Godly-fear, or, The nature and necessity of fear, and its usefulness both to the driving sinners to Christ and to the provoking Christians to a godly life ... / by R.A., author of Vindiciæ pietatis.

Vse .

The Application is that which I chiefly intend , and this shall be by way of Information , Exhortation , and Direction ; I shall put them all together . For the more effectual carrying on whereof , I shall inform and warn you ; 1. Of the Opposites of this Fear . 2. Of the Grounds or Reasons , why men Fear not . 3. Of the Reasons why you should Fear . 4. What you should Fear . 5. How you should improve this Holy Fear .

I. The Opposites of this Fear are ; 1. Rashness . 2. Audacity . 3. Security .

1. Rashness , Hastiness or Headiness in our way . Fear will make Men consider . 'T was good Counsel which the Town-Clerk gave in the Tumult , Acts 19.36 . that they did nothing rashly ; Eccles. 5.2 . Be not rash with thy Mouth , neither let thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God . The Apostle reckons hasty ones among the dangerous Persons , 2 Tim. 3.4 . Men shall be heady , precipites , running headlong on their course , acting not upon Counsel , but their suddain apprehensions , or any strong impulses of their hearts ; at all adventures , whether it be right or wrong . Fear will make Men wary , and advised what they do .

Christians , if you would walk safely , look before you , speak nothing rashly , do nothing rashly , weigh your Thoughts and Intentions before you let them pass into action . How many Evils doth rashness and headiness run us upon ? Those words which in an heat we have let fly , some of our hasty Carriages and Actions have sometimes cost us many dayes sorrow and repentance , which had we been cautelous , and a little better advised , might have been prevented . Sometimes a sudden passion arises , and out it goes in angry and froward words , setting all in an uproar and combustion ; by and by our hearts recur upon us , and then we wish , O that I had bit my Tongue , and not given it such an unbridled liberty . Sometimes we break out into rash censures of those that it may be are better than our selves ; whereupon when we reflect , we are ashamed that the Fool 's Bolt was so soon shot , and wish we had been judging our selves when we were censuring our Brethren . Take heed you mistake not rashness and headiness , for Zeal ; I would not cool Godly Zeal , there 's too little of it in the World . We need the Spur more than the Bridle ; the Bellows , nor the Bucket . We may not quench true Zeal , the Lord be merciful to us , there is not so much of it to be found ; we had more need cast on Oil than Water upon that Holy Fire ; Zeal for Truth , Zeal for Righteousness and Holiness ; how happy were it if there were more such Flames , if all our shining were also burning Lights ? But Zeal must be regular ; as for the Matter of it , it must be alwayes in a good thing , Gal. 4.18 . So it must be managed with good Counsel and Caution ; mistaken Zeal is a Fire that devours that good that it pretends to promote .

But as you may not run headlong upon that which hath the face of Good , much less upon that which is apparently evil . It 's dangerous to be heady in the Matters of God , wherein , in case we are right , we can never over-do ; but much more mischievous to run headlong upon Sin ; Jer. 8.6 . Every one turned to his course , as the Horse rusheth into the Battel , without fear or wit . O the witless mad-headed multitude of Sinners in the World , how do they rush on upon their wickedness ? they will neither ask Counsel nor take Counsel , but on they will at a venture , come of it what will .

Stand Sinner and fear , fear and consider ; what is it thou art doing ? whither is it thou art running ? thou wilt on thy Way , thou wilt after thy Lusts , and after thy Companions ; thou wilt after these Riches , and these Pleasures , there 's no stopping thee , nor putting thee to pause upon it ; thou art all in haste , and impatient to be advised : But yet for all thy haste , take heed of what comes after , thy Bargain is not like to be so good as to require such haste ; hasty Bargains seldom want woe . What-ever is done rashly , seldom comes to any other issue , but either Repentance or Ruine . Qui ante non cavet , &c. If thou wilt not Fear , thou wilt shortly find what 't is to be thus head-strong and precipitant .

2. Audacity , or fool-hardiness , or mad venturousness upon known dangers . This is of kin to rashness , but is not the same . It is the other extream to Cowardise ; the mean betwixt both is Fortitude . The Fear we are now treating of , is not opposite to Fortitude as Cowardise is ; 't is not from pusillanimity , but from magnanimity that we thus fear . The most Heroick Spirits most fear to be base ; Exod. 1.17 . Those worthy Midwives feared God , and feared to sin against God , and therefore feared not the Wrath of the King .

And as this Holy Fear doth not argue faint-heartedness , so neither doth that audacity argue fortitude . Is it valour or madness for a naked Man to run upon an Army of Enemies ? Such Desperadoes as kick against the pricks , and run upon the Pikes of Divine Vengeance , who knowing the Judgment of God against them that do such things , will yet run their course of In quity , not fearing of Judgments , laughing at Reproofs , Threatnings and Warnings , and deriding those trembling Hearts that dare not run on with them to the same excess of riot . What gallantry of Spirit do they count themselves to have arrived unto ? Gallantry of Spirit ! what to dare the Almighty to his Face ? to challenge Death and Hell to meet you in the Field ? for the Briars and Thorns to gather themselves to Battel against the devouring Fire ? Sure if ever you come to your wits , you will understand how mad you have been .

Sinner , darest thou continue in thine unbelief and impenitency , when thou knowest that he that believeth not , shall be damned ; he that repenteth not , shall perish for ever ? Darest thou to walk after thy Lusts , fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the Mind , when thou knowest that they that live after the flesh , shall die ? Thou knowest what the place and the portion of the Proud , of the Covetous , of the Liars , of the Hypocrites is , and yet darest thou continue in the number and the way of these Men ?

Dost thou dare to go down quick into the Pit , to take up thy dwelling in everlasting Darkness , and thy lodging in the Eternal Fire ? Awaken from this Folly , put away this madness from thee ; Awake and tremble to think what a desperate adventure thou hast hitherto run .

If you should see your Children in sport jumping over a boyling Furnace , dancing on the Battlements of a Tower , or in a frolick , standing on tip-toe on the Weather-cock of a Steeple , how would your Bowels turn , your Bones tremble , and all within you shake and shiver ? And will you yet be more venturous and fool-hardy your selves ? If ever you come to your selves , you will be your own Wonder and Fear .

3. Security , Carnal Security . Security is often taken for Safety . To have our Estates , or our Peace , or our Souls secured , is the same as to have them all in safety . Job 11.14 , 15. If iniquity be in thine hand , put it far away , then shalt thou be secure , because there is hope , and thou shalt take thy rest in safety . This Carnal Security is a retchlesness or carelesness of Heart ; to be without sense of our danger , and without sollicitude for our safety . The cares of this Life , and the Pleasures of the Flesh , do stupifie the Sinners of the Earth ; do lay their Souls a-sleep , and bind up their senses , so that they neither fear nor mind what 's like to come upon them . This was the case of the old World , in the dayes of Noah , Luke 17.27 . They did eat , they drank , they married , and were given in marriage , till the day came that Noah entred into the Ark. Their sensuality laid them all a-sleep , and they never dream't of that Flood that came and destroyed them all . It is said of the Men of Laish , Judges 18.7 . They dwelt careless , after the manner of the Zidonians , they were quiet and secure . They neither feared Enemies , nor made any provision against them , but left themselves open to the mercy of any Invader . Secure Sinners lay themselves open to all manner of mischiefs ; the Tempter may come , the Avenger may come upon them before they are aware ; and he that may come will come ; The Lord of that Servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him , and in an hour when he is not aware , and will cut him in sunder , and appoint him his portion with Vnbelievers , Luke 12.46 .

O how sick is this World of this Lethargick Distemper ! We cannot say , as once 't was said , Isa. 33.14 . The Sinners in Zion are afraid , fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites . Behold the Sinners all asleep , and who is there among the Hypocrites that fears ? But how is it with you Sinners , are you in no danger ? Is there no Devil in the World ? or is there no fear that he intends to hurt you ? Is that Lion that us'd to walk up and down seeking whom to devour , is he now confin'd to his Den , so that he cannot hurt the Earth any more ? Are your Lusts , those Lion's Whelps , grown tame ? Do they no longer war in your Members ? Doth the World cease to be a temptation and a snare , and are you out of danger of that Perdition and Destruction , in which it draws its Lovers ? Is there no danger of your becoming Proud , or Covetous , or Sensualists , lovers of Riches , lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God ; or is it no harm if you be so ? Nay what woful Work hath been made upon you already ? What inrodes and invasions have been made , and are not your Souls already taken Captives ? Behold that ignorance and folly , that impotence and weakness , that enmity and perversness , that malice and envy wherewith your hearts are already filled , and that stupidity and senslesness under all these evils that appear upon you ; What doth all this portend ? Doth it speak good concerning you ? Doth it say thus concerning you , these Men are in an happy state , there 's no fear to Men in such a case ? no fear of the Covetous , no fear of the Drunkards , and the Lyars , and the Scoffers , they are all happy Men. Consider Man , whither doth Lust lead but to Sin , and whither doth Sin lead but to Death and to Hell ? Be not mistaken , that 's the Lake , that this whole Herd of Swine , being driven by the Devil , are running headlong into . Friends , this is the very case that the World is brought into , it lyeth in Wickedness , and runneth upon Vengeance . And yet , behold , all at quiet , all secure ; no news , nor noise , nor fear of danger , but all in peace . Dost thou not find , Sinner , that none of these things move thee , or put thee to any trouble or care . And is this sleepy Evil , the Disease only of the World ? Are there none to be found , in the Churches of God , sick of the same Disease ? Is there that watchfulness , that jealousie that should be upon those that profess themselves Christians , and to have escaped the pollutions of the World , through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ? Do these Virgins alwayes stand with their Loins girded , and their Lights burning ? Do not [ our ] Souls also lie open to the temptation ? is not our foot often taken in the snare ? What means the dimness of our Light , the damp that is upon our Love , the spots upon our Faces , the clouds that we sometimes find upon all our Comforts ? What means our poverty and leanness , our frequent decayes and backsliding ? How hath this World crowded in with so much of its Cares and Lusts , and hath seated it self so near the Throne of God ? Are there no worldly Professors , no covetous , greedy Professors ? Is it a sign thou hast stood upon thy Guard , that there are so many Thorns sprung up , so many Thieves stollen in before thou wert aware ? Dost thou not see how thou art surprized daily , and met with at every turn ? Dost thou not often confess this to the Lord , and complain against thy self , what an uneven , unstable Soul thou art , and how many , and how great thy Falls and Corruptions are ? and hast thou not still abundant matter of the same Complaints to make ? Who would think 't were possible , that such a soul should yet be secure and careless ? Hast thou catch'd so many a Fall for want of fear of falling , how then canst thou but Fear ? And yet after all this , after this sinning and falling , and confessing , and complaining , how quickly is all forgotten , and about the World again we go to our Businesses , to our Recreations , to this Company , to that , any whither , whither our Hearts or Occasions lead us , leaving our selves as open to every Temptation that meets us , as if we had never suffered by it ?

This Evil , as 't is a common , so it is a dreadful Evil ; there 's a Woe denounced against it , Amos 6.1 . Wo to them that are at ease in Zion . [ To them that are at ease ] that is , to th m that are secure , as you have it in the Margin [ In Zion ] in the Church of God . Woe to the secure Israelites , to secure Professors ; there 's no Priviledg , there 's no Profession that will secure the Secure from the Woe and Wrath of God .

'T is a wretched thing to behold a secure Worldling , secure Aliens and Strangers from God , who know not the Judgments of God ; but to see a company of secure Israelites , of secure Christians , to whom it hath been said , Awaken thou that sleepest , stand up from the Dead , save thy self from that misery that is coming upon the World ; this is indeed a woful and a wonderful thing . Thou that hast been warned so often , that hast been preached to , and prayed over , and hast been as a Brand pull'd out of the Burning , and yet no more to dread the Fire ; thou that hast tasted of the bitterness of Sin , and felt the smart of it , and hast had thine Eyes opened to see what it is preparing for thee ; thou that canst talk , sometimes of tenderness , of watchfulness , of care and heedfulness , and of the constant necessity thereof ; art thou a secure careless Soul ? Wo be unto thee .

Vers. 3. We have a particular Instance of one piece of this Security , [ that put far away the evil day ] which because it hath an influence upon the maintaining of this whole Disease ; I shall enlarge a little upon it .

By the Evil Day , understand the day of retribution or recompence ; whether it be the day of tribulation in this World , or the day of Death and of Judgment .

There is a double putting this evil day afar off . There is a putting it , 1. Far from our Reins . 2. Far from our Loyns .

1. Far from our Reins ; That is , from our Thoughts and Consideration ; as Jer. 12.2 . Thou art near in their Mouth , and far from their Reins . Thou art much spoken of , but little thought on . Thus Men put the Evil Day far off , when they do not think of such a day ; it 's out of sight and out of mind with them ; 't is the least of all their Thoughts , that there is an evil day coming . The thoughts of such a day , would have the same effect , as that cry that was made at the coming of the Bridegroom , Matth. 25.6 . At midnight there was a Cry made , Behold , the Bridegroom cometh ; and this cry turn'd Midnight into Morning ; all the Sleepers awakned , and arose , and trimmed their Lamps .

How is it Friends that there is not such a Cry made every Day and every Night ? How is it that your Hearts do not still cry in your Ears , The Day of the Lord is near , the Judg is at the Door , the Avenger is at the Heels , Behold the Bridegroom cometh ? O this seldom enters into our Hearts , this Day of the Lord is far from our Reins .

If the Evil Day were kept nearer us , 't would make Evil Works keep farther off . If when Men are jolly , and merry , and mad after their Lusts , and drunken into a dead sleep in their Sins ; If whilst others are idle and slothful , are retchless and supine in their Spirits and Ways , laying by all care and circumspection over themselves , giving themselves up to the heedlesness of their sluggish hearts ; and hereby led out into those sins & vanities which are the Fruits of such Security , if such Thoughts should arise in their Minds , and sit close upon their Hearts ; How shall I answer for this in the Day of the Lord ? Is not the Day of the Lord coming ? Is it not near ? May not the very next day be the Evil Day ? And if it should prove to be so indeed , what a case am I in if my Judg should find me thus ? How would such Thoughts scatter away Iniquity , and scare such drowsie Souls out of all their ease and slothfulness ?

Friend consider , thou knowest what a life 't is thou ordinarily livest ; Art not thou one of those that art at ease in Zion ? art not thou the Man that dwellest careless , that art quiet and secure ? hast not thou left thy Soul , like that City that hath neither Gates nor Bars ? is not that heart of thine left open Night and Day ? let the Tempter come when he will , he may find easie entrance ? Is not thine heart open to Temptations , yea , and open to Wrath and Vengeance ? Wouldst thou be content the Day of the Lord should find thee thus ? Art thou sure but that Day may find thee thus ? Would not such a Voice from Heaven , Thy Day is come , strike thee into horror and amazement , and strike through thy easie lazie Soul , as a Dart through thy Liver ? O why wilt thou not try , what some thoughts of that Day might do , whether it would not perswade thee to a wiser course , and put thee into a better case , against it comes indeed ?

It is a strange thing that it should be possible for Sinners , ( that believe the Scriptures ) not to think of a day of recompence . Hast thou not heard ? dost thou not read , that the Wages of Sin is Death ? dost thou not know that every working day must have its pay-day ? Canst thou be Sowing daily , and never think of Reaping ? And hast thou not learned , That as thy Sowing is , such must thy Reaping be ? that an evil Seed-time , will bring forth an evil Harvest ? Canst thou be Sowing Tares , and either not think of Reaping at all , or think of Reaping Wheat ? Is this all the wit thou hast ? Be not deceived , as Men Sow so shall they also Reap ; he that Soweth to the Flesh , shall Reap Corruption ; he that Soweth to the Spirit , shall Reap Life Everlasting , Gal. 6.7 , 8. Know it in time , and throughout thy Sowing , think of thy Reaping-Day .

2. Men put the Evil Day far from their Loyns . That is , though they do think of the Judgments of God , and as such , as both may overtake them , and if they fall , will fall heavy upon them , and grind them to Pouder ; yet they count 't will be a great while first , there may be time enough to prevent them , or at least the distance they apprehend of them , from them , makes them the less to be feared or regarded ; Eccles. 1.8 . Because Sentence against an evil work , is not executed specdily , therefore the Heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do evil . Because Judgment is so long a-coming , therefore they grow bold in their Sin , as if 't would never come . Not till after a long time , is almost the same with them , as never at all . As if because the Bench and the Gibbet , stand not both together , because the Sin and its Sentence , the Sentence and its Execution are not on the same day , therefore there will be no Sentence , no Execution ; as if because it's Sun-shine to day , there were no fear of a Storm for many dayes after .

The Thoughts of Sinners , are like those words of Rebellious Israel , Ezek. 12.27 . The Vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come , and he Prophesieth of the Times that are far off . Those Scoffers who walk after their own Lusts , 2 Pet. 3.4 . demand , in derision , Where is the Promise of his coming ? Where is the Promise , that is , where is the Threatning of his coming ? The same word that is a Promise to the Saints , is often a Threatning to Sinners . Where is the Threatning of his coming ? There hath been much Preaching and Talking of the Day of the Lord , of a Black Day that 's coming to pay all our Scores ; this hath been foretold a long time agone , even in the dayes of our Fore-fathers , who are yet gone to their Graves in peace ; and behold to this day , after the revolution of so many Ages , we see no sign of it , but all things are still as they were , and Men may sin at as cheap rates now as they did then . Those Rebel Jews , Isa 5.19 . That drew Iniquity with Cords of Vanity , and Sin as it were with Cart-ropes , are so bold as to say , Let the Day of the Lord come , let it hasten that we may see it ; let the Counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh that we may know it . Such Infidels were these Rebels become , that they made the Threatnings of the Lord a meer Mock , or a Dream , or a lying Vision , that would never come to pass .

But even among those that do believe that there is such a day a-coming , wherein the Lord will confirm the Word of his Servants , and perform the Counsel of his Messengers ; even amongst them there are who say , Yet the Lord may delay his coming ; I may have time enough to repent before it comes ; not considering that though to day it be said , [ Time enough ] , yet to morrow the word may be [ Too late , too late ] , though now the word be [ My Lord delayeth his coming ] , the next word may be [ He is come ] , the Day of the Lord is come , and I must no longer escape . O my foolish Soul , thou thoughtest such a day might come , but didst thou think it so near ? Wo , wo , unto me , the Day of Vengeance is come , in a day that I thought not of , in an hour that I was not aware , He is come , he is come , to cut me in sunder , and to give me my Portion with Hypocrites . It is fallen unto me , as to some Women with Child , my Time is come before my Reckoning was out .

Friends , Is there nothing of this kind of Security also to be found , even among those that take themselves to be wiser than this Bedlam-World ? How is it with many Professors of Religion ? Do we live in hourly expectation of the Day of Retribution ? Are we so vigilant , and so circumspect in our daily course , as Men that do believe that the Day of the Lord is at hand ? How didst thou live yesterday ? didst thou carry it so as if that should have been thy last day ? How dost thou behave thy self to day ? Dost thou now carry it so , as if thou expectedst to hear , This night shall thy Soul be taken away ? Dost thou hear daily , as if thou wert hearing thy last Sermon ? Dost thou pray daily , as if thou wert making thy last Prayer ? Dost thou not sleep daily , and sin daily , as a Man that presumeth on many dayes to come ? Dost thou never venture on a little sin , or on remisness in thy Duty with this thought , it will but be repenting of it after ? Wouldst thou dare to do what sometimes thou dost , wouldst thou dare to neglect what sometimes thou dost neglect , wert thou sure there would be no time for repentance ? Wouldst thou be so proud as thou art , or so covetous as thou art , or so vain or so slothful as thou art , if thou didst not count upon more day before thee ? Darest thou never lie down one night in an unrepented Sin , for fear of what may be before the morning ? O what Holy-Dayes , what Sabbath-Dayes would every day be , did we but daily think this may be my Judgment Day ! ] But dost thou use to think so ? Thou hast thy fleshly designs already laid for to morrow , and next day , and next year ; to morrow thou sayest , thou wilt go to such a City , to buy , and to sell , and to get gain ; next day to such a Fair , next day to such a Feast , to make merry with thy Friends ; and there thou goest , and eatest , and drinkest , and tradest , and so thou meanest to go on from Year to Year ; and all this , it may be , without such a thought [ if the Lord will ] , or [ what if I should not live till to morrow ] . Dost thou go up and down with thy Reckoning in thy Bosom ? Is thine Account made ready ? and dost thou carry it upon thine Heart where-ever thou goest ? Dost thou charge it upon thy self to do nothing , but what thou wouldst be found doing ? To go no whither , but where thou wouldst that thy Lord at his coming should find thee ? Dost thou use to say to thy self , I would be loath to be found among the sluggish and slothful Servants , among the Hypocrites and deceitful workers , among the loose and prophane ones ; and therefore take heed , O my Soul , how thou be of that number , or Companion with them . How can I be sure , but if I venture to lie , or play the sluggard or the hypocrite , but I may be found so doing ? How can I be sure , if I venture to have fellowship with the Ungodly , but I may be found among them ? Thou wilt say , it may be , 'T is possible I may be found there , but 't is not likely I shall , I hope I shall not , and so for once thou wilt venture it . Why this is thy Security , thou art one of them who put the evil day from them .

Well now these are the Opposites of this Fear , Rashness , Audacity , and Security .

II. The Grounds or Reasons of Mens Fearlesness , or why they fear not , these are especially these three ; 1. Ignorance . 2. Vnbelief . 3. Presumption .

1. One Reason why Men Fear not , is their Ignorance . This I have spoken some-what of before , and shall therefore speak the less now .

Blind Men have most cause of Fear of any Men ; if they stand upon never so safe ground , yet for ought they know , danger may be near . If danger be never so near , and never so great , yet being not able to discover it , there 's the less hopes of escaping it ; whether they are in danger or out of danger ; there 's still place for Fear , because they know not where they are . Blind Men , of any Men , have most reason to Fear , and yet the Spiritual Blind are most out of Fear . Men's Ignorance , as it puts them past feeling , Ephes. 4.18 , 19. so it puts them past Fear ; they have so little light , as not to see the evil that is before them , and they have so little wit , as not to suspect the evil they see not .

There is not any thing before them , or round about them , but they have need enough to fear it . Their very Hopes & Confidences , and the Refuges that they trust upon , if they knew what they were , would be formidable enough to them . Their Harbours in which they shelter themselves , are Rocks at which they split and dash themselves , their very Supports are their Snares .

What is the Hope of the Sinner ? It may be his Religion is his Hope ; and what is his Religion ? He believes there is a God , and is no Atheist ; he trusts in Christ , and is no Infidel ; he is a Protestant and no Papist ; he prayes and fasts , he is sober and honest , and harms no Man , and is no Publican ; and this is his Righteousness , upon which he ventures his Soul . But if he knew but what his Belief and his Trust is , how far short of the Faith of God's Elect ; if he understood what his Prayers and his Fastings are , rather Images and Shadows , than the Things themselves ; if he knew what lies and deceits , what a rotten Thread they are upon which he hangs his Hopes , and his Soul , 't would make his Confidence his Terrour . But he is ignorant , and is not able to say , Is there not a lie in my right hand ?

I would not take off Sinners from Praying and Hearing , and other Exercises of Religion ; I would not disgrace that little Morality , that Temperance , Truth , Righteousness , that 's found in any of them ; 't were well if all the Sinners of the Earth were Praying Sinners , and Hearing Sinners , if there were more morality found amongst the Unbelieving World . Prayer is a Duty , and our way to God ; Righteousness is a piece of the Image of God in Man ; a Jewel will sparkle , though it be set in a Swine's Snout . It 's pitty that they that have any thing of God , should have so much of the Devil , that they in whom any little good is , should make such ill use of it as to undo themselves by it . But what are the Prayers , what is the Religion and Righteousness of these Men ? What Carnal Devotion , what a Formal Religion , what blind and lame and sick Sacrifices do they satisfie themselves with ? which have nothing of Truth or Spirit within , no nor so much as a face or form of serious Godliness without . Yea , what is their Repentance , but a cold asking forgiveness , without either forsaking , or so much as seriously confessing their Sins ? What is their Righteousness , their Innocency and Harmlesness , they bless themselves in ? It may be no more but this , they are less wicked than some others . Here is the Hope and the Trust of these blind Souls ; But did they understand what Wood , Hay , and Stubble , what broken Reeds , what Cobwebs these are , their very Trust would be their Dread . But because they think it 's right , and sound , because they think their Sand on which they build , is a Rock ; this Babel , this confused and indigested heap of Rubbish , is their strong Tower , because they have not so much Light as to discover what Refuges of Lies these are ; therefore 't is that in the midst of danger they are out of fear .

The best of Sinners , if they understood it , is enough to make them afraid ; and if their best be so , O what would their worst be ! If their Religion be dangerous , what is their Irreligion ? If there be so little hope in their Prayers , what is there in their mocking at Prayers ? If they have reason to dread their Repentance , how would their Impenitence look ? If what they account their Righteousness will be their Ruine , what will their Wickedness be , what will their Oaths , and their Blasphemies , and their Adulteries be ?

But what-ever they be , or what-ever danger they be in , by the one or the other , by their Services or their Sins , by their Peace in Sin , or their War with God , they know it not , and so go on their way in quiet and secure .

2. Another Reason why Men Fear not , is their Vnbelief . The Belief of a God , as it will make good Men Hope , so it will make evil Men Fear . He that believeth that God is , can hardly but believe that he is the Rewarder of the Righteous and the Sinner . If there be a God , there is a Judg ; He that is the Maker , is certainly the Governour of the World ; and he that is their Governour , is their Judg. If there be a God , he is Holy , and therefore a lover of the Good , and hater of the Evil. If there be a God , he is Righteous , and will neither condemn the Innocent , nor hold the Wicked guiltless . If there be a God , he is Omniscient and All-seeing , there can be nothing , whether Good or Evil , that can be hid from his Eyes . If there be a God , he is Almighty , able to save and to destroy . As his Eye will find out , so by his Power he can revenge all ungodliness and wrong . If there be a Judg , one that is Holy , Righteous , All-seeing , and Almighty ; if there be a Judg , then there shall be a Judgment , wherein every Man must give an account of himself , and receive the reward of his doings , whether they be good or evil , Rom. 2.6 . 2 Cor. 5.10 .

'T is Mens Atheism that lies at the bottom of their Security in sinning . The Devil would have found it hard work to have fill'd the World with so much wickedness , if he had not first filled it with Atheists and Infidels . Sinner , how is it that thou darest be as thou art , and live as thou dost ? How canst thou eat , or drink , or sleep , for very fear ? Dost thou not see how much wickedness thou compassest thy self about withal ? What are thy Sins , but so many Devils or worse , and art not thou afraid of the Devil ? Whether thou art or no , Remember that there is a God . Can that Holy One but hate such a Beast as thou art ? Does not the All-seeing One see thee , will not his Eye find thee out ? Will not the Almighty one be too strong for thee ? Art thou stronger than he , and able to stand it out against him ? Is there not a Judg to sit upon thee , before whose Bar thou must be brought forth to answer for all thine ungodliness ? Shall not the Judg of all the Earth do right ? Will he either destroy the Righteous with the wicked , or will he spare the wicked with the Righteous ? There is a God Sinner , there is a God , believe and fear .

The belief of the very being of a God , would make Sin to be feared ; But what will the belief of what God hath said ? The Word of God hath more plainly and fully declared , ( beyond what might be gathered out of the bare notion of a God ) what the Sinners of the Earth must expect to receive from his hands .

Why , what is it that the Lord hath spoken ? Search the Scriptures , that 's a Book ( as to impenitent Sinners ) like Ezekiel's Roll , Ezek. 2.10 . Written all over with Lamentations , Mourning , and Wo. Herein is the Wrath of God revealed from Heaven , against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men , Rom. 1.18 . Who hath appointed a day wherein he will judg the World , Acts 17.31 . Who will appear in flaming Fire , rendring vengeance on them that know not God , and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ . Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction , from the Presence of the Lord , and from the Glory of his Power , 2 Thess. 1.8 , 9. Who shall be cast into the Lake of Fire , Rev. 20.15 . These and many more like words are written against Sinners in the Scriptures of God . O were this Word believed , that it is indeed the Word of God ; O were this God believed , that he is not as Man , that he should lye , or as the Son of Man , that he should repent , but will certainly perform , and do according to all things that are written in this Book ; This would make the stout-hearted to faint , and the strong Sinner to bow down at his Feet . But because of Mens unbelief , therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men are fully and fearlesly set in them to do evil .

O what Mettal are believing Sinners hearts made of ! What , dost thou believe the Scriptures , and yet not afraid to transgress ? Believest thou that God resists the Proud , and yet does not thy Pride make thee afraid ? Believest thou , that by thy lying , and covetousness , and oppression ; or but by thy vain life , thy walking after the flesh , and fulfilling the lusts thereof , thou art treasuring up Wrath for thy self against the Day of Wrath ? and yet darest thou go on ? canst thou be quiet and secure ? Sure that heart of thine is a very stone within thee . One would think it were not possible for such Sinners as believe the Scriptures , but we should find them all fallen upon their Faces , smiting upon their Thighs , shivering and quaking for fear of the Wrath of God , and the Judgment of the Great Day . But canst thou hold up thine Head , and keep on thy way , and mock at Fear ? Sure either thy Belief is Unbelief , thou believest not what thou thinkest thou dost , or else thy heart is as the nether Milstone .

3. Another Reason why Men Fear not , is their Presumption . As Mens Unbelief , so some Mens Belief is the Reason why they do not Fear . Presumption is Belief without a Bottom , an House built upon the Sand , a Spider's Web spun out of their own Hearts ; strong confidence founded on the weakness of a conceit , or the belief of a lye . This Presumption may be either , 1. Of the goodness of Mens present State ; Or , 2. Of the happiness of their future State , what-ever their present State be .

1. There is a Presumption of the goodness of their present State . It is some Mens unhappiness , that they believe themselves to be happy ; their great danger , that they believe themselves to be out of danger . Some Unbelievers , and impenitent Sinners , take themselves to be Believers and Converts to Christ ; some that are the Children of Hell , believe themselves to be the Children of God . This was the case of those Jews , John 8.39 . who said , with great confidence , Abraham is our Father , we are the Children of Promise ; and vers. 41. We have one Father , even God . What-ever thou accountest us , we are the Children of God .

And this Confidence Men sometimes grow up unto , upon little search or examining whether it be so or no. Nay , it may be the Reason is , their not examining at all how 't is with them . Their case may be so extreamly bad and unsound , that a very little search would break down all their confidence . There are multitudes that are perswaded , 't is well with them , upon no other ground , but because they cannot tell how bad 't is with them ; and therefore they understand not their misery and danger , because they never search'd nor look'd into themselves , nor ever spent a serious thought about the state of their Souls . It is a wonderful thing that Men can so easily satisfie themselves in so great a case , as multitudes do .

Let a Minister of Christ come to deal with such Persons , let him go from House to House , from Man to Man , amongst the rude and ignorant Multitude , how far may he go , how many may he enquire of , e're he meet with one that is so much as in doubt but all is well ?

Let him ask , How is it with your Soul ? what hope have you in God ? Why I doubt not , but by the Grace of God my condition is good , I hope in God all is well with me .

Let him go farther and ask , But are you not mistaken ? are you sure you are not ? No , I do not question , but by the Grace of God , my Soul is in a good condition .

Let him yet enquire , What ground and reason can you give of the hope that is in you ? and it may be all the answer that will be given , amounts to no more than this , I hope because I hope , I am perswaded because I am perswaded , my Mind gives me so , mine Heart tells me so , I can have no other thought , but that it is well , and shall be well with me .

There 's many a Man that 's like unto that Man pointed out Deut. 29.19 . who though he heareth the words of God's Curse , blesseth himself in his heart , saying , I shall have peace , though I walk in the imaginations of mine own heart . Though God speaks never a good word , though the Scriptures speak never a good word of such ; though God curses such a Man , yet his own heart blesses him . Though God sayes to him , Thou Fool , thou Belial , thou Infidel , thou Child of the Devil , yet not a word is heard from his own heart , but , an honest Man , a good Christian , and a Child of God .

There is sometimes to be found , a poor trembling Christian , whom the Devil sets a cursing himself , when God doth bless him ; that calls himself Hypocrite , Unbeliever , a Cast-away and Reprobate from God , though God calls him Beloved , and highly favoured ; and so there is that blesses himself whom God hath cursed .

It 's vain to tell him , Thus saith the Lord , or to bid him search the Scriptures , hearken to what the Lord God will speak ; or to say to him , as Jehoshaphat to the King of Israel , 1 Kings 22.7 . enquire of the Prophet of the Lord . Doth God , his Scriptures , his Ministers , speak any good concerning thee ? It 's vain to speak thus to him . Thus saith mine heart , is more with him , than Thus saith the Lord . Thus my mind gives me , is enough to make him dis-believe the God of Truth ; he will rather make God a lyar , than not believe his lying heart .

Consider this , Sinners , whether this be not your case ; God sayes , The Ignorant , the Unbelievers , Liars , Swearers , the evil Workers and Impenitent , are the Children of the Devil , and shall never inherit the Kingdom of God . And yet thou , though thou canst not say but that thou art ignorant , impenitent , an evil worker , given up to thy hearts lusts , and hardned in thy way , wilt not be perswaded but thou art a Child of God . God sayes thou art none of his , and thou wilt still say thou art to his Face . Just thus was it with those Jews afore-mentioned , John 8.44 . Christ tells them to their Faces , Ye are of your Father the Devil ; and proves it to them , for , saith he , The Lusts of your Father ye do ; and you are just like your Father , he was a Murtherer from the beginning , and a Liar and the Father of it ; and what else are you ? And yet behold the confidence of the Men ; No , we are Abraham's Seed , and the Children of God .

Sinner , who-ever thou art , that art doing the Lusts , and working the Works of the Devil , Christ speaks this very word to thee , which he here spake to those Jews , Thou art of thy Father the Devil . If yet thou sayest I hope not ; God is my Father , and I am his Child , there is that Presumption that may keep thee from fearing , till thou too late feel the Wrath of God seizing upon thee . This Presumption , that 't is so well with thee already , ( that if it be possible I may make thee afraid of that which keeps thee from fear ) know for a certain , it will endanger so to hold thee in thy wretched state , that 't is never like to be better with thee than ' t is . This is it which hardens thee against Counsels and Reproofs , slights the tenders of Mercy , and out-faces the terrors of the Lord ; this shuts up thine Ears and thine Heart against the word of Reconciliation , and does non-plus all the importunities of the Ministers of the Gospel . Let them bid thee believe , thou art a Believer already . Let them command thee to repent , Thou hast done it ; let them warn thee to flie from the Wrath to come , and this is all the Fruit , thou tellest them thou art already passed from Death to Life . The confidence that thou art well enough already , is like to make the Preaching of Christ to be of none effect to thee .

And because this is such a brazen Wall as keeps Christ and Grace out of the Heart , and resists and repels all those Arguments which the Word makes use of to perswade to Christ and Life , I shall make some batteries upon it as I pass along . ]

The first step to Conversion is Conviction . Conviction is Presumption broken down , and the breaking in of that Fear which makes way for Faith . There are in Conviction these three things ; 1. Illumination . 2. Redargution . 3. Consternation .

1. Illumination ; the enlightning of the Mind , the opening of Sinners eyes , and making their Sin , and the danger that it exposes to , known unto them ; the convincing Spirit brings the Commandment before them , by which is the knowledg of Sin , Rom. 7.7 . and vers. 9. When the Commandment came , Sin revived , and appeared to be Sin , and exceeding sinful , vers. 13. It could be no longer hid , nor any longer be look'd on as a light thing , but a very dreadful thing to be a Sinner ; the truth is , we none of us know Sin as it is , some Light hath broken in upon our Hearts , but 't is but little in comparison , and thereupon we can be venturous so far upon it , and too easily go out with it , and lick our selves whole when we have sinned ; but if we knew the Heart and the Tail of this Scorpion ; what malignity there is in it , and what comes after , 't would make us tremble and take heed : When the Spirit of the Lord brings the Commandment to us , and layes Sin by that , 't will look with another face than now it does .

2. Redargution . The Spirit of God not only shews what Sin is , and what a fearful thing it is to be under Sin , but withal proves and demonstrates to Sinners , what-ever their confidence hath been of the contrary , that they are under Sin ; when the Commandment hath done its work to discover Sin , and the evil of it , then Conscience is brought forth to do its work , to witness the Sinner guilty . Hast thou not sinned ? let Conscience speak ; does not thine own Heart tell thee of thy Lying , and of thy Swearing , and of thy Coveting , and of thy company-keeping , and a World more of such evils that thou hast lived in ? And hast thou ever been purged from thy Sins ; hast thou repented and turned from thy evil Wayes ? thou knowest thou hast not ; thou art in love with Sin , in a league with Sin , and livest to this hour in the practice , and under the power of it . Is this the Man that hath been so confident of the goodness of his state , whose heart hath blessed him , and promised him that no evil shall befal him ? What , a Sinner and yet at peace ? What , an impenitent Sinner , and yet so confident thou shalt have peace ? Thou must die , foolish Soul , thou must be judged and condemned , and suffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire ; there 's no shifting it off or escaping it , 't is a plain case , the Evidence is full and undeniable ; lay it to heart , for of a truth , thou art in an evil case . Here-upon as the effect of this Conviction , follows ,

3. Consternation . Now the bold Sinner is knock'd in the Head and laid on his back ; now his old hopes give up the Ghost , and Fear and Astonishment take hold upon him . This Convincing Spirit , is the same which is called the Spirit of Bondage working Fear , Rom. 8.15 . And when he is thus broken by Fear , and feeling all his hopes and supports falling under him , gives himself for a lost and undone Man ; then he is made ready to the hand of him that comes to seek and to save that which is lost . He from whom just now , nothing was heard , but God I thank thee , I am not as other Men ; is now brought to his , O wretched Man that I am , who shall deliver me ?

Presumptuous Sinner , thou art never like to be happy , till thou be undone ; there 's no hope of thee , till thou be overcome of Fear . O cry unto the Lord to cure thee of thy confidence , to work thee to harder thoughts of thy present state , if ever thou lookest it should be well with thee hereafter . What , dost thou yet retain thine old confidence ? wilt thou yet do all thou canst to maintain that good opinion of thy state , which thou hast hitherto had ? what dost thou herein do , but resist that Spirit of God who would but break thee , that he might build thee up for ever ? Wilt thou not be undeceived ? wilt thou not be convinced ? wilt thou never know thy danger , till it be too late to be prevented ?

But how shall I do to get mine heart awakned out of this dangerous state ? Why , wouldst thou be delivered ? Then ,

1. Dread Presumption more than ever thou dreadedst Conviction . Every hard word , every close word from a Minister of Christ , how do Sinners shun it , and hide themselves as much as they can from it ? Fear the fair speeches and smooth words that thy false heart speaks to thee , more than the sharpest rebukes thou receivest from the Mouth of God . Be willing to know the worst of thy case , before it be too late to be recovered . Be afraid to be deceived , flatter not thy self , and be afraid of the flatteries of others . Know it to be safer for thee to think worse of thy self than thou art , than to think it better than ' t is .

2. Wait for , and help on as much as thou canst , a thorow-Work of Conviction upon thee .

1. Give heed to , and improve the convincing Word . Heb. 4.12 . The Word of God is quick powerful , and sharper than a two-edged Sword , piercing to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit , of the Joints and Marrow , and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart . But as quick and powerful as this Word is , yet it will not cut nor pierce unless it be duly heeded . Therefore as the Apostle speaks in another case , Heb. 2.1 . We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard ; to every thing , to every word that the Lord speaks ; not only to his sweeter and softer words , his promising and comforting words , but to his sharper and harder words , his convincing and threatning words ; every word of God is needed by us , and no word will do its work if it be not heeded .

Thou shouldst , when thou hearest such words as these , He that committeth Sin is of the Devil . He that doth not Righteousness is not of God . The Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God . He that walketh after the Flesh shall die . He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his . If any Man love the World , the love of the Father abides not in him . Except a Man be born again , he cannot see the Kingdom of God . Except ye repent , ye shall all perish .

Thou shouldst , when thou hearest such words , consider whose words are these ; Is not this the Word of the Lord ? Thou shouldst bethink thy self , to whom doth the Lord speak thus ? Is it not to me ? Am not I one of this number ? Am not I Unrighteous ? Am not I a Servant of my Flesh ? Hath not my Life been a wicked Life , a worldly Life , a meer carnal Life ? Have I been born again , and become a new Creature ? Have I the Spirit of Christ ? Is this proud Spirit , this froward Spirit , this vain Spirit , this lying contentious Spirit , is this the Spirit of Christ ? Have I repented of my Sins , and returned from my sinful and foolish wayes ? Speak , O my Conscience , do not lye to me , but tell me truth , how dost thou find it ? Sure I have been a Sinner , and a worldly and wicked liver , and I cannot find that I have repented , or been new-Born , and become a new Creature to this day . How then can I conclude , but that God hath spoken this word to me , Thou art the Man that shall die , and shall not see the Kingdom of God ? And how canst thou but take these words from his Mouth into thine own , and confess , I am the Man ?

2. Pray for the Convincing Spirit . The Word without the Spirit can do nothing , neither convince nor comfort thee : When God sent a Word into the World , he sent his Spirit along with it to make it prosper . He was promised to be sent to this very end , amongst others , to Convince the World of Sin , John 16.8 . O pray for this Spirit ; when thou hearest a word that strikes upon thy sore , lift up thine Heart to the Lord , let thy Spirit , thine Almighty Spirit , set home this Word upon mine Heart . I hear such a word as makes both mine Ears to tingle , and I cannot deny but it belongs to me ; but for mine Heart , I cannot get it to stick ; let the Spirit of the Lord sharpen this Nail , and drive it home . Here 's a poor Minister does what he can , speaks as plainly , as closely , and as powerfully as he is able , does what he can to startle me , and to humble me , and break me ; But , poor Man , he cannot do it , this Heart is too deep for him to reach it , too hard for him to pierce it ; But where is the God of mine Heart ? O let the Spirit of the Lord take the Pulpit , and set an edge upon this two-edged Sword , that its Iron may enter into my Soul . Cry thus unto the Lord ; Say not as once Israel did , Let not the Lord speak to us any more , but let Moses speak ; Let this be thy Prayer , Let Moses speak , and the Prophets , and Pastors , and Teachers speak , but let the Lord speak also , and then there 's hope I may hear .

3. Receive and retain the convincing Word , when it comes . Do not pray , Lord speak , and then turn away the Ear ; Lord come in , and then shut the door against him ; pray for the Holy Ghost , and then see , that you resist not the Holy Ghost . What the Apostle advises concerning the word of Exhortation , Heb. 13.22 . [ Suffer ] the Word of Exhortation , will be much more needed here , suffer the Word of Conviction . It is a Word that will not be suffered by them that need it most . The proud and stubborn heart , either rises and swells , and flings it back in the Preacher's Face , or at least it builds a Fort against it ; sometimes a Fort of Unbelief ; I cannot believe my case is so bad ; and sometimes a Fort of Faith , ( such a Faith as 't is ) I believe in Christ , and therefore as wicked as I am , through him I hope to be saved .

Friends , give the Word a free passage , let it have entrance into your Hearts ; and how hot work soever it makes there , let it abide till it hath finished its Work . Give it time , hold upon thine Heart the sense of the misery and danger , the Word hath brought thee to , till the end be obtained . The sharpest Plaister will not raise a Blister as soon as it 's clap'd on , it must have time to work ; and though it smart , it must be kept on till the work be done . Some Foolish Patients , if it put them to pain , will tear it off and throw it away . Sinner , hath the Word smitten thee , and cut thee to the heart ? hath it made thee raw , and clap'd on a Plaister of Fire , the sense of Wrath and Judgment ? Hath it made thee , who once wert a strong confident , and wouldst not suspect but thou wert in a safe and happy state ; hath it made thee now to feel the Wrath of God abiding upon thee ? Dost thou feel thy Peace broken , thy Hopes and thy Carnal Confidence broken down ? Make them sure , never let them be built again ; beware how thou ever recover to thy old Presumption again , but hold that Fear upon thy heart , till there be a. new and a sure Foundation laid , upon which thou mayest be built up in hope of Eternal Life .

Some foolish Sinners , when God hath discovered their unsoundness , and afrighted them with those dreadful Consequents that they see running in upon them like a Flood , their desires and endeavours are after present ease and quiet ; if they can make a shift to be at rest and at ease for the present , ( however it may be with them here-after ) that 's all they look after ; they are more for hiding themselves from their Fears , than from their Danger ; and glad they would be , if they could but get them back into their former state , wherein they felt no trouble , nor fear'd any evil . Some smitten Sinners , that are pursu'd by the Terrors of the Lord , will often do , as the stricken Deer that 's hunted by the Dogs , he 'l thrust himself , if it be possible , among the Herd , that there the Dogs may lose him . When the Word hath terrified a Sinner , and Conscience dogs him at the heels , so that he can be no-where at rest , away he will into the Herd amongst his Companions , with whom he was used to be merry , in hope to forget his trouble ; his Carnal Friends will advise him , and he 's ready enough to take their advice , to try what he can do , to drink away sorrow , and laugh away all his trouble ; and this , it may be , may yeeld him a present relief , yea , and reduce him to a more secure and sensless state than ever before , wherein he may abide , and never know fear or trouble more , till he be brought to the King of Terrors , and all the evils he formerly feared , be come upon him to the uttermost , and he can no longer escape .

Beware of this folly , Sinner ; Hath God convinced thee of thy Sin , and thy Danger , and pierced thy very Entrals , with a sense of that Wrath that hangs over thy head ? Do not seek ease , in any other way , but by the removal of the cause of thy Fears . Be not such a Child as to think of hiding thy self from danger , by shutting thine eyes from seeing it . 'T is a poor Cure of a Disease , thy being laid to sleep , that thou mayest feel no pain .

Beware of running into the Herd again for ease : When God hath smitten thee , wilt thou to the Devil for a Cure ? Keep thy Sore open , and do not skin it over , whilst the Core still remains within . Sinner , thou wert once far from fear or trouble ; thou couldst once follow the World , and follow thy Sins , and live in a constant neglect of God and thy Soul , and nothing of all this troubled thee : Is this the state thou wouldst return to ? Is it not safer to be a wounded than a secure Sinner ? an awakned than a sleeping Sinner ? Chuse rather to live in God's Fire , than the Devils Mud ; in God's Purgatory , than in the Devil's Paradise . Wilt thou rather die of thy Lethargy , than endure those cuttings and scarifyings which might save thy Life ? If thou art for ease , whether it be to Life or Death ; or if thou wouldst purchase thy Peace on such terms as thine everlasting Ruine , then return to thy secure Presumptuous State .

Objection .

But I have confidence in God , and yet I hope I am not Presumptuous . I have good grounds for my Confidence . I have been convinced of my Sin ; I have believed in Christ , and have joy and peace in believing , and by the Grace of God , do now go on my way , rejoycing in hope of everlasting Salvation .

Answer .

1. But hast thou examined the grounds of thy Confidence , whether they be sound or not ? Hast thou put thy Faith to the Tryal , whether it be indeed the Faith of God's Elect ? What enquiry hast thou made into that change that is made upon thee ? Thou mayest examine , and yet be unsound . Examination is a means to discover sincerity , but no mark to prove it . But dost thou not examine , and yet conclude thy self sound ? Darest thou trust thine heart , without trying it ? What is Presumption , if this be not , to conclude thy self to be what thou never provedst whether thou art or not ? though self-examination be no mark of sincerity , yet non-examination is a shrewd sign of Hypocrisie .

2. Dost thou never suspect thy self to be unsound ? Does thine Heart never shake ? Art thou not sometimes afraid , lest thy Confidence should deceive thee , lest all thy Hopes and thy Joys should prove a Delusion ? Thy very being without Fear , is ground enough to make thee afraid .

When we observe how far many have gone in the Profession of Religion , to how high Attainments they have arrived , what a face of Holiness hath appeared in their Lives ; and how great Peace , and what raptures of Joy they have had in their Hearts , and yet at last , by their total Apostacy from Christ , they have proved that they were all this while under a Delusion ; when we consider such sad Instances , whereof we have seen so many , what does this speak unto us , but in the words of the Apostle , Be not high-minded but fear ? Dost thou not yet Fear ? Sure I am afraid of thee .

I will not say , how it may be with here and there one of the most grown and experienced Christians , those of the first and highest Form in the School of Christ , but for such as are but newly come in , or what-ever their standing be , are but of low stature ; by how much the more out of doubt they are , by so much the more it is to be doubted that they deceive themselves .

3. To answer more particularly . There are more mistakes than one that Professors of Religion may be subject to .

1. They may be mistaken in Faith , and count that to be Saving-Faith which is not so . 2. Though they have the true Notion of Saving-Faith , yet they may be mistaken in themselves .

I shall speak more at large to this afterwards , yet this word or two I shall put in here .

1. They may be mistaken in Faith , and count that to be Saving-Faith which is not so . That definition of Faith given by some Antinomians , That it is a believing that we are justified and shall be saved , hath doubtless deceived many . For ,

1. If this be Saving-Faith , then one of these absurdities will unavoidably follow ; either that all Men are not bound to believe , with a Saving-Faith , or that some Men are bound to believe a lye . Is there any Man , to whom the Gospel is Preached , that is not bound to believe in Christ ? Is it not their Sin , who refuse Christ when he is tendred to them ? Let these two Scriptures be considered , 1 John 3.23 . This is the Commandment , that we should believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ ; and Job . 16.9 . He shall reprove the World — of Sin , because they believe not in me .

Now if all Men be bound to believe , and this be that belief they be bound to , to be perswaded they shall be saved ; how can it be avoided , but that some are bound to believe a lye ? Are all Men in a state of Salvation ? Are all the Children of God ? Hath the Devil never a Child in the World ? Not one , if this Doctrine be true , that all are bound to believe they shall be saved , and yet none are bound to believe a lye .

2. If this be Saving-Faith , then happy are multitudes of the ungodly World . Who more confident that they shall be saved , than many ignorant and impenitent Sinners , amongst whom the first and most difficult Work of the Ministry lies in this , to break down their vain Confidence ? Much of our hardest work might be saved , if we found the Sinners of the Earth under a desperation of Salvation in their present cses . 'T is this that is the great block in our way , and keeps back our Word from reaching their Hearts , that they will not be perswaded otherwise , but they shall to Heaven when they die .

But shall they be saved indeed who believe they shall ? what , every one of them , the believing Hypocrite , the believing Drunkard , the believing Impenitent , even the very final Impenitent ? Can Charity it self be so blind , as to think that not one of those Confidents ever died impenitent ? And can this be counted the Gospel-Faith , that will justifie final Impenitents ?

Come ye Hypocrites , come ye Earth-worms , come ye blind and bruitish among the People , lift up your Ears and Heads , here is a Gospel ( if it were but true ) according to your own hearts ; Fear not to be as wicked as you will , only believe you shall be saved , and you shall be saved .

But is this Gospel ? I know the consequences of this Doctrine will be abhorred by its Assertors ; But how can they be evaded ?

Divers other Errors there are concerning Faith , which may lead Men into damnable mistakes , too long to mention .

2. Although they have the true Notion of Faith , yet they may be mistaken in themselves . They may think they have it when they have it not .

There are not a few , amongst those that profess Religion , who understand aright what Faith is , what a real Work of Grace means , and wherein the Truth of Christianity stands , who yet understand not their own hearts . There are who do not think that to be something which is nothing , who yet may be of those of whom the Apostle speaks , Gal. 6.3 . who think themselves to be something when they are nothing , and so deceive their own selves . The Heart of Man is deep and dark , who can know it ? Jer. 17.9 . we have need of other Light than our own , the searcher of Hearts alone can help us to understand what there is within us .

The Heart of Man hath many Devices , Prov. 19.21 . it hath so much folly , as to study to make the best of its case , being loth to see the worst ; and it hath so much subtilty , as to put the best side outwards , and to hide the worst out of sight . Many Mens great labour in Religion , is to perswade themselves that all is well ; instead of a plain-hearted and impartial enquiry , whether they be upright or no , their business is , only to study Arguments to prove they are so . They will search out all the Arguments they can imagine for it , but they dare not look too far into the Objections against it . We would fain comfort our hearts , and thereupon greedily catch at every shadow that looks well , but dare not critically examine that which seems to speak good concerning us , whether it speak truth or no. The great question is , whether there be Grace in our Hearts or no ? and we are so willing to believe there is , that we dare not look too deep , lest we should find there is none . The labour and trouble that a conviction of our unsoundness would put us to , is so unpleasing to us , that we do all we can to save our selves that trouble . If we be sound , we think the work is done ; now we may sing , Return to thy Rest O my Soul , but if I should find my self to be short of sincerity , how much labour would it require to get to be sincere ?

Now hereupon , the heart being so partial and overly in studying its case , what wonder is it that it should be deceived and mistaken ? what wonder is it that he should think himself something , who is nothing , who is too willing , and hath so many devices to make his nothing look like something ? And that it is so , that there are many that are thus deceived , there is too great evidence in the World .

There are many that can deceive none but themselves , and yet themselves they can deceive . Every one that sees them , sees the very marks of an Hypocrite upon them ; no body can think well of them but themselves . They have taken to themselves the Name , and have something of the Complexion of the Children of God , yet their spot is not the spot of his Children . Their Complexion is rather a Paint than their natural Visage , and their spot looks out through their Paint . Whilst there is the Profession of a Christian , of the Faith of a Christian , of the Hope of a Christian , what is there to be seen of the Holiness of a Christian ? if there be a Paint of the Holiness too , yet he that observes it , may see Sin looking through it . The Humility that appears , the Meekness , the Spirituality , the Heavenliness of Mind , are all but a varnish . The Leprosie that hath fretted and eaten into the Wall , will break out through the Plaister , wherewith it 's whited over . It 's possible it 's true , that others may be deceived in them also ; these Pictures may be so drawn to the Life , that every one may take them to be living Souls , and yet while they have a Name that they live , they may be dead , Rev. 3.1 . Grace is Truth ; a real thing , not a shadow or paint . This Truth is in the inward parts originally ; Thou lovest Truth in the inward parts , Psal. 51.6 . [ thou lovest Truth ] not Shadows or Images , but Realities [ thou lovest Truth in the inward parts ] inside Truth , a true Heart , a pure Conscience ; he is a Christian which is one inwardly , Rom 2.29 .

Grace is Life , the Life of God 't is called , Ephes. 4.18 . It is a Vital Power , that forms the Heart into the Image of God , that spirits and acts the whole Man , and that exerts and produces those Vital Operations which are according to God , and resists and works out that corruption which is contrary to God .

Grace is a Law ; a Law in the Heart , Jer. 31.33 . that commands and governs both it and the Life , contradicts and overcomes that evil Law , the Law of Sin that wars in the Members .

Grace is the fixing of the Heart upon God ; the returning and coming back of the Soul from that vanity , after which it had lusted and gone awhoring , and the pitching of it upon him as the Center of all its Hopes , Aims , Desires , and Motions . It comes down from Above , even from the Father of Lights , and it fetches up the heart to him .

Grace is the healing of Nature ; our participation of the Divine Nature , 2 Pet. 1.4 . a Principle of Holiness in the Heart , which is the health of the Soul , and whereby it purgeth it self of all that corruption wherewith it was leavened and infected , and is reduced to that better Temperament from which by Sin it fell .

Grace is the establishment of the Heart in Good , Heb. 13.9 . the firmness of the Soul ; it s being wrought to a good consistency ; it does not leave the Soul hovering , and wavering , and hanging betwixt Good and Evil , but unalterably , though not perfectly , settles it upon Holiness and Righteousness . Though there be degrees in firmness , some weaker Christians are but unstable Souls , in comparison of those that are more deeply rooted , and more strongly fixed upon God and Godliness , yet the very weakest of real Christians , are so unalterably fixed upon God , and his holy Wayes , that nothing in the World can so far change their Minds , as wholly to bring them back ; but the main bent of their Hearts and Course is still for Holiness and Righteousness .

Now are there none among the Professors of Religion that know all this , and much more , yea , and feel something within which they judg to be the Babe springing in the Womb , the Life of God begotten in them , the New Creature brought to the Birth and brought forth ; in whom all this is but a false Conception , and proves an Abortion at last ?

Brethren , since there may be such mistakes , either the taking that for Faith or Grace which is not so , or the taking your selves to have it within you when it is not there , ( many have been thus mistaken , damnably mistaken , have gone down to the Chambers of Death , full of the hopes of Eternal Life ) since it may be thus , beware that none of you be thus mistaken . ] Beware of taking that for the Faith which will save your Souls , which doth not save you from your Sins . Beware of venturing your Lives upon the strongest perswasion , that Christ is your Life , especially while you find that Sin is not dead . Beware of trusting to an out-side Christianity , that dwells in the Head or upon the Tongue , whilst the Flesh and the World still have the possession of the Heart . Beware of trusting to that Godliness which hath somewhat touched and affected the Heart , but is but slight and shallow , and is not gotten deep into the Soul . Beware of trusting to that for Godliness , that is but a weak and feeble thing , that hath no life nor power in it , but is a dead thing , that doth not put forth it self in Vital Operations , that is over-top'd and held captive by the Law of your Members ; that is made use of to comfort you , but is not suffered to govern you , but is kept as an underling , and made to stand aside and give place to the Pleasures and Inclinations of your Flesh , that is laid up to help you in your need , and till then laid by , that it hinder you not in your Carnal Interests or Designs .

Take heed of counting that your Grace , which leaves you under the power of your old depraved Natures . Is not thy natural pride and haughtiness subdued ? Dost thou continue froward , envious , of a fleshly and earthly heart , as thou wast used to be ? doth the old Stream run still ? or if it be at times bayed up , doth it ordinarily break down the Bay and run its wonted course ? Fear that Grace that is thus overpowred by Nature .

Trust not to that for Grace , which is a wavering , in and out thing ; that hath no consistency in it , but leaves thee a ductile sequacious Soul , carried about hither and thither with every Wind , and apt to be variously snap'd , according to the several temptations or circumstances thou art in . Some Mens Godliness keeps pace with the Times , is upon the Wing , or hangs the Wing , according to the encouragement or discountenance of the dayes they live in . If Religion hath gotten the Wind on its side , then they go on prosperously , and hang forth all their Sails , and will as soon strike Sail when the Wind is contrary . Some are Holy only in Affliction ; when they are low and in trouble , when they are sick and in pain , and like to die , then O what complaining of Sin , what pretendings to Repentance , what breathings after Grace ; then Reading , and Praying , and Meditations , and Discourses about the other World come in request ; but when they prosper again , and are in health , all their Religion is laid by and forgotten . Others are Godly only when they are pleased , and all goes smoothly on with them . Every little gust of Affliction blows all their Grace off its legs . Some Mens Religion is much according to what their Company is . Who more zealous , and savoury and lively , when they fall in amongst the Zealous ? and yet at other times , as flat , and as carnal , and as vain as others , scarce a Thought or a Word of any thing that good is , when it will disgust the Company .

If this be all the Religion thou hast , take heed of venturing thy Soul upon it , or of growing confident that this is Grace or Godliness .

And that which is Grace indeed , that Truth in the Inward Parts , that Life of God , that new Law in the Heart , that fixedness upon God , that health and that firmness of the Soul in Good ; Beware you count not your selves to have attained it before you have . Be sure before you be confident , whilst the case is doubtful , suspect your selves ; whilst you hope the best , fear the worst . Put it out of doubt , by searching more narrowly , and a more diligent improving . True Grace , where 't is weak , is hardly discernable , the narrowest search will not do it . What-ever Arguments there may be for , there will be so many Objections against it , that will darken the evidence of them . The Confidence of a truly gracious Soul , that is but weak , may be a kind of Presumption , though he doth not presume , he hath what he hath not ; though he hath it indeed , yet his Confidence that he hath it , may be a kind of Presumption , because the Evidence is not so clear that he can rationally bottom a peremptory conclusion upon it .

To conclude this matter ; Art thou perswaded that thou hast Faith , and that there is a gracious saving change wrought upon thee ? Fear that thou mayest be mistaken ; and in this Fear , search whether thou art mistaken or no , lest thou also at last should be found , and have thy portion with the Presumptuous and self-deceiving Souls . But of this more in its place .

2. There is a Presumption on future Mercy , how bad soever Mens present condition be . There are some self-condemned Persons the Die of whose Sins is so deep , that it cannot be varnished over , nor hid from their own eyes ; their Consciences pass Sentence upon them for Hypocrites and Ungodly ; and yet , though they see they be stark naught , abominable Branches , reprobate Silver at present , they are still without Fears , but it shall be well with them hereafter . Though their Consciences condemn them , yet they hope God will justifie them . Conscience charges them as God did those ungodly ones , Psal. 50.17 . Thou batest Instruction , and casteth the Word of the Lord behind thee ; when thou sawest a Thief , thou consentedst to him , and hast been partaker with the Adulterer . Thou hast been a Thief , an Adulterer , a Lyar , a Scoffer , a Slanderer , these things thou hast done ; Canst thou deny it ? Or as Jer. 2.23 . How canst thou say I am not polluted ? How canst thou say I am not a Transgressor ? See thy way in the Valley , trace thy Foot-steps , consider the course of thy Life , and see if all thy wayes do not speak thee a wicked Man . But though Conscience charges them thus , and they cannot deny the Charge , but are forc'd to acknowledg all is true , and to confess , if there be ever a wicked Man in the World , I am one ; if there be ever a vile Person in the Earth , I am one ; if there be ever a graceless one under Heaven , I am the Man : yet though they know that they are wicked Ones , and have no Grace at present , they still presume they shall have Mercy at last . God is a God of Pardons , if he should be extream to mark Iniquities , who then shall stand ? God is a merciful God ; for whom did Christ die but for Sinners ? Wo be to the World if God were no more merciful , if Christ were no more gracious than Men speak .

This was the Confidence of those pointed at before , Deut. 29.19 . Who bless themselves in their Hearts , saying , I shall have peace , though I walk in the imagination of mine own heart , and add drunkenness unto thirst . Mich. 3.11 . The heads of the People judg for Reward , the Priests thereof teach for Hire , the Prophets thereof divine for Money , they build up Zion with Blood , and build up Jerusalem with Iniquity . Here were a wicked Generation , Perverters of Judgment , Covetous , Oppressors , Bloody Men. What could these Men think of themselves ? Could they be ignorant that they were abominable in the sight of God ? What hope can they have of themselves ? Yes , they have hope , yet they will lean upon the Lord ; yet they trust in God , no evil shall come upon them .

This is a more common case than is imagined ; Men could not be so hardy nor so venturous upon a course of known Iniquity , as we see them to be , did they not maintain in their hearts a secret hope of Mercy ; yet I shall have Pardon , yet I shall have Peace , the Lord I trust will spare me , notwithstanding all that I have done . But let such Men consider , that by this their hope of obtaining Mercy in a state of Sin , 1. They make the Scriptures a lye . 2. They make Christ to do the Work of the Devil .

1. They make the Sciptures a lye . Thou doubtest not but that thou shalt be saved ; But what art thou ? It may be thou art an ignorant Soul all this while , one that knowest not God nor his Gospel . But what sayes the Scriptures of such ? Look into Job 18.21 . Surely such are the Dwellings of the Wicked , this is the Place of him that knoweth not God . Where is his Dwelling ? what is his Place ? Look back into the former verses , vers. 14 , &c. His Confidence shall be rooted out , it shall bring him to the King of Terrors ; — Brimstone shall be scattered upon his Habitation — he shall be driven from Light to Darkness , and chased out of the World . This is the place of him that knoweth not God . Thou sayest no , this is not my place ; my Confidence shall never be rooted out , it shall bring me to the King of Glory ; I shall go out of Darkness into Light , I shall see the Salvation of God . What dost thou herein say , but Scripture thou lyest ; this is not my place , this dark and dismal Habitation shall be none of my Dwelling ; I shall dwell with God in the Land of the Living ? It may be thou art one that walkest after the Flesh , a Person of a carnal worldly Life ; a Drunkard , an Epicure , an Earth-worm , given to thy pleasure , and ease , and mirth ? a vain Person , yea , and one of the most vile of the Earth ; and what saith the Scriptures of such ? Why , look into Rom. 8.13 . If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die . Colos. 3.5 , 6. Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the Earth ; Fornication , Vncleanness , inordinate Affections , evil Concupiscence , and Covetousness ; for which things sake , the Wrath of God cometh upon the Children of Disobedience . Rom. 2.8.9 . Indignation and Wrath , Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of Man that doth evil . Psal. 9.17 . The Wicked shall be turned into Hell , with all the Nations that forget God .

Thou art a wicked Man , thou canst not say but thou art , and yet thou art perswaded thou shalt to Heaven when thou diest . What then dost thou make of the Scriptures ? dost thou not herein say , 't is a lying Word , there is no heed to be given to what it speaks ? Whilst the Saints build their hopes on the Truth , what are thy hopes built upon , but on a supposition of the falshood of the Scriptures ? And so this Word must prove ; the Word of that God that cannot lye , must prove a false Word , or thou wilt be damned for ever .

2. They make Christ to do the Work of the Devil , to help to fill the World with wickedness . Whilst God sent Christ to destroy , these make him to do , the Works of the Devil . They make the Saviour of Sinners , to be the Minister of Sin ; they make him not only a Friend of Sinners , but a Friend of Sin ; and what is the Devil more ? It must no longer be said , that Christ came to make an end of Sin , to redeem from all Iniquity , to fulfil all Righteousness ; but to countenance and encourage Sin , and to fill the World with Unrighteousness . What Doctrine would the Devil preach other than this , Fear not to Sin , God is merciful ; Continue in Sin , for Grace hath abounded ?

If there were any ground for such an hope , we must quite invert the Gospel ; and whilst the Apostle tells us , Tit. 2.11 , 12. The Grace of God , which bringeth Salvation , hath appeared to all Men , teaching us , that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts , we should live righteously , and soberly , and godly in this present World ; It must be now written for Gospel , The Grace of God teacheth us to deny all Godliness , and to indulge to worldly Lusts , and to live wickedly , and filthily , and ungodlily in this present World , and yet still to look for the Blessed Hope , and the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ . Is this the Doctrine of Christ ? It must be so or thou art undone . And if it be , what difference betwixt the Doctrine of Christ , and the Doctrine of Devils ?

Presumptuous Sinner , stand and tremble . If the Word of God be not a lye , If the Holy Jesus came not to build , but to destroy the Works of the Devil , there 's no hope for thee , but if thou continuest thus thou must perish for ever .

Who shall bring thee into the Holy City ? who shall intercede and appear before God for thee ? Will Christ do it ? will he ever bring up the Servants of the Devil , and set them before the Throne of God , and say concerning them , These are my Redeemed Ones ? These Lyars , these evil Beasts , these slow Bellies , these Wantons , these Earth-worms , these blind and bruitish Souls , these Rebels that all their life-time set at nought all my Counsels , and rejected my Salvation , these are mine , I pray thee set the Crown upon their Heads , for they are worthy ? Will Christ ever present such a Brood as these to his Father ? Will he plead for entrance for such as these ? Canst thou imagine that Christ would not blush and be ashamed , to bring such an unclean thing as thou art before his Father at last , and say , This is my Child , I pray thee let him live in thy sight ? Will he say to the Father , O that Ishmael might live before thee ? that these Bond-men , and Bastards , and Belials , that never knew thee , nor car'd for thee , that never minded any such thing as Religion and Godliness in the World , but mocked and scoffed at all that did , that would never be perswaded to seek the Lord , or serve the Lord , but all their life long , gave themselves up to serve their Lusts and the Devil , Let there be an entrance for these into the Everlasting Kingdom ? as black as they are , and as resolute as they were , never to be wash'd and made white with the Blood of the Lamb , yet they are mine , take them in . Sinner , if it were possible that Christ should thus plead for thee , ( if thou be found in that day in the case that now thou art ) by all the Power and Interest he hath in Heaven , he could not prevail for thee . He might as well prevail for Cain and Judas , yea , for Beelzebub himself , with all those black Legions which are already in Hell , and fetch them up from the Deep to sit upon Thrones of Glory , as ever he could prevail for thee . 'T is against the determinate Counsel and Purpose of God , against the Design and Tenour of the Gospel of Grace ; Christ had never any Commission from his Father , to save or speak one word for any one Soul that lives and dies in his sins .

Objection .

But I will repent and turn from my Sins hereafter ; how-ever I live now , I do not mean to die so , I will reform and amend my wayes , and then I shall have Mercy .

Answer .

This also is thy Presumption ; Thou neither wilt nor canst . Thou wilt repent thou sayest , but how long hast thou said so , and yet the time comes not . When wilt thou ? Canst thou repent when thou wilt ? Either thou canst , or thou canst not ; If thou canst , why not now ? Is it too soon for thee to be wise , and to be happy ? Canst thou spare God , and his Grace and Favour , till hereafter ? Hast thou not enough of the Devil yet ? Art thou content to be his Bond-slave , to be made such a Fool and a Beast by him , yet a-while longer ? Dost thou chuse to leave thy Soul in hazard of Eternal Fire , for a few dayes more ? If thou wert hungry , or naked , or harbourless , wouldst thou say , 't is time enough yet to have Bread or Cloaths , or an House to put mine head in ? If thou wert sick of the Stone , or the Gout , or the Colick , wouldst thou say , Let me lie a while , a little more torment , a few more of these Pangs and Gripes ? It 's more madness than all this , to say , Yet a little longer for Sin , and the Curse of God , and under the Power of the Devil .

If it be not in thy power now to repent , then how darest thou presume on an after-Repentance ? Will it be more easie hereafter , when thy Sin is grown stronger , and thy Soul is grown weaker , and thine Heart harder , and put farther off from Repentance ? I will return and step over to Christ at last . 'T is all one as if thou shouldst say , I will run from mine House , and my Home , and my Friends , as far as I can , all day , but I mean to step home again at night . Why Man , thou art a dayes journey from home , and canst thou step back in a minute , what thou hast been running out all the day ? Hast thou been running from Christ all thy Life long , and yet is there but a step betwixt thee and him ? Thou hast been hampering thy self in the Net , and tying thy self to the Threshold of the Devil ; hast been still knitting Knot upon Knot , all along thy time , to make thy self sure to him ; and canst thou unravel in an hour the Webs thou hast been weaving , the Knots thou hast been tying all thy life long ? It 's true , it is not impossible ; the Divine Grace may help at the last ; but it is a strange thing , and so exceedingly unusual , that it 's utterly improbable , that thou that hast been sinning all thy life , in Presumption upon Repentance in thy last hour , shouldst not then find it flying as far from thee , as thou dost now from it .

Presumptuous Sinner , thou that goest on in thy Sin , and countest upon Repentance at last , 't is even such another piece of folly , as to count upon Mercy at last without Repentance : Thou mayest almost as well conclude , that God will pardon thee though thou never repent , as that God will give thee Grace to repent at last , who wilt not now accept of it .

And thus you have the Grounds and Reasons why Men Fear not ; It is from their Ignorance , Unbelief , and Presumption .

III. The Grounds and Reasons why we should Fear .

These are such as follow ;

1. We have reason to Fear because of our Ignorance . Mens Ignorance is the reason why they Fear not , ( as before ) and yet it 's a great reason why they should Fear . Who have so great reason to fear as the Blind ? Every Bush may be a Thief , every Sheep may be a Wolf , every Lamb may be a Lion ; for ought he sees to the contrary , every step may be into the Ditch , or into the Fire , or into the Water ; where-ever he stands , or sits , or dwells , he knows not who or what may be near him ; and have not such Men reason to Fear ? Particularly by reason of Ignorance .

1. We know not our way . 2. We know not the Dangers that are in our way .

1. We know not our way . John 12.35 . He that walketh in darkness , knoweth not whither he goeth . Whither art thou bound Soul ? Thou art a Traveller , but to what City , to what Countrey art thou travelling ? O , I am going to Canaan , to the New Jerusalem , I am travelling Heavenwards . But dost thou know the way to that good Land ? Some of the most ignorant will answer , as Christ said to his Disciples , Wither I go I know , and the way I know ; when the truth is , they neither understand the one nor the other .

The way to God , though it be a strait way , and leads directly on by a line , yet it 's hard to hit upon . If I were to give but one general direction for finding the way to Heaven , this should be it ; Take your first turning upon the right hand , and then keep strait on , without turning either to the right hand or to the left . The way that thou art now going is to Hell , but there is a turning on the right hand just before thee ; Repentance , which is our turning out of the way of Death , into the way of Life ; take that turning , and then turn no more , but keep strait on to the end of thy Life .

But as strait a way as the way of Life is , it is not so easie to keep us in it . There are many turnings out on either hand ; and at every Turning stands a Deceiver , calling to Passengers as they go , Turn in hither , this is the way , walk in it . The Pharisee stands at one Turning , and sayes , This is the way , The Law of Carnal Commandments , the formal and superstitious observation of the Externals of Religion . The Hypocritical Zealot stands at another , and sayes , This is the way , The Spirituals of Religion , believe in Christ , love God , and then live to thy self . The Sectary , of whatsoever Sect he be , sayes , Here is Christ , this is the way of Life , turn in hither , be one of Us and thou shalt do well . The Flesh stands and cries , Hearken to none of these , they are all blind Guides , and will lead thee into their own Ditch ; come take this great and beaten Road in which thy Fore-fathers have gone before thee ; Follow the Wise Men , and the Learned Men , and those multitudes that thou seest going before thee ; Trust in the Mercy of God and trouble thy self no farther . And the Devil stands at every one of these Turnings ; and if he can but perswade thee to take one of them , it comes much alike to him which it be .

Now what shall a poor ignorant Soul do in this case to hit the right , when there are so many false wayes ? He does not know the way himself , and he is like to meet with so many false Guides , how can he but Fear he may be misled and lost ?

It fares with these Ignorant Souls , as with the Hosts of the Syrians , that were going to Dathan to slay Elisha , 2 Kings 6.19 . Elisha smites them with blindness , and then leads them whithersoever he pleases . Out he goes to them and tells them , This is not the way , neither is this the City , come along with me and I will bring you to the Man whom you seek , but he led them to Samaria . This blind Host thought they had been right , and going to Dathan ; but when their eyes were opened , they saw themselves betrayed into Samaria , into the hands of their Enemies . Poor blind Soul , thy hope is Heaven , that 's thy journeys end , thy Home to which thou sayest thou art travelling ; and thou perswadest thy self thou art in the way thither , but for all this thou mayest be mistaken , thou mayest be going to Samaria , to Sodom , to Hell and not to Heaven , thou art in darkness , and knowest not whither thou goest ; thou dost not know thy way , how then canst thou but fear whether thou art in the right way or the wrong ?

2. By reason of Ignorance , we know not the dangers in our way . If we have some apprehension that the way is dangerous , yet we know not in particular where the danger lies , and so , ere we are aware , may fall into it . Some young Travellers , though they be told they be going a dangerous Road , yet know not the dangerous Places , nor the dangerous Persons that they fall upon ; a Thief starts up out of a Bush where they never suspected him , and when he comes , by his fair Language and Carriage , they take him for a Friend , and suspect not he comes upon any evil Intention , till their loss too late teach them what he is .

What harm is there in such a vain fashion , in such a questionable recreation , in Cardings , Dicings , Dancings ? What harm is there in a little carnal Mirth , or in vain and merry Company ? they be not Drunkards , nor Swearers , nor Adulterers ; there 's nothing amongst them but honest mirth and pleasantness , what hurt is there in that ? why , what harm is there in falling among Thieves ? what harm is there in being rob'd of all thou hast ? hast thou never been a loser by such friendly Thieves ? hast thou lost none of thy precious Time amongst them , which thou couldst ill spare ? nay , have they not stollen away thy heart ? It may be thou hast found thou wert of a better Spirit , when thou camest amongst them , thou hadst some sense and savour of God and Religion upon thine heart , and some holy seriousness and tenderness ; and when thou returnest , thou seest it's lost , thou hast left all thy Religion behind thee . Is this no harm ; when thou hadst been serv'd so once , wouldst thou be content to be serv'd so again ?

If thou hadst a cup of pleasant Wine before thee , and one should tell thee , Take heed , there 's poison in the Cup , wouldst thou say , what harm is it if there be ? If one should meet thee in a Wood or a Desert , and should offer thee Money , or Pleasure , or what-ever thou wilt ; if thou wilt be rul'd by him , and do what he would have thee ; and a Friend should tell thee , this may be the Devil that comes to truck with thee for thy Soul ? wouldst thou say , what harm is it if it be the Devil ? what harm will it be to take his Money or his Pleasure ?

Why this may be the case ; In all those little things ( as thou countest them ) there may be poison in the Cup , there may be the Devil in the Company ; the Pleasures that are before thee , the Money that is before thee , these may be the price the Devil is offering thee for thy life . May it be so ? I , but I do not think 't is so , my Soul may be safe enough for all that ; why therefore fear that there may be such danger , and you never know or suspect it .

Nay , this Devil lies still in wait , not only in those places and wayes , which look like suspicious places and suspicious ways ; but he 's every-where at hand , even where he is least suspected . When could Men think themselves more secure from the Devil , than when they are with God in Duties and Ordinances ? But doth he never meet them there ? Hath the Devil never met thee in thy Closet , or in the Congregation of the Lord ? How is it at this very hour ? Now that we are come together before the Lord , now that the Lord is instructing us , and warning us of the danger we are in ; Is there not one standing behind , and out of sight , either stealing away your hearts from minding the Warnings , or else contradicting the Word of the Lord ? Come , ccme , these are but words and conceits , the Devil is far enough off , thou art in no such danger of him ; are there no such whisperings in none of your ears at this time ? Why , whose Voice is this ? you little think whose 't is ; 'T is the Devil that thus speaks , to the end you may lose this Warning , and so he may have his advantage upon you . Lord open the eyes of these Men , ( to use that Prayer for you , which the Man of God did for his Servant , 2 Kings 6.17 . ) So the Lord opened his eyes , and he saw all the Mountains full of Angels , Chariots of Fire , and Horses of Fire . If God should so open our eyes , I trust we should see this House full of the Angels of God ministring to us , but withal we should see this House full of Devils attempting to mischief us ; a Devil at every Ear , a Devil at every Heart , trying his skill to stop the one and harden the other , from receiving this Word of the Lord . We are never an one of us more secure , than Joshua the High-Priest , of whom we read , Zech. 3.1 . That when he was standing before the Lord , Satan stood at his right hand to resist him . You 'l say again , it may be , you do not think 't is so , why therefore Fear , that the Devil should be so near , and so busie with you , and you neither understand , nor will believe it though it be told you . Such Ignorance is cause enough of Fear .

If any of you should have been told , ten or twenty years ago , how the Devil would serve you , how he would hinder any word of Counsel or Instruction from prospering with you , how he would hold you under this Ignorance of God , and hardness and impenitence of Heart ; you would have been like enough to answer , I hope not , I hope to get more of the knowledg of God , I hope God will bring me to Repentance one time or other , I hope his Word will prosper with me . And yet you see how 't is , he hath sufficiently plaid the part of a Devil with you , you were not so blind , or so dead , or so hard in your hearts many years ago , but you are every way as bad or worse at this day ; and because you had not this foresight , to discern that thus it might be , had you not the more reason to Fear it would be so ?

And what say you now as to the time to come ? If it should be said unto you at this day , He that hath dealt thus by you hitherto , will be like enough to deal as bad or worse by you , to the end of your dayes , so that you shall never be brought to Repentance , nor ever recover your selves out of the snares of the Devil ; will you yet again say , I hope not , I fear it not ? that very word is enough to make you tremble . If the God of this World had not blinded your Minds , he could never have thus hardned your Hearts .

If you that have known Christ , and have been in Christ , many years ago ; If some of you should have been told , that if you look'd not the better to it , the Devil would meet you at the very threshold of Christianity , and hold you there from making any farther entrance in , would keep you Babes and Infants in the Grace of God , that he would keep you all this time , so weak in the Faith , so cold in your Love , so barren in your Life , that all this while you should have gotten no more victory over this World , and the fleshliness of your Minds and Hearts , nor no more intimate acquaintance with God and your own Souls than some of you have at this day ; If when you had been told , you were in danger of being serv'd thus ; If you had then answered , I do not Fear it , I should have made bold to tell you , You do not know what a Devil he is with whom you had to do ; and now that you may know him better , by observing how he hath dealt by you hitherto , you will at length , I hope , learn to Fear .

What if the Devil should now appear to you in some bodily monstrous shape , would it not fright you ? Why , you may see his foot , though you do not see his face ; you may see him in what he hath done in his temptations of you , and the unhappy success of them upon you , in that ruinous state your Souls are hereby in ; and surely , Friends , to those that understand him , The Devil in a secret temptation , is more formidable than the Devil in an Apparition ; the prints of his Hoofs , are a more dreadful sight than the Horns of his Head .

2. Another reason why we should Fear is , because of the deceitfulness of our Hearts . What-ever our dangers are from without , what-ever designs or devices the Devil or the World have against us , yet if all were true within us , if our Hearts were true to us , our hazard were not so great ; but , saith the Prophet , Jer. 17.9 . The Heart of Man is deceitful above all things . So that we may not only say with the Prophet , Micah 7.5 . Trust ye not in a Friend , put not confidence in a Guide ; but with Solomon also , Prov. 28.26 . He that trusteth his own Heart is a Fool. The deceitfulness of the Heart stands ; 1. In its Treachery . 2. In its Subtilty .

1. In its Treachery . The Heart of a Man is false to it self , it is like the Devil , a lying Spirit , there is no believing it what-ever it speaks . It 's full of all guile , and will , if left to it self , betray it self into the hands of its Enemies .

2. In its Subtilty . It is a crafty Heart , it hath many plots and devices to deceive ; Prov. 19.21 . There are many devices in Man's Heart . It hath much of the Devil in it ; not only of the falshood of the Devil , ( as before ) ; It is a lying Spirit ; nor only of the uncleanness of the Devil , this also is the wicked one ; nor of the malice of the Devil , It is the Enemy ; but of the cunning of the Devil , of the subtilty of the Serpent , This Serpent also is more subtile than all the Beasts of the Field . It 's true , it 's also a silly Heart , easie to be beguiled ; it is so subtil as to beguile , and yet so silly as easily to be beguiled ; like those false Teachers , 2 Tim. 3.13 . Deceiving , and being deceived .

The great and most mischievous deceits of the Heart , are its self-deceivings , Jam. 1.22 . deceiceiving your own selves ; and vers. 26. deceiveth his own heart . God cannot be deceived , and if Men be deceived in us , there is not so very much in that ; but the most mischievous deceits , and which are most to be feared , are its deceiving of it self .

1. God cannot be deceived ; He is the searcher of the Heart , Jer. 17.10 . he knows what is in Man , better than the Spirit that is in him . God is greater than our Hearts , and knoweth all things . Our Hearts can tell us more of ourselves , than all the World can tell us ; but God can tell us more of us , than we of our selves . He hath a Key to every Chamber , a Window into every Corner , a Candle to search into our inmost parts . All things are naked and open before him , with whom we have to do , Heb. 4.13 . He sees all that is lodging in us ; all the Lusts of the Heart , yea , and all the Thoughts of the Heart are open to his Eye . Jer. 4.14 . How long shall vain thoughts lodg within you ? He sees what there is a doing within us . What good the Heart is at any time a-doing ; any good desires that are a-working , any gracious designs that are going in the Heart ; he sees what evil there is a-doing ; an evil Motion cannot wag , a Lust cannot stir , but his eye is presently upon it . Isa. 1.16 . Put away the evil of your doings [ from before mine eyes ] , that is , put it quite away , cease to do evil ; if it do but continue , though never so much in the dark , yet it cannot be hid from mine eyes .

What are these hearts of ours often a-doing in secret , which no others , and it may be not our selves take notice of ? When our eyes are closed , our hands are quiet , our tongues are silent , God knows what there may be doing within . There may be devilish devices contriving within , there may be dark counsels beneath ; Heart may be Swearing , or Lying , or Stealing , or Coveting , or committing Adultery , whilst there 's no noise of any such thing without . Yea , whilst the Tongue is praying , the Ears are hearing , the Eye is lift up to Heaven , the Heart may be in Hell , or on Earth , in the Field , in the Shop , in the Market , or who knows where ; but God's Eye is upon it .

Friends , Who knows where our hearts are , or what they are a-doing at this hour ? It may be , now God is a-preaching to you the Doctrine of Holy Fear , of Holy Watchfulness and Circumspection ; some of your hearts may be un-preaching all that God speaks ; may be preaching Liberty , Licentiousness , Slothfulness , Security to you , and telling you , there 's no such danger , and no such need of Fear as hath been preached unto you .

Or if they do not contradict the Word that the Lord hath spoken , yet it may be they divert you from minding it , by telling you some impertinent Stories about other things ; filling your heads with your business or pleasure , cutting you out your Work for to morrow . Look inward , Friends , see if you can find your Hearts within , or whether they be not gone abroad you know not whither . But where-ever they are , or whatever they are doing , the Eye of the Lord is upon them ; Men may dissemble , and deal deceitfully with God , but they cannot deceive him .

2. If they deceive Men , it is not so greatly considerable . Though that may be our wickedness too . If we hide our selves from others , if we be better , or if we be worst than they apprehend us to be , there is not so much in that . The Heart is cunning at this also in deceiving of Men ; by palliating evil intentions , with fair and specious pretences ; by seeking them out corners to sin in , waiting for the twilight , or the darkness to be a covering for them ; by smooth words and fair speeches , beguiling the Hearts of the simple , by a kiss of the Mouth , when there is war in the Heart , by putting the best side outward , putting on the clothing of a Sheep upon a Wolf or a Bear , the face of a Saint to cover the Soul of a Devil .

What is the Hypocrites Praying , or Fasting , or Alms , or savoury Language and Discourse ? What is all this for ? 'T is but the Cloathing his Heart hath provided him , to advance and set him up in the opinion of others ? 't is to serve his pride or his covetousness , and to hide the poverty and rottenness which is within , out of sight . Beloved , are there none of us guilty upon this account ? Whose Religion , and the Exercise thereof , are a meer carnal Design , whose Duties are a meer Device to beguile Men into a good Opinion of us , to raise up or keep up our Reputation amongst them ? Is it not thus with some of us ?

Soul , what hast thou been doing to day ? O , I have been Praying , and Hearing , and Fasting , or keeping a Sabbath to the Lord . No , thou lyest , thou hast been juggling , and cheating , and deceiving of Men. If these have been the Work of thy Tongue , or thine Ears , or thine Eyes , to pray , to hear , to praise the Lord ; thine Heart hath found other work to do , it hath been making a Garment of these Prayers and Praises to dress up it self in , thereby to commend and set it off before the Spectators ; or it may be , to hide or carry on some treacherous or wicked Design , which needed such a covering .

The Heart is thus busie to deceive Men , but still its greatest and most mischievous deceitfulness , lies here , in deceiving it self . It is an horrid wickedness to deal deceitfully with the Lord , to dissemble and lye unto God . It is folly to be false to him who we know will discover the cheat and its highest impiety . What is Iniquity , if Hypocrisie be not ? And what Hypocrisie like mocking or lying unto God ? It is Mens great sin to deal deceitfully with Men ; But that which I would now lay before you , as a special reason why we should Fear our hearts , is their self-deceivings ; And how much Fear should be upon us , upon this account , will appear when we have considered these three things .

1. About what Mens Hearts deceive them . 2. By what Mens Hearts deceive them . 3. Of what Mens Hearts deceive them .

1. About what do Mens Hearts deceive them ? And that is about that they are most deeply concern'd to mind or regard . Particularly , 1. About Matters past , in their self-reflections and reckonings . 2. About matters present , in their Judgments or Opinions of their present case . 3. About matters to come , or their Determinations and Resolutions for the future .

1. Mens Hearts deceive them , about matters past , in their self-reflections and reckonings . It may be sometimes an eye may be cast back upon what is past , and such a word may be heard within , Soul , what hast thou done ? how hast thou lived all thy time hitherto ? what Evil hast thou done , or what Good hast thou done ? The Heart presently makes its return ; and though it hath not the Conscience , will make bold with the words of the Apostle , 1 Cor. 4.4 . I know nothing by myself , I know no hurt that I have done ; or it may be , like those unfaithful Officers , who bring in their presentment , Omnia bene , it will answer , I have done all things well , I have liv'd an harmless and an honest life . The little good that hath been done , looking on it by a false Glass , it sees it double to what it is ; every Mite is a Shekle , ever Shekle is a Talent ; here it will be sure to over-reckon : And all the Evils that have been done , for an hundred or a thousand , it takes the Bill and writes down ten , or it may be but one , and that a little one ; and perhaps it buries them all in the land of forgetfulness . As Sin had an Act for Toleration before , so it must now have an Act of Oblivion . And by this hiding of Sin it comes to pass , that Repentance also is hid from Mens eyes ; No Man repented , nor said , what have I done ? Jer. 8.6 . The not-saying what have I done , much more the saying , I have done nothing amiss , will be a Bar against Repentance ; And that 's the usual issue of this falshood of the Heart , about matters past , it holds under Impenitence .

2. Mens Hearts deceive them about Matters present , or in their judgment of their present states . What art thou ? a Child of God , or a Child of the Devil ? a Believer , or an Unbeliever ? a sound Believer , or an Hypocrite ? Mens hearts will be civil with them , and give them good language ; A Child of the Devil , a Reprobate ? These are hard words that will not be born , and shall not be uttered ; whether it speaks true or no , it will be sure to speak good to them . O , a Child of God no doubt , an honest , and therefore an happy Man . Though perhaps it neither knows what God is , or what a Child of God means , nor what the difference is betwixt the Children of God and the Children of the Devil .

A faithful Heart will be ( as I said before ) a self-suspecting Heart , and such it should be . The Word tells us , there 's Chaff in the Floor as well as Wheat , there are Tares in the Field as well as good Corn. Now when the question is put , which is the Chaff , who are the Tares ? Mens Hearts should answer , as the Disciples did , when Christ told them there was a Traytor among them , Mat. 26.21 . they all answered . Lord is it I ? Lord is it I ? Men and Brethren , there are Infidels among you , there are Hypocrites among you ; If I should speak thus from the Lord to this Congregation , this Question should run even through the whole Company ; Lord is it I ? am not I an Hypocrite ? am not I one of these Unbelievers ? But what do your Hearts say to you ? O , I thank God it is not I , I am none of them ; Hypocrites there are , but my Soul is upright . If a whole Congregation should be thus spoken to one by one , may be some of the best among them , that had least reason to suspect themselves , would cry out , Lord , is it I ? I doubt I may be an Hypocrite , I fear how it may be with me ; but for the most , and possibly the very worst among them , they would never stick to answer , I am none of them , I thank God I have an honest Heart , and am upright before God . Whence comes this now to pass ? Why , that Heart of thine hath plaid the Devil with thee , and deceived thee .

3. About Matters to come . If the case be so plain , that the naughtiness of the Life past , and the unsoundness of the present state cannot be hid , then the Heart promises better things de futuro . I 'le look better to it hereafter , though I cannot at present , yet after a while I mean to become a new Man ; stay but a while , and I will be sober ; stay but a while , and I mean to have done with this vain or worldly Life , and to live in all things as becometh a Christian . Thus it promises , and its Promises must be taken . If I turn at last , 't will be well enough , and turn I will shortly , I mean no other ; and this must satisfie and be instead of present Repentance . How much credit there is to be given to such a Promise , the experience of many sufficiently tells . But though it hath been a known Deceiver , yet still it 's trusted .

You that profess Religion , that own Christ , and hold Communion with his Saints , and are visibly walking in the way of Righteousness ; If you should be ask'd , How long wilt thou hold this course , wilt thou hold out to the end ? To day thou art with Christ , but where wilt thou be tomorrow ? Now with the Disciples , but wilt thou never go over to the Scribes and Pharisees ? Thou mayest feel the smart of Christianity , thou mayest become a Reproach and made a Prey . The Shepherds may be smitten , and the Flocks may be scattered ; wilt thou not then forsake Christ , and run over to the Tents of the Uncircumcised ? God forbid , sayes the heart presently ; Turn from the Holy Commandment , deny Christ ? No , though I die with him , I will never deny him . I , but there was one spake as much before you , 't was the word of Peter's Heart , Mat. 26.35 . And yet you know what follow'd ; Consider him , and fear how it may be with you .

2. By what will our Hearts deceive us ? By any thing in the World ; there 's nothing comes a-miss to them , but some evil use or other they can make of it , either to intice to Sin , or to harden against Repentance , or to lay a-sleep in Security , or to build us up in Presumption . The Heart is such an Adversary , that can fight at any Weapon ; such a Mountebank , that can make its Composition of any Ingredients , that can make a Poison of any Medicine , some way or other it can make use of any thing , to serve it in its deceiving work .

By what did Eve's Heart deceive her ? By an Apple . By what did Achan's Heart deceive him ? By a Wedg of Gold . . By what did Sampson's Heart deceive him ? By a Whore . By what was Esau deceived ? By a Mess of Pottage . By what do poor Mens Hearts deceive them ? By their Want and Penury . By what do rich Mens Hearts deceive them ? By their Abundance and Variety . By what do evil Mens Hearts deceive them ? By their Lusts they are drawn aside and inticed . By what do good Mens Hearts deceive them ? Sometimes even by the Good that is in them . The Heart of Man can make a Snare of every Creature , Condition , Relation , or Comfort , can make a Net for Souls of the coursest or of the finest Thred ; can undo them , by their Friends and by their Enemies , by their Prosperities and by their Adversities , by their Sins and their Rigthousness . Where-withal may this Man be enticed to Sin , to neglect Christ and his Soul ? Some Mens Hearts find that a Harlot will do it ; others , that a drunken Companion will do it ; others , that nothing but Gold and Silver will do it ; others , that applause will do it ; some that Idleness , others that Business , some that Friends , others that Enemies ; some that Prosperity , others that Affliction , will be the likeliest Temptations ; and accordingly it manages its deceiving work .

Our Hearts can deceive us by the best we have , by our Vertues , by our Duties , by our Priviledges ; and this is often the most dangerous deceit . The more generous the Wine in which thou receivest thy Poison , the more deadly the Potion .

Some Hypocrites Hearts tell them they are sincere ; But how can they make them believe it ? Why , if the Heart may not be believed for its own word , the Word of God must be brought to witness this lye . Doth not the Scriptures say , Rom. 10.9 . If thou confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus , and believe in thy Heart that God raised him from the Dead , thou shalt be saved ? And do not I believe the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead ? Do not I confess and acknowledg it ? I be ieve it with all mine Heart , I confess it before all the World ; and therefore without doubt I am in a state of Salvation .

If this will not do , but the Heart perceives there must be more in that belief than a notional Assent , there must be more in that Confession than a verbal Acknowledgment , than its Virtues , and Duties , and Priviledges ; its Prayers , and Hearings , and Alms ; its Sobriety and Temperance ; its keeping of Sabbaths , and attending upon Ordinances , must all be call'd forth to testifie : Am not I of God ? Am not I in Christ ? Let my Prayers speak , let mine Alms speak , let my Temperance , let my Patience , let my Sabbaths speak whose I am . I keep the Sabbath , whilst others pollute it ; I hear , whilst others forbear ; I pray and fast , whilst others neglect both , and therefore sure it must be well with me ; when yet it may be , the Man is ignorant of the Spirit , and a secret Enemy against the Power and Purity of Religion all the while .

I might multiply Instances of the several sorts of the Heart's deceivings , and shew that there is nothing , but in some way or other , may be made use of to beguile us .

3. Of what may our Hearts deceive us ? Even of all we have . Of what did our first Parents Hearts deceive them ? Of their Portion in God , and their place in Paradise . Of what did Esau's Heart deceive him ? Of his Birth-right and the Blessing . Of what did Sampson's Heart deceive him ? Of his Locks and of his Life . Of what did that Fool 's Heart deceive him ? Luke 12.20 . Of his Soul . Isa. 44.20 . A deceived Heart hath turned him aside , so that he cannot deliver his Soul .

You that believe your selves Saints , are apt to think , that what-ever you be deceived of , yet your Souls are safe , and therefore that you have no such need to Fear as other Men. But it may be you may be deceived in this , and this very confidence , That thy Soul is safe , may prove its eternal loss . But if you should come off at last , with the Salvation of your Souls , yet how many desperate hazards do you run of losing them , by hearkning to these evil Hearts ? How much of your time do they steal away , which was given you for the working out your Salvation ? How many Duties have they lost you ? how many Ordinances have they lost you , which the Interest of your Souls could ill have spar'd ? What a dead , and dark , and carnal , and loose Spirit hast thou sometimes been bewitched into , wherein God hath been laid by , Soul hath been forgotten , Conscience hath been laid a-sleep , and all care about the things of God , hath been swallowed up of the cares of this Life ? Is it nothing to thee to be in such a case ? Doth it not grieve thee to think whither thou art fallen ? and art thou not afraid what the issue may be ? whether ever thy Soul may be lifted up out of this Pit , whereinto it is sunk so deep in mud and mire ? But if thou should'st be ask'd now , Friend , how camest thou in hither ? who hath led thee into this Dirt ? who hath cast thee into this Pit ? May be thou wilt be ready to answer as Eve did , The Serpent beguiled me in ; or as Adam did , The Woman deceived me in ; thou wilt find some else to father thy Faults upon ; the Devil deceived me into this case , the World deceived me in , evil Company deceived me in ; Like enough they did , But what could they all have done , if thine Heart had not joyned with them ? The hand of Joab is in all this ; thine Heart is the Joab , that hath dealt this subtilly and deceitfully with thee .

1 Kings 22.20 . Who will perswade Ahab ( saith the Lord that be may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead ? I will go ( saith the Devil ) I will perswade him . But where-with wilt thou perswade him ? I will be a lying Spirit in the Mouth of his Prophets ; Go up and prosper , go up and prosper , that shall be the word that shall do it . There 's no fear of falling at Ramoth , thou shalt prevail against thine Enemies , and return a Conqueror . If it shall be said in like manner , who shall perswade this foolish Man to go on his evil wayes , that he may fall and perish ? I will go , sayes his Heart , presently , I 'le be the Devil to perswade him ; But wherewith wilt thou perswade him ? O , I 'le be a lying Spirit within him . I 'le make him believe he shall prosper , and have peace in his way , he shall not fall , nor shall hurt come unto him .

Go , sayes God , to the Devil , and take heed , he sayes not so to that false Heart of thine ; Go , thou shalt perswade , and thou shalt prevail . Thou shalt intice this idle Person , thou shalt harden this vain or this careless Person , and he shall hearken to thee , he shall follow thee till he fall and perish .

Christians , we have every one of us such an Heart as this , that is too ready to go upon such a wretched Errand . Have we not suffered much by it's treachery ? Hath it not often trip'd up our heels , or turned us out of our way ? Hath it not betray'd us out of our Refuge , and led us aside after lying vanities ? Though Grace hath been some security to us against it , yet hath it not often been too hard for all the Grace we have ? Who is there of us that dares stand forth and say , My Heart , I hope , is no such heart ; It is better than to deal thus with me ; I dare trust it , it is a plain and honest heart , there 's no deceit or guile found in it ? Is there ever a one of you that dare say thus ? What complaints are there every-where heard against it , even amongst the best of Christians ? ] But O what do Sinners hearts deceive them of ? What a price is there in Sinners hands , if they had an heart to it ? There 's the Blessed Gospel before them , exhibiting Christ , and Pardon , and Life to them ; they have the Scriptures before them ; they have Sabbaths and Ordinances amongst them ; but behold , they can make nothing of them . The Gospel is opened , and yet it is hid from them ; Christ is preached , but 't is not accepted by them ; they can live ander the preaching of the Word , be conversant at Prayers , Fasts , Sacraments , a whole Age together , and get nothing by them ; they can dwell by the Wells of Salvation , and get not one drop of Water ; live by the richest Mines , and get not a dust of Silver ; walk in the Sun-beams , and see never a gleam of Light ; come into the Store-houses , and yet starve for want of Bread ; can get neither Grace nor Knowledg , but remain blind and dead , under all that Light that hath shined unto them .

But how is it , Sinner , that it 's thus with thee ? Whom hast thou to blame but thine own Heart ? This hath been telling thee , either that thou hast no need of Christ , or his Grace , or that thou hast time enough before thee ; or else hath diverted thee from giving heed to the Word of Life , by finding thee so much other work to do ; and hereby thou seest how it hath left thee ; It hath hitherto lost thee a Christ , lost thee a Gospel , lost thee Sabbaths and Ordinances , and is just losing thee thy Soul . This Heart is it that would not suffer thee , when thou hast been commanded to accept of Christ , or deliver thy self up to him . Any else that comes to demand it , thy Soul is presently delivered up . Let Lust come and require , Deliver up thy Soul to me ; Let thy Companions come and demand , Deliver up thy self to us ; Let the World , or let the Devil demand , Deliver up thy Soul to me ; let me have the rule and the government of it , and up thou resignest it presently ; any but Christ may have thee for asking .

Will the Men of Keilah deliver me up ? said David once , 1 Sam. 23.11 . Will they Lord ? or may I trust my self with them ? Trust them not , sayes God , they will deliver thee up . Dost thou ask , will mine Heart deliver me up ? deliver me up to Lust , or to the World , or the snares of the Devil , or may I trust it ? Trust it not , it will deliver thee up . But to Christ it will not deliver thee up .

It will be telling thee , that Christ is an austere Man , and thou shalt find him an hard Master ; 't will shew thee the Yoke and the Cross ; How severe is his Government ? how short his Allowance ? how hard will be the usage thou must expect of him , or for his sake ? And thereupon it will suggest , how much it doth befriend thee , in refusing to deliver thee up to him . It will never tell thee of thy need of Christ , of the gain that will come in by him ; thou must not be suffered so much as to think of that ; if thou turn aside at any time to commune with him , or to look within the Vail where his Treasures lie , it calls thee off presently , or throws in the World , its Cares or its pleasures upon thee , to thrust out and turn thee aside from all such thoughts , lest he should gain thy consent and good liking . Thus thine Heart hath serv'd thee all thy dayes , so that hitherto thou wilt none of Christ ; and thus 't is like to serve thee to the end of thy dayes , till there be no Christ , nor Mercy , nor Salvation to be had for ever .

And thus have I given you a short hint of the deceitfulness of the Heart ; and is not such an Heart to be feared ? Is such an Heart to be trusted ? an Heart that will deceive you , about every thing that you are concern'd to mind ; about matters past , present , and to come ; that will neither let you consider what you have done , nor know what you are , nor think what s like to become of you herafter ? that will deceive you , by every thing you have to do withal ; that can make every Relation , every Companion , every Condition , every Comfort , every Cross , every Creature , a Gin and a Trap to take your Souls ? that will deceive you of all that ever you have ; that like those Locusts and Caterpillars ( the Plagues of Egypt ) will not leave any green thing in you ? that will deceive you of your selves , of your lives ; of that Christ , of that Gospel , which is all you have for Eternity ; that will lie at you every day , every hour , as Delilah at Sampson , to betray you into the hands of the Philistines , and cast you into the eternal Prison ? Have you such an Heart ? have every one of you such an Heart ? have you prov'd by so long experience , what mischief it hath done you already , and yet not afraid ?

O Christians , let us get more acquaintance with these Hearts of ours ; if we do not fear them , 't is because we know them no better . Let us observe them daily at their work , what colours and fair pretences they have to palliate and lead unto Sin , what shifts and excuses they make for the neglect of Duty ; what delayes and puttings off , from the minding our necessary and most weighty concerns ; and what wiles and devices they have to lull us and hold us fast asleep , whilst our opportunities of obtaining Mercy , steal by us and are lost . Know this Heart of thine more thorowly , and then tell me if thou dost not fear it ?

If there be an Absalom in the Court , a Sheba in the City , a Judas in the Company , a Thief in the House , is there not cause of fear ? Thou hast a Judas in thy Breast , a Thief in thy Bosom , thou hast not an Heart within thee , if thou hast not a mortal Enemy that seeks thy life .

As I said before , so I say again , Study and observe your Hearts more ; believe the Truth of what hath been said ; or if you will not believe your Ears , believe your own Eyes , believe your Experiences and Observations , ( if you have been so wise as to make any Observations upon your selves ) . Indeed that 's the reason why we are so hard to believe , our Hearts are so bad , because we have no more observed them : Have you observed , have you considered how they have dealt with you ? Who is it that hath kept you back from Christ , and short of the Grace of God ? or at least , Who is it that hath kept you so low and so barren , and such aa ill Steward of that Grace which you have received , has not thine own Heart had the great hand in it ? Be not deceived , it is the same Heart still , and is like to take the same course .

That which hath hindred , doth hinder thee ; that which hath deceived , doth deceive , and will deceive ; thou canst never be secure from it whilst thou continuest in this World . Wherefore , O my Soul , since I cannot be out of danger , let me never be out of fear . Let Fools be secure and at rest , but as for me . Let me pass the time of my Sojouring here in Fear .

3. Another reason why we should Fear , is , because of the weight and importance of that work which we have to do in the World . What is our Work here ? wherefore are we born , and live upon this Earth ? 'T is to serve the Lord in the saving of our Souls . The Lord that made us , may and does require our whole Service ; as there is none besides him to whom we owe our Being , so is there none other to whom we owe our Service . Him only shalt thou serve , Mat. 4.10 . And God hath so ordered the matter , that we cannot better serve our selves , than by serving of him ; this is the Work of God , which he requires of us , to work out our own Salvation . Phil. 2.12 . The best Men are the greatest self-seekers . 'T is a piece of self-denyal , which God never requires of any Man , To neglect his own Soul . God would have all Men to be saved , 1 Tim. 2.4 .

There are two Lords that are served in the World ; God and the Devil . The great Service that the Devil hath to be done , is to destroy Souls ; his Name is the Destroyer , Rev. 9.11 . and his work is to destroy ; and this is it which he imposes upon all his Servants , to destroy every Man his own Soul . God is the Saviour , so call'd , Isa. 45.15 . and his whole work that he has to be done by his , is Salvation-work .

Friends , the first and great Service that God hath for every one of you to do , is to look well to those Souls of yours , to recover your selves out of the Snares of the Devil , that you may obtain everlasting Salvation ; if you can but acquit your selves so in this World , that you get safe to Heaven when you die , God will say to you , Well done , good and faithful Servant . 'T is true , we have every one of us more Souls than our own to look too ; I not only Ministers ( whose special work it is ) but every one should do what he can to save the Souls of others ; but our first Service is to look to our own Souls . Our Charity , and so our whole care , must begin at home . Deut. 4.9 . Take heed to [ thy self ] and keep thy Soul , [ thine own Soul ] diligently . As Christ sayes , Luk. 16.12 . He that will not be faithful in that which is anothers , who shall trust him with that which is his own ? May we not much more say here , he that is not faithful in that which is his own , will be much less faithtul in that which is anothers . He that serves the Devil in destroying his own Soul , is not like to serve God in the saving of others Souls .

Well , this is your work you have to do in the World , To serve the Lord ; And this is the Service that God expects , That you save your own Souls . What-ever you are faithfully doing this way , you are therein serving God . You may be saving your Estates , and therein serve the Devil ; you may save your Names , and save your Lives , and therein serve the Devil ; but when you are saving your Souls , you are still serving the Lord . The working out of our Salvation , is not only the business of our Religious Duties , but of all the Actions of our whole course . We are not only to Believe , and Repent , and Hear , and Fast , and Pray for our Lives , but to be carrying on our Salvation-Work in every thing we do . As we may say , whether you Believe , or Repent , or Pray , or Hear ; so also , whether you Eat , or Drink , or whatsoever else you do , do all to the Glory of God , and your own Salvation . Our future state , whether we are for Life or for Death , is not to be determined by some few of our better Deeds , but by the tenour of our whole course ; look what thy Life is in this World , so shall thy Judgment be .

We are here in this World , upon our good behaviour for the other World ; and the short time we have here , is all we have for Eternity ; our Everlasting Life or Death , will be determined by this little inch of time . Do in your day the Work you were sent into the World for , and you live and are blessed for ever ; spend your time in idleness , or impertinencies , live in the neglect of God or your Souls , let your great Work be left undone , or but half-done , and done deceitfully , and you die without remedy , die eternally .

And do you not yet see what cause you have to Fear ? If you were doing any thing of this World's Business , and knew your Life lay upon it , 't would make your hand shake . Psal. 2.11 . Serve the Lord with Fear . Phil. 2.12 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling . Why should we Fear ? why should we Trembie ? Why , because there is so great a Work lying upon our hands . What if this Work be done , and well done ? Then you are made for ever . What if you neglect or miscarry in this Work ? Then you are lost irrecoverably . 'T is a matter of Life and Death that you are every day and hour upon ; how can you think such a thought without a trembling Heart ?

What a mighty influence would this consideration have upon your Duties ? When you go to Pray , whether in the Closet , or in the Family , or in the Congregation , were you perswaded that your eternal state were so much concern'd in it , would you not fear how you trifled in so great a Duty ? and would not this Fear command in all your Powers , to joyn in so important a Service ? how would it stand at the door , and keep out all those stragling thoughts , that at such times use to be thrusting in ? Would such hasty and cursory Praying , such a flat and formal Devotion , which you ordinarily take up with then suffice you ? you would sooner sweat than sleep at Prayer , your Hearts would burn within you , and not freeze , as they too often do ; Tongue-Prayers , and Knee-Prayers , and Eye-Prayers , would be of as little account with you , as they are with God ; all the Males in your Flock would be brought in , you would not dare to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing . You would take your best time , and time enough , you would put forth the utmost of your strength , you would not make your Souls to wait the leisure of your Flesh , or to take its leavings . It must not then be what you can spare from the World , what you can spare from your business or your pleasures that will do the turn ; your eating time , your sleeping time , your working time , must be taken up this way , rather than want time for God and your Souls . Dost thou complain of sleepiness in Prayer , of wandrings in Prayer , of want of time for Prayer ? Think , Man , what Prayer is for ; how much there is depending on the faithful discharge of it ; and see if this doth not work such a Fear upon thine Heart , as will both find thee time , and keep thee waking .

When you go to hear the Word , if you considered , I am now hearing for my Life , the Lord God hath brought me before him , that he may tell me words whereby I may be saved ; the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are now opening to me ; the most High comes down to shew me the Path of Life ; that Word that falls from the Preacher's Lips , is the Word by which I must be saved , and the Word by which I must be judged ; 't is the Everlasting Gospel I come now to hear , which is all I have for Eternity ; I must stand or fall , live or die , according to the success of this Word upon me . As this is the only Word of Life , so this may be the only time of Life ; God knows whether this may not be the last Warning , the last Instruction , the last Tender of Grace and Mercy that I may have for ever ; whether my hearkning to , or letting slip what I shall hear from the Lord this day , be not that which must give the final determination of mine Everlasting State . What would such thoughts , ( did they sit close upon our Hearts , when we come to hear the Word ) what would such thoughts work ? would they not command thee , take heed how thou hearest , give heed to the things thou hearest , fear how thou let them slip ? Would a deaf Ear , a wandring Eye , a roving Imagination be then endured by thee ? Wouldst thou then suffer , as ordinarily thou dost , those wandring Birds to catch up the incorruptible Seed as it falls upon thee ? would it not send thee home with a trembling Heart , at all such times when thou hast left all thou heardst behind thee ?

Consider , Friends , where are you at this present ? what makes you here this day ? Let me reason with you a little before the Lord ; How is it that all your Spirits are not standing upon the Watch-Tower , whilst the King of Glory passeth by ? How is it that all your Ears , and Eyes , and Hearts , are not waiting for him ? why sit you here all the day idle ? Do you not understand what Work 't is you are upon ? O take heed to your selves , Salvation and Damnation are before you , and one of the two you are certainly working out . Is it indifferent to you which of the two it be ? is it all one to please God or to provoke him ? to get you nearer , or to put you farther off from the Kingdom of God ? What think you of such praying , and such hearing as you content your selves with ? Will the living God be serv'd with such spiritless Duties ? Is Death your way to Life ? Are these dead and heartless Duties ? Is this dead praying , and dull hearing , that upon which you will venture your Souls ? Will you pray your selves into Hell ? While you have in your hands the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven , will you lock the Door with it , and shut your selves out ? Whilst others are swearing , and lying , and coveting , and cursing themselves to Hell , will you be hearing and praying your selves thither ? whither else will such dead Duties carry you ? certainly such blessing is as cursing , such hearing is as hardning the Ears , such praying is as blessing an Idol . Will God regard Mockers ? Will God be served with Wind and Words ? O tremble ! fear lest you not only lose all your Duties , but be irrecoverably lost by them .

Again , what an influence would this Consideration have upon all the actions of your Life , if you understood and were sensible that all that ever you do , hath such a respect to your eternal state , that according to it , your final Sentence will be . Where-ever you are , what-ever you are doing , you are serving God or the Devil , you are working for Life or for Death . There are no indifferent actions ( considered , in individuo , and with their Circumstances ) that make neither one way or other , all our motions are either upward or downward .

Our Life is our Race , and every Action of our Lives is a step backward or forward , our going in or out of our way . Nay , onr very doing nothing is doing something ; if our ease or rest be idleness , it 's serving the Devil ; if it be a refreshing for our Work , it 's serving God . We may be in a sense serving God when we be a-sleep , and we may also by our sleep be serving the Flesh and the Devil . We are ever either laying aside our Weights , or laying on more Weight ; we are making us Wings , or making us Chains ; helping our selves on , or hindering us in our way . We are in this World as Merchants trading for Eternity . Our whole Life is a treasuring up good or evil for our selves against the last day . We are alwayes either buying or selling , buying the Truth of selling our Souls ; we are upon the Exchange every day , and hour , either changing better for worse , or worse for better ; every inch of our time , is our Talent to trade withal , and we are still laying it out to our gain or our loss .

Our Lives are our Seed-time ; we are still sowing to the Harvest ; what we sow in Time , we must reap in Eternity . Our Eating and Drinking , our Working and Playing , our Talking and our Silence , will one way or other spring up to our hands hereafter .

Do you understand this , Friends ? Do you consider it ? O what manner of Persons should we then be , what wary and circumspect Lives should we live ? Would not this , if it were considered , dam up that stream of Iniquity that runs down through all our course ? Would our covetous practices , our fraudulent and unrighteous dealings ; would that lying and scoffing , that self seeking and flesh-pleasing , which take up so much of our time ; would this hold up the head against such a sense of the influence they must have upon our eternal State ? Should we then spend so much of our time in doing wickedly , or doing nothing ? would it not find us other Work , and work enough for our Time , our Tongues , and our Hands , and our Heads , and all our Powers ? But we do not consider or understand .

When you are walking in the vanity of your Minds , after the Lusts of this World ; what do you use to think of this ? or do you think nothing of it ? I , so 't is indeed , you will not then think what you are doing , but stand and pause awhile ; when you are serving your flesh , can you think now I am serving the Lord , now I am working out my Salvation , now I am providing for my Soul , and laying up against the time to come ? Dare you say , now I am sowing for Eternity , this is that which I would reap in the other World ? This Mirth and this Jollity , this Pride and this Idleness , this Laughter and these Lyes ; Let these and the Crop they will bring forth , be my Harvest hereafter ? Would not the thoughts of such a Harvest , make you dread such a Seed-time .

Or else can you say , The time that I spend thus I can spare from my Soul , that care 's taken already , Christ is sure , Heaven is sure to me ; Now for the flesh , and mine ease , and my pleasure now for this present World , I have done enough for that to come ? Or else will you say , These dayes of my Vanity and Earthliness , will , I hope , be left out of my Reckoning ; my Prayers and my Alms , the good that I have done is so much , that my evil Deeds and Dayes will be over look'd and past by ?

But must not every Day , must not every Work be brought to Judgment ? Doth not the Righteous and All-seeing God book down all ? Is not the Sin of Judah written , as well as their Tears and Duties ? Is not every thing noted in his Book ? And must not all things that are written therein , be read in that day ? Canst thou look on this , and not fear continually every day ? 1 Pet. 1.17 . If ye call on the Father , who without respect of Persons , judgeth according to every Man's Work , pass the time of your sojourning here in Fear . If you had to do with a God that would never call you to a Reckoning , whether you serv'd him or not , or how much or how little you serv'd him , or whom else you serv'd besides him ; if you had to do only with such a God , the matter were not then so much how you liv'd and spent your time : But if ye call on the Father , if you serve such a God , who will reckon with every one of you , and for every thing you have done , you had need look better to it ; Pass the time , the whole time , of your Sojourning here in Fear .

Beloved , if your own Souls were not so highly concern'd , yet this Consideration , That the Work of your Lives is , to serve the Lord , would work you to Fear .

If you were upon some Service for a Prince , or a great Man of the Earth , suppose it were but to make him a Garment , would you not fear how you sullied it , or bungled upon it ? Or if it were but to keep his Garden , would you not fear how you let it run to ruine ? What is this God whom you serve ? Is he not a great God , the King of all the Earth ? Is he not an Holy God , and a Jealous God , that looks to be sanctified , and to be the Fear and the Dread of all those that serve him ? Isa. 8.23 . The Service of God is often exprest in Scripture , by fearing of God . Cornelius , Acts 10.2 . was said to be a Man fearing God ; that is , the same as a Man that served the Lord : And the Apostle exhorts , Heb. 12.28 . That we have Grace in our Hearts , whereby we may serve God acceptably , with reverence and Godly Fear . Thou servest the Lord , but wouldst thou that thy Service be accepted with God ? Then serve him with Fear .

Therefore , to the end to hold this Fear upon you , I shall add this Counsel .

Through your whole course , and all the parts of it , carry this express Notion upon your Hearts , That you are serving the Lord in all that you do . Do all you do as the Servants of the Lord , and look on every Duty as the serving of him . What the Apostle requires of the Servants of Men , is the Duty of every one of the Servants of God ; Col. 3.23 , 24. What-ever you do , do it heartily [ as ] unto the Lord , for ye serve the Lord Christ .

When you go to pray , think with your selves , this is a Duty which I ow to God . I am going into my Closet , upon a Service I have to do for God there : When you give an Alms , or when you teach or instruct your Families , think with your selves , these are Services which I have to perform , not only to my poor Brethren , to my ignorant Family , but I ow them to the Lord , and to him I will perform them ; I have a Service to do for God amongst the Poor , I have a Service to do for God in my Family ; God hath bid me Feed the one and Teach the other , and to whomsoever I do it , I 'le do it as unto the Lord .

And in like manner , in all the matters of your Life , in the ordering of your whole Conversation , let this be still in your Eye , and upon your Heart , God hath sent me forth as his Servant into the World ; I have no business here but for the most High ; I am born for him , I am fed , I am clothed , I live for him ; all that ever I have are the Talents of my Lotd , committed to me to use and improve for him . I am Debtor to no other , I am Servant to none else ; what-ever goes out any other way , this is no less than unfaithfulness to him , whose I am ; and now I go bound for him ; for his pleasure I was made , and to him I am devoted ; this Life of mine , and every day of it , and every breath of it , I consecrate to the Lord ; his Servant I am , and 't is no Work for me , that I cannot call serving the Lord .

What would such a Sentiment upon the Heart bring forth ? What care , yea , what watchfulness , yea , what fear would it produce ? What , shall I serve the Lord with that which cost me nothing ? Shall cheap-Service , and easie-Service , and lazy-Service , and eye-Service , be all that the Lord God shall have of me ? I dare not serve my Governour so , and how will my God take it ? But what , shall I divide my Service betwixt the Lord and any other Master ? shall my Flesh be serv'd , shall my Pride be serv'd , shall my Covetousness , shall Men be serv'd ? shall this Heart , or this Time , or this Estate be divided betwixt the Lord and them ? How if the Lord find me in another Field , in another House , or upon other Work , than whither he sent and appointed me ? How if he find any of his Talents wasted , his Goods conveyed away to another Master ? how will he bear it ? Yea , how shall I bear it ? Art thou not afraid , O my Soul , how this will be born , and what a Reckoning thou mayest be brought to for it ? O , let me fear to be such an evil Servant , that I may not fear the evil Servant's doom ; let me continually fear , every day , that I may prevent the fear of the Reckoning-Day . Such a standing Impression , would this Notion of our being engaged in Service for God , kept constantly upon the Heart , produce .

This Notion , mingled with all our Thoughts , Duties , and Wayes , and the Holy Fear it will bring forth , will not only hold us to constant Service , but will put us upon the highest and best Service . What is the Lord whom I serve ? Is he not one who looks for all I have , and is he not worthy of all I have ? What an honour is it to be the Servant of God , and what a terror to be none of that number ? He is the best Master , he is worthy , he is worthy of the very best I have . Fear , and be ashamed , O my Soul , to put him off with any thing that is not worthy of him . What will an ingenious Spirit fear , more than to be base and unworthy .

Should you ask such a Person , Why are you so exact , and so tender , and so circumspect in your way ? Why are you so busie , and so studious , and so laborious in your course ? Why can you not , as well as others , take up with a lower and more remiss way of Religion ? O , I dare not be so unworthy ; I am the Servant of God , and through his Grace , I will serve him the best I can . He that is most Holy , and most Circumspect , that keeps the closest to his Work and his Rule , he is the best Servant to God ; and as I am obliged , so I am resolved , through the help of God , to do him the most Honour , and the best Service I can . I should be a Wretch , a vile and unworthy Person , if I were otherwise minded .

The great God hath but few Servants in the World ; hath he taken me into the number of those few ? O , what shall I render ? how can I be sufficiently thankful for that Grace ? God hath but few Servants in the World , and the fewer the more serviceable have they need to be . The Devil hath many Servants , he hath those that serve him in every House , in every Town , there are whole Countries that are wholly peopled with the Servants of the Devil ; and their Work is , to do all the dis-service and dishonour they can to God ; to cherish the Flesh , and foment the Lusts thereof , to fill the World with wickedness , and to trample upon all that 's left of God in it . What multitudes hath the Devil that serve him every-where , and how busie are they at their Work ? God hath but a few Servants , and since he hath made me one of them , I 'le do him the best Service I can . Such a blessed and quickning influence , would such abiding thoughts have upon all the People of God .

As 't would be on the contrary , If Sinners would carry this thought upon their Hearts , I am every day serving the Devil , it would be a Bridle to hold them in ; so if People kept up such a thought , I am serving the Lord , 't would be a Spur to quicken them on . Such a thought upon Sinners Hearts , I am serving the Devil , would strike such a fear , as would drive them quite backwards . The very same fear , which would animate Saints , would strike Sinners dead in the Nest .

If a Sinner that 's going to the Ale-house , would seriously consider , and ask himself , Whither am I going , and upon whose Errand ? And his Heart should answer , I am going to the Ale-house to serve the Devil ; the Devil hath some Servants at work there for him , at their Drinking-work , Swearing-work , Scoffing-work , and I am going among them to help on the Devil's Work : And if others that are serving their Covetousness , or their Pride , or their Envy , if their Hearts should tell them , This also is serving the Devil ; the Devil hath a great Work for thee to do , to damn that Soul of thine , and as many others as thou canst ; The Devil would have thee to Hell with him , and hang up that Soul of thine in Chains of Fire . This he cannot do , unless thou wilt put thine own hand to the Work , and now he hath brought thee to it ; in the course thou art now taking , thou art doing the Devil's Work , to destroy thine own Soul . Such thoughts would put Sinners to a stand , or at least slacken their pace .

If the Devil should possess a whole Countrey of People , as he hath sometimes possessed some particular Persons , and should set them a pulling down their own Houses , a burning their Corn and their Cattel , a tearing their own flesh , a pulling out their own Eyes , a butchering their Children , a pulling out one anothers Throats ; who would no the afraid to go dwell in that Countrey , to be hired to that cruel Work ? Why , Sinners , 't is worse work than this that the Devil hath set you upon , and you are now a-doing ; He hath set you on work to stab every Man his own Soul , to strike in Darts through our Livers , to kindle those Fires that will burn to the bottom of Hell , and to cast your selves headlong into those Eternal Flames . Hadst thou such a thought as this upon thy Heart , didst thou but consider that this is it thou art doing , 't would cool the heat of thy Lust , and hold thee back , at least from much of that wickedness thou art rushing upon .

And so it would be here , if Christians did consider what 't is that they are a doing , in their following Holiness and Righteousness , that they are herein serving the Lord , and that in his recovering and saving Design ; O how would it provoke them on ! How is it that thou art such a slow-belly , that thou art such a drone , and such a slug in thy Work ? Is he whom thou servest worthy of no more than this ? Pluck up thy Spirits Man , thou art upon Service for the God of the whole Earth , and upon the noblest Service that thou art capable of ; thou art sent forth upon the same Service , for which the Son of God was sent into the World , to save Souls , and to destroy the Works of the Devil ; Jam. 5.20 . If God should have employed thee but in those lower Works , that Christ did for the Bodies of Men , to open the Eyes of the Blind , to unloose the Tongue of the Dumb , to cast out Devils , to heal the Sick , and raise the Dead ; wouldst thou have been so unwilling , and so backward at such Works ? Thou art upon greater Works than these , to save thine own Soul , and those that see and hear thee .

God hath made thee one of that Chosen Generation , that Royal Priesthood , that Holy Nation , who are to serve him , by shewing forth the Vertues of him that hath called them , 1 Pet. 2.9 . To bear his Name , and to set forth his Praises in the World ; thou art set up as the Image of God , as the Epistle of Christ ; thou art sent forth as a Factor and Agitator for God , to negotiate for him in the Earth ; to bear up his Name , to propagate his Gospel , to enlarge his Kingdom ; Art thou not afraid to trifle in such noble Works ?

Think , O my Soul , what 't is thou art for , and for whom thou livest ; Shall I be as the Ox that eateth Grass , or as the Swine that lyeth in the Mud , and tell the World , behold your King ? This is the Image of your God ? Shall the Epistle of Christ be nothing else but a Blank or Blots ? Shall the Factor for Heaven have so much of his Occupation for Earth ? Shall I teach Men to despise , and pollute , and blaspheme that worthy Name , which I am intrusted to advance and exalt ? Shall any little that I do , suffice me in so great a Trust ? Come on , O my Soul , remember thou servest the Living God , and therefore let me do him the best Service I can . Canst thou be too Holy ? Canst thou be too Circumspect and too Active ? I may be too sluggish , and too silent , and too shie , and too shamefac'd ; but can I be too busie , a too zealous for the Living God ? Can I say of my best , this is too much ? Can I say of any thing less than my best , this is enough ? 'T is the Lord God whom thou servest , fear to be unworthy . This is the advantage of our carrying this thought upon our Hearts , I serve the Lord , it will put us upon the best and highest Service .

Give me leave to add another Advantage , ( though not of so proper consideration here ) ; This thought , whilst it provokes us to the highest , will yet comfort us , touching the least and meanest of all our Services . Some poor weak Christians , are apt to discourage themselves in all they do , from this , that it is so very low and little that they do . I am a poor Creature , 't is but little that I have to serve the Lord withal , I am ignorant and of weak understanding , I have not the Parts nor Gifts that others have ; I might possibly serve the Lord better , were it not for this Fear which is upon me ; I am afraid to speak of God , or of the Things of God ; I am of slow Speech , and rude Language , I cannot express my self to any purpose ; I am ashamed of my teaching my Family , of my praying in my Family ; I do it so brokenly and confusedly , that I fear I do more hurt than good in it .

I but , poor Man , as weak as thou art , and as weakly as thou dost , what thou dost , if thou do what thou canst , This is serving the Lord ; and whether it be little or much , if thou canst but truly say , This is serving the Lord , thou mayst be comforted in it .

If Sinners considered that their little Sins were serving the Devil , 't would make them afraid of the very least transgression . Some Sinners are not so great Sinners as others , they are not guilty of those higher and more notorious Crimes that some others are , and this quiets them and keeps off Fear from them .

Thou art no Drunkard , thou sayest , nor no Adulterer , nor no Blasphemer ; I , but dost thou not live a carnal , vain , careless , earthly Life ? and is not this serving the Devil ? Though thou dost not serve the Devil in the Ale-house , or the Whore-house ; though thou dost not serve the Devil with Oaths , and Curses , and Blasphemies , yet is it not the Devil still thou servest ? Thou servest thy Covetousness , thou servest thy Pride , and thy sensual Appetite ; thou neglectest Christ and thy Soul , and is not this serving the Devil ? Such a thought , upon the most harmless of Sinners Hearts , yet I serve the Devil , would make him afraid . Is it a light thing to serve the Devil ? Though I be not numbred among the chief of Sinners , though there be others worse than I , yet am not I under the same Master ? Though I be among the hindermost of the Company , yet am not I one of them ? This Life I live , is no serving God , and therefore 't is doubtless the serving of the Devil . Take heed , O my Soul , If the Devil can but hold thee , 't will be all one , whether it be by greater or smaller Cords ; the Devil is dragging thee to Hell , and so he can but get the thither at last , it will be upon the matter all one to him whether it be by greater or lesser Sins . Though he can't perswade thee to ride post into the Pit , yet if he can but toll thee in , that shall suffice him , though it be but by a slower pace .

Now as such a thought , I serve the Devil , would afright the least of Sinners , so will such a thought , I serve the Lord , comfort the least of Saints . But this by the way .

4. Another Reason why we should Fear , is , because of the great Treasure we carry about with us , whither-ever we go .

Christians are Travellers , and they travel with charge about them . This World is a dangerous World , the Passengers through it are in danger of falling among Thieves , which will spoil and rob them of their Treasure .

A Christian carries more Riches about him than the whole World is worth . He hath the whole Gospel within him , he hath the two Tables of the Covenant , his Heart is the Ark , in which they are laid up . He hath Christ in him , the Fruits of his Blood , his Pardon and Reconciliation ; the graces and comforts of his Spirit , his evidences for Heaven ; all the Records of the gracious Transactions betwixt God and his Soul , the Pawns and Pledges of Divine Love , the King's Broad-Seal , and the Earnest for Glory ; all the Income of his Faith , the Returns of his Prayers , all that he hath gotten , all the Manna he hath gathered , the Hidden Manna , the White Stone , with the New Name , he carries all his Riches up and down with him , whither-ever he travels .

Hast thou any Divine Light in thine Heart ? any love for Christ , any zeal for God and his Gospel , any Tokens of his Love , or Tenderness of his Honour ? Is there Peace , or Joy , or Hope within thee ? All this thou art in danger of being rob'd and spoil'd of .

This is the Design that Satan hath upon thee , this is the Errand of every Worldly Lust , of every Temptation , every Companion , every Carnal Relation , every Change of Condition , every Carnal Pleasure , all thy Earthly Possessions ; the Devil hath set them in ambush , and they lie in wait for thee , to rifle thee and spoil thee of all that ever thou art worth .

Hast thou never fallen amongst these Thieves , and suffered great loss by them ? Hast thou been rob'd , and art thou not afraid thou mayest again ? Will not thy loss make thee more wise and wary ?

How many Instances have there been of secure and unwary Christians , who , whilst they have been venturous upon Temptations , have trusted themselves amongst their vain Companions , indulged themselves a more free , and jolly , and easie , a more remiss , and flesh pleasing Life , or a more busie drudgery for this World , have , ( as to their sense at least ) lost all they had for the other World ; Who when they have come a little to themselves , fall a mourning out Naomi's bitter Song ; Ruth . 1.20 . Call me no more Naomi , but call me Marah ; I went out full , but I returned empty . Whilst mine Heart was tender , and mine Eye jealous ; whilst I kept my watch , and kept my distance from this World and its Temptations ; O , what Light , Love , Peace , Joy , did then shine upon and possess my Heart ? then I had a God , whom I could call mine own ; then I had a Jesus , and could lean upon my Beloved ; then I could believe , love , serve , delight in , enjoy , and praise the Lord .

But wo , wo to me , how is it now ? Whilst I allowed my self a little more boldness , with this Flesh and this World , I have even lost all ere I was aware . I am fallen among Thieves , and what have they left me ?

O mine Ease , my Pleasures , my Money , my Lands , which I have turned aside to , how have you served me ? Whilst I have been loving , and following , and serving you , how have you rewarded me ? Ah me , they have taken away my Lord , and I know not where they have laid him . Grace is not , Peace is no more to me , a good Conscience , where is it become ? I can neither Believe , nor Love , nor Pray , nor Hope , nor any thing else , but Fear and Lament. O had I feared alway , this Fear had never come upon me .

Christians , Are there no such Instances , no such Cases in the World ? And is there no fear that this may be any of your cases ? Do not [ you ] also travel with Charge ? have you not a Treasure within you ? What , have you been Professors so long , Believers so long ; have you been Hearing , and Praying , and Fasting , and Labouring all this while , and have not gotten something you would be loth to lose ? And is not the World still as very a Thief as ever ? Does not the Devil lye in wait for you as well as for others ? Is not his Eye upon that Chain about thy Neck , that Jewel in thy Bosom , and those Bracelets upon thy Hands , the Graces that appear upon thee ? and hath he not a mind to beguile thee of them all ? Are his Temptations so weak , or art thou so strong , that thou needest not fear them ? As I told thee once heretofore , so I now tell thee again , He that is so weak as not to fear Temptations , is certainly not so strong as to resist them . Look to thy self , they are all standing at the catch for thee ; thy Companions are catching , thine Estate is catching , thy Businese is catching , thy Pleasures are all catching at thee , to spoil thee of all that ever thou hast .

Objection .

But he that hath nothing , hath no need to fear the Thief : As for me ( saith the Sinner ) I have nothing to lose , neither Grace nor Peace ; it 's for the Rich to fear , but I am so poor that I cannot be poorer ; my Estate is so bad , that the Devil can hardly make it worse than it is ; I need not fear whither , or among whom I go , I cannot come amongst those that are worse than my self ; why then should such an one as I Fear ?

Answer .

1. Hast thou nothing to lose ? thou hast the more to get . Art thou content to be thus poor for ever ? Hitherto thou hast no Grace , thou hast no part in Christ , nor the Salvation of God ; but what if thou shouldst never have ? That which hath kept thee from Christ hitherto , and so wholly void and empty of the Grace of God hitherto , is like to keep thee so for ever ; and , O what if it should do so ? If the Devil and this evil World should serve thee all thy days , as they have serv'd thee to this day ? What if thou shouldst continue thus blind , and thus hard , and in such a poor and wretched state of Soul to thy dying day ? Darest thou go down thus to thy Grave ? Darest thou stand thus in the Judgment ? When it shall be then demanded of thee , What good hast thou done , or what good hast thou gotten , wouldst thou stand speechless ? Consider in time , the less thou hast , the more thou hast to get .

2. Thou hast yet much to lose . As poor as thou art , thou mayest be poorer ; thy case is not so bad but it may be much worse than ' t is . For ,

1. Thou hast a day of Grace to lose . Though thou hast no Grace , yet thou hast a day of Grace ; thou art yet under the means ; thou art yet in a possibility of Grace , as wretched as thy state is , it is not desperate . The Word is nigh thee , the Door of Mercy is yet open ; Behold the Lord stands at the Door and knocks ; behold , he calleth thee , Come unto me and be saved ; what is thy time for ? Doth not the Lord say , as Rev. 2.21 . I give this Sinner space to repent ? What are Sabbaths , Ordinances , Ministry for ? Is not the Acceptable Day yet proclaimed ? Is not the Word of Reconciliation yet preached unto thee ? and do all these give thee no hope , no opportunity of obtaining Mercy ? What if these were all lost and gone ? if it were said unto thee , Time is past ? What if thou shouldst never hear a Sermon more , never keep a Sabbath more , never see the face of a Minister of Christ more ? if thou shouldst never again be instructed or invited to Christ , but shouldst be irrevocably given up to a Reprobate Mind , and an Heart that cannot repent ? Is it nothing to thee , that Repentance is yet preached to thee , in the Name of the Lord Jesus ? that the Ambassadours are still before thy Door , beseeching thee from the Lord , and praying thee in Christ's stead , Be thou reconciled to God ? How would such a Day be prized in Hell ? If the Ministers that are now sent to thee , were sent down amongst those damned Souls that are bound in Chains of Darkness , to carry down the Gospel to them ? O , if those miserable Souls might have one Sabbath more , one hour of Grace more , one Sermon more of Repentance and Reconciliation preached unto them , how would their shrieks and howlings be turned into shouts and acclamations of joy ? Why , Sinner , thou hast yet the Blessed Day before thee ; when 't is past and gone , then thou wilt know , too late , of what price it was .

2. Thou hast a Soul to lose . As poor as thou art , thou hast yet that which is more worth than all the World ; Matth. 16.26 . Thou dost not know the price of a Soul , who sayest , Thou hast nothing to lose . Sinners value their Souls at a low rate , 't is the cheapest pennyworth that the Devil can buy in the World ; Men sell them as cheap as Esau sold his Birth-right , for a Mess of Pottage ; as the Rich Men sold the Poor , for a piece of Silver , or a pair of Shooes : a Soul for a Lust , a Soul for a Whore , a Soul for a Name ; the lowest price the Devil bids , will hardly be refused .

But as low as Men rate it , a Soul is worth a Kingdom ; all the Kingdoms in the World will not buy it from his hands , who knows it's worth . All the Crowns , and Scepters , and Thrones , and Dominions of all the Earth , put all together , one poor Soul will weigh them all down . And this is it , O Sinner , that thou hast to lose , and yet dost thou say thou hast nothing to lose ? How canst thou also but live in Fear ? Yea , who in the World hath greater reason to fear than thou ? Is thy Soul so precious ? Is thy Soul in danger of being lost ? Is it so near gone , almost past recovery , every day , every hour , ready to drop down into that Pit , from which is no Redemption ; How is it that such a thought shakes not thy Soul ?

IV. What you should Fear .

'T is too long to tell you of every thing that is to be feared ; Fear especially these Things following .

Fear 1. Your Delilahs , or your beloved Sins . 2. Your Jezebells , or your painted Sins . 3. Your Isaacs , or any beloved Creature . 4. The Cross , or Affliction . 5. The Curse , or Damnation .

1. Fear your Delilahs , or your beloved Sins . You have reason to fear every Sin , greater Sins , smaller Sins , common and ordinary Sins , strange and unaccustomed Sins ; there 's no Sin so gross , but it may be thy Sin ; and there 's no Sin so small , but it may be thy undoing ; there 's no Sin so great a stranger to thee , but one time or other it may give thee a visit ; thou mayest be tempted to that Sin , which thou wast never tempted to in all thy life , thou mayest be over-come of that sin which thou never committedst all thy dayes before . Say not of any sin , this I fear not ; it may be the next that comes ; and if it come , thou hast that within thee may bid it welcome . Fear all Sin , but especially fear thy Beloved Sin ; Fear what-ever thou lovest in all the World , but especially the Sin of thy Love ; there be some Sins that that thou canst better spare , and what thou canst better spare , thou needest least to fear .

But what is this Beloved Sin , or how may I know which it is ? 'T is worth your enquiry , and I shall give you the following marks or discoveries of it , by which you may understand , both what Sin it is that is your Beloved Sin , and how great reason you have to fear it .

1. The Beloved Sin hath easie entrance . The Apostle calls it , Heb. 12.1 . The Sin that doth easily beset us . It layes Siege to the Soul , and it hath an easie Siege of it ; it lies not long without the Walls , the Gates are quickly thrown open to it ; when-ever it comes to the Door , 't is usually let in at the first knock . Strangers may be made to wait , or be sent packing , but this Friend must be fetched in and bid welcome ; the Devil may save his labour to tempt to this Sin , it self is temptation enough . It is the Familiar of the Heart , one of its nearest Acquaintance .

2. It hath the command of all . The Beloved-Sin is the Master-Sin ; 't is by love that Sin rules ; what-ever hath gotten thy love , hath therein gotten the dominion in thee . Lovest thou God ? then at his command thou art . Lovest thou Sin ? then this becomes thy Lord , thou wilt deny or keep back nothing it will have . This Herodias may ask what she will and she shall have it ; not half , but all , not the Baptist's Head , but thine own Head , and Heart , and Soul , and Life , all must be sacrificed to it . All the good thou hast , and not only this , but all other Sins and Lusts must stoop to it and serve it . For instance , If Pride be the Master-Sin , the whole Man , and all that ever he hath , must be Servants to it ; yea , and every other Lust must either serve it , or give place to it . Covetousness , must get in Wealth to maintain it ; Envy , must throw Dirt in others Faces that would eclipse it ; Curiosity , must provide it of Ornaments , all the parts and powers of the Soul , all its vertues and inward Endowments , all the actions of the Life , must all be made use of to serve and uphold it . Meekness , Temperance , Patience , Charity , Chastity ; Preaching , Praying , Fasting , all our Religion must be press'd to do homage to this Idol ; and whatsoever would be a disgrace , whether it be good or evil , must be laid aside , or trodden under-foot . If it be a disgrace to be covetous , Pride will be content to be poor ; if it be a disgrace to be quarrelsom , Pride will be peaceable ; yea , if it be a disgrace to be proud , Humility must serve it for a Covering and Ornament . If it be an honour to be Godly and Conscientious , the Proud will be a Professor ; and if it be a disgrace or reproach , then farewel to Religion , Conscience hide thine head . Every thing must be entertained or rejected , according as it may serve or hinder it , and this Pride must have the ordering and disposing of all .

If Covetousness be the Master-Sin , then all we are or have must be at its command . The Sensual Appetite must be denyed , and Hunger and Thirst must be born for its sake ; Expensive Pride , or Wasteful Prodigality , must no longer be endured ; Slothfulness and Idleness must by no means be indulged to ; All our time , wits , parts , strength ; all those vices , injustice , oppression , unmercifulness , must be hired to gather in Dust , to feed this greedy Worm . And the like may be said of any other Beloved Sin , it hath the command of all .

3. It must have no check nor controul . The Beloved must dwell in quiet , do what I will , and none must say to it , What dost thou ? Like that Fondling Adonijah , of whom 't is said , 1 Kings 1.6 . His Father had not displeased him at any time , nor said , Why hast thou done so ? The Darling must be dandled , but never corrected or questioned ; or if there be a necessity , and it cannot be avoided , that some check be given it , then the same charge must be given as concerning that other of David's Fondlings , Absalom , 2 Sam. 18.5 . Deal gently with the young Man . Not too harsh , not too close ; Nay , my Sons , 't is not well that I hear of you , said Eli to his wicked Sons , 1 Sam. 4.24 . And that 's the hardest word that will be born .

4. It 's the last that 's parted with . Reuben shall go , and Simeon shall go , and Judah shall go ; but must Benjamin go to ? My Son shall not go down , said once old Israel , Gen. 42. this Pride let it go , sayes the covetous Man , and this Sloth , and this Pleasure ; but must this Mammon and my Heart be parted ? it shall not go . This Covetousness , let it go , saith the proud Man , and this Ease and this Pleasure , but shall this Honour and these Ornaments go ? If I be put to Labour , I can bear it ; or if I be Poor , I can bear it : I can work hard , or fare hard , but I cannot be despised ; though my Estate be brought low , and my Back be bowed down , yet my Spirit will not come down ; this Pleasure I can spare , and this Ease , and this Honour , saith the peevish , but I cannot help it to be angry and impatient when I am provoked , Nature will have its vent ; any thing but this , but in this thing , the Lord pardon me , I cannot help it .

5. It 's often the parting penny , betwixt Christ and the Soul , betwixt the Soul and Life . 'T is the last that 's parted with , and sometimes 't will never be parted with . Christ must go , and Life must go ; the Soul must die , rather than this Sin not be saved alive . Doubtless there are Souls in Hell , that have parted with much , and would have parted with all but this one thing , their Beloved Sin ; and for the sake of this they perish everlastingly . Was it not the care of that young Man that came to Christ for Eternal Life ? Mark 10.21 . He was fair for Life , only Christ tells him , One thing thou lackest . Get thee loose from the love of this Earth , and Heaven shall be thine . O , sayes his Heart , I have too much to lose , and I love it too well to part with it so ; sorry I am I cannot : I have a good will to thee , I have a mind to live , abate me but this and I will be thine ; but if this may not be , away he goes , sorry he must die , but yet chusing Death , rather than the loss of that Idol , his great Estate .

Now , Friends , Is not such a Sin to be feared ? that will find such an easie entrance that has the command of all , by which your Souls and Consciences , all your Parts and Powers , all your Time , and Estates , and Wayes , are governed and disposed ; that must do what it will , without check or controul ; that you can so hardly get rid of , and will so greatly hazard your foregoing for ever your part in Christ ; if any thing in the World be like to keep you off , or draw you back from him , this is it that will do it , your Beloved Sin ; Is not such a Sin to be feared ?

Well , by what hath been said you may find it out , and know which it is ; or it may be , there may be more than one of them ; some Sinners serve many Masters , and know not which is the chief . Fear all your Sins , and do what you can to find out the Master-Sin , and take heed of it where-ever you meet it . Never count thy self in the least safety ; whilst that Lust is alive , reward it as it would serve thee ; Put thy finger upon the right Head , and then say , Thou must die Jonathan ; thou must die , O my Sin , or my Soul must die by thine hand . But of this more hereafter .

2. Fear your Jezebels , or your painted Sins . An Enemy in a disguise is the more to be feared , as his advantage against us is the greater . The Devil is a Painter , that can limn some of the foulest Vices into the form of Vertues . As he can put an ugly vizor upon goodness , and with this foolish World , make Light pass for Darkness , Holiness for Hypocrisie , Tenderness for Troublesomness , Zeal for Pride and Fury ; so can he paint Sin into the form of Godliness . Covetousness must go for Frugality , Profuseness for Liberality , Sinful Complyance for Civility , Sinful Connivence for Modesty , Lukewarmness for Moderation , Cowardice and Faint-heartedness for Prudence and Discretion .

Hast thou never a painted Jezabel with thee ? No Lust , nor Vice , which thou allowest thy self in , thinking there 's no harm in it ? Fear this Harlot , that looks more modestly than her that hath her whorish Heart on her Forehead . Who is on the Lord's side , who ? Throw her down . Hast thou any thing within thee that is for Christ indeed ? Let it down with this Jezebel . Pull off the Harlots Vail , and cast her out . Come in , yea rather , Get thee out thou Wife of Jeroboam , why feignest thou thy self to be another ? Is this thy Frugality or Providence , to hoord up and hold back what the Lord calls for from thee ? Is this thy good Husbandry ? Too good an Husband to be Merciful ; too good an Husband to be a good Christian : Get thee out thou Wife of Jeroboam , get thee out Covetousness , why feignest thou thy self to be another ? Is this thy liberality , to spend thine Estate upon Harlots , or thy loose and vain Companions ? Must thy luxury and thy riot eat up all thou hast ? Is this thy casting thy Bread upon the Waters , to throw it down those filthy Kennels ? Get thee out Prodigal , why feignest thou thy self to be another ? Is this thy civility , to have fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness , to hold friendship and intimacy with the lewd ones of the Earth , to have a kiss for the precious and the vile ? Get thee out Ambo-dexter , why feignest thou thy self to be another ? Art thou remiss and indifferent in the Matters of God ? Art thou cowardly , and faint-hearted , where his honour is concerned ; and is this thy Moderation or thy Prudence ? Get thee out Laodicean , why feignest thou thy self to be another ?

Friend , pull off the Mask from the Face , and see what 's under . Thou knowest not what mischief thou mayest suffer , where thou suspected no harm ; Fear a pretended Friend more than an open Enemy .

3. Fear your Isaacs , any beloved or over loved Creature . Fear not only the sins of thy love , but the Sons of thy love ; the latter will be temptations to the former ; thou mayest receive hurt from that which hath no hurt in it ; an Innocent Child may be an Idol , and so may thine Husband , or thy Wife , or any Friend thou hast . Wherefore honourest thou thy Sons above me ? 1 Sam. 2.29 .

Fear , lest thy love to thy Friend make an abatement upon thy love to thy God ; thy love to thy Children should cause thee to abuse thy God and them , by the neglect of that dury of Reproof and Correction thou owest them ; take heed that thy tendernes to them , make thee not cruel to them and thy self ; By nursing their untowardness , thou nourishest those Thorns that will pierce through thine own Soul .

Take heed thou have never an Isaac in all the World , not one Child , not one Relation , concerning which , if God should say to thee as to Abraham , Gen. 22. Offer up this Isaac whom thou lovest ; or if Christ require of thee , as he doth of all his Disciples , Forsake Father or Mother , forsake Husband or Wife , forsake Son or Daughter ; take heed lest thine Heart should answer , No , I will not offer them up , no , I cannot forsake them . What thou canst not part with , may be the parting of God and thy Soul .

And as any Beloved Friend , so any other Creature or Affair that thine Heart is set upon , may be a snare to thee . Fear that House that thou lovest , thy pleasant Habitation ; Fear thy Money , and thy Fields , and thy Flocks , thy Meat and thy Drink that thou lovest ; those Businesses and honest Employments thou takest most pleasure in . Thy good things may become thine evil things ; thy Table may become thy Snare , thy savoury Meat may become thy Poison , and that which is given thee for thy good , may be an occasion of falling . Thy Money may be thy Poverty , and thine honest Labours , when thine Heart is too much in them , may be more mischievous than Idleness . How many foolish Souls are there , whom their Love hath held Prisoners to this Earth , and Exiles from Heaven ; to whom their good things have done more mischief , than things apparently unlawful could ever do them ?

How is it , Christian , that thy Soul is so seldom Above ? O , thy delights are below . Whence is it that thou hast suffered so great loss in the matters of thy Soul ? That whatsoever thou dost in the Matters of Religion prospers no more ; that so small increases , and so many decayes are to be found upon thee ? Thou hast not been among the Drunkards , nor hast been partaker with the Adulterers ; thou hast not been walking in the Counsel of the Ungodly , nor standing in the way of Sinners , nor sitting in the Seat of the Scornful , thou hast been no Lyar , or Scoffer , or Oppressor ; these things thy Soul abhors . O , but thou hast been an Idolater ; thine Heart hath found thee out some Idol in the Earth , some Friend , or some Farm , or some honest Business , or some innocent Pleasure , ( as thou thoughtest ) and hath so chained it self to these , and been so taken up in the service of them , that hence 't is with thee as ' t is . God hath opened his Store to thee , and filled thine hand with good things , and thou hast opened thy Mouth , and so filled thine Heart with them , that it 's even chok'd up by them , and all Spiritual Good is even strangled within thee .

But wilt thou thus requite the Lord , O unworthy Soul ? Shall he be a loser by his Bounty ? Wilt thou become worse , for that he is so good ? Wilt thou abuse Love ? What is an abuse of Love , if not this , that the more he loves , the less he is beloved of thee ? the more he gives , the less be returned ; what was given to draw thine Heart , doe's carry it away from him ? Shall it be said , thou wouldst have been a better Servant , if he had not been so good a Master ? If he had not given thee so great an Estate , so good a Wife , so dear a Child , thou wouldst have lov'd him more , and serv'd him better than now thou dost ?

Friends , if what you Love be not also your Fear , it will be like to be your Sin and your Misery . 'T will draw your Heart from God , and so 't will be your Sin , and 't will provoke God to snatch it away from you , and then 't will be your Misery . What-ever thou over-lovest , if the Lord mean thee good , look for it , to be strip't and bereaved of it . He will touch thee in the Apple of thine Eye , he will try thee in thine Isaac , and will tear off that Jewel , that entices thine Heart from him . And by how much the more thou lovest , by so much the greater will the parting torment be .

Good old Abraham had an Isaac , and in this Isaac he must be tried , and an hard tryal he had ; which how chearfully soever he went through , yet consider the Circumstances of it , and then think what piercing trouble thy love to Creatures may bring upon thee .

Gen. 22.2 . Take now ( sayes God to Abraham ) thy Son , thine only Son Isaac [ whom thou lovest ] — and offer him up for a Burnt-Offering . Hadst thou been in this Abraham's stead , what a Dagger in thine Heart would this Word have been ? How would thy love to thine Isaac have risen up , and reasoned with the Lord thus ?

If the Lord will have a Sacrifice , may not some other Creature be it ? All the Beasts of the Field are his , and the Cattel upon a thousand Hills . Is there none amongst all these , wherewith the Lord will be pleased , but must he have a Man for a Sacrifice ?

If he will have me Sacrifice a Man , may not a Stranger be the Man ? Or if he will have one of mine own House , may not a Servant , or one of their Sons be accepted ? If it must be a Son of mine own , may not Ishmael the Son of the Bond-woman be he ? Must it be mine Isaac , and none but he ? And why Lord is this word [ whom thou lovest ] added ? What yet more load ? 'T would be some ease , if I could now forget my love , and must this be now remembred ? This is the Dart that kills my Soul .

But if this Son of mine , this only Son [ by my Wife ] this Isaac whom I love must go , must I my self offer him up ? must mine own hand be upon him ? If this Isaac must be the Sacrifice , must none but Abraham be the Priest ? O , what will the Countrey say of me , Is Abraham become a Murtherer ? And how shall I hold up my face to Sarah my Wife at my return ? What shall I say to her , when she asks , Where is the Child ? where is Isaac my Son ? O my Bowels , my Bowels , I am pained at mine Heart , mine Eyes fail , my Soul melts , my Livey is poured out on the Earth . How shall I say , Isaac is not , the Child is dead , and dead by mine own hand ? How would Father and Mother fall together , and swoon and die as wounded in the streets ?

How chearfully and couragiously soever , the good old Man behaved himself , under all these astonishing Circumstances ; yet , O think , how it would have been with thee , hadst thou been this Abrabam , and let that thought put thee in fear , concerning whomsoever thou dearly lovest .

Consider a little what the unhappy Fruits of thy own love are ;

God sayes to thee , Take now thy Child , or thy Children , not and offer them up to me for a Burnt-Sacrifice , but take and bring them up for me for an Holy Seed ; Instruct them , Govern and Educate them for me . Whose are all these that are in thine House ? Are they not all mine , my Sons and my Daughters ? and wherefore have I sent them thee ? Is it not with this charge , Keep these Souls for me , bring them up for me ? 'T is not for Bread only , or for Clothes , or for Trades , or for Portions that they are come into thine House , 't is that they may be instructed to the Kingdom of God , and bred up to eternal Life .

Now how dost thou keep this charge of the Lord ? Dost thou Teach them ? Dost thou Govern them ? Or are they not left a rude and unruly Company ? But what is in the fault ? Is not thy love in fault ? Thou art so fond a Father , that thou canst not find in thine Heart to impose upon them any thing that they like not , nor canst be so strict or severe as is needful to them . My Child is sickly , or unapt to learn , and I cannot put him so hard to it ; My Child is wayward and disorderly , but I doubt how it would be with him if I should cross or correct him ; I am fain to let him have his Will more than I would , for fear I should discourage or break his Spirit . I have but one , or but two , and if these should miscarry , what would become of me ?

Why now , thou sees what reason thou hast to fear thy love , which is such a Tempter to thee to disobey thy God , and to tender the honour of thy Child more than the honour of thy Maker . If there be ever a one of thy Children that thou lovest above the rest , that must be let alone to be the rebellious Child .

God sayes to thee , Take not thy Child , but thy Bread , and thy Flesh , and thy Money , and Estate , and offer these up to me . Cast thy Bread upon the Waters . Draw forth thy Soul to the hungry . Give unto him that asketh ; lend unto him that would borrow of thee ; feed , cloath , harbour ; for my sake do it . And yet how little goes out at his Word , either to Beggars or Borrowers ? No , thou lovest what thou hast too well to part with it so .

God sayes to thee , Take but this Ram , or this Goat , thy Sins and thy Lusts , slay them and offer them up . No , thou wilt not do it . Thou lovest thine Enemies too , and they also must be spared . Though they will not spare thee , nor any thing thou hast ; thy Time , thine Estate , thy Name , and all that thou hast must be Meat for thy Lusts ; yet behold , they are loved , and must be spared , thou wilt not deliver them up .

God sayes sometimes to thee , Not take thou thy Child , but let me take him , be content that I lay mine hand upon him , and smite him with Sickness or Death . No , thou canst not bear it , but takest on , and murmurest , and art impatient , and wilt not be comforted or quieted .

Some Parents can better bear it that the Devil should take their Children , than that God should take them . If the Devil takes thy Child , and makes a Prodigal Child of him , makes a Drunkard of him , or a Rioter , if evil Company carry him away from thee into the Paths of the Destroyer , thou canst bear it with more patience , though possibly it be some trouble to thee . At least , if the Devil take him , and only make him a greedy Worldling or Muck-worm , though that make him a sure to Hell as Prodigality , yet this thou canst bear with ease . Though we may sometimes hear Parents say , I had rather my Child had been dead , it would not have been such an affliction to me to have followed him to his Grave , as it is to see him buried alive in Lewdness and Debauchery ; yet to see him held by the Devil under a blind Mind , under an hard and impenitent Heart , so he be civil , and sober , and thirty for this World ; though he be but a civil Infidel , a thrifty Unbeliever , this is not so heavily taken : But let God lay hands upon him , and take him away out of the World , and then no other noise is heard in the House , but such as was heard in Ramah , Matth. 2.18 . Lamentation and weeping , and great mourning , Rachel weeping for her Children , and would not be comforted , because they were not .

4. Fear the Cross , or Afflictions . You 'l say , this is strange counsel ; the Scripture give the quiet contrary ; Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer , Rev. 2.10 . Fear not them that kill the Body , Luk. 12.4 . I shall therefore shew , 1. How we are not to fear the Cross . 2. How we are to fear the Cross .

1. How we are not to fear the Cross . Now the Cross must not be feared , either , 1. Out of tenderness to the Flesh ; or , 2. Out of faintness of Spirit .

1. The Cross is not to be feared out of tenderness to the Flesh . By the Flesh understand , both our Bodies of Flesh and out fleshly Lusts .

1. Not out of tenderness to our Bodies . 'T is this which makes us shrink from , and shun the Cross , that it is such a trouble to our outward Man , that it puts it to so much pain and hardship . The Soul suffers not immediately by any thing that Man can do unto us , but as it partakes in the sufferings of the Body . If our Bodies could bear with Ease their own Infirmities , the Soul could not feel them ; what the Body cannot endure , makes the Soul sick , because of its tenderness towards it . Upon this account 't is that we fear bodily Afflictions , but thus it must not be . A Christian is a Souldier , and Souldier must not fear , but endure hardness . 2 Tim. 2.3 . Endure hardness as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ . It is not for tender Persons to be Souldiers ; hunger and thirst , cold and weariness is their ordinary lot ; and their hardness must be their Armour against all . It is not for tender Persons to be Souldiers , and therefore it is not for Christians to be tender ; the most tender of Sin , of any Persons in the World , but not so of Sufferings .

There are several kinds of Sufferings we may be exposed to ; some fall at a greater distance , when we are smitten only in our Goods or Estates ; others come nearer , and touch our Flesh and our Bones ; and these are they that are hardest born : The Devil , in his tempting Job , knew which was the tender part , and therefore reserves that for his last trial . Job 2.5 . Put forth thine hand now , and touch his Bone and his Flesh , and he will curse thee to thy face . And if this tender part once becomes hardy , then thou art a Souldier fit to fight the Devil and his Armies . Christian , be not tender of thy Flesh , and then thou wilt not thence fear Sufferings .

2. Much less is the Cross to be feared , out of tenderness to our fleshly Lusts . Here let three things be considered ; 1. The Intention of the Cross , is the Destruction of the Flesh . 2. 'T is this corrupt Flesh that makes the Cross to pinch . 3. This Flesh is no such Friend to us , that for its sake the Cross should be feared .

1. The Intention of the Cross , is the Destruction of the Flesh . Afflictions , as ill-favouredly as they look , come to us upon no ill intent ; 't is to save us from that which is worse . God delivers his People up to the Cross , to the same end for which the Church was to deliver up Offenders to the Devil , for the destruction of the Flesh , that the Spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus . Sin must be put to death , and it must be put to the same death which Christ was put to , it must be Crucified . Rom. 6.6 . Our Old Man is Crucified with him . [ Our old Man ] I , that 's the Male-factor that must be executed on the Cross . God would have the Souls of his People to live and thrive ; in warm weather the most hopeful Blades are even chok'd up with Weeds , then come the Frosts , to kill the Weeds and save the Corn.

2. 'T is this corrupt Flesh that makes the Cross to pinch : 'T is the Flesh that 's struck at , and 't is that that smarts ; Afflictions would fall more easie on mortified Hearts . Dead Flesh cannot feel . And therefore 't is , that what-ever complaints and groanings are heard from mortified Christians , 't is usually much more for their Sins than for their Sufferings . Their Medicine is sharp , and puts them hard to it at first to bear it , but when it hath a little conquered their Disease , much of its tartness is allayed . 'T is their Sore or Disease that makes them so full of pain .

What 's the reason that losses in Mens Estates , the spoiling of their Goods , that Poverty so vexes their Hearts , and puts them into such fits of Impatience ? O , 't is their Covetousness and the Cares of this Life , that are the Teeth of Poverty and Want . Had we once mortified our earthly Members , and learn'd in every Estate to be content , how easie would losses be ?

What 's the reason that contempt and disgrace raises such a storm in others ? 'T is their Pride that cannot be patient . He whose Heart is humble , can be content to be humbled and laid low . The like may be said in all other afflictive cases ; 't is Lust that makes Affliction tedious .

3. The Flesh is no such Friend to us , that for its sake we should fear the Cross . 'T is near us 't is true , and cannot suffer , but we our selves suffer and are pained in it ; But so 't is , with an Ulcer in the Body , 't is in thine own Flesh , and whatever smart is felt , 't is thou that feelest it ; but would'st thou therefore fear to have thy Wound cured ?

Christian , wouldst thou have thy Lusts live ? Dost thou not pray for their Destruction ? Dost thou not sigh and groan under them ? Dost thou not wish , and wait , and hope , and long for thy Redemption from them ? Dost thou count them as Enemies , and art thou afraid of that Weapon , that 's now put into thine hand to avenge thee of thine Enemies ?

Objection .

I would be glad this Flesh might die , but O may it not be put to an easier death ? 'T is not their death that I fear , but those Instruments of death that are so tormenting .

Answer .

1. Then save thy self that torment , by laying thine own hand upon them . Prevent thy need of the Cross , by doing its Work thy self . Let it be thy daily Work , by Faith ; by Prayer , by Watchfulness , by Self-denyal , by Temperance , by Meditation , by Resolution , and such other gentle means , by degrees to destroy thy Lusts thy self ; save the Cross its labour , by doing its Work to its hands .

2. Must they die an easie death ? What , or else wilt thou not that they die at all ? Will it be so easie for thy Soul to die by their hand , that thou wilt rather venture on that , than a little present trouble ? Shall thy right hand , or thy right foot , cast thee and carry thee to Hell , because it would be painful to cut them off and cast them from thee ? Is it become so easie to thee , to be in bondage to these Egyptians , that thou wilt rather serve at the Brick-kilns , than venture for thy Redemption on the hazards of the Red-Sea , or the hardships of the Wilderness ? Fear this Flesh more than thou dost , and that Servitude it holds thee under , and that future Misery it's dragging thee to ; Fear this more , and then thou wilt not fear thy Redemption , by what means soever it be brought about . Thou wilt not say , Deal gently with mine Enemy , deal tenderly with this Flesh ; Let it die Lord , let it die ; let me be delivered from the Body of this Death , and I will not prescribe to thee for the way and means .

2. Fear not the Cross out of faintness of Spirit-Faint not when thou art chastned , saith the Apostle , Heb. 12.5 . much less before-hand , before the chastning comes .

I shall put in a word or two , as Cordials , to preserve from fainting . Let these two things be considered .

1. The Lord is his Peoples God . This is his Covenant with them ; Jer. 30.22 . I will be your God , and you shall be my People . Let us consider a little , what great support this Promise yields . I will be your God . What 's the meaning of that ? What is there in this more than every one may lay claim to ? Is he not the God of all the Earth ? Is he not the Sinner's God ? Is he not the Drunkard's God , the Atheist's God , the God of them that say in their Hearts there is no God ? He is so ; The God that made them , the God that rules them , the God that Judges and will Condemn them .

This is a word of terror to the ungodly World . I am their God , that is , I am above them ; as high as any of them are , I am higher than they , and will bring them down to the Dust of Death .

But what is there in this word as to Believers ? What meaneth the most High , when he speaks this word , I will be your God , to them ? The meaning is this , I will be your God in Covenant , I will be your Friend and your Father , your Portion and Heritage , your Rock and your Refuge for ever . I am the Almighty God , and able to save you from all your distresses ; I am the All-sufficient God , and able to supply all your Wants and Necessities , and whatsoever I am all is yours .

Now Friend , when God sayes I am thine , what matters it , who or what can say , I am none of thine . Suppose the gods of the Earth should say to thee , Away , we are none of thine : Suppose thine old Friends and Acquaintance should say , Stand back , we are none of thine : Suppose thy nearest Relations , thy Father , or thy Brother , or thine Husband , or thy Wife should say , We are none of thine : Suppose thine House and thy Countrey should cast thee out , and say , neither are we thine : Yet this one word from the Lord , but I am thine , how would it support and abundantly satisfie thy Soul ?

2. None so well know this ordinarily , that the Lord is their God , as his suffering People . It may be thou wilt say , Ah this word , this word , I am thine , what a good word is here ? O were I but sure it were spoken to me , what then should I fear ? Let the Lord but speak thus to [ my ] Soul , I will be thy God ; and then let the World and the Devil too , speak what they can ; we 'l be thine Enemies , if God be thy Friend ; we 'l curse thee , if God bless thee ; we 'l hunt thee , if God harbour thee ; we 'l stick in thy sides , if God be in thine heart ; we 'l lay thee low enough , if God exalt thee ; we 'l be thy death , if he be thy life . Well , even do your worst , were I but sure the Lord hath said this word to me , I will be thy God , I will not fear though ye all be Devils unto me .

But O here 's my great trouble , 't is this which sinks my Soul , and makes mine Heart to faint within me ; I see the World running against me , I see Troubles running upon me , and I am in great doubt whether God hath spoken this word to me , I will be thine .

Dost thou doubt ? Dost thou not know whether God be thine ? Why the day of Adversity , that 's the time when thou mayest be most like to know it .

There are none ordinarily that so well know that the Lord is theirs , as his suffering People . For , 1. God doth often shew himself in a Storm , who hid himself in the Sun-shine . 2. The Sufferings of the Saints , will be the Proof of their Sonship .

1. God doth often reveal himself in a Storm , who hid himself from us in our Sunshine . Our dayes of Darkness , are often the times of Light and Love . Light from Above is most needed , and will be better accepted when 't is darkest below . The hatred of the World , doth usually usher in the tydings of Divine Love . When thou art led into a Wilderness to be tempted and tryed , there thou mayest expect he will speak comfortably to thee , Hos. 2.14 . Why art thou afraid of Affliction ? Wouldst thou not be glad to know the Lord is thine ? Follow him into the Wilderness , and that may be the Vineyard where he will shew thee his Loves .

2. The Sufferings of the Saints will be a Proof of their Sonship . Heb. 12.7 . If ye endure chastening , God dealeth with you as with Sons . Our Sufferings for Christ , will be the evidence of our Sincerity to him . Prove that thou lovest Christ above all , and thou therein provest that God is thine ; and what greater evidence that we love Christ above all , than this , that we can part with all things for him ?

But then indeed it is necessary , that we be well assured , that 't is from Love to Christ we suffer ; there are Carnal Motives that may carry Men far into a suffering State . Pride may do much this way , or we may take up our Crosses for company . Some that are engaged with a suffering Party , the fear of the reproach of deserting them , may make them ashamed to desert them ; they may expose themselves to suffer reproach , for fear of reproach . That Idol , their own Names , may be the God for whose sake they suffer .

Such Suffering only as will prove thee to be Godly , will prove that God is thine . If you should suffer the loss of all things , and be utterly ruined and undone in the World , and all this upon the account of Christianity . If you should suffer Death for the Name of Christ , and yet not have the Love of Christ in you , as 't is clear from 1 Cor. 13.3 . Men may do ; though you should be thus persecuted , and rejected of , and troden under-foot of Men , yet at last you may be reprobated of God , and perish everlastingly .

This would be a dreadful thing in all your Sufferings , to have such a thought upon your Hearts , That you that profess Christ , and those that persecute you for it ; you that come together to Pray , and Hear , and Fast , and those that Curse and Swear against you for it , may fall into the same Condemnation ; and yet doubtless so it will prove in the end ; If you love not the Lord Jesus in sincerity , what-ever you suffer for him , you and they must dwell in the same Fire together ; may be theirs may be the hotter , but the same Hell must hold Persecutors and Hypocrites .

Bare suffering therefore will not be your evidence for Heaven ; But yet Christians that are sincere , and knew it not before , the Cross may prove their sincerity . Grace is never so well known as when it is put to the tryal . Your Sufferings will be your tryals ; the tryal of your Faith , the tryal of your Love , 1 Pet. 1.6 , 7. that so what lay in the dark before , may now be found unto Praise and Glory .

What sayest thou now , how canst thou faint under such Expectations ? Wilt thou fear to be comforted ? What greater comfort , than to have it proved to thee that thou art of God ? And when will that proof be made with the greatest evidence , but when thou art tryed in the Fire ? 'T is the Wind that discovers the Wheat , and the Fire that proves the Gold .

2. How we should fear the Cross . To this I shall answer in these two particulars .

1. Fear a surprisal by the Cross . 2. Fear the temptations of the Cross .

1. Fear a surprisal by the Cross . Fear lest it should overtake you unawares . The coming of the Lord to visit us , is never so terrible as it is , when 't is as the coming of the Lord of that evil Servant to reckon with him ; Luke 12.46 . In a day that he looked not for him , in an hour that he is not aware . Luke 21.34 . Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged , — and so that day come upon you unawares .

God sometimes summons before he smites . Amos 4.12 . Thus will I do unto you , and because I will do thus , prepare to meet thy God O Israel . But sometimes he comes , as he said he would , to the Church in Sardis , Rev. 3.3 . I will come on thee as a Thief , and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee .

This coming of the Lord finds some , as the coming of the Bridgroom Mat. 25. found the foolish Virgins , all asleep . Others it overtakes , as David and his Armies did the Amalekites , 1 Sam. 30.16 . it finds them eating , and drinking , and dancing , and making merry . On others it comes , as the news of Sisera's death came to his Mother and her Ladies , finding them full of expectations of prosperity and triumph . Judg. 5.28 . The Mother of Sisera looked out at a Window , and cryed through the Lattess , why is his Chariot so long a coming ? Why tarry the Wheels of his Chariot ? They answered , Have they not sped ? Have they not divided the Prey ? To every Man a Damosel or two , &c. They were full of expectations of his return in triumph ; but the next news they heard of , was of the Nail and the Hammer , wherewith he was smitten dead to the ground . O what confusion and astonishment did this bring upon them ?

How few of us are there , Friends , that can say of the troubles that befal us , as Job did of his , Job 3.25 . The evil that I feared is come upon me ? But how very few of us can say , The Evil that I am prepared for is come upon me ? it found me on my Watch-Tower , and standing upon the Guard . I am ready , I am ready ; ready for Sickness , ready for Poverty , ready for Bonds and Imprisonment , or any thing else that may befal me .

O how unready do we mostly stand ? And what sad work do Afflictions make with us , when they find us unready ? Then we take on , and fret , and murmur , and despond , and are at our wits end . We can neither believe , nor pray , nor hope , nor submit . We that were just now full , and at ease , and at quiet , basking our selves in that Sunshine that was upon our Tabernacle , promising our selves , that our Mountain is made so strong , that it shall never be moved . On a sudden we are all Earthquakes and Clouds , and like the troubled Sea that cannot be at rest , but casts forth Mire and Dirt. Every Wind that blows upon us from without , raises such a tempest within , that we forget that we are Christians or Men , suffering our Hearts to boil up into Passions or Impatiencies , or to sink into such Despondencies , as if our hope were utterly cut off and perished from the Lord . These and such like are the Fruits of our Surprisals by the Cross . Hath this never been thy case ? Fear lest it be .

2. Fear the Temptations of the Cross . There 's a double Temptation chiefly to be feared . In our Troubles , especially such as befal us for the Name of Christ , we are in danger , 1. Of Pride . 2. Of a Fall .

1. Of Pride . As Men may be proud of their Grandeur in the World , so also of their Poverty and Contempt . As we may be proud of our Vertues and Services , so also of our Sufferings . The Souldiers Wounds and Scars are his Glory and Boasting . It is an honour to suffer for Christ , and some of us cannot bear this honour , without being exalted above measure ; we cannot be cast down , but we are apt to be puffed up . Some of the Heathens have sacrificed their Lives for their Countreys good ; and yet not so much for their Countreys , as for themselves , to purchase to themselves a Name and Renown . And is there no such vanity to be found amongst Christians ? Fear this wickedness , which will both spoil you of the comforts of your Sufferings , and lose you your reward .

2. Of a Fall . Afflictions ( such I mean as befall us for the Gospel's sake ) are Temptations to Apostacy , and back-sliding from Christ . Fear lest the Cross should be the parting point betwixt Christ and your Souls ; lest it should be with you , as with his Disciples of old , who accompanied him to his Sufferings , and there forsook him and fled .

I have else-where spoken of the danger and dreadfulness of Apostacy , and shall therefore forbear to speak more of it now .

5. Fear the Curse ; or the Wrath and Everlasting Vengeance of God . Luke 12.5 . Fear him , which after he hath killed , hath power to cast into Hell . Fear not Man , for he can kill but once , when he hath killed the Body , he hath done his worst ; but God can kill , and kill again ; can smite the Body into Dust , and the Soul into Hell . I say unto you , Fear him . Consider here three things .

1. To whom this warning was given thus to fear . And that is not to the multitude of his Hearers only , whereof there was so great a throng that they trod one upon another , but especially to his Disciples . He began to say to his Disciples , first of all , v. 1. and I say unto you my Friends , v. 4.

2. What was the special reason he here uses to urge and press his Disciples to fear God ; and that is the Power of his Wrath , because he can cast into Hell .

3. What was the special matter of that fear he presses them to ; and that is , lest he that can do it , should do it , should actually cast them into Hell . And this must be so , otherwise there had been no force in the consideration of his Power , to work to this Fear ; for they might have replyed , Though God can damn us , yet why should we fear ever the more , upon that account , whilst we are sure he will not ? And so his Argument from God's Power to destroy , had come to just nothing . Who would fear Damnation ever the more for that God hath power to damn him , if he were out of Fear that he would ever do it ? Therefore the sence must be , Fear God lest he should cast you into Hell .

Heb. 10.13 . It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God . There is an afflicting Hand of God , and there is a revenging Hand of God , and both are to be feared ; even the afflicting Hand of God is terrible . Heb. 12.5 . Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord . Make not light of that , thou mayest find it heavy enough . God is terrible in his Judgments that he executeth on the Earth . He maketh the very Earth to tremble , when his Hand is lifted up . Those Hearts are harder than the Rocks , that will not rent when God smites . The afflicting Hand of God is to be feared , but especially , and that which is here meant , It is a fearful thing to fall into the revenging Hands of the living God .

Heb. 12.29 . Let us have Grace , whereby we may serve God acceptably , with Reverence and Godly Fear ; for our God is a consuming Fire . The Lord Christ is sometimes resembled to a Refining Fire , Mal. 3.1 , 2. The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple . — But who may abide the day of his coming , and who shall stand when he appeareth ? For he is like a Refiners Fire , — and he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver . He shall purifie , he shall save his People from their Sins , yet so as by Fire . God hath his Purgatory as well as his Hell ; though not according to that Popish Dream , a Purgatory after this Life ; Death will put an end to this purging Work in this Life ; He hath his Purgatory , and his Purgatory hath its Fire ; 't is hot passing under the purging Work of God . But who can stand before him when he appeareth as a Consuming Fire ? Who can dwell with the Devouring Fire , with the Everlasting Burnings ? Isa. 33.14 .

[ Let us have Grace ] that we may serve God with Fear . 'T is not for Sinners only , but for Saints also , to fear the Wrath of God . Those must , and these will : Grace will teach them to Fear . Hell is not so terrible to any , as to gracious Souls ; those that most prize the Love of God , will most fear his Wrath. And the Lord looks it should be so , God will not be a loser by his Grace ; he would not lose the awe of his Threatnings , by making us the Children of Promise ; he would not have it forgotten that he is Righteous , by those that have tasted that he is Gracious .

And the People of God have need enough , whilst they are Children , to be kept in Fear , they are and must be , while they are under Age , under this severe Tutor . They are too apt to be proud , and wanton , and froward Children , and have need , not only of the Cross on their Backs , but of the Curse in their Eye , to keep them in order . How sad is it with us , notwithstanding all those afrighting Arguments which God uses ? How foolish , and peevish , and unruly are we , notwithstanding that double recompence of Reward , the Glory to come , and the Wrath to come , that 's set before us ? O what should we be , were there no such Arguments to be used with us ?

Say not 't is Mercenary to look on the Crown as the encouragement of Holiness , till it can be said , 't is Mercenary to be governed or quickened by Love . What is it to have respect to the recompence of Reward , but so to eye the Love and Joy of the Lord , as to feel the Power thereof , oiling our Wheels , and drawing our Souls on after it ?

Say not 't is Servile , and that which must not be allowed , that those that are Sons should make use of the Curse as a bridle to Sin . This Beast must be dealt with as a Beast ; Lust must be bridled and fetter'd with Fear , which will never be charmed or constrained by Love .

Heb. 4.1 . Let us therefore fear , lest a Promise being left us , of entring into his Rest , any of you should seem to come short of it . Whilst we take encouragement from the Promise , the Promise of Entrance , let us take heed , by the fear of falling short .

Is there no fear of falling short ? Art thou already so established & assured , that there 's no doubt or hazard remaining of thy miscarriage ? Are all the Enemies of thy Salvation so secured , that thou mayest now spare any piece of thine Armour ? Hast thou out-grown the use , or the need of any of the Counsels and Caveats the Scriptures give ? Look inward , see what a treacherous Heart thou hast lying there , undermining thine hopes ; Is there never a Worm still gnawing at thy Root ? Are thy Lusts all dead , and is there no doubt of their Resurrection ? Is there no guilt upon thine Head , nor guile in thine Heart ? Hath neither Flesh , nor World , nor Devil any Power in thee ? Is the Army totally broken , and is there no question of its rallying upon thee ? Art thou so fully resolved for Holiness ? does the stream of thy Soul , and the bent of thy Life run so strongly and so evenly after the Lord , that thou hast a standing , infallible , and uninterrupted evidence of thy Sincerity , and an undoubted Security , for thy perseverance to the end ? Is there not room for such a question , What if I should fall short ? Art thou gotten beyond all possibility of miscarrying for ever ? Friends know , that a possibility of falling into the Wrath to come , were that Wrath throughly understood , would work more fear , than a certain expectation of all the Torments and Miseries of this Life . O Fear ! Hast thou Faith ? Believe and Fear . Hast thou Hope ? Hope and Fear . Hast thou Joy ? Rejoyce with trembling . Rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God , and tremble and fear his Wrath and Vengeance .

There will be this double use and advantage , ( besides others ) of this fear of the Curse .

1. 'T will quicken our necessary fear of Sin . 2. 'T will quench our sinful fear of the Cross .

1. This fear of the Curse , will quicken our necessary fear of Sin . Yea , and of all the temptations to it . Sin is the sting of Death , and this Death is the sting of Sin . How bitter would Sin taste , how gastly would it look , were this Gall that lies in its Belly , this sting it carries in its Tail , discovered and heeded ? Thou wouldst quickly be filled with thine own wayes , didst thou but see what stands at their further end . That Bed of Scorpions , whither Sin is dragging thee , would make every Sin as a Snake or Adder .

And of all Sins , 't would strike the Heart with the greatest fear of its beloved Sins . These are they especially , under which Hell lies in ambush for us ; these are Hell's strongest Ropes , by which it pulls in Souls . Hath any Sin cast a Cord of Love about thee ? That 's it that 's like to be the Rope to draw thee to the Slaughter . Thou canst get loose from many Sins at pleasure , but take heed , that foolish Heart of thine will die for it s Beloved .

If thou ask , What wouldst thou have , O my my beloved Sin ? What comest thou to me so often for ? Why takest thou up thy dwelling so near mine Heart ? It will answer , O 't is to please thee , that I am so often with thee . I know thou lovest me , I am the delight of thine Heart , and the pleasure of thine Eyes , thou canst not be content without me .

I am that Ease , or that Wealth , or that Credit that thou lovest ; Is there not a league betwixt me and thee ? Am not I the nearest Friend thou hast ? Thy Health , and thy Welfare , and thy Soul , are not so dear as I am to thee ; thou lovest me , and therefore 't is I come , that thou mayest have what thou lovest ; But what hast thou now to say to it ?

No , no , Traitor , 't is my Life thou seekest , 't is my Soul thou comest to steal away and devour . O , I dread thy fawning Face , thy smiles are Darts in mine Heart ; I tremble at thy wooings and embraces . Get thee gone Harlot , thy kindnesses are deadly kindnesses ; What means that Dagger in thine Hand , whilst thou thus kissest me with the kisses of thy Mouth ? 'T is my Death thou art designing , I must die if I will any longer love thee ; and what Death must I die ? Is it a short and easie Death that thou art betraying me to ? No , no , 't is a bitter Death , and 't is a lingring Death , an eternal Death that thou art preparing for me . This Heart hath been under-ground , in the dark Cavern of Pitch and Brimstone ; I have been in the Deep , and viewed those Chambers of Death , where thou lodgest thy Lovers : I have sent down my Spies , my thoughts have been below in the Belly of Hell . I have beheld how they lie in that Pit , roaring , and yelling , and blaspheming , raving mad with the anguish of their burning Souls ; I have seen the very Smoke and Fire that devours them , the burning Teeth of that everlasting Worm that gnaws their Hearts , and the fury and rage of that Serpent that deceived them in . O , my Soul quakes , my Bones tremble , terror and astonishment have taken hold of me , at the Description my thoughts have brought me up of that place of torment . And thou , O my beloved Sin , even thou art it that art most like to carry me down and bury me there . If I die that Death , 't will be by thy hand ; if I run my self into that Fire , 't will be for thy sake . Away from me thou proud Heart , get thee gone Covetousness , or Sensuality , or Slothfulness , or whatever the Name of my Beloved be ; I dare not have any more to do with thee ; I fear thee more than ever I loved thee ; I fear where thou mayest lay me before tomorrow , if I should suffer thee to lodg but one night more with me . Such dread of thy beloved Sin , would a fear of the Curse work in thee .

Friends , consider , Are there yet any Sins that have such power over your Hearts , are your Spirits so chained by them that you cannot get loose ? O , look to those Chains of Fire , into which by this Chain of Love , your Sins are dragging you . Are you afraid of the Curse of God ? Are you afraid to burn ? Are you afraid to be rack'd , and torn , and gnawn , and groun'd under the Milstones of eternal Vengeance ? then be afraid of Sin . Let Hell be your Fear , and Sin will be your Fear ; let Sin be your Fear , and it will be no longer your Love . If you will not fear this Fear , if you will laugh at Hell , you will sport at Sin . If you fear not to be Cursed , you will less fear to be Wicked ; if you fear not Hell , you will hardly fear to be Devils on Earth . O , Sinners , steep all your pleasant Morsels in that Vinegar and Gall ; spice all your stollen Waters with that Pitch and Brimstone ; strow all your pleasant wayes with those Serpents and Adders , which will bite and sting your Souls for ever . Mingle all your Carnal Delights with some such deep thoughts of what they are betraying you to , and then go on after them without fear if you can .

And as this fear of Wrath will work a fear of Sin , so will it also work the same fear of temptations to Sin . Sin and Temptation lead the same way , though Temptation be one remove farther back ; Temptation leads to Sin , and Sin to Death . He that fears the Fowler , will fear the snare of the Fowler ; he that fears the Hunter , will fear his Dogs and his Toyls .

Get a fear of the Land of Darkness , and you will fear to be Companions of such as are travelling thitherward ; fear the Plague , and thou wilt be no company for them , whose dwelling is in the Pesthouse . Afraid of Hell , and yet never well but when thou art amongst those Decoys that are enticing thee thither !

What are the Allurements of Sinners to the Ear of him that hath Death and Wrath in his Eye ? Let them entice thee , Come , Let 's be merry , let 's to the Alehouse , or the Tavern , or to a Play ; Let 's feed to the full ; let 's cloth our selves with the best ; let 's on with the Purple and Scarlet , and fare deliciously every day : Come along , cast in thy Lot among us , What art afraid of ? Cherish thy Flesh , please thine Eyes and thy Humour . What will such Enticements do upon such an Heart ? 'T will be all one as if they should say , Come let 's go Hang our selves , or Drown our selves , or Stab , or Poison our selves . Come , let 's make our Souls over to the Devil , and write our selves free among the Dead ; let us get us down quick into the Pit . What would thine Heart answer other than this ? Away , O my Soul , have thou nothing to do with these Men , come not into their Secrets , no nor so much as into their Company . The like success would all other Temptations have . He that 's afraid of Passion , would shun Provocation ; he that 's afraid of Covetousness , would be afraid of an over-busie Life in the World , &c.

O Friends , how venturous are we ! how little fear of Sin ! And if there be any fear of Sin , how is it that it brings forth no more fear of Temptation ? How seldom do we consider , This Company may be a snare unto me , God knows with what loss I may come off from them ? This Garment , or this Ornament , or this Fashion , may be a Temptation to me , my proud and vain Heart cannot bear it ? this over-thrifty , or over-busie Life , may be my undoing ? this full Table , how can I allow it to my self , who am given to Appetite ? I must lay a Law upon my Belly , and put a Knife to my Throat , when I see delicates and such variety before me .

Where almost is this tenderness and wariness to be found ? Yea rather , is it not despised and decryed , as foolish scrupulosity where it is ? Go Hypocrites , blot that Petition out of thy Prayer , Lead us not into Temptation ; Never mock God with such a Prayer against Temptation , whilst thou deridest them that fear it . Study Hell more , till thou hast more fear of Sin ; study Sin more and thou wilt not slight Temptation .

2. The fear of the Curse , will much allay our sinful fear of the Cross . The greater will swallow up the less . The torment of the Stone , will make us forget the aking of a Tooth . Who will fear the barking of a Dog , that hears the roaring of a Lion ? Moses and Aaron's living Serpent , swallowed up the Serpents of the Magicians , Luke 12.4 , 5. Christ there prescribes the Fear of God , as a cure of the Fear of Men.

As it is on the other side , The Favour of God casts a contempt on the Flatteries of Men ; the rising Sun puts out all our Candles , 't is in the night only that Gloworms shine . The more lively hopes of the Glory to come , darken the Glory of this present World ; the respect to the recompence of Reward , makes to despise the pleasures of Sin . What is a Comet in the day-light ? What is a Cottage to him that hath a Crown in his Eye ? What are Meat , and Drink , and Clothes , and Sports ? what are all the blazes of these crackling Thorns , to the Light of the Countenance of God ? Hast thou Faith ? Hath thy Faith given thee a prospect of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light ? Sure thou hast little of it , who still blessest thy self in the Earth . Get thee nearer the Lord , acquaint thy self more with him ; say thou unto him , Stand thou at my right hand , and thou wilt say to the World , sit thou under my foot-stool .

Carnal Men make the World their God and their Heaven ; when Riches increase , and Friends abound , and they are compassed about with pleasures , then their Hearts are glad , and their Glory rejoyceth . But how comes this to pass ? Alas , poor Men , this is the best they know , they never saw nor understood any higher things than these ; when they arrive to a plenteous and prosperous Estate , they are at the top of their delight , because they are come to the top of what they understand . The Saints have higher things in their Eye , they are gotten within ken of the Invisible Glory , and can therefore write upon all things under the Sun , Vanity of Vanities .

In like manner in the present case , As the favour of God will eclipse the World's Sun-shine , so the Terrors of the Lord will make all the World's storms to vanish away into a Mist . The darkness of the Shadow will be lost in the dark of the Night , the point of a Sword will heal the prick of a Pin.

O , what shall I do ? The Devil is come down , and hath great wrath ; the World is all in a flame against me ; the Lions roar , the Bears and the Wolves are abroad after the Prey ; I am despised , and rejected , and troden under-foot of Men ; I am persecuted and hunted up and down this Wilderness , and am become a Runnagate and a Vagabond in this Earth ; I have lost my Friends , lost mine Estate , and they seek my Life also to take it away ; O , what shall I do ? what will become of me ?

Thou art in an hard case indeed ; but hast thou not greater things than that to trouble thy self about ? How is it with thy Soul ? Is not there a doubt , that the Wrath of the Almighty may be hanging over thine Head ? Art thou in no danger of being rejected and reprobated of God ? of falling into the eternal Prison , of being driven into everlasting Banishment ? What dost thou stand vexing and frighting thy self with the Wasps and the Hornets ? Look down , look down to the Serpents and Scorpions , that thy Soul is in danger of falling in amongst . Take heed , take heed , lest the eternal God cast thee into his Prison , lay thee in his Irons . Let thy Soul dwell more amongst these greater Fears , the Terrors of the Lord , and thou wilt not so much mind the Terrors of Men. Thou wilt not regard the buzzings of those Hornets , if thou fear more the bitings of those Serpents . Sanctifie the Lord God in thine Heart , let him be thy Fear , let him be thy Dread , and then thou wilt be more able to say , I will not fear what Flesh can do unto me .

Now because this is the great Fear , and that which will not only secure us from unnecessary fears , but most powerfully stir up all other necessary Fears , I shall enlarge a little further here . And that this great Fear may be the more effectually wrought upon the Hearts of those to whom Fear especially belongeth , I shall take the Hammer , and drive home this Nail , upon those who are in greatest danger of the Curse of God ; The unconverted Sinners of the Earth . In order whereto , I shall shew more particularly , 1. What the Curse of God is . 2. That all unconverted Sinners are under the Curse . 3. That there is great danger that they may never escape it .

1. What the Curse of God is . It is called in Scripture , sometimes the Wrath of God , sometimes the Fury of God , sometimes the Vengeance of God , and his Fiery Indignation . The Curse of God is properly his Will to punish and plague , and take vengeance on Sinners . You may call it , God's Ill Will against Sinners . God's Blessing is his Good Will , and his Ill Will , this is his Curse . Joseph's Blessing , The good Will of him that dwelt in the Bush , Deut. 33.16 . is the Portion of all the Saints ; and in God's good Will is every good Thing ; the precious Things of the Earth , and the fulness thereof , yea , and the precious Things of the Heaven also . Psal. 30.5 . In his favour is Life . And in God's Ill Will is every evil Thing ; thou needest no more to make thee perfectly miserable than this , that the Almighty bears thee ill Will . 'T is an Affliction to be under the ill Will of Men ; for a Child to have the ill Will of his Father , for a Wife to have the ill Will of her Husband , for a Man to have the ill Will of his Neighbours , for a Subject to be under the ill Will of his Prince . But what-ever there be in this , God's good Will will make amends for all ; though all the Family where thou livest , yea , though all the Countrey bear thee ill Will , if God bear thee good Will , thou art a blessed Man . If thou hast the good Will of all the World , and only God bears thee ill Will , thou art cursed with a Curse .

This Curse of God is ; 1. Revealed in his Word . 2. Executed in part , in this World . 3. Pronounced in the last Judgment . 4. Executed in full , in the World to come .

1. The Curse of God is revealed in the Word of God . Rom. 1.18 . The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven , against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men. It is revealed from Heaven , that is , by the Law of God . The Law of God binds Sinners under the Curse of God , and declares to them what this Curse of God is .

2. The Curse of God is in part executed in this World . The Curse followed Sin close at the heels , and is executed on Sinners here ;

1. In temporal Plagues . There is a Curse upon the Creatures , which were made for their use ; Gen. 3.17 . Cursed is the ground for thy sake . The whole Earth , with all things therein , hath something of the Curse cleaving to it ; whereupon though it still be useful , yet there is something in it that is noxious to Man . Vpon their labours , which often become fruitless , and ordinarily irksome and tiresome . In the sweat of thy face , thou shalt eat thy bread , Gen. 3.19 . Vpon their Estates , sometimes blasting and devouring them , entring into their Houses , and eating out the Timber thereof , and the Stones thereof ; or else turning them into temptations and snares . Vpon their Bodies , Sin wounds and bruises in Sickness and Death .

2. In Spiritual Evils inflicted upon the Souls of Sinners . The Curse of God , not only falls upon their outward Man , but enters into their very Hearts , upon which the Lord most signally executes this Curse , by leaving Sinners , and giving them up to blindness of Mind , to a reprobate Mind , Rom. 1.28 . to hardness of Heart , Isa. 6.9 . to the power of their Lusts , Psal. 81.12 . whereby they are filled with all unrighteousness , and reserved as in Chains under darkness , to the Judgment of the great Day .

Sinner , thy blindness , thine hardness , thy walking after thy Lusts , in the Counsels of thy wicked Heart , this is the Curse of God upon thee , thy Sins are thy Curse . And that Impenitence , and that reprobate Mind which God gives some Sinners up unto , is their sealing under the Curse . God sometimes curses Sinners in this Life , as Christ cursed the fruitless Fig-tree ; Mat. 21.19 . Never Fruit grow on thee for ever . Be thou never good for any thing , never good Thought , never good Motion come into thee , never a drop of Dew or Rain fall upon thee , never a Bud or Blossom spring up in thee , nothing prosper in thee , but be thou barren for ever of every good thing ; let that Soul wither , and perish and die for ever . This Curse is the most dreadful of all Curses above-ground , and the very next to Hell .

3. The Curse is pronounced in the last Judgment ; in that terrible Sentence ; Matth. 25.41 . Depart from me ye Cursed , into everlasting Fire , prepared for the Devil and his Angels . Now that , if it be possible , Sinners may be awakened out of sleep , and be wrought to this Fear , I shall a little open the Mouth of the Pit , by opening this fearful Sentence . [ Depart from me ] . Depart whither ? why whithersoever it is , 't is sad enough that 't is , depart from me , from Christ . Christ is the Life ; it can be no less than Death , to depart from Life .

[ Ye Cursed ] , You that are bound under the Curse , you that have been filling your selves with Curses , clothing your selves with Curses , treasuring up Curses to your selves all your time against this day , Get you gone with your Curses upon you ; your Sins be upon you , your Guilt be upon you , your Blood be upon your own Heads for ever . Ye are cursed with a Curse , bear ye that burthen for ever and ever .

[ Into everlasting Fire ] . And now you see whither 't is they are to depart . I told you but now , that 't is Misery enough , that they must depart from Christ , and from the presence of the Lord . If Sinners were to be sentenced down to this Earth again , sent back to their Fields and Vineyards , to their Ale-houses and Whore-houses , to the best of their dirty pleasures here below ; yet this , that they are sent into banishment from the Presence and Paradise of God , when God shall so far open their Eyes , as to let them see what they have lost , this would be an unspeakable torment to them . But this is not their place ; when they are taken hence , they shall return hither no more , they must bid an eternal farewel to all their carnal and bruitish ease and pleasures ; their Houses and their pleasant Places shall know them no more for ever . God will not leave them so much as the least of the left-hand Blessings , not a drop of Water to cool their Tongues ; 'T is into the Fire they must go ; The pain of Fire is the most tormenting of all the pains we know , and therefore made use of to shadow out those inexpressible intolerable pains , to which the ungodly shall be sentenced in that day . [ Everlasting ] Fire . What not yet at the bottom ? No , this Gulf hath no bottom , they shall be ever knowing , and yet never know the worst of their Case , what-ever they feel ; the worst is still behind , because Eternity is still behind ; they shall never have ease nor rest again , but shall be tormented night and day for ever and ever .

[ Prepared for the Devil and his Angels ] . These are their Companions in their Tribulation . Must we into the Fire ? But may we not have good Company in the Fire ? God may be in the Fire with me . So he was in the case of the three Confessors , and then the fire could not burn . No , t is the Devil that will be with you in the fire , to torment and to be tormented with you for ever . What is it to dwell in an Earthly House that 's haunted with the Devil ? What terror do they live in , whose dwelling is in haunted Houses ? How are they scar'd , and frighted , to see the face of that Dragon , though shap'd into the most beautiful form ? Those that tremble so , to see the Devil in their own Houses , what will it be to them , to be carried with him into his House , where he will be unclothed of all his Vizors , and no longer appear in the snape of a Man , no nor of a Lion or Bear , but will shew himself a Devil . [ And his Angels ] . All the Legions of those unclean and damned Spirits , together with all those damned Souls their fellow-Sinners . All the filth and garbage of the Earth must lie rotting and stinking together in that dismal Hole . All the Atheists and Blasphemers , all the Adulterers and their Whores , all the Rioters and Drunkards , that have spent so many Days , and sat up so many Nights at the Wine and the strong Drink , shall now be filled with the Company they loved , and shall have an everlasting Night to lie drinking up the Wine of the Wrath of the Almighty , and of the Lamb , and suck up the dregs and bottom of that deadly Cup , which the Fury of the Most High hath mingled and appointed for them . This is their Sentence .

4. The Curse is executed in full in the World to come . Mat. 25.46 . And these shall go away into everlasting punishment . Of this Sentence there will be , 1. no Repeal or Reversing , 't is the final Sentence , and must be executed . 2. Nor will there be any Reprieve , but as the doom is past , away they immediately go into the place of Execution . Esther 7.8 . As the Word went out of the King's Mouth , they covered Haman 's Face ; and away presently they carried him to the Gallows and hang'd him up . As soon as ever this Word is spoken , Depart from me ye Cursed , &c. Down they are tumbled into that Fire prepared for them , which the Breath of the Lord , as a River of Brimstone , doth kindle and make to burn for ever . Lay all this together , and then you will know what the Curse to be feared is .

2. Vnconverted Sinners are under the Curse . We are all by Nature Children of Wrath , cursed Children , Ephes. 2.3 . All the World is become guilty before God , Rom. 3.19 . The whole World lyeth in wickedness , 1 Joh. 5.19 . and he that lyeth in wickedness , abideth in Death , and the Wrath of God abideth on him . This wicked and cursed state , is naturally the state of every Man , and whosoever is not Converted , he is under this Curse to this day . Not only the first-born of Sinners , the worst and most monstrous among them , whose Iniquities have mark'd them with a Curse in their Foreheads ; but every Sinner , the most harmless amongst the whole Rout , every one of them , the Wrath of God abideth on him ; and if he should die , and go out of the World in such a case , there 's no hope of him but he must perish everlastingly .

How unsuitable are the jocund and merry Hearts of Sinners , to their state and condition ? These Sons of Death , are most of them Sons of Laughter , the jolly ones of the Earth . When you pass by the Tents of evil Men , and behold them drinking and dancing , singing and sporting , and rufling it out in their gallantry , as some of them do ; or find them sleeping at their ease and out of fear , as 't is with others of them ; would you not say , Is this the noise , is this the guise of Men appointed to Death ? Is this the sound of the Vessels of Wrath ? Are these the Guilty Ones , and the Cursed Ones , whose Souls are in Chains , dragging down to the horrible Pit ? One would think , by their Faces and Carriages , by their merry Dayes , and quiet Nights , that the Sinners of the Earth were fairest for Heaven , that they had shot the Gulf , and were past danger of miscarrying for ever .

But what art thou , O Sinner ? To whom dost thou belong ? Whither art thou falling ? What is thine Inheritance , or thy Portion from the Lord ? Consider the Scriptures , Psal. 11.6 . Vpon the Wicked he shall rain Snares , Fire and Brimstone , and an horrible Tempest ; this is the Portion of their Cup. This shall be their Portion hereafter , but what is their Portion here ? John 3.18 . He that believeth not , is condemned already . And Joh. 3.6 . The Wrath of God abideth on him . Every unconverted Sinner is under the Curse .

3. There is great danger he may never escape or be delivered from it . If he never be Converted , he can never escape . The Devil shall as soon break Prison , and make an escape from Hell to Heaven , as thou who diest an Impenitent , canst escape falling into that Prison . Mat. 18.3 . Except ye be converted , ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God . Continue Unconverted till thou diest , and 't is impossible thou shouldst escape .

And there is very great danger , that thou that art yet an Unbeliever , and an Impenitent to this day , mayst never be a Convert to thy dying day . This is the last hope thou hast , that however it be with thee at present , yet hereafter thou mayest be brought in . But know that what-ever hope thou hast of that , there is a very great hazard that it may never be ; which will appear if thou consider these three things .

1. The multitudes of those that miscarry , that die in final Impenitency , and so perish everlastingly , to a very few that are Converted and Saved . 2. The constant miscarriage and succeslesness of all the means that have been hitherto used for thy Conversion . 3. The potent Adversaries , and the mighty opposition they make , and will make against thy Conversion .

1. Consider the multitudes of those that miscarry and die Impenitents , to a very few that are Converted and Saved . The Scriptures tell us , That there are but few that shall be saved . The real Converts are but a little Flock ; Luk. 12.32 . Mat. 7.13 , 14. Strait is the Gate , and narrow is the way that leadeth to Life , and few there be that find it . But wide is the Gate , and broad is the way that leadeth to Destruction , and many there be which go in thereat . Shall we believe our own Experiences ? How many poor Souls do we see in the World , who walk on in the courses , and after the Lusts of this World , some in a blind and ignorant State ; some in Lewdness and Luxury ; some in Covetousness and Sensuality , in Carelesness and Carnal-security ; who after a long course that they have thus run , at length drop into the Grave , and go out of the World , without the least token of sound Repentance : How many such Instances have we of Men going Unbelievers and Impenitents out of the World , to here and there one that gives any hopeful testimony of real Conversion ? The number of Converts , to them that die in Impenitence ( even in the judgment of the greatest Charity ) is but a very small number .

Now , if any of you were sick of some dangerous Disease , as suppose the Pestilence , which were so generally mortal that it swept away whole Families , unpeopled Towns and Countreys , and but here and there one did escape with his Life ; if any of you were sick of this deadly Disease , would you not conclude your Life were in danger ? would you not be afraid you should not escape ? O this Plague of the Heart , how much more mortal is it than the Plague of the Flesh ? What multitudes doth it sweep away into the Pit , when but here and there one is left for Life and Glory ?

2. Consider the constant miscarriage and succeslesness , of all the means that have been hitherto used for thy Conversion . This is not the first time thou hast been preached to ; thou hast been warned of thy Sins , thou hast heard of Christ , and been perswaded to come into him long before this day , and not once nor twice , but it may be all thy dayes ; And what hath been yet done upon thee ?

Behold Man , after so long a time , yet thou art in thy Sins , yet thou art blinded and hardned , and running the same course as heretofore . O how little hope is there that that same Word should work at last , that hath hitherto done nothing upon thee ! Will the Sword of the Spirit be more like to cut to the Heart , after it hath been so long blunted upon thine Iron Neck ? Will the Devils Tenure be weakned by Prescription ? Will he the easier out , by having so long held possession ? will this old Man grow weaker through Age ? will thy Disease grow more curable by continuance upon thee ? or is it likely , the very same Remedies will prevail at last , which have been so long used in vain ?

If you were under some bodily Disease , and had used all the means that can be had ; If you had had Physician upon Physician , Medicine upon Medicine ; the best Physicians , the best Medicines , and still you were as short of a Cure as ever : If one Physician should have come and prescribed to you , and you would not take his Physick , or if you took it , yet it would not work ; If after him should come another , and another , and still no success , but your Disease should continue , yea , and grow under the hands of all your Physicians , would you not conclude your case were deadly , and but little hope left that you should be recovered ?

Consider Sinners , what hath the Lord hitherto done ? what Ministry have you had ? how many Physicians have been trying their utmost skill upon you , convincing you , warning you , beseeching you to turn from your Vanities to the Living God ? Hath not the Lord God , by the Ministry of his Servants , been dealing with you , and treating with you these many years about this thing ? and yet how far off ? how ignorant of Christ , how obstinate against Christ , and how resolved for your old wayes ? What , and yet for all this , so much without fear , that all will be well at last ? Look to your selves , and know for certain , that by how much the more means have been used , without success , by so much the more desperate is your case grown .

It 's true , the Lord may make his Word to Work at last , to convert an obstinate Sinner , an old Sinner ; He may do that by small means , which greater and more likely means have not done , the last stroke may break the Flint , the last Arrow may cleave the Pin , the last Word may do the Work , when so many have been lost and done nothing : But when there are so many Instances to the contrary , when it is so very seldom seen , wilt thou not only put thy self upon such a desperate adventure , but remain without fear of any hazard ?

At most there is but a Peradventure for it . The Servants of Christ must be patient , in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves ; if [ peradventure ] God may give them Repentance , 2 Tim. 2.25 . When we are sent forth to Preach to Sinners in the Name of the Lord , this is all we have for it , ( as to any particular Persons ) Who can tell what God may do ? whether he may bless our word to them or not ? Peradventure he may , and peradventure he may not . Now that the Word is once again Preached to you this day , peradventure it may prosper upon some of you , peradventure you may hear , and be humbled , and be converted ; Who can tell whether some or other of you may not ? But there is a great doubt whether it may be so with thee or no , either now , or ever hereafter ; what , and yet not afraid ?

3. Consider the potent Adversaries there are , and the mighty opposition they make , and will make against thy Conversion . Know and lay to heart these three things ; 1. If all that the Devil can do to hinder thee , will prevail , Thou shalt never be Converted . 2. If all that thine own flesh can do to hinder thee , will prevail , Thou shalt never be Converted . 3. If all that the World can do to hinder thee , will prevail , Thou shalt never be Converted .

1. If all that the Devil can do to hinder thee , will prevail , thou shalt never be converted , nor escape the Wrath and Curse of God . The Devil is great with Sinners , he can rule them at pleasure ; 2 Tim. 2.25 . They are led captive by him at his Will. The Devil's Will is a Law to Sinners , and such a Law as they are willingly subject to . The Devil's Government is not like to displease Sinners , for his Law is , That every one should please himself ; He looks for no more , than that every one should do what is right in his own Eyes . Therefore shall this Bramble be King , as long as Sinners can carry it . If it should be put to vote in the World , who should be Ruler , God or the Devil , the Sinners of the Earth would give their vote for the Devil ; as for the Lord God , they would say the same concerning the Father , as once those wicked Ones did concerning the Son , Luk. 14.19 . We will not have him to reign over us . The Devil is mighty with Sinners , he is their Prince and their Ruler ; as far as God lets him alone , he can order them at pleasure ; they will follow this Lion whither ever he goes .

And this Devil is an Adversary to Souls , they shall certainly die and be damn'd , if he can do it ; 1 Pet. 5.8 . He walketh up and down seeking whom he may devour .

Sinner , when dost thou mean to return into the way of Life ? When wilt thou to Christ ? The Devil hath such power with thee , that if God leave thee to thy self , thou art never like to come to Christ till he be willing to let thee come . And when will that be ? Who is it that hath kept thee from him all this time ? I will tell thee , when he will drag thee to Christ ; but by his good will , thou shalt never go before . If he can but hold thee from him , till the Judgment , then he will drag thee before him , to receive thy Sentence for all thine ungodliness . When the Season of Grace is over , then thou mayest go , but if he can help it , never till then .

2. If all that thine own flesh can do to hinder thee , can prevail , thou wilt never be converted . Consider here two things ; 1. Thy Flesh is against it . 2. Thy Flesh hath great power with thee .

1. Thy flesh is against thy Conversion . Rom. 8.7 . The Carnal Mind is enmity against God ; It is not subject to the Law of God , neither indeed can be . Particularly ; 1. The Interest of the Flesh is against it . 2. The Inclinations of the Flesh are against it .

1. The Interest of the Flesh is against thy Conversion . By the Flesh , I mean corrupt Nature , called often Flesh in Scripture . Our carnal Minds , the Will of the Flesh , our fleshly Desires and Dispositions , and all the Lusts of it . This Flesh is concerned against God and the Lord Jesus Christ . Christ comes to Crucifie the Flesh , Rom. 6.6 . 1 John 3.8 . For this cause the Son of God was manifested , that he might destroy the works of the Devil . No more Gluttony , no more Drunkenness , no more pleasing our Eyes , or our Throats , or our Appetites , Christ will have Lust starv'd , and no longer pampered . Christ will allow Necessaries , but his way is to keep the Flesh low ; he will allow good Bread , and Bread enough , but often 't is but coarse , and such as Lust will never be contented with , nor ever prosper by .

Hereupon the Flesh is concerned against Christ , to resist him , and to do what-ever it can to keep him out . Who comes there ? sayes the Flesh , when Christ knocks . Who is it that calls after thee ? To whom art thou joyning thy self ? What , to Christ ? Wilt thou hearken to him ? then farewel all . No more Mirth and Pleasure , no more Ease or Jollity , no more Credit or Gain ; Look to thy self , all 's a going , and will be gone if Christ once sets footing in thee . Christ tells me , ( saith the fleshly Heart ) I shall find favour with God , I shall obtain the pardon of my Sins , and all the good things of the other World , if I will hearken to him . But who will keep me alive in this World ? I must have Money , and Meat , and Drink , and Credit , and Friends , or else I am like to have but a poor Life of it here . The blessings of the other World will never help me to live and prosper in this World ; I can't feed my self , nor cloth my self , nor provide for my Family , with the promises and hopes of good things to come ; and God knows , how little else Christianity will leave me . I am like to be but a poor , hunger-bitten , melancholick , forsaken Soul , if I hearken to Christ . Away ( saith the Flesh ) no more treaty about any such thing , which doth so evidently tend to thy prejudice and undoing .

2. The Inclinations of the Flesh are against it . The Flesh hangs towards Earth and Sin , and is contrary to God and Holiness . Rom. 8.5 . Those that are after the Flesh , do mind , or savour , the things of the Flesh ; and so do hang back from things Spiritual and Heavenly . What is this way of Life that Christ calls me to ? It 's quite contrary to me , my very Nature disgusts it , my temper and genius is against it . I was never acquainted with , nor accustomed to such a way , and I cannot abide it . This preciseness , and this scrupulosity and tenderness , I have more mind to laugh at it , than submit to it . It even turns my Stomach to see the folly of it in others , and I hate to be such a fool my self . I should be glad of the Salvation of Christ , but sure I shall never endure his Discipline . I am willing to save what I have , and to make the best of what 's before me : and that I am sure Christ will never suffer me , and therefore run after him who will , he must have me excused .

Dost thou know , O vain Man , what 't is to swim against the Stream ? and dost thou not feel thine inward Stream running against Holiness and serious Christianity ? O when art thou like to come to it ? Art thou not yet afraid it may never be ? especially when thou considerest ; That ,

2. The Flesh hath great power with thee . In Sinners , the Flesh is the great governing Principle ; it bears rule in the whole Man . 'T is their Lord and their Law , and hence they are called , the Servants of Sin , Joh. 8.34 . and said ; to live after the Flesh , Rom. 8.13 . What-ever wickedness is done by them , it is the Flesh that commands them to it . When-ever the Heart works to Envy , or works to Wrath , or to Pride , or to Covetousness , 't is the Flesh that sets it thus on work . It is no more I that do it , but Sin that dwells in me , Rom. 7.17 . And what-ever good Works are hindred , 't is the Flesh that hinders them . Rom. 7.19 . I find a Law , that when I would do good , evil is present with me , so that the good that I would I do not . 'T is said of the Regenerate , much more true is it of Sinners . Bid a Sinner Repent , alas he cannot ; bid him Pray , he cannot Pray ; Bid him turn to Christ , and trust in Christ , and follow him ; alas , poor Man , he cannot , his Flesh is against it , and hath such a rule over him , that he cannot resist it . The Devil rules without , and the Flesh rules within , and who can act against two such potent Rulers ?

By the way , Sinners are in a poor case the while , that are under two such potent Governours , the Devil and Sin . How is it possible , O Sinners , you should be so secure , when the Devil is your King , and hath set up that young Devil , Sin , to be his Viceroy ? If you saw a poor Man cast into a Den , and there committed to the custody of a Lion and his Whelp ; would it not pity your Heart to think , in what a case that poor Man were betwixt two such Keepers ? Sinner , Sinner , Look to thy self , Behold the Lion and his Whelp ; thy Soul is in a more dreadful case , under the command of Sin and of the Devil , than thy Carcase would be , under the Paw of those Ravenous Beasts ; Save thy self from these Murtherers .

3. If all that the World can do , to hinder Sinners Conversion , will do it , they will never be Converted . The World is against it , ( the evil Men of the World , I here mean ) they are all against the Conversion of Sinners . Particularly ; 1. The Spirit of the World is against it . 2. The Examples of the World are against it .

1. The Spirit of the World is against it . The whole World is of the same Spirit , which the Scribes and Pharisees are said to be of , Mat. 23.13 . They shut up the Kingdom of God against Men , and neither will enter in themselves , nor suffer those that are entring to go in . They are all of another Kingdom , and thereby Parties against Christ and his Kingdom ; they are for making Proselites , but 't is for Hell , not for Heaven .

This Spirit of the World is a Spirit of Envy and Hatred against Christ and his Followers , Joh. 15.19 . And this evil and envious Spirit , is that which vents it self in those Scoffs , Reproaches , and Persecutions , which they let fly and raise against every Soul , that so much as looks after serious Christianity . How full is the World of Experiences of this kind ? No sooner is any Soul awakened from his Sins , making out after Christ , and shewing himself among the Disciples , but presently the Birds of Prey are picking at him ; His carnal Friends , will disswade and discourage him , the Ishmaels and Nimrods will be upon his back , mocking and reviling , hunting and persecuting him . Christ tells us , Luk. 15.10 . There 's joy in [ Heaven ] over one Sinner that repenteth ; But what is there in Hell , or in the World , the Territories of Hell ? O they are all in a rage , the Devil is madded , when he hath lost a Captive , and resolves if he will be gone , not to let him go , without some marks of his Fury and Rage .

Sinner , thou art yet under the Power of the Devil , & it may be thou mayst never make an offer to be gone , but wilt abide with him in quiet till he carry thee home with him to his place ; But if ever thou shouldst make an attempt to be gone from him , and to joyn thy self to Christ , behold he hath a whole World of Instruments ready , either to block up thy way , or stick in thy sides ; And art thou not afraid , if it should come to this , that thou shouldst rather abide as thou art , than adventure on such Discouragements ?

2. The Examples of the World are against it . How great is the power of Example ? the whole World is much governed by Examples . Laws can do little in comparison of what Examples can do . There is a great influence that good Examples often have upon Mens Minds and Manners . Therefore Christ did not only make a way into the Kingdom by his Blood , nor only shew us the way in his Doctrine , but also led us the way by his Example , 1 Pet. 2.21 . Therefore also the Ministers of Christ are required , not only to feed the Flock by their Instructions , and to rule them by good Discipline , but to be Examples to the Flock , 1 Pet. 5.3 . And therefore also Christians are required to give a good Example to the World , and one to another . 'T is a vain thing for us to exhort one another , Be humble , be sober , be meek , be merciful , whilst we our selves are proud and unmerciful , passionate and revengful ; Give a good example , if you would do good by your good words ; let not your Feet tread down , what your Lips build up ; destroy not by an evil Life , what you build by good Counsel . Thou that teachest another should not steal , dost thou steal ? Thou that sayest a Man should not commit Adultery , dost thou commit Adultery ? Rom. 2.21 , 22. Thou that sayest to another , Swear not , Lye not , give not place to Wrath , speak evil of no Man , Dost thou the same thing ? Thou dost more mischief by thy evil Works , than ever thou art like to do good by thy good Speeches .

O ( by the way ) let us learn to bewail , and to be ashamed of our evil Examples that we have given . Ah Wretches , that ever any People should be charged concerning any Professors , as the Disciples were once charged concerning the Scribes and Pharisees , Mat. 23. Do as they say , but do not as they do . Shall this evil World have occasion to speak thus of any of the Preachers or Professors of Christianity , Beware of them , follow not after them ; for behold , they bid Men beware of Covetousness , and yet who more covetous ? They bid Men beware of Pride , and yet who more proud ? They charge it upon others to be just , to be true , to be meek , and yet who more fraudulent , more false and peevish than themselves ? O how much mischief do poor Sinners suffer by the evil Examples of some Professors ? Good Examples draw mightily , but evil Examples more . But yet the evil Examples ( of Professors ) are not they by which Sinners are in the greatest danger of being kept back from Christ ( though these be pernicious enough ) , but the evil Examples of the World . Sinners are of the World , and they are professedly for following of the World . Now what Examples do the profane World set before them ? whither are they leading them ? Are they making towards Christ , and running from their Sins unto God ? Does not the Stream run quite contrary ? And does it not pass for a sufficient Encouragement to them in their evil wayes , to think they do but as their Forefathers did before them , and as their Friends and their Neighbours do ?

See how the Example of the World is urged against following of Christ , John 7.48 , 49. Have any of the Rulers , or of the Pharisees believed on him ? But this People who knoweth not the Law are cursed . What do ye mean ye foolish People to follow this Jesus ? Do ye see any of the wise Men , or great Men , do any of the Rulers believe on him ? And will ye think your selves wiser than they ? Go not after him , be none of his Disciples .

And is not the same Argument urged upon Sinners daily ? Why should you trouble your heads about these Matters ? About Repentance , and Regeneration , and Conscience , and making sure for the other World ? Do the Pharisees , and High-Priests , do the great Men , and the wise Men , trouble themselves about any such Matters ? It 's true , there are a sort of People which know not the Law , a company of ignorant Souls , an heady and a giddy Generation , that trouble themselves and the World about these things ; but what heed is to be given to them , a company of despicable , simple Souls ? Do any of the wise or great Ones take this course ?

Sinner , think with thy self , what a mighty influence this sort of Argument hath had upon thee hitherto ? The World despise the Gospel , the World neglect Christ : The World are for the Flesh , for Liberty , and Care , and Pleasures , and Idleness , and against the Spirit of Christianity , the Stream runs downwards towards Sin and Hell ; and hitherto thou hast been swimming with the Stream , hast gone with the Multitude , and hast troubled thy self about Christ and Religion as little as any of them . O tremble to think what great danger thou art in , that thou mayest still run down that Stream , and never stop till thou fall into that Gulf , from which there will be no Return or Redemption for ever .

Now Sinner , lay all these things together , and then judg if thou hast not reason to fear thou mayest never escape the Wrath and Curse of God . It is evident , that whilst thou art unconverted , thou art under the Curse ; Well , but yet thou hopest that one time or other thou mayest be Converted ; But how great fear is there thou mayest not ? All the ungodly World are against thy Conversion ; thine own Flesh and the Devil are against it ; all these will joyn together to hinder it if they can . And besides all the means that have been hitherto used , prosper not ; thou hast been Preach'd to , thou hast been Prayed over , thou hast had many years of Warnings , and yet nothing hath prevailed . And what multitudes are there that have been in thy case , that have stood it out to the last and died in their Sins , to here and there one that have been Converted and Saved ? Sure thou art in a fearful case , that Curse that hangs over thee , there 's but little hope but it will light upon thee , and abide upon thee for ever . O fear this Curse , fear it in time , that if it be possible thou mayest take warning and fly from the Wrath to come .

V. Lastly ; How should we improve this Holy Fear .

And now I am fallen upon that which I chiefly intended in the choice of this Subject . This Fear will be of general use , and of great advantage for the engaging us in , and the more succesful managing of the whole business of Religion and Christianity , in all the parts and duties of it . I have a large Field before me , but I shall insist only upon these three general Directions .

1. Fear and Search . 2. Fear and Beware . 3. Fear and Follow after .

Direction 1.

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

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

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

Besides the great tryal that will be in the last and general Judgment , which we use to have a special eye unto , in all our tryals of our selves , there is a search which God makes into us even in this life ; And he searcheth us , 1. By his Eye . 2. By his Hand .

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

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

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

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

There are two things especially which thou hast to fear , 1. Lest there should not be found in thee that good thing which may evidence thee to be approved of God . 2. What-ever Evils there be in thee at which the Lord will be offended .

Fear this Fear and it will set you a searching accordingly .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With a special respect to such as these , I shall shew , 1. How such Persons may be wrought to this Fear . 2. How this Fear will work to a farther Search .

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

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

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

2. There may be a good Opinion of Grace , where there is no Grace . The Way of Christ may be right in your Eyes , and yet your Hearts not be upright in his Eyes . You may be perswaded in your Hearts concerning the Way of Godliness , that this is the Good Way , that this is the Right Way , and an Excellent Way ; that the Life of a Christian , led according to the Rules of the Gospel , is an Excellent Life ; Rom. 2.18 . Thou knowest his Will , and approvest the things that are more Excellent . And to this good Opinion Men may be wrought , 1. From the Self-evidencing Light of that Holy Doctrine , which prescribes and requires Godliness . 2. From the convincing Lives of the Sincere Professors of Godliness . 3. From the Self-condemnation that is to be observed in all other wayes .

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

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

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

It 's true , this way is every-where spoken against by the malicious , but the more like to be of God for that ; So 't was in the Apostles dayes , Acts 28.22 . As for this Sect , we know it is every-where spoken against : Mark it , Christianity was counted by the malicious but a Sect or a Faction , and Christians but Sectaries ; so they were counted and called , about 1600 years ago , and therefore 't is no disparagement if they be counted so still .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indeed it is much to be wished , that we were more exact and cautelous in this Matter , than many of us are at this day . Though good use may be made of probable . Evidences , yet should we declare to our People , which are but probable Marks , and which are certainly concluding . Of those Properties of Christians , which some Divines have formerly given as Marks of Sincerity , I shall mention three ; 1. Prayer . 2. Hearing the Word . 3. Reforming the Life .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[ He seeketh rest ] . This notes two things .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Objection .

But is this the Work of a Minister of the Gospel , to fill poor Christians Heads and Hearts with Doubts and Fears ? The Word of the Gospel is a Word of Peace , a comforting Word ; and that 's the charge laid upon the Ministers of the Gospel , Isa. 40.1 , 2. Comfort ye , comfort ye my People , speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem , cry unto her — that her Iniquity is pradoned . And the poor People of God have need enough to be comforted , they have fears enough from the World , and their own evil Hearts , and do you make Christ to be the Minister of fear to them also ? Our Doubts are our Sins , our Fears are our Infirmities , and do you go about to nourish our Diseases ? The Word of Christ is the Food of Souls , and 't is but poor feeding for Christ's Sheep to feed them with Fear .

Solution .

1. All are not Christ's Sheep , that are found in Sheeps Clothing ; the Devil hath some Goats in Christ's Fold . All are not Israel , that are of Israel , Rom. 9.6 . And whilst it is really a question , whether thou be not one of the Devil's Goats , he does thee no harm , that puts thee in fear whether thou be or no. This fear is not to fright thee out of the Fold , but to fright thee into a Sheep . I shall do thee no harm , if I can fright thee to Heaven .

2. What 's one Man's Meat , may be another Man's Poison ; and what 's one Man's Poison , may be another Man 's necessary Meat . All Christians are not of a like Spirit , and what 's poison for some may be proper for others . Same poor , broken , melancholick Souls are all fears , and must have Comforts preached unto them ; others are secure , confident , and yet careless Ones , and these have asmuch need of terror . Comforts preached to the doubting and distressed Ones , may be poison to the secure and careless , and yet for the sake of the distressed , they must be preached ; and terror preached to the secure , may be poison to the distressed , and yet they must be preached for the securers sakes .

The Ministers of the Gospel must be good Stewards , giving to every one their Portion , Luk. 12.42 . Comfort to whom comfort belongeth , and fear to whom fear ; On some have compassion , making a difference ; others save with fear , Jude 22 , 23. And as Ministers must give , so People must take every one their own Portions ; as Ministers must divide , so People must apply the Word of God aright . Let every Man take his own Portion , and not be catching at that which is another's . There is too great an aptness in the distressed , to lay hold on those words , that are spoken to the secure ; if there be ever an afrighting word in a whole Sermon , that 's my Portion , saith the Distressed , this Word belongs to me ; and so the secure are too ready to lay hold on those healing and comforting words , which belong to the broken and distressed ; both these Evils must be heedfully avoided ; but whether People will apply the Word of God aright or no , there 's no help for it , but Ministers must divide it aright , and give to every one their Portion .

3. There is an awaking fear , that quickens to our Duty , and prepares for comfort , and this will lightly hurt no Body ; and there is a disquieting and discouraging fear , that disheartens to Duty , and deprives of Comfort , and this will do no Body any good .

4. This Fear I am preaching to you , will lead you to the better and surer hope . These Doubtings will be of great use to put us in the way of getting above our Doubts . As there is a Confidence which will end in terror , so there are Fears and Doubtings , the Fruit whereof will be Quietness and Assurance for ever . This will more fully appear in the next Particular , wherein I am to shew ,

2. How this Fear will , work towards a farther search . Hitherto I have been endeavouring to work this Fear upon Professors Hearts , concerning their States ; and now I shall shew how this Fear will work .

The Fear lest our Souls should be yet unsafe , will , 1. Put hard to come to a certainty ; And to this end will , 2. Put us close upon a more narrow search . 3. Put in Objections in order to the making all clear and plain .

1. It will put hard to come to a certainty ; nothing short will satisfie it . Fear hath pain in it , the fearing Christian is in pain till his Doubts be resolved , and this pain will press him to make sure . He will be thankful for Probabilities , and will make the most of them ; as a drowning Man will catch at every Twig , that may keep his Head above Water , till he can get better hold . A Christian that Fears , will not make nothing of Probabilities , nor yet will take up with them instead of Certainties . The Confident Sinner will venture all upon conjecture ; if his Heart do but speak him fair , and tell him he is safe , that shall satisfie him . 'T is an amazing thing to consider , what broken Reeds Fools do stay themselves upon . Fear will make all as sure as it can . And there is some hope in that , that we are bent upon making sure ; He that will not rest in uncertainties , is in the fairer way to come to a certainty .

2. Fear will put us on close upon the narrowest search . It will not take up with Reports or Opinions , but will search the Records , whence it may be like to get satisfactions . And there are two Books of Records that will be enquired after and look'd into , the Book of the Scriptures , and the Book of Conscience . In one , the Book of the Scriptures , it will examine , what are the plainest and most certain Marks of Sincerity ; when it hath found a Mark , it will enquire , May not this be also in an Hypocrite ? and will not pitch on any thing , but that which cannot be found in any Hypocrite in the World : Then it enquires into Conscience , and compares the two Books together .

The word tells me , He that is in Christ is a new-Creature . 2 Cor. 5.17 . He that is born of God , is a Believer , 1 John 5.1 . Is a lover of God , 1 John 4.7 . He that loveth , doth keep the Commandments of God , and his Commandments are not grievous , 1 John 5.3 . The Children of God are Children that will not lye , are meek , merciful , holy , harmless . The Disciples of Christ , are such as deny themselves , take up their Cross , and follow him . These and such-like are found in the Scriptures , to be the signs of the Children of God .

And what sayest thou O my Conscience , are these things found in me ? Where is my Faith ? What Love have I for God ? What witness to my Love , in my Obedience ? What Truth , Mercy , Meekness , Humility , Patience is to be discerned in me ? Come forth O my Graces , where are you ? Shew your selves in the light of the Sun . And what can you testify O my ways for me ? Speak Conscience , what is the life which I have lived , Is it a life of Faith , a life of Love and Holy Obedience ?

If Conscience speaks in the affirmative , and gives in its answer , through the Grace of God , I find it thus with me ; Then

3. Fear will make Objections , and put in farther Questions . It 's true , he that is a New-Creature is in Christ ; he that believeth and loveth and obeyeth the Lord , is born of God ; and I find that there is something in me , that looks like the New-Creature , that looks like Faith and Love , &c. But may not all these be but the Images of Grace ? Is my Faith the very Faith of God's Elect ? Do I love the Lord Jesus in sincerity , do I obey from the heart that form of Doctrine that is delivered to me ? May there not be as great a change upon an Hypocrite , may not Hypocrites believe , and love , and obey , as far as ever I have done ? And until the matter be brought to this issue , that there is something found , such a Faith , such a Love , such Holy Obedience , as cannot be found in Hypocrites ; till then , this Fear ( which will ever suspect the worst ) will nor give over , but still will come on , with question upon question . How shall I know my Faith is right , and how shall I prove my Love and Obedience to be sincere ? I am still at a loss , and in doubt how it is with me .

By this time you may see , what an advantage there is in this Fear , to help us to a right understanding of our states , it will never rest searching , till we be clearly satisfied .

Well , but now you will say , will you leave us here . Shall our Fear still follow us with ' How may we know ? How may we prove , that all this is in Sincerity ? Will you not help us out here ? what can you farther say , that may non-plus our Fears , and quiet us against such anxious and troublesome [ How may I know's ] ? may there nothing be brought forth to our help , concerning which it may be said [ by this thou mayest know ] even all that thou desirest .

To this I answer , 't is hard to bring up a Christian , in this imperfect state , to such full and infallible , and satisfactory evidence ; of the soundness of his state , that he should never again need to put the question , How may I yet make a fuller proof of my self ? yet such marks there are laid down in Scripture , and such helps there are , for the clear discerning of them , as may put a Christian beyond all perplexing and disquieting Doubts and Fears .

And to the end I may , both the better assist the Fearing Christian , to out-grow his groundless Fears , and also may more effectually stir up the Fears of the unsound , I shall a little enlarge here , and lay down the most distinguishing Marks I find in Scripture , to bring the Soul to a settlement . Though I have endeavoured something this way in my Vindiciae Pietatis , yet I shall here also say something to this purpose . Now the marks that I shall lay down of true and saving-Grace , shall be these three .

1. A resolved choice of God for our portion and Happiness . 2. An actual embracing of Christ , as he that shall bring us to God . 3. A giving up our selves to the practice of a Godly life .

The first mark ,

1. A resolved choice of God , for our portion and happiness . Here our fear will be putting in , for satisfaction in 2 particulars : 1. How may I know , that he that hath chosen God , is indeed a Godly man ? 2. How may I know , that I have sincerely chosen God ?

To the first Inquiry , I shall give in the answer from Scripture and Reason .

1. From Scripture ; This is the choice that the Scripture Saints , have been recorded to have made . This was Moses his choice , Heb. 11.25 , 26. Choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God , then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin . — For he had respect to the recompence of reward . This was David's choice , Psal. 16.2.5 . O my soul , thou hast said unto the Lord , thou art my Lord . The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance . This was Asaph's choice , Psal. 73.25 , 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee , and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee . — God is the strength of mine heart , and my portion for ever . This was Mary's choice , Luk. 10.42 . Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken from her . There are but two parts , one of which every one chooses ; the good part , and the evil part . The good part is God , and things above ; there is none good but one , that is God ; and there is nothing good , but one thing , the grace and good will of God ; the evil part , are all things below : All the good things of the world , are the evil part ; a good Estate , a good Name , a good House , good Friends , though they be good in their kind , yet are an evil portion , and he whose portion they are , is an evil man , Psal. 17.4 . Mary was a good Woman , and 't is evident she was so , for she made a good choice : she chose the good part , which shall never be taken from her .

2. From Reason . There are two things included in this choice of God , that are infallible evidences of a godly man . Our choosing of God for our happiness , includes in it ,

Our preferring of God above all things . Our being made like unto God .

1. Our preferring of God above all things . Every man will choose the best ; that is , that which he judges best , and loves best . The reason of mens choice is , their liking that which they choose , better than that which they refuse . He that neglecting God , chooses this world for his portion , therein takes the Crown off the head of the Lord , and sets it upon the world , and sayes of it , this is better for me , then God ; he that neglecting the world , chooses God for his portion , therein sayes , God is better than all .

2. Our choosing of God for our happiness , infers our being made like unto God . Every man chooses for himself , according to his own heart . 'T is the heart that makes the choice , and it chooses that which is most suitable to it . The heart that chooses God , 't is a sign , both that it likes God best , and is made like unto God .

As by mens particular choices , here below , you may judge what spirit they are of ; he that chooses the pleasures of the flesh , shews himself to be of a sensual heart ; he that chooses riches , shews himself to be of a covetous heart ; he that chooses the honours and pomps of the world , shews himself to be of a proud heart ; so in mens general choice , he that chooses for himself here below , proves himself a worldly-minded man , and he that chooses for himself above , therein appears to be of an Heavenly mind . He that hath chosen God , 't is a sign that he is made like unto God , 't is divine grace in the heart , that hath made the choice .

There 's one of these two ruling powers in every heart , Nature or Grace , and look which of the two hath the rule , 't is that which hath the casting voice , in the choice that 's made ; and each of these , do choose what 's suitable to them . Corrupt nature chooses what 's suitable to it , and finding nothing in God , nor in all the world to come , that will please it , it chooses for it self below ; And a gracious heart chooses what 's most suitable to it ; and finding as little to content it in this world , as a carnal heart doth in Heaven , therefore gets it up , and takes its lot above . Nothing will content grace , but God and Glory , and nothing but grace , can be content with God alone . The heart of man will never be carried up to Heaven , to pitch there , till there be something of Heaven , first let down into it , to fetch it up .

Now , he that prefers God above all , and is made like unto God , is certainly a godly man ; and thus the first enquiry is answered . It is evident , that he that hath chosen God is a godly man , for this is lay'd down , as a special character of the Saints in Scripture , and in this choice of God , is included , our preferring God above all , and one being made like unto him .

2. How may I know that I have sincerely chosen God ? Here lyes the main doubt to be resolved . There be many that say , God is my portion , I have chosen him for my inheritance , and they think as they speak , and yet do but deceive themselves ; I hope I have sincerely chosen the Lord , but yet am in fear , lest I also may be deceived . How may I know whether it be so or no ? To this I answer , you may know that you have sincerely chosen the Lord , 1. If you have chosen him deliberately . 2. If you have chosen him absolutely . 3. If you carefully pursue your choice . 4. If you measure your [ present ] happiness , by the communion you have with him , and the clearness of your title to him . 5. If you be willing and resolved , to forsake all things for his sake .

1. If you have chosen God deliberately ; if your choice be not in a sudden fit , but be the result of the deepest consideration . Suddain bargains are often , as suddenly repented of . A light unadvised choice , is not like to hold , and while it holds , there 's no great heed to be given to it . Some men are such unstable Souls , that their whole life almost , is nothing else but choosing and changing , when we choose understandingly , and deliberately , when we have throughly considered the great reasons for our choosing God , his worthiness and excellency , and our own necessity ; and have also weighed all the inconveniencies thereof , and all the objections against it , and do find , that the reasons for , do infinitely over-ballance all that can be said against it , and hereupon determine for God , that 's like to be found a sincere choice .

2. If you have chosen him absolutely , as that which you will stand to , to the last , whatever inconveniencies may follow . When there are no ifs nor ands , no reserves in your heart , nor place lest for repentance . When your choice runs not , as Jacob's conditional vow , Gen. 28.20 . If the Lord will be with me , and will keep me in the way that I go , and give me bread to eat , and raiment to put on , so that I return to my Fathers house in peace , [ then ] the Lord shall be my God ; but without any such if's , whether he will feed me or no , cloth me or no , let him do with me as he will for that , I am resolved however , the Lord shall be my God .

And indeed , so was Jacob too , however the words sound . This was never intended by him , as the condition of his Religion , ( there 's no other condition of that , but if , or since the Lord will be my God , he shall be my God ) Jacob was in bond to God before , and here he enters into a new bond , layes a new obligation upon himself , every one of these Mercies , shall be so many new cords , to bind me fast to the Lord ; but whether these new cords were added or no , whether the Lord would keep , or feed , or cloth him , or no , 't was never his intent , but his old bond should stand however , that the Lord should be his God .

And as there are no reserves , nor conditions in this our choice of God , so is there a resolution against repenting of our choice , whatever should happen . A Christian chooses once for all , chooses and changes not . His choice of God is like to Gods choice , Psal. 110.4 . I have sworn and will not repent , sayes he , concerning Christ . The gifts and calling of God , much more the Election of God , are without repentance , Rom. 11.29 . where we choose God absolutely , we leave no place for repentance .

3. If you carefully pursue your choice . Thus was it with Paul , who had chosen for himself above , and taken his aim at the right mark , the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus , he sayes , Philip. 3.12 , 13. I follow after , I reach forward , I press to the mark . Some vain men perswade themselves , that they have chosen God , and yet seldom or never look after , nor take any care to obtain , and make sure of him whom they have chosen ; they choose God , but never follow God , nor take the way that leads to the blessedness to come . Sincere choice , takes in both end and means . When the choice of our hearts doth govern the course of our lives , and doth effectually bend our course towards the obtaining of him , whom we have chosen ; when this becomes our main drift and scope ; This I pray for , this I wait for , this I labour for , this I live for ; I have nothing else to do , but to serve and make sure of God ; if I can but so live , as to please God here , and get to Heaven when I dye , whatever I miscarry in , 't is all I look for ; this argues such a choice of God , as will certainly argue us to be of God . To choose God , and yet to live to our selves , to choose Heaven for our portion , and yet to have our conversation in the earth ; an idle and inefficacious choice , that doth not effectually command us after him , whom we have chosen , but let us run our old carnal course , is a vanity and a delusion .

4. If you measure your [ present ] happiness , by the communications of God to you , and the clearness of your title to him . He that hath chosen God for his happiness , look how much he possesses , and enjoys of God , and to what degree of clearness he is come , concerning his Evidences for Heaven , to such a degree of happiness , he counts himself to have arrived ; whilst he can love , and please , and serve the Lord , and maintain a confidence of his acceptance with him , so long he can rejoyce ; when he is estranged from God , he is as a man undone . Therefore is it , that Christians set themselves to get as much of God here , and as sure a claim to the inheritance of the Saints in light , as possibly they can . Every one would make as sure of happiness as he can , and would be happy as soon as he can , would get , as much as may be , into present possession .

Hence are those breathings , and thirstings , and rejoycings of the Saints , which we read of in Scripture . As the hart panteth after the water brooks , so panteth my Soul after thee O God ; my Soul thirsteth for God , for the living God , Psal. 42.1 , 2. My Soul thirsteth for thee , my Flesh longeth for thee — thy loving kindness is better than life — My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness , when my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips , Psal. 63. O that my wayes were so directed , to keep thy Statutes . O let me not wander from thy Commandments , Psal. 119.5.10 . For in keeping them is great reward , Psal. 19. I have set the Lord alwayes before me , because he is at my right hand , I shall not be moved ; therefore mine heart is glad , and my glory rejoyceth , Psal. 16.8 , 9. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me ; thou hast put gladness in my heart , Psal. 4.6 , 7.

Christians can never have good dayes , longer than they are walking with God , and beholding his face in righteousness ; this is their Heaven on Earth . The reflection of the face of God , in his Holy Image , that appears upon them ; the irradiations of his Holy Spirit , and the light of his countenance , whilest they are walking in the Law of the Lord ; the prospering of their Souls in the grace of God , and the comforts of the Holy Ghost , this is the sunshine of their lives . Their countenance is fallen , their heart is sick , they reckon themselves among the dead , when God and their Souls are parted . He hath no part in God , that can live comfortably without him .

It 's true , the pleasure that the Saints take in God , is more or less , according to the different degrees of their love to God ; and accordingly will the sense of his absence be more or less . There is a desiring love , which is the highest attainment of some weaker Christians , and there is a delighting love , which is the attainment of the more grown Christians . The purer and stronger the love , the greater pleasures comes in , from the object of it , and the more impatience follows from its distance , and estrangement from it . The love of weaker Christians puts forth , in thirstings after the Lord , but they taste but little of the sweetness ; but the more grown can sit down under his shadow with great delight ; yet neither the one nor the other , can be at ease or contented without him .

Again , there is a difference in the Natural temper , and constitutions of Christians ; some are naturally of lively and warm affections , and of a chearful and serene Spirit ; others are of more flat , and dull , and heavy spirits , and this will make a difference upon their sence of things Spiritual . Yea , and the same persons , at several times may be differing from themselves , by reason of bodily distempers or occasional discomposures , which may have such an influence upon their Spirits , that they may at such seasons , not only have lost the sweetness of Divine communion , but the sence also of its want ; and those very duties , wherein they were wont to have delightful converse with God , may seem the most uneasie and wearisome work of their time .

But yet , whoever he be , that in ordinary , can be satisfied , at ease , and be merry , whilst he is a stranger from God , and neither finds pleasure in him , nor takes comfort in pleasing of him ; this man can never conclude that God is his portion . He that is least in the Kingdom of God , will doubtless be able to say , Lord whom have I in Heaven , yea , [ or in Earth ] besides thee .

Sinner , thou sayest , that thou also hast chosen the Lord ; but how is it that he is no more look'd after , or regarded by thee ? How is it that thou canst live so much without God in the world , and find no miss of his presence ? Art thou content to be miserable whil'st thou livest here ? or hast thou chosen two portions , this world to be thy portion here , and God only for hereafter ? I , that 's the truth of the case ; thou foreseest that this world will not last alwayes , but thou must after a while , be gone and leave all behind thee ; whil'st these things will last , thou wilt take up with them , but when they fail thee , thou countest upon God at last ; and so he must only stand by as thy last refuge ; when all else is gone , then God must be thy happiness . Is this thy choice of God , when thou canst only say , Rather God than nothing ? So I may be sure of thee hereafter , I care not for thee now ?

He that hath not chosen God for his happiness in both worlds , hath sincerely chosen him for neither . Canst thou say , thou hast chosen him for thy happiness in this world also , when thou canst count thy self happy without him ? canst thou want communion with him , and yet be at hearts ease ? canst thou take the prosperities of this world , to supply the want of a God ? the smiles of fortune , instead of smiles from Heaven ? will thy twilight or candle-light serve thee instead of Sun-light ? Canst thou quiet and comfort thy self thus , God is none of my acquaintance , but I have good acquaintance enough in the world ? God is angry with me , but I have many good friends about me that bear me good will ? My work for Heaven goes but sadly on , but yet I prosper and thrive in the Earth ? I have none of the best hearts , I confess , but yet I have a good House , and a good Estate ? 't would be sad indeed if I had nothing either above or below , either within or without me , if both Heaven and Earth had cast me out ; but whil'st one of them holds , 't is well , mine own Cisterne is full , and so long I can spare the Fountain . Canst thou comfort thy self thus ? Deceive not thy self , God is not the portion , thine heart hath chosen ; thou wilt never find rest in any thing else , who hast pitch'd on him as thine only happiness , and till thou hast made him alone , thou hast not made him at all , the portion of thy Soul .

5. If you are willing and resolved to forsake all things for his sake . God and this world , are proposed to our choice , and this is included , in the very nature of choosing , that one be taken and the other left ; 't is not choosing , to take both , one of the two must be parted with , or neither can be said to be chosen ; and so the word tells us , Luk. 14.33 . Whoever he be of you , that forsaketh not all that he hath , he cannot be my Disciple .

This seems to be an hard word ; but is it so indeed ? Is it hard to part with all our Brass , and to receive it in Gold ? to exchange our rags for better clothing , our husks for better seeding ? What is Earth to Heaven ? Is all thou hast in the world , too great a price to redeem thy Soul from Death , and to instate it in everlasting blessedness ? If these things could redeem thee , would'st thou say , 't is too much to give , this Earth is more than Heaven is worth ?

But farther consider , It is not so hard as it seems to be ; for , what is it to forsake all that we have ? God would not have us to throw away our Estates , and make our selves voluntary Beggars ; to give away our Houses , and take up our Habitation in Dens or Caves ; to give away all our bread , and our clothes , and leave our selves to hunger and nakedness .

God would not have us to break the peace with the world , to disoblige and fall out with all our friends , and to become strangers to our own flesh ; God would not have us studiously to offend Father and Mother , to despise Brethren and Sisters ; to be undutiful or unnatural , to be surly , and rude , and uncivil to any , and thereby create our selves enemies , and trouble ; 't is for the honour of Christianity that we behave our selves sweetly , and courteously , and dutifully towards all ; and 't is the Interest of Christianity , that those that fear God , be good Husbands , and provident , and have Estates to serve him withall in their generations . This is not the meaning of our forsaking of all , to cast our selves into voluntary poverty , or studiously to make our selves the objects , and reproach of the world .

That forsaking of all , which is necessary to , and will prove our sincere choosing the Lord , must be ,

1. In esteem and affection ; so as no longer to account or love any thing we have , as our portion and happiness . God will not allow us two portions , one for the Flesh , another for the Spirit ; one for this world , another for the world to come ; God will be all in both worlds . As we may not serve two Masters , Luk. 16.13 . So neither may we have two portions ; we cannot serve , and we may not love God and Mammon . God will be all or nothing to us , he will as soon allow us two Gods , as two portions ; when we make the world our happiness , we make it our God ; and then we make it our happiness , when we prize it too highly , love it too dearly , seek it too hotly ; when we prize , or seek , or love the world more than God , or otherwise than in subordination to him .

2. In vote and resolution , to let all go at the good pleasure of God . To forsake all , is to get the heart loose from all , to stand with a mind prepared , and ready to part with all whenever God will . To be able heartily to say , If God will have it so , I am willing to be poor , and every way as low as he pleases . Now I live in credit , but if God will have it so , I am willing of contempt and disgrace ; now I have friends , but if God shall see it good to leave me no friend in the world , I am content ; now I live , and am in health , and prosper , and flourish , but whenever the Lord will , I am content to wither , and suffer , and die for his Name .

A willingness to be poor , whenever God will have it so , this is a forsaking our riches ; a willingness to be in disgrace , to lose our friends , or our lives at the pleasure of the Lord , this is our forsaking all these . He that will lose his life or estate when God calls him to it , in his account , he doth lose it ; there be more Martyrs in the world , than have suffered at a stake ; if thine own heart hath given thee to the flames , as a witness or Sacrifice to God , 't is accepted with him , as if thou hadst been actually offered up .

Abraham's intention and attempt to offer up Isaac for a burnt-offering , was the same thing with God , as if he had done it , and had this testimony from the Lord , that he did it , Heb. 11.17 . By Faith Abraham when he was tryed , offered up Isaac , Gen. 22.16 , 17. Because thou hast done this thing , and hast not withheld thy Son , therefore blessing I will bless thee .

Friend , art thou willing to be undone , willing to lay down thy life , when e're God shall put thee to it ? God will say the like to thee , because thou hast done this thing , therefore blessing I will bless thee , as 't is on the other side , he whose heart withholds himself , or any thing that he hath ; that will rather deny Christ , than suffer for him ; he whose heart is against it , and will not offer himself up , though he should never be tryed , or put to it , the Lord will say to that man , because thou hast done this thing , hast forsaken me , rather than thou wouldst suffer for me , therefore cursing I will curse thee . O how many Apostates in heart are there , who did never actually Apostatize , but would have done it , had they been put upon the tryal ? Heart-Martyrs shall be accepted , and Heart-Apostates shall be rejected , even as they that are actually such .

3. In practice or execution , so as actually to let all go , whenever God doth call for it . Particularly ,

1. To suffer the loss of all , whenever it comes to be a case , that we must either suffer or sin . Whoso hath sincerely chosen God , will choose affliction rather than iniquity . Elihu , Job . 36.21 . would prove Job to be an Hypocrite , by this , that he had chosen iniquity rather than affliction ; and if he could have made good the antecedent , that Job had made such a choice , the consequent would have been strong against him .

It 's true , every act of Sin , nay of sinning deliberately , and that when the temptation to it is is not great , doth not certainly evidence us to be Hypocrites ; the Lord be merciful to us all , if it were so : the best of men turn aside too often , from God to Sin , even when we are not much tempted to it , by suffering . But however , this is the principle , that every one that is sincere , proposes to himself to live by , to suffer rather than to Sin , to lose all that he hath , rather than lose his integrity ; and his ordinary care and endeavour is , that his practice be according to this principle .

2. To use all as God would have him . He that will not give an Alms , will much less give himself for a Sacrifice ; he that cannot spare his bread to the Lord , how will he spare his life ? He that bestows and employs all that ever he hath , according as God by his ordinary providence , calls and appoints him , that layes up , and layes out , only according to Gods order , hath herein done that thing which will give him great ground of confidence , that he hath an heart , that will let go all whenever he is call'd to it .

The second Mark .

2. An actual embracing of Christ , as he that shall bring us to God . 'T is Christ alone that must bring us to that God whom we have chosen . 1 Pet. 3.18 . Christ also hath once suffered for sins , the just for the unjust , that he might bring us to God . Joh 14.6 . I am the way , the truth and the life ; no man cometh to the Father , but by me . And every one that cometh unto him , he will certainly bring to the Father .

Now for the trial of our sincere embracing of Christ , I shall put it upon this one thing , our hearty consent to Christ . Christians are joyned to Christ in a marriage union , Hos. 2.19 . and 't is consent that makes the Marriage . Consent to Christ is our will to have him , and our willing Christ , is our taking and embracing him . Gen. 24.58 . when Rebekah was ask'd the question , Wilt thou go with this man ? Wilt thou have Isaac for thine Husband ? She said I will go ; there 's her consent : and that 's the condition upon which Christ becomes ours ; whosoever [ will ] let him take of the water of life freely .

Now our unfeigned consent unto Christ , includes in it , and will be evidenced by , Our approving of Christ . Our accepting of Christ . Our dedication and yielding our selves up to Christ .

Only I must tell you , there is one thing that is necessarily pre-required to this consent ; and that is , a distinct knowledge of Christ ; a knowledge of his person , who , and what manner of person he is ; a knowledge of his proper place , in which he stands , and his proper work that he is to do , in order to the bringing us to God ; as in general , that he is the Mediator betwixt God and Man ; in particular , that he is our Prophet and Teacher , sent to us from God , to shew us the path of life ; that he is our Priest and Sacrifice , that he is our King and Ruler . A knowledge of the conditions that he imposes , and the Laws he gives to them that will be his Disciples , and that expect salvation by him ; as , to believe and obey the Gospel , to repent and be converted . These things must be first distinctly known , otherwise in consenting to Christ , we do we know not what , we subscribe to a blank . Our close with Christ must be an understanding close , otherwise it signifies nothing .

This being premised , I shall now shew ;

1. That our consent to Christ notes , our approving and good liking of Christ . Therefore we read , that Peter in his Preaching Christ to the Jews , that he might Preach them to Christ ; endeavours first , to gain their approbation of him ; and that he might be approved of them , he tells them , that he was approved of God , Act. 2.22 . Ye men of Israel , here these words , Jesus of Nazareth , a man approved of God among you , by signs and miracles . If he could not have assured them , of Gods approbation of him , there had been little hope of gaining their approbation ; and if he had not their approbation , there had been no hope of their acceptance . The same Apostle tells us , 1 Pet. 2.4 . that he was disallowed of men ; and those that disallowed , despised and rejected him . He was to the Jews a stumbling block , and to the Greeks foolishness , 1 Cor. 1.23 . But as for them that are called , they had other manner of thoughts of him ; to them he is , Christ , the Power of God , and the Wisdom of God . They might have been invited long enough , before they would have come , if they had not been first perswaded that he is the Power and Wisdom of God . Wilt thou consent unto Christ ? he must have thy approbation , or he can never have thy consent .

There must be an approving and liking of his Person ; of his personal excellencies , and worthiness to be embraced . Men must be well satisfied , both of his sufficiency , that he is able to save to the uttermost , those that come to God by him ; and of his faithfulness , that he will do it . He that is not satisfied , that 't is safe venturing upon Christ , will never be perswaded to it .

There must be an approving and good liking of his whole way of Salvation ; of all that he hath done , of all that he hath suffered , of all that he demands and requires in order hereto . And as they must be able to say , He hath done all things well ; so must they say also concerning what he requires , Good is the Word of the Lord . What doth the Lord require ? will he be trusted ? will he be loved ? will he be obeyed ? will he have me for his servant ? my estate , my time , my strength , my body , my soul , to be all at his Service ? Good is the Word of the Lord , it is but right it should be so , it 's best thus to be his .

2. Our consent to Christ , notes our accepting him . Approving is not all , he may be approved and yet rejected , video meliora proboque &c. there are who approve the things that are excellent , and yet will not embrace them , Rom. 2.18 . there must be an accepting of Christ , as well as an approving . There is An assent to a Proposition , and A consent to a Proposal .

1. There is an assent to a Proposition . As to instance in that of the Apostle , 1 Tim. 1.15 . Christ came into the world to save Sinners . There may be an assent to this , that this is a true saying , and worthy of all acceptation , which is short of accepting . 'T is one thing to say , I believe and am perswaded in my heart , that Christ is a Saviour of Sinners , and is worthy of all acceptation , and another thing to say , I accept him .

2. There is a consent to a Proposal . Christ is not only declared in the Gospel to be the Saviour of Sinners , that chosen one , that mighty one , upon whom their help is laid , but there is an offer made , of this Jesus unto Sinners , who are all invited to look unto him , to come unto him and be saved , Matth. 11.28 . and also assured , that whosoever come unto him , and believe in him , shall not be confounded , 1 Pet. 2.6 .

In the Preaching the Gospel , the Lord not only gives us this record concerning his Son , that in him is Eternal life , and that he that hath the Son , hath life , 1 Joh. 5.11 , 12. but withall makes this proposal to every Sinner , wilt thou have this Jesus ? shall this Saviour be thy Saviour ? if thou wilt have him , thou shalt . Do not say now , sure he is worth the having ; if redemption from death , if everlasting life , be worth the having , then Christ is worth the having ; but say on , wilt thou have him ? shall it be a match betwixt Christ and thy Soul ? shall he be thine , and wilt thou be his ? Does thine heart say , I will , I accept , I henceforth take him for mine own , and will trust my self with him ; I put my life into his hands , here my Soul shall pitch . Upon this stone which is laid in Sion , will I adventure all ? Does thine heart say to all this , I will ? this is thy sincere consent to Christ , provided that there be .

3. A dedication , and giving up the Soul to Christ . The matter that is to be consented to , is , not only that Christ be ours , but that we be his . Our consent that he should be ours , is our taking him , and our consent that we should be his , is our giving our selves to him . It is said of the Macedonian Christians , 2 Cor. 8.5 . they gave themselves to the Lord . This giving our selves to Christ , hath in it , the giving him The right of us . The possession of us .

1. The giving him the right of us . He hath indeed a right to us already , whether we give our selves to him or no ; he hath bought us , and paid for us , we are his by purchase , 1 Cor. 6.19 , 20. Ye are not your own , ye are bought with a price . And yet though we be his already , he expects that we give our selves to him ; he loves the claim by gift , above that , which comes only by purchase ; and therefore he requires , Prov. 23.26 . My Son give me thine heart . Thou may'st say , it is not mine to give ; what have I to give to the Lord ? All is his already , I am his , with all that I have . The Father hath given all to the Son , and he hath paid dear enough to purchase the Lordship of me . Well , though thou be his own already , canst thou not say , Take me then , Lord take me as thine own ? 'T is more than rebellious Sinners will say , though they be his by right , yet they will rob him of his right , and hold back his own from him . They give themselves away from Christ , to the Devil and to the World . They might say to these , when they demand , give me thine heart , it is not mine to give ; but they will not say so here , but whether it be theirs or no , away they give it .

But Christ expects , that thou which hast given away his right to another , hast given thy self to the world , and the lusts of thy flesh ; shouldst fetch thy self back again from these , and restore thy self to him . And indeed our giving our selves to the Lord , is but our acknowledging his right to us , and our making restitution , our restoring to him his stollen goods . Go , carry home thine heart to him , and deliver it up ; and when he sayes to thee , it is not thine own , take the word from his mouth , true Lord , it is not mine own , it is thine , and here it is for thee , take it to thee ; and till thou dost this , he will none of thee . He will be thy Lord and thy Judge , whether thou wilt or no , but he will not be thy Saviour without thy consent ; thou shalt be his vassal , but canst never count thy self his Disciple till thou pass over thy self to him , by thine own act and deed .

Sinner , thou sayest that thou art Christ's , but how camest thou to be his ? O! he hath redeemed and bought me , thou sayest . But is this all ? So he did Judas , he bought that Traytor , that sold his Master ; what , hast thou no better claim to Christ , than that Son of perdition , and will this comfort thee ? Consider man , though Christ hath bought thee , hast thou not gone under hand , and sold thy self away from him ? hast thou not let in Sin and the Devil into Christ's right , and wilt thou yet say , I am the Lords ? the Devil will tell thee , thou art mine , the world will tell thee , thou art mine , and thine own Conscience may tell thee , I fear 't is too true , I am the Devil 's indeed , I am the World 's indeed , for I have given my self to them , and I never yet fetch'd my self back , and restor'd to Christ his right ; which yet thou must do , before he will own thee for his Disciple .

2. The giving him the possession , and the use of us . Christians are called the possession of Christ , Ephes. 1.14 . the purchase and possession , and 't is we our selves that must put him into possession . Therefore are we required , to yield up our selves to him , Rom. 6.13 . to yield up our selves to the Spirit of Christ , that he may sanctifie us , and fit us for our Masters use , to yield up our selves to the authority and government of Christ , to be used and employed in his Service , Rom. 6.16 . His servants ye are to whom ye obey . Thus to give our selves to Christ , is to give our selves to Christianity ; to give our selves to God , is to give our selves to the practice of Godliness ; to be actually employed and used by the Lord , in all that he hath for us to do .

Christ , thou sayest , hath the right of thee , but who hath the possession of thee ? Thou hast given thy self to Christ , but hast thou given thy self to Christianity ? thou callest thy self his Servant , but dost thou obey him as his Servant ? art thou given to the works of Christ , given to Praying , given to Hearing , given to Holiness ? he hath thy name , but who hath the use of thee ? to him thou hast devoted thy self , but by whom art thou employed ? thou hast parts , thou hast strength , thou hast an estate , thou hast time , but upon whom , or upon what , are all these actually bestowed ? wilt thou say , thou hast given thy self to Christ , when the Devil hath still the possession , or the world and thy flesh have still the use of thee , and of all that thou hast ? Dost thou serve this world , and walk after the flesh , and yet wilt comfort thy self with this , that thou hast given thy self to Christ ?

Brethren , there may be a damnable mistake here , and you that are professors , look to it , that none of you be thus mistaken , to your everlasting ruine . It may be , thou hast sometimes gone into thy closet , and there falling upon thy knees , hast said , possibly with some affection , Lord I am thine , I here give my self to thee , Body and Soul , and all that I have , to be thine for ever ; and when thou hast thus done , away thou goest , rejoycing and comforted . But shortly after , the sence of this transaction is worne off , and the power of it utterly lost , and about the world thou goest as aforetime , walking at the same vain , carnal and careless rate , as thou wert us'd to do . What dost thou think of such a dedication ? Hast thou sincerely dedicated thy self to Christ , when thou sufferest sin and the world still to have the possession , and the use of thee ? Art thou sincerely given to Christ , when thou art not given to Christianity ? art thou given to Christianity , who art still so given to thy flesh , given to thy will , given to thine appetite , given to pleasure , and ease , and idleness ? Trust not to any closet-Transactions , how solemn or affectionate soever they be , that have not so much power as to bring thee in , and deliver thee up , and actually engage thee in the Service of him , to whom thou hast thus passed thy self over . But of this indeed , it is most proper to speak , in the next mark .

The third Mark .

3. A giving up our selves to the practice of a Godly life .

That a Godly life is necessary , to prove the sincerity of our choice of God , and our close with Christ , is sufficiently evident from what hath been said in the two former marks ; now it remains , that I add something for farther trial , whether the life which we live be indeed a Godly life .

I have spoken to this , in the third mark of the truth of Grace which I have given in my Vindiciae pietatis , to which I must refer you , and shall now only add ,

That he that lives a sincere Godly life , hath such a standing care , to please God in all things , that he resolves and endeavours , 1. Not to allow himself in any known sin . 2. Not to allow himself in the neglect of any known duty .

1. He that lives a sincere Godly life , makes it his care and endeavour never to allow himself in any known sin . Rom. 7.15 . the evil that I do , I allow not .

Now there may be a double allowance of sin ,

1. Positive , when we have such a lust after any iniquity , that our hearts , not being able to bear a restraint , do give themselves a toleration for it .

2. Interpretative , when we commit or live in any known sin , and connive at our selves in it ; and though we do not peremptorily resolve , for continuing this liberty for it , yet neither do we resolve against it . Non-resolution against sin is the door left open to it ; when we do not hate nor resist it , when we pray not , watch not , strive not against it . It may be we wish in the general , that we could overcome , and avoid every iniquity , and are content that God should effectually restrain us by his grace , so it be , without putting us to the trouble and labour of laying any painful restraint upon our selves ; yet when any particular sins come , and we are tempted to them , they find the door left open to them , we wink at them , and swallow them down ; even this must be interpreted an allowance of them . He that sees the Thief at the door , though he do not say , pray come in , yet if he shut not the door against him , is accessary to his own Robberie . It is a vain thing for thee to say , the evil which I do I allow not , when thou do'st nothing to withstand it . If thou wilt not resist , thou do'st thereby invite the tempter and his temptations .

Grace , in the nature of it , is an enemy against Sin . These two are contrary , Gal. 5.17 . and though it be too weak wholly to overcome , yet will it make opposition against it . It 's true , that actual allowance , especially of some lesser sin , is not utterly inconsistent with the truth of grace , in this our imperfect state ; but he that resolves not to watch against , to strive against every sin , that hath any standing reserve of a liberty for any one ( in this thing the Lord pardon me ) how dwelleth the grace of God in him ?

Mens allowing themselves thus in any sin , is an argument that they are in a league with sin ; and he that is in a league with any sin , his heart is not right with God . Our engaging our selves to the Lord , doth necessarily include in it our breaking with sin ; and our walking in friendship with God , is our living in the defiance of Sin . Hast thou friendship with Sin ? where is then thy friendship with God ? Do'st thou say thou hast not friendship with Sin , nor art in any league with it ? how is it then , that it hath such free access to thee ? Consider it well , didst thou maintain in thine heart , an enmity against sin , thou would'st take more heed , how thou gavest it entertainment : Wilt thou open thy bosom to a viper ? would'st thou spread forth thine arms to a Serpent ? sure thou art of kin to these venomous beasts , or thou would'st never allow them such freedom with thee . It is at least a shrewd suspition that thou art of the seed of the Serpent , or thou would'st never take into thy bosome these young Serpents , thy lusts to be thy play-mates . And if thus thou do'st , and thine heart will not hear of being totally shut of its liberty with them , the case is then plain , thou art in such a league with sin , as will conclude thee out of Covenant with God .

2. He that lives a Godly life , doth heartily resolve and endeavour , never to allow himself in the neglect of any known duty .

By duties I mean , not only those special acts of worship , Prayer , Hearing , &c. but all acts of obedience to the will of God ; both those more general and complexe Duties , of working out our salvation , of walking as becometh the Gospel , of making sure our Calling and Election , &c. and every particular duty comprehended under these ; those which have a more immediate respect to God , our living in the faith , fear , and love of the Lord ; those also which have an immediate respect to our selves : our living soberly , temperately , in patience , &c. and those which respect others : doing good to all men , admonishing , reproving , comforting , shewing mercy , &c. as there is occasion , and we have opportunity . As we are Christians , we are indebted to others , to our Families , to our Neighbours , to our Friends , and to our Enemies . I instance in all these , in special , in second-table Duties , both because there can be no proof made of the uprightness of our conversations , without looking into particulars , and because there are many professors who pretend to great heights in the matters of the first table , who in second-table duties , are sadly remiss and negligent . Even these latter , are so essential to true Godliness , that whatever proofs we seem to have of our sincerity , our neglects of these , especially our allowed neglects will call all into question .

Those that will live Godly in Christ Jesus , must live in all good Conscience towards God , and towards men also . God will have his people to stand compleat in his whole will ; that they may herein both approve themselves in his sight , and also shew forth his vertues before men , so that the world may see that the spirit of Christianity is not a fanatick and feeble thing , but hath a power in it to make a visible and universal change , in the manners and wayes of those that are possessed with it , that Christians may appear to be the mercy , and the blessings , and the beauty of the world . That Countries may see , that Families may see that it is a mercy that there are some Godly ones among them ; that the unbelieving Wife may see , that it is a mercy to have a believing Husband ; that Grace hath made him better natur'd , more loving , more gentle , more tender of her good ; that the unbelieving Husband may see , what a blessing it is to him to have a believing wife , that grace hath made her both a better woman , and a better Wife ; more meek , more patient , more careful to please her Husband ; that the unbelieving Families or persons may find that it is a comfort and advantage to them to have so good a Master , to live by so good a neighbour , that pities them , that prays for them , and even Preaches to them , by his holy life and good example .

To be professors of Christianity , and yet to be all one in our conversations towards others , as quarrelsome , as contentious , as unmerciful , as unsavoury and unuseful as those that pretend to no Religion ; to have those about us to say , if there be grace in them , 't is all one as to us , as if there were none ; it had been all one for me , if my Father , or my Master , or my Husband , or my Wife , or my Neighbour had never medled with any thing of Religion ; he is the same man , she is the same woman , as proud , as pettish , as unkind , as unmerciful , as negligent of my good , that it could not have been worse with me , if there had been no such thing as Religion in them . What do'st thou think of all the Godliness thou hast , if thou give occasion to have it thus said of thee ?

Well all these particulars , and every other thing required in the Word of God , I understand by duties .

Now this is a man of a Godly life ; he who having chosen God , and embraced Christ Jesus the Lord , doth set his heart in all things to walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel , without allowing himself in the neglect of any thing , that he knows pro hic & nunc to be his duty ; whose prayer it is , Hide not thy Commandements from me , whose study it is , to know the whole will of God , and whose endeavour it is to walk in all the Commandements of God blameless ; this is a man of a Godly life . This is according to the plain intent and meaning of his covenant with God , and this is his faithfulness in the covenant . Then shall I not be ashamed , when I have respect unto all thy Commandements . [ Then shall I not be ashamed ] that is , then shall I be upright in the way , and have boldness both before God and Men , [ when I shall have respect ] that is when it is in mine heart , to do thy whole will , without giving my self leave , to turn aside , either to the right hand or the left .

He that Lives in the neglect of the acts of worship , that prayes not , and hears not , he that neglects the general duties , that sets not himself to seek the Kingdom of God , to work out his own Salvation , to walk as becometh the Gospel , but takes up with a careless , carnal , worldly , sloathful life ; whether he finds he allows himself in these great neglects , or thinks he does not , though his heart smites him , and will not suffer him to be quiet , or go out with such a life in peace , the very neglect , or not engaging in these great and most necessary duties , does prove him an ungodly man ; and 't will not help this man to say , I allow not my self in these neglects , for where-ever there is grace , there will be praying , and hearing , and something done towards the working out our Salvation . 'T will never be found any man's godliness , that he allows not himself to live thus ungodlily , when yet he does it . Though he gives not himself a deliberate toleration , if yet his heart take leave , to live thus without God in the world , his wayes will betray him , whose and what he is .

Yea and those , that do something in those great and general duties ; yet if they allow themselves in the neglect of any particular duties , that they know to be such , in the neglect of Righteousness , in the neglect of Mercy , in the neglect of their Families , and the duties they owe to them , in the neglect of Neighbour or Strangers , and the duties they owe to them , and can wink at , and dispense with themselves herein , such men can never prove but their Religion is vain .

Art thou a Godly man , who art an unrighteous and unmerciful man ? Art thou a good Christian , who art no good Husband ? Art thou a good Woman , who art an evil Wife ? Art thou a good Man , who art a bad Neighbour , and givest thy self leave to be so ? Art thou a Godly man , whom halting after the Lord , must serve thee instead of walking with God ? Art thou a follower of Christ , who wilt have him abate thee some of his demands , abate thee truth , abate thee mercy , abate thee self-denyal , or if he will not abate it to thee , any thing that thou likest not , thou wilt abate it to him ? Is this to be undefiled , or entire in the way of the Lord ? will God call that uprightness , which cannot be called integrity ? and that sure cannot be counted integrity , which advisedly leaves out any one of the Commandements of God .

But now he that gives himself to Prayer , Hearing , and praising the Lord , who makes it the scope and business of his life , to please God , and make sure for eternity , studying and endeavouring to approve himself in every thing , to him who searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins , and to keep himself unspotted of the world , this is a Godly man , this is Religion indeed .

Though through infirmity , in many things he fall short ; he prayes , but is sick of his praying , he hears , but is asham'd to think how he hears ; his Spirit is so often clouded and clog'd with corruptions and infirmities , that he can feel no life , nor take any comfort in any thing he does ; though by the power of corruption and temptation , he be at times put besides praying , and other duties , and be sometimes found in the field , when he should have been in his Closet , in the Market , when he should have been at Church ; though he find his heart too often , running off from his work , and slinking away after his earthly businesses , and gaines ; and the vigorous prosecution of his design for heaven , be sometimes intermitted ; though he sometimes fail in the ruling of his spirit : in the governing of his thoughts and passions , and hereupon be surprised , by fits of pride , or of anger or impatience , ( the more it is thus , the more doubtful will he unavoidably be , touching his state : and therefore dread to let thy lusts get head , or take incouragement from their word ) yet if the bent of his heart and his course be towards the Lord , and his intention and indeavour , be to fulfil after him , not indulging but judging himself , for all his failings , and striving within himself , to stand compleat in all the will of God , this man is a godly man : and because he will not pardon himself , God will certainly pardon , and overlook all his infirmities and failings , and graciously accept him in Christ Jesus , to whom be glory for ever , amen .

Now brethren , to gather up all that hath been said , ( for I would not have you to try by one , but by all three marks laid down ) and so to bring this trial to an issue . That soul that hath deliberately , and absolutely chosen the Lord for his portion , resolving to stand to his choice , and not to change for ever , that makes it the business of his life , to pursue his choice , and counts it the onely happiness of his life to serve and enjoy that God whom he hath chosen ; and for his sake is willing to suffer the losse of all things ; that so heartily approves of Christ , and his Gospel , that he accepts , and adventures his soul , and his hopes , upon him alone ; that hath so dedicated himself , and given up , both the right and the possession of himself to him , that he accounts himself no longer his own , but is a servant and follower of Christ in righteousness and holiness of life , heartily resolving and endeavouring , never to allow himself in any known sin , nor in the neglect of any known duty ; though his weaknesses be great , his falls and failings be many , this man is beyond all question , a sincere godly man .

Doest thou yet fear , whether thou be the man ? let that fear , set thee a searching once and once again ; let it follow thee into thine heart , and through all thy wayes ; let it lay thee in the ballance , and compare thee with this pourtraicture of a godly man , which is now set before thee ; if this will not serve to quiet and satisfie thee , I know no more to say to thee , but that thou diligently set thy self , by increasing in the grace of God , and outgrowing thy sinful weaknesses and failings , to outgrow thy fears and thy doubts .

And when at length thou art come to a clear judgment , that this is thy case , then , Son be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee ; if God have ever a child , if there be ever an heir of the Kingdom of heaven in the world , thou art one . If thou be not mistaken in thy self , but this be a true character of thee , I am mistaken in the Gospel , if , thou be not a Godly and a blessed man . Thou hast sincerely chosen the Lord , and that 's a sure sign that he hath chosen thee , John 15.16 . Thou art sincerely come unto Christ , and therefore he will in no wise cast thee out , John 6.37 . Thou orderest thy conversation aright , and therefore , to thee will he shew the Salvation of God , Psal. 50.23 . Thou shalt see the good of his chosen , and rejoyce with the joy of his people , and glory with his inheritance .

And now methinks , there should be a particoloured face , upon this mixed company , some of you methinks , should have the joy of the Lord in your countenances , and his praises in your lips . What , hath the Almighty brought me hitherto ? hath he indeed taken me for his own , and mark'd me up for life ? hath he given me an heart to pitch upon him , and to accept of his son , and thereby witnessed that I am accepted of him ? Is this his very Image which is to be seen upon mine heart and life , and may I now say with boldness , I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine ? blesse the Lord O my soul , and all that is within me , blesse his holy name .

Others methinks , should be sighing and shaking for fear . These are the blessed of the Lord , but O in what case am I ? wo is me , if none be the Lords but those that have thus chosen him for theirs ; if none be the redeemed ones of Christ , but those that are his followers in holiness , and righteousness , O I dread to think , whose I am ! Have I chosen the Lord ? am I a follower of Christ ? woe woe is me , 't is too evident that I have chosen earth and vanity and am a follower after lies . Ah wretch that I am , are all my hopes , is all my confidence now at last come to this ?

Sinner , how is it that thy soul is not yet in sackcloth and ashes , that trembling and astonishment hath not taken hold of thee ? Art thou yet in quiet , art thou yet at ease ? Is it nothing to thee , to see thy self without Christ , and without God in the world ? or canst thou wink so fast , that thou canst not yet see that this is thy very case ? sure thou hast lost either thine eyes , or thine heart , if thy fears are not yet fallen upon thee .

As for you O beloved , whom these markes have proved to be the Lord's , Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous , and again I say rejoyce ; and study to confirm and establish your hearts in the joy of the Lord , by walking worthy of that grace wherein you stand .

And thus I have dispatched the first branch , of the first direction . Search what good there is in you , or whether there be the grace of God in truth in your hearts .

2. Search what evils there are found in you . You that have made a through proof of the grace of God in you , by what hath been already said , this part of the direction which yet remaines , is intended , as to you , to humble you under , and make you more watchful against those evils which yet remain .

But it s chiefly intended to that sort of professors , who having but slightly search'd themselvs , have gotten up to a confidence , that they are the children of God .

In order to your making a further discovery of your selves , besides what hath been already hinted to the same purpose , let me advise you to search yet deeper , what sins and corruptions there may be found in you , you hope there is the good seed sown , but what tares are there to be found in you ? Some tares will be found in the best fields , some weeds will remain in the best gardens ; but search if there be no ranke-weeds , such as use not to be found in the garden of the Lord , whether there be no grosse , nor reigning sins with any of you ; or if any such be , whether they be suffered to grow and get head , and overtop , and choke those hopeful blades , when ever they appear , is your hand upon them to pluck them up , or your foot upon them to tread them down : Deal faithfully , and passe through all your fields , mark and observe your ways , and see what you can find .

Or if your life be clearer than it hath been , and you find not much above ground , search what 's under ground , dig down to the roots ; descend into your hearts , and when you go down into these deeps , go down trembling , to think what you may find there , though you have washt your face , and wip'd your mouth , and cleansed your hands , yet fear what you may find below . Men that go down into the bottom of a deep Well , or into some dark vault , or cavern of the earth , they go down trembling , there may be toads or snakes , Jym and Ohim may dwell there ; and you also know not , what you may find in your deeps . Tremble as you go down in search after the evils of your hearts . If there be no oaths nor lyes , no murthers , or adulteries , in your lives , yet there may be whole nests of them , in your hearts . See if there be no Images of Jealousie set up there , before which all within you fall down and worship ; if there be not another God within , besides him that hath gotten the name without . Search narrowly , from room to room , from corner to corner , it may be you may find such evils , as may amaze and astonish you .

If the Lord should lead you through your hearts , as once he led the prophet , Ezek. 8.5 . &c. from place to place , and first shewed him the Image of jealousie , and then by an hole through a wall , and a door , led him further , where he saw every form of creeping things , and abominable beasts , & all the Idols of the house of Israel pourtrayed upon the wall , and the ancients of Israel worshiping them ; and leading him yet further , he saw more and more , and greater abominations than these . If you should thus go in search through your hearts , God knows , what abominations you might find , which yet you have not discovered nor suspected . It may be , you may find the world sitting upon the throne within you ; and if there be not the form of every creeping thing , yet all the beasts of the field , your horses and your oxen and your Sheep , may be pourtrayed and engraven upon your hearts , these temples of the Lord , may be made stables , and stalls , and folds , and barnes , where your cattel and your corn may be lodg'd and laid up ; nay possibly you may find them dunghils , full of Toads and Adders ; lyes and adulteries , and all manner of unclean lusts may be breeding in them . Or If you find nothing else , see if that Image of Jealousie [ Self ] be not found behind the curtain , sitting upon the throne of God , with a crown of pride upon its head , and all within you , even your very religion , doing homage to it , and being made its servants .

Friends , you little think what an inside you may have , whatever your outside be . Dig through the wall , look through the hole , and enter by the door , and search with trembling , lest , where you hope to find Christ and the spirit of grace , you should find the unclean spirit with his abominations .

There have been many in the world , who have been taken for sincere converts , yea , and eminent Christians , in whom the divel hath seem'd to be slain at the first shot , the old man hath seem'd to be knock'd down , at the first blow ; and all on a sudden there hath appeared a spring tide of holy joyes and heavenly affections , and their souls have been , as it were caught up into the third heaven , assoon as they have gotten their heads up out of the mud and mire ; and yet after awhile , the old man gets heart again , and those lusts which had been layd asleep for the time , have risen , up and gotten head again , and that filthy fountain , which was thought to have been quite drained , and damm'd up , hath broken its bay , and cast out as great a floud of iniquities as ever there was before .

O fear , lest it should be thus with thee , lest whatever there be at top , there be that lying at the bottom , which may undo thee for ever : lest sin and the divel be onely laid asleep , but not slain ; lest , though the enemy be beaten out of the field , he be but only beaten into his hold , where he still fortifies himself . And be sure though he should have lost his outworks , yet whilest he makes good the strong hold , though the channels be swept and cleansed , yet if the sink be choked up with mud and filth ; though the issues of the Apostumes be stop'd and dried , yet if the bag and core be not gotten out ; though thou hast quite another face , and seemest quite another man than heretofore , though every one that sees thee rejoyces in the change that 's made upon thee , and with the greatest confidence proclaims the , A convert , a disciple , an Israelite indeed , and thou blessest thy self in thine own heart , saying , Now I have peace yet is there that within , which will break down all thy hopes , and make thy friends ashamed of their joyes they once had over thee . Fear lest this should be thy case , and get thee down into thine heart , and search yet again , whether it be or no.

Brethren , I would not check the least buds of the spring , I would not nip the first blossomings , towards true grace & peace ; I would cherish the least of the new creatures of God , from the first springing of the babe in the womb ; O that every soul among you , were come so far onward , as the little ones among you . God forbid , that any of you should be discouraged or frighted back , by your being put in fear , that you are not yet come home . But however , he that is gotten up to a confidence , that the work is done , that he hath the seed of God , and the life of God within him , let him search if there be not such hidden wickednesses within him , which he never minded , nor thought on , that may give him just ground to fear , and in fear to put it again to the question , whether his estate be so good , and so sure as he concluded it .

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

Fear and Hide . Fear and Flee .

1. Fear and hide . When our first parents had sinned , and were afraid , Gen. 3.7.8 . They went and hid themselves , from the presence of God , among the trees of the garden . It s true , 't was but a poor hiding place , that they found , there was never a tree in all the garden , that had shade enough , to hide them from the all seeing eye ; but yet you see how their fear works , it made them to hide . Prov. 22.3 . A prudent man foreseeth the evil , and hideth himself . If you ask , what or when , or how shall we hide , I answer ,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But how may we hide our selves in Christ ? I answer , 1. Cry unto him to take you in . 2. Consent to him while he offers to take you in .

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

There 's a double sence , in which these words may be spoken , 1. The guilt of his blood be upon us , 2. The attonement of his blood be upon us .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Consent to Christ , whilest he offers to take you in , you may know what 's to be done , to get in to Christ , by considering over that special mark which I have already given you , to prove your being in Christ . T is your consent , that will prove you to be in Christ , and the same which will be your evidence , will give you entrance in him .

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

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

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

Flee sinner , flee away from thy sins and live . What day thou hidest thee in Christ , thou must leave thy sins behind thee , or if thou carriest them to Christ with thee ( which comes all to one ) it must be only to be crucified , particularly , 1. Flee out of thy state of sin . 2. Flee from the practice of sin .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'T is in vain to hold a treaty with our flesh , to make terms and to article with it , for a larger allowance ; till this enemy be dead , thy Soul will never prosper , nor go comfortably on its way . Get Egypt into the Red Sea , let thy Sin be drown'd in that Sea of Blood , the Blood of Christ ; that 's the only Ocean in which Sin will drown and die ; when thou hast it there , then that oppressed thing within thee will grow and increase mightily , when Sin is dead , then Grace will thrive .

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

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

But how shall I doe to get my sins mortified ?

Why , first let me ask thee , art thou so sensible of the evil of them , and the mischiefs thou art like to suffer by them , that thou darest not let them live ? Art thou so heartily afraid of them , that nothing less than their death will give thee quiet ? Art thou more afraid of thy living lusts , than of the labour and the smart that their death will cost thee ? who would bear the cutting off of a limb , an arm or a legge , that is not sensible that his life is concerned in it ? This mortifying work is one of the most painfull works of a Christian ; It is not so difficult to tell you how you should do it , as to make you willing to doe it . Physicians sometimes have an harder task , to perswade to the taking of the Physick , than to cure the Disease when once the Patient is willing ; and when no other Arguments will prevail , 't is Fear at last that must do it . Art thou in such a fear of thy Disease , that this does swallow up thy fear of thy remedy ? Art thou for the death of sin , how painfull soever it may be to thee ? Why if thou art in good earnest , then take these following Directions : 1. Lay the axe to the Root of sin . 2. Put a Knife to the Throat of sin . 3. Put a Bridle on its Jawes . 4. Set thy Foot on the Neck of sin .

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

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

2. By the Blood or Death of Christ , Rom. 6.6 . Our old man is crucified with him . Ay , that 's it that must do it ; 't is Christ crucified that must crucifie sin .

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

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

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

2. The fountain of her blood was dried up by vertue issuing from Christ . There went out vertue from him , 't is said , upon which the woman was cured . Sin can never be slain but by vertue and influence from Christ : Therefore he is said to be a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness , Zech. 13.1 . Here 's a Fountain prepared against a Fountain ; and a fountain of blood against a fountain of blood ; the blood of Christ is a fountain opened , to drayn out and dry up our fountain of iniquity . 1 Joh. 1.7 . The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son , cleanseth us from all sin .

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

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

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

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

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

2. Put a knife to the throat of sin . My meaning is , cut it short of that Provision that would feed and nourish it . The old man is given to Appetite , and you know what the counsel is in that case , Prov. 23.2 . Put a knife to thy throat , if thou be a man given to appetite . Look how many lusts there are , so many sorts of feedings there are , to keep them in heart : Pride must have ornaments , or honour , applause , respect and observance , and for want of other feeding , 't will feed upon thoughts , upon our self-reflections and dotages ; any vain conceit of some worth or excellency we find in us . Covetousness must have money , houses and lands , the hopes of getting , and the content of possessing them . Sensuality must have carnal pleasure and mirth , wine and strong drink , and dainties and varieties , &c. and whilest the flesh may have its lust , it growes head-strong and imperious , there 's no way to keep it tame , but by keeping it short of what it craves . Make no provision for the flesh , ( saith the Apostle , Rom. 13.14 . ) to fulfill the lusts thereof . And you may observe it , that he prescribes this as a remedy to cure those intemperances , riot and drunkenness , chambering and wantonness , strife and envying , mentioned ver. 13.

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

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

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

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

O what an advantage will the death of of sin be to the life of holiness ! when the body of sin is dead , 't will stink ; dead bodies will do so , and all the issues of it will be noisome and loathsome to thee . Lust is never deadly , but when it lives , and is sweet and pleasant ; when it dies and stinks , and is become an annoyance to thee , it will be the less thine hindrance ; it hath now done its worst , the more it offends , the less it will hurt .

Do'st thou find sin sweet ? Is it still a pleasure to thee ? beware of it , 't is a sign 't is still alive ; it would stink if it were dead , thou would'st nauseate it , thy stomach would rise against it : O this stinking pride , this stinking covetousness , these stinking pleasures , away with them , my very soul is sick with the stench they make , and when sin stinks , then holiness will be pleasant , and the work of holiness a delight : the very severities of Religion will be sweet , when the pleasure of sin ceases .

The death of sin is all our diseases cured , the lean and consumptive Soul will now revive and recover , and be strengthened for its work . The crucifying of sin is the casting off our weights that hang on to hinder us in our way , Heb. 12.1 , 2. Let us lay aside every weight , and the sin that doth easily be set us , and run with patience the race that is set before us , 't is ill running with weights upon our backs . Lust is such a weight upon the Saints , as Conscience is upon sinners ; some sinners Consciences , make them drive heavily on , in their way of sin ; when they can once knock off this weight , when they can kill Conscience , and get themselves rid of its checks and controuls , then they rush on upon iniquity , as the horse rusheth into the battel ; let the Saints serve their Lusts as Sinners do their Consciences , and then they may run with patience the race which is set before them .

There is a sore evil that is seen under the Sun , Sinners all upon the Tantivie , riding post towards Hell ( O how sprightly , O how hot are they upon their chace of sin and vanity ) and poor creeple-Christians , but barely wagging on , by a Snail-creeping motion , heavenward . O 't is a sign that the weights do yet hang on ; thou art yet heavy loaden , thou carriest too many bundles of thorns upon thy back , too many burthens of earth and flesh upon thine heart , to make any hast heaven-ward ; lay aside these weights , tread down these worldly lusts , throw off these worldly cares , and carnal desires and delights ; yea , get this carnality which is the body of Sin , and the very soul of that body , to be slain and crucifyed with Christ , and when thou art dead with Christ , thou shalt live the better to him . He that is dead , is freed from sin , Rom. 6.7 . and vers. 18.22 . Being made free from sin , ye then become the Servants of Righteousness , and so shall have your fruit unto holiness , and your end everlasting life .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I cannot enumerate the particular fruits that you should bring forth , they are all the fruits of righteousness ; but in hope that after all that hath been said , your fear of being found among the barren , may prepare you to receive some farther instruction for your growth , and fructifying in every good work : I shall only lay before you seven things , which if they be in you and abound , will make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ . Follow after , 1. Power . 2. Activity . 3. Severity . 4. Simplicity . 5. Ingenuity . 6. Spirituality . 7. Pleasure .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now to bring you to this Severity , let me exhort you to these three things .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lastly , Follow after pleasure , the Pleasure of Religion : This will spring up to you out of the former branches , as I have already hinted . Get you such a Spirit of power and holy activity , grow up to that exactness , simplicity , ingenuity , and spirituality , that you may drink of their pleasures . Here I shall shew , 1. That Religion hath its pleasure . 2. That the pleasures of Religion are the portion of the grown Christian . 3. What the particular pleasures of Religion are , that we should be reaching after .

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

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

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

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

And so on the other side , the top , and the outside of Godliness , hath more harshness in it , 't is the inside and the bottom of it , that is most pleasant , there its sweetness lyes .

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

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

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

3. What the pleasures of Religion are . I shall mention but these four , 1. The pleasure of Sincerity . 2. The pleasure of Success . 3. The pleasure of Ease . 4. The pleasure of Love .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. The pleasure of Ease . Ease hath a pleasure in it ; not only ease or rest from our work , but ease in our work , when we can carry it on with ease ; by how much the harder our work is in it self , by so much the greater pleasures will it be , when we can go easily through it . Christ tells us , Matth. 11.30 . that his yoke is easie , and his burthen light . Christ's yoke is an hard and an heavy yoke to Sinners , and such which they are in no wise able to bear , but he makes it easie to his Saints . A yoke may be made easie three wayes , 1. By making the burthen of it lighter , 2. By making the neck stronger , 3. By accustoming the neck to the yoke .

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

1. Christ's yoke , is in this sense , easier than Moses ' s yoke , there is an abatement of the burthen of Ceremonies , and legal Rites ; that Law of the carnal Commandment , as 't is call'd , Heb. 7.16 . is vanished , and taken out of the way ; no more of that chargeable service , of Sacrifices , no more Bulls , or Goats , or Lambs out of our flocks or herds ; the service of Christians , is in this respect , cheaper Service , than that of the Jews of old , 't is only our Moralls , whereof nothing will be abated .

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

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

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

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

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

One of the hardest works of a Christian , is Self-denyal ; to lay down our own wills , to curb our appetites , to go cross to our own dispositions , interests , and humours ; this goes near at first , and will hardly be born ; but after we have us'd our selves a while to it , and by degrees inur'd our wills to submission to the will of Christ , and holding the bridle strait upon lust , and appetite , have made our hearts to feel themselves to be under authority ; a chearful and contented subjection will in time become habitual to us ; the more self-denyal we have exercised , the less will there be afterwards needed . He that hath been given to intemperance , to gluttony , or drunkenness , at his first laying a restraint upon himself , what a bondage is sobriety and temperance to him ? but after he hath used himself to a temperate life , he finds it more sweet and easie to him , and is better pleas'd with it than ever he was with his former excess , and scarcely knows now , what 't is to lust after his old licentiousness .

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

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

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

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

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

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

But yet still , 't is love that sweetens , and thereby strikes the great and most kindly stroke in all Religion . Fear brings us to Religion , as to our Physick ; the sick man hath no love to Physick , but yet he will take it , rather than dye ; Love brings us to it as to our food , 't is our meat and drink to do the will of God ; eating and drinking , to the hungry and thirsty , are some of the great pleasures of life . Duties are the meat of Holy Souls , and they come unto them , with as great desire , and are conversant in them , with as great delight as hungry bodies come to , and sit at their meals , Cant. 2.3 . I sate down under his shadow , and his fruit was sweet to my taste .

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

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

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

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

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

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

FINIS .