[The sincere convert, discovering the small number of true beleevers, and the great difficulty of saving conversion. ...] Shepard, Thomas, 1605-1649. Approx. 222 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 164 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI : 2005-10. N00054 N00054 Evans 93 Wing S3129 APX9789 93 99026795

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 93. (Evans-TCP ; no. N00054) Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 93) Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 93) [The sincere convert, discovering the small number of true beleevers, and the great difficulty of saving conversion. ...] Shepard, Thomas, 1605-1649. Greenhill, William, 1591-1671. [10], 184+ p. ; 13 cm. (12mo) Printed by S. Green?, [Cambridge? : 1664?] Preface signed: W. Greenhill. Title and imprint from Evans. The only known copy, held by the American Antiquarian Society, lacks p. [1-6], 1st count, p. 9-12, 89-108, 153-156, and all after p. 184. Errors in paging: p. 163, 164 misnumbered 164, 264.

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.

eng Conversion -- Christianity 2004-12 Assigned for keying and markup 2005-01 Keyed and coded from Readex/Newsbank page images 2005-03 Sampled and proofread 2005-03 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
〈2 pages missing〉

nd who can promise himself with Hezekiah ere shall be truth and peace in my dayes. Peace may fail thee, but let not Truth. very good Christian may and should say, ith the good King, there shall be truth in my dayes, if not Peace and Truth, as to revive the love of it. I will hold it fast by ith, hold it forth by practise, praise God ayly for it, and venture all in defence 〈◊〉 it so did the Martyres, whose memory s sweet, whose reward is great. It is bet er suffering for truth, then with truth: yet f truth must suffer or can die, better it is to die with Truth, then out-live it.

But that truth may live, and we live by Truth, let us magnifie God much for Truth, for his Word and good Books that pring thence. Some probablie may say, it's nough to praise God for his Word, other Books are not 〈◊〉 . Wilt thou praise God for the sea and be thankfull for the rivers and springs? Wilt thou lift up thy voice for the great waters, and be silent for the •• lver drops and showrs? If the former rain affect thee, be not ungratefull for the latt r. God would have men to value his ser •• ants, and praise him for their labours.

But they have errors in them.

Be it so, shall we refuse to praise God for the flowres and the corn, because there be •• me weeds in the garden, and thistles in he field? Preiudice not thy self, buy, read, take thy delight, here is a garden without weeds, a corn field without either cockle or ar •• l, thorne or thistle. Art thou a Sincere Convert here are truths sutable, solide and wholesome, thou mayest feed and feast without fear.

The Author is one of singular piety, inward acquaintance with God, skil'd in the deceits of mens hearts, able to enlighten in the dark corners of the little world, and to give satisfaction to staggering spirits. His work needs not the purple of anothers commendation to adorne it. But because Custome not necessity, for it's truths prerogative to travel without a pass port (I say) because custome causeth truth to crave and to carrie Epistles commendatory; know that the work is weighty, quick and spiritual: and if thine eye be single in perusing it, thou sha •• find many precious souls-searching, soul-quickning, and soul-enriching truths 〈◊〉 yea, be so warned and awakened, as that thou canst not but blesse God for the man and matter, unlesse thou be possest with a dumb Devil.

To conclude, Christian Reader, take heed of unthankfulnesse, spiritual mercies should have the quickest and fullest praises. Such is this w •• k, thou 〈◊〉 if not, thou contrabutedst nothing to the birth of it; it's a preventing mercy. By it and others, of the same nature, God hath made knowledge to abound, the waters of the sanctuarie are daily increased and grown deep. Let not the waters of the Sanctuary put out the fire of the Sanctuary. If there be no praise, there is no fire, if thy head be like a winters Sun full of light, and heart like a winters earth without fruit, fear left thy light end in utter darknesse, and the tree of knowledge, deprive thee of the tree of life. The Lord grant that thou mayest find such benefite by this work, as that thy heart may be ravished with truth, and raised to praise God to purpose, and made to pray. Lord still send forth thy light and truth, that they may lead us. So prayes

Thine in Christ, W. Greenhill.
AN INTRODUCTION to the Work.

THe knowledge of Divinity is necessary for all sorts of men, both to settle and establish the good, and to convert and fetch in the bad. Gods principles pulls down Sathan false principles set up in mens heads, loved and believed with mens hearts, and defended by their tongues whilst strong holds remain unshaken, the Lord Jesus is kept off from conquering of the soul.

Now spiritual Truths are either such as tend to enlarge the understanding, or such as may work chiefly upon the affections. I pass by (in this known age) the first of these and (being among a people whose hearts are hard enough) I being with the latter sort: For the understanding, although it may literally, yet it never savingly entertains any truth, until the affections be therewith smitten and wrought upon.

I shal theref re here prosecute the un •• lding of thes Divine princip es.

First, that there is one most glorious God.

Secondly that this God made all mankind at first in Adam, in a most glorious 〈◊〉 .

Thirdly, that all mankind are now f llen from that estate, into a bottomlesse gulf of sin and misery.

Fourthly, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only means of Redemption out of this estate.

Fif hly, that those that are saved out of this woful estate by Christ, are very few, and those few are saved by much difficulty.

Sixthly, that the greatest cause why so many die, and perish in this estate, is from themselves either.

1. By reason of their bloody Ignorance they know not their misery: or 2. By reason of their carnal security, they feel not, they groan not under their sin and misery. 3. By reason of their carnal confidence, they seek to help themselves out of their misery by their own duties, when they see or feel it: or, 4. By reason of their false faith whereby they catch hold upon and trust unto the merits of Christ too soon, when they see and feel they cannot help themselves
THE SINCERE CONVERT.
CHAP. I. There is one most glorious GOD. EXOD 33.18. I beseech thee, show me thy glory.

THIS is the first Divine Truth, and there are these two parts considerable in it.

1 That there is a God.

2. That this God is most glorious.

I will begin with the first 〈◊〉 and prove (omitting many philosophical rguments) that there is a God, a true God; for every Nation almost in the world, u til Christs coming, had a several God, Some worshipped the Sun, some the M •• n, called by Ezekiel, The Queen of heaven;Plin. lib. 1. na . Hist. which some made cakes un o; some the whole heavens, as some worshipped the fire some the brute beasts, som Baal, some Mol ch. The Romanes, saith Virro, had six thousand Gods who impriso ing th 〈◊〉 of nature,Rom. 11. were given up to sin against nature: either to worship Idols, of mans invention, as the ignorant: or God and Angels in those Idols, as the learned did: but these are all false Gods.

I am now to prove that there is one true God, the being of beings, or the first being. Although the proving of this point seems needless, because every man runs with the cry, and saith, There is a God, yet few throughly believe this point. Many of the children of God, who are best able to know mens hearts, because they only study their hearts, feel this tempations; is there a God? bitterly assaulting them sometimes. The devil will sometimes undermine, and seek to blow up the strongest walls & bulwarks. The light of nature indeed showes that there is a God: but how many are there, that by foul sins against their conscience, blow out and extinguish almost all the light of nature? And hence, thogh they dare not conclude, because they have some light, though dim yet if they saw their heart, they might see it secretly suspect and question, Whether there be a God? But grant that none questions this truth, yet we that are builders, must not fall to a work without our main props and pillars. It may appear therefore, that there is a God, from these grounds.

First, from the works of God, Rom. 1.20. when we see a stately house, although we see not the man that built it, although also we know not the time when it was built, yet will we conclude thus. Surely some w se Artificer hath been working here. 〈◊〉 we when we behold the stately theater of Heaved and Earth conc ude other but that the finger arms, and wisdom of God hath been here, although we see not him tha is invisible, and although we know not the time when he began to build? Every creature in heaven and earth is a loud preacher of this truth. Who set those candles, those torches of heaven on the table? Who hung out those lanterns in heaven to enlighten a dark world? Who can make the stature of a man but one wiser then the stone out of which it is hewen? Could any frame a man, but one wiser and greater then man? Who taught the birds to build their nests, and the bees to set up and order their Common-wealth? Who sends the Sun post from one end of heaven to the other, carrying so many thousand blessings to so many thousands of people and Kingdoms? What power of man or angels, can make the least ile of grass, or put life into the le st flie, if once dead? There is therefore a power above all created power, which is God.

Secondly, from the Word of God. There is such a majesty stirring, and such secrets revealed in the word, that if men will not be wilfully blind, they c •• not but cry out. The voice of God, and not the voice of man. Hence Calvin undertakes to prove the Scripture to be the Word of God, by reason, against all Atheists under heaven. H st thou not thought sometimes at a Sermon, the Minister ath spoken to none but thee, and that some or other hath told the Minister what thou hast sad, what thou hast done, what thou hast thought? Now that word which tells thee the thoghts of thy heart, can be nothing else but the word of an all-seeing God that searcheth the hea t.

Again, that word which quickeneth the dead is certainly God Word; but the word of God ordinarily preached, quickneth the dead it maketh the blind to see, he dumb to speak, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk; those that never felt thei sins to load them, to mourn; those that never cou d pray, to breath out unutterable groans and sighs for their sins.

Thirdly, from the children begotten of God. For we may read in mens foreheads, as soon as ever they are born, the sentence of death: and we may see by mens lives, what hellish hearts they have. Now there is a time that some of this monstrous brood of men, are quite changed, & made all new: they have new minds, new opinions, new desires, new joys, new sorrows, new speeches, new prayers, new lives, and such a difference there is betwixt these and others, that they are hated by others, who •• ved them well while they loved their ins: and whence came this strange change? s it from themselves? No: for they hated this new life, & these new men once themselves. Is it because they will be credited thereby? No: is it to be hated of father, mother, friends, & maligned every where? Is it out of simplicity? Or are their brains grown crazie? They were indeed once fools, & I can prove them all to be Solomons fools: but evē simple men have been known to be more wise for the world, after they have been made new. But lastly, is it now from a slavish fear of hell, which works this alteration? Nothing less: they abhor to live like slaves in Bridewell, to do all for fear of the whip.

Fourthly, from Gods Register or Nota •• e which is in everie man: I mean the conscience of men, which telleth them there is a God; and although they silence it sometimes, yet in thunder-time, or great plague, as Pharao; or at the day of death, then they are near Gods Tribunal, when they acknowledge him clearly. The fearful terrors of conscience prove this, which like a Bailliffe arreists men for their deb s; Ergo, there is some creditor to set it on sometime like a ang-man, it torments men; Ergo, there is some strange Judge that gave it that cō mand: Whence arise these dreadful terrors in man? Of themselves? No, surely: all desire to be in pe c, & so to live and sleep in a whole skin. Comes it from melancholie? No: for melancholy comes on by degrees. These terrors of conscience surprize the soul suddenly at a Sermon, suddenly after the committing of some secret foul sin. Again, melancholy sadness maybe cured by Physick; but many Physicians hav given such men over to other Physicians Melanch ly sadness may be born, but a wounded spirit who can bear? Thus ye see that there is a God But who ever saw God, that every one is bold to affirm that there is a God? Indeed his f ce was never seen by mo tal man, but his back-parts have been seen, are seen, and may be seen by all the world, as hath been proved.

Object. All things are brought to pass by second causes. bject.

Answ. 1. What though? Is there no Master in the house, 〈1 paragraph〉 bec u e the servants do all the work? This great God maintains state by doing all by t e cre tures subjections; yet sometimes we may cry out in beholding some special pieces of his administration, Here is the finger of God

2. What though 〈◊〉 be much confusion in the world, as that sh llings stands for pe c nd counters stands for pounds, he 〈…〉 bought and sold at a low rate, and 〈…〉 and preferred; yet if 〈…〉 and conceive, we should see an harmony in this discord of things. God is now like a wise Carpenter, but hewing out his work. There is a lumber and conf sion seemingly amongst us, let us stay till the day of judgment, and then we shal see infinite w sdom in fitting all his for his own gl ry, and for the good of his people.

Object. But if there be a God why hears he nor his peoples prayers?Object. Why doth he forget them when they have most need of him?

I answer:Answ. Noahs dove returns not presently with an oli e branch of peace in his mouth. Prayers sometime that speed well, return not presently, for want of company enough, to fetch away that abundance of mercy which God hath to give. The Lord ever gives them their asking in money or money-worth, in the same thing or a better. The Lord ever gives his importunate beggars their desires, either in pence, by little and little, or by pounds: Long he is many times before he gives, but payeth them well for their waiting.

This is an use of repr of o all Atheists, either in opinion or practise. A discoverie of Atheism

First in opinion, such as either conclud, or suspect there is no God. Oh blasphemous thought! Are there any such men? Men? Nay, beasts; nay, devils; nay worse then devils; for they believe and tremble. Yet the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God, Ps. 1 .1. Men that have little heads little knowledge, without hearts, as scholars sometimes of weak brains, seeing how things come by second causes, though they might believe their books, yet cannot ra •• e their dull thoughts to the beholding of a first cause. Great Politiciās are like children always standing on their heads, and shakin their heels against heaven: these think Religion to be but a piece of policy, to keep people in aw Prophane persons, desiring to go on in sin, without any rub or check for sin, blow out all the light of nature, wishing there were no God to punish, and are willing to suspect that which is not. Those also that have sinned secretly, though not openly against nature, or the light of conscience: God smites men for incest, sodomy, self-pollution, with dismal blindness. Those also that are notorious worldlings, that look no higher then their barns, no further then their shops the world i a pearl in their eye, they cannot see a God.

Lastly, I suspect those men that never found out this thief, this sin, that was bred and born with them, nor saw it in their own hearts; but here it lyes still in some dark corner of their souls to cut their throats: these kind of men sometimes suspect there is no God. O this is a grievous sin; for if no God, no heaven, no hell, no Marty s, no Prophets, no Scriptures, Christ 〈4 pages missing〉 shame or sorrow, and to say the Lords Prayer without understanding; to hear the word that thou mayest only know more, and not that thou mayest be affected more. Oh, these carcasses of holy duties, are most odious sacrifices before God.

2. He is a living God, whereby he liveth of himself, and gives life to all other things. Away then with thy dead heart to this principal of life to quicken thee, that his mighty power may pluck thee out of thy sepulchre, u lose thy grave-locks, that so thou mayest live.

3. He is an infinit God, whereby he is without limits of being, 2 Chr. 6.8 Horrible then is the least sin that strikes an infinite great God, and lamentable is the estate of all those with whom this God is angry thou hast infinite goodness to forsake thee, and infinite power and wrath to set against thee.

4. He is an Eternal God, without beginning or end of being, Psal. 80.1. Great herefore is the folly of those men that pre er a little short pleasure before this eter al God; that like Esau sell away an ever •• sting inheritance for a little pottage, for 〈…〉 and the pleasure of it.

5 He is an all suffi ient God, Gen. 17. 〈◊〉 what lack you therefore, you that would 〈◊〉 have this God, and the love of this God, but you are loath to take the pains to find him, or to be 〈◊〉 cost to purchase him with the losse of all? Here is infinite, Eternal, present sweetnesse, goodnesse, grace, glory, and mercy to be found in this God. Why 〈◊〉 you from mountain to hill? why spend you your money, your thoughts, time, Endeavors, on things that satisfie no ? Here is thy resting place. Thy cloaths may warm thee, but they cannot feed thee, thy meat may feed thee, but cannot heal thee, thy Physick may heal thee but cannot maintain thee, thy money 〈◊〉 ma n ain thee, but cannot comfort thee, when distresses of Conscience and anguish of heart come upon thee: This God is joy in sadnesse, light in darknesse, li e in death, Heaven in hell. Here is all thine eye ever saw, thine heart ever desired, thy tongue ever asked, thy mind ever conceived. Here is all light in this S n and all water in this Sea, out of 〈◊〉 , as ou of a Christal fountain, thou shal drink down all the refined sweetness of all creatures in heaven & earth, for ever and ever. All the world is now seeking &c crying ou themselves for rest, here on y 〈◊〉 can be found,

6. He is an Omnipotent God, whereb he can do what ever he wil : 〈◊〉 th r •• fore, and stand 〈…〉 in the sinfull or subtile close maintenance of any one sin against this God so powerful, who can 〈◊〉 thee at his pleasure.

7. He is an all-seeing God: He knows that possible can be of may be known; 〈…〉 self therefore to this God only 〈◊〉 thy wayes. It is no matter what men 〈◊〉 censure, or think of thee. It is no mat •• r what thy fellow Actors in this stage of 〈◊〉 world imagine 〈◊〉 God is the great 〈◊〉 or that beholds thee in every place 〈◊〉 is thy spy, and takes compleat notice 〈◊〉 all the actions of thy life; and they are 〈◊〉 print in heaven, which that great 〈◊〉 and Judge will open at that great day 〈◊〉 read aloud in the ears of all the world 〈◊〉 to sin therefore in s cret, unless thou 〈◊〉 find out some dark ho e where the 〈◊〉 of God cannot discern thee. M urn for 〈◊〉 secret neglect of holy duties; mourn 〈◊〉 thy secret hypocrisie, whoredom, 〈◊〉 , and with shame in thy face come 〈◊〉 this God for pardon & mercy. 〈◊〉 and wonder at his patience, that ha ing seen thee, hath not damned thee.

. He is a true God, whereby he means 〈◊〉 as e saith. Let every Child of God 〈◊〉 know to his comfort, that those 〈◊〉 , which he hath not under feelings, 〈◊〉 under a promise, shall one day be all 〈◊〉 good, and et all wicked men know 〈…〉 threatning God hath denunced, 〈◊〉 ever Arrows are in the bow-string, 〈◊〉 one day flye, and hit a 〈◊〉 deep, 〈◊〉 he longer the Lord is a drawing the deeper wound will Gods arrow (that is, Gods threatning) make.

9. He it a holy God, be not ashamed therefore of holinesse, which if it ascend above the common strain of honesty, the bli d and mad world accounts it madness If the righteous, that is, those that be most holy, be scarcelie saved, where sha l the un godly and sinner appear, 1 Pet. 4 8. Where? Not before Saints and Angels, for holiness is their trade: Not before the face of the man Christ Jesus for ho inesse was his meat & drink; Not before the face of a blessed God, for holinesse is his nature: Not in heaven, for no unclean thing crawls there, they shal never see God, Christ, Saints, Angels, or Heaven to their comfort, that are not holy: wear therefore that as thy crown now, which will be thy glory in heaven, & if this be to be vile, be more vile.

10. He is a just and mercifull God, just in himself, and so w •• l punish all sin; mercifull in the face of Christ, and so will punish no sin. A just God against an hard hearted sinner. A merciful God towards an humble sinner. God is not all mercy & no justice, nor justice and no mercy. Submit to him, his mercy embraceth thee. Resist him, his justice pursues thee. When a Child of God is humbled indeed, commonly he makes God a hard-hearted cruel God, loath to help; and saith, Can such a sinner be pardoned? A wicked man that was never humbled, makes God a God of louts, one that howsoever he speaks heavy words, yet he is a merciful God, and will not do as he saith, and he finds it no difficult work to believe the greatest sin may be pardoned: conceive therefore of him as you have heard.

Thirdly, God is glorious in his Persons, which are 〈◊〉 ; Father begetting Son begotten, & the holy Gh st the third persō proceeding. Here the Fa her is called the Father of glory, Eph. 1. Christ is called the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2. and the Spirit is called the Spirit of glory, 1 Pet. 4 the Father is glorious in his great work of Election, the Son is glorious in his work of Redemption; the holy Ghost is glorious in hi work of Application the Father is glorious in choosing the house, the Son is glorious in buying the house, the Spirit is glorious in dwelling in the house, that is, th heart of a poor lost sinner.

4. He is glorious in his works, in hi works of C eation, & in his wo ks of providence and government: wonder therefore that he should so vouchsafe to loo upon such worms, such dung-hills, such Lepers as we are, to provide, protect, to slay his Son, to call, to strive, to wait; 〈◊〉 give away himself and all that he is wor •• unto us. O fear this God when ye come before him. People come before God in prayer, as before their fellows, or as before an Idol. People tremble not a his voice in the word. A King or Monarch will be served in state, yet how rudely, how slovenly do men go about every holy duty.

Thus much of the first principal head that there is one most glorious God. Now we are to proceed to the second, viz.

CHAP. II.

THat this God made all mankind at f rst, in a most glorious and happy estate, like unto himself.

For the opening of which assertion, I have chosen this Text, 〈◊〉 . Eccles. 7.29. God made man righteous, which clearly demonstrates, That God made all mankind at first in Adam, in a most glorious, happy, and righteous estate. Man when he came first out of Gods mint, shined most glorious. There is a marvelous glory in all creatures (the servants and houshold 〈◊〉 of man) therefore there was a greater glory in man him elf, the end of them God calleth a Parliament, and gather a Counsel when 〈◊〉 was to be made, and said: Come let us make man in our own Image: as 〈◊〉 all the wisdom of the Trinity should be seen in the creation of man.

Wherein did the glory or blessedness of man appear. Quest.

In the impression of Gods Image upon him, Gen. 1.26.Answ. Can there be any greater glory for Joseph, for a subject, then to be like his Prince?

What was the Image of God?

The Schoo -men and Fathers,Quest. have many curious (yet not necessary) though difficult questions about this:Answ. I will omit all theirs, and tell you only what is the Apostles judgement, Col. 3.20. out of which this general discription of Gods Image may be thus gathered.Eph. 13.

It is mans perfection of holinesse, resembling Gods admirable holinesse,The Image God i man. whereby only man pleaseth God.

For all other inferior creatures did 〈◊〉 the works and footsteps of Gods Power, Wisdom, Goodness, whereby a l these attributes were seen. Now the most perfect attributes of God, that is, his holiness, that he would have only appear in, and be made manifest by man, his best inferiour creature, as a Kings wisdom and bount appears in managing the affairs of 〈…〉 in Image of God appeared in these four particulars.

1. In mans understanding, this was like unto Gods. Now Gods Image here chiefly consisted in this particular, viz. As God saw himself, and beheld his own infinite endless glory and excellency, so man was privy to Gods excellency, and saw God most gloriously; as Moses, though a sinful man, saw him face to face, much more Adam, a perfect man. God loving man, could do no less then reveal himself to man.

2. In his affections, the Image of God chiefly appeared in two things.

First, as God seeing himself, loved himself: So Adam seeing God, loved this God more then the world, more then himself; as yron put into the fire seems to be nothing but fire; so Adam being beloved of God, was turned into a lump of love, to love God again:

Secondly, as God delighted in himself, so did Adam delight in God, took sweet repose in the bosom of God. Me think I 〈◊〉 . Adam wrapt up in the continual extasies in having this God.

3. In his will, the Image of God chie •• y appeared in two things.

1. As God 〈…〉

2. As God willed nothing but good; so did Adam will nothing but good, for Gods wil was his.

4. In his life, Gods Image did appear thus: that even as God, i he had assumed mans nature, would have lived outwardly; so did Adam, for God would have lived acc rding to his own will, law and rule: So did Adam Adams body was the lantern hrough which holiness, like a lamp burning in heart, shined; this was Gods Image; by means of which (as it is said in the description) he pleased God, similitude being the ground of love and hence God did most dearly love him, and highly honor him, to be Lord over all creatures: hence no evil could hurt him here was no sorrow, no sickness, no tears, no fears, no death, no hell, nor ever should have been, if there he had stood.

Object. How was this estate ours?Obj .

Answ. Answ. As Christs righteousness is a believers by imputation, though he never performed it himself: so Adams righteousness and image was imputed to us, and accounted ours; for Adam received our •• ock or patrimony to keep it for us, and to convey it to us: Hence he proving banquet out, we lost it. But we had it in his hands, as an orphant may have a great estate left him, though he never receive one penny of it from him that was his Guardian, that should have kept it for him, and conveyed it to him.

Here see the horrible nature of sin, that plucks man down by the ears from his throne, from his perfection, though never so great. Adam might have pleaded for himself, and have said; Although I have sinned, yet it is but one, and the first fault. Lord, behold I am thy first born, Oh, pity my poor posterity. who are for ever undone, if thou forgivest not, Yet see one sin weighs him down, and 〈…〉 posterity (as we shall hear) into eternal ruine!

Hence learn how justly God may require perfect obedience to all the Law, of every man, and curse him if he cannot perform it: Because man was at first made in such a glorious estate, wherein he had power given him to please God perfectly: God may therefore require this debt of perfect obedience. Now man is broke and in prison; in hell must he ly for e e ; if he cannot pay justice every farthing, because God trusted him with a stock, which if he had well improved, he might have payed all.

See what cause every man hath to lament his miserable estate he is now fallen into. For beggers children to live vagants and poor, is not so lamentable, as for great Princes children, to become such. One never in favor with the Prince, grievs not as he doth that was once in favour, but now cast out. Man is now rejected of God, that was beloved of God: he is now a runagate up and down the earth, that was once a Prince and Lord of all the World. This is one aggravation of the damneds sorrows: Oh, the hopes, the means, the mercies, that once I had. Can these, do these lament for the losse of their bare hopes, and common mercies? Lord, what hearts then have men that cannot, do not, that will not lament the 〈◊〉 of such special high favors, now gone which once they had. It is said, that those that saw the glory of the first Temple, wept when they saw the glory of the second, and how inferior it was to the first. You that either have the Temple of God begun to be repaired in you, or not begun at all. Oh, think of the Temple burnt, the glory of God now vanished and lost.

This speaks comfort to all Gods people. If all Adams posterity were perfectly righteous in him, then thou that art of he blood Royal, and in Christ, art pe •• ectly righteous in him much more; n s much as the righteousness of the second Adam exceeds the first, so are thou more appy, more holy in the second Adam, then ever the first in himself was: He might loose all his righteousness, but the second Adam cannot, hath not; so that if Christ may be damned, then thou mayest, else not.

This likewise reproveth three sorts of people.

A threefold reprehension.1. Such as are ashamed of holiness. Lord, what times are we fallen into now? The Image of God, which was once mens glory, is now their shame; and sin, which is mens shame, is now their glory. The world hath raised up many false reports of holy courses, calling it folly and preciseness, pride, hypocrisie, and that whatsoever shows men may make, they are as bad as the worst, if their sins were written in their fore-heads. Hence it cometh to pass, that many a man, who is almost perswaded to be a new man, and to turn over a new leaf, dares not, will not for shame of the world, enter upon religious courses: What will they think of me then? saith he Men are ashamed to refuse to drink healths, and hence maintain them lawful. Our gallants are ash m d to stay a mile behind the fashion hence they will defend open and naked breasts, and strange apparel, as things comely. O time servers! that have some conscience to desire to be honest, and to be reputed so, yet conform themselves to all companies; if they hear others swear, they are ashamed to reprove them; they are ashamed to enter the lists of holy discourse in bad company, and they will pretend discretion, and we must nor cast pearls before swine; but the bottom of the business is, they are ashamed to be holy. O fearful! Is it a shame to be like God? O sinful wretches! It is a credit to be any thing but religious, and with many Religion is a shame I wonder with what face thou darest pray, or with what look thou wilt behold the Lord of glory at the last day, who art ashamed of him now, that will be admired of all men, angels and devils then? Dost thou look for wages from Christ, that art ashamed to own Christ, or to wear his livery!

2. It reproves them that hate holiness which is more then to be ashamed of it.

3. It reproves them that content themselves with a certain measure of holiness. Perfect holiness was Adams image, whereby he pleased God, and shal a little holiness content thee?

Now there are these three sorts of them.

1. The formalist, 〈1 paragraph〉 who contents himself with some holiness, as much as will credit him.

The form and name of Religion is b n s, easure of holinesse, & go no further. honor sometines: but the power and practise of, it is onus, a burden hence men take up the first, and shake off the second. And indeed the greatest patt take up this course, if they have no goodness, they should be the shame, scorn and table-talk of the times; therefore every man will for his honors sake, have his frame. Now this form is according to the mould wherein he is cast. If his acquaintance be but civil, he will be like them: if they be more exact, as to pray, read, confer, he will not stay one inch behind them: If to be b tter then his companions, to bear the bell before them will credit him, he will be so what ever it cost him; but yet he never will be so exact in his courses as to be hated for it, unless he perceives the hatred he contracts from some men, shal be recompenced with the more love and credit by other men. He disguiseth himse f according to the places, or company he comes into. King Juash was a good man, so long as Jeboiada the Priest lived. If a little Religion will serve to credit men, that shall serve for that time if more in another place, you shal then have them commending good men, 〈1 paragraph〉 good sermons, good books and drop forth two or three good sentences: what will they think of him then? They cover themselves over with these fig-leaves of common honesty to cover their nakedness yet they had 〈◊〉 all their courses over with honesty, that they may catch, for they 〈◊〉 only for credit 〈◊〉

One may trap these people 〈◊〉 Follow them in their private houses, 〈◊〉 end is worldinesse, passion, loosnesse; and to their private chambers, there they ordinarily neglect or shuffle, over duties to their private vain thoughts. In this cyting house, you shal the see these Stage-players, their shop-windows are shut here no honesty is to be seen scarce 〈◊〉 because their gain, their respect comes 〈…〉 is door where 〈◊〉 beholds them. 〈◊〉 either Minister, or 〈…〉 , search, try, discover, accuse, and condemn these men, as rotten (though g •• ded) post, as unsound, hallow-hearted wretches, their hearts will swell like oad and 〈◊〉 like snakes, and hard like dogs against them that thus censure them, because they rob them of their God they served, their gain is gone.

2. The guilty self-condemned sinner, that go th fur her then 〈◊〉 formalist, and contents themse ves with so much holiness as will quite hem: and hence all the Heathen have had some Religion, because they had some conscience to trouble them. This man, 〈1 paragraph〉 if he hath live in foul sins, and begins to be wrackt and troubled for them, he will then confess an forsake those roaring sins: but how? A a dog doth his meat, not because he hate his carrion, but because he fears the cudgel he performs holy duties, not because he will use them, but because he mu •• use them, there is no quye else. If con science be st ll, he omits duties: If con science 〈◊〉 and stir, he falleth to duties and so hath his good mood, as conscienc hath his fits. They b ast and crow ove hypo rites, because holiness they have is not a bare show: No, but it is to stop thy conscience, and only to quyet the clamors of that. Thou dost bribe, and so quyet (the Bailiff) thy conscience, by thy praying, hearing, and sorrowing; but God thy Judge hath heavy things to lay to thy charge, before whom thou shalt shortly wi h dread appear.

3. The pinching devote hypocrite, that being pu sued with the fear of hell, goes further, and labors for just so much holiness as will save him only, and carry him to heaven at last. Hence the young man in the Gospel came with that great question to Christ, which many unsoun hearts come with to Ministers ow What he should do to inherit eternal life? The •• people set up s ch a man in their thought to be a very honest man, an one doubtle •• that shall be saved: and hence they wi •• take him to be their copy and sampler, and labour to do as he doth, and to live just as he lives, and to hold opinions as he holds, and so hope to be saved. They will ask very inquisitively, What is the least measure of grace, and the least gr •• n of faith? And the best Sermons are not such as humble them most, but such as flatter them best, wherein they may hear how well good desires are accepted of by God: which if they hear to be of that vertue to save them, God shal be served only with good desires, and the devil indeed all their lifetimes

Thus they pinch God: they labor not after so much holiness as will honour Christ, but after just so much as will bear their charges to heaven, and save themselves. For this is one of the greatest differences betwixt a child of God and an hypocrite. In their obedience, the one takes up duties ou of love to Christ, to have him, and hence he mourns daily, because Christ is no greater gainer by him: the other out of love to himself, meerly to save his own soul; and hence he mourn for his sins, b c use they 〈◊〉 damn him. Remember that p ace 〈◊〉 , 1 Cor. 15 〈◊〉 .

Lastly, labor to get this Image of G d renewed again. Honest men will labour to pay their debts: this is Gods 〈…〉 heavens 〈◊〉 , angels fashion 〈…〉 when the 〈◊〉 Jesus shal 〈◊〉 . Then 〈…〉 superscription and Image of the devil, 〈◊〉 not the Image of God upon thee, God 〈◊〉 Christ will never own thee 〈…〉 Labor therefore to have Gods Image 〈◊〉 stored again, and 〈◊〉 washe out 〈…〉 not, as many do, to purchase such 〈◊〉 such a grace first: but,

1. Labor to mortifie and subdue 〈◊〉 sin which is opposite in thine heart to 〈◊〉 〈…〉 .How to gain the Image of God. First, put off the old man, and 〈◊〉 put on the new, Eph. .

2. Labor 〈…〉 me ting tender hear for the 〈…〉 Gold is then only 〈◊〉 receive the impre ssion, when it is 〈◊〉 is melted. When thine heart is 〈◊〉 therefore at a Sermon, cry ou , Lord now 〈◊〉 , now imprint thine Imag upon me.

3. Labor to se the Lord Jesus in 〈…〉 . For as w cked men looking upon the evil ex m le of great ones in 〈◊〉 world,Rom. 6.7. that will be at them out, gr w like th m in villa •• ; so the very beholding the glorious grace in Christ, this great Lord of g ory transform to me into his Image. 2. Cor. .17.18. As the glass set full against the Sun receiveth not only the beams, as all other dark bodies do, but the image of the Sun: so the understanding with open face beholding Christ, is turned into the Image and likeness of Christ. Men now a dayes look only to the best mens lives, and see how they walk, and rest here. O look higher to this blessed face of God in Christ, as thine own. As the application of the seal to the wax imprints the Image, so to view the grace of Christ, as all thine, imprints the same Image strongly on the soul. I come now to the third principal head, in order, which I shal insist upon, out of, Rom. 3.23. All have sinned, and are deprived of the glory of God. Whence observe.

CHAP. III.

THat all mankind is fallen by 〈◊〉 , from that glorious estate he was made in, into a most woful and miserable condition. The devil abusing the Serpent, and man abusing his own free will overthrew Adam and in him all his posterity by sin, Gen 3.1.2, 3. &c.

Now mans misery appeareth in these two things

1. His misery, in regard of sin.

2. His misery, in regard of the consequents of sin.

1. His misery in regard of sin, appears in these particulars.

1. Every man living is born guilty of Adams sin. Now the justice and equity of God in laying this sin to every mans charge, though none of Adams posterity personally committed it, appears thus.

First, if Adam standing, all mankind had stood; then it is equal that he falling, all his posterity should fall. All our estates were ventured in this ship therefore, if we should have been partakers of his gains, if he had continued safe, it's 〈◊〉 we should be partakers of his losse too.

2. But secondly, we are all in Adam as a whole Countrey in a Parliament-man, the whole Countrey doth what he doth; And although we made no par icular choice of Adam to stand for us, yet he Lord made it for us; who being goodness it self, bears more good will to man, than he can or could bear to himself; and being wisedom it self, made the wise •• choice, and took the wisest course for the good of man: For this made most for mens safety and quiet; for if he ha stood, all fear of losing our happy, estat had vanish'd, whereas if every man ha been left to stand or fall for himself, a man would ever have been in fear of falling.

And again, this was the sure way o have all mens estats preserved; for having the charge of the estates of all men, that ever should be in the world, he was the more pressed to look the more about him, and so to be more watchful, that he be not robbed, and so undo and procure the curses of so many thousands against him. Adam was the head of mankind, and all mankind naturally are members of that head: and if the head invent and plot treason, and the head practise treason against the King or state, the whole body is found guilty, and the whole body must needs su fer. Adam was the poysoned root and cistern of all mankind, now the branches and stre ms being in the root and spring originally, they therefore are tainted with the same poysonous principles. If these things satisfie not, God hath a day coming wherein he will reveal his own righteous proceedings before m n and Angels, Rom. 2.4.

Oh, that men would consider this sin, and that the consideration of it could humble peoples hearts. If any mourn for sin, it is for the most part for other soul and actual sins, few for this sin, that first m de the breach and b gan the controversie betwixt God and man. Next unto the sin against the holy Ghost, and contempt of the Gospell, this is the greatest sin that cryeth lowdest in God ears for vengeance:The horrible na ture of the first sin. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 against worlds of men. For now mens sins 〈◊〉 against God in their base and 〈…〉 but this sin was committed against ight when man was at the 〈…〉 preferment. Rebellion of a traitor 〈◊〉 dunghill, is 〈…〉 great as of a favorite in the Court. Li tle sins against 〈◊〉 are more horrible. No sin by any man committed, was ever against so much ligh as Adam had. This sin was the first th •• ever displeased God. Drunkenness deprives God of the glory of sobriety: whoring of chastity but this sin darke •••• verry Sun, defaces all the Image 〈…〉 the glory of man, and the glory of God 〈◊〉 man. This is the first sin that ever did th •• a mischief. This sin, like a great Captai hath gathered together all those troup & swarms of sins that now take hold upon thee. Thank this sin for an hard hear thou so much cōplained of: thank this s for that hellish darkness that oversp ea thee. This hath raised satan, death, judg ment hell and heaven against thee.

The ha ousnesse of Adams sin.O consider those fearful sins tha a pack up in this one evil.

1 Fearful apostacie from God, 〈◊〉 devil.

2. Horrible rebellion against God, 〈…〉 devil. 〈…〉 Go greatest enemies part against God.

3. Woful 〈◊〉 , in suspecting Gods 〈◊〉 to be true.

4. Fearful blasphemy in conceiving dev l . Go s 〈…〉 mans 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 true in his temptations, 〈◊〉 G d 〈…〉 breathing.

5. Ho rible pride, in thinking to make 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 the forbidden fruit, to be step and a stay to rise higher, and to be 〈◊〉 God himself.

6. Fearful contempt of God, making 〈◊〉 to ush upon the sword of the threat ing secretly, not fearing the plague de o rred.

7. Horrible unthankfulness, when God 〈◊〉 given him all but one tree, and yet he mu t be fingring that too.

8. Horrible theft, in taking that which 〈◊〉 one of his own.

9. Horrible idolatry, in doing upon, and loving the creature more th n God 〈◊〉 Creator who is blesse forever.

You therefore that now 〈◊〉 , no man an say black is your 〈◊〉 you have lived 〈◊〉 all your dayes, look upon this one 〈◊〉 sin, 〈◊〉 a full view of it, which ou hast never shed one ear for as 〈…〉 see thy misery by it, and wonder at 〈◊〉 pa ience. He hath spa •• d thee who 〈◊〉 born bra ded within, and hast lived 〈◊〉 of it and must perish for ever for it, 〈◊〉 Lord from heaven pitty thee not.

Secondly, dead in sin.But here is not all, consider secondly, every man is born stark dead in sin, Eph, 2.1. he is born empty of every inward principle of life, void of all graces, and hath no more good in him (whatsoever h thinks) then a dead Carrion hath. And hence he is under the power of sin, as 〈◊〉 dead man is under the power of death and cannot perform any act of life: their bodies are living coffins to carry a dead soul up and down in.

'Tis true (I confesse) many wicked men do many good actions,Best action of the wicked, how sinfull. as praying, hearing, almsdeeds, but it is not from any inward principle of life. External motives like p u •• ates, on a dead (yet artificial) clock set them a running. Jehu was zealous, but it was only for a Kingdom: the Pharisees gave almes only to be seen of men. If one write a Will with a dead mans band deceased, that Will can hold no Law, it was not his Will, because it was not write by him, by any inward principle of life of his own. Pride makes a man preach, pride makes a man hear and pray sometimes. Self-love st rs up strange desires in men so that we may say, this is none of Gods Act by his grace in the soul but pride and self-love. 〈◊〉 a dead 〈◊〉 to the fire, and •• afe him, and rub him you may produce s me hea by this ex ernall working upon him: but take him from the fire again, and he is soon cold: 〈◊〉 many a man that lives under a sound Minister, under the lashes and kn cks of chiding, striving conscience, h hath •• me heat in him, some affections, some ears, some desires, some sorrows stirred, yet take him from the Min ster, and his chafing conscience, and he growes cold again presently, because he wants an inward principle of life.

Which point might make us to take up a bitter lamentation for every natural man. It is said, Exod. 12.30. that there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not an house wherein there was not one found dead. Oh, Lord in some towns and families what a world of these are there? Dead husband; dead wife, dead servants, dead children, walking up and down with their sins (as Fame saith, some men do after death) with their grave cloaths about them, and God only knows whether ever they shal live again or not. How do men lament the losse of their dead friends? O , thou hast a precious sou in thy bosome stark dead, therefore lament thine estate, and consider it seriously.

First, a dead man cannot stirre,How every natural mā is dead while he lives. nor offer to stir. A wicked man cannot speak one good word, or do any good action, if heaven it self id lye at stake for doing of it, nor offer to shake off his sins, nor think one good thought. Indeed he may speak and think 〈◊〉 good things, but he cannot have good speeches, nor good thoghts: as in holy man may think of evil things, as of the 〈◊〉 of the times, yet the thought of those evil things i good, not evil, so è contra.

Secondly, a dead man feareth no dangers, though never so great, though never so near. Let Ministers bring a natural man tydings of the approach of the devouring plagues of God denounced, he feareth them not.

Thirdly, a dead man cannot be drawn to accept of the best offers. Let Christ come out of heaven, and fall about the neck of a natural man, and with tears in his eyes beseech him to take his blood, himself, his Kingdom, and leave his sins, he cannot receive this offer.

Fourthly, a dead man is stark blind, and can see nothing,Matth. 23.37.38. and stark deaf and hears nothing: he cannot taste any thing; so a natural man is stark blind, he seeth no God, no Christ, no wra h of the Almighty, no glory of heaven: He heareth the voice of a man but he heareth not the voice of God in a Sermon •• he avoreth not the things of Gods Spirit.

Fifthly, a dead man is sensless, and feele h nothing: so cast mountains of sin upon a wicked man, he feeleth no hurt, until the flames o hell break out upon him.

Sixthly, a dead man is a speechlesse man, he cannot speak, unlesse it be like a parrat.

Seventhly, he is a breathlesse man: a natural man may say a prayer, or devise a prayer out of his memory and wit, or e may have few short-winded wishes; but to pour out his soul in prayer, in the bosom of God, with groans unutterable, he cannot. I wonder not to see so many families without family prayer: Why? They are dead men, and ly rotting in their sins.

Eightly, a dead man hath lost all beauty; so a meer natural man, hath lost all glory: He is an ugly creature in the sight of God, good men and angels, and shall one day be an abhorring to all flesh.

Ninthly, a dead man hath his worms gnawing him; so natural men have the worm of conscience breeding now, which will be gna ing them sh rtly.

Lastly, dead men want nothing but ca •• ing into the grave; so there wanteth nothing but casting into hell for a natural man. So that as Abraham loved Sarah well while living, yet when she was dead, he seeketh for a burying place for her to ca •• y her out of his sight: so God may let some fearful judgement loose, and say to it, Take this dead soul out of my sight, &c. It was a wonder, that Lazarus though lying but four dayes in the grave, should live again. O wonder thou that ever God should let thee live, that hast been rotting in thy sin twenty, thirty, perhaps sixty years together

Fulness of sin.III. Every natural man and woman is born full of all sin, Rom. 1.29. as full as Toad is full of poyson, as full as ever his skin can hold Mind, Will, Eyes, Mouth; every limb of his body, and every piece of his soul is full of sin; their hearts are bundels of sin: hence Solomon saith, foolishness is bound upon the heart of a child; whole treasures of sin, An evil man (saith Christ) out of that evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things; Nay, raging seas of sin, Isaiah 20. Nay world of sin:Ja . 3.9. The tongue is a world of mischief: what is the heart then? for out of the aboundance of the heart, the tongue speaketh: so that look about thee and see, what ever sin is broached and runs out of any mans heart into his life throgh the whole world, all those sins are in thine heart, thy mind is a nest of all these foul opinions, heresies, that ever were vented by any man; thy heart is a •• inking sink hole of all Atheism, Sodomy, Blasphemy, Murther, Whoredom Adultery, Witchcraft, Buggerie; so that if thou hast any good thing in thee, it is but as a drop of Rosewater in a bowl of poison, where fallen, it is all corrupted.

It is true thou feelest not all these things stirring in thee at one time, no more then Hazael thought he was or should be such a blood-sucker when he asked the Prophet Elishah if he were a dog, but they are in thee like a nest of snakes in an old hedge. Although they break not out into thy life, they ly lurking in thy heart, they are there as a filthy puddle in a barrell, which runs not out, because thou happily wantest the temptation or occasion to broach and tappe thine heart, or because of Gods restraining grace, by Fear and shame, Education, good company, thou art restrained and builded up: and therefore when one came to comfort that famous picture, pattern and monument of Gods justice by seven years horrour and grievous distresse of conscience,Francis Spire. when one told him he never had committed such sins as Manasses, and therefore he was not the gre test sinner since the Creation, as he conceived; he replyed that he should have been worse then ever Manasse was, if he had lived in his time, and been on his throne.

Master Bradford would never look upon any ones l wd life with one eye, but he would pres ntly return within his own breast with the other eye, and say, In this my vile heart remains that sin, which without Gods special grace I should have committed as he. O me thinks this might pull down mens proud conceits of themselves, especially such as bear up and comfort themselves in their smooth, honest civil life, such as through education have been washed from all foul sinnes, they were never tainted with whoredom, swea ing, drunkennesse, or prophanenesse, and here they think themselves so safe, that God cannot find in his heart to have a thought of damning them.

Oh, consider this point, which may make thee pul thine hair from thine head, 〈…〉 thy cloathes to sackcloath, and run up and down with amazement and palenesse of thy face, and horror in thy conscience, and tears in thine eyes. What though thy life be smooth what though thy outside, thy sepulchre be paint d; Oh thou art full of rottennesse of sin within. Guilty not before men as the sins of thy life make thee, but before God of all the sins that swarm and roar in the whole world at this day, for God looks 〈…〉 heart; guilty thou art therefore of heart-whoredom, heart-sodomy heart-blasphemy, heart-drunkennesse, heart-buggery, heart-oppression, heart-idolatry, & these are the sins that terribly provoke the wrath of A mightie G d against thee, Isai. 56 17. For the iniquities of his coveto sness (saith our Translation) I smote him: but the Hebrew endteth it better, for the iniquitie of his conscience (which is the sin of the heart & nature (I smote him. As King is angrie, and musters up his arm e against rebels, not onlie who bringeth his souldiers out to sight, but who keepeth souldiers in their trenches readie for to fight. These sins of thine heart are alreadie armed to fight against God, at the watch word of all-arm of anie temptation. Nay, I dare affirm, and will prove it, that these sins provoke God to anger, and are as bad, if not worse, then the sins of thy life.

1. The sin of thine heart and nature, it is the cause the womb that containeth, Sins of the heart worse then sins of the life. breedeth, bringeth forth, sucketh all the bitter, all the troup of sins that are in the life; and therefore giving life and being to all other, it is the greatest sin.

2. Sin is more aboundantly in the heart then in the life. An actual sin is but a little breach made by the sea of sin in thine heart, where all sin, all poison is met and mingled together. Everie actual sin is but a shred broken off from the great bottom of sin in the h art: And hence Christ saith: Out of the aboundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh: and out of the evil treasure of the heart we bring forth evil things. A man spending money, I mean sin in the life, is nothing to his treasure of sin in the heart.

3. Sin is continually in the heart: Actuall sins of the life flies out like sparks and vanish, but this brand is alwayes glowing within, the Toad spits poyson sometimes, but it retains and keeps a poysonfull nature alwayes. Hence the Apostle calls it sin that dwels in me, that is, which alwayes lyes and remains in me, so that in regard of the sins of thy heart thou dost rent in pieces and break, 1. All the lawes of God. 2. At one clap. 3 Every moment of thy life: Oh, me thinks the thought of this might rent an heart of Rock in pieces, to think I am alwayes grieving God at all times, whatsoever I do.

4. Actuall sins are only in the life and outward porch, sins of the hea t are within the inward house. One enemy within the City, is worse then many without: A traytor on the throne is worse then a traytor in the open field. The heart is Christs throne. A Swine in the best room is worst then in the outward house. More I might say, but thus you see, sins of the life are not so bad, nor provoke Gods wrath so fiercely against thee, as the sins of thine heart. Mourn therefore not so much, that thou hast not been so bad as others are, but look upon thy black feet, look without thine own heart, and lament that in regard of the sins, there thou art as bad as any; mourn not so much meerly that thou hast sinned, as that thou hast a nature so sinfull; that it is thy nature to be proud, and thy nature to be vain and deceitful and loath, not only thy sins, but thy self for sin, being brim-full of unrighteousnesse. But here is not all, consider fourthly:

4. Th t what ever a natural man doth is sin; as the i side is full,Every action is sinful as coming from a natural man. Luke 15 16. so the outside is no hing else but sin, at least in the sight of an holy God, though not in sight of blind sinfull men. Indeed he may do many things which for the matter of them are good, as he may give almes, pray, fast, come to Church, but as they come frome him they are sin; as a man may speak good words, but we cannot endure to hear him speak, because of his stinking breath which defiles them: some actions indeed from their generall nature are indifferent, for all indifferences, ly in generals, but every deliberat action considered Indiv due with all its circumstances, as time, place, motive, end, is either morally good, or morally evil, as may be proved easily; morally good in good men: morally evill in unregenerat and bad men. For let us see particular actions of wicked men.

1. All their thoughts are only evil, and continually, Gen. 6.5.

2. All their words are sins, Ps. 50.16. their mouthes are open sepulchers, which smel filthy when they be opened.

3. All their civil actions are sin, as their eating, drinking, buying, selling, sleeping, ploughing, Prov 21.41

4. All their religious actions are sins, as coming to Church,Isai. 13.14. praying, Prov. 15.8.9.28.9. fasting and mourning: roar and cry out of thy self till dooms-day, they are sins. Isa. 58.

5. All their most zealous actions are sins, as Jehu who killed ll Baals Priests, because his action was outward y and materially good, therefore God rewarded him with temporal favors: but because he had a hawks eye, to get and settle a Kingdom to himself by this means, and so was theologically evil, therefore God threatens to be revenged upon him. 2. King. 10.

6. Their wisdom is sin. Oh, men are often commended for their wisdom, wit, and parts; yet those wits, and that wisdom of theirs is sin Rom. 8. The wisdom of the flesh, is enmity against God.

Thus all they have 〈◊〉 do, are sins: for how can he do any good act on whose Person is filthy? A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit: Thou art out of Christ, therefore all thy good things, all thy kindnesses done unto the Lord, and for the Lord, as thou thinkest, are most odious to him. Let a woman seek to give all the content to her husband that may be, not out of any love to him, but only out f love to another man, he abhorreth all hat she doth. Every wicked man wanteth n inward principle of love to God and Christ; and therefore, though he seeketh o honor God never so much, all that he •• th, being done out of love to himself, God abhorreth all that he performeth. All the good things a wicked man doth, are for himself, either for self-credite, or self-ease, or self-contentmen , or self-safety. He sleepeth, prayeth heare h, speaketh, professeth for himself alone; hence acting lwayes for himself, he cōmitteth the h ghest degree of idolatrie, he plucketh God out of his throne, & maketh himself a God because he maketh himself his last nd in every action: for a man puts him elf i the room of God, as well by making himse f is finis ultimu, as if he should ak hims lf primum principium. Jer. 20.13. Sin 〈◊〉 a fors king, or dep rting from God. Now everie natural man remai ing alwayes in a state of separation from God, because he alwayes wanteth the bond of union which is faith, is alwayes sinning,Deut. 28 Gods curse lyes upon him; therefore he bringeth out nothing but briers and thorns.

Object: Object. But thou wilt say, if our praying and hearing be sin,Answ. why should we do these duties;Why good duties must be re formed, though we sin in doing them. we must not sin?

Answ. 1. Good duties are good in themselves, although coming from thy vile hearts, they are sins.

2. Ill is less sin to do them, then to omit them; therefore if thou wilt go to hell, go in the fairest path thou canst in thither.

3. Venture and try, it may be God may hear, not for thy prayers sake, but for his Names sake. The unjust Judge help the poor widow, not because he loved her or her suit, but because of her importunity; and so be sure thou shalt have nothing if thou dost not seek: what though thou beest a dog, yet thou art alive, and art for the present under the table. Catch not at Christ, snatch not at his bread, but wait till God give thee him; it may be thou mayest have him one day. Oh, wonder then at Gods patience, that thou livest one day longer, who hast all thy lifetime like a filthy oad, spit thy venome in the face of God, that he ha h never been quyet for thee. Oh, look upon the black bill that will one day be put in against thee, at the great day of account, where thou must answer with flames of fire about thine •• rs, not only for thy drunkenness, thy bloody oaths, and whoring; but for all •• e actions of thy short life, and just so many actions, so many sins.

Thou hast painted thy face over now with good duties, and good desires, and a ittle honesty amongst some men, is of that worth and rarity, that they think God is beholden to them, if he can get any good action from them. But when thy painted face shal be brought before the fire of Gods wrath, then thy vileness shal appear before men and angels. Oh, know 〈◊〉 , that as thou dost nothing else but sin, o God heaps up wrath against the dread ul day of wrath.

Thus much for mans misery, in regard of sin.

Now followeth his misery, in regard of he consequents or miseries that follow upon sin. And these are, 1. Present. 2. Future.

First, mans present miseries that already ly on him for sin, are these seven, that is,

First, God is his dreadful enemy, Mans present misery. Psal. 5.5.

Quest. How may one know another to be his enemy?

Answ. 1. By their looks. 2. By their threats. 3. By their blowes. So God:

1. Hideth his face from every naturall man, and will not look upon him, Isai. 59.2.

2. God threatneth, nay curseth every natural man, Gal. 3.10.

3. God giveth them heavie bloodie lashes on their souls and bodies.

Never tell me therefore, that God blesseth thee in thine outward estate: no greater sign of Gods wrath, then for the Lord to give thee thy swinge, as a father never looketh after a desperate son, but letteth him run where he pleaseth. And if God be thine enemie, then every creature is so too, both in heaven and earth.

Secondly, God hath forsaken them and they have lost God, Eph .12. It is •• id, that in the grievous famine of Samaria, Isai. 55. doves dung was sold at a large price, because they wanted bread. Oh, men live and pine away without God, without bread; and therefore he dung of worldly contentments are esteemed so much of. Thou hast lost the sight of God, and the favor of God, and the special protection of God, and the government of God. Cains punishment lyeth upon thee in thy naturall estate: thou art a runagate from the face of God, and from his face thou art hid. Ma y h ve grown mad to see 〈◊〉 houses burnt, & all their goods lost. Oh, but God the greatest good is lost. This loss made Saul cry out of distresse of conscience, 1. Sam. 28 15. The Philistians make war against me, and God is departed from me The losse of the sweetnesse of whose presence, for a little while only, made the Lord Jesus himself cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? whereas thou hast lost God all thy lifetime. Oh, thou hast an heart of brass, that canst not mourn for his absence so long. The damned in hell have lost God, and know it, and so the plague of desperate horror lyeth upon them. Thou hast lost God here, but knowest it not, and the plague of an hard heart lyeth upon thee, and thou canst not mourn for this losse.

Thirdly, they are condemned men, condemned in the Court of Gods Justice, by the Law which c yeth, Treason, treason, against the most high God, and condemned by Justice and Mercy by the Gospel; which c yeth, Murder murder ag inst the Son of God. John 3.18. so that every natural man is damned in he ven, and damned on earth. God is thy all-seeing terrible Judge conscience is thine accusers, an heavy witnesse his word is thy ayle: thy ust are thy fetters . In this Bible is p o unced and will thy doom, thy sentence: Death is thy hang-ma ; and that fire that shall never go out, thy torment. The Lord hath in his infinite patience reprived thee for a time O take heed and get a pardon, before the day of execution come.

Fourthly, being condemned, take him jaylor,Acts 28.22. He is a bound slave to satan, Eph 2.3. for his servants ye are whom ye obey saith Christ. Now every natural ma doth the devils drugery, and carrieth the devils pack: and howsoever he saith, h defieth the devil, yet he sins, and so doth his work Satan hath overcome and conquered all men in Adam, and therefor under his bondage and dominion. An though he cannot compell a man to si against his own will, yet he hath power.

First, to present and allure a man heart by a sinful temptation.

Secondly, to follow him with it, if 〈◊〉 first he be something slie of it.

Thirdly, to disquyet and wrack him if he will not yeeld, as might be made t appear in many instances.

Fourthly, besides he knoweth mens humors, as poor wandring beggerly gentlemen do their friends,Mans fearful slaverie under satan. in necessity (yet in seeming court sie) he visits and applye himself unto them, and so gains them as his own. Oh, he is in a fearful slavery who is under satans dominion, who is.

1. A secret enemy to thee.

2. A deceitfull enemy to thee, that will make a man believe (as he did Evah) even in her integrity, that he is in a fair way, yet most miserable.

3. H is a cruel enemy, or Lord over them that be his slaves, 2 Cor. 4.3. he gaggs them, so that they cannot speak, as that man that had a dumb devil, neither for God, not to God in prayer: he starves them, so as no Sermon shal ever do them good. 〈◊〉 robs them of all they get in Gods ordinances; within three hours after the marke , the Sermon is ended

4. He is a strong enemy, Luke 1 .21. so that if all the devils in hell are able to keep men from coming out of their sins, he will: so strong an enemy, that he keeps men from so much as sighing or groaning under thei burthens and bondage, Luke 11 21. When the strong mam keeps the palace, his goods are in peace.

Fifthly, He is cast into utter darkness, as cruel jaylors put their prisoners into the worst dungeons,2. Pet. 2.10. so satan doth natural men, 2 Cor. 4.3.4. They see no God, no Christ: they see not the happiness of the Saints in light: they see not these dreadful torments that should now in this day of grace awaken them, and humble them, Oh, those by-paths which thousands wandred from God in: they have no lamp to their feet, to show them where they erre. Thou that art in thy natural state, art born blind, and the devil hath binded thine eyes more by sin, and God in justice hath blinded them worse for sin, so that thou art in a corner of hell, because thou art in utter darknesse, where thou hast not a glimpse of any saving truth.

Sixth y, They are bound hand and foot in this estate, and cannot come out, Rom. 5.6. 1 Cor. 2.14. for all kind of sins, like ch ins, have bound every part and faculty of man, so that he is sure from stirring and these are very strong in him, they being as dear as his members, nay his life, Col. 3.7. so that when a man beginneth to forsake his vile courses, and purposeth to become a new man, divels fe c him back, world inticeth him, and locketh him up; and flesh saith, Oh, it is too stric a course, and then farewell me ry dayes, and good fellowship. Oh, thou mayest wish and desire to come out sometime but canst not put strength to thy desire, nor endure to do it. Thou mayest hang down thy head like a bul -rush for sin but thou canst nor repent of sin: thou mayest presume, but thou canst not believe: thou mayest come half way and forsake some sins, not all sins: thou ma es com an k •• ck at heavens ga e, as the foolish vi i ins did, but not ente in a d passe thr ugh the gate: thou m yest 〈◊〉 the land of Canaan, and take much pain to go into Canaan, and thou mayest taste of the bunches of graps of that good land, but never enter into Canaan, into heaven: but thou lyest bound hand and foot in this woful estate, and here thou must ly and rot like a dead carcasse in his grave, untill the Lord come and rowle away the stone, and id thee come out and live.

Lastly, They are ready every moment to drop into hell. God is a consuming fire against thee, and there is but one paper wall of thy body between thy soul, and eternal flames. How soon may God stop thy breath, th re is nothing but that between thee and hell; if that were gone, then farewell all. Thou art condemned, and the muffler is before thine eyes, God knoweth, how soon the ladder may be turned: thou hang st but by one rotten twined threed of thy life, over the flames of hell eve y hour.Mans future miseries

Thus much of mans present miseries.

Now followeth his future miseries, which are to come upon him hereafter.

They must die, either by a sudden, sull n, or desperate death, Psal. 89.48. which though it was to a child of God a sweet sleep, yet to the wicked it is a fearfull curse pr ceeding from Gods w ath, whence like a lyon, he tears body and soul asunder. Death cometh hissing upon them like a fiery dragon wi h the sting of vengeance in the mou h of it: It puts a period to all their worldly contentments, which then they must forsake, and carry nothing away wi h 〈◊〉 bu a rotten winding she t. It is the beginning of all all their wo : It is the C ptain that first strikes the stro k, and then armies of endlesse woes 〈…〉 , Rev. 6. . Oh, thou hadst be •• et be 〈…〉 a dog then a man, for there is an end of th ir tr ubles, when they are dead and gone; they all now as men from a sleep, they know not where they 〈◊〉 go N w 〈◊〉 is too late, e p cial y if thou hast •• ved under means before. It s either a cold repentance, when the b dy is weak, and the heart sick; or an hypocritical repentance, only for fear of hell, and therefore thou sayest, Lord Jesus, receive my soul, Nay, commonly then mens hearts are most hard, and therefore men die like lambs, and cry not out. Then it is hard plucking thy soul from the devils hands, to whom thou hast given it all thy life by sin: and if thou dost get it back, dost thou think that God will take the devils leavings? Now thy day is past, and darknesse beginneth to overspread thy soul: Now flocks of devils come into thy chamber, waiting for thy soul to fly upon it, as a ma •• ive dog, when the door is opened. And this is the reason why most men die quietly that lived wickedly; because satan then hath them as his own prey: like pirats that let a ship passe by that is empty of goods, they shoot commonly at them that are richly loaden. The Christians in ome parts of the Primitive Church, took the Sacrament every day, because they did look to die every day. But these times wherein we live, are so poisoned and g utted with their ase, that it is a rare thing to see the man that looks death sted ast y in the face one hour together. But death will lay a bi ter stroak on these one day:

II. After de th they appear before the Lord to judgement, Heb. 9.27. their bodies indeed for in their graves, but their souls r •• urn before t e Lord to judgement, Eccles. 12.7 The general Judgement is at the end of the world, when both body and soul appears before God and all the world, to an account: But there is a particular judgement that every man meets with after this life, immediately at the end of this ife, where the soul is condemned only before the Lord.

You may perceive what this particular udgement is thus, by these four conclu ••• ns.

1. That every man should die the first day he was born, is clea ••• or the wages of sin, is death; in justice therefore it should be payed a sinful creature as soon as he is born.

2. That it should be thus with wicked men, but that Christ beggeth their lives for a season, 1 Tim. 4. He is the Savior of all men; that is, not a Savior of ete nal preservation out of hell, but a Savior of temporal reservation from dropping into hell.

3. That this space of •• me thus begged by Christ, is that season wherein only a man can m ke his peace with a displeased God, 2 Cor. 6.2.

4. That if men do not thus within this cut of time, when death hath dispatched them, judgement only remaineth for them; that is, when their doom is read, their date of repentance is out, then their sentence of everl sting death is passed upon them, that never can be recalled again. And this is judgement after death. He that judgeth himself, saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.31. shall not be judged of the Lord. Now wicked men will not judge and condemn themselves in this life, therefore at the end of it, God will jugde them. All natural men are lost in this life, but they may be found, and recovered again; but a mans loss by death is •• recoverable because there is no me ••• s after death to restore them: There is no friend to perswade, no Minister to preach by which faith is wrought, and men get Christ. There is no power of returning or repenting then; for night is come, and the day is past. Again, the punishment is so heavy, that they can only bear wrath, so that all their thoughts and affections are taken up with the burden. And therefore Dives cryeth out, I am tormented. Oh, that the consideration of this point might awaken every secure sinner, What wil become of thine immortal soul, when thou art dead? Thou sayest, I know nor, I hope well. I tell thee therefore that which may send thee mourning to thine house, and quaking to thy grave, if thou diest in this estate, thou shalt not die like a dog, not yet like a toad, but after death cometh judgement; then farewell friends, when dying; and farewell God for ever, when thou art dead.

Now the Lord open your eyes to see the terrors of this particular judgement,The error of mans particular judgment. which if thou could see, unless you were mad, it would make you spend whole nights and dayes, in seeking to set all even with G d.

I will ho you briefly the manner and nature 〈…〉 in these particulars.

1. Thy soul shal be dragged out of thy b dy, as out of a stinking pri on, by the devil the J yler, into s me place within the bowels of the third heavens, and there thou shalt stand stript of all friends, all comfort, all creatures, before the presence of God, Luk. 19.27. as at the Assizes, first the jay or bringeth the prisoner out.

2. Then thy soul shal have a new lig t put into it, whereby it shal see the glorious presence of God, as prisoners brought with guilty eyes, look with terror upon the Judge. Now thou seest no God broad in the world; but then thou shalt see the Almighty Jehovah, which sight shal strike thee with that hellish terror and dreadful horror, that thou shalt call to the mountains to cover thee: 〈◊〉 rocks, rocks, hide me from the face of th Lamb, Rev. 6. ult.

3. Then all the sins that ever tho hast or shalt commit, shal come fresh t thy mind; as when the prisoner is com before t e face of the Judge, then his accusers bring in their evi ence: thy sleep conscience then will be in st ad of a thousand witnesses, and every sin then with all the circumstances of it, shall be set in order, armed wit Gods wrath round about thee, Ps 50.21. as letters writ with juce of Oranges canno be read until it be brought unto the fire, and then they appear: thou canst not read that bloody bill of indictment thy consci nce hath against thee now; but when thou shal stand near unto God: a consuming fire. hen what a heavie reckoning will appear. 〈◊〉 ma be thou hast left many sins now, nd goest so far, and profitest so much, hat no Christian can discern thee; nay, thou thinkest thy self in a safe estate; but yet there is one leak in thy ship that will 〈◊〉 thee: there is one secret hidden sin in thine heart, which thou livest in, as all unsound people do, that will d mne thee. I tell thee, as soon as ever thou art dead and gone, then thou shalt see where the knot did bi d thee, where thy sin was that now hath spoiled thee for ever, and then thou shalt grow mad to think, O that I never saw this sin I loved, lived in, p o ted, perfected mine own eternal ruine by, until now, when it is too late to amend.

4. Then the Lord shal take his everlasting fare-well of thee, and make thee know it too. Now God is departed from thee in this life, but he may return in mercy to thee again: but then the Lord de •• rts with all his patience to wait for thee m re: no Christ shal be offered thee any more: no Spirit to strive with thee any more: nd so shal passe sentence, though haply, not vocally, yet effectually upon thy soul, nd say, Depart thou cursed. Thou shalt see indeed the glory of God that others find; but to thy greater sorrow, shalt never taste the same, Luke. 13, 28.

5. Then shal God surrender up thy forsaken soul into the hands of devils, who being thy Jaylors, must keep thee till the great day of account; so that as thy friends are scrambling for thy goods, and worms for thy body, so devils shal scramble for thy soul For as soon as ever a wicked man is dead, he is either in heaven or in hell. Not in heaven, for no unclean thing cometh there: if in hell, then amongst devi s: there shal be thine eternal lodging 1 Pet. 3, 19. And hence thy forlorn soul shal ly mourning for the time past, now too late amazed at the eternity of sorrow that is to come, waiting for that fearful hour, when the last trumpet shal blow, and then body and soul meet to bear that wrath, that fire that shal never go out. Oh, therefore suspect and fear the wor •• of thy self now: hou hast seldome, or never, or very 〈◊〉 , troubled thine head about this matter, whether Christ wh save thee or not: Thou hast such strong hopes and confidenc s already, 〈…〉 will: Know that it 〈…〉 thou mayes be deceived: and if 〈◊〉 when th u sh ••• know thy doom a ter death, thou 〈◊〉 not get an hour more to make thy 〈◊〉 in with God, a tho gh th u 〈…〉 weep tears of blood. If eit er the 〈◊〉 of ignorance shal be before thine eyes, like an hand-kercher,, about the face of one condemned; or if thou art p nioned with any lust; or if thou makest thine own pardon; proclaimest (because thou art sory a little for thy sins, and resolvest nev r to do the like again) peace to hy soul, thou art one that after death halt appear before the Lord to judgement: Thou that art thus condemned now, dying so, shalt come to thy fearful execution after death.

There shal be a general judgment of oul and body at the end of the world, wherein they shal be arraigned and condemned before the great Tribunal seat of Jesus Christ, Jude 4.15. 2. Col. 5.10. The hearing of judgement to come, made Felix to tremble: Nothing of more efficacy to awaken a secure sinner, then sad thoughts of this fiery day.

But thou wilt ask me,Object. how it may be proved that there will be such a day?

I answer, Gods justice calleth for it,Answ. this world is the stage wh re Gods patience and bounty act their parts, and hence every man will profess & conceive, because he feelth it, that God is merciful;Why there must be a day of judgement. but Gods justice is questioned: men think God to be all mercy, and no justice; all oney, and no sting. Now the wicked prosper in all their wayes, are never puni hed, but live & die in peace, whereas the godly are dayly afflicted and reviled, Therefore because this Attribute suffers a totall eclipse almost •• ow, there must come a day wherein it m st shine out before all the world in the glory of it Rom. 2.5.

The second reason is from the glory o Christ: He was accused, arraigned, condemned by men, therefore he shall be the judge of men, John 5.27. for this 〈◊〉 an ordinary piece of Gods providence towards his people, the same evil he casts them into now, he exalts them into the contrary good in his time. As the Lord hath a purpose to make Joseph ruler over all Egypt, but first he maketh him a slave, God had a meaning to make Christ Judge of men, therefore first he suffers him to be judged of men.

Quest. Object. But when shall this judgement day be?

Answ. Though we cannot tell the day and hour particularly,Answ. yet this we are sure of, that when all the Elect, are called, for whose ake the world stands, Isa. 1.9. when these pillars are taken away, then wo to the world, as when Lot was taken out of Sodom; then was Sodom burnt Now it is not probable that this time will come as yet: for first Antichrist must be consumed; and not only the scattered visible Jews, but the whole body of the Israelites must first be called, and have a glorious Church here upon earth, Ezek. 37. This glorious Church Scripture and reason will enforce, which when it is called, shal not be expired as soon as it is born, ut shal con inue many a year.

Quest. But how shal this judgement be?Quest.

Answ. The Apostle describes it,Answ. . Thes. 4.16, 17.

1. Christ shal break out of the third heaven, and be seen in the air, before any dead arise, and this shal be with an admirable shout, as when a King cometh to triumph over his subjects and enemies.

2 Then shal the voice of the Arch-angel be heard, now this Arch angel is Jesus Christ himself, as the Scripture expounds, being in the clouds of heaven; He shal with an audible Heaven-shaking shout, say, Rise you dead and come to judgment, even as he called to Lazarus, Lazarus arise.

3. Then the T ump shall blow, and even as at the giving of the Law, Exod. 19. Its said the trumpet sounded, much more lowder shall it now sound when he comes to judgement, that have broken the law.

4. Then shal the dead arise. 1. The bodies of them that have died in the Lord shal rise first, then the others that live, shal like Enoch be translated and changed, Cor 15.

〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉

5. When thus the Judge and Justices are upon the bench at Christs right hand one their Thrones, then shal the guilty Prisoners be brought forth, and come out of their graves, like filthy toads, against this terrible storm. Then shal all the wicked that ever were, or ever shal be, stand quaking before this glorious Judge with the same bodies, feet, hands, to receive their doom.

Oh, consider this day, thou that livest in thy sins now, and yet art safe: there is a day coming wherein thou mayest and shalt be judged.

1. Consider who shal be thy Judge, why, mercy, pi ty, goodness it self, even Jesus Christ, that many times held out his bowels of compassion towards thee. A child of God may say, Y •• der is my brother, friend, husband. But th •• mayest say, yonder is mine enemy. He may say at that day, Yonder is he that 〈◊〉 his blood to save me: Thou mayest say, Yonder 〈◊〉 cometh whose heart I have pierced with my sins, whose blood I have despised. They may say, O come, Lord Jesus, and cover me under thy wings: But thou shalt then cry out, O rocks, fall upon me, and hide me from t e fac of the La b.

2. Consider the manner of his coming, 2. Thesse 1.7. He shal come in flaming fire, the heavens shal be on a flame: the elements shal melt like scalding lead upon thee. When an house is on fire at midnight in a town, what a fearful cry is there made? When all the world shal cry, Fire, fire, and run up and down for shelter to hide themselves, but cannot find it, but say: O now the gloomy day of blood and f •• e is come: here is for my pride, here is for my o •• hes, and the wages for my drunkenness, security, and neglect of 〈◊〉

3. 〈◊〉 regard of the heavie ccusations that shall come against thee at that day: There was never a wicked man almost in the world, as fair a f ce as he carrieth, but he hath at some time or other, committed some such secret villany, that he would be ready to hang himself for shame. If ot ers did know of it, as secret whoredom, Eccle ult. •• . self-pollution, speculative wantonness, men with men, women with women, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 1. Why at this day, all the world shal see and hear these privy pranks, then the books shal be opened. Men will not take up a foul business, nor end it in private; therefore there shal be a day of publick hearing: things shal not be suddenly shuffled up, as carnal thoughts imagine, viz. That at this day, first Christ shal raise the dead, and then the separation shal be made, 〈…〉 the Sentence past and then suddenly the judgement day is done: No, no, it must take up some large quantity of time, that all the world may see the secret sins of wicked men in the world; and therefore it may be made evident from all Scripture and reason, that this day of Christs kingly Office in judging the world, shal last haply longer then his private administration now (wherein he is less glorious) in governing the world. Tremble thou time-server, tremble thou hypocrite, tremble thou that livest in any secret sin under the all-seeing eye of this Judge: thine own conscience indeed shal be a sufficient witness against thee, to discover all thy Sins a thy particular judgement but all the world shal openly see thine hidden close courses of darkness, to thine everlasting shame at this day.

4. In regard of the fearful Sentence that then shal be passed upon thee; Depart thou cursed creature into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, Thou shalt then cry out, O mercy, Lord: O a little mercy. No, will the Lord Jesus say: I did indeed once offer it you, but you refused, therefore Depart. Then thou shalt plead again, Lord, if I must depart, yet bless me before I go. No, no, Depart, thou cursed. Oh, but Lord, if I must depart cursed, let me go to some good place. No, Depart, thou cursed into hells fire. Oh, Lord, that is a torment I cannot bear: but if it must be so, Lord, let me come out again quickly No, Depart, thou cursed, into everlasting fire. Oh, Lord, if this be thy pleasure, that here I must abide, let me have good company with me. No, Depart, thou cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. This shal be thy sen ••• ce. The hearing of which may make the ocks to rent so that go on in thy sin, and prosper; despise and scoff at Gods Ministers, and prosper; abhor the power and practise of Religion, as a too precise course, and prosper; yet know it, there will a day come when thou shalt meet with a dreadful Judge, a doleful Sentence. Now is thy day of sinning, but God will have shortly his day of condemning.

When the Judgement day is done, then the fearful wrath of God shal be poured out, and piled upon their bodies and souls, and the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone shal kindle it, and 〈…〉 burning, and none shal ever quench it. This is the execution of a sinner after judgement, Rev. 1. .Where •• consists the wrath of God.

Now this wrath of God consisteth in these things.

1. Thy soul shal be banished from the face and blessed sweet presence of God and Christ, and thou shalt never see the 〈◊〉 of God more. It is said, Acts 20. that they wept sore, because they should see Pauls face no more: Oh, thou shalt never see the face of God, Christ, saints nor ange •• more. O heavy doom, to famish and pine away for ever without one bit of bread to comfort thee, one smile of God to refresh thee. Men that have their sores running upon them must be shut up from the presence of men sound and whole. Oh, thy sins like plague-sores run on thee, therefore thou must be shut out like a dog from the presence of God and all his people, 2 Thes. . .

2. God shal set himself like a consuming infinite fire against thee, and tread thee under his feet, who hast by sin troad him and his glory under foot all thy life. A man may devise exquisite torments for another, and great power may make a little stick to lay on heavy stroaks; but great power stirred up to strike from great fury and wrath, makes the stroke deadly. I tell thee all the wisedom of God shal then be set against thee to 〈◊〉 torments for thee, Mich. 1.3. there was never such wrath felt or conceived as the Lord hath devised against thee that livest and dyest in thy natural est te. Hence it is called wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1. ult. The torment which wi dom shal devise, the almighty power of God shal indict upon thee, so as there was never such power seen in making the world, as in holding a poor creature under the wrath, that holds up he soul in being with one hand, and bears it with the other, ever burning like fire against a creature, and yet that creature never burnt up, Rome. 9.22. Think not this cruelty, it is justice; what cares God for a vile wretch whom nothing can make good while it lives. If we have been •• ng in h wing a block, and we can make o meet vessel of it, pot it to no good use 〈◊〉 our selves, we cast it into the fire: God sheweth thee by Sermons, sicknesse, losses and crosses, sudden death, mercies and miseries, yet nothing makes thee better, what should God do with thee, but cast thee ence? Oh, consider of this wrath before you feel it. I had rather have all the world burning about mine ears, then to have one bl ••• ing frown from the blessed face of an infinite and dreadful God. Thou canst not endure the torment of a little kitchen fire upon the t p of thy finger, not one half hour together: how wilt thou bear the fury of this infinite, endless consuming fire in body and soul throughout all eternity?

3. The never dying worm of a guilty conscience shal torment thee, as if thou h dst swallowed down a living poysonfull snake, which shal ly gnawing and biting thine heart for sin past, day and night. And this worm shal torment by showing the cause of thy misery; that is, that thou didst never care for him that should have saved thee. By showing thee also thy sins against the Law. By showing thee thy sloath, whereby thy happiness is lost. Then shal thy conscience gnaw, to think, so many nights I went to bed without prayer, and so many dayes and hours I spent in feasting, and foolish sporting. Oh, if I had spent half that time, now mis-spent, in praying, in mourning, in meditation; yonder in heaven had I been. By showing thee also the means that thou once hadst to avoid this misery: Such a Minister I heard once, that told me of my particular sins, as if he had been told of me: Such friend perswaded me once to turn over a new leaf. I remember so many knocks God gave at this iron heart of mine: So many mercies the Lord sent: But, oh! no means could prevail with me.

Lastly, by showing thee how easily thou mightest have avoided all these miseries. Oh, once I was almost perswaded to be a Christian! but I suffered my heart to grow dead, and fell to loose company, and so lost all. The Lord Jesus came unto my door, and knocked: and if I had done that for Christ, which I did for the devil many a time, to open at his knocks, I had been saved. A thousand such bites will this worm give at thine heart, which shal make thee cry out: O time, time! O Sermons, Sermons! O my hopes, and my helps are now lost, that once I had to save my lost soul!

4. Thou shalt take up thy lodging for ever with devils, and they shal be thy companions: Him thou hast served here, with him thou must dwel there. It scarreth men out of their wits almost, to see the devil (as they think) when they be alone: But what horror shal fill thy soul, when thou shalt be banished from angels society, and come into the fellowship of devils for ever.

5. Thou shalt be filled with final despair. If a man be grievously sick, it comforteth him to think it will not last long. But if the Physician tell him he must li e all his lifetime in this extremity, he thinketh the poorest begger in a better estate then himself. Oh, to think when thou hast been million of years in thy sorrows, then thou art not nearer thy end of bearing thy misery, then at the first coming in. Oh, I might once have had mercy, and Christ; but no hope now ever to have one glimpse of his face, or one good look from him any more.

Thou shalt vomit out blasphemous oathes and curses in the face of God the Father for ever, and curse God that never elected thee, and curse the Lord Jesus that never shed one drop of blood to redeem thee, and curse God the holy Ghost that passed by thee, and never called thee, Rev- 10, 9. And here thou shalt ly and weep, and gnash thy teeth in spight against God and thy self, and roar and stamp, and grow mad, that there thou must ly under the curse of God for ever· Thus, I say, thou shalt ly blaspheming, with Gods wrath, like a pile of fire on thy soul burning; and floods, nay seas, nay more, seas of tears (for thou shalt for ever ly weeping) shal never quench it. And here, which way soever thou lookest, thou shalt see matter of everlasting grief. Look up to heaven, and there thou shalt see (oh!) that God is for ever gone. Look about thee, thou shalt see devils quaking, cursing God: and thousands, nay millions of sinful damned creatures crying and roaring out with dole ul shrikings; Oh, the day that ever I was born! Look within thee, there is a guilty conscience gnawing. Look to time past: Oh, those golden dayes of grace, and sweet seasons of mercy are quite lost & gone! Look to time to come, there thou shalt behold evils, troups and swarmes of sorrows and oes, and raging waves, and billows of wrath coming roaring upon thee. Look to time present: O not one hour or moment of ease or refreshing, but all courses meet together, and feeding upon one poor lost immortal soul, that never can be recovered again. No God, no Christ, no Spirit to comfort thee. No Minister to preach unto thee: no friend to weep away thy continual tears: no Sun to shine upon thee: nor a bit of bread: not one drop of water to cool thy tongue.

This is the misery of every natur l man. Now do not you shift it from thy self, and and say, God is mercifull. True, but it is to very few, as shal be proved. It is a thousand to one, if ever thou be one of that smal number whom God hath picked out to escape his wrath to come. If thou do not get the Lord Jesus to bear this w ath, fare-well God, Christ and Gods mercy for ever. And I am sure that it is no common evil which God giveth to every wicked man: If Christ had shed seas of blood, set thine heart at rest, there is not one drop of it for thee, until thou comest to see, and feel, and groan under this miserable estate. I tell thee, Christ is so far from saving thee, that he is thine enemy. If Christ were here, and should say, Here is my blood for thee, if thou wilt but ly down and mourn under the burden of thy misery: and yet for all his speeches, thy dry eyes weep not, thy stout heart yeeldeth not, thy hard heart mourneth not, as to say: Oh, I am a sinful, lost, condemned, cursed, dead creature: What shall I do? Doest thou not think but he would turn away his face from thee, and say: Oh, thou stony hard-hearted creature, wouldest thou have me save thee from thy miserie, and yet thou wilt not groan, sigh and mourn for deliverance to me out of thy misery? If thou likest thine estate so well, and prizest m so little, perish in thy misery for ever.

Oh, labour to be humbled day and night under this thy woful e •• ate.The scope of knowing our miseries, is to be humbled. Thou art guilty of Adams griveous sin; will this break thine heart? No. Thou art dead in sin, and top full of all sin; will this break thine heart? No. Whatsoever thou doest, hast done, shalt do, remaining in this estate, is sin; will this break thine heart? No. God is thine enemy, and thou hast lost him, will this break thine heart? No. Thou art condemned to die eternally, satan is thy jaylor, thou art bound hand and foot in the bolts of thy sins; and cast into utter darkness, and ready every moment to drop into hell; will this break thine heart? No. Thou mayest die, and after that appear before the Lord to judgement, and then bear Gods everlasting insupportable wrath a which renteth the rocks, and bu neth down to the bottom of hell; will this break thine hard heart, man? No. Then farwell Christ for ever; never look to see a Christ, untill thou doest come to feel thy misery, thy misery out of Christ.

Labor therefore for this, and the Lord will reveal the brazen Serpent, when thou art in thine own sense and feeling, stung to death with thy fiery serpents.

So I come to open the fourth principal point, viz.

CHAP. IV.

THat the Lord Jesus Christ is the only means of redemption and deliverance out of this estate, Eph. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his blood. Which plainly demonstrateth, that

Jesus Christ is the only means of mans Redemption and deliverance ou o his bondage and miserable estate. And this is the doct ine I shal now insist upon.

When the Israelites were in bondage and misery, he sendeth Moses to deliver them. When they were in Babylon, he stirreth up Cyrus to open the prison gates to them. But when man is in misery, he sendeth the Lord JESUS, God and Man, to redeem him, Acts 4.12.

Quest. Quest. How doth Christ redeem man out of this misery.

Answ. Answ. By paying a price for them, 1 Cor. 6. ult. Gods mercy will be manifested in saving some, and his justice must be satisfied, by having satisfaction or price made and paid for mans sin.

Hence Christ satisfieth Gods justice.

First, by standing in the room of a them whom mercy decreeth to save.How men are redeemed. A surety standeth in the room of a debter, Heb. 7.22. As the first Adam stood in the room of all mankind fallen; so Christ standeth in the room of all men risin , or to be restored again.

Secondly, by taking from them, i whose room he stood, the eternal gui t of all their sins, and by assuming the gui •• of all those sins unto himself, 2 Cor. 5.2 Hence Luther said, Christ was the greates sinner by imputation.

Thirdly, by bearing the curse and wrath of God kindled against sin: God is so holy that when he seeth sin sticking only b imputation to hi own Son, he will not spare him, but his wrath and curse must he bear, Gal. 3.13. Christ drinketh up the cup of all the elect at one draught, which they should have been supping, and drinking and sw lling, and tormented with millions of years.

Fourthly, by bringing into the presence of God perfect righteousness,Dan. 9.2. Rom. 5.11. for this also Gods Justice required (perfect conformity) to the Law, as well as (perfect satisfaction) suffered for the wrong offered to the Law-giver, Justice thus requiring these four things. Christ satisfieth justice by performing them, and so payeth the price.

II. Christ is Redeemer by strong hand. The first Redemption by price is finished in Christs person at his resurrection: the second is begun by the Spirit in mans vocation, and ended at the day of Judgement; as money is first paid for a captive in Turkie, and then because he cannot come to his own Prince himself, he is fetcht away by strong hand

Here is encouragement to the vilest sinner, and comfort to thy self succourless, and lost sinner, who have spent all their moneys, their time and endeavours upon these duties and strivings that have been but poor Phisicians to them. Oh look up •• re to the Lord Jesus, who can do that cure for thee in a moment, which all creaturs cannot do in many years. What bolts, what strong fetters? what unruly lusts, temptations, and miseries art thou lockt into? Behold the Deliverer is come out of Sion, having satisfied justice, and paid a price to ransom poor captives, Luke 〈…〉 with the keyes of heaven, hell, and thy unruly heart, in his hand, to fetch thee out with great mercy and strong hand; who knows but th u poor prisoner of hell, thou poor captive f the devil, thou poor sh kled sinner, mayest be one whom he is c me for? Oh, look up to him, sigh to heaven for de iverance from him, and be glad and rejoice at his coming.

This strikes terror to them, that though there is a means of deliverance, yet they ly in their misery, never groan, never sigh to the Lord Jesus for deliverance, nay, that rejoice in their bondage, and dance to hell in their bolts; nay, that are weary of deliverance, that sit in the stocks when they are at prayers, that come out of the Church when the tedious Sermon was somewhat beyond the hour, like prisoners out of jayl, that despise the Lord Jesus, when he offereth to open the doors, and so let them out of that miserable estate. Oh, poor creatures! is there a means of deliverance and doest thou neglect, nay despise it? Know it, that this will cut thine heart one day, when thou art hanging in thy gibbets in hell, to see others standing at Gods right hand, redeemed by Christ; thou mightest have had share in their honor, for there was a Deliverer come to save thee, but thou wouldest have none of him. Oh, thou wilt ly yelling in those everlasting burnings, and tear thy hair, and cu se thy self: from hence might I have been delivered, but I would not. Hath Christ delivered thee from hell, and hath he no d livered thee from thine ale-house? Hath Christ delivered thee from satans society, when he hath not delivered thee from thy loose company yet? Hath Christ delivered thee from burning, when thy faggots, thy sins grow i thee? Is Christs blood thine that makest no more account of it, nor feelest no more vertue from it, then in the blood of a chicken? Art thou redeemed? Doest thou hope by Christ to be saved, that didst never see, nor feel, nor sigh under thy bondage? Oh, the devils will keep holy-day (as it were) in hell, in respect of thee, who shalt mourn under Gods wrath, and lament. Oh, there was a means to deliver us out of it; but thou shalt mourn for ever for thy misery. And this will be a bodkin at thine heart one day, to think there was a Deliverer, but I, (wretch) would none of him.

Here likewise is matter of reproof, to such as seek to come out of this misery, from and by themselves. If they be ignor n , they hope to be saved by their good meaning, and prayers. If civil, by paying all they owe, and doing as they would be done by, and by doing no bod any harm. I they be troubled about their estates, then they lick themselves who e by their mourning, repenting, and reforming. O , poor stubble, canst thou stand before this consuming fire without sin? Canst thou make thy self a Christ for thy self? Canst thou bear, and come from under an infinite wrath? Canst thou bring in perfect righteousness into the presence of God? This Christ must do, else he could not satisfie and redeem And if thou canst not do thus, and hast no Christ, desire and pray, that heaven and earth shake, till thou hast worn thy tongue to the stumps; endeavour as much as thou canst, and others commend thee for a diligent Christian: mourn in some wilderness till dooms-day: dig thy grave there with thy nails: weep buckets full of hourly tears, till thou canst weep no more: Fast and pray till thy skin and bones cleave together: promise and purpose with full resolution to be better; nay, reform thy head, heart, life and tongue, and some, nay all sins: live like an angel, shine like a Sun, walk up and down the world like a distressed pilgrim going to another Countrey, so that all Christians commend and admire thee. Die ten thousand deaths: ly at the fire back in hell so many millions of years as there be piles of grass on the earth, or sands upon the sea shore, or stars in heaven, or mo s in the Sun; I tell thee, not one spark of Gods wrath against thy sin, shal be, can be quenched by all these duties, nor by any of these sorrows or tears, for these are not the blood of Christ. Nay, if all the Angels and Saints in heaven and earth should pray for thee, these cannot deliver thee; for they are not the blood of Christ. Nay, God as a Creator, having made a aw, will not forgive one sin without the blood of Christ. Nay, Christs blood will not do it neither, if thou doest joyn never so little, that thou hast or doest unto Jesus Christ, and makest thy self, or any of thy dut es, co-partners with Christ in that great work of saving thee. Cry out therefore, as that blessed Martyr did, None but Christ, none but Christ.

Take head of neglecting or rejecting so great salvation by Jesus Christ. Take heed of spilling this potion, that only can cure thee.

But thou wilt say,Object. This means of redemption is only appointed for some, it is not intended for all, therefore not for me, therefore how can I reject Christ?

It is true,Answ. Christ spent not his breath to pray for all, John 17.9. much less his blood for all; therefore he was never intended as a Redeemer of all: but that he is not intended as a deliverer of thee.The offer of Christ universal and why. How doth this follow? How dost thou know this?

But secondly, I say though Christ be not intended for all, yet he is offered unto all, and therefore unto thee. And the ground is this chiefly.

The universal offer of Christ arriseth not from Christs priestly office, immediatly but from his Kingly Office, whereby the Father having given him all power and dominion in heaven and earth, he hereupon commands all men to stoop unto him, and likewise bids all his Disciples and all their successors to go and preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven, Mat. 28.18 19. For Christ doth not immeditatly offer himself unto all men as a Saviour,Mat. 19.15. whereby they may be encouraged to serve him as a King: but first as a King commanding them to cast away their weapons and stoop unto his Scepter, and depend upon his free mercy, acknowledging, if ever he save me, I will blesse him: if he damne me, his name is righteous in so dealing with me.

But that I may fasten this exhortation I will fasten these four things.The offering of Christ universal and wherein

1. The Lord Jesus is offered to every particular person: which I will shew thus, what hast thou to say against it, that thou doest doubt of it? It may may be thou wilt plead.

Oh, I am so ignorant of my self, God, Christ, or his will, that surely the Lord offers no Christ to me.Prov. 9.8.

Yes, but he doth, though thou lyest in utter darkness. Our blessed Saviour glorified his Father for revealing the mistery of the Gospel to simple men, neglecting those that carried the chief reputation of wisdom in the world. The parts of none are so low,2 Cor. 5.20. as that they are beneath the gracious regard of Christ. God bestoweth the best fruits of his love upon mean and weak persons here, that he might confound the pride of flesh the more. Where it pleaseth him to make his choise and to exalt his mercy,Prov. 1.22, 23. he passeth by no degree of wit, though never so uncapable:

But thou wilt say,Object. I am an enemy to God, and have ane heart so stubborn and loath to yeeld: I have vexed him to the very heart by my transgressions.

Yet he beseecheth thee to be reconciled. Put case thou hast been a sinner,Answ. and rebellious against God, yet so long as thou art not found amongst malicious opposers, and underminers of his truth, never give way to despairing thoughts, thou hast a mercifull S viour.

But I have despised the means of reconciliation, and rejected mercy.Object.

Yet God calleth thee to turn,Answ. Thou hast 〈◊〉 the harlot with many lovers yet 〈…〉 again to me, saith the Lord, Jer. 3.1. Cast thy self into the arms of Christ, and if thou perishest, perish there; if thou do •• not, thou art sure to perish, if mercy e to he had any where, it is by seeking in Christ, not by running from him. Herein appeareth Christs love to thee, that he hath given thee an heart in some degree senseble: he might have given thee up to hardness, security and prophanness, of all spiritual judgements the greatest. But he that died for his enemies, will in no wise refuse those, the desire of whose soul i towards him. When the Prodigal set himself to return to his father, his father stayeth no for him, but meeteth him in the way. If our sins displease us, they shall never hurt us, but we shall be estimed of God to be that which we desire and labour to be, Psal. 145.19.

But can the Lord offer Christ to me, so poor,Object. that have no st eng h, no faith no grace, nor sense of a y povert ?

Yes even to thee: why should we except our selves,Answ. when Christ doth not except us? Come unto me all ye that are wearie and heavie laden We are therefore poor, because we know not our riches. We can never be in such a condition, wher in their will be just cause of utter despair. He that fitteth in darkness and •• eth no light, no light of comfort, no light of Gods countenance, Yet let him trust in the Name of the Lord. Weakness doth not debar us from mercy; nay, they 〈◊〉 God the more. The husband is bored to bear with the wife, as being the weaker vessel: and shal we think God will exempt himself from his own rule, and not bear with his weak spouse?

But is this offer made to me that cannot love prize, no desire the Lord Jesus?Object.

Yes, to thee:Answ. Christ knoweth how to pity us in t is case. We are weak, but we are his. A father looketh not so much at the blemishes of his child, as at his own nature in him; so Christ findeth matter of love f om any t ing of his own in us A Christians carriage towards Christ may in ma y things be very offensive, and cause much strangene s, yet so long as he eso veth not upon any known evil, Christ wil own him, and e Christ.

Oh! but I have fallen from God oft,Object. ince he hath inlightened me: and doth e reader Christ to me?

Thou must know, that Christ hathAnsw. arried every believing soul to himself, nd that where the work of grace is begun, sin looseth strength by every new fall. If there be a spring f sin in thee, there is 〈◊〉 spring of mercy in God, and a fountain ayly opened to wash thy unc eanness in: Adam indeed lost all by once sinning; 〈◊〉 we are under a better covenant, a covenant of mercy; and are incouraged by the Son to go to the Father every day for the sins of that day.

Object.If I was willing to receive Christ, I might have Christ offered to me. But wil the Lord offer him to such an one as desireth not to have Christ?

Answ.Yes, saith our Savior, I would hav gathered you, as the hen gathereth he chickens under her wings, and you woul not. We must know, a certain power cannot only bring something out of nothing but contrary out of contrary: of unwil ling, God can make us a willing peopl There is a promise of pouring clean water upon us: And Christ hath taken upo him to purge his Spouse, and make her 〈◊〉 for himself.

What hast thou now to plead again this strange kindness of the Lord, in 〈◊〉 Christ to thee? Thou wilt say, may be.

Object.Oh, I fear time is past: Oh, time past: I might once have had Christ, 〈◊〉 now mine heart is sealed down with har •• ness, blindness, unbelief. Oh! time now gone.

Answ.No, not so, see Isai. 65 1. , 3. A the day long God holdeth out his 〈◊〉 to a back-sliding and rebellious peop ••

〈21 pages missing〉

soon quenched; and his zeal soon spent; they hold not out. Whereas I am constant and preserve in godly courses.

So did that young man, yet he was a graceless man, Matth. 19.20.Answ. All these things have I done from my youth: what lack I yet?

It is true, Hypocrites may preserve,Object. 13. but •• ey know themselves to be naught all the while, and so deceive others, but I am perswaded that I am in Gods favor, and and in a safe and happy estate, since I do all with a good heart for God.

This thou mayest verily think of thy self and yet be deceived, and damned,Answ 〈◊〉 go to the devil at last Prov. 13.12. There is a way (saith Solomon) that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death. For he is an hypocrite, not only that makes a seeming outward shew of what he hath not, but also that hath a true shew of what indeed there is not. The first sort of Hypocrites deceive others only; the latter, having some inward, yet common work deceive themselves too, James 1.26. If any man seem to be Religous (so many are, and so deceive the world) but it is added, deceiveth his own soul. Nay, thou mayest go so fairly, and live so honestly, that all the best Christians about thee may think well of thee, and never suspect thee, and so mayest passe through the world, and die with a deluded comfort; that thou shalt go to heaven, and be canonized for a Saint in thy funeral Sermon, and never know thou art counterfeit, till the Lord b ingeth thee to thy strict and last examination, and s thou receivest that dreadful sentence 〈◊〉 ye cursed. So it w s with the five 〈◊〉 virgins, th t were never discovered by 〈◊〉 wise, nor by themselves, until the gate of grace was shut upon them. If thou hast therefore no better evidences to show for thy self, that thine estate is good, then these; I will not give a pins point for all th flattering false hopes of being saved. But it may be thou hast never yet come so far as to this pitch: and if not, Lord! what will become of thee? Suspect thy self much: and when in this ship-wrak o souls thou seest so many thousands sink, cry out and conclude: It is a wonder of wonders, and a thousand to one, if ever thou comest safe to shear.

Oh! st ive 〈◊〉 to be one of them tha shall be saved, though i cost thee thy blood, and the loss of all that thou hast. Labor to go beyond all those that go so far, and yet perish at the last. Do not say, that seing so few shal be saved, therefore this discourageth me from seeking, because all my labor may be in vain. Consider that Christ here maketh another i better use of it, Luke 13, •• . Seeing that many shal seek, and not 〈◊〉 ; therefore saith he, str ve to enter in at the strai gatepunc; venture at least, and try what the Lord wil do for thee.

Wherein doth a child of God (and so ow may I?Object.) go beyond these hypocrites 〈◊〉 go so far?

In three things principally.Answ.

First, no unregenerate man, though he go never so far, let him do never so much,Wherein a child of God goeth beyond an hypocrite. but he liveth in some one sin or other, secret or open, little or great. Judas went far, but he was c vetous. Herod went far, but he loved his Herodias. Every dog hath his kennel, every swine hath his swill, and every wicked man his lust: for no unregenerate man hath fruition of God to content him. And there is no mans heart but it must have some good to content it; which good is to be found only in the fountain of all good, and that is God: or in the cistern, and that is in the creatures. Hence a man having lost full o tent in God, he seeketh for, & feedeth pon contentment in the creature, which e maketh a God to him; and here lye •• his lust or sin, which he must needs live 〈◊〉 . Hence, ask those men that go very far, od take their penny for good silver, and ommend themselves for t eir good de •• es: I say, ask them, if they have no sin Yes, say they, who can live without sin? So they give way to sin, and therefore live in sin: Nay, commonly all the duties, prayers, care, and zeal of the best hypocrites, are to hide a lust, as the whore in the Proverbs, that wipeth her mouth, and goeth to the Temple, and payeth her vows: O to feed their lusts, as Je u hi zeal against Baal, was to get a Kingdom, There remaineth a root of bitterness in the best hypocrites, which howsoever it be lopt off sometimes by sickness, or horror of conscience; and a man hath purposes never to commit it again, yet there it secretly lurketh: and though it seemeth to be bound, and conquered by the Word; or by prayer, or by outward crosses, or while the hand of God is upon a man, yet the inward strength and power of it remaineth still: and therefore when temptations, like strong Philisti s, are upon this m n again he breaketh all vows, promises, bonds of God, and will save the life of his sin.

Secondly, no unregenerate man or woman ever came to be poor in spirit, and so to be carried out of all duties unto Christ: if it were possible for them to forsake and break loose for ever from all sin, yet here they stick, as the Scribes and Pharisees, and so like zealous Paul, before hi conversion, they fasted, and prayed, an kept the Sabbath, but they rested in thei legal righteousness, & in the performance of these and the like duties. Take the best hypocrite that hath the most strong perswasions of Gods love to him, and ask him, Why he hopes to be saved? He will answer: I pray, read, hear, love good men; cry out of the sins of the time. And tell him again, that an hypocrite may climb these staires, and go as far. He will reply, True indeed, but they do not what they do with a sound heart, but to be seen of men. Mark now how these men feel a good heart in themselves, and in all things they do, and therefore feel not a want of all good, which is poverty of spirit, and therefore here they fall short, Isai. 66, 2. There were divers hypocrites forward for the worship of God in the Temple, but God loathes these, because not pure in spirit, to them only it is s id, The Lord will look. I have seen many professors very forward for all good duties, but as ignorant of Christ, when they are sifted, as blocks. And if a man (as few do) know not Christ, he must rest in his duties, because he knoweth not Christ, to whom he must go, and be carried, if ever he be saved. I have heard of a man that being condemned to die, thought to be saved from the gallowes, and to save himself from hanging, by a certain gift, he said he had, of whistling: so men seek to save themselves by their gifts of knowledge, gifts of memorie, gifts of prayer: and when they see they must die for their sins, this is the ruine of many a soul, that though he forsake Egypt, and his sins, and flesh-pots there; and will never be so as he hath been, yet he never cometh into Canaan, but looseth himself and his soul in a wilderness of many duties, and there perisheth.

Thirdly, if any unregenerate man come unto Christ, he never getteth into Christ; that is, never taketh up his eternal rest, and lodging in any thing else but Jesus Christ, Heb. 4.4. Judas followed Christ for the bag he would have the bag, and Christ too. The young man came unto Christ to be his Disciple, but he would have Christ and the world too. They will not content themselves with Christ alone, nor with the world alone, but make their markets out of both, like whor sh wives, that will please their husbands and others too. Men in distress of conscience, if they have comfort from Christ, they are contented: if they have salvation from hell by Christ, they are contented: but Christ himself contenteth them not. Thus far an hypocrite goeth not. So much for the first doctrine observed out of the Text. I come now to the second.

Do t. 2. That those that are saved are saved with much difficultie: or it is a wonderful hard thing to be saved.

The gate is strait, and therefore a man must sweat and strive to enter: both the ent ance is difficult, and the progress of sa vation too. Jesus Christ is not got with a wet finger. It is not wishing and desiring to be saved, will bring men to heaven: hells mouth is full of good wishes. It is not shedding a tear at a Sermon, or blubbering now and then in a corner, and say over thy prayers, and crying Gods mercy for sins, will save thee. It is not, Lord, have mercy upon us, will do thee good. It is not coming constantly to Church; these are easie matters. But it is •• ough work, a wonderful hard matter to be saved 1 Pet 4.18. Hence the way to heaven is compared to a race, where a man must put forth all his strength, and stretch every limb, and all to get forward. Hence a Christians life is compared to wrestling Eph. 6.12. All the policy and power of hell buckle together against a Christian, therefore he must look to himsel , or else he falleth. Hence it is compared to fighting 2. Tim. 47. A man must fight agai st th devil, the world, himself, who shoot poisoned bullets in the soul: where a man must kill, or be killed. God hath not li ed the way to Christ with velvet, nor stre •• ed it with rushes: he will never feed a sloathful humor in man, who will be saved, if Christ and heaven would drop in their mouthes, and if any would bear their charges thither. If Christ might be bought for a few cold wishes and lazie desires, he would be of mal reckoning amongst men; who would say, Lightly c me, lightly go? Indeed Christs yoke is easie in it self, and when a man is got into Christ, nothing is so sweet: but for a carnal dull heart, it is hard to draw in it: for,

There are four strait gates which every one must pass through, before he can enter into heaven.

F •• r strait gates 〈…〉 passed through, 〈…〉 can enter into heaven.There 〈◊〉 first, the straite ga e of humiliati n. God saveth none but first he humbleth them: ow it is hard to pass through the gates and flames of hell, for n heart as stiff as a stake to bow, as hard as stone to bleed for the least prick, not to mourn for one sin, but all sins, and not for a fit, but all a mans lifetime. Oh it is hard for a man to suffer himself to be loaden with sin, and prest to death for sin, so as never to love sin more, but to spit in the face of that which he once loved as dearly as his life. It is easie to drop a tear or two, and be Sermon-sick; but to have an heart rent for sin, and from sin, this is true humiliation, and this is hard.

2. The strait gate of faith, Eph. 1, 19. It is an easie matter to presume, but hard to believe in Christ. It is easie for a man that was never humbled, to believe and say, It is but believing: but it is an hard matter for a man humbled, when he seeth all his sins in order before him, the devil and conscience roaring upon him, and crying out against him, and God frowning upon him, now to call God Fathere, is an hard work, Judas had rather be hanged then believe. It is hard to see a Christ, as a rock to stand upon, when we are over-whe med with sorrow of heart for sin. It is hard to prize Christ above ten thousand worlds of pea •• . It is hard to d sire Christ, and nothing but Christ: hard to follow Christ all the day long, and never be quyet till he is got in thine arms, and then with Simeon to say, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart it peace.

3. The strait gate of repentance. It is an easie matter for a man to confess a mans self to be a sinner, and to cry God forgiveness until next time: but to have a bitter sorrow, and so to turn from all sin, and to return to God, and all the wayes of God, which is true repentance indeed, this is hard.

4. The strait gate of oppositions of devils, the world, and a mans own self, who knock a man down when he begins to look towards Christ and heaven.

Hence learn, that every easie way to heaven i a false way, although Ministers should preach it out of their pulpits, and angels should publish it out of heaven.

The false ways to heaven discovered.Now there are nine easie wayes to heaven (as men think) all which lead to hell.

1. The common broad way, wherein a whole Parish may all go a breadth in it. Tell these people they shal be damned, their answer is, then wo to many more besides me.

2. The way of civil education, whereby many wild natures are by little and little tamed, and like wo ves are chained up easi y while they are young.

3 Balaams way of good wishes, whereby many people will confess their ignorance, forgetfulness, and that they cannot make such shows as others do; but they thank God their hearts are as good, and God for his part accepteth (they say) the will for the deed: And, My son, give me thine heart. The heart is all in all, and so long they hope to do well enough. Poor deluded creatures thus think to break through armies of sins, devils, temptations, and to break open the very gates of heaven with a few good wishes: They think to come to thei journeys and without legs, because their hearts are good to God.

4. The way of formality, whereby men rest in the performance of most, or of all external duties without inward life, Mark i.14. Every man must have some Religion, some fig-leaves to hide their nakedness. Now this Religion must be either true Religion, or the false one; if the true, he must either take up the power of it, but that he wil not, because it is burd n om: or the form of it, and this being easie, men embrace it as their God, and will rather lose their lives, then their R ligion thus taken up. This form of Religion is the easiest Religion in the world, partly bec use it easeth men of trouble of conscience, quieting that. Thou hast sinned, saith conscience, and God is off •• d d, take a book and pray, keep thy con cience b tter, and bring thy Bible with thee. N w conscience is silent, being charmed down with he form of R lig on, as the devi is driven away (as they say) w th holy water: partly a so becau e the form o Religion credite h ma , par ly bec u e it is easie in it elf, it is of a light c rriage, being but he shadow and picture of the substance of Religion as now, what an easie matter is it, to come to Church? They hear (at least outwardly) verie attentively, an hour and more; and then to turn to proof, and to turn down a leaf, here is the form. But now o spend Saturday at night, and all the whole Sabbath day morning in trimming the Lamb, and in getting oyle in their heart, to meet the bridegroome the next day, and so meet him in the word, and therefore to tremble at the voice of God, and suck the breast while it is open; and when the word is done, to go aside privatly, and there to chew upon the Word, there to lament with tears all the vain thoughts in duties, deadnesse in hearing, this is hard, because this is the power of godlinesse: and this men will not take up: so for private prayer, what an easie matter it is for men to say over a few prayers out of some devout book, or to repeat some old prayer got by heart since a childe, or to have two or three short-winded wishes for Gods mercy in the morning and at night; this form is easie: but now to prepare the heart by serious meditation of God and mans self before he prayes, then to come to God with a bleeding hunger-starved heart, not only with a desire, but with a warrant. I must have such or such a mercy, and there to wrestle with God, although it be an hour or two together for a blessing, this is too hard; men think none do this, and therefore they will not.

Fifthly, the way of Presumption, whereby men having seen their sins, catch hold easily upon Gods mercy, and snatch comforts, before they are reached out unto them. There is no word of comfort in the book of God intended for such as regard iniquitie in their hearts, though they do not act it in their lives. Their only comfort is, that the sentence of damnation is not yet executed upon them.

Sixthly, the way of sl th, whereby men lye still, and say, God must do all; If the Lord would set up a Pulpit at the Alehouse door, it may be they would hear oftner. If God will alwayes thunder, they will alwayes pray if strike them now and then with sicknesse, God shall be payed with good words and promises now, that they wil be better if they live, but as long as peace lasts, they will r n to hell as fast as they can; & if God will not catch them, they care not, they will not return.

Seventhly, The way of carelesnesse, when men fee ng many di ficu ties, passe through some of them, but not all, and what they cannot ge now, they feed themselves wi h a false hope they shall hereafter: they are content to be called precisians, and fools and crazie braines, but they want b •• kennesse of heart, and they will pray (it may be) for it, & passe by that difficul ie, but to keep the wound alwayes open, this they will not do, to be alwayes sighing for help, and never to give themselves rest, till their hearts are humbled; that they will not, those have a 〈◊〉 to live, and yet are dead.

Eightly, the way of moderation, or hon st discretion, Rev. 3.16. which indeed is nothing but luke-warmness of the soul, and that is, when a man contriveth and cutteth out such a way to heaven, as he may be hated of none, but please all, and so do anie thing for a quiet life, and so sleep in a whole skin. The L rd saith, He tha will live godlie, must suffer persecution. No, not so, Lord. Surely (think they) i men were discreet and wise, it would prevent a great deal of trouble and opposition in good courses. This man will commend those that are most zealous, if they were but wise: if he meet with a black mouth'd swearer, he will not reprove him, lest he be displeased with him. If he meet with an honest man, he will yeeld to all he saith, that so he may commend him: And when he meeteth them both together, they shal be both alike welcome (what ever he thinketh) to his house and table, because he would fain be at peace with all men.

Ninthly, and lastly, the way of self-love, whereby a man fearing terribly he shal be damned,The way of self- •• ve. useth diligently all means whereby he shal be saved. Here is the strongest difficulty of all, to row against the stream, and to hate a mans self, and then to follow Christ fully.

I now come to the sixth general head purp sed in order to be considered.

CHAP. VI.

THat the grand cause of mens eternal ruine; or why so many are damned, and so few saved by Christ, it is from themselves, Ez k 3 11. Why will ye die?

The great cause why so many people die and perish everlastingly, is, because they will. Every man that perisheth, is his own bu cher, or murtherer, Matth. 3.27. Hos. 13.9. This is the point we purpose to prosecute at the present.

The question here will be,Quest. how men plot and perfect their own ruine?Answ.

By these four princ pal means,How men plot their own ruine. which are the four great rocks that most men are split upon; and great necessity lyeth upon every man to know them for when a powder-plot is discovered, the danger is almost past. I say there, are these four causes of mans eternal overthrow, which I shall handle largely, and make use of every particular reason when it is opened and finished.

First, by reason of that bloody black ignorance of men, whereby thousands remain wofully ignorant of their spiritual estate, not knowing how the case standeth between God and their souls; but thinking themselves to be well enough already, they never seek to come out of their misery, till they perish in it.

Secondly, by reason of mans carnal security, putting the evil day far from them, whereby they feel not their fearful thraldom, and so never groan to come out of the slavish bondage of sin and Satan.

Thirdly, by reason of mans carnal confidence, whereby they shift to s ve themselves by their own duties and performances when they feel it.

Fourthly, by reason of mans bold presumption, whereby men scramble to save themselves by their own seeming faith, when they see an insufficiency in duties, and an unworthiness in themselves for God to save them.

I will begin with the first reason, and discover the first train whereby men blow up themselves,Ignorance the first general reason of mans ruine. which is this: They know not their misery, not that fearful acccursed forlorn estate wherein they ly; but think and say, they shal do as well as others; and therefore when any friend perswadeth them to come out of it, and showeth them the danger of remaining in such a condition: What is their answer? I pray you, save your breath to cool your broth 〈◊〉 verie fat shal stand on his own bottom: Let me alone, I hope I have a soul to save as well as you, and shal be as careful of it as you shal, cr ••• n e: you shal not answer for my soul: I hope I shal do as well as the precisest of you all. Hence likewise, if the Minister c me home to them, they go home with hearts full of out-cryes against the man, and their tongue dipt in gall against the Sermon. God be merciful unto us: if all this be true, here is harsh doctrine enough, to make a man run out of his wits, and to drive men to despair. Thus they know not their misery; and not knowing, they are lost and condemned crea ures under the everlasting wrath o God. They never seek, pray, strive or follow the means whereby they may come out of it, and so perish in it, and never know it, till they awake with the flames of hel about their ears. T ey will acknowledge indeed, many of them, that all men are born in a most miserable estate, but they never apply particularly that general truth to themselves, saying, I am the man. I am now under Gods wrath, and may be snatcht away by death eve ie hour, and then I am undone and lost for ever.

Now, there are two sorts of people that are ignorant of this their misery.

First, the common sort of prophane, blockish, ignorant people.

Secondly, the finer sort of unsound hollow professors, that have a peacoks pride, that think themselves fair, and in a very good estate, though they have but one feather on their brest to boast of.

I will begin with the first sort, and show you the reasons why they are ignorant of their misery, that is for these four reasons.

First, sometimes because they want the saving means of knowledge. There is no faithful Minister, no compassionate Lot, to tell them of fire and brimstone from heaven, for their crying sins. There is no Noah to forwarn them of a flood: There is no messenger to bring them tydings of those armies of Gods devouring plagues and wrath, that are appro ching near unto them, They have no pilots, poor forsaken creatures, to show them their rocks. They have either no Minister at all to reach them, either because the Parish is too poor, or the Church-living too great to maintain a faithfull man (the strongest asses car ying the greatest burthens commonly (O •• ful Physitians! Sometimes they be prophane, and cannot heal themselves, and sometimes they be ignorant. And know not what to preach, unless they should follow the steps of Master Latimers Fryer, or at the best, they shoot off a few pot guns against gross sins: or if they do show men their misery, they lick them whole again, with some comtable ill applyed sentences: (but I hope better things of you, my brethren) the mans Patron may haply storm else. Or else they say commonly, thou hast sinned, but comfort thy self, despair not, Christ hath suffered: And thus skin over the wound, and let it fester within, for want of cutting it deeper. I say therefore because they want a faithful watch man to cry, Fire, fire, in that sleepy estate of sin and darkness wherein they ly; therefore whole Towns, Parishes, generations of men, are burnt up, and perish miserably, Lament. 2.14.

S condly, because they have no leasure to consider of their misery, when they have th means of revealing it unto them, as Felix, Acts 24.25. Many a man hath many a bitter pill given him at a S rmon, but he hath not leasure to chow upon it. One man is taken up with suits in Law, and another almost eaten up with suretiship, and ca king cares how to pay his debts, and provide f r his own: another hath a great charge, and few friends, and he saith, the world is hard and hence, like a mole, too eth in the earth, week dayes and Sabb th dayes: the world thus calling them on one side, and lusts on another, and the devil on the other side, they have no leasure to consider of death, devil, God, nor themselves, hell, nor heaven, The Minister cryeth and knocketh without, but there is such a noise and number of tumultuous lusts and vain thoughts in their hearts and heads, that all good thoughts are sad unwelcome guests, and are knockt down presently.

Thirdly, because if they have leasure, they are afraid to know it. Hence people cry out of Ministers, that they dam all, and will hear them no more, and they will not be such fools as to believe all that such say; the reason is, they are afraid to know the worst of themselves; they are afraid to be cut, and therefore cannot endure the Chirurgien; They think to be troubled in mind, as othe s are, is the verie high rode to despair; and therefore if they do hear a rale, how one after hearing of a Sermon grew distracted, or drowned, or hanged himself, it shall be an item, and a warning to them, as long as they live, for troubling their heads about such matters. Men of guilty consciences (hence) flie from the face of God, as prisoners from the Judge, as debtors from the creditor. But if the Lord of Hosts can catch you, you must and shall feel with horro of heart that which you fear a little now.

Fourthly, because if they be free from this foolish fear, they cannot see their misery, by reason that they look upon their estates through false glasses, and by vertue of manie false principles in their minds, they cheat themselves.

Which false principles, are these principally: I will but name them.

First, they conce ve, God that made them, will not be so cruel as to damn them.

Secondly, because they feel no misery, but are very well, therefore they fear none.

Thirdly, because God blesseth them in their outward estates, in their corn, children, calling, friends, &c. would God bless them so if he did not love them.

Fourthly, because they think sin to be no great evil, for all are sinners, for this cannot mischieve them.

Fifthlie, because they think Gods mercy is above all his works, though sin be vile, yet conceiving God to be all mercie, all honey, and no justice, they think they are well.

Sixthly, because they think Christ died for all sinners, and they confess themselves to be great ones.

Seventhly, because they hope well, and so think to have well.

Eightly, because they do as most do, who never crying out of their sins while they lived, and dying like lambs, at last they doubt not for their parts, but doing as such do, they shall die happily, as others have done.

Ninthly, because their desires and hearts are good, as they think.

Tenthly, because they do as well as God will give them grace, and so God is in the fault only, if they perish.

These are the reasons and grounds upon which prophane people are deceived.

Now it followeth to show the ground on which the finer sort mi c rry.

Secondly, hollow professors cheat and cozen their own souls. It is in our Church as it is in an old wood, where there are many tall trees, yet cut them and search them deeply, they prove pithless, sapless, hollow, unsound creatures. These men twist their own ru ne with a finer threed, and can guggle better then the common sort, and cast mists before their own eyes, and so cheat their own souls. It is Ministe s fi st work to turn men from darkness into this light, Acts 26 18 and the Spirits first wo k to convince men of sin, John 16 9 And therefore it is peoples main work to know the wo st at first of themselves,How men ome to be deceiv d about their spiritual estates.

Now the cause of these mens mistaking, is three-fold.

First, the spiritual madness and drunkenness of their understanding.

Secondly, the false bastard peace begot 〈◊〉 nourished in the conscience.

Thirdly, 〈…〉 and secret distempers of the will.

First, there are these seven drunken distempers in the understanding or mind of man, whereby he cometh to be most miserably deceived.

First, the understandings arrogancie. You shal never see a man mean and vile in his own eyes deceived, Psal. 25.9. but a proud man or woman is often cheated. Hence proud Haman thought surelie he was the man whom th King would honor, when in truth it was intended for poor Mordecay. For pride having once over-spread the mind, it ever hath this propertie, it maketh a pennie stand f r a pound: a spark is blown up to a flame: it maketh a great matter of a little seeming grace: and therefore the proud Pharisee, when he came to reckon with himself, he taketh his poor counter, that s, I am not as other men, nor as this Publican and setteth it down for a thousand pound; that is, he esteemeth of himself, as a verie rich man for it. So many a man, because he hath some good thing in himself, as, he is pitiful to the poor, he is a true man, though a poor man, he was never given to wine of women. He magnifieth himself for this tittle, and so deceiveth and over-reckoneth himself. There are your Bristow-stones like diamonds, and man cheaters cozen Countrey folks with the that desire to be fine, and know not what diamonds are. So many men are desirous to be honest, and to be reputed so not knowing what true grace means: therefore Bristow-stones are pearles in their eyes. A litle seeming grace shineth so bright in their eyes, that they are half bewitched by it, to think highly of themselves, although they be but glittering seeming jewels in a swines snout. A cab of doves dung was sold in Samaria in its time of famine, at a great rate: A man living in such a place, where all about him are either ignorant, or prophane, or civil, a little moral honesty (dung, in respect of true grace) goeth a great way, and is esteemed highly off, and he is as honest a man as ever lived. A man that looketh through a red glass, all things appear red: A man looking upon himself through some fair spectacles, through some one good thing that he hath in himself, appeareth fair to him. It is said Luke, 20. ult. the Pharisees devoured widows houses. Might not this racking of rents make them question their estates? No. Why? They for pretence made long prayers: so many men are drunk now and then, but they are sory: they cannot but sin, but their desires are good: they talk idle y, but they live honestly: they do ill ometimes, but they mean well. Thus when some good things are seen in themselves, pride pu teth them with an overweening conceit of it, and so they cozen their own souls.

Secondly, the understandings obstinacie, whereby the mind having been long •• oted in this opinion, that I am in a good estate, will not suffer this conceit to be pluckt out of it. Now your old rooted, yet roo en professors, having grown long in a good conceit of themselves, will not believe that they have been fools all their lifetime, and therefore now must pull down, and lay the foundation again: And hence you shall hear men say of a faithfull Minister that doth convince and condemn them, and their estate, to be most woful: What? shall such an upstart teach me? Doth he think to make me dance after his pipe, and to think that all my good prayers, my faith, my charity, have been so long abominabe and vile before God? No silver can bribe a man to cast away his old traditional opinions and conceits, whereby he cheateth himself, till Christs blood do it, 1. Pet. 18. And hence the woman of Samaria, objected this against Jesus Christ, that their old Fathers worshipped in that mountain, and therefore it was as good a place as Jerusalem, the place of Gods true worship, John 4.20. Men grow crooked and aged wi h good opinions of themselves, and can seldom, or never, he set str ight again. Hence such kind of people, •• ough they would fain be taken for honest religious Christians, yet will never suspec their estates ro be bad themselves, neither can they endure that any other should search or suspect them to be yet rotten at the heart. And are not those wares and commodities much to be suspected, nay concluded to be stark naught, which the seller will needs put upon the chap-mam, without seeing or looking on them first? It is a strong argument we produce against the Papists Religi n to be suspected to be bad, because they obtrude their opinions on their followers, to be believed without any hesitation or dispute about them, either before or after they have embraced them: certainly thy old faith, thy old prayers, thy old honesty, or form of piety, are counterfeit wares, that cannot endure searching, because thou wilt not be driven from this conceit: I am in a good estate. I have been so long of this good mind, and therefore will not begin to doubt now. It is to be feared, that such kind of people (as I have much observed) are either notoriously ignorant, or have sometime or other fallen into some horrible secret grievous sins, as whore ome, oppression, or the like, the guilt of which lying yet secretly on th m, maketh them fly from the light of Gods truth, which would find them out, quarelling both against it, and the Ministers that preach it, Rom. 2. . And therefore as it is with thieves, when they have any stollen goods brought within doors, they will not be searched or suspected, but say, they are as honest m n as themselves that come to search; for they fear if they be found out; that they shal be troubled before the Judge, and may hardly escape with their lives: so many old professors when the Minister cometh t search them, they clap to the doors upon the man, and truth too and say, they hope to be sa ed, as well as the best of them all. The rea on is, they are guilty, they are loath to be troubled, and cast down, by seeing he worst of themselves; and think it is ard for them to go to heaven, and be saved, if they h ve been in a wrong way, all ver lifetime. An honest heart wi l cry fter the best means, Lord, search me, John 3.20. and open all the doors to the •• ter ainment of the straightest, strictest truths.

Thirdly, the understandings obscurity, or ignorance of the infinite exactnes , glorious purity, and absolute perfection of the Law of God: whence it cometh to pass, that this burning lamp, or bright Sun of Gods Law, being set in their minds, rotten grounds of their own righteousness, doing some things according to the Law of God, shineth and glistereth gloriou •• y in their eyes, in the dark night-time of dismal darkness; by doing of which, they think they please God, and their estates are very good. I was alive, saith Paul, Rom 7.9. without the Law: & he giveth the reason of it, because sin did but sleep in him, like a cut-throat in an house, where all is quiet. Before the Law came, he saw not that deadly sec et coat of corruption, and that letter of rebellion that was lurking in his heart, and therefore thought highly of himself for his own righteousness. The Gospel is a glass to show men the face of God in Christ, 2. Cor. 2. ult. The Law is that glass that showeth a man his own face, and what he himself is: Now if this glass be taken away and not set before a deformed heart, how can a man but think himself fair? And this is the reason why civil men, formaists, almost every one, think better of themselves then indeed they are, because they reckon without their 〈◊〉 ; that is, they judg of the number, nature, and greatness of their sins by their own books, by their own reason: They look not Gods debt-book, Gods exact laws over, and compare themselves therewith: If they did, it would amaze the stoutest heart, and pluck dow mens plumes, and make them say: Is there any mercy so great as to pass by such sins, and to put up such wrongs, and to forgive such sins and debts, one of which a one may undo me, much more so many?

Fourthly, the understandings security, or sleepiness, whereby men never reflect upon their own actions, nor compare them with the rule: Although they have knowledge of the Law of God, yet it is with them, as it is with men that have a fair glass before them, but never beholding themselves in the glass, they never see their spots. This is the wo of most unregenerate men: they want a re •• ecting power and light, to judge of themselves by, Jer. 8.6. You sha have them think on a Sermon, Here is for such an one, and such an one is touched here: when it may be the s me Sermon principally speaketh of them. But they never say, this concerneth me. I was found out through the goodness of the Lord to day: and surely the man spake unto none but unto me, as if some body had told him what I have done. And hence you shal find out many lamb Christians, that will yeeld to all the truthes delivered in a Sermon, and commend it too; but go away, and shake off all the truths that serve to convince them. And hence many men, when they examine themselves in general, whether they have grace or no, whether they love Christ or no; they think yes, that they do with al their hearts; yet they never have this grace, or any other, what ever they think; because they want reflecting light to judge of generals, b their own p rticula courses. For te l these men, that he that loveth another truely, will often think of him, speak of him, rejoice in his company, will not w ong him willingly in the least thing. Now ask them if they love Christ th •• If t ey have any reflecting of light, they will s e where they have one thought of Christ, they have thousands on o her things. R joice nay, they are weary of his company, in word in prayer And that they do not only wrong him, but make a light matter of it; when it is done, all are sinners and no man can live without sin. Like a sleepie man (fire burning in his bed-straw) he c yeth not out, when others haply lament his estate, that see a far off, but cannot help him, Isai. 42.25. A man that is to be hanged the next day, may dream over night he shal be a King: why? because he is asleep, he reflecteth not on himself. Thou mayest go to the devil, and be damned, and yet ever think and dream that all is well with thee. Thou hast no reflecting light to judge of they self. Pray, pray herefore that the Lord would turn your eyes inward; and do not let the devil and delusion shut you out of your wn house, from seeing what Court is kept there every day.

Fifthly, the understandings impeity, whereby it lessens and vilifies the glorious grace of God in another; whence it comes to pass, that this deluded soul seeing none much better then himself, concludeth, If any be saved I shal no doubt be one, Isa. 26.10 11. Men will not behold the majesty of God in the lives of his people: many a man being too light, but desirous to go and pass for current, weighs himself with the best people, and thinketh, what have they that I have not? what do they that I do not? And if he see they go beyond him, he then turns his own ballan e with his finger, and makes them too light, that so he himself may pass for weightie.

And his vilifying of them and their grace, judging them to be of no other mettel then other men, appeareth in three particulars.

First, they raise up false 〈◊〉 of Gods people, and nourish 〈◊〉 of evil suspitio s of them. If they know any sin committed by them, they will conclude they be all such. If they see no offensive sin in any of them, they are then reputed a pack of hypocrites. If they are not so uncharitable (having no grounds) they prophesie, they will hereafter be as bad as others, though they carry a fair flowrish now.

Secondly, if they judge well of them, then they compare themselves to them, by taking a scantling only by their outside, and by what they see in them; and so, like children, seeing stars a great way off, think them no bigger nor brighter then winking candles They stand a far off from seeing the inside of a child of God: they see not the glory of God fil ing that Temple: they see not the sweet influence they receive from heaven, and that fellowship they have with their God and hence they judge but meanlie of them, because the outside of a Christian is the worst part of him, and his glory shineth chiefly within.

Thirdly, if they see Gods people do excel them, that they have better lives and better hearts, and better knowledge, yet they will not conclude, that they have no grace; because it hath not that stamp that honest mens money hath. But this prank they play, they think such and such good men have a greater measure, and a higher degree of grace then themselves, yet they dare be bold to think and say, their hearts are as up ight, though they be not so perfect as others are. And so vilifie the grace that shineth to the best men, by making this gold to d ffer from their own copper, not 〈◊〉 , but gradu •• ly: and hence they deceive themselves miserably; not bu that one ( 〈◊〉 ) or sincere Christian differeth from another in glory: I speak of those m n only that never were fixt in so high a Sphere, as true honesty dwelleth, yet falsly fa her this bad conclusion, that they are upright for their measure, that they have not the like measure of grace received, as others have.

Sixth y, the understandings idolatry, whereby the mind setteth up, and boweth down to a false image of grace; that is, the mind being ignorant of the height and excellencie of true grace, taketh a false scantling of it, and so imagineth and fancieth within it self, such a measure of common grace to be true grace which the soul easily having atta ined unto, conceiveth it is in the state of grace, and so deceiveth it self miserablie, Rom. 10.3.

And the mind cometh to set up her image thus.

First, the mind is haunted and pursued with troublesome fears of hell: conscience telleth him he hath sinned, and the Law telleth him, he that die; and death appeareth and telleth him, he must shortly meet with him: And if he be taken away in his sins, then cometh a black day of reckoning for all his privie pranks: a day of blood horror, judgement, and fire, where no creature can comfort him. Hence saith he, Lord, keep my soul from these miseries: he hopeth it shal not prove so evil with him, but feareth it will.

Secondly, hereupon he desireth peace and ease, and some assurance of freedom from these evils. For it is an hell above ground, ever to be on the wrack of tor •• nting fears.

Thirdly, that he may have ease, he will not swagger his trouble away, nor drown it in the bottom of the cup, nor throw it away with his dice, nor play it 〈…〉 carts, but desi eth some grace, 〈…〉 commonlie it is the least measure of 〈…〉 Hereupon he desireth to hear such Sermons, and read such books as may best satisfie him concerning the least measure of grace; for sin only troubling him, grace only can comfort him soundly: And so, Grace, which is meat and drink to an holy heart, is but Physick to this kind of men, to ease them of their fears and troubles.

Hereupon being ignorant of the height of i e grace, he fancieth to himself such a measure of common grace, to be true grace: As, if he forseth himself ignorant of that which troubleth him, so much knowledge will I then get, saith he. If some foul sins in his practise trouble him, these he will cast away, and so reformeth: If om ssion of good duties molesteth him, he will hear better; and buy some good prayer-book, and pray oftner: And if he be perswaded such a man is a very honest man, then he will strive to do as he doth, and now he is quieted.

When he hath attained unto this pitch of his own, now he thinketh himself a young beginner, and a good one too, so that if he dieth, he thinke h he shal do well; if he liveth, he thinketh and hopeth he shal grow better: and when he is come to his own pitch, here he setteth down his state fully sati fied. And now if he be prest to get into the estate of grace, his answer is, That is not to be done now, he th nke h God, that care is past. The truth is, beloved, it is too high for him, his own leggs could never carry him chi h r, all his grace coming by his own working, not by God Almighties power. Let a man have false weights, he is cheate grievously wi h light gold: why? because his weights are too light: So these men have too light w ights, to judge of the weight of true grace; therefore light, clipt crackt pieces cheat them. Hence you shal have those men commend pithless, sapless men, for verie honest men, as ever brake bread: why? they are just answerable to their weights. Hence I have not much wondered at them, who maintain that a man may fall away from true grace. The reason lyeth here. They set up to themselves such a common work of grace to be true grace; from which, no wonder that a man may fall. Hence Bellarmine saith: That which is true grace, veritate essentia, only may be lost, not that grace which is true, veritate firmae soliditatis; which letter being rightly understood, may be called special, as the other common grace. Hence also you shal have many professors hearing an hundred Sermons, never moved to grow better. Hence likewise you shal see our common Preachers comfort every one a most that they see troubled in mind, because they think presently they have true grace: Now they begin to be sorrowful for their sins. It is just according to their own light weights.

For the Lords sake, take heed of this deceit. True grace, I tell you, it is a rare pearl, a glorious Sun clouded from the eyes of all but them that have it, Rev. 2.18. A strange, admirable, almighty work of God upon the soul, which no created power can produce, as far different in the least measure of it, from the highest degree of common grace, as a devil is from an angel; for it is Christ living, breathing, reigning, fighting, conquering in the soul? Down therefore with your idol grace, your idol honesty: True Grace never aimeth at a pitch, it aspireth only to perfection, Phil. 3.12.3. And therefore Chrysostome calleth 〈◊〉 Paul, insatiabili De cultor: A greeedy, insatiable, devouring worshipper of the Lord Almightie.

Seventhlie, the understandings error, 〈◊〉 another cause of mans ruine.

And that is seen principally in thes five things, these five errors or false conceits.

First, in judging some trouble of mind, some light sorrow for sin, to be true repentance; and so thinking they do repent, hope they shall be saved: for sin is like sweet poison while a man is drinking it down by commi ting of it, there is much pleasure in it, bu after the committing of it, there is a sting in it, Prov. 23.31.32. Then the time cometh when this poison worketh, making the heart fewe with grief, sorie they are at the heart, they say for it: and the eyes drop, and the man that committed sin with delight, now cryeth out with grief in the bitterness of his soul: O that I, east what I 〈◊〉 had never committed i , Lord, mercy mercy, Prov. 5.3 4.11, 12. Nay, it may 〈◊〉 they will fast, and humble, and afflict their souls voluntarily for sin, and now they think they have repented, Isa. 58.3. And hereupon, when they hear that all that sin shal die, they grant this is true indeed, except a man repent, and so they think they have done already. This is true, At what time 〈◊〉 a sinner repenteth, the Lord will bl t out his iniquities. But this repentance is not when a man is troubled somewhat in mind for sin, but when he cometh to mourn for sin, as his greatest evil, as if he should see all his goods and estate on a light fire before him; and that not for some sins, but all sins little and great; and that not for a time, for a fit and away (a land-flood of sorrow) but always like a spring never dry, but ever running all a mans lifetime.

Secondly, in judging the striving of conscience against sin, to be the striving of the flesh against the spirit; and hence come these speeches from carnal black mouthes: The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. And hence men think, they being thus compounded of flesh and spirit, are regenerate, and in no worse estate then the children of God themselves as sometime I once spake with a man that did verily think, that Pilate was an honest man, because he was so unwilling to crucifie Christ, which unwillingness did arise only from the restraint of conscience against the •• ct. So many men judge honestly yet simply, upon such a ground of themselves; they say, they strive against their sins: but Lord be mercifull unto them, they say the flesh is fra l: and hence Armin us giveth a di erse interpretation of the 7. cap. of the Romans, from ordinary Divines; concerning which, Paul speaketh in the person of an unregenerate man because he observed divers gr celess persons as (he saith himself) having fallen, and falling commonly into sins against conscience, to bring that chapter in their own defence and comfort, because they did that which they allowed not, verse 15 and so it was not they, but sin that dwelled in them.

And so many amongst u know they should be better, and strive that they may grow better, but through the power of sin, cannot; conscience telleth them they must not sin, their hearts and lusts say they must sin; and here forsooth is flesh and spirit. Oh, no, here is conscience and lust only by the ears together. Which striving, Herod Balaam, Pilate, or the vilest reprobate in the world may have. Such a war argueth not anie grace in the heart, but rather more strength of corruption, and more power of sin in the heart; s It is no wonder if a horse run away when he is loose, but when his bit and bridle is in his mouth; now to be wild, argueth he is altogether untamed and unsubdued. Take heed therefore of judging your estate to be good because of some backwardness of your hearts to commit some sins, though little sins: for thy sins may be, and it is most certain, are more powerfull in thee, then in others that have not the like struglings, because they have not such cheks as thou hast to restrain thee. Know therefore that the striving of the Spirit against the flesh, is against sin, because it is sin: as a man hateth a toad, thought he be never poisoned by it: But the striving of thy conscience against sin is only against sin, because it is a troubling, or a damning sin. The striving of the Spirit against the flesh is from a deadly hatred of sin. Rom. 7.15. But thy striving of conscience against sin, is only from a fear of the danger of sin: for Balaam had a mind to curse the Israelites for his money sake; but if he might have had a house full of silver and gold (which is a goodly thing in a covetous eye) it is said he durst not curse them.

Thirdly, in judging of the sincerity of the heart by some good affection in the heart. Hence many a deluded soul reasoneth the case out thus with himself. Either I must be a prophane man, or an hypocrite or an upright man. Not prophane, I thank God, for I am not given to whoring drinking, oppression, swearing: nor hypocrisie, for I hate these shows: I cannot endure to appear better without, then I am within, therefore I am upright. Why? Oh! because mine heart is good, mine affections and desires within, are be ter then my life without: and what ever others judge of me, I know mine own heart, and the heart is all that God desir •• h. And thus they fool themselves Prov. 28. 6. This is one of the greatest causes and grounds of mistake amongst men that think best of themselves: they are not able to put a difference between the good desires, and strong affections that arise from the love of Jesus Christ.

Self-love will make a man seek his own good and safety hence it will pull a man out of his bed betimes in the morning, and call him up to pray: it will take him and carry him into his chamber towards evening, and there privately make him seek, and pray, and ug hard for pardon, for Christ, for mercy, Lord evermore give us of this bread. But the love of Christ maketh a man desire Christ and his honor for himself, and all other things for Christ. It is true the desires of sons in Christ by faith, are accepted ever; but the desire of servants, men that work only for their wages out of Christ, are not.

Fo ••• hly, in judging of Gods love to them, 〈◊〉 aiming sometimes at the glory of God. Is this possible, that a man should aim at Gods glory, and yet perish? Ye , and ordinary too. A man may be liberal to the poor,2. Kings. 10.11. maintain the Mi istry, be forward. and stand for good things: whence he may not doubt but that God loveth him. But here is the difference, though a wicked man may make Gods glory in some particular things, his end, yet he never maketh it in his general course his utmost and last end, A subtil apprentice may do all his Masters work, but he may take the gain to himself, or divide it betwixt his Master and himself, and so may be but a knave, as observant as he seemeth to be: So a sub i heart (yet a vile vi ••• nous heart) may forsake all the world, as Judas did; may bind himself apprintice to all the duties God r quireth outwardly at his hands, and so do good works: but what is his last and 〈◊〉 is that he might gain respect or place, or that Christ may have some part of the glory: and he another Simon Mag •• , would give any mo •• y sometimes that he could pray so well, know so much, and do as others do, and yet his last end is for himself but how can you believe. if you seek not that glory that cometh from God? saith Christ. There is many seek the honor of Christ; but do you seek his honor only: Is it your last end where you rest, and seek no more but that? If thou wouldest know whether thou makest Christs glory thy last end, observe this rule.

If the art more grieved for the eclip •• of thine own honor, and for thine own losses, then for the loss of Gods honor: it is an evident sign thou lovest it not, desirest it not as thy chiefest good, as the last end, for thy summum onum; and therefore dost not seek Gods honor, in the pri ••• and chiefest place. Sin troubled aul more then all the plagues and miseries of the world. Indeed, if thy name he do shed with disgrace, and thy will be r ssed, thine heart is rieved and disquieted; but the Lord may loose his honor dayly by thine own sins, and those that be round about thee; but no a ear, not a sigh, not a groan, to behold such a spectacle. As sure as the Lord liveth, thou seekest not the Lords Name, or honor, as thy greatest good.

Fifthlie, in judging the power of sin t o be but infirmi y for if any thing trouble an unregenerate man, and, maketh him call his estate into question, it is sin either in the being or power of it. Now sin in the being, ought not, must not, make a man question his estate, because the best have that left in them that will humble them, and make them live by faith; therefore the power of sin only can trouble a man. Now if a man do judge of this to be only but infirmitie, which the best are compassed about wi hall, he cannot but ly down securely, and think himself well. And if this error be settled in one that liveth in one known sin, it is very difficult to remove for let the Minister cast he sparks of hell in their faces, and de ounce the terror of God against them, they are never stirred. Why? because they think, Here is for you that live in sin: But as for themselves, although they have sins, yet they strive against them, and so cannot leave them: for we must have sin as long as we live here, they say. Now mark it, there is no surer sign of a man under the bloody reign, and dominion of his lusts and sins then this; that is to give way to sin, (though never so little and common) not to be greatly troubled for sin (for they may be a little troubled) because they cannot overcome sin, I deny not, but the best do sin dayly, but this is the disposition of Paul, and every child of God he mourneth not the less, but the 〈4 pages missing〉 they think the Lo d looketh not for it at their hands. Now satan giveth men liberty in their sinful courses, and this liberty begetteth peace, and this peace 〈◊〉 them think well of themselves, 2. 〈◊〉 2.19. There is many rotten 〈◊〉 in these dayes, that indeed will not open their mouthes against the sincere hearted people of God, yet they walk loosely, and take too much liberty in their speeches, l berty in their thoughts, liberty in their desires and de ights, liberty in their company, in their 〈◊〉 , and that sometimes under a pretence of Christian liberty and never trouble themselves with these needless controversies, to what end, or in what manner do I use these things? Whereas the righteous man feareth alway, considering there is a snare for him in every lawful liberty. May not I sin in my mirth, in my speaking, in my 〈◊〉 Oh! this libe ty that the devil giveth, and the world taketh, before most men with a foolish opinion, that all is well with them.

Thirdly, by giving the soul good dyet, meat and drink enough, what dish he liketh best. Let a Master give liberty; yet his servant is not pleased, unless he hath meat and drink and food; so there is no wicked man under heaven, but as 〈◊〉 taketh too much liberty in the use of lawful things, so he feedeth his heart with some unlawful secret ust, though all the time they live in it, it may be, it is unknown to them, Luke 16. D •••• had his d sh his good 〈◊〉 , and so •• ng himself 〈◊〉 and bade his sou take his ase, and 〈◊〉 ye , observe this dyet is poisoned 〈◊〉 self, but ever commended to the soul 〈◊〉 wholesome, good and lawful. They christen sin with a new name, as Popes are at their election: if he be bad, they call him sometimes Pius, if a coward, 〈◊〉 , &c. So covetousness is good husbandrie: company keeping, good neighbor-hood: lying to save their credit from cracking, but an handsome excuse: And hence the soul goeth peaceablie on, and believeth he is in a good estate.

Fourthly, by giving the soul rest and sleep, that is cessation sometimes from the act of sin: Hence they are hardly perswaded, that they live in sin, because they cease sometimes from the act of sin; as no man doth alwayes swear, nor is he alwayes drunk, nor alwayes angrie. They think, only their falls in these, or the like sins, are slips and falls which the best man may have sometimes, and yet be a dear child of God. Oh! a an wil no alwayes set men at his wo k: for if men should alwayes have their cups in their hands, and their queans in their armes: if a covetous man should alwayes root in the earth, and never pray, never have good thoughts, never keep any Sabbath; if a man should alwayes speak idl ly, and 〈◊〉 a good word drop from him, a mans ••• science would never be quiet, but 〈◊〉 him up from what he doth, but by gi •• ng him respite from sinning for a time, satan getteth stronger possession afterward, as Matth. 1 .43. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, it returneth worse. Samsons strength alwayes remained, and so doth sins strength in a natural man, but it never appeareth until temptation come.

Fifthly, by giving the soul fair promises of heaven and eternal life, 〈◊〉 fastning them upon the heart. Most men are confident, their estate is good, and though God killeth them, yet will they trust in him, & cannoth be beaten from this. Why? Oh! satan bewitcheth them. For as he told Evah by the serpent, she should not die; so doth he insinuate his perswasions to the soul, though it live in sin, he shal not di ut to do well enough, as the precisest. Satan giveth thus good words, but woful wages, the eternal flashes of hell.

II. By false Teachers Who partly by their loose examples, partly by their flattering doctrines in publick, and their large charity in private, dawbing up every one (especially that is a good friend unto them) for honest and religious people, and if they be but a little troubled, applying comfort presently, and so healing them that should be wounded, and 〈◊〉 telling them roundly of their Hero das, 〈◊〉 John Baptist did Herod. Hereupon th judge themselves honest, because the Mi nister will give them the beggerly pasport, and so they go out of the world, and die like lambs, being wofully cheated, Matth. 24.11. Look abroad in the world, and see what is the reason so many feed their hearts with confidence they shal be saved, yet their lives condemn them, and their hearts acquite them: the reason is, such and such a Minister will go to the Ale-house, and he never prayeth in his family, and he is none of these precise hot people, and yet as honest a man as ever liveth, and a good Divine too. Aha was miserably cheated by four hundred false Prophets. Whilst the Minister is of a loose life himself: he will wink at others, and their faults, lest in reproving them, he should condemn himself, and others should say unto him; Physitian, heal thy self. Thieves of the same company will not steal from one another, lest they trouble thereby themselves: and hence they give others false carts to sail by, fall rules to live by, their unconscionable large charity, is like a gulf that 〈◊〉 alloweth ships (souls I mean) tossed 〈◊〉 tempests, and not comforted, Isa . 4.7.8. And hence all being fish that ometh to their net, all men think so of •• emselves.

III. A false spirit. This is a third ause that begetteth a false peace. As there 〈◊〉 a true Spirit that witnesseth to our spi •• t, that we are sons of God, Rom. 8.16. 〈◊〉 there is a false spirit, just like the true 〈◊〉 , witnessing that they are the sons of God; 1. John. 4 1. we are bid, try the spi its: now if these spirits were not like Gods true Spirit, what needeth tryal? As, what need one ry whether dirt be gold, which are so unlike to each other? And this Spirit I take to be set down, Matth. 4.23. Now look as the true Spirit witnesseth, so the false spirit, being like it, witnesseth also.

First, the Spirit of God humbleth the soul. So before men have the witness of the false spirit, they are mightily cast down 〈◊〉 dejected in spirit; and hereupon they 〈◊〉 for ease, and purpose to lead new 〈◊〉 , and cast away the weapons, and sub it, Psal. 66.3.

Secondly, the Spirit of God in the ospel revealeth Jesus Chri •• and his illingness to save; so the false spirit •• scovereth Christs excellency and willingness to receive him, if he will but come in. It fareth with this soul, as with Surveyors of lands, that take an exact compass of other mens grounds, of which they shal never enjoy a foot. So did Balaam, Num. 24.5.6. This false spirit showeth them the glory of heaven, and Gods people.

Thirdly, hereupon the soul cometh to be affected, and to taste the goodness and sweetness of Jesus Christ, as those did, Heb. 6. and the soul breaketh out into a passionate admiration: Oh! that ever there should be any hope for such a vile wretch as am, and have been! And so joyeth exceedingly, like a man half way wrapt up into heaven.

Fourthly, hereupon the soul being comforted after it was wounded, now calleth God, my God, and Christ, my sweet Savior, and now it doubteth not but it shal be saved Why? because I have received much comfort after much sorrow and doubting, Hos. 8.2.3. and yet remaineth a deluded miserable creature still, But here mark the difference between the witness of each spirit. The false spirit maketh a man believe he is in the state of grace, and shal be saved, because he hath tasted of Christ, and so hath been comforted, and that abundantly: But the true spirit perswadeth a man, his estate is good and safe, because he hath not only tasted, but bought this Christ, as the wise merchant in the Gospel, that rejoyced he had found the pearl, but yet stayeth not here, but selleth away all, and buyeth the pearl. Like two Chapmen that come to buy wine, the one tasteth it, and goeth away in a drunken fit, and so concludeth it is his: So a man doth that hath the false spirit: but the true spirited man doth not only taste, but buyeth the wine, although he doth not drink it all down, when he cometh to taste it: yet he having been incited by tasting to buy it now he calleth it his 〈◊〉 : so a child of God tasting a little of God, and a little of Christ, and a little of the promises at his first conversion, although he tasteth not all the sweetness that is in God, yet he forsaketh all for God, for Christ, and so taketh them lawfully as his own.

Again, the false spirit having given a man comfort and peace, suffereth a man to rest in that estate; but the true Spirit having made the soul t ste the love of the Lord, stirreth up the soul to do a work mightily for the Lord. Now the soul cryeth out. What shal I do for Christ that hath done wonders for me? If every hair of my head were a tongue to speak of his goodness, it were too little, Nehem. 8.10. The joy of the Lord is our strength, Psal. 51.12. Uphold me with thy free spirit or as the Chaldean paraphrase hath it, thy kingly spirit. The spirit of adoption in Gods child is no underling, suffering men to ly down, and cry, My desires are good, but flesh is frail. No, it is a kingly spirit that reigneth where it liveth.

IV, False applying of true promises, is the last cause of false peace. And when a man hath Gods Spirit within, and Gods hand and promise (as he thinketh) for his estate, now he thinketh all safe. This did the Jews, they said, We have Abraham to our father: and so reputed themselves safe God having made them promise: I will be a God of thee, and of thy seed. But here is a difference between a child of Gods application of them and a wicked mans: the first applyeth them so to him, as that he liveth upon them, and nothing but them: and to whom doth the dug belong,Psal. 38 19. but to the child that liveth upon it? The other liveth upon his lusts and creatures, and yet catcheth hold on the promise.

By these four means is begot a bastard false peace.

Thus much of the second cause of mans deceiving himself; false peace in the conscience.

Now followeth the third.

III. The corruptions and distempers of the will, which is the third cause why men deceive themselves, which are many, I will only name three.

First, when the will is resolved to go on in a sinful course, and then setteth the understanding a work to defend it: whence it fareth with the soul, as with a man that cometh to search for stollen goods, who having received a bribe afore-hand, searcheth every where but where it is, and so the man is never found out to be what he is: So a man having tasted the sweetness of a sinful course (which pleasure bribes him) he is contented to search into every corner of his heart, and to try himself, as many do except ther where his darling lust lyeth, he sitteth upon that, and covereth it willingly from his own eyes, as Rachel did upon •• ollen goods, and so never findeth out himself, ohn 3.20. A man that hath a mind to sleep quietly, will cause the curtains to be drawn, and will let some light come in, but shutteth out all that, or so much as may hinder him from sleeping: So a man having a mind to sleep in some particular sinful course at his ease, will search himself, and let some light come into his mind.

And hence many prophane persons, that know much, their opinions are orthodox, their discourse savory, yet do they know little of themselves, and of those sins and lusts that haunt them, which they must part with, because this light troubleth them, it hindereth them from sleeping in their secure estate, and therefore they draw the curtain here. Hence many men that live in those sins of the grossest usury, finding the gain, and tasting the sweet of that sin, will read all books, go to all those Ministers they suppose that hold it lawful, and so pick up and gather reasons to defend the lawfulness of the sin, and so because they would not have it to be a sin, find out reasons whereby they think it no sin: but the bottom is this, their will hath got the bribe, and now the understanding playeth the Lawyer; and hence men live in the most crying sins, and are sure to perish, because they will not know they are in an error.

Secondly, when the will setteth the understanding a work to extenuate and lessen sin; for many when they see their sin, yet maketh it smal, by looking at the false end of their optick glass, they think such smal matters never make any breach between the Lord and their souls. Hence they say, The best man sinneth seven times a day: and who can say my, heart is clean? What is the reason that a child of God hath little peace many times after commission of smal sins? Oh! it is because they see the horrible nature of the least sin, smal wrongs against so dear,The secōd reason why men ruine thē selves. so great a friend as the Lord is, it cutteth their hearts; yet a carnal heart is never troubled for great sins, because they make a light matter of them.

Thirdly, wilful ignorance of the horrible wrath of God. Hence men rush on in sin, as the horse in the battle. Hence men never fear their estates, because they know not Gods wrath hanging over them. Coldest snakes when they are frozen with cold, never sting nor hurt, one may carry a nest of them in his bosom; but bring them to the fire, then they hiss and sting: so sin, when it is brought near Gods wrath (that devouring fire) it maketh men cry out of themselves, Then I am undone: Oh! I am a lost creature! But being not thus heated, sin never maketh a man cry out of himself.

These are the causes why men are ignorant of their woful miserable e tate, which ignorance is the first rock, or the first powder-plot that spoileth thousands.

Yet there are three more dangerous, because more secret.

Now followeth the second reason of mens ruine. By reason of mans carnal security, whereby men cannot be affected with, not so much as have hearts to desire to come out of their misery, when they know it; for if a mans mind understand his misery, yet if the heart be hard or sleepy, and not affect d, lo den, wounded, humbled, and made to groan under it, he will never greatly ca e to come out of it, Isai. 29.9.10. Now this is the estate of many a soul, he doth know his misery but by reason of the sleepy, secure, sensless spirit of slumber, he never feeleth it, nor mourneth under it, and so cometh out of it.

Now the reasons of this securitie are these.

Because God poureth not out the full measure of his grace upon men, because he kindleth not the pile of wrath that lyeth upon men: it is reserved and concealed, not revealed from heaven, and so long, let God frown, Ministers threaten, and smaller judgements drop, yet they will never seek shelter in Jesus Christ, but sleep in their sins, until God rain down floods of horror, blood, fire; untill Gods arrows stick in mens hearts, hu . 1.2. they will never seek out of themselves unto Jesus Christ, Eccles. 8.11. So long as Gods plagues were upon Pharao, he giveth fair words, and Moses must be sent to pray for him: but when Gods hand is taken away, now Ph ra h hearts is hardened. So long as Gods sword is in his scabberd, men have such stout hearts, that they will never yeeld: God must wound and cut deep, and stab, and thrust to the very heart, else men will never yeeld, never awaken, till Gods fists be about mens ears, and he is dragging them to the stake. Men will never awake and cry for a pardon and deliverance of their woful estate.

Secondly, because if they do in part feel, and so fear Gods wrath, they put away the evil day far from them, they hope they shal do better hereafter, and repent some other time; and therefore they say, Soul eat, drink, follow thy sports, cups, queans: thou hast a treasure of time, which shal not be spent in many years, Isai. 22.12.13. That looketh as it is with the waxe, let it be of never so pliable a disposition, and the fire never so hot, yet if it be not brought near the fire, and be held in the fire, it never melteth, but still remaineth hard; so it is here. Let a man or woman have never so gentle or pliable a n ture, and let Gods wrath be never so hot and dreadful in their judgements, yet if they make not the day of what prefer to them, if they see it not ready every m ment to light upon their hearts, they are never melted, but they remain hard hear ed, secure, sleepie wretches, and never groan to come out of their woful estate and this is the reason why many men that have guilty consciences, though they have many secret wishes, and purposeth to be better, yet never cry out of themselves, nor never seek earnestly for mercy, till they ly upon their death-bed; & then, oh, the promises that they ply God with! Try me, Lord, and restore me once more to my health, and life again, and thou shalt see how thankful I will be, because that now they apprehend wrath and miserie near unto them, Heb. 3.13.

Thirdly, because they think they can bear Gods wrath, though they do conceive it near at hand, even at the very doors: men think not that hell is so hot, nor the devil so black, nor God so terrible as indeed he is. And hence we shall observe the Prophets present Gods wrath as a thing intollerable before the eyes of the people, that thereby they might quench all those cursed conceits of being able to bear Gods wrath, Nehem. 1.6. And hence we shall have many men desperately conclude, they will have their swinge in sin, and if they perish, they hope they shall be able to best it: It is but a damning, they think, and hence they go on securely. O poor wretches! the devil scares and fears all the world, and at Gods wrath the devils quake and yet secure men fear it not, they think hell is not so horrible a place:

Fourthly, because they know no better an estate Hence though they feel their woful and miserable condition, yet they desire not to come out of it. Although men find hard lodging in the world, hard times, hard friends, hard hearts, yet they make a shift with what they find in this miserable Inne, untill they come to hell, for such a man pursued by outward miseries, or inward troubles there stayeth. O miserable man! that maketh shift till he come to hell. They may hear of the happie estate of Gods people, but not knowing of it experimentally, they stay where they are, John 4.14.

Take a Princes child, and bring it up in a base house or place, it never aspireth after a Kingdom or Crown: So men hatcht in this world, knowing no better an estate, never cast about them to get a better inheritance, then that they scramble for here Wives mourn for the long absence of their beloved husbands, because they know them, and their worth. God may absent himself from men, weeks, moneths, years, but man shed not one tear for it, because they never tasted the sweetness of his presence It is strange to see men take more content in their cups and carts, pots and pipes, dogs and hawks, then in the fellowship of God and Christ in the word, in prayer, in meditation, which Ordinances are burden, and prisons unto them What is the reason of it 〈◊〉 . Is there no more sweetness in the presence of Gods smiling in Christ, then in a filthie whore? Yes: but they know not the worth, sweetness, satisfying goodness of a God; yet into fresh waters they will never return, because now th y taste a large difference betwixt each estate. So it is here, if men did but once taste of the happiness of Gods people, they would not for a thousand worlds be one half hour in their wilde loose sea again.

Fifthly, because if they do know a better estate, yet their present pleasures, their sloath, doth so bewitch them, and Gods denyals when they seek un o him, do so far discourage them, that they sleep still securely in that estate. A sloathfull heart bewitched with present ease, and pleasures and delights considering many a tear, many a prayer must it make, many a night must it break its sleep, many a weary step must it take towards heaven and Christ, if ever he come there, groweth discouraged and deaded, and hard-hearted in a sleepy estate, and had rather have a bird in the hand, then two in the bush, Prov. 11.32. Jer. 48.11. The Israelites wished that they were at their onyons and garlick again in Egypt. Was there no Canaan? Yes but they wished thus, because there were walls built up to heaven, and gyants sons of Anack in the land, difficulties to overcome. O slothfu l hearts! Secondly because God somtimes put them to straits, and denyed them what they sought for, t ey were of such a waspish, teastie sullen spirit, that because the Lord had them not alwayes on his knees, they would run away: So many a man meeteth with sorrow enough in his sinfull dropsi , drunken estate; he heareth of heaven and a better estate, yet why goeth he to his lusts and flesh-pots again? Oh! because there are so many difficulties and blocks and hindrances in his way, and because they pray and find not ease, therefore they ea , drink, laugh, sport and sleep in their miserable estate sti l, Ma h. 7.14. Therefore men walk in the broad way, because the other way to life is strait and narrow: it is a plague, burden, a prison, to be so strict: men had rather it a most an hour in the stocks, then be an hour at prayer: me had rather be damned at last, then swea it out, and run through the race to receive a Crown, and hence men remain secure.

Sixthly, because of the strange strong power of sin, which beareth that sway over mens souls, that they must serve it, as prisoners stoop to their Jailor, as souldiers that have taken their pay, their pleasure of sin, must follow it as their Captain, though they go marching on to eternal ruine: nay, though Doms-day should be to morrow, yet they must, and will serve their lusts. As the Sodomites when they were smitten with blindness Rom. 1. ult. which tormented their eyes, as though they had been pricked with thorns for so the Hebrew word signifieth, even when destruction was near, they groped for the door. Men cannot but sin though they perish for sin; hence they remain secure.

Seventhly, despair of Gods me cy: Hence; like Cain, men are runagates from the face of God. Men think they shall never find mercy when all is done hence they grow desperately sinfull, like those Italian Senators, that despairing of their lives (when upon submission they had been promised their lives) yet being conscious of their villanie, made a curious banquet, and at the end of it, every man drank up his glass of poison, and killed himself: So men feeling such horrible hard hearts, and being privy to such notorious sins, they cast away lives, and heaven and souls for lust, and so perish wofully, because they lived desperately, and so securely.

Eightly, b cause men nourish a blind false, flattering hope of Gods mercy: hence many knowing and suspecting that all is nought with them, yet having some hope they may be in a good estate, and God may love them: hence they ly down securely, and rest in their flattering hope. Hence observe, those people that seldom come to a conclusion, to a point, that either they are in the state of grace or out of it, that never come to be affected, but remain secure in their condition, they commonly grow to this desperate conclusion, that they hope God w ll be merciful unto them; if not, they cannot help it: Like the man that had on his target the picture of God and the devil: under that first he writ, Si tu non vis, If thou 〈◊〉 not. Under the other he writ, Ipse rogitat. Here is one will.

Ninthly, because men bring not their hearts under the hammer of Gods word to be broken: they never bring their consciences to be cut. Hence they go on still securely with festered consciences. Men put themselves above the word, and their hearts above the hammer: they come not to have the Minister to humble them, but to judge of him, or to pick some pretty fine thing out of the word, and so remain secure sots all their dayes: for if ever thy heart be broken, and thy conscience be awaked the word must do it: but people are so Sermon trodden, that their hearts, like foot-paths, grow hard by the word.

Tenthly, because men consider not of Gods wrath dailie; nor the horrible natu e of sins, men chew no these pills: hence they n ver come to be affected nor awakned.

Awaken therefore all you secure creatures;Use. feel your misery, that so you may get out of it. Dost thou know thine estate is nought, and that thy condemnation will be fearful, if ever thou dost perish; and is thine heart secretly secure, so damnably dead, so desperatlie hard, that thou hast no heart to come out of it what? no sigh, no tears, canst thou carrie all thy sins upon thy back, like Sampson the gates of the City, and make a light matter of them? Doest thou see hell fire before thee, and yet wilt venture? Art thou worse then a beast which we cannot beat nor drive into the fire, if there be any way to escape? oh, get thine heart to lament and mourn under thy miseries, who knowes then but the Lord may pitty thee? But, oh, hard heart! thou c nst mourn for losses and crosses, burning of goods and houses, yet though God be lost, and his image burnt down, and all is gone, thou canst not mourn. If thine heart were truelie affected, the pillow would be washed with thy tears, and the wife in thy bosom would be witness to thine heart breakings in midnight for those sins which have grieved the spirit of God many a time, thou couldest not sleep quietly, nor comfortably without assurance. If you were sick to death. Physitians should hear how you do; and if you were humbled, we should hear you in the bitterness of your spirits cry out. What shall we do? but know it, thou most mourn here or in hell. If God broke Davids bones for his adulterie, and the angels backs for their pride; the Lord if ever he saves thee will break thine heart too.

Quest. But thou wilt say,Quest. How shal I do to get mine heart affected with my miserie?

Answ. Take a full view of thy miserie,Answ. .How to get a broken heart. Take special notice of the Lords readiness and willingness to receive thee yet unto mercie: for two things harden the heart. 1. False hope whereby a man hopes he is not so bad, as indeed he is. 2 No hope whereby a man when he seeth himself so notoriously bad, thinks there is no willingness in the Lord to pardon or receive such a monster of man to mercie, and if neither the hammer can break thy stony heart, nor the Sun-shine of mercie melt it, thou hast an heart worse then the devil, and a t a spectacle of the greatest mercy. 1 In regard of sin. 2. In regard of Gods wrath.

First, in regard of sin. Thou hast sinned and that grievously against a great God, thou makest no great matter of this: No, but though it be no load to thee, it is a load on the Lords heart, Isaiah, 1.24. and time will come he will make the whole sinful world by rivers of fire and blood to know what an evil it is.

For 1 In everie sin thou dost strike God, and sting a dagger at the heart of God. 2. In every sin thou dost spight against God: for if there were but one only thing wherein a man could do his friend a displeasure, was not here spight seen i he had that thing? Now tell me, hath not the Lord been a good friend unto thee, Tell me, wherein hath he grieved thee? And tell me, in what one thing canst thou please the devil, and do God a displeasure, but by sin? Yet, O hard heart, thou makest nothing of it; but consider thirdly, in every sin thou doest dis-throne God, and setteth thy self above God for in every sin, this question is put whose will shal be done, Gods will or mans? Now man by sin sets up his own wi l above the Lords and so kicks God, (blessed for ever, adored of millions of Saints and Angels) as filth under his feet. What, will this break your hearts?

Consider then of Gods wrath, the certaintie of it, the unsupportableness of it, how that dying in thy sins, and secure estate, it shall fall, for when men cry, Peace, Peace, 1 Thes. 5.3.4. 1 Cor. 5.19. then cometh sudden destruction at unawares; pray therefore to God to reveal this to thee, that thine heart may break under it. Secondly, consider of the Lords mercy and readiness to save thee, who hath prepared mercy, and intreats the to take it; and waiteth every day for thee to that end.

The third Reason of mans ruine is, that carnal confidence, whereby men seek to save themselves,3. General reasons of mans ruine. and to scramble out of their miserable estate by their own duties and performances, when they do feel themselves miserable: the soul doth as those. Hos. 5.13. when men they be wounded and troubled, they never look after Jesus Christ, but go to heir own waters to heal themselves, like hunted Harts when the arrow is in them, Rom. 9.31 32.

For the opening of this point, I shall shew you these two things.

1. Wherein this resting in duties appears.

2. Why do men rest in themselves.

First, this resting in Duties appears in these eleven degrees.

1. The soul of a poor sinner, if ignorantly bred and brought up,Wherein mens resting in duties appeareth. resteth confidently in superstitious vanities. Ask a devout Papist, how he hopeth to be saved? He will answer, By his good works. But enquire further, What are these good works? why? for the most part superstitious ones of their own inventions (for the crow thinketh her own bird fairest (a whipping themselves, pilgrimage, fasting mumbling over their Pater nosters, bowing down to images and crosses,

2. Now these being banished from the Church and Kingdom, then men stan upon their titular profession of the tru Religion, although they be devils incarnate in their lives. Look up and dow the Kingdom, you shal see some roaring drinking, dicing, carting, whoring in taverns and blind ale-houses; others belching out their oathes, their mouthes eve casting out, like raging seas, filthy frothy speeches: others, like Ismaels, scoffing 〈◊〉 the best men, yet these are confident they shal be saved. Why? (they say) they are no Papists; hang them, they will die for their Religion, and rather burn then turn again, by the grace of God. Thus th Jews boasted, they were Abrahams s •• d so our carnal people boast:Zeph. 4.11. Am not I 〈◊〉 good Protestant? Am I not baptized Do not I live in the Church, & therefor resting here, hope to be saved? I remember a Judge, when one pleaded once with him for his life, that he might not be hanged, beause he was a Gentle-man he told him, that therefore he should have the gallows made higher for him: So when thou pleadest, I am a Christian, and a good Protestant, yet thou wilt drink and swear, and whore, neglect prayer, and break Gods Sabbath, and therefore thou hopest to be saved: I tell thee, thy condemnation shal be greater, and thy plagues in hell the heavier.

3. If men have no peace here, then they 〈◊〉 to, and rest in the goodness of their insides: you shal have many a man, whom if you follow to his chamber, you shall find very devote, and they pray heartily for the mercy of God, and forgiveness of sins: but follow them out of their chambers, watch their discourses, you shal find 〈◊〉 frothie and vain, and now and then powdered with faith, and truth, and obscene speeches. Watch them when they are cros , you shal see them as angrie as wasps, and swell like turkies, and so spit out their venom like dragons. VVatch them in their journeyes, and you shal see them shoot into an ale-house, and there wi l and swagger, and be familiar with the scum of the Countrey for prophaneness, and half drunk too some-times. Watch them on the Lords day, take them out of the Church once, and set aside their best cloathes, they are the same then as at another time: and because they must not work nor sport that day, they think they may with a good conscience, •• eep the longer on the morning. Ask now such men how they hope to be saved, seing their lives are so bad? They say, though they make no such showes, they know what good prayers they make in private: their hearrs, they say, are good. I tell you, brethren, he that trusteth to his own heart, and his good desires, and so resteth in them, is a fool. I have heard of a man that would haunt the taverns, and heaters, and whore-houses at London all day, but he durst not go forth without private prayer in the morning, and then would say at his departure; Now devil do thy worst: and so used his prayers (as many do) only as charms, and spels against the poor weak cowardlie devil, that they think dareth not hurt them, so long as they have good hearts within them, and good prayers in the chamber: and hence they will go near to rai e against the Preacher, as an harsh Master, if he do not comfort them with this, that God accepteth of their good desires.

4. If their good hearts cannot quiet them but conscience telleth them, they are unsound without, and rotten at core within, then men fall upon reformation; they will leave their whoring, drinking, cozening, gaming, companie-keeping, swearing and such like roaring sins, and now all the Countrey saith, he is become a new man, and he himself thinketh he shal be saved, . Pet. 2.20. They escape the pollutions of the world, as swine that are escaped and washed from outward filth, yet the swinish nature remaineth still, like mariners that are going to some dangerous place ignorantly, if they meet with storms, they go not backward, but cast out their goods that endanger their ship, and so go forward still: so manie a man, going toward hell, is forced to cast out his lusts and sins, but he goeth on in the same way still for all that. The wildest beasts as (staggs) if they be kept waking from sleep long, will grow tame; so conscience giving a man no rest for some sins he liveth in, he groweth tame. He that was a wild Gentle-man before, remaineth the same man still, onlie he is made tame now; that is, civil and smooth in his whole course: and hence they rest in reformation, which reformation is commonlie but of some troublesome sin, and it is because they think it is better following their trade of sin at another market: and hence some men will leave their drinking, and whoring, and turn covetous, bec use th re is more gain at that market, sometimes it is because sin hath left them, as an old man.

5. If they can have no rest here, they get unto ano her starting hose, they go to their humiliations, repentings, tears, sorrows, and confessions. They hear a man cannot be saved by reforming his life, unless he come to afflict his soul too H must sorrow and weep here, or else cry out in hell hereafter. Hereupon they betake themselves to their sorrows, tears, confession of sins, and now the wind is down, and the tempest is over and they make themselves safe, Math. 11 2 . They would have repented: that is the Hea hen, as Beza speaketh, when any wrath was kindled from heaven, they would go to their sack c oath and sorrows, and so th ught to pacifie Go •• anger again, and here they rested so it is with manie a man. Many people have sick fits and qualms of conscience, and then they do as crowes, that give themselves a vomi , by swallowing down som stone when they are sick, and then they are well again: so when men are troubled for their sins, they will give themselves a vomit of pra er, a vomit of confession, and humiliation, Isai. 58.5. Hence 〈◊〉 〈2 pages missing〉