death of sin is all our diseases cured, the lean and consumptive Soul will now revive and recover, and be strengthened for its work. The crucifying of sin is the casting off our weights that hang on to hinder us in our way, Heb. 12.1, 2. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth easily be set us, and run with patience the race that is set before us, 'tis ill running with weights upon our backs. Lust is such a weight upon the Saints, as Conscience is upon sinners; some sinners Consciences, make them drive hea­vily on, in their way of sin; when they can once knock off this weight, when they can kill Con­science, and get themselves rid of its checks and controuls, then they rush on upon iniquity, as the horse rusheth into the battel; let the Saints serve their Lusts as Sinners do their Consciences, and then they may run with patience the race which is set before them.

[Page 342]There is a sore evil that is seen under the Sun, Sinners all upon the Tantivie, riding post to­wards Hell (O how sprightly, O how hot are they upon their chace of sin and vanity) and poor creeple-Christians, but barely wagging on, by a Snail-creeping motion, heavenward. O 'tis a sign that the weights do yet hang on; thou art yet heavy loaden, thou carriest too many bundles of thorns upon thy back, too many burthens of earth and flesh upon thine heart, to make any hast heaven-ward; lay aside these weights, tread down these worldly lusts, throw off these worldly cares, and carnal desires and delights; yea, get this car­nality which is the body of Sin, and the very soul of that body, to be slain and crucifyed with Christ, and when thou art dead with Christ, thou shalt live the better to him. He that is dead, is freed from sin, Rom. 6.7. and vers. 18.22. Being made free from sin, ye then become the Servants of Righteousness, and so shall have your fruit unto holiness, and your end everlasting life.

O what a visible improvement should we quickly see on the professing world, did we pros­per more in our mortifying work; then would the languid and pale-fac'd Saints have blood in their cheeks, and more spirits in all their veins: the young man within would be fresh and ruddy, were the old man once well laid; then would the Plants grow up into Trees, and the Shrubs into Cedars; then will the lame man leap as an Hart, and the tongue of the dumb be loosed; then would this vile image of earth and flesh vanish and dis­appear, and the Spirit of Glory and of God would more visibly rest upon us, and we should go forth, [Page 343] as the Sun out of his Chamber, and rejoyce as the strong to run our course: Then should we be seen to be a Royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called us, out of darkness into his glorious and marveilous light. Then, when the pricking briar, and the grieving thorn, that pride, that earthliness, and carnality, shall be thus cut in their very root, when all our fleshly fooleries and do­tages, and all the vexations, pets and passions of persons and parties shall shrink in and wither, then shall all those daughters of the morning, Faith, and Love, and Mercy, and Meekness, and Humility, Peace, and Gentleness, lift up their heads in our Gates, and we that have been the reproach and dishonour, shall appear the Chil­dren and Glory of our Father.

Go therefore presently to the Lord Jesus, carry these Malefactors to the Cross; get the Spear to be thrust through the heart, and nail every mem­ber of this body of sin, there let them perish and dye, and then shall you see the beauty of holi­ness looking forth as the morning, fair as the Moon, clear as the Sun, and terrible as an Army with Banners. Only to this I must add,

Nurse up the grace that is in you, and let it have its perfect work, in fear of receiving the grace of God in vain. When the Lord gives grace, he layes the same charge upon us as Paul on Ti­mothy, 2 Tim. 1.14. That good thing which was committed to thee, keep by the Holy Ghost. Our grace is to be kept by us,

• [Page 344]As Nurses.
• As Stewards.

1. As Nurses, By our cherishing and improv­ing of it; the weeding of the Garden, will be the thriving of the Flowers, but they must be nou­rished, as well as cleared of weeds; rotten weeds will be soil for the Herbs, but they must be warmed and watered also, by the influences of the Sun and Clouds. In order to our nourishing of grace, are all our Receiving duties; such as are Prayer, Hearing, Sacraments, &c. our being conversant aright in these duties, are our sucking in, and feeding upon that milk, and that bread of life, by which grace grows. As pleasant as our food is, and as great a delight as there is in feeding upon it, we are froward Children, and have need of the rod to fright us to the breast: God that hath provided such food for us, and hath made us under such a constant necessity of it, will be angry with us if we slight it. If the sense of your own need do not, let the fear of the divine displeasure bring you carefully and diligently to attend on his means, and so to attend that you may grow there­by: Come to the Word, come to Prayer, and other Duties, not only in obedience because you have a command for it, but come in hope and ex­pectation of growing by them because you have a promise. Look not on them only as parts of that homage which you owe to God, but as means to obtain from God, and whereby you may grow up unto him. Attend thus, and attend with diligence; be afraid to trifle; worship [Page 345] God with reverence and Godly fear. Fear as it is a bridle to sin, so will it be a spur to every duty.

Christians, Is there no fear you may be faulty here? Consider how it hath been, consider not only what you have done, but how you have done it, and what you have gotten. I have been a Disciple of Christ, an hearing Disciple, a praying Disciple, but cui bono? what advantage hath it been to me? Do I thrive? doth my Soul pros­per? what discernable difference is there, be­twixt me that pray, and hear, and come to the Table of the Lord, and them that hear not, and pray not? what, have so many years duties brought me in no more than I had when I first be­gan? Am I as much a babe now, as when I suck'd my first milk? Have I lain at dry breasts? at wells in which there is no water? or what's the matter, that after all this time, I find no more improvement? Sure there hath been nourishment ministred, they are full breasts, they are the wells of Salvation that I have been at; but foolish Soul that I am, I have but play'd with the breasts in­stead of sucking, and with the bucket instead of drawing; and hence 'tis, that 'tis no better with me. Methinks the fruit thou find'st of such tri­fling, methinks that lean and starveling Soul of thine should call upon thee, to look to it, and make a better use of such precious means as are before thee. Shew me not the meat, but shew me the man; tell me not, thou hast been waiting at the gates of Wisdome, thou hast been feeding by the Shepheards tents; tell me not how far, or how often thou goest to hear; tell me not that [Page 346] thy house is an house of Prayer; that thy Closet, that thy Family, that thy Bible can witness for thee; the blindness of thy mind, the coldness, and carnality, and vanity of thy life do sufficiently evi­dence what a poor feeder thou hast been, what­ever good meals thou hast been at. Tremble to think that such means as thou hast had, should leave thee in such a case as thou art this day; and since thy wonted course will not do to fetch thee up into a better case, what remains, but that thou bethink thy self, and henceforth resolve to put on to another manner of care and diligence; and ne­ver again satisfie thy self with any kind of perfor­mances whatsoever, that do no more answer their end. Awaken from thy drowsie Religion, and henceforth pray not as at other times, hear not as in the former dayes, but stir up all thy powers, engage all the grace thou hast, call up all the faith, the hope, the love, the desires thou hast, make all the strength thou canst, and bow thy self with thy might before the Lord, open thy mouth wide, and thus wait on him, until he come and rain down righteousness upon thee, and thy Soul become as as a well-watered Garden, and as a Spring of waters, whose waters fail not.

2. As Stewards. Keep what thou hast for use, our receiving duties are for our returning duties: Get in, in order to laying out, and be faithful in laying out well, whatever you have received. The Rivers must pay themselves as a tribute to the Ocean, from which they arise and are filled; To whom much hath been given, of them much is re­quired, Luk. 12.48. and to whom any thing is given, be it much or little, so much must be re­turned; [Page 347] those that are rich in grace, are thereby enriched unto good works, and those that are en­riched unto good works, must be rich in good works, 1 Tim. 6.18.

What hast thou, that thou hast not received? and what hast thou received, that thou owest not for? and what account wilt thou make, if thou set not thine heart to pay what thou owest? if our first enquiry be, what have I received? our next must be, what have I done? or, what have I to do? What do you more than others? said Christ to his Disciples, Math. 5.47. I have not done by others, as I have done by you; they have not been taught as you have been taught, they have not been fed as you have been fed; they have not seen, nor heard, nor tasted, what you have done; think not that it can be born, that you do no more, nor no better than they, Coloss. 2.6.7. As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Is Christ in thee? let the life of Christ be made manifest in thy life; as he was, so be thou in the world; he went about doing good, go thou and do likewise. Hast thou faith? hast thou the love of Christ in thee? where is thy work of faith? where are thy labours of love? hast thou been filled with the fruits of righteousness, with meekness, humility, mercy, patience? let them all have their perfect work, that thou may'st be entire, lacking nothing.

Our first fruits must be brought forth upon our selves, our first care and business must be, to work out our own Salvation, to keep, every one [Page 348] of us, our own vineyard. Thou hast an heart of thine own to keep, and a tongue to keep, and eyes and hands to look to, and govern well; thou hast thy thoughts, and thy passions, and thine appetite, and thy Conscience, and thy conversa­tion to take care of; and the grace thou hast re­ceived, is firstly to be exercised upon thy self. But though thy work begin there, yet it must not end there; thou hast thy family to govern, thou hast thy father's family, the houshold of faith, to look after; yea, and thou hast a larger charge than this, as thou hast opportunity, do good to all; Gal. 6.10. thou art set to be a guide to the blind, a light to them that are in darkness, an instructer of the foolish, a teacher of babes, an example of the believers; yea, and of the unbelievers also, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Now Christians, know your work, and set to your work; serve the Lord with the best you have, and serve the Lord with all you have; and all this in fear, lest you should receive the grace of God in vain. I beseech you, saith the Apostle, take heed of that, 2 Cor. 6.1. I beseech you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain. Then the grace of God is received in vain, not only, when nothing is done by it, but in a degree it may be said to be received in vain, when its fruits are not proportionable, there is not so much done as might have been done: When he that hath received ten talents, brings forth no more fruit than might have been brought forth with five; when he that hath received five ta­lents, hath done no more good, than might have [Page 349] been done with two; all our receivings that are over and above the proportion of our fruits, all the over-plus of them, is received in vain. He that is a knowing Christian, if he lives not to bet­ter purpose, than a Christian of little knowledge; he that is an ancient experienced Christian, if he be no more useful in his life, than he that is but a babe, that which he hath received above what this babe hath received, is received in vain, and the Lord may say to him, wherefore is this waste?

What, art thou a man of knowledge, and hast had such long acquaintance with God, and such experiences of his special love and kindness to thee, and do'st thou keep all so much to thy self, that thou art of little more use in thy generation, than a child? Hath the Lord taken thee into his heart, shewed thee his loves, comforted thee in Prayer, counselled thee in his Word, feasted thee at his Table, caused his grace so to abound to­wards thee, and made thee glad with the light of his countenance, and all for no more but this? hath he furnished thee, and fitted thee for every good work, and yet art thou thus barren and un­fruitful? An unuseful and unactive spirit in a Christian, is an unhappiness, and an unworthiness, which yet possibly some that are none of the lowest form for attainments, may have reason enough to charge themselves withall; and to con­clude, that though they have not altogether, yet they have very much received the grace of God in vain.

Brethren beloved, let us study, and let us learn that wisdom which is from above, which is full [Page 350] of good fruits, dare not to be found among the barren of the flock, nor of those trees which do little better than cumber the ground. Once more let me put the spur to the side: What if the Lord should come among his fig-trees, and find so little fruit upon thee? art thou not afraid, thou might'st hear that word, Cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground? Consider friend, what fruits are there found upon thee? the fruits of the flesh, may be, are still hanging on; what clustres are there of them? hatred, variance, emulation, strife, wrath, envying, pride, covetousness, what a vintage is there of these wild grapes? but where are the fruits of the spirit? what a small gleaning is there of them to be found, and what shrivelings are those that are? would'st thou that thy Lord should find it thus with thee? we read Cant. 4.16. when the Church was in a thriving fruitful state, she prayed, Let my beloved come into his Garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. Do'st Thou make that Prayer? O no, I am afraid he should come and find me thus; thy Prayer is more like to be, Let my Lord delay his coming. But how long must he stay? thine heart would shake within thee, to think that he should find thee thus; but when, O when shall it be better with thee? Take this pru­ning hook (fear will serve thee for such an use) and lop off these evil fruits, that the fruits of righteousness may spring up in their room. When shall the Roses and the Pomegranates bud? when shall the fragrant spices flow forth? those blessed fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, when shall these sprout once?

[Page 351]Christians, do you not wish 'twere better with you? can you bear your own barrenness? Is not this vain, empty, fruitless life an offence to you? do you not confess 'tis low water with you? do you not complain of your uselessness and unprofi­tableness? But shall this be all? shall we never have better fruit to bring before the Lord, but our confessions and complaints of our want of fruit, but our self-bemoanings, and self-judgings for our barrenness? Better this, than nothing, but when shall it be better? when shall we hear the voice of joy, and praise, and thanksgivings to the Lord, for blessing our fields with increase? when shall we be able to say, See O Lord, thy blood hath not been shed in vain? thy spirit hath not been poured out upon me in vain? Behold the winter is past, and the spring comes on; the flowers ap­pear, the fig tree putteth forth, and the vines with the tender grapes give a goodly smell; Be­hold the fruits of that blessed blood and spirit in the reviving of this dead heart, in the fructifying of this barren heart. My Soul make thy boast of God; though I have nothing of mine own, but what I loath and am asham'd of; yet here's, through rich mercy, something of his fruits I have brought forth; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me, and his grace hath not been bestowed on me in vain.

Come on thou withering Soul, cry out with the Spouse, Awake thou North-wind, and come thou South, blow upon my Garden: let the Spirit of the Lord breath upon me, that my Spices may flow forth, and my fruits may appear; and then thou mayest go on, now let [Page 352] my beloved come into his Garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

I cannot enumerate the particular fruits that you should bring forth, they are all the fruits of righteousness; but in hope that after all that hath been said, your fear of being found among the barren, may prepare you to receive some farther instruction for your growth, and fructifying in every good work: I shall only lay before you seven things, which if they be in you and abound, will make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Follow after,

• 1. Power.
• 2. Activity.
• 3. Severity.
• 4. Simplicity.
• 5. Ingenuity.
• 6. Spirituality.
• 7. Pleasure.

1. Power. Grace in the very being of it, in­cludes power, 1 Cor. 4.20. The Kingdom, or grace of God is not in word, but in power. Natural men have natural powers, but there is nothing of spiritual power in them; wishes and velleities they may have, after that which is really and spi­ritually good. O that I could forsake this world, and crucifie this flesh, and follow God, and walk worthy of the Gospel in all things; thus they may wish, and desire, but for their hearts they cannot come to it; they cannot bring forth their wish into a will, nor their will into performance. [Page 353] The least child of God hath more of the power of God in him, than the most knowing and the very best of natural men: all the parts and vertues of a natural man, do fall as much short (as to this spiritual vital power) of the least of Saints, as a dead man does of a living child.

But yet, where there is grace in the beginnings of it, in comparison of what it may grow to, its power may be small, and its strength may be but weakness. How great is the power of the heal­thy above the sickly and faint? how much is the power of a man above the power of an infant? 'Tis well thou art alive, but wilt thou still be but a child? O what weakly Souls are many amongst the living Souls! How ordinary is this complaint, To will is present with me, but how to perform I find not. O how many frustraneous attempts, and ineffectual offers do we make at an holy fruitful life; we wish for more care, and more diligence, and more usefulness; but still we fall short, we are reaching towards, but cannot reach to it. We judge our selves for our failings, we groan under our imperfect duties, we are sick of those corruptions that are mingled with them, but we cannot overcome them; we lament our barrenness, we hunger and thirst after more fruit­fulness, and yet we cannot obtain: we cannot do the good that we would, we cannot forbear to do the evils that we would not; so weak is our heart, that though we can weep over our falls, and fail­ings, yet we cannot amend them.

But art thou not afraid to continue thus? what if death should overtake thee thus? how would'st thou dye, when thy sin is so much alive? yea, [Page 354] how canst thou live in any peace, whil'st thou seest thou livest to so little purpose? There­fore my Brethren, let me exhort you in the words of the Apostle, Ephes. 6.10. Be ye strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put forth the power that you have receiv'd, & trust on God for more. Put forth that power that you have, & thats the way to encrease your strength. Do not make your selves to be weaker than you are; say not, 'tis for want of power, that 'tis no better with you, when 'tis for want of care and industry; much more certainly might be done, if we were better Stewards of what we have: Let there not be a pretence of weakness to excuse your laziness; do what thou canst, thou canst do more than thou do'st; and if indeed thy strength be but small, thou knowest whether to go for more. Study well, and lay hold on that word, Isa. 40.28, 29.31. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary? —He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaseth strength.—They that wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as the Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint. Christians, let it not suffice you, that you are men of understanding and good affe­ctions, get a Spirit of power, as well as of love and of a sound mind.

2. Activity. An unactive spirit is next to im­potence. Awaken from thy liveless wretchless temper; put away sloth thou sluggard, wilt thou still be a drone? this drone hath a sting, thine [Page 355] own Soul will feel it, sooner or later, that thy sloth will sting thee to the heart.

Christians, let it appear, that the spirit of the living God is in you, by your sprightfulness and vivacity. Shall the evil spirit be the only active spirit? shall sinners flow forth in vanity and wickedness, shall their filthy waters be such a quick and running stream, and shall the waters of the Sanctuary, be but as a standing pool? Be bent for holy action, be prepared and ready for every good work. It's said Ephes. 2.10. that Christians are created unto good works: in the very make and constitution of the new creature, we may read its use and end; we are new made, for this very end and purpose, we are adopted and prepared for an active useful life, for those good works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them. Thou had'st need stir up thy self, and put thy self on, lest thou quickly come to question, whether thou be a new crea­ture or no, if thou continuest so backward, and unready to that, for which the new creature is.

Hast thou grace indeed? blow off the ashes from that living coal, that it may burn and shine out in a gracious life. Fire it the most active of all the elements, it will not be inclosed, but will find a vent for its flames; sure thou hast little of that divine fire in thine heart, that canst so easily keep it within.

O what wonders are sluggish Christians! Life without motion, Fires that burn not, Suns stand­ing still, Souls condens'd into the gravity of Car­kasses, the winged Spirits become as the creep­ing things of the earth; when shall these immor­tal [Page 356] sparks recover and come to themselves? Christians be impatient with these your slothful hearts; let there be no sleep in your eyes, till your sleepy Souls be awakened. Be asham'd that you who talk, what God hath done for you, should have no more to say of what you have done, or are ready to do for him. Set every wheel in motion, and thereby fit them for more easie motion, let them stand no longer still; fear, lest your rust should eat out all your strength. Be henceforth for an active life; be­think the time, that hath been run out in sleep, and now awaken and begin to live in good earnest.

3. Severity, or strict and painful holding our selves to our rule. Christians must be men of action, but they must not act wildly or loosely, and at all adventures, but their actions must be regular, they must be punctual and strict to their rule. Christ's commands, some of them are hard sayings, and will put the flesh hard to it; but whatever they be, they must be submitted to, Matth. 28.20. Teaching them to observe [all things] whatsoever I have commanded you. As Christ is severe in his impositions upon us, so Christians must be severe in their impositions up­on themselves, and must not abate to themselves a title of their hardest duty. Christians must be rigid; to be rigid in the way of any party of them that are, or that call themselves Christians, is an evil. A rigid Presbyterian, a rigid Independent or Anabaptist, are such in the wrong of their bre­thren: but it is a duty, and an excellency to be a strict and rigid Christian; provided, that our rigor be more to our selves and to our own flesh, than to all the world besides.

[Page 357]Now to bring you to this Severity, let me ex­hort you to these three things.

• 1. Fear to be offended at the severities of Religion.
• 2. Fear to baulk any thing of the severities of Religion.
• 3. That you may not fear the severities of Religion, fear the severity of Christ a­gainst Irreligion.

1. Fear to be offended at the severities of Re­ligion. Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me, Matth. 11.6. The fear of Christian strict­ness, is that which keeps back many a Soul from Christ. A Christian! who that understands what 'tis to be a Christian, will ever be able to bear it? 'Tis too hard service for me to yield my self to; to put my self under such a Law, as ties me up so short, from all that mine heart desires, and holds me so close to things so contrary to me, how can I endure it? The attempting an univer­sal change, of the scope, the customs, the plea­sures, and the whole way of my life, how griev­ous are the thoughts hereof? the matter of my design, the nature of my work, the temper of my society, to whom I must joyn my self, being all spiritual and heavenly, how contrary are they to me? The forsaking my Friends and Compani­ons, the abandoning my pleasures, the bounding my liberty, the bridling mine Appetite and Passi­ons, the laying a law upon my senses, the watch­ing every word of my mouth, and every thought of mine heart, the holding my self on by line [Page 358] and by rule, in a way of constant painfull duty, without any allowance of the least turning aside, to the right hand or the left, no though it were to the saving of my life, who can with patience think of it? All these things are against me. How many Souls have there been in the World, whom such forethoughts of Christianity have kept back from Christ, and held under the power of the Devil?

But though it doth not prevail thus far upon thee, thou wilt adventure after Christ however, though thou dost not say in thine heart, this yoke is not to be born, and so throw it away, yet possibly thou mayst say, 'tis hard to be born, and think much of it, that less might not suffice: Thou wilt yield to it in the general, but too often when it comes to be a Case, that thou thy self art put harder than ordinary to it, thy flesh flings, and throwes, and murmurs, and thou art for the time ready to bethink, and repent of thy Chri­stianity. Hath it never been thus with thee? Fear lest it should, and still remember, Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me. That is, not so only as not to renounce me, but not so much as to complain or groan, or drive heavily under me. Good is the Word of the Lord, that's a word be­coming the heart and tongue of a Disciple.

2. Fear to baulk any of the severities of Re­ligion. 'Tis one thing to say, (even in the heart) Good is the Word of the Lord, and another thing to submit chearfully to it, when it comes to the pinch. By severity, I mean, not unreasonable roughness or rigour to our selves, the unnecessa­ry afflicting or macerating our bodies, by self­whippings [Page 359] and scourgings, or Penances, going barefoot, or in sordid and vile raiment, as 'tis used in the Church of Rome; but by severity, I mean, strictness and exactness to our Rule, what­ever pain or prejudice it may cost us, or expose us to. Our holding our selves closely to every duty, in special to those harder duties, of self­denyal and mortification; the taming of our flesh, the beating down our bodies, and bringing them in subjection, by temperance and necessary absti­nence; those ungratefull duties, admonishing, re­proving, withdrawing from offenders, and what­soever else our Lord hath imposed upon us. Par­ticularly, there is,

1. Severity in imposing upon our selves; when we are not partial in the Law, taking only Christs easier words, and leaving out the harder, but do charge our whole duty upon our selves; and when we do not deal too gently or remissely with our selves, onely telling our hearts, this is thy duty, and it would be good for thee to observe it, but do deal more closely, and charge it home; See to it, O my Soul, that thou keep the charge of the Lord; It must be done, dare not for thy life to favour thy self, or spare thy flesh, by neglecting thy duty.

2. Severity in observing and performing our whole Duty. When we are not onely, not like the Scribes and Pharisees, Matth. 23.4. Who bind heavy burthens, and lay them on other mens shoulders, no nor such as bind heavy burthens for our own shoulders, and yet not touch them with one of our fingers; but whatever Conscience bids us do, that we observe and do. 'Tis one thing [Page 360] to lay good Lawes, and prescribe good Rules to our selves, and another thing to observe them. We must yoke our selves to our work, and go on diligently under the yoke. We must not only not quarrel with our rules, as too strait for us, but keep touch with them, and not indulge our selves the least swerving from them. Some Pro­fessors there are whose Religion is all in their Rules, and their Rules they have only in their Books or their heads, and but little in their hearts; who would be excellent Christians, if their lives were according to what they prescribe to them­selves. When they are in secret upon their con­sidering work, they propose holy Rules, and make good decrees: oh if they were but ob­served, what Christians would they be; but when they come abroad their Rules are left be­hind them, and it may be never remembred, till they return to their Closets again; O what a difference is there, betwixt the same persons in their Closets, and in the Fields or Markets? Friends, they are not strait rules, but strict practi­ces that our Lord requires.

3. Severity in reckoning. When we make every day a Judgement day, and reckon with our selves as God will reckon with us, strictly. God will bring every work to Judgement. Of every idle word men must give an account. Great­er sins, smaller faults, our commissions, and our omissions, the matters of fact, and the circum­stances of them must be reckoned up. Nothing must slip our reckonings, but what hath slipt our memories, and we must keep that Register care­fully.

[Page 361]4. Severity in censuring and judging our selves for our sins and failings. When we will not wink at our faults, no nor mince or excuse them, 'twas my oversight, or 'twas my weakness, but rebuke our selves sharply, I have done foolishly, I have done naughtily, gathering up all the circumstan­ces that may give our sins their due aggravati­ons, and so passing our censures accordingly.

Such a strict and punctual course as this, hath a formidable aspect, not only to sinners, but even to some of the sincere weaklings among Christi­ans. But however it looks, baulk it not, nor any part of it. Will you pinch upon Conscience, be­cause that would pinch upon the flesh? will you deny Christ, rather than deny your selves? Eve­ry shuffling or shifting off a known Duty, is a degree of denying of Christ. Hast thou given [thy self] unto Christ, and wilt thou deny him any thing he will have of thee? Must this flesh be spa­red in his cause, who spared not his Life for thee? Did he say, 'tis too hard to obey, 'tis too hard to suffer, 'tis too hard to die, may not less than my Blood, than my Soul serve their turns? And yet wilt thou say, 'Tis too hard to serve him, 'tis too hard to live wholly to him, may nothing less than all I have serve, may not something, may not a little suffice him? This flesh will be like enough to say so, 'tis too hard, 'tis too much that Christ requires, something may be spared to my ease, to my appetite, to my credit, and will grumble and murmure, if it may not. But shall thy Soul say, after this saying of thy flesh?

Doth thy Soul say, 'Tis but reason that Christ should have all, 'tis but reason that Christ alone [Page 362] should be served, and served in every thing, and to the utmost that he requires? It is best for me, that I be wholly his, the very severities of Christ will be better to me, than the liberties of the flesh; the pains of Christianity, than the pleasures of Sin; let me have the weariness of the Saints, rather than the ease of Sinners; let the yoke of Christ wring, rather than be thrown off? Doth not thy Reason and thy Conscience speak thus in thee, and yet must the grudgings and repinings of the flesh carry it?

Christians, if it be better to be a Disciple of Christ than a stranger, if it be better to be a close and a thorow-pac'd Disciple, than to bungle and halt, if it be the strictness of Christianity, out of which its sweetness growes (the more ex­act conformity, the more sweet communion with Christ) if there be meat in all his work, and his hardest work be the most savoury meal, then O why do we so wrong our selves, by keeping aloof and following him by halves, taking up with the easier parts, and slinking away from that which is more difficult, and thereby feeding onely on the husk and shell of Christianity, leaving the kernel to those that will be so wise as to take pains for it.

Friends, shall we yet be for strictness? will you resolve, will you venture upon it? who are there of you that will yet be perswaded to follow after the Lord? that will be exact Conformists? that will be close Disciples, punctual Christians, punctual in your words, punctual in your practi­ces, whose hearts shall say now according to the Apostles words, Phil. 1.27. My Conversation [Page 363] shall be in all things as it becometh the Gospel; mine eye, and mine aim, and mine endeavour shall be, to stand compleat in all the wills of God?

O that there were such an heart in us! But O the fearfull heart, O the sluggish heart that we still feel within us. O these poor and low spirits, that have no ambition for the excellencies of Re­ligion, and cannot bear its difficulties. What a pitifull maimed thing is the Religion of many Professors? how little is there in it? what easie, lazy, sleepy Disciples are they? how unequal are their spirits, how uneven their goings, how weak are their hearts, how slow are their motions Hea­venwards, and how often do they step aside, to save themselves from labour or trouble? Never a little hotter service is in sight, but their flesh calls them off, and away they go presently after it. When is it that that voice is heard within thee, Pity thy self, spare thy self, but it does prevail? Such a word, It is not for mine ease, it is not for my credit, or it is not safe for me, what a mighty charm is it, to still and countermand the loudest calls of Christ and Conscience?

But consider friend, whose voice is it that speaks thus to thee? why whose voyce was it that spake the like words to Christ, when he spake of his sufferings, Matth. 16.22. Be it far from thee Lord, this shall not be unto thee; Pity thy self, Master, and let it not be thus unto thee: whose voice was this? Christ tells us whose in the next words, Get thee behind me Sathan: 'twas the Devil that spake thus, by Peter's mouth; and 'tis this same Devil that by the mouth of thy [Page 364] flesh, speaks the like to thee. Why man, art thou afraid to hearken to Christ, and art thou not afraid to hearken to the Devil?

Beloved, we are few of us so much Christians, as to be able to endure hardness, and therefore 'tis we are so easily and so often called off. Well, but however, as little as we have attained, let us put on after it. Inure your selves to hardness, and that's the way to endure it. Be severe a while, and you will be the better able to bear severity; Fear in good earnest, how you ever again baulk a Duty, and after a while you will finde, that the hardest Duty is not to be fear­ed.

3. That you may not fear the severities of Religion, fear the severity of Christ against Ir­religion. Thou canst not bear the work of Righte­ousness, but how wilt thou bear the wages of Unrighteousness? if thou canst not be tied up so strait by the cords of his Discipline, how wilt thou endure the chains of his indignation? If the se­verities of his service, be to thee a stumbling-stone, the wrath of the Lamb will be a mill-stone; if this stone fall upon thee, it will grind thee to powder, Matth. 21.44.

Sinners let their tongues run at a wild rate, I must have my ease, I must have my liberty, I was never in bondage, and cannot now endure it, to come under such a severe restraint: But thou that professest thy self to be one of his Disciples, wilt thou say as these say, I cannot bear it, I can­not endure it? Canst thou burn? what thinkest thou of the everlasting severity? Consider what thou dost, either submit to Christs Pastoral Rod, [Page 365] or fall for ever under his Iron Rod, wherewith he will crush thee to pieces, like a Potters Ves­sel.

Why is this the case? must I bow or burn? must I come under his Government, or be ground under his Milstones? O I have done; no more reasoning with flesh and blood, no more picking quarrels with Religion, whatever there be in it, I dare not but submit to it all, for fear a worse thing come unto me. Well, but wilt thou submit then? wilt thou set thine heart to all his words? wilt thou set thy Neck to all his works?

This is the third thing now I exhort you to follow after; Severity and strictness in the wayes of the Lord, which because it hath something more of asperity and roughness in it, than those that follow, there will be so much the more need of Fear, to bring us to it.

4. Simplicity. Severity may be in Hypocrisie; the Scribes and Pharisees were severe, severe in their Fasts, disfiguring their faces, looking with sad and dejected countenances; severe in the ob­servation of the Rites, Customs and Traditions of their Fathers, yea and of the Letter of the Law of God; there were very strict sects of them, Act. 26.5. and yet they were Hypocrites. Sim­plicity notes,

• The Heart in our work.
• Singleness of heart.

1. Simplicity notes Heartiness in our Work; nothing is plain and honest but that which is hearty, doing the Will of God from the heart, [Page 366] Ephes. 6.6. Ye have obeyed from the heart, Rom. 6.17. My Son give me thy heart, Prov. 23.26. What is it to give God the heart? This is one thing comprehended in it, to give him the heart for a servant, or to serve him with the heart. He that gives God the heart, gives him the best he hath, and gives him all he hath; the heart will command the tongue, and the hands, and the time, and the Estate, to be all at his service; which way the heart goes all goes. Serving the Lord with the heart, is serving him in good ear­nest; we do but play with duty, we do but mock God, where the heart is not; 'tis only serving him in spirit, that is serving him in truth.

Friends be real, and in good earnest in what you doe: let all your Religion come deep, let your Prayers and your Prayses, and all the exer­cising your selves to Godliness of life, be the streamings and issuings forth of your hearts to the Lord. Whatever you doe, do it heartily as unto the Lord. Serve the Lord, as you have been used to serve your flesh, in good earnest. What you have done for your Estates, what you have done for your Names, or for your safety, you have done it heartily, and shall that only which we do for God, and for our Souls, be done with­out an heart? what is God? what are our Souls and the concernments of them, that they should be thus put off? Is this heartless service all that God is worthy of? will he accept it at our hands, or is it no matter whether he accept it or no? Is this spiritless service answerable to the worth of our Souls, and the weight of Eternity? will you venture all upon shadowes and lyes? Are [Page 367] we but in Jest, when we talk of a God, or a Christ, or a World to come Are our hopes and fears about hereafter, but delusions and dreams? Do you believe from the heart, and dare you not obey from the heart? How can you say, you believe there is a God indeed, that of a very truth there is such an Heaven, and such an Hell, in one of which your immortal Souls must dwell for ever? how can you believe such things, and not feel your very inwards, even all the Powers of your Souls, engaged about them? Am I speaking to those that believe not, is it not to you that believe, that I now direct my words? Consider friends The God in whom you believe, is a Spirit, and will be served in Spirit and in Truth; God is a great God, and infinitely worthy of the best, and of all you have; your Souls are precious, eternal Life and eter­nal Death are serious things, and which of these two will be your lott, is a serious question; and sure these most serious things, do call for your most serious and hearty attendance upon them. Away with all guile and hypocrisie, provoke not the jealous God, fool not away your Souls by trusting to lyes. Worship God in the Spirit, lift up your Souls in your Prayers, chasten your Souls in your Fastings.

And as your Souls must be in your Lips, in your Eyes, in your Ears, while you are solemnly worshipping of God, so let your Hearts be in you Hands too, in all that you have to doe. Let your heart have an hand in all the actions of your lives. Eccles. 9.10. Whatever thine hand findeth to doe, do it with thy might; that is, do [Page 368] it with all your heart; the heart is the might of the man. God is the strength of the heart, and the heart is the strength of the man.

Sinners, when they go forth upon service for the Devil, they carry their heart in their hands. Micah 7.3. They do evil with both hands, ear­nestly. [Earnestly,] there's the heart in their hands. They do their worst that God will suffer them. Thou hast done iniquity, as thou couldest, Jer. 3.5. as much as ever thou wert able. As Sinners do their worst, so let Christians do the best they can.

Whatever thou hast to do for thine own Soul, by gathering in, and treasuring up against the time to come, do the most and the best thou canst; be as hearty in laying up treasure in Hea­ven, as ever thou hast been in laying up treasure on Earth. Whatever service thou hast to do for God in thy generation, by doing good to others, do it with all thine heart. In your instructing, admonishing, counselling, reproving; in your working righteousness, in your shewing mercy; in your promoting and encouraging any good work, or preventing evil; in your propagating serious Religion, in your pulling poor sinners as brands out of the burning, and rescuing them out of the power of the Devil, in compelling the stragling and wandring Sheep into the Fold of the Lord, or whatever else you have before you, do it heartily as unto the Lord.

What a world of good might a generation of hearty Christians do in the World? how ma­ny Souls might be the better for them? how ma­ny Families might bless God for them? The [Page 369] blessing of Souls ready to perish, might come upon them; they may be the blessings of a whole Countrey; they may be Lights to the World, and Life to the dead; Eyes to the blind, Tongues to the dumb, Feet to the lame, and strength to them that have no might; the Kingdom of God, the Gospel of Christ, would be advanced and adorned by them, and the Synagogues of Sathan even depopulated and destroyed. And how great­ly would this both abound to their own account, and tend to their own improvement in the Grace of God?

But wo to many of us, yea and to the poor world also, because an excuse must serve us in­stead of an heart, (we want time, we want parts; either opportunity or ability we have not; thus we talk, when 'tis an heart only that's wanting.) Hence 'tis we stand so many of us like cyphers, a company of useless and insignificant Souls, which the Gospel and the Interest of Christ might spare and find little miss of in the world. Friends, do but find an heart, and that will find you time and ability, for other manner of service than hi­therto you have done. Well, this is one thing im­plyed in Simplicity, Heartiness.

2. Singleness of heart. Singleness of heart notes, both plainness of heart, without juggles and cheats, or pretensions of what is not intend­ed, and oneness of heart (as I may so speak) that does not divide it self betwixt more Lords than one, more Ends than one, but runs out one way; that has but one to serve, and but one thing to do. But of this having spoken largely elsewhere, I shall say no more here.

[Page 370]5. Ingenuity, with good will doing Service, Ephes. 6.7. this good will notes that good na­ture, which by grace we are wrought to, in­clining and disposing, us to a more noble and free, to a more chearful and ready serving the Lord. An ingenuous Christian doth not only serve the Lord really, and without guile, but readily and cheerfully; it's sweet to him to do good: he bears good will to God for himself: he feels the infinite goodness and worthiness of the Lord to melt and draw forth his Soul towards him: the name and honour of God is in his heart, and is so dear and precious to him, that he feels something within him, prompting him to all manner of ex­pressions of love and duty to him. He is become good natur'd, and so not only in point of grate­fulness, he returns love for love, good will for good will, duty for kindness, which he hath received; but it is a pleasure to him, to return good will for goodness, love for his worthiness to be beloved. The name of God he would have to be above every name; it is his delight, and therefore his desire, that as the Lord is infinitely honourable, so he should be abundantly honoured; the very thing, the magnifying and exalting the Lord, is the great thing that sits upon his heart, it is a pleasure to him that God is pleased, and this he loves that God should be loved and ser­ved; and hence is his care, hence are his labours, this is the spring-head of all his duties, and God is the Ocean into which his streams do run. He speaks for God, and works for God, and lives for God; he studies to be holy and righteous, he [Page 371] is busie and industrious, he is watchful and pain­ful, and fruitful in good works, that he may thereby shew forth the vertues of him that hath called him, and glorifie his Father which is in Heaven. He understands and feels, that what he thus does for God, is to himself also, and will abound to his own account and everlasting blessed­ness, and the good will he bears to his own Soul, and the hopes he has of his own reward, are as oyl to his wheels, but his good will to his God, is the main spring that sets them all a going: O follow after this blessed frame, get you such an ingenuous Spirit, and then how sweet and easie will the very severities of Religion be? The nearer you come up to this, by so much the less need will you have of that fear, which is so ne­cessary to bring you hitherto. Fear will now resign up to love, to do its work more immedi­ately by it self. Not but that there may be still some use of it, more or less; so long as there is sin before us, and any danger of our falling into it, so long will love cause us to fear; but as we are more grown up above the power of sin, and are not so greatly in danger of it, so fear abates. By how much the more perfect love, by so much the more hatred of sin, and so much the less fear of it. Love will now make as effectual a resi­stance against sin, by Hatred, as it did before by fear; and for our course of duty, we shall now run, not with patience only, but with chearful­ness, the race that's set before us; a chearful willing horse will the less need the rod or spur.

[Page 372]6. Spirituality. This and the former are twins, and grows up together. How fit is the spiritual man, and how free will he be for spiritual work? The new man is a spiritual man; he is such from his birth, Joh. 3.6. that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit; but whil'st he is a child, there is so little of spirit appearing in him, that the Apostle sticks not to call him carnal, 1 Cor. 3.1. I could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as unto carnal [even as to babes in Christ] but as this Child grows up towards a perfect stature, so he becomes more spiritual from day to day; and accordingly he prospers in his work.

O Christians, get you to be of a more eleva­ted raised spirit, through the more abundant diffusion of the spirit of Grace upon your hearts. Live more in the contemplation of God, Behold his face in righteousness, and you shall be satisfied with his likeness, Psal. 17.15. 2 Cor. 3.18. Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed from glory to glory, into the same Image. Hereafter we shall be perfectly like him, because we shall see him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. and by how much the more we see him here, by so much the more like him. Acquaint your selves with God, divine converses beget in­timacy in Heaven, and none so Heavenly as God's intimates; we are too great Strangers in Heaven, to have much of Heaven upon our hearts; distance breeds difference, by being such strangers, we be­come more alienated from the life of God. There is nothing more ordinary, than to receive the tincture of our society upon our hearts; we like our acquaintance, and are apt to grow like them. [Page 373] Be familiar with the spiritual God, and you will become more spiritually minded; no such advance towards divine conformity, as divine communion; conformity will prepare for communion, and communion will increase conformity.

Christians, Be spiritual, your work is spiritual; it lyes in the exercise of spiritual Graces, in the performance of spiritual duties, in the offering up spiritual Sacrifices. Your encouragements are spiritual encouragements; spiritual priviledges, comforts and rewards, favour and acceptance with God, fellowship and friendship with God, peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost.

What are all these spiritual works, and spiri­tual encouragements, to carnal hearts? how un­fit is the spirit of a brute for the work of a man? and how unsuitable is the Spirit of a man, (the carnal mind) to the work of a Christian? They that are in the flesh (fleshly men) cannot please God, Rom. 8.8. 1 Pet. 2.5. Ye also, as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual Sacrifices, accep­table to God by Jesus Christ. Sowing of fields, planting of Orchards, buying, and selling, and trading, are as proper works, for the beasts of the earth, and as much they are like to do at it, as blessing, and praising, and serving the living God, to carnal men. Sinners, you also come to­gether to pray, and hear, and Sing, and serve the Lord; but you are like to make as good works of it, as to the spirit of these duties, as your Cattel would do, at building your houses, or keeping your markets; and by how much the more any amongst Christians are like you, by so [Page 374] much the more unskilful are they like to be at the work of God.

And what are spiritual encouragements, to carnal hearts? how little would it quicken and provoke carnal men, on in the Service of God, to tell them, as you grow more serviceable, so you shall be more acceptable to God; as you abound in duty, so your grace, and your com­fort, and your hopes, and your joy shall abound? If you could tell them, This is the way to be rich, to rise and grow great in this world; you shall gain favour and friendship with men; the Dignities and Preferments, the Gold and the Sil­ver shall be shared amongst the most active and industrious Christians. What multitudes would this fetch in to be Disciples, and what contend­ing would there be, who should be the most for­ward of all Christ's followers? But whil'st this is all we can say, you shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord, you shall have treasure in Heaven, we see by experience enough, how little this will move them. Get these hearts to be more Spiri­tualized, and then you will find both the work of God and his rewards, to be most acceptable work, and the highest encourage­ments.

Friends, what's the reason that we so lose all our arguments, which the Lord puts into our mouths, to perswade you to more serviceable and fruitful life? we open the good treasure of Heaven to you, we set the unsearchable riches of Christ before your eyes, and do what we can to enamour you of them, thereby to allure on your lazy hearts, to kindle desire, to quicken to [Page 375] labour, but nothing will do; you are as slow and as heartless in your pursuit of these invisible trea­sures, as if nothing had been told you, of their worth and excellency; how comes this to pass? why are you [...] yet carnal? I, that's it, that spiritual good things are no more taking with you; your fleshly wayes, your fleshly pleasures, your fleshly converses and correspondencies, have so kept alive, and fed, and fomented the carnality of your hearts, that they cannot discern or taste the things of the Spirit.

When we are become more spiritual, we shall savour and relish spiritual things, and then shall we feel what attractives they will be; our desires will be above, our delights will be above, our hearts will be lost to these carnal things, we shall leave this earth to earthly minds; when this man­tle of flesh is fallen off, and we are gotten up into the Chariots of fire, then shall we ride upon the high places of the Heavens, and our wings shall carry us on swiftly, towards the mountains of Spices.

As far forth as we are become spiritual, our motions upward will become natural; and by how much the more natural, by so much the more strong and pleasant: the rougher things of Religion, will be then more smooth, and the hard things easie; 'tis this flesh that creates us diffi­culties, when the flesh is swallowed up of Spirit, difficulties shall be swallowed up of delight, and then shall we go on our way rejoycing, then shall we labour and abound in the work of the Lord, when we shall thus taste, and see that our labour is not in vain in the Lord.

[Page 376]Lastly, Follow after pleasure, the Pleasure of Religion: This will spring up to you out of the former branches, as I have already hinted. Get you such a Spirit of power and holy activity, grow up to that exactness, simplicity, ingenuity, and spirituality, that you may drink of their plea­sures. Here I shall shew,

• 1. That Religion hath its pleasure.
• 2. That the pleasures of Religion are the portion of the grown Christian.
• 3. What the particular pleasures of Religion are, that we should be reaching after.

1. Religion hath its pleasures. You may re­member, I have been lashing and leading you on hitherto, at least within a step or two, by fear. And though your fears will now, in great part be left behind you, I would not yet leave you. That which follows, will be of this use to you, to en­courage you to bear the rougher conduct of fear, all along your younger time, by that sweeter course you shall have of it, when fear shall give up to love; as the pleasures that comes in, from the hopes of freedom, doth allay and sweeten the the severities of an apprenticeship.

Religion hath its pleasure. It hath its tartness, and its trouble, as you have seen already; so much unpleasantness it hath in its fore view, that foolish Sinners shun it, and run away from it, for fear. They will not touch the Roses, for fear of the prickles. As 'tis with Saints, so 'tis with Holiness, 'tis a Lilly among thorns; these thorns [Page 377] not only hurt the Lillies, but keep back the hand of the gatherers; how many more than there are, would be reaching after this precious flower, but for fear of being scratch'd.

Well, but whatever there be in Religion to affright, it hath much more to invite us to it; Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace, Prov. 36.17. They shall be abun­dantly satisfied, with the fatness of thine house, and thou shalt make them drink of the River of thy pleasures, Psal. 36.8. what, and how great the pleasures of Religion are, will be made appear in the third particular.

2. The pleasures of Religion are the portion of the grown. They lye deep, they are some of those deep things of God, which the Spirit of God will reveal, 2. Cor. 2.10. 'tis not every one, that hath a little Religion, that is gotten down so deep, as its pleasure lyes. It is with the pleasure of Religion, as with the Plagues of Sinners, they both lye at the bottom. The best of sin is at top, Sinners first draughts are the sweetest, when they have drank down to the bottom of their cup, then they taste the dregs. Beware Sin­ner, of what comes after thy pleasant dayes; thou hast yet tasted but the best of Sin, thou art not come to the bottom of thy cup, there the gall and the wormwood lyes.

And so on the other side, the top, and the out­side of Godliness, hath more harshness in it, 'tis the inside and the bottom of it, that is most plea­sant, there its sweetness lyes.

[Page 378]Young beginners and smatterers in Reli­gion, seem to have made a bad exchange: they have lost the sweetness of sin, and plea­sures of the flesh, and are not come at the sweetness of Religion; their pleasant dayes are gone, and what have they in exchange? Behold, for peace they have great bitterness, for ease weariness, for mirth heaviness. If Christians that are come but to the entry of Christ, should hope for no more than they taste or see, they would be ready to wish themselves back in the tents of wicked­ness.

It is really a blessed exchange that they make, who with Moses, Heb. 11.25. choose the afflictions of Religion, rather than the pleasures of sin. The very sufferings of the Saints, are a better portion, than the rejoycings of Sinners, the Winter of God­liness hath more Sun-shine, than the Summer of Sin; honest poverty is better than the Mammon of unrighteousness, and honest labour and travail, than wicked ease and idleness. He whose carnal laughter is turn'd into Godly sorrow, his sorrow will end in Godly joy.

This joy, though the entrance of Godliness be the way to it, yet the Infants in Religion, do seldom taste of it. God uses to do, as Christ at that feast, Joh. 2.10. he keeps the best wine till last. The pleasures of Religion are the portion of those that have gotten up to the power of Religion: Whil'st the weaker Christi­ans feed themselves on their fears and sorrows, [Page 379] and the most of their Religion lyes in their hum­blings and mournings for sin, those that are grown up to be strong in the Lord, do feel the joy of the Lord to be their strength; and when we have experience of this pleasure of Reli­gion, it is both a sign of our growth, and will be our sail to carry us on, with more vigour and swiftness.

3. What the pleasures of Religion are. I shall mention but these four,

• 1. The pleasure of Sincerity.
• 2. The pleasure of Success.
• 3. The pleasure of Ease.
• 4. The pleasure of Love.

1. The pleasure of Sincerity. Sincerity hath such sweetness in it, as no man knows but he that hath it; a stranger shall not intermeddle with this joy. This pleasure is not known by every Christian, that is sincere. Where is sincerity in every real Christian, but he hath little of the pleasure of it, that hath not the knowledge of it. Weak Christians are in doubt, whether they be sincere or not: those that are but one degree above hypocrites, are still in fear that they are but hypocrites; they that know them­selves upright, can rejoyce with that joy of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 1.12. This is our rejoycing, the testimony of our Conscience, that in all simpli­city and Godly sincerity, we have had our conver­sation in the world.

[Page 380]O the galls and stings of a guileful heart! whatever specious shews there may be, of Reli­gion without, whatever approbation, or ap­plause the hypocrite may obtain from men; whatever tickling delight, in a great repute, for an eminent Christian, he may feel for a while; whatever pleasure his gifts and commendable performances, may feed him with; yet the Con­science of hypocrisie, and guile within, after the flush of that carnal pleasure is over, will sting him into bitterness and anguish. Much good may do hypocrites, with all their applauses and self-exaltations, a plain, honest, upright heart, hath more serenity and sweetness, than comes in by all the admirings and Euge's in the world.

Friends, would you live a voluptuous life? get you an upright heart: would you have all within you to be sweetness? beware of the leaven of hypocrisie: would you prove your selves no hypocrites? then be improving daily; let sincerity be growing up towards perfection, and then it will be known what it is, Nichode­mas will in a while, appear to be Nathaniel, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile. Let it be thus with thee, and then thou mayest take up the Psalmists words, Psal. 4.7. Thou hast put gladness in mine heart, more than in the time, when their corn and wine increased.

2. The pleasure of success. 'Tis a comfort to see something coming in; when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life; disappointment is distress. To ask and not to have, to sow and [Page 381] not to reap, to work and not to have to eat, to buy, and sell, and travail, and trade, and never to prosper in any thing, but to be as poor, and low, as those that are idle; I need not tell you, how sad and uncomfortable it is. To take upon us to be the Servants of Christ, to take up the professing trade, the praying trade, and the hearing trade, and to find all we do, to come to just nothing; I have been praying, and hearing, and hoping, and yet still I am where I was; Lust holds up the head, Grace hangs the wing; doubts and fears, dulness and darkness still abide upon me as heretofore, I am as carnal, and earthly, and barren, as very a child in Religion, as I was many years since; O what a weary and uncom­fortable life is this! to have so many things a doing, and nothing done; O how heartless a thing is it.

When we have good success, when we see our Souls prospering, this will wash our steps with butter, and strew our wayes with rose-buds, and make pleasant all our paths.

One of the great joyes of the world, is the joy of the Harvest; and the joy of the Saints is express'd by that, Isa. 9.3. They joy be­fore thee, according to the joy in harvest. The Harvest is the success of mens labours, and that's their joy, to see they have not laboured in vain.

Christians, though they are never like in this life, to see the Harvest in the sheaf, yet 'tis a joy to them to see an Harvest in the [Page 382] blade; to perceive that the seed is not dead and rotten under the clods, but springing up to the Harvest; this is a pleasant sight. It is not such a pleasure to the Husbandman, to walk through his fields, where he hath been ploughing and sowing, and to behold the thriving beginnings of an hopeful crop, to see all green, and fresh, and hearty, and strong, this is not such a pleasure to the Husbandman, as 'tis to a Chri­stian, to see a spring of Grace in his Soul.

Now I see, 'tis not in vain to sow to the spirit, to serve and wait on God. Where is all thy praying, where is all thy labouring? God knows where 'tis saith the barren Soul, I doubt 'tis all lost, I can see no sign of it remaining; that's a sad Soul. But ask thus of the thriving Christian, where is all thy praying, and thy labouring? and he can answer, O I thank God, 'tis here to be seen; This field of mine, a few years since, lay all fallow, rough, and hard, and nothing that was good, was to be found upon it; but now, (O how it joyes mine heart to find it so) the good seed that hath been bu­ried here, is not dead, 'tis gotten up above ground, the Lord hath let me see something of his grace breaking forth, and it encreases and grows up daily in me. The hard and stubborn, is now become a melting and broken heart, the proud and froward, is now become an hum­ble and quiet spirit; It hath cost me something, many a sad thought, many a sigh, many a tear; but though I came hardly by it, here 'tis by the grace of God, the barren hath brought forth, this dry tree hath blossomed, this sluggish heart, [Page 383] to which the very thoughts of a laborious fruitful life, were once so irksome, that I doubted that I should never have come to any thing, but should have liv'd and died a drone; O what a comfort it is to me to see it thus hopefully come on. A diligent Christian will have such successes, his labour shall not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15.58. and when he sees what good success he has, then let him speak, what a pleasure it is to him.

Christian, Thou hast been at thy work, but what fruit hast thou found? hast thou pros­pered? hast thou sped well? dost thou see of the travail of thy Soul? Is thy sin weakened? is the world conquered, is grace quickened in thee? Is it so, and is it not a pleasure to thee to find it so? Doth it not please thee, that thou art not so vain, nor so earthly, nor so proud as thou hast been? Doth it not glad thee at the heart, to find that the Lord hath been with thee, and blessed thee, and helped thee, in what thou hast set thine heart unto? And how lookest thou now, on thy remaining works? wilt thou any more drive so heartlessely, and so heavily on, as thou wast wont to do? wilt thou any more cry out, Hard ser­vice? a weary life? Sure thou canst not; what thou findest coming in, will make thy very la­bour and thy sweat, to be sweetness to thee.

3. The pleasure of Ease. Ease hath a pleasure in it; not only ease or rest from our work, but ease in our work, when we can carry it on with ease; by how much the harder our work is in it self, by so much the greater pleasures will it [Page 384] be, when we can go easily through it. Christ tells us, Matth. 11.30. that his yoke is easie, and his burthen light. Christ's yoke is an hard and an heavy yoke to Sinners, and such which they are in no wise able to bear, but he makes it easie to his Saints. A yoke may be made easie three wayes,

• 1. By making the burthen of it lighter,
• 2. By making the neck stronger,
• 3. By accustoming the neck to the yoke.

1. By making the burthen of it lighter; by paring it, or taking off something of it; a great yoke may be pared, and pared, till at length it come to be a little on. Thus Christ's yoke, will not be made easier; he will pare nothing off, he will not abate any thing of his work; there's the same Law for Saints and for Sinners, there's the same duty impos'd on the weak as the strong, Matth. 5.17, 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, till Heaven and Earth pass, one jott or title shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled: The same Law which was from the beginning, shall be Law to the end. Christ will never make that to be no sin, which once was sin, nor that to be no duty which once was a duty, nor will he ever dispense with duty or sin; he says not to any, less shall serve for thee, than for others, he requires all of every one. But here, by way of caution, take notice of two things,

[Page 385]1. Christ's yoke, is in this sense, easier than Moses's yoke, there is an abatement of the burthen of Ceremonies, and legal Rites; that Law of the carnal Commandment, as 'tis call'd, Heb. 7.16. is vanished, and taken out of the way; no more of that chargeable service, of Sacrifices, no more Bulls, or Goats, or Lambs out of our flocks or herds; the service of Christians, is in this respect, cheaper Ser­vice, than that of the Jews of old, 'tis only our Moralls, whereof nothing will be abated.

2. Though Christ requires the same duty of all, and imposes the same things, and as much upon the weak as upon the strong, yet he will accept that of the weak, which he will not from the strong. Nothing less than perfection, is due from the weakest, but sincerity will be accepted, whatever im­perfection there be. God will take those weak and maimed Services from the weak, which he will not from the strong. He that hath a Male in his flock, and Sacrificeth a corrupt thing, Cursed be that deceiver, Mal. 1.14.

2. By making the neck stronger. That's an easie yoke to a man, which a Child is not able to wagge. A labouring man that's weak and sickly, will find his ordinary work, to be too hard for him; when he recovers his strength, he can go through it with ease. [Page 386] Weak Christians, will ever find Christia­nity to be hard Service; as they grow up to be stronger, they will find it grow more easie, day by day.

3. By accustoming the neck to the yoke. The yoke at first putting on wrings and galls, and wearies; those that are unaccustomed to the yoke, are impatient of the yoke, 'tis use that makes it easie. An Apprentice to a Trade, though at his first entrance, he do not half so much work as afterward; yet 'tis with twice so much pains. The first hour is ordinarily with him the burthen and heat of the day, his morning is hotter than his noon.

The tediousness of Religion meets us at the threshold, our hardest task is to begin well; nature will make the strongest oppo­sition against grace, at the the very birth of the new creature; our first charge a­gainst lust, is usually the hottest charge; the travail of the birth hath more pain in it, than all the after care of bringing up the child.

A Christian at his first setting out after Christ, feels all his motions heavenward to be as swimming against the stream, but by how much the more, grace hath over-powred nature, by so much the more, he hath now gotten the stream with him; his following [Page 387] God is now become as swimming down the stream of that new nature, which hath now gotten so much the better in him.

One of the hardest works of a Christian, is Self-denyal; to lay down our own wills, to curb our appetites, to go cross to our own dispositions, interests, and humours; this goes near at first, and will hardly be born; but after we have us'd our selves a while to it, and by degrees inur'd our wills to submission to the will of Christ, and holding the bridle strait upon lust, and appetite, have made our hearts to feel themselves to be under authority; a chearful and contented subjection will in time become habitual to us; the more self-denyal we have exercised, the less will there be after­wards needed. He that hath been given to intemperance, to gluttony, or drunkenness, at his first laying a restraint upon himself, what a bondage is sobriety and temperance to him? but after he hath used himself to a temperate life, he finds it more sweet and easie to him, and is better pleas'd with it than ever he was with his former excess, and scarcely knows now, what 'tis to lust after his old licen­tiousness.

Now Brethren, that which I would per­swade you to is, Make your Religion plea­sant, by making it easie to you; make your Religion easie, not by halfing your work, [Page 388] or remitting your care, but by increasing your strength and your diligence; get your hearts strengthened, and get them habituated to Reli­gion; this will make it easie, and ease will make it pleasant.

What's the reason that we see some Sinners go on with so much pleasure, in their wicked wayes? the service of sin is laborious enough, and in some respects much more toilsome and expensive, than the Service of Christ; They have many Masters to serve, and every one of them will be calling them to work; they have the Devil to serve, and the World to serve, and divers lusts to serve; they are like a ser­vant of men, who is at the command of more Masters than one; one calls him this way, ano­ther that way, one hath this to be done, another that to be done; so that for one and another, the poor Servant can never be at rest; such is the case of Sinners, their pride calls them one way, their covetousness another, their sensua­lity another; their Souls are made meer Hack­neys of, though they change their rider, yet one or other is still upon their backs. And yet we see how roundly, and merrily they go on their way, without ever complaining of their Masters, or their work. When do you ever hear any such complaints among them, O this Devil is an hard Master, O this flesh of mine, what a Tyrant is it? O this feasting and sporting, this drinking and rioting, what an irksome Trade is it? O this getting of Money, this laying [Page 389] house to house, and field to field, I am quite weary of it. When do you hear any such groanings, or complainings amongst them? No, no, they are strong Sinners, they are ac­customed to do wickedly, and thereupon, as very a drudgery as the service of Sin is, they can go through it with ease, and pleasure. Friends, get you to be strong in the Lord, and you will run your race of duty with much more pleasure, than sinners run their course of iniquity, hold you close to your work a while, and you will get to Hea­ven with as much ease, as Sinners go to Hell.

O what fools are loytering, trifling Christi­ans! who think to make their life easie, by idleness? what's the reason that thou haltest thus after the Lord, and art so slothful in thy way? why dost thou not set thine heart, and thy shoulders to the work of the Lord, and give thy self in good earnest, and wholly to it? O I can't endure all labour, all diffi­culty, I must have a little ease; 'tis too tedious and painful to me, to hold to such close and constant service. But dost thou think to make thy work easie, by trifling at it? Foolish Soul, thou takest the ready way, to create thee the more difficulty; once the work must be done, or thou art undone, and there's no such way to do it easily, as by doing it diligently; the life of a trifler, is the hardest life of all that profess themselves [Page 390] Christians; doubtless Christ's yoke, will sit easiest upon those necks, upon which it sits the closest.

4. The pleasure of Love. He that hath not felt pleasures in love, hath not felt what 'tis to love. This is one of the great pleasures of Heaven, to love and to be beloved; to re­ceive the over-flowings of the divine love, and to feel our hearts emptying themselves and flowing forth in returns of love to God. Look how much you have of love, so much of Heaven, of the joy that is above, 1 Pet. 1.8. Whom having not seen, ye love; what follows? Ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Joh. 4.16. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God; and he that dwelleth in God, dwelleth in joy, Psal. 37.4. Delight thy self in the Lord, to love God and to delight in God, are much the same, love is the bud, and delight is the blossome, that grows out of it.

Love hath a pleasure in it, and the love of God, will put a pleasure into all Religion. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts, Psal. 84.1. It is good for me to draw near to God, Psal. 73.28, I delight to do thy will, O my God, Psal. 40.8. Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant, Psal. 135.3. It is a pleasant thing for him that loves, to please and praise the Lord; It is good before the Saints, Psal. 52.9.

[Page 391]Fear often brings us upon Service, but 'tis love that sweetens it, fear brings us on, espe­cially in the dayes of our minority, and it should do so, as I have already shewed, if love will not, fear must. We often pray, and read, and hear, and search our hearts, and look to our wayes, because we dare do no other; we strive, and wrestle, and watch, against sin, and its lusts, against the world and its temptations, because we are afraid what would become of us, if we should not. 'Tis well that any thing will do, either love or hope, or fear; whatever it be, that will bring us upon our duty, that will keep us from iniquity, 'tis well that something will do it: 'Tis better to pray, because we are afraid to neglect it, than not to pray at all; 'tis better to keep a good Conscience, because we are afraid of an evil Conscience, than to be licentious; whatever it be that brings us upon a consciencious life, better so, than to be let alone to carnality and looseness.

But yet still, 'tis love that sweetens, and thereby strikes the great and most kindly stroke in all Religion. Fear brings us to Religion, as to our Physick; the sick man hath no love to Physick, but yet he will take it, rather than dye; Love brings us to it as to our food, 'tis our meat and drink to do the will of God; eating and drinking, to the hungry and thirsty, are some of the great [Page 392] pleasures of life. Duties are the meat of Holy Souls, and they come unto them, with as great desire, and are conversant in them, with as great delight as hungry bodies come to, and sit at their meals, Cant. 2.3. I sate down under his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Weak believers are like sickly men, neither Physick, nor food will relish with them; they must eat for necessity, they cannot live without something of Religion; but were it not for necessity, they could almost as well let it all alone. 'Tis well that necessity will prevail, but whilest they are thus forced on, how heavily do they drive, and how little must suffice them? too often, they come on to their duties like bears to the stake, and go off from them, as the Oxe from under the yoke.

But when thou lovest, thy soul will enlarge, and reach forth with desire, even after the highest pitch of Godliness; and thou wilt go freely and chearfully on, in all the exercises of it. Thou wilt not then say, may not less serve? thou wilt not say, may not less duty serve, because thou canst not say, may not less pleasure serve? Every one would have as much pleasure as he can, and therefore would'st thou have, as much holiness as thou canst; the more holy, the more pleasure.

[Page 393]If thou lovest, thou wilt not be for short Duties, short Prayers, short Sermons, little snatches at Religion, thou wilt not be so soon weary at thy work; when are men weary of pleasure? when do they use to say, I have pleasant hours enough, sunshine dayes enough, O that my good dayes were over once! O that my dayes of darkness would come, and the years draw nigh, wherein I might say, I have no pleasure in them! Every one is willing to live in delights, as much and as long as he can; when once we can say, the Lord is my delight, the next word will be, Let me dwell in the presence of God for ever.

Christians, let our Souls take the wing, and mount up towards this blessed state; O how short do the most of us fall, we have much ground to go, e're we shall get up to it. How is it with us in our secret converses with God? are we glad when our retiring hours draw near? when we enter into our Closets, to meet with our beloved, do we there use to solace our selves with love? Is praying and praising our pleasure? is communing with God, and with our own hearts, a delight? do our hearts use to say, It's good for me to be here?

And how is it with us in our ordinary course? what is the joy of our life? Is this it, that our life is a walking with God? have we no [Page 394] good dayes, but our holy-dayes? are we never well, but when we can see and serve the Lord, and never amiss, while we are so doing? do we not only judge, but feel that intimacy and fami­liarity in Heaven, is our only Heaven on earth? Lord how seldom, Lord how little is it thus with us?

But may we not obtain? Is not such a blessed state, worth our putting in for it? Are you willing, friends, to keep you alwayes at this distance from your delight? Is it enough, that you have some hopes for hereafter, are you content that your souls should never taste of your joyes here? shall they still dwell in exile, while they dwell on earth? shall they never put off the garments of their widowhood, till they put off their clothing of flesh? Are you content to take up yet longer, with this dark and disconsolate state? Is the drudgery of Religion, this sighing, and mourning, and stri­ving against the stream, and going on so poor, and hungry, and hard bestead; Is this Religion enough for you? would you be glad to be more cheary, and lively in your way? would you taste the milk and the honey, the marrow and the fatness? would you ride on, with free spi­rits, and full sails, triumphing over difficulties, and rejoycing in hope of the glory of God? would you that these rough wayes were become a plain, and these dark shades were all sun-shine? would you feed in the green pastures, and be led by the still waters, and be made to drink of [Page 395] that River, that makes glad the City of God? Then put you on, be no longer smatterers and pidlers, dwell no longer on the shoar or surface of Religion, but hoyse up all your sails, and launch forth into the deep; get you into the heart and inside of Christianity, where the Lord will shew you his loves. Be not satisfyed with some few glances, or little touches; but get you possessed and swallowed up of the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord; and this will be to you, both the wine, that will make glad your hearts; and the oyle, that will make all your wheels to run: then shall you run the way of Gods Commandements, when the pleasure of Love shall enlarge your hearts.