Meditations upon Our Saviour's parable of The prodigal son being several sermons on the fifteenth chapter of St. Luke's Gospel / by Obadiah Grew ...

Meditations upon the Parable of the Prodigal Son .

CHAP. I. Sheweth the nature and use of Parables : The occasion of this following Parable : The different and further Import hereof , above that of the two former : And its division into three general Parts . LUKE XV . 11 , 12 , 13. &c.

And he said , A certain man had two Sons : And the younger of them said to his Father , Father , give me the portion of goods that falleth to me . And he divided unto them his living . And not many days after , the younger Son gathered all together , and took his journey into a farr Country , and there wasted his substance with riotous living , &c.

THIS is one of the three remarkable Parables spoken by our blessed Saviour in this Chapter , the lost Sheep , the lost piece of Silver , and the lost Son , all three having one and the same Scope , viz. To shew the care of God in seeking lost Sinners , and the comfort he takes in finding them ; or his great readiness to receive a returning Sinner .

Now the reason why Christ used Parables so much in his preaching , was in general , That the Scripture might be fulfilled : All these things spake Jesus unto the Multitude in Parables , and without a Parable spake he not unto them : That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet , saying , I will open my mouth in Parables , I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world , Matth . 13.34 , 35. And more particularly he did it in mercy to some ; Psal . 78.2 . Mark 4.33 . And with many such Parables spake he the Word unto them , as they were able to hear it . And to others in Judgment ; Luke 8.10 . — but to others in Parables ; that seeing , they might not see ; and hearing , they might not understand . For Parables are sometimes called in Scripture Dark sayings ; Psal . 78.2 . I will incline mine ear to a Parable , I will open my dark saying upon the Harp , Psal . 49.4 . So said the Disciples of them , John 16.29 . Now speakest thou plainly , and speakest no Proverb , or Parable . A Parable is like a Candle in a dark Lanthorn , there is light within , but darkness without . Indeed Parables are the extracts and spirits of Wisdom , and have usually come from the mouths of Rulers , or other wise men : Solomon spake three thousand Parables , 1 Kings 4.32 . or Proverbs . Nor is a Parable becoming the mouth of a Fool , Prov. 26.7 .

Therefore the Hebrew Mashal , which signifieth to speak Parabolically , signifies also to bear Rule or Dominion : For Parables have influence upon all the Faculties of man , upon the Understanding , Joh . 3.12 . They help the Memory , as a Thread keeps together loose Beads . They quicken the Affections : Where had this man this wisdom ? Matth . 13.54 . said they of Jesus , when he had spoken so many Parables : Luke 4.22 . and they wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth . Yea , Parables have power on the Conscience ; so had Nathan's on David's , 2 Sam . 12.

Yet I must commend this Rule to you in all Parables ; you must not be over-curious to set in a frame , as it were , every thing or word in a Parable , lest you spoil the Analogy . For in Parables some Phrases are used for the decorum of them , as fitting Colours in a Mapp or Picture , that are not of the Essence of it , but for Ornament . And this we see in Christ's expounding of his own Parables ; in doing which he gives only the scope and main drift of them : which , if well considered , might have saved the Schoolmen the labour of their vain Curiosities and Disputes about them . In a word , Parables are Similitudes fetched from Earthly things which are in common use , to help the Understanding in Spiriritual and Heavenly things . So to parabolize in the Hebrew and Greek , signifies to liken or compare .

Now for the occasion of this and the other two Parables in this Chapter , we have it in the begining of it ; There drew near unto him all the Publicans and Scribes to hear him : And the Scribes and Pharisees murmured , saying , This man receiveth sinners , &c. Whereupon he spake this Parable to them , saying , What man of you having one hundred Sheep , if he lose one of them , doth not leave the ninety and nine in the Wilderness , and go after that which is lost , till he find it ? and when he hath found it , he lays it on his shoulders rejoycing . Here our Lord Jesus shews these men their Errour , in their repining at his conversing with those Heathen men , by shewing God's care and readiness for , and his delight in the conversion of lost sinners . And Christ enlarges himself on this Subject by three Parables . And why so many to the same purpose ? Surely to convince the murmuring Scribes and Pharisees , and to encourage the poor Publicans and Sinners that were now in the way of Conversion .

Yet there is one thing of observation as to these three Parables , and that is the difference that seems to be in this last of the lost Son , and those of the lost Sheep and lost piece of Silver . The lost Sheep is sought for by the Shepheard , and the lost piece of Silver is sought by the Woman ; but the lost Son seems to seek his Father : and so it may seem to shew , How a lost Sinner first seeketh God , and is first in motion to Conversion .

But no such matter , nor is it here meant . In the two first Parables the contrary is plain , That God is first in seeking lost Sinners : As in the Prophet , I am sought of them that asked not for me ; Isa . 65.2 . I am found of them that sought me not . The words sound somewhat harsh for want of the word [ now ] , which must be understood , I am now found of them that sought me not — I am now sought of them that asked not for me . The Apostle quoting this place of the Prophet saith thus , Rom. 10.2 . I was found of them that sought me not : I was made manifest to them that asked not after me . The expressions are like those in Isaiah , Isa . 65.24 . Before they call , I will answer . Both hold out the preventive Mercy and Grace of God ; he is first in the Call and Conversion of Sinners . The Jews were in their blood , when the Lord called them , Ezek . 16. and the Gentiles doting upon Idols . Jerusalem was a City sought out , Isa . 62.12 . and Christ was the Seeker ; Luke 19.10 . The Son of man is come to seek , and to save that which was lost . Yea , God and Christ , Father and Son , seek and beseech the Sinner ; As though God did beseech you by us , 2 Cor . 5.2 . we pray you in Christ's stead , be ye reconciled to God .

Where is that converted Sinner , that can or dare say , that he was before God in the work ? Ezek . 16.6 . When I passed by thee , and saw thee polluted in thine own blood , I said unto thee , when thou wast in thy blood , live ; yea , I said unto thee , when thou wast in thy blood , live . As the Eye-lids in the Looking-glass move not , but as the Eyes that look into the Glass move : so is it in a Sinner's Conversion to God ; God is the first mover and the first worker ; the Sinner's Motion is but the reflection of Gods . Who did strike the first stroke in Paul's Conversion ? Acts 9. He that struck him to the Earth , which was the Lord . John 11. Lizarus rose up , and came forth of the Grave , but it was at Christ's loud Call ; that is , by his Power .

As therefore the two former Parables in their phrases shew , That God first seeks a lost Sinner ; so this third , of the lost Son , imports , That a Sinner must seek God ; he must seek , though he be not first in seeking : Seek ye the Lord while he may be found , Isa . 55.6 , 7. Let the wicked forsake his way , and the unrighteous man his thoughts , and let him return unto the Lord . There are some things for a man to do about his Conversion , but nothing in it ; that is God's work .

Yet man hath ever made a great strife and controversie between his Will and God's . Note . This was the reason of the fall of man : and ever since there hath been overmuch ascribed to the power of man's Will ; as though little of it were lost by the fall . This hath been the pride of some men in most Ages , supposing man's Will to have lost little of its strength ; as Sampson thought , when he wakened after his Locks were cut off ; Judges 16. I will go out as at other times before ; not knowing that his strength was departed . But God hath still kept up Instruments , Aug. to lay down these Mole-hills ; not wronging Nature , but righting Grace ; and causing men to cry Grace , Grace , to a Sinners Conversion , as they did to the Head-stone of the Temple , Zach. 3.

Now of this Parable there are three parts ; whereof , though the Similitude be of outward things , yet there is a Spiritual meaning , which we must search out : We must break the Bone for the Marrow therein contained ; and the Marrow lies in these three things , or particulars , taught us in the three parts of the Parable .

We have a Description of the state of a lost Sinner , and what manner of man he is in his Natural Condition ; In the younger Son's requiring his Portion of his Father , and going from his Father's House into a farr Country , and misspending it all there , and making any sorry shift rather than to return back to his Father's House , to the 17th verse .

We have the Return of a lost Sinner , and how he comes into the state of Grace , described in the Prodigal's coming to himself , and coming back , and humbling himself to his Father , to the 22th verse .

The willingness of God to receive returning Sinners , and the delight he takes in such , shewed in the Father's meeting his returning Son , and the joyful entertainment he gave him , from the 22th verse to the end of the Chapter .

So that the first of these three Persons is God the Father ; he is intended : The other two are Sons of God ; the one a humble repenting Publican , the other a proud murmuring Pharisee .

But how can these be called the Sons of God ?

God hath not only Sons by Adoption in Christ Jesus , as all the Saints are ; Gal. 3. Job 1.6 . but he hath Sons by Creation ; so Angels are the Sons of God : There was a day , when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord . And all men are the Sons of God : He breathed into man the breath of life , Gen. 2.7 . Man's Spirit is immediately from God , and therefore he is called the Father of Spirits . Heb . 12.9 . Luke 3. ult . And Adam is called the Son of God : which was the Son of Seth , which was the Son of Adam , which was the Son of God . And thus these Publicans and Sinners were the Sons of God .

And there are Sons of God by Profession ; so were the Jews in opposition to the Gentiles : When Israel was a Child , then I loved him , and called my Son out of Egypt , Hos . 11.1 . And thus the Scribes and Pharisees were the Sons of God .

It 's true , there are divers Opinions of these two Sons , whom they should represent . Some make the Angels the elder Son , and Man the younger ; but this cannot be : For the Angels murmur not at the tenderness of God to lost Man , as here the elder Son does , but rejoyce at it , verse 7 , 10. of this Chapter , and 14th of the second .

Others think a Regenerate and Unregenerate man are here personated : But neither can this be ; because Regenerate men do not grudge at God's receiving the greatest sinners into Grace and Favour , but are glad , Acts 11.23 . There are other thoughts in the Case besides these .

But the most rational and most appearing Sense and Interpretation is , That by the elder Son is meant the Scribes and Pharisees , and by the younger the Publicans and Sinners ; for to these , and of these Jesus was now speaking . And as the elder Son grumbled that his Father so entertained his Prodigal Brother , that had spent all upon Harlots , verse 30. so the Pharisees and Scribes murmured that Jesus received Sinners , and did eat with them , verse 2. And this sense is held out by Christ himself in another Parable of two Sons : Matth . 21.28 , 31. Verily I say unto you ( meaning the Priests ) that the Publicans and the Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you . Self-judging Sinners sooner get into a state of Grace than Self-justiciaries . Rom. 9.30 , 31. & 10.3 . The greatest Sinners sooner come unto Christ , than self-conceited Moralists ; Self-righteousness keeps men off from Christ : Such men settle on their own bottoms .

CHAP. II . Giveth the General Doctrine of the whole Parable ; illustrating God's gracious Reception of Returning Sinners , in several particulars .

HAving shewed you the general import and parts of the Parable , I come now to the consideration of those several points of Doctrine therein contained . And first of that which seems to be the most conspicuous Doctrine from the whole Parable . Afterwards of those in their order , which result from the several Parts . The first I shall lay down , and illustrate in this Chapter ; and it is this , The general Doctrine from the Parable . 2 Sam . 13. That God doth very graciously receive returning sinners . You know the History of David's carriage to Absolom after he had murthered his brother ; David was highly displeased with Absolom , so that he was forced out of his Fathers presence three years ; yet after it is said , That the soul of King David longed to go forth unto Absolom . And when Absolom afterwards came into his presence , and bowed himself before the King , it 's said , The King kissed Absolom , Chap. 14.

Alas , this is nothing to the bowels of God towards a self-bemoaning sinner : Jer . 32.18 , 19 , 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself , therefore my bowels are troubled for him ; I will surely have mercy upon him .

God is irreconcilable to sinning Angels ; Note . he hath cast them down to Hell , and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto Judgment , 2 Pet . 2.4 . but he sues to sinning men for reconciliation ; 2 Cor . 5.2 . As though God did beseech you by us , we pray you in Christ's stead , be ye reconciled to God . You know what mourning words he put into Ezekiel's mouth ; Ezek . 33.11 . Say to the house of Israel , who say , If our transgressions and sins be upon us , and we pine away in them , how should we then live ? Say unto them , As I live saith the Lord God , I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked , but that the wicked turn from his way and live . Turn ye , turn ye from your evil ways , for why will ye die , O house of Israel ? No man can be so serious in any Case , as God is in this ; in his desires that sinners should repent , and return and live .

There are some things that the Devil frequently gets into the thoughts of awakened sinners to dash them in this case .

1. One is the thought of God's Decrees ; but herein the Devil doth grosly abuse both God and the sinner : For let me tell you , That as the Decrees of God did not at all clash with mans power given him in Innocency , to have been happy for ever , so neither do they clash with God's affectionate inviting lost sinners to return to him since the fall , no more than his Prescience would do if there were no Decree : Fore events are as sure upon God's Prescience as upon his Decrees : And this made Socinus to deny the Prescience of God .

2. And as the Decree was no cause at all of mans fall , but his own Will , he would hearken to the Woman , and to the Serpent , rather than to God , and would eat ; so God's Decree is no cause at all of man's damnation : The Decree of God damns no man , but his own Will : Ezek . 33.11 . Why will ye die O house of Israel ? I would , and ye would not . Matth . 23.37 . Ye will not come to me that ye might have life . Joh . 5.40 . Luke 19.14 . We will not have this man to reign over us . God's Decree of Reprobation , as it 's called , does only , for ought appears to me , leave some men to be proceeded with in a way of Justice . And assuredly mens damnation will be found to be of themselves : O Israel , Thou hast destroyed thy self . Psal . 13.9 .

3. Note . God's Decree is not the first thing that a sinner is to consider in his returning unto God , but God's Call , and Christ's Invitation . Matth . 11.28 . These are the first things which the sinner is to mind ; Why will ye die ? Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden , John 6.37 . and I will give you rest : and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out .

Mens election is not a ground for their returning to God ; Note . but their return to God is a proof of their election . It 's true , Election is the first in order in God's acting , but Conversion is the first in order of ours : we must be Called before we can know that we are Elected , 2 Pet . 1.10 . O remember this , that a sinners business , that he is put upon in the Scriptures , is his return to God , and to believe in Christ : This is his Call .

But then here the Tempter pusles again , and bids thee reason thus : If I knew that Christ died for me , I say for me , then I could set my self to believe , and that in hope . Poor Soul● look upon this as a Temptation also ; and consider this well , That the Scripture hath given thee as much assurance , that Christ died for thee , as any sinner else that doth not yet believe , or as to any believer before he did believe : Thou knowest as much of Christ's dying for thee , as any Saint in the world did before he did believe in Christ .

And again , why not Christ die for thee ? because thou art a sinner ? Why , he died for such : wert thou not a sinner , thou wouldest have no need of Christ ; Matth . 9. The whole need not the Physician . Christ had not died , if thou and I had not been sinners . Or is thy doubt whether Christ died for thee , because thou art so great a sinner ? consider what Paul says in his own case , 1 Tim . 1.15 . Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners , of whom I am chief . Many of the greatest sort of sinners were called by Christ when he was on earth , Matth . 21. John 4. Publicans and Harlots ; that woman of Samaria , that was an Idolater and an Harlot ; and that notorious woman called a sinner , Luke 7. You cannot be ignorant how many Instances of this nature there are in Scripture ; 1 Tim . 1.14 . Who was before a blasphemer , and a persecutor , and injurious , but I obtained mercy . So that well may the Scripture say , The grace of our Lord is exceeding abundant ; hath abounded to flowing over : Rom. 5.20 . And where sin abounded , grace did much more abound .

The matter is not what a sinner thou hast been , or art ; but how thou standest affected to thy sinful state , and how thy mind stands towards a better . If thou beest so far come to thy self , as to be upon thoughts of returning to God , as it 's said of this Prodigal afterwards , now take heed of the Devil's Sophistry ; now he will be pusling thee with doubtful disputations and reasonings , to hinder the main work , viz. the bewailing thy sinful state , and thy self in it , and looking out for relief .

But I shall further clear this Point by several observables in the Parable ; and indeed , amongst all the Parables of Christ , this is the fullest of affections , and set forth in the liveliest colours to humbled sinners ; and you shall see it in six Particulars .

First , you may observe how God exceeds the returning sinner in affections : here the old Father sees his Son a great way off ; his eyes were not dim , as Isaac's were , who could not by his sight distinguish between Jacob and Esau , though close by him . God can distinguish betwixt serious Penitents and feignedly turning Judah , Jer . 3.10 . He knows what is in man , John 2.25 .

And then he ran to meet his Son ; he stood not still as a Father , an offended Father might have done , till his offending Son came to him : No , his bowels were moved towards him , as towards Ephraim , Jer . 31.20 . Yea observe , the Son only goes to his Father , but the Father runs to meet the Son . There are greater affections in God towards a repenting sinner , than in such a sinner towards God ; God out-does him in affections .

And then , when they meet , the Father does not take him by the hand , which had been much for a displeased Father , but falls on his neck and kisses him , as Joseph did on his Brethrens that had sold him into Egypt .

O the riches of mercy in God towards repenting and returning sinners ! 2 Cor . 1.3 . to such he becomes the Father of Mercies , begetting mercy after mercy for them . Yea , once more observe , That though the repenting Prodigal Son said in himself , I will go unto my Father , and say , Father , I have sinned — yet he did it not , till his Father had fallen on his neck and embraced him . The kindliest repentings for sins are after the sinners sense and experience of the free mercy and grace of God .

Secondly , you shall observe in the Parable , how God doth graciously take notice of small beginnings of Grace in a true Convert ; he excepts of sparks before they flame ; he despiseth not the day of small things in a seriously returning sinner : when this Prodigal came to himself , and but said , I will arise , and go to my Father ; though yet a great way off God saw him , and went towards him .

When poor sinners begin to set their faces towards God , he is much pleased with it ; he notes their secret sighings and hidden groanings . When the heart begins to melt , he makes much of such beginnings ; he will not break the bruised reed , nor quench the smoaking flax , Isa . 42.3 . A Hen will give over sitting a rotten Egg , but while there is life in it she will not leave it : Why so God will at length cast off unsound hearts , feignedly turning sinners , as they are called Jer . 3.10 . albeit he take some present notice of their external humblings , as of Ahab's , 1 Kings 21. but if the heart of a sinner be broken indeed , and indeed pointing to God , now he regards the offers of such a sinner ; he will strengthen the bruised reed , and not break it ; and he will blow up the sparks of smoaking flax , and not put them out . O the riches of Grace , of the grace of God , who before we come to act , accepts of secret and serious purposes ! I said , saith David , I will confess my transgression to the Lord , and thou forgavest the iniquities of my sin , Psal . 32.5 . God's ear was at David's heart , before David's Confession could be in his mouth ; like that in Isaiah 68.24 . Before they call I will answer —

God takes notice of the preparations and first motions of the heart towards himself ; 2 Chron . 6.8 . Because it was in thine heart to build me an house , thou didst well ; forasmuch as it was in thine heart . God's gracious and tender dealing with a sinner upon his first setting out towards him , is very observable .

But here the lazy sinner must not think to ingratiate his dull acknowledgments of his sins , and to get acceptance with God at his cold Lord have mercy upon me ; as if God would be found of such as these . He accepts of the Prodigal's thoughts and resolves of returning , because he saw he was restless in himself , till he was returned ; but the sluggard desireth and hath nothing , Prov. 13.4 . God respects not the sparks of a slint , though he make much of those of smoaking flax . The cold forced Confession of hard hearted Pharaoh , I have sinned this time , Exod . 9. was not much to God : God rejects the humblings of a customary sinner , that afflicts his soul only for a day , Isa . 58.5 . such Penitents may expect much from God , v. 3. but God regards them little .

Jesus Christ was sent by his Father to bind up the broken hearted , Isa . 61.1 . The outwardly flourishing Hypocrite and proud Justiciary may spread forth their hands , yet God will hide his eyes from them ; and though they make many prayers , Isa . 1.15 . God will not hear : But for poor souls that are serious in setting their faces towards God , and wait humbly on free grace ; God will answer them before they call , and hear before they ask ; that is , his mercy and grace shall prevent them : He observes the humble motions of their hearts with content : God graciously takes notice of small beginnings of grace in a true Convert .

Thirdly , God mercifully remits the remembrance of the former sins of a converting sinner . The elder Brother of this Prodigal upbraids him with his former loose life , but his Father does not mention it to him . The Silences of Scripture are Instructing ; the Holy Ghost remembers us of Job's Patience , James 5.11 . but speaks not a word of his Passions .

Take notice of it , thou poor relenting sinner ; though the proud Pharisees of the world may throw thy former vileness , as dirt , in thy face , when thou art returning to God , yet God will not do so : If the wicked turn from all his sins , Ezek . 18.21 . his sins shall not be mentioned to him . A strange thing ! he that remembers every thing , will forget such a mans sins .

Indeed you must not forget them , though God will ; Ezek . 16.11 . no , not when they are forgiven : You shall remember and be confounded — when I am pacified toward you . Yet God will not upbraid you with them , though you do your selves .

It is certain that God does , and will remember the sins of unhumbled and unchanged sinners ; he hath sworn he will , Amos 8.7 . The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob , 2 Sam . 15.2 . i.e. e . himself ; surely I will never forget any of their works . I remember what Amalek did to Israel . This was four hundred years since : Psal . 8.13 . Now will he remember their iniquity . But to Souls humbled for sin , Thus saith the Lord , Isa . 43.25 . I , even I am he that will not remember thy sins .

Fourthly , as God will graciously remit the remembrance of former sins to a returning sinner , Zach. 3. and so cause his iniquity to pass away ; so he takes away his filthy garments , and clothes him with change of raiment , v. 22. The Father said unto his servants , bring forth the best robe , and put it on him ; and put a ring on his hand , and shoes on his feet . God will not let the ensigns of a sinner , his filthy Garments remain on him : when he is humbled for sin , when a sinner is changed , God gives him change of raiment ; I spread my skirt over thee , and covered thy nakedness , Ezek . 16.8 . and thy beauty was perfect through my comliness put upon thee , v. 14. These mean the righteousness of Christ imputed , and the graces of his Spirit imparted to a Convert : Christ's righteousness is his upper garment , and humility , 2 Pet . 3.4 . Chap. 5.5 . and a meek and quiet spirit , and other graces , are his inward garments . This is another eminent act of grace , which God shews to a returning sinner .

Fifthly , God rejoyceth at the return of a sinner to him ; bring hither the fatted Calf , and kill it , v. 23. and let us eat and be merry ; for this my son was dead , and is alive , v. 24. O what wonderful condescention is this in God , that he will be merry ( to speak with reverence ) with a repenting sinner ! which is set out by Jesus his eating with Publicans and Sinners , v. 1 , 2.

We read Exod . 32.17 . how God was refreshed with his works of Creation , he rested on the seventh day , and was refreshed ; and therefore he must needs be refreshed at his new Creature , being a more excellent work than the former . There are more wonders in grace than in nature .

Jacob was marvellously revived when he heard that Joseph was alive , who had been dead many years in his thoughts , Gen. 45. It is enough , Joseph my son is alive : Thus saith the Father of the returning Prodigal , Let 's be merry , for this my son was dead , and is alive .

The Scripture also tells us how joyful Jesus Christ is at the sinners conversion , Isa . 53.10 , 11. He shall see his seed , he shall see the travel of his soul and be satisfied . Seest thou this woman , saith Jesus to Simon the Pharisee Luke 7.44 . This Woman , Mary Magdalen ( as some think ) a great sinner , but a repenting sinner : The words of Christ are glorying words .

And so the Holy Ghost is contented to speak after the manner of men , as the Scripture doth . I say the Comforter is comforted at the repenting and returning of a sinner to God : as he is grieved and vexed at the unbelief , stubbornness , and obstinacy of sinners , Isa . 63.10 . so is he surely rejoyced at a poor Soul's repenting of sin , and returning from sin to God : and there is reason for it ; because a sinners change is the great work of the Spirit ; a man is born again of the spirit , John 3.

And further , Angels rejoice at the repentance of sinners , v. 10. of this Chapter , There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth . Luke 2. Heb . 2. The Angels bear good will to mankind , since Christ took on him the nature of man . The holy Angels have great affection for converted sinners : Gen. 3.24 . They were at a distance from man after the fall , and are still , while men keep at a distance from God ; But when a man is come home to God , now the Angels love him , and delight in him , and to do good for him ; Psal . 34. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tent round about them that fear him , and delivereth them . And are they not all ministring spirits , Neh . 1.14 . sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation ?

And returning sinners themselves have their share in this joy , they take a part in the sweet Consort ; the fatted Calf was killed for the returning Prodigal : It is now that the poor Sinner knows that Christ was his Sacrifice , and that Christ loved him , and gave himself for him . Gal. 2.20 . A converted Sinner knows the Spirit of God to be the Comforter , as well as the Sanctifier .

God begins usually in Converts with great Sorrow , but ends with great Joy ; as a Woman in travel hath first pain and sorrow , but then joy that aman is born into the World , John 16.21 , 22. Converted Sinners have commonly at first strong Consolations ; for they come into a new World , and into new Company and Acquaintance , such as they never had afore , with God himself , and Jesus Christ , and Saints ; and all things are new to them , 2 Cor . 5.17 . Yet these great Joys are not lasting , though in a state of Grace ; the fatted Calf is not killed every day for them , but then especially when the Spirit of Adoption supersedes the Spirit of Bondage . It may be a Case , whether Paul presently after his Conversion had not greater Joy , than in his taking up into the third Heaven : this occasioned him great sorrow , that great joy : O! I was a blasphemer , 1 Tim . 1. and a persecutor , but I obtained mercy .

Christ and Joy come into the Soul together . When Jesus came in Maries womb towards Elizabeth , John leaped for joy in Elizabeths womb , Luke 2. Thus you see how the returning Sinner to God is feasted ; his water is turned into wine , as at the marriage Feast , John 2. There is joy and mirth at Feasts , and the Company at this Feast is such as much enlargeth the joy ; not only Saints and Angels , but God himself ; If any man open to me , I will come in to him , and sup with him , and he with me , Rev. 3.20 .

And therefore certainly , that repentance for sin , that bringeth not forth spiritual joy and comfort , is repentance to be repented of . God puts not a converted Sinner to sorrow for sorrows sake , but for joy and comfort , to make way for these . God would not have a repenting Sinner lie down in sorrow ; but it is the self-confident sinner , or that trusts to lying refuges , who shall do thus , Isa . 50.11 .

Sixthly and lastly , God justifieth his own actions in receiving and entertaining returning Prodigals so graciously , and with such loving kindness and mercy . The elder Son murmured , and was in a great pett , that his Father had received his Prodigal Brother into his house again , and with love of such remark , v. 30. of this Chapter ; As soon as this thy son , not my brother ( he disdained this ) was come , that hath devoured thy living with harlots , thou hast killed for him the fatted Calf . But what saith his Father to him ? he justifies what he had done , v. 32. It was meet that we should make merry , and be glad ; for this thy brother was dead , and is alive again ; and was lost , and is found .

In the beginning of the Chapter we see how the Scribes and Pharisees murmured that Jesus received Sinners , noted Sinners , and eat with them : Now Christ to convince them of their pride , and envy , and self-justifying , and self-weening thoughts , and that the Publicans and Sinners , being now in the way of Conversion , was in a better condition than themselves , he spake all these three Parables , which fill up this Chapter .

God will have men to know , that he hath more kindness for self-judging and self-abasing Sinners , than for self-justifying and self-ascribing righteous men . These think they need no Repentance , v. 7. but those think they cannot repent enough . These trust in themselves that they are righteous , Luke 18.9 . those see nothing but sin in themselves ; God be merciful to me a Sinner , v. 13. and these were words more than mouth-deep ; they came from a sad heart in the deep sense of Sin . Those despise others , v. 9. these themselves ; I am not worthy to be called thy Son . Let men say what they will , or think what they will , Rom. 9. God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy , and whom he will he hardens , and that justly . In these mysteries he exceeds not only the common Capacities of the world , but the purest Comprehension of the Saints ; Rom. 11. Brethren , I would not have you ignorant of this mystery ; speaking of the Lord's severe way with the Jews , and gracious and favourable way with the Gentiles . St. Paul , Paul the learned , 2 Cor . 12.2 . Paul that was taken up into the third Heaven , and that had abundance of revelations , 1 Cor . 2.16 . and a man of great intimacy with Christ , yet he is in a maze at these dispensations , and cries out , Rom 11.23 . O the depth of the riches , both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out !

Now from what hath been said on this last Particular we may easily see , Note . That it is an ill sign , when Professors of Religion carry it proudly and insultingly over poor Sinners , especially when they begin to look towards Christ . There was a great difference betwixt the carriage of Christ , and of the Pharisees and Scribes in this Case : they wonder thus , that Jesus would receive , and eat with Publicans and Sinners that followed him . And Simon the Pharisee , in Luke 7. was offended at Jesus , that he would let that woman , which had been noted for a Sinner , touch him ; and the like we read of the woman in John 8.

Thus you have seen it cleared of all Controversie , That God doth graciously receive repenting and returning Sinners , how vile soever they have been , by these six Instances in this Parable ; 1. God exceeds a returning Sinner in affection . 2. He takes notice of small beginnings of grace in a Convert . 3. He upbraids not a repenting Sinner with his former sins . 4. He takes away his filthy garments , and gives him change of raiment . 5. There is great joy in Heaven and earth at the conversion of a Sinner . 6. God justifies himself against the censures of men in all this .

CHAP. III . Giveth the Reasons of the Doctrine in the foreging Chapter ; and the Demonstrations of its unquestionable Truth .

HAving thus cleared the Doctrine , viz. That God doth very graciously receive returning sinners : I shall now proceed to give you the grounds and reasons hereof . And the first

Is from the Nature of God , which he calls his Name , Exod . 33.19 . and his back parts , v. 19. by which expression he means his Relative Attributes , which are his Attributes that concern us sinners : For God hath two sorts of Attributes ; some that describe him what he is in himself , as I am hath sent thee . His Infinity , Omnipotency , Eternity , there are his two parts or face , which he calls his glory ; and so Moses called them , I beseech thee shew me thy glory , v. 18. and of which the Lord told him , No man can see my glory and live . John 16.12 . No man in the body could bear such a sight , as Christ said to his Disciples in another case .

And then God hath Relative Attributes , which set him out what he is to us , as poor undone Sinners : these he calls his back parts ; and these he shewed Moses , and made proclamation of them for all repenting Sinners to mind for their encouragement .

And the Lord passed by before him , Exod . 34.6 . and proclaimed , The Lord , The Lord God , merciful and gracious , long-suffering , and abundant in goodness and truth ; keeping mercy for thousands , and forgiving iniquity , and transgression , and sin , and that will by no means clear the guilty : all but the last are to keep from despair ; but that from presumption . All these Attributes but one , are encouraging to all sorts of sinners to repent and return to God , and that one is engaging and enforcing . When Benhadad's Servants had heard that the Kings of Israel were merciful Kings , they put Sackcloth on their Loins , and Ropes upon their Heads , 1 Kings 20. and say , Peradventure the King of Israel will save thy life . Why , there is no Sinner but hath heard that God is a merciful God to mournful Sinners ; and the Sinner heareth not only one word of encouragement come from his mouth , but very many , and every one very inviting to a sinner to come in .

The Hebrews say there are thirteen Titles in this Name of God , and but one of them vindicative ; all the rest alluring to Sinners to repent , and come into God .

The Lord , the Lord God , Jehovah , Jehovah , Ael . These three Attributes may import his Essence and Subsistence in three Persons , as in 2 John 5.7 . Jehovah , Jehovah , the Lord doubles his Name for Moses his better notice , who it was that made this so solemn Proclamation . Jehovah , even Jehovah speaks , as in Isaiah 43.25 . I , even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake . And he adds , The Lord , the Lord God . Ael , that is , strong and mighty , to make good all that follows in his Name he here proclamed ; as Moses says in Num . 14.17 . And now I beseech thee , let the power of my Lord be great , according as thou hast spoken , saying , The Lord is longsuffering , and of great mercy , &c. Which shews plainly , that it was God himself that proclam'd his Name , and not Moses , as some have thought .

And here we may take notice , That to pardon sin is an act of power as well as grace ; so saith our Lord Jesus , Matth . 9.6 . — That ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins . It follows ,

Merciful . This is sutable to a Sinners misery ; every Sinner being by nature naked , Ezek . 16. and in his blood , and cast out to the loathing of his person ; and by nature the child of wrath : Now the Lord , Eph. 2.3 . the Lord God merciful , is a word indeed for a Sinner in misery to take hold on , as Benhadad's Servants did on the word Brother from the King of Israel's mouth : Yea , and God is not only merciful , but the Father of mercies , and he is so for ever ; 2 Cor . 1.3 . therefore it is said six and twenty times in one Psalm 136. For his mercy endureth for ever .

Gracious . This the Sinner , the convinced Sinner is to oppose to his own unworthiness ; Exod . 33 . 1● I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious . A Sinners call would not be of Grace , if there were any thing of worth in him ; therefore the objects of God's Call unto grace are commonly the foolish , and the weak , 1 Cor . 1.26 . and the base , and the despised things of the world : Go and tell John , Matth . 11.5 . that the poor have the Gospel preached to them : and this was amongst the wonders that Jesus did , which might convince John's doubting Disciples that he was the Christ .

Long-suffering . This may answer a repentant Sinners fears that arise from his long withstanding the offers of grace ; Isa . 30.18 . Isa . 57.18 . Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious . — He went on frowardly in the way of his heart ; I have seen his ways , and will heal him . Jer . 3.1 . Thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers , yet return again to me saith the Lord .

Abundant in goodness . Therefore can he overcome all the evil of a Sinner : Rom. 12. He enables his people to overcome evil with good ; much more can , and will he do it himself .

And abundant in truth . This may answer all thy doubts about God's promises to receive returning Sinners : He often eminently asserts his truth in his Promises ; Psalm 100. — his truth endureth from generation to generation . There have been famous proofs of the truth of God's Promises to such Sinners in all Ages ; the Lord may say to all converted Sinners , Ye are my witnesses — Isa . 43.10 .

Pardoning iniquity , transgression , and sin . This is to prevent despair that might rise from the multitude of sins and magnitude of sins . Isa . 55.7 . Let the wicked turn to our God , for he will abundantly pardon ; Isa . 1. Hebr . he will multiply to pardon . Put away the evil of your doings , and then , though your sins be as scarlet , they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson , they shall be as wooll . Scarlet and Crimson are colours of a deep die , nothing can thorowly wash them out ; Yes , 1 John 2.7 . but the blood of Jesus Christ , his Son , cleanseth from all sin ; even sins that have the most hellish and devilish tincture . The wooll of those Counries was exceeding white ; Dan . 7.9 . Psalm 147.16 . He giveth snow-like wooll ; pure wooll , as it was said of the hair of the head of the Ancient of days , described there not in his Essence , but in his Presence . The expressions import , Ovid . Metam . lib . 15. That God hath a white Stone ( an Emblem of Absolution or Pardon , a custome among the Heathens ) to give to the chief of Sinners , when repenting and returning to him .

Keeping mercy for thousands . God is an unexhausted fountain of mercy ; James 2.13 . and therefore mercy rejoyceth or glorieth against judgment ; as if there were a strife between Mercy and Judgment about sinners , and Mercy gets the victory : says the Prophet Micah , He delighteth in mercy . Mic. 7.18 . Mercy is as pleasing to God as to the Sinner . As the motion , which the woman of Tekoa made to David for Absolom's return from banishment , was as pleasing to David as to Joab , who had a hand in it ; it 's said , 2 Sam . 14.1 . Joab perceived that the King's heart was towards Absosolom .

Lastly , And that will by no means clear the guilty : i.e. That shall be guilty of despising and abusing the former Attributes of God in this his Name , inviting Sinners to come in to him . When a Sinner comes to be contumacious and stubborn , and a presumptuous Sinner , then he is past mercy . As it is with some Felons , that are not allowed the Clergy : so it is with presumptuous Sinners , there was no Sacrifice in the Law for them .

The Soul that doth ought presumptuously , Num . 15.30 . or with a high hand , the same reproacheth the Lord , and that Soul shall be cut off from among his people . So in Deuteronomy , If a man bless himself in his heart , Deut . 29.19 , 20 saying , I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination or stubbornness of mine heart — The Lord will not spare him , his anger and his jealousie shall smoak against that man , and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him , and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven .

So that this last Clause of God's Name , And will by no means clear the guilty , is terrible indeed ; but it 's so only to the presumptuous and stubborn sinner ; Jer . 20.3 , 4. and it 's enough to make such a sinner Magormissabib , or fear round about , a terror to himself . But this part of God's Name takes not place , till all the former are rejected and despised . Hos . 5.15 . This , and by no means will clear the guilty , belongs not to those that acknowledge themselves to be guilty , and carry it accordingly . And this is the first Reason why God doth , and will so graciously receive self-humbling and repenting sinners , Because it is in his Nature to deal so with such .

A second Ground or Reason of it is from the Son of God's espousing the nature of man , and that after the fall of man , on purpose to bring back lost man unto God . 1 Pet . 3.18 . Christ hath once suffered for sins ; i.e. in the sinners nature , that he might bring us to God , bring God and sinners together again , that he might reconcile and make them friends . When Jesus Christ took on him actually the Seed of Abraham , Luke 2.14 . then the Angels sung on earth peace , good will towards men .

And indeed if God should not entertain returning sinners , and again take them into friendship , then did Christ take on him their nature in vain , and die in their nature in vain , and then is our preaching in vain , and your faith in vain , 2 Cor . 15.

It is to no porpose for a sinner to think of addressing himself to an absolute God ; there can be no intercourse between God and him without Christ : Christ is the middle person that perswades with both . This is Christ's office and great work , 1 Pet . 3.18 . to bring God and sinners together .

There are great differences between them , that cannot without him be taken up ; but Christ can take up all : He brings Publicans and Harlots home to God ; He preached peace to you that were afar off , as well as to them that were nigh , Eph. 2.17 . Neither Moses , nor Samuel , nor Noah , nor Daniel , nor Job , might turn God's mind to the Jews , Jer . 15.1 . Ezek . 14.14 . I but Jesus Christ hath turned the mind of God towards the greatest of returning Sinners ; Ye who were sometimes alienated , and enemies in your minds by wicked works , yet now hath he reconciled unto God , Col. 1.21 .

Now considering how the work of Redemption was wrought in our Nature , and God is manifested in the Flesh on purpose to be a Redeemer ; that our Nature in him might be meritorious , and savable in us ; that God was manifested in the flesh to satisfie God offended by us ; God was offended , and God was satisfied by God in the offenders Nature : How that the Scripture saith , The Father hath sent forth his Son to be a propitiation for the remission of sins ; and the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost , Luke 19.10 . I say , these things considered , are a second Demonstration of the willingness of God to receive returning Sinners .

The Covenant of Grace shews , that God doth verily intend to be gracious to sinners . Had God continued the old Covenant of Works , or made a new Covenant of Works , poor sinners had been where they were , because of their incapacity to perform the Conditions of such a Covenant : But the Covenant being altered into a Covenant of Grace , the tearms are not , I will , if they will ; but I will , and they shall ; Ezek . 36.27 . I will put my spirit within you , and ye shall keep my judgments and do them . God undertakes for himself and us .

And it is notably evident in the Scripture , that the great design of God in the Covenant of Grace was , and is , to advance the glory of his grace , his free grace , and that upon objects unlikeliest to natural Reason . The Gospel is made up of acts of grace ; 2 Cor . 2.26 . — You see your calling , brethren , how that not many wise men after the flesh , not many mighty , not many noble are called ; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise — that no flesh should glory in his presence — The good pleasure of his will is his motive , and the praise of the glory of his grace is his end , in all his merciful actings towards sinners , Eph. 1.5 , 6.

God is gracious to repenting and returning sinners , because he will be true to his word , and make good his promises to this purpose . Isa . 1.16 . Wash ye , make you clean , put away the evil of your doings — Come now , and let us reason together , saith the Lord ; though your sins be as scarlet , they shall be as white as snow —

The import of the Phrase is , That upon repentance they should have remission of sins , though they had been sinners of the greatest sort : And which is to be noted , God hath designed the Lord Jesus Christ to give repentance as well as remission of sins , Acts 5.32 .

The holy Scriptures are full of promises and offers to poor Sinners , highly engaging to repentance for sin , and from sin , Isa . 55.7 . Let the wicked forsake his way — and turn to the Lord , and he will have mercy on him , and he will abundantly pardon him . That of the Apostle Rom. 5.20 . answers this of the Prophet , Where sin abounded , grace did much more abound . And Jer . 3.1 . Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers , yet return again to me , saith the Lord . And come unto me , saith Jesus to Sinners labouring under the sense of sin , Matth . 11.28 . and I will give you rest . Come unto me , and I will not bind heavy burthens , and grievous to be born , as the Scribes and Pharisees do , Matth . 23.4 . but i 'le take off their burthens , and i 'le give you a light burthen ; My yoke is easie , and my burthen is light , v. 30. Come unto me , Joh . 6.37 . for him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out . Whom the Pharisees had cast out , Christ received , John 9. And it 's to be observed , That Jesus Christ is said to have a Commission from his Father thus to treat sinners ; as he said John 12.49 . The Father gave me a commandment what I should say — And so the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians , That he and the other Apostles had Commission both from the Father and Son , to treat Sinners with the most winning offers , 2 Cor . 5.20 . Now then we are Embassadors for Christ , as though God did beseech you by us , we pray you in Christ's stead , be ye reconciled to God .

And now for a Sinner to question whether God can forgive such sins as his , it is almost to act over Cain's part , Mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven . Gen. 4. And if a Sinner question whether God will forgive him , and receive him upon his return , this is to question truth it self , and his promises , for whom it is impossible to lie . Heb . 6.18 .

The last Ground I shall mention of the Doctrine , is the Presidents which are upon Record by the holy Ghost in the Case ; as Adam that filled the World with sin ; and Manasseth that filled Jerusalem with blood ; yet these were pardoned Sinners upon their repentance and return to God .

There is a great deal of mercy in setting down the patterns of mercy in great Sinners : St. Paul saith as much of himself , and his own Case : 1 Tim . 1.13 , 16. Who was a blasphemer , and a persecuter , and injurious , but I obtained mercy : And for this cause I obtained mercy , that in me Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering , for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe .

It is true , Paul saith in v. 13. though he had been a blasphemer , and a persecuter , yet he obtained mercy , because he did it ignorantly in unbelief : But this he says to shew that his blasphemy and persecution was not the sin against the holy Ghost , else he could not have obtained mercy : He acted out of his blind zeal , and not against knowledge , and of meer malice , as many of the Pharisees , and some of the Rulers did , Matth . 12.24 . Some , not all ; St. Peter clears some , Acts 3.17 . — I wot that through ignorance ye did it , that is , put Christ to death , as did also your Rulers .

CHAP. IV . Wherein Application is made of the foregoing Doctrine , in two Uses .

HAving given you the Reasons of the Doctrine , and the Demonstrations of its undoubted truth , I shall next proceed to apply it .

And it may serve for Exhortation to all manner of sinners upon return , or not upon return to God ; O take heed of sin with impenitency and unbelief : If you die in your sins , it will lie upon your selves ; God will clear himself , that he removed blocks out of your way , and answered all your Objections .

You say , you dare not come into God's sight , because you have been such vile sinners : But this is with Cain to go out of the presence of the Lord , Gen. 4. which was both his sin and judgment . It is at best sinful modesty for sinners to say so , or think so ; but it is ordinarily rather the pride of their heart , than poverty of spirit . Despairing sinners are taught of the Devil to say and think their iniquity is greater then can , 2 Cor . 2.11 . or that it may be forgiven . This is one of Satan's 〈◇〉 , his Sophistical reasonings ; he would have had the sorrowful incestuous person to have been swallowed up of overmuch sorrow , v. 7. Satan prevails upon many troubled Consciences , to think every one doth but flatter them , that seeks to take them off from their despairing reasonings .

Some sinners are so critical in their coming to God , that God may say to them in this point , as he did to Ephraim and Judah in another , Hos . 6.4 . O Ephraim , what shall I do unto thee ? O Judah , what shall I do unto thee ? Some would be humbled above God's measure , before they will come to him ; and some under : Some would come to God with their sins , and some with hell in their souls : And thus who knows how many are damned by their own proud will , or wild humor . When a sinner is come to himself , and feels he is lost , and come out of himself , Heb . 7.25 . as to any succour there , now is the sinners time to come to God in Christ , or come unto God by Christ ; and when he comes , God will fall on his neck , and kiss him , as the Father on his prodigal returning Son ; he is sure of welcome , if he now return .

It matters not out of what Countrey thou comest ; how far distant thou hast been from God ; though thou hast kept Swine as the Prodigal did ; been the Devil's drudge ; been a drunkard , a swearer , a very vicious person ; hast sinned such sins as the Devil himself sins not , yet hath tempted thee to sin , and thy base nature joyned with him in the temptation ; yet still I say , if thou returnest to God , he 'll receive thee ; yet remember his words to Israel , Psalm 95. To day if ye will hear his voice , Heb . 4.7 . harden not your heart : for as the Apostle to the Hebrews saith , he limiteth a certain day .

O quash not motions , no not this days motions to return to God ; the Devil may discourage thee from them , but God will not . When the Shepherd found his lost sheep , he did not throw his hook at it ; but laid it on his shoulder , and brought it home : when God meets with a returning sinner , he doth not speak in passion and wrath to him , as Ahab did to Elijah , Hast thou found me , O mine enemy ? but as tenderly as Jesus did to Peter the first time he met him after he denied him .

And though a sinner have not legs of his own to return ; yet if there be a mind to it , John 5. as there was in the impotent man to go into the Pool , he shall go upon the legs of God's grace , Heb . 13.20 . as that impotent man did : God hath laid help on one that is mighty , even Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep . Luke 19.10 . He is come to seek and to save that which is lost .

O then let the gracious dealing of God with this Prodigal invite thee , who art yet at a distance ftom God , now to return : This is much in God's mouth ; Turn ye , turn ye , why will ye die ? Ez. 33.11 . Jer . 3.2 . Yet return again unto me , saith the Lord . Such mercy and pity as this should be a Loadstone to thy heart ; thy heart should be broken or melted , Luke 7. as that sinful womans was , in the thoughts of the possibility of being pardoned and accepted of God . No sinning Angels sure had such mercy as this ; O despise not such mercy , neglect not so free salvation .

But do you preach mercy to impenitent and hardened sinners ? Answ . Yes , inviting mercy ; Christ himself did so ; he came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance : Indeed he calls them to mercy by the way of repentance ; Matth . 11.28 . Come unto me all ye that labour , and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest : the invitation is to the worst of sinners , sensible of sin as a burthen . It is true , there is no mercy for any sinner without repentance , and there is mercy for great sinners with it . A sinner must come to himself before he come to God , as the Prodigal did before he came to his Father , v. 17.

As for measures of conviction and humiliation , take heed of the Devil's trap and snare here : Now thou art off of the danger of presumption , he plays his game of despair ; but let this over-rule the Case , when it comes to be thine , That he hath the happiest measure of conviction and humiliation for sin , whose conviction and humiliation brings him out of himself to Christ .

But sense of sin , and sorrow for sin there must be : If the Prodigal had not come to himself , when pinched with want , and thought his Father's house , and any service there , a better condition than the far Countrey ; his Father had not had compassion on him . If any sinner will still be what he is , and do not repent , that he may return , he hath nothing to do with those parts of God's Name , Merciful and gracious , forgiving iniquity , transgression , and sin ; but that close of God's Name , And will by no means clear the guilty .

For what would sinners have of God ? to be saved in their sins ? It 's not possible ; God sent his Son Jesus to save his people from their sins , Matth . 2.21 . and to turn them from their iniquity , Acts 3.26 . If God should save a sinner in his sins , this is mercy that would overthrow his truth and justice : God will stand to his word , and receive thee graciously if thou repentest and returnest ; but withal he must stand to his word , and save thee in a Scripture way , and in a way agreeable to all his Attributes , which is by the way of repentance and returning to him . When sinners cannot rest in a state of sin , nor in a state of self-righteousness , but they see they must come to Christ for rest , he will bid these sinners welcome .

Quest . But is it in a convinced sinners power to return to God ? The Scripture saith , Jer . 10.23 . The way of man is not in himself ; nor is it in man that walketh to direct his own steps . I Answer , That though the act of a sinners returning be in God's power , and not his own ; as it 's said of times and seasons , Acts 1. yet the sinner may seek it of God ; Turn thou me , O Lord , and I shall be turned , said Ephraim , Jer . 31.18 . Though it be God's work , yet he works it in the way of means , which sinners may and must use .

And that a sinner does not return to God , it lies not so much in his Cannot , as in his Will not : Jer . 8.5 . They refuse to return .

Object . I but God hears not sinners ; to what purpose is it then for such to pray that God will turn them ? Answ . It 's true for sinners that do , John 9. and would live in sin , God regards not their prayers : But if thou comest to God affected with thy sinful state , God will regard thy prayers , Psal . 66.18 . though thou art not yet in a state of grace : It was Manasseh his case , and is indeed the case of most Converts : There are some things in those that are not yet converted , that are in order to their Conversion . Thy sense of thy distance from God , and desire of a return , why this is a less grace that makes way for a greater . This in answer to that Objection .

O then , if the power of returning to God be in God's hand , sit not still , but seek it there . When all the Corn in Egypt was in Joseph's Garners , should a poor Egyptian say , He had none , I have none , Joseph hath all at his disposing , so that I may sit still and starve ? No ; but therefore I 'le go where it is to be had . This is thy case who wouldst return to God , but hast not power ; Resolve , I 'le go to him that has .

Object . I , but I am not certain that God will part with power of returning to me ; He hardens whom he will , Rom. 9.18 . leaves to their hardness of heart , and so to their impotency and weakness . Answ . But this is one of the Devil's suggestions to poor sinners , who have but the thoughts of returning to God ; and so let such look on it .

Why will not you do in this case , as the Lepers did in theirs ? 2 Kings 7. If we sit still we die , if we go in to the Syrians we shall but die , it may be they may save us alive : and dare not you venture your souls on God , as well as those Lepers their lives on the Syrians .

Nineveh fell to prayer and fasting as well as they could , to prevent being destroyed , after sentence was pronounced upon them ; Jonah 3.9 . And what was their encouragement ? It may be , or who knoweth , or who can tell , if the Lord will turn away from his fierce anger , that we perish not ?

Now there is no sinner , that hath a mind to return to God , but he hath as much encouragement to beg grace of him to return .

Suppose there were but a possibility of thy returning to God in the use of God's means for it , why this is a mercy that the Angels which sinned never had since they sinned ; they have no possibility of making peace with God : I but thou hast more than a possibility ; there is probability to encourage thee . A sinner is in a probable way , whilst he seeks grace in the means of grace , as the impotent man was of Cure , while he lay by the Pool , John 5. And above this , though God be free in dealing forth his grace ; and hath mercy on whom he will have mercy ; and is gracious to whom he will be gracious , Exod . 33.19 . yet God hath left thee good assurance , if thou keep in the way of his instituted means for the conversion of sinners ; Ask and ye shall have , seek and ye shall find , knock and it shall be opened unto you , Mark 7.7 . I said not to the seed of Jacob , seek ye me in vain , Isa . 49.19 .

So that although the sense of thy lost condition , which is coming to thy self , as this Prodigal did ; and thy thoughts and mindfulness of thy return to God , like the Prodigal to his Father ; I say , though these be not thy return , yet they are in order to it ; this is , as I said , less grace , to make way for greater . They are those that like their distance from God in their state of sin , that are likely to perish in that state ; This is the condemnation , that light is come into the world , and men love darkness rather than light , John 3.19 .

But if God have given thee the will to return to him , he will give thee to do it ; and in thy return thou wilt be graciously received , as the repenting , returning Prodigal was by his Father ; for he was the representation of sinners in the case .

Secondly , If God will graciously receive a repenting and returning sinner , then surely he will do so by a returning Saint : Saints are subject to relapses and backslidings ; the promise of Cure supposes the Distemper : I will heal their backslidings : Hos . 14.4 . the like in Jer . 3.12 . Return thou backsliding Israel , saith the Lord , and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee ; for I am merciful saith the Lord , and will not keep anger for ever ; only acknowledge thine iniquity , that thou hast scattered thy ways to strangers —

Nay , above this , relapsing Saints have not only a promise of a gracious reception upon their return ; but they have a promise , Jer . 57.17 , 18. that they shall return to their vigour in grace ; He went on frowardly in the way of his heart ; I have seen his ways , and will heal him . Luke 22.61 . Peter rose from his fall presently ; at a look of Jesus he got up again . And it is notable what tender care our Lord Jesus took so soon as he was risen , that Peter should be comforted in his sorrow for his fall , lest he should be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow , which is a design of Satans in the case , 2 Cor . 2.11 .

And therefore Christ dispatched an Angel to Peter , Mark 16. to acquaint him with his being risen again . And Jesus himself appeared to Peter first of all the Disciples , 2 Cor . 15.5 . when he was risen from the dead .

But my Brethren , I beseech you consider this , That it is better to prevent a disease , than to be healed of it : for the prevention of relapses prevents much pain and grief of Soul . O then let Christians be watchful to prevent distances between God and them ; and you that have made such , in leaving your first Love , Rev. 2.4 . Jer . 2.2 . and have receded from the kindness of your youth , and have abated of your former humble and close walking with God , your former delight and power in prayer — O bethink your selves of coming to your selves , and of your returning to God , in holy and humble converse with him .

Till then your bones continue out of joint , as David's were , Psal . 22.14 . and the pain in setting them is to come ; and though they be set , yet you may halt of them ever after , Gen. 32. as Jacob did upon the blow the Angel gave him on his thigh ; yet this is better than not to return to your former lively and active state in grace .

O therefore , ye backsliding Christians , resolve as she did Hos . 2.7 . I will go and return to my first husband , for then it was better with me than now : and your returning must be with melting hearts ; They shall come with weeping , and with supplications will I lead them . Backsliding Christians should grieve and trouble more at their parting with God , than Micah did , when his Idols were taken away ; Judg . 18.24 . Ye have taken away my Gods , and what have I more ? take heed of parting with God . And thus much for the general Scope and Doctrine of the Parable , viz. That God doth very graciously receive returning sinners .

CHAP. V. Proceedeth to the two general Doctrines resulting from the first part of the Parable : particularly shewing , The natural and lusting desire that is in man to forsake God ; and the Reasons hereof . Verses the 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16.

And the younger of them said to his father , Father , give me the portion of goods that falleth to me . And he divided unto them his living .

And not many days after , the younger son gathered all together , and took his journey into a far Countrey , and there wasted his substance with riotous living .

And when he had spent all , there arose a mighty famine in the land , and he began to be in want .

And he went and joyned himself to a citizen of that countrey , and he sent him into his fields to feed swine .

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat : and no man gave unto him .

I Have done with the general Scope and Doctrine of this quick and lively Parable , as Luther calls those of this Chapter : I now come to speak particularly of the three Persons which act their distinct parts in this Parable , the Father and his two Sons .

And our Saviour first holds forth to our view and consideration , the younger Son , a Prodigal ; and the Picture of every natural man .

And first , we have his proud and peremptory Request , or rather Demand , of his Father ; Father , give me the portion of goods that falleth to me : He would have his Father make his Will , and be his own Executor in his life ; yea presently .

There are two things observable in this youngster . 1. He would have his Portion in his own hand , and be at his own finding ; he would cast off his Father , and be independent : A strange thing ! Fathers sometimes cast off their Sons ; but here the Son casts off the Father , and will give no account of any thing he has or does : He gets his Portion into his own hand , and then goes into a far Countrey , v. 12. and part of the 13th .

2. This proud and heady Course of his was the cause of all his ensuing woes and misery : For hereupon followed , 1. His Luxury , v. 13. And there wasted his substance with riotous living . 2. His Calamity followed his Luxury at the heels , v. 14. And when he had spent all , there arose a mighty famine in the land , and he began to be in want . He satisfied his lusts , until he had nothing left to satisfie Nature .

And these two literal things in the Parable yield us these two spiritual Points of Doctrine , intended by him who spake the Parable .

That every man by nature hath a lusting desire to leave God , and live at his own hand ; he would stand on his own legs and bottom , and be at his own dispose : Thus it is with every man by Nature .

This leaving of God , and walking after their own lusts , is the reason of mens sad estate both for sin and sorrow .

1. That every man by nature hath a lusting desire to leave God , and live at his own hand , and be at his own dispose : Thus it is with us all by nature ; for this Prodigal Son is the picture of every natural man ; and this is naturally mans proper inclination and tendency .

Here man lost his state of innocency , he waved God and his innocency together ; and which , 't is possible , he kept but a few hours ; I cannot say days , as some do .

And this lust of his to leave God , and provide better for himself , as he thought , than did God , broke forth at a short temptation ; Satan soon got his ear and heart to this cursed way , to cast off God , and to be as God himself ; he sought to be an independent being ; in plain terms , to be no more a Creature ; Gen. 3.5 . — Ye shall be as Gods : He took off his heart from God , to be a God himself . And man left God at first on a double account or reason .

1. Upon a dislike of his estate , though a large and lovely one , a goodly heritage , Psal . 16. as David said of his . He had hard thoughts of God , because he had put a restraint upon him from eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil ; Gen. 3. he received a conceit that God kept him too much under , the Devil's own sin , who in dislike left his first estate , Jude 6. out of an aspiring mind to a higher estate than an Angels . So that man's first conception of sin lay in high thoughts of himself , and hard thoughts of God ; and the nature of man hath taken the infection , and is apt to have high conceits of self , and hard conceits of God , as that King had 2 Kings 6.33 . This evil is of the Lord , what should I wait for the Lord any longer ? Matth . 25. And that Servant of his Lord , who intrusted him but with one talent , I knew thou wast a hard Man .

2. Man at first left God upon point of fear ; he puts God into an ill shape , and then durst not come near him . Gen. 3.8 . Adam hid himself from the presence of the Lord ; and when he was asked why , I heard thy voice , says he , and was afraid . So that you plainly see how man cast off God betimes ; gets himself , as he thought , from under God's government , and will have his own way : And this grievous distemper infects the whole blood ; it is an hereditary and epidemical dyscrasy and disease of mankind ; it is even in the godly themselves , so far as grace does not overpower it .

Pharaoh was an eminent instance in the case , Exod . 5.2 . Who is the Lord that I should obey him ? High language that layeth God low : as Nabal said of David in a despising way , Who is David ? 1 Sam . 25.10 . and who is the son of Jesse ? so said Pharaoh of God , Who is the Lord , that I — The like language we read of , Job 21.14 . They say unto God depart from us , for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways : and this is the voice of every natural man's heart , though it break not out at his lips ; The fool hath said in his heart there is no God ; Psal . 14.1 . so he would have it .

It is God's restraining grace that keeps the world of natural men from this Atheism ; as he said to Abimelech , Gen. 20.6 . I withheld thee from sinning against me . Restraining grace is an awe that God keeps upon mens Consciences , which makes them forbear some sins , Hos . 2.2 . though they do not hate the sins . Judea had an adulterous heart , though God hedg'd up her way with thorns .

Man would be at liberty from God and his Will , to follow and fulfill his own ; Job 11.12 . Man is born like a wild Asses Colt ; vain man is so , saith Zophar . He hath a principium laesum , a devillish principle in his nature ; an impulse to range about the earth , as Satan said of himself ; Job 1.7 . his lust would know no bounds , and so indeed he would be a God to himself . Moses was instead of God to Aaron , Exod . 4.16 . but that was to discover the mind of God to him ; for Aaron had not that familiarity and intimacy with God as Moses had ; Exod . 33.11 . The Lord spake to Moses face to face , as a man speaketh to his friend ; that is , most familiarly , Deut . 34.10 . as he did to none of the Prophets after .

But natural men would be as Gods to themselves ; Our lips are our own , Psal . 14.4 . who is Lord over us . My Brethren , whilst we seek to please our selves , and to be self-depending , what is this less then to seek to be as Gods ? this was it that man sought for at the beginning ; God knows ye shall be as Gods , Gen. 3.5 . saith the Serpent when he tempted Eve , and she soon nibbled at this bait .

When men are and will be their own motives and ends , they are as Gods unto themselves . Ezek . 14.3 . Carnal men make many Gods , they set up Idols in their hearts ; and as they make Gods to themselves , so they make themselves their chief God : as it was said of Antiochus Epiphanes , Dan . 11.36 . the notorious Grecian Monarch , called by Divines a Type of Antichrist , and by a famous Historian Epimanes , Polybeus . a mad man ; of him it is said in the Prophet Daniel , That he would exalt himself , and magnifie himself above every God .

Indeed men cannot but own themselves Creatures , in asking and receiving , as the Prodigal here , Father give me my portion : but then they are , or would be Gods in using what they receive ; for let them receive wealth , or beauty , or strength , or honor , or parts , they consume them upon their lusts . James 4.3 . And this way a man makes a God of himself , his own humour and lust is his end in all . Nay , and in some respects men would be as Gods in receiving ; for they would have to the uttermost of their minds and phansies . Our first Parents would have had more than God gave them , though he gave them all this lower world , and much of the world above too ; his own image and likeness , and near communion with himself , and power to have kept this blessed state ; yet they thought not this enough , it sufficed them not , but they would be as Gods .

And still men would live , and do live , Eph. 2.12 . as without God in the world , as the Apostle saith . And this is one Reason , and a chief one , why natural men refuse grace , because grace layeth man low , and raises God high : grace casts man out of himself , and prompts him to self-denial , Matth . 19. which he cannot bear : That young , rich , great man , could not part with self for Christ .

The Reasons of the Doctrine .

The first is from man's instability and mutableness ; Gen. 49.4 . he is , as Jacob said of Reuben , unstable as water : Man is a Creature given to change ; why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way ? Jer . 2.36 . man would change every thing . Dan . 7.25 . That King , that came after the ten in Daniel , changed times and laws . The Lord complained of the Jews , Isa . 24.5 . Ezek . 5.6 . that they had changed the Ordinance , and had changed his Judgments .

Yea , Jer . 2.11 . they changed their God : Hath a Nation changed their Gods ? but my people have changed their glory . Plin . Man by nature is a Novatian , as the Philosopher said , Est natura hominum novitatis avida , man is for some new thing : He has an itch this way , Acts 17.21 . as it 's said of the Athenians , that they spent their time in nothing , but either to tell or to hear some new thing : Judg . 5.8 . And of Israel it is said , they chose new Gods .

Man naturally loves change of states and conditions , as feaverish palates do change of beer , and it may be none will please . This Prodigal liked not to live with his Father , nor near home ; he must go into a far Countrey . It may in some sort be said of every natural mans heart , Dan . 4.16 . as of Nebuchadnezzars , a beasts heart was given unto him . Man would have change of pasture , as some beasts will not stay where they are put , but break and leap Hedges to get into new grounds . Not only many of the Angels left their first estate , Jude 6. but all men in the first man left theirs ; Man still wants something . Amnon , though a King's Son , yet was as if he wanted all , 2 Sam . 13. while he wanted his Lust of Tamar .

And Haman , when he had the greatest favour , honour , and estate of a Subject , yet he wanted Mordecai's knee .

Man is very much a dissatisfied and discontented Creature , till grace comes , and much grace : It was much grace that brought St. Phil . 2. Paul to so contented a mind . And this is one Reason why naturally man would be loose from God , and left to himself , because he is so uncertain and unstable a Creature .

A second Reason of the Doctrine is from the ignorance that is in all natural men ; this makes them to leave God , and live on self .

First , a natural man's ignorance of himself ; he knows not , or considers not , what it is to be a Creature , so weak a Creature as himself is ; for if he did , he would not trust so much , as its plain he doth , to his own strength ; strength of parts , or strength of purposes , or strength of phansie : vain man would be wise , i.e. e . in his own thoughts , in contriving his own happiness , Job 11.12 . though man be born like a wild Asses colt , but little differing from a bruit ; he is like the beast , — like the beasts that perish . Psal . 49.12 , 20. How could the hop stand without the pole , or the vine without the wall ? And yet man thinks he could live without God , and in a sort does . Eph. 2.12 .

If holy men think themselves , at least sometimes , not to have the understanding of a man , as Hagur , Prov. 30.2 . but foolish and ignorant as a beast , as Asaph , Psal . 73.22 . What is the natural man's wisdom ? the Apostle saith , Their wisdom makes them fools ; Rom. 1.22 . professing themselves to be wise , they became fools . The wisest of meer natural men , and the learnedst , know not enough what it is to be Creatures , and through this ignorance would be as Gods .

For what is it to be a Creature ? not to be of our selves , 2 Cor . 6. or to our selves , not to be our own ; Ye are not your own , saith St. Paul to the Corinthians ; and so whatever ye do , 2 Cor . 10.31 . do all to the glory of God . And therefore when men would live of themselves , and to themselves , they would live above the capacity of Creatures .

Some great men , through this ignorance of themselves , have aspired to be Gods over other men : So did the Prince of Tyrus , Ezek . 28.2 . Thou hast said I am a God , I sit in the seat of God : And Herod was well pleased when the people cried him up for a God . Acts 12.22 . And Alexander the Great could scarce be content to be a man ; and every man that hath not grace enough to make him the more humble and modest ( for as grace is given to the humble , so grace maketh humble ) every man would be as God to himself ; he would please himself , and live to himself ; he would be his own rule , and his own end , and serve his own turn on God as well as men .

Now , I say , this is because men naturally are ignorant of what it is to be a Creature ; what it is to be of another , and for another ; even of God , and for God ; Rom. 11.36 . of him , and through him , and to him are all things . Prov. 16.4 . The Lord hath made all things for himself . The wheel spins not for it self , but for him that made it , and him that bought it : and so the Ax cuts not for it self . By living of , or to our selves , we do , as far as we can , overthrow our being Creatures : and men consider not the evil of offering to sit in the seat of God .

Suppose other Creatures should be to themselves , should be proud towards us , as we are prone to be towards God , and should refuse to do our service and work , as we too often do by God , we would think it a strange ataxie , and the course of nature to be quite inverted ; we should say as Ptolomy of the great and unexpected Eclipse at Christ's death , Deus naturae patitur ; the God of Nature suffereth ; this is the spirit of a man towards God , wherever there is not grace , and so much grace to teach us better . Though he made us , yet we have an itch to be our own , to serve our own turn , and not his ; and in doing so , we seek so much as in us lyeth , to alter our selves from the condition of Creatures .

Secondly , Our ignorance of God makes us to turn our back upon him ; men see not a sufficiency of good in God , and so they look for it elsewhere . God is an unknown God to the most of men ; and though they profess him , yet that may be written on their Profession , which was upon the Altar that St. Paul saw at Athens , To the unknown God : Acts 17.23 . Psal . 50.21 . Many men phansie God to be like themselves . Through deceit they refuse to know me , saith the Lord , Isa . 9.6 . and every man is brutish in his knowledge , Jer . 10.14 .

What is the reason that the Saints depend on God , and dare not scatter their trust to Creatures ? because they know him , and have acquaintance with him ; Psal . 9.10 . Jer . 24.7 . They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee : God gives them a heart to know him : and this was the reason why Pharaoh would be his own Lord , I know not the Lord , Exod . 5.7 . Because men know not the Lord so , as to know that their happiness is bound up in him , as Judah said , that his fathers life was in the lads life , Gen. 44.30 . Therefore men leave God , and rely on themselves , or some other Creature ; She did not know that I gave her corn , and wine , and oyl , and multiplyed her silver and gold , wherewith they made Baal ; so these last words are in the Margin , Hos . 2.8 .

There is a natural instinct in all men to desire to be happy , but where this Golden vein lyes , every man by nature is to seek ; men are scepticks or seekers indeed in this ; but miss as much , or more than they that make experiment of the Philosophers Stone .

The wisest men of this world have abounded in their conjectures of it ; there have been fourscore , some say a hundred , of distinct opinions in the case , viz. wherein true happiness lieth , and all have been mistaken : For it is to be observed , they have all seated the Summum bonum , man's chief good , in the Creatures , and not in God .

But grace teacheth us to find it in God , and in God alone , Psal . 73.25 . in the enjoyment of God himself ; Whom have I in Heaven but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee .

Solomon , who might better be called Nature's Secretary than Aristotle , ransack'd the whole Creation , all things under the Sun for it , but found it not ; only vanity and vexation of spirit instead of it .

Every Creature answered Solomon , when he sought felicity in them , as the Depths and the Sea answer men who seek wisdom in them , Job 28.14 . It is not in me , nor it is not in me . Men set up false marks , when they aim at contentation and satisfaction in any creature excellency ; so that if they do hit the mark they aim at , they hit a false mark . Suppose a man aim to be happy in riches , or honour , or pleasures , or moral vertues , or parts , or humane learning , and suppose he hit the mark he aims at for happiness ; why he hits a false mark , and so is as far from true happiness as before he took his aim .

The enjoyment of all these , laid to the enjoyment of God himself , Isa . 55.2 . are but as Esau's Pottage to the Blessing or Birthright ; Men lay out their strength for that which satisfieth not , and their money for that which is not bread , who hunt for happiness in the Creature : They are like a man sick of a Fever , O if he had but drink , how well should he be ! but this is the cry of his Distemper ; for give him drink to his mind , and it does but feed his Disease , not satisfie Nature , but disturb it more .

It 's considerable what the Lord saith in this case , Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom , Jer . 9.23 . nor the mighty man glory in his might ; let not the rich man glory in his riches : but let him that glorieth , glory in this , that he understandeth and knoweth me , &c. Acquaintance with God is more to a man's peace and composure of mind than all the former ; Acquaint now thy self with him , Job 12.21 . and be at peace : thereby good shall come unto thee .

It is true , we may seek comfort in the Creature , and find it ; yet it 's imperfect comfort ; it 's comfort but in part : As we know here but in part . We may look for light from the Moon , and have it ; but we may not think to find the light of the Sun in the Moon . And as great a difference there is between the Joy we may have in the Creature , and that we may have in God ; Psal . 104.34 . Psal . 16.5 , 6. My meditation of him shall be sweet . When David said , The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance ; he adds , the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places .

What vertue God hath put into the Creature , we may seek it ; but when we find it , it is to mind us of much more to be found in God : God intends not that the comfort we find in any of the Creatures should draw our hearts from him , but to him , and more to him than before : Josh . 15.19 . Caleb's daughter must have the upper springs with the neather in her blessing . In a word , we must seek God in the Creature , as Jacob saw God in Esau's face , and seek the Creature for God , as well as our selves , or else we mistake the way to true comfort and content in both , which method no natural man observeth . And thus much for the second Reason of the point .

A third Reason is the pride of man ; man's pride makes him turn his back upon God , and think to stand by himself : Man is naturally a proud Creature , as the sinning Angels were ; man is among the children of pride ; Job 42.3 Psal . 10.4 . The wicked , through the pride of his countenance , will not seek after God ; God is not in all his thoughts .

What is pride but an opinion of a man's self-sufficiency and self-excellency ? as we see in that proud Pharisee , I am not as other men , Luke 18. nor as this Publican : and in those proud superstitious Jews , who said to others , Stand by thy self , Isa . 65.5 . come not near to me , for I am holier than thou : This is the dialect and language of pride ; it is the vent of tow'ring thoughts of a man's self : You may more easily pull down the strongest Castle , than the proud heart of man . Pharaoh was long plagued before he would own God ; Who is the Lord , Exod . 5. that I should obey his Voice ? This was the Leaven which first sowred man's heart in his fall , We shall be as Gods , Gen. 3. and ever since natural man would be some great one , Acts 8.9 . as Simon Magus gave out himself to be .

Man is not easily made nothing in his own thoughts ; he very hardly owns his need and want in spirituals : I am rich , and want nothing , Rev. 3.17 . was the brag of the Laodiceans . Now as God beholds the proud afar of , Psal . 138. so the proud heart of men by nature keeps afar off from God ; They say unto God , depart from us , Job 21.14 . for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways .

The pride of man's heart hath a hand in those two soul-undoing sins , that keep men off from God , Presumption and Despair . Presumers , Psal . 10. through the pride of their countenance , will not seek after God : and Despairers will see some worth in themselves before they will go to God . It is not usually through the excess , but defect of humiliation , that souls in despair will not cast themselves on Christ , as they said Jer . 2.25 . There is no hope ; No : I have loved strangers , and after them will I go . Despair is a proud sin , as well as Presumption : It made Spira wish he were above God .

The pride of man is a greater barr against the grace of God , Matth . 21.31 . than grosser sins ; Verily I say unto you , that the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you . Meer civil men need more humbling , in some respects , than grosser sinners , because they have more to be proud of . It 's self-liking and self-flattering that keeps a man upon his own bottom .

And as a man is prone to like himself , so to seek himself is at the end of all his actions ; whether he pray , or preach , or hear , or confer , or trade , or eat , &c. self is his bias : And as proud man seeks himself , so he is self-depending ; he lays the stress of duties on his parts , and the stress of reforming any sin upon his own purposes and resolutions , and his successes upon his own worth or wisdom .

To this the Lord saw the Children of Israel to be inclined , Judg . 7.2 . — lest Israel vaunt themselves against me , saying , Mine own hand hath saved me . See the reasoning between Joshua and Israel in Josh . 24.19 , 21. Ye cannot serve the Lord , for he is a holy God , he is a jealous God . Nay , but we will serve the Lord . There is a tang of this in the spirits of godly persons ; for alas , how seldom do they act grace , or in duty so , as considering that God must help the acts of grace , as well as give the habits ? But for natural men , the Lord may say to them as to Edom , Isa . 49.16 . The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee , thou hast cast of God , and relied on thine own strength .

Fourthly , Passion and peevishness in the nature of man begets prejudices against God : As natural men cannot please God , so God cannot please them . There is something of this leaven in God's own people , and the most eminent of them : 2 Sam . 6.8 . David was displeased , because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah : Jonah 4.1 . and Jonas was exceedingly displeased that the Lord spared Nineveh .

It cannot be said of God and his people , as it was of David and his , 2 Sam . 3. Whatsoever the King did , it pleased the people ; nay too often , much of that that we vent in prayer , or under the name of prayer , is but passion , and the effect of a feverish distemper on our spirits . Observe what is written of Jonah in this case , It displeased Jonah exceedingly : And he was very angry , angry in prayer : he was very angry , and he prayed unto the Lord , and said , I pray thee , O Lord , was not this my saying when I was in my Countrey — What was this praying , but the vent of humane passion unto prejudice against God ? Yea , and which was much , he justified himself in it to the face of God . Jonah , Jonah 4.9 . saith God , dost thou well to be angry ? and he said , I do well to be angry unto death .

Fifthly , The natural wilfulness and rebellion of man is the cause why he will leave God , and be at his own finding and dispose ; man would not submit to God : Jer . 44.16 , 17. As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord , we will not hearken to thee , but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth —

There hath been a contest between God's Will and mans , from mans beginning , Gen. 3. and so is to this day . God layeth all the wickedness of man upon his own rebellious will ; Psal . 81.11 . Joh . 5.40 . Israel would have none of me . And so did Christ the Jews unbelief ; ye will not come to me that ye might have life : And how often would I , and ye would not ? Matth . 23.27 . O the rebellion of the Clay against the Potter ! the Apostle hints it in the Ninth Chapter to the Romans . Many a man will damn himself , rather than he will submit himself to the will of God ; Job 21.15 . What is the Almighty that we should serve him ?

How do men say in Prayer , Lord , thy will be done , and yet in their practice contend with God for their own ? Those Jews were not alone in this , Jer . 18.12 . We will walk after our own devices , and we will every man do the imagination of his own evil heart . The Prodigal Son would have his portion from his Father into his own hands , that he might have his own will .

CHAP. VI . Wherein Application of the foregoing Doctrine is made in several Uses .

WE have already seen the inclination and lusting desire that is in man to forsake God , and the Reasons of it : I shall now proceed to apply the consideration hereof in the following Uses . And

This informs us of the sinfulness of man's nature , yea of the exceeding sinfulness of sin in man . For as the School-men say , Sin is a turning from God to the Creature , chiefly to a man's self , and his own Will .

But the truth is , sin is more than this ; it is a despising of God , it makes men speak against God ; The people spake against God : Num . 21.5 . to turn their spirits against God ; to multiply words against God ; Job 15.13 . Job 34.37 . to speak marvellous things against the God of Gods , Dan . 11.36 . The Serpents words to the woman at first stick to us still , Ye shall be as Gods — And if God should let men have their own way and wishes , he would soon lose himself in the world : Psal . 10.4 . wicked men would turn God out of the world , as well as out of their thoughts . And wherefore ? 2 Cor . 4.4 . man would be God of this world , as well as the Devil . Men are naturally Polytheists , for many Gods . Some make their belly their God , Phil . 3.10 . others make silver and gold their God ; Dan . 5.23 . They praised the Gods of silver and gold ; yea to make Devils their Gods , they sacrificed to Devils , Deut. 32.17 . to make their own Lusts their Gods , — serving divers lusts — Man would have any Gods rather than the true God ; Tit . 3. but especially he is inclined to make a God of himself . That ye shall be as Gods , pleased our first Parents well . Man would have the disposing of his Estate in his own hand : he thinks he can do better for himself than God does .

As Alphonso of Spain said , as story reports , That if he had been of God's Counsel at the Creation , some things should have been better contrived . Ah thinks many a man with himself , and in his heart , If I had but my life , and health , and strength , and whole condition in my own power , then I should be a happy man . Thus is man in the fall , fallen from God to himself , and would be what himself would . When God will have him poor , he would be rich ; and when God will have him low , he would be high : If it were in his power , almost nothing should be with him as it is , or as it is in the world .

Most men would be Rulers in the world ; 2 Sam . 15. O that I were made Judge in the land , saith Absolom . Peter would live upon Mount Tabor , Luke . 9.33 . Master it is good for us to be here , let us make three Tabernacles — How many have dispatched Princes and Popes out of the world , that their selves might be in their places ? Those that are called Fifth-Monarchy men had need take heed of this Leaven ; two of Christ's own Disciples aspired to sit one at Christ's right hand , Matth . 20. Luke 22.24 . and the other on his left in his Kingdom ; and all of them sought for the preheminence , and that in a Kingdom in this world , Acts 2.6 . Some men would judge the World and Angels before the 1 Cor . 6. time . Oh how eager is our nature to be freed from God's will , and left to our own ? then things should not only be altered in the World , but in the Word of God ; the holy Scriptures themselves should come under an Index Expurgatorius , we see it at Rome ; much of the Commandments , Threatnings , and Decrees of God should be blotted out : Men would be without the Word of God , or above it , as the Pope and Church of Rome presume to be . Our Saviour told the Pharisees and Scribes , That for the Commandments of God they had obtruded the Traditions of men , Mark 7.8 , 13. and that they made the word of God of none effect by their Traditions . Yea , Dan . 11. there are more than Antiochus Epiphaues , , that would do what they will , and exalt themselves , and magnifie themselves above every God . O how are men beholding to God for his restraining grace ? It 's a mercy to men , that they are not what they would be , and that he keeps many of their unruly inclinations dormant .

This informs us of the power and excellency of Gospel grace , that hath begun to destroy this vileness of our corrupt nature , and will in time swallow it up into victory : Grace at length will be the destruction of this evil humour of leaving God , and cleaving to our selves ; the Conquest will be gradual , as Joshua's was over the Natives of Canaan .

Believers would keep their station under God , they are much outed of themselves , Rom. 7.18 . and out of conceit with themselves ; In me ( that is in my flesh ) dwelleth no good thing . God is their all , and they are all for God : God is their hope , Psal . 39. and God is the strength of their hearts , and their portion for ever ; Psal . 73.26 . the desire of their soul is to him , Isa . 26.8 .

They hide not themselves from God , as Adam did , nor can they bear God's hiding himself from them ; Psal . 16. Psal . 41.12 . they set the Lord always before them , as the Lord sets them alway before his face . They go not out of God's presence , Exod . 33. as Cain did , but as earnestly desire it , Psal . 73. as Moses did . They get and keep as near God as they can ; It is good for me to draw near to God .

Grace makes a man desirous to be in subjection to the Father of Spirits ; to be at his disposing ; to begin to speak like Jesus Christ ; yet not my will , but thine be done : Grace hath always brought men to this spirit and temper , good is the word of the Lord , Isa . 1 Sam . 3.18 . 39. ult . It is the Lord , let him do what seemeth him good . 2 Sam . 15.26 . If he say thus , I have no delight in thee ; behold here am I , let him do to me as seemeth good to him . When God gave Aaron most heavy blows , Lev . 10.3 . Aaron held his peace . The Saints can do thus often , and they would always do thus ; they pray , and strive to do so , and grieve when they cannot : They have indeed , they have great wrestlings with temptations to the contrary , yet their conflicts end in conquests .

The Viper may stick a while on Paul's hand , Acts 28. but he shakes it off again , and without any hurt . There is a great difference between a Saints temptations and his resolutions . The holy Psalmist was tempted to leave God and godliness ; Psal . 73.13 , 14 , 15 , 22 , 28. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain ; — here was his temptation , but what was his resolution ? to the contrary ; he abhorr'd the temptation , and himself too , where he indulged it in the least . If I say I will speak thus , behold I should offend against the generation of thy Children : so foolish was I , and ignorant , I was as a beast before thee ; but it is good for me to draw near to God . And here is the power and excellency of the grace of God in men ; it would have men at God's disposing , and not their own .

This may exhort us to quicken this principle of grace into operation ; else sin that dwelleth in us , Judg . 16. will make us weak as other men , as Sampson was , when he had lost his Nazrarites locks . If we take not heed , and great heed , there is a wisdome of the flesh that will beguile us , as the Serpent did Eve . Our lusts are deceitful lusts , Eph. 5.22 . they are not dead , though they be dying ; they are dead as to their dominion in all the Saints , but as to operation , in none ; if we watch not , one or other of them will steal away our hearts from God , 2 Sam . 15. as Absolom did many of the peoples from David . Ezek . 14.3 , 4 , 5● O take heed ye set not up any Idol in your hearts ; we are inclined to it by nature , and these will estrange us from God .

And let us take heed what we ask of God : this Prodigal Son would needs have his Portion out of his Fathers hand into his own : Yea , St. James and John asked unfitting things of Jesus , to sit one on his right hand , Mark 10.37 . and the other on his left in his Kingdom . And again , they asked of him power , Luke 9.54 . as Elias had , to command fire from Heaven upon the Village that slighted Jesus Christ ; v. 55 , an evil spirit that Jesus rebuked in them , Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of . And in the same Chapter , Peter asked of Christ that he might dwell with him , and Moses , and Elias , in the Mount where he was transfigured . And all his Disciples had an itch to have ruled with him in the Kingdom of Israel , 1 Pet . ● . when he was risen from the dead .

O my Brethren , it is good that God deny us what we sometimes ask ; we ask things for our own turns , without reference to his . 1 Kings 3. Did we ask , as Solomon did , Wisdom , for God's sake more than his own , we should not be denied .

The Lord knows what it is to give much into our hands , since he trusted Adam with his whole Portion in his ; yet this is in our nature to seek , as we see in this Son , Father , give me the portion of goods that falleth to me . But the Lord knoweth that we cannot manage , or bear so much as we would have , as our Saviour said to his Disciples , John 16.12 . I have many things to say unto you , but ye cannot bear them now ; and therefore he hath taken another course with us , to take us off of self , and from standing on our own bottoms . He hath put all our Portion into other hands , into better and safer hands than our own , even into Christ's ; Col. 1.19 . John 3.35 . It pleased the Father , that all fulness should dwell in him ; and the Father hath given all things into the Sons hands . So that now we must have all from Christ , and not all at once , but according to the measure of the gift of Christ , Eph. 4.7 . and as we are able to bear and use it .

We must have all spiritual life from Christ , he is our life ; Col. 3.4 . and we must have all our righteousness from Christ , Jer . 23.6 . inherent and imputed , he is the Lord our righteousness ; and we must have all our spiritual strength from Christ , Phil . 4.13 . I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me .

And we must have our temporals from Christ as well as spirituals ; Matth . 28. All power in heaven and earth is given unto him : we can have nothing from God , but through the hands of Christ ; 2 Cor . 4.6 . The light of the knowledge of the glory of God must shine into our hearts through the face of Jesus Christ . John 1.16 . It 's from his fulness that we all have received , Eph. 1.6 . and 3.12 . and grace for grace . Our access to God , and acceptance with him , is by him . The holy Scriptures dwell much on this point : God is resolved to take his Children off from self-depending and self-disposing , and thereby from self-ascribing : Not unto us , Psal . 11.1 . O Lord , not unto us , but unto thy Name give glory : 1 Chro . 29.14 . Of thine own have we given thee , saith David of his and his people's freewill Offerings .

God will give all , and have all again ; as the Sea feeds the Rivers , and the Rivers return again into the Sea . Lord , Eccles . 2. Isa . 26.12 . 2 Phil . 1.3 . thou hast wrought all our works in us . It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure . And truly it is needful that we be kept off from self-weening , and that we be kept low . What we have in Grace and Comfort , that we have it by little and little , as Israel had the possession of Canaan . A little at a time is fittest for us , as the Mother does by her little Children .

God gives Grace to his own people with abatements as to their desires ; and when he gives them any great things , useth to do it with repercussives , to draw back the humour of Pride they are in danger of . When he gave St. Paul abundance of revelations , 2 Cor . 12.7 . he forthwith gave him a thorn in the flesh , a messenger of Satan to buffet him , lest he should be exalted above measure . And therefore when God at any time shews you great things , expect a thorn in the flesh to hide Pride from you .

God leaves his people sometimes to themselves to let them know of what ill consequence it is to be of themselves ; 2 Chron . 32. so he did by good Hezekiah , who found the ill effect in the case . Oh let us be afraid to be left to our selves , to our own will , or wisdome , or strength , or desires , especially to our own lusts .

It was to Israel sorrow , that God gave them their requests ; Psal . 106.15 . Psal . 81.12 . and when he gave them up to their own hearts lusts , and to walk in their own counsels . If we should be at our own dispose , and have our own will of God , as this younger Son had of his Father , it would be our ruin ; and what was said to Israel would be said to us , Mos. 13.9 . O Israel , thou hast destroyed thy self .

Many Children , if they be let alone , will eat Coals and Clay , yea , and Ratsbane for Sugar ; and so foolish and ignorant are God's own Children sometimes , Psal . 73.22 . in a time of temptation , as Asaph confessed of himself ; Prov. 30.2 . and good Agur , Surely I am more brutish than any man , and have not the understanding of a man .

I cannot but take up a Lamentation for poor man , that he is such an altered Creature from his original . God made man a companion for himself , as he did the woman for the man ; though he needed not man's society as Adam did Eves : Therefore he made man in his own Image , Gen. 1.26 . 1 Cor . 11.7 . and after his own likeness , as he did the womans to the man's .

But man hath lost his likeness and his love to God together : Man naturally cares not for God's company ; he hides himself from God , or would if he could , as Adam did ; and goes out of the presence of God , Jonah 1.3 . as Cain .

Such a man as Jonah went out of the presence of the Lord . It is natural to man to go a whoring from God as Israel did ; I have loved strangers , Hos . 4.12 . Jer . 2.25 , 31. and after them will I go ; and we will come no more unto thee .

Man is not satisfied with one God , but makes many Gods to himself , and himself the chiefest ; According to the number of thy Cities are thy Gods , v. 28. O Judah . And so may it be said to every natural man , according to the number of thy Lusts so are thy Gods : An adulterous man is not satisfied with one woman , nor the adulterous woman with one man ; so is not a natural heart satisfied with one God . O what a strange Creature is man since the fall . ! Truly the Daughters of Israel did not more solemnly lament the Daughter of Jephta , than we should our natural disposition to cast off God , and to be as Gods our selves ; the whole Creation groans under this grievous Distemper of ours , and how little sense have we of it our selves ? This is for a lamentation , and shall be for a lamentation .

Lastly , Let us all make observation of our own spirits in this point : There is a difference in the spirits of the godly themselves in the case . Some are more carnal , and walk as men , as it was with some of the Corinthians ; others are more spiritual , 1 Cor . 3. and walk as Saints indeed . Rom. 1.28 . Psal . 10.4 . Natural men like not to retain God in their knowledge , nor in their thoughts : They are weary of his presence , Job 21.14 . and weary of his service ; Mal . 1.13 . what a weariness is it ? weary of those that are like to God , as the Sodomites were of Lot . Matth . 8.34 . The Gergesenes wished Jesus himself to depart out of their Coasts .

But there is another spirit in the truly godly , their desire is to set the Lord always before them . Psal . 16.8 . Psal . 42.1 . Lam . 3.24 . Psal . 27.7 . To live with him , to live upon him . They would not be at liberty from God's Commands , nor from his Government , nor from his Disposing . They are afraid to be left to themselves .

Now observe your own spirits how like you are to these , and how unlike the other : If you have Grace , the tendency of your Soul is towards God , Isa . 26.9 . and not from him . With my soul have I desired thee in the night ; yea , with my spirit within me will I seek thee early . The corruption of nature cries , Divide the heart between God and thy Lusts , and between God and other things , as that Harlot cry'd , 2 Kings 3. Psal . 119.10 . Divide the Child : But Grace votes for God to have the whole heart ; with my whole heart have I sought thee .

When therefore any hard thoughts arise in thee of God , look upon the Flesh , and that unclean Spirit the Devil , Job 2. to joyn in the evil motion . Satan would perswade others besides Job to curse God ; he will insinuate and suggest to you after the manner of Absolom to Hushai , 2 Sam . 16.17 . Is this thy kindness to thy friend ? So will Satan seek to make thy heart secretly to reproach God when thou art under hard dispensations of Providence by himself , or by harsh and cruel men ; Is this God's kindness to his friends , to let them be so harshly dealt with ?

I , but lay things together , and wisely consider of God's doings , Psal . 64.9 . Psal . 73.1 . as the Psalmist said , and then you will say , Yet God is good to every one that is of a clean heart . O take heed of making any ill reflexions on God , either on his Word , or Works , or Decrees , or Attributes ; this is the way to be tempted to leave God , and stand upon your own bottoms , as this Prodigal did ; Give me my portion of Goods , and I 'le be gone . I , but what follows ? This leads to the second Particular , Point or Doctrine ,

That mens leaving and casting off God's Government to live of themselves , and to be at their own dispose , is the cause of very much sin and sorrow in their lives . Of which in the following Chapter .

CHAP. VII . Wherein follows the Second general Doctrine resulting from the First Part of the Parable : shewing both the sinful and miserable consequences of mens forsaking of God . The gross mistake of most men herein ; and the Means to be used for prevention .

I Have finished the first general Doctrine from the first part of the Parable , viz. That every man by nature hath a lusting desire to leave God , to stand upon his own legs , and to be at his own disposal . Let us now see the sad effects hereof in the second general Doctrine , viz. That mens leaving and casting off God's Government , to live of themselves , and to be at their own dispose , is the cause of very much sin and sorrow in their lives .

This was the younger Son's case in this Parable , he leaves his Father , and is led by his own Lusts , and at last comes to great penury and drudgery ; he kept Swine , and eat with them too ; he fed them , and fed of the same meat with them , and at length could not get that ; he would gladly have filled his belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat , but could not get them .

It 's to be observed , that his first step to happiness was his thoughts of returning to his Fathers house ; and his first step to misery was his leaving his Father . And thus it is with every man that waves the will of God , as to his Rule , and follows his own . It is his undoing , he now becomes a man of sin and sorrow , as to leave father and mother , &c. for God , is the way to be a blessed man or woman ; as it was said of Levi , who said to his Father and to his Mother , Deut . 33.9 , 11. I have not seen him — And what followeth ? Bless Lord his substance , and accept the work of his hands , and strike through the loyns of them that rise against him . So to leave God , and follow our selves or men , it is the high way to sin and sorrow .

If they forsake me , I will forsake them , Deut . 32.16 , 17. and many evils and troubles shall befall them . When those Jews in the 42. and 43. of Jeremiah rejected the Word of the Lord for their stay in their own Country , and would go down into Egypt , they there perished miserably .

And when Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord , he met with a rough Sea , Jonah 2.2 . and was cast into it , and swallowed into the belly of hell . And what a deluge of sin and sorrow did Adam bring upon the World by casting off the will of God , Rom. 1.12 . and 8.22 . and following his own ? God said eat not ; he would eat : this brought him and all the World under sin and misery , and the whole Creation into a groaning state .

Quest . But doth any man cast off God ?

Answ . Though men do not so in formal expressions , Tit . 2.16 . yet really , and indeed many do . In words they profess they know God , but in works they deny him . Men may cast off God when they know not that they do so , Gen. 19. as it is said of Lot , That he perceived not when his daughters lay down , nor when they arose . We know how strange the Jews made of it when the Lord charged them particularly and exprefly , Mal . 1.6 . and 2.17 . O ye Priests that despise my Name : But they reply , Wherein have we despised thy Name ? Ye have wearied the Lord : Wherein have we wearied him ? Ye have robbed me : And they reply , Wherein have we robbed thee ? Return unto me : but they say , wherein should we return ? Your words have been stout against me , Mal . 3.7 , 8 , 13. saith the Lord ; yet you say , Wherein have we spoken so much against thee ? So plain is it that men may cast off God , and not perceive it .

Quest . But when do we cast off God ?

Answ . When we make to our selves false Rules to walk by , or false Refuges to rely upon , now we cast off God : when we set the Creature in God's stead , and let our own wills take place of him , now we cast off God .

When Ephraim saw his sickness , Hos . 5.13 . and Judah his wound , then went Ephraim to the Assyrian , and not to God : Jer . 44.16 . And Judah refused the word of the Lord , and did after their own wills . And this is common with men to make the Creature their refuge , and their own wills their rule , and now they cast off God .

Yea , in any sin that a man doth knowingly and deliberately , he casts off God : Thus did Saul when he spared Agag , &c. contrary to his express Commission , Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord : 1 Sam . 15. And when a man rejects his Word , he rejects the Lord himself . He that heareth you , heareth me , Luke 10.16 . and he that despiseth you , despiseth me . I say , where a man doth any thing he knoweth to be sin , or neglects to do any known duty , when he doth thus deliberately , and not through the transport of a temptation , he rejects the Lord , and gives him reason to reject him : Num . 3.3 . But God keeps his Covenant when we break it ; our unfaithfulness makes not the faith or fidelity of God of none effect : His mercy endureth for ever : He taketh not the many advantages we give ; Psal . 103.10 . He hath not dealt with us after our sins , saith David by experience . O how often do we cast off God , and yet he will be our God still ! He keeps his Covenant when we break it ; therefore is that Promise , I will heal their backslidings ; Hos . 14.4 . I will love them freely .

It is an accursed disposition in every man by nature to cast off God , and to do our own will ; and he that knows not this by himself , knows not his own heart enough , but is a stranger there : Every heart by nature is poisoned with this , though it may be unseen to us , as Laban's Gods were to Jacob , though in his House .

And the Reason why men thus cast of God , is the prejudice they have at his ordering their conditions ; men usually like not God's way he taketh with them . When he brought Israel into the Wilderness , then they had rather have been in Egypt ; we are too apt to be displeased at God's disposing of us , Gen. 48.17 . as Joseph was at the manner of his Father's blessing his two Sons ; and the Reason is because we pass a Judgment on God's disposals by sight , 2 Cor . 5.7 . and not by faith : Now sight is a false Medium to take a view of Providence by , which is much more the object of faith , as the Creation is ; By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God . A Staff that is streight when looked on through the air , seems crooked if looked on in the water .

But I come to speak to the two Branches of the Doctrine , That to cast off God , and follow self , leads men into abundance of sin and sorrow . Into abundance of sin : It 's a notorious inlet to sin ; it pulls up the sluces and floodgates of wickedness , and brings in a deluge of sin and ungodliness .

For 1. it 's certain that the knowledge of God , and acquaintance with him , is the only sufficient barr against sin . Joseph's acquaintance with God was his preservation against the importunate temptation of his Mistress ; Gen. 39.9 . How can I do this great wickedness , and sin against God ? The servants of former Governours bare rule over the people , that is , used their pleasure on them , but so did not I , saith Nehemiah , Neh . 5.15 . because of the fear of God . To have God much and aright in our thoughts , is a forcible Caveat against all sin : As it is a powerful barr , so it is an universal barr against sin ; it keeps from all sorts of sin , because all sin is against God . When a man so knows God , as to reverence him in his thoughts , and to close with his will , this is both a powerful and universal barr to sin .

A man's reason and parts , and his natural Conscience , may be a fence against some sins , but not all ; there are sins that any of these Hedges will let in : Nothing is a sufficient fence against all sin , Psal . 4.4 . but a holy aw of God ; Stand in aw , and sin not . The Devil cannot easily tempt to sin where the Word of God is hid in the heart ; thus saith S. Psal . 119.11 . John to those young men 1 John 2.14 . I write unto you young men , because ye are strong , and the Word of God abideth in you , and ye have overcome the wicked one .

They shall all know me , and I will cause them to walk in my statutes , are links in the Covenant of Grace ; and therefore those that live in any known sin , may conclude they know not God with a New Covenant knowledge .

And again , as a man's reason and parts , or natural Conscience may be curbs from some sins , so may shame from others , but these are only outside sins ; for shame is no barr against sins within doors . Lusts may swarm there ; there may be iniquity and hypocrisie to the full within , notwithstanding the thing we call shame .

There are no bounds against sins within doors , but an holy aw of God , and his holy Word ; a setting these always before us , as David did . Psal . 16.8 . Psal . 10.4 . But when men put God from their thoughts and minds , as those Professors of wisdome among the Gentiles did , of whom the Apostle speaks in Rom. 1.22 , 28. As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge , God gave them over to a reprobate mind , to do those things which are not convenient — I say , when men cast God out from their minds , then they sin with the greatest freedom : Our lips are our own , Psal . 12.4 . who is Lord over us ? There is no hope , but we will walk after our own devices , and we will every one do the imaginations of his evil heart . Jer . 18.12 . This is the first demonstration of men's leaving God to be the inlet to sin , because there is no powerful and universal barr to sin , but a reverend , hearty , and experimental knowledge of , and acquaintance with God .

2. Because such as leave God are left of God to their own lusts : Psal . 81.11 , 12. My people would not hearken to my voice , and Israel would none of me : so I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts . When men cast off the true God , he casts them under the power of a lying Spirit , 1 Kings 22. as he did Ahab's Prophets : The fool hath said in his heart there is no God . Observe what follows , Psal . 14.2 . They are corrupt , they have done abominable works . Thus for the Reasons of the first Branch .

The Reasons of the second Branch of the Doctrine , That mens leaving God let s in upon them abundance of sorrow . When Cain went out of the presence of God , Jer . 20. Gen. 4.14 . he was a man of fears , and a terrour to himself , as Pashur was ; I shall be a fugitive , and a vagabond in the earth ; and it shall come to pass , that every one that findeth me shall slay me . The reason of this is ,

1. Because God will fill a man with his own ways , Prov. 1.30 . They would none of my counsel , therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way , and be filled with their own devices . The Prodigal had enough of his farr Countrey , and the Children of Israel of the Flesh they lusted after : He that soweth to the flesh , Gal. 6.8 . Hos . 8.7 . shall of the flesh reap corruption : They have sown the wind , and they shall reap the whirlwind . That is a plain Text in the case in the Prophet Isaiah ; Isa . 50.11 . Behold all ye that kindle a fire , that compass your selves about with sparks : walk in the light of your fire , and in the sparks that ye have kindled : this shall ye have of mine hand , ye shall lie down in sorrow .

2. In this case God observes the Law of Retaliation ; Eye for eye , Exod . 21.24 . tooth for tooth — Where men cast off God , he will cast off them ; here is the Law of Retaliation . Thus said David on his Deathbed to his Son Solomon , If thou forsake him , 1 Chron . 28.9 . he will cast thee off for ever . With the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward , Psal . 18.26 . Thine own wickedness shall correct thee , Jer . 2.16 . And what says Jonah by dear experience ? Jonah 2.8 . They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercies . Jonah thought to have found safety in going from the presence of the Lord , but this involv'd him in such dangers as he never knew before ; he fell into the belly of hell . This was also the case of Saul when he rejected the Lord , in rejecting his word ; 1 Sam . 15.23 . and 16.14 . The Lord rejected him from being King ; yea , the Spirit of the Lord departed from him , and an Evil Spirit from the Lord terrefied him . Yea , when Solomon sought happiness out of God , all his findings were vanity and vexation of spirit . Whenever we forsake the fountain of living water , we hew out Cisterns , broken Cisterns , that can hold no water , Jer . 2.13 .

Application .

1. This shews us the gross and grievous mistake , I would I might not say of most men , to call that their happiness which is indeed their misery , that is to be loose from God and his Word , and to be tied to their own wills , and led by their own lusts . O how many think it a fine World when they can say , Our lips are our own , Psal . 12. who is Lord over us ? Men think this a mercy , but the Lord deliver me from such mercy , said St. Bernard . That which men think their mercy , is their misery .

It is better for us that God hedge up our way with thorns , i.e. e . with difficulties and distresses , than let us take our own way , and run wild , as we are by nature ; Jer . 2.24 . for man is a wild Ass , used to the Wilderness , that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure . If God did not hedge up mens way , they would be mostly upon the Devil's Commons : Forsake God , 2 Tim . 2.26 . and the God of this World hath you in his paws , and at his will .

Whilst a man is farr from God , Psal . 119.115 . Salvation is farr from him ; yea , the further any man's thoughts and desires , and cares are from God , the nearer Satan is to that man to enter into him , as he did into Judas . For if Satan will get to a man's right hand when he stands before the Lord , Zach. 3.2 . as he did to Joshua the Jews High Priest , he will get into his heart when he is out of God's presence .

We read in Job 1.6 . Job 1.6 . how Satan got among the holy Angels when they presented themselves before the Lord ; ( not that Satan comes into Heaven ; for God and his holy Angels may be there where Satan may also be ; in the air , or upon the earth : It is a similitude from earthly Kings ; 1 Kings 22. ) how much more may Satan joyn himself to men that are at a distance from God ? Psal . 10.4 . when their thoughts and minds are remote from God , than Satan is nigh them to influence them , and to be a lying Spirit to them , 1 Kings 22.22 . and in them , as he was in Ahab's Prophets ; he shews them happiness and pleasure in doing their own wills and lusts , which proves but a cheat , like Juglers tricks .

That day wherein a man is a stranger to God , is a day of Errors , and a day of Terrors in the conception , if not in the birth : It 's thought a fine thing for every man to do that which is right in his own eyes . If men might do what they would , Judges 17.6 . and have what they list , without check from God's Word and their own Conscience , O this would be a brave World with many men ! but alas , this will be to them as abundance of flesh was to Israel , Psal . 116.15 . leanness to their Souls ; Num . 11.33 . this sweet meat would be sawced with the wrath of God , as the Quails were ; and the sweetness of their own lusts would be to them as abhorring as Tamar was to Amnon ; 2 Sam . 13.15 . and as meat on which a man surfeits .

So that it 's a thousand times better to have our judgments , reason , wills , and affections under God's command and power then our own : It 's infinitely better to abide with God , than to be loose from him in any of our faculties or ways . God never did any man hurt that set his heart upon him ; but all other things do ; yea , they undo us when we set our hearts upon them ; Isa . 55.2 . we now spend our money for that which is not bread ; and our labour for that which sufficeth not .

O then , if ever you will do your selves good , acquaint your selves much with God . Job 22.21 . A man acquainted with God , need not say as many do , Who will shew us any good ? Psal . 4.6 . Exod . 33.19 . For God saith to him what he did to Moses , I will make all my goodness pass before thee . Remember Samuel's words to Israel , 1 Sam . 12.21 . Turn ye not aside from the Lord , for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit , for they are vain .

All your projects and contrivances for content out of God's way , Hos . 9.14 . will be but as miscarrying wombs , and dry breasts . You may sometimes conceit that God deals hardly with you , Psal . 73.12 , 13. worse then with wicked men , as Asaph under a temptation did , and as Job did , Job 10.3 . but these good men eat their words , and recall'd their error ; So foolish was I , and ignorant , Job 42.3 . said the one ; I have uttered that which I understood not , says the other . Doubtless God's worst is better than the World's best , or Satan's best , or the Flesh's best . God's worst will turn it self into good , Exod . 3.3 , 4. as the Serpent , Moses was afraid of , presently turned into a Rod in his hand .

But the Devil's best turns to the greatest evil ; Adam and Eve found it so : Gen. 3. He pleased them when he told them they should be as Gods , but they presently saw they were naked . And so the World's best , Eccles . 1 , & 2. when the heart is set upon the World , turns into vanity and vexation of spirit ; so Solomon found it . And the best of self proves as bad . When Jonah would wave God's Call , and follow his own humour , he learnt by sad experience , and dear bought , that they that observe lying vanities , Jonah 2.8 . forsake their own mercies : He went from the presence of God to save himself , but he lost himself first in the Sea , and then in the belly of Hell .

If to depart from God and his Government , to be at our own dispose , be the inlet to sin and misery , then take heed of such sins as cause your departing from God . And what sins are these ?

First , Ignorance of God , of his worth and excellency ; ignorance of his Allsufficiency , when men profess an unknown God , as St. Paul saw in Athens an Altar to the unknown God : Acts 7.13 . Ignoti nulla . cupido . Now their spirits sit loose from God ; they have no great affections for him , nor do they much stand in aw of him , but sin with liberty and liking ; Jer . 9.3 . They proceed from evil to evil ; for they know not me , saith the Lord .

Mens ignorance of God's Attributes , and Word , and Works becomes sin to them , 2 Kings 12.13 . as Jeroboam's Calves at Dan and Bethel did to Israel . And Ignorance of God becomes mens misery too , as is said of the people whom the King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria , that because they knew not the manner of the God of the Land , 2 Kings 17.26 . therefore he sent Lions among them , and they slew them ; because they knew not the manner of the God of the Land .

2. Unbelief is a sin that makes men to depart from God . Hebr . 3.12 . Take heed Brethren , lest there be in any of you an heart of unbelief in departing from the living God . 〈◇〉 & 〈◇〉 sunt cognata . Unbelief is the ground of mens drawing back from God . Israels unbelief in the Wilderness made them change their God into a golden Calve ; their unbelief caused a double casting off ; they cast off God , and God casts off them ; and the Land of Canaan would not receive them , So then they could not enter in because of unbelief . Heb . 3.19 . As Faith is the grace of union between God and Men , so Unbelief is the sin of separation .

3. Spiritual Pride makes us leave God , and God us . Psal . 10.4 . Psal . 138.6 . The wicked , through the pride of his countenance , will not seek after God ; God is not in all his thoughts : and so God beholds the proud afar off . God keeps at a distance from a proud heart ; Psa . 57.15 . his abode is with the humble spirit , but the proud man dwells by himself : Self-depending , and self-seeking , and self-ascribing , are the Idols of a proud heart , and keep God out of that his Chair of State .

O take heed then of the poyson that corrupt nature extracts from good parts , from moral vertues , and from great priviledges ; these are very good and desirable in themselves , but through man's corrupt nature , there is a poyson that follows them ; as the Bee has a sting as well as honey : And this poyson is our aptness to settle on our own bottoms , and to think of our selves above what is meet , as Simon Magus gave out that himself was some great one . Ac● 2.9 .

St. 2 Cor . 12. Paul himself was in this danger , to be exalted through the abundance of revelations . They drive the heat inward , they draw a man's eye too much on himself , and so keep him at a distance from God , Judges 8.27 . which becomes a Snare to him , as Gideon's Ephod did to him , and to his House .

As a man's Castle or Fort , well furnished with Ammunition and Provision , is a good defence against an Enemy ; but if he keep it against his Prince , it may prove his ruin : Thus a mans parts and gifts and priviledges , may render him useful many ways ; but if once they draw his eye off from God to self , to self-esteem and self-applause , he 'l depend little on God , and ascribe little to him ; and so they are his undoing .

It was self-righteousness that kept the Jews off from Christ , and the Scribes and Pharisees from sense of their sinfulness , and sorrow for it . Parts and moral Vertues , and a fair outward Carriage do often prove as great an impediment to the receiving of Christ , and the free Grace of God , as gross sins , and sometimes greater . A man that is full of self has no room for God ; as a Glass that is full of clear water will hinder the pouring Wine into it , as much as a Glass full of Water that is muddy .

Lastly , If you would not leave God , and his Government , and disposal of you , get his New-Covenant-fear into your heart , and keep it there . I will put my fear into their hearts , Jer . 32.40 . that they shall not depart from me . This , I say this fear of God in the heart of man will link man to God faster than Ruth to Naomi , or Jonathan to David .

Quest . But what is this New-Covenant-fear of God in a man's heart ?

Answ . It is such a reverend and high esteem of God , through inward acquaintance with him , and his Laws in our minds and hearts , as makes us , we will leave any thing rather than God : Gen. 12 : as Abrahams fear of God , such fear as is here spoken of , made him leave his native Countrey and Kindred to follow God . O feel this fear of God in your hearts , and it will be impossible to part you and God : Be his present dispensations towards you never so sharp , you 'l cling to him , as the Child does to the Mother when she chides it ; Job 13.15 . Though he slay me , yet wil● I trust in him .

And let your outward condition be never so low , yea , Cant . 7.10 . and your parts never so mean , that men see no form or comliness in you , why they should desire you : yet Christ's desire will be towards you ; and God's Soul is knit to yours so , Heb . 13.5 . that he will never never leave you nor forsake you . Be but poor within as well as without , and God will have your Company to choose ; Isa . 66.2 . To this man will I look that is poor , and of a contrite spirit . Isa . 57.15 . I dwell in the high and holy place , with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit . And so much for the second general Doctrine taught us in this first part of the Parable .

CHAP. VIII . Wherein is shewed , That God gives to every man a Portion to be improved : together with the Reasons for his so doing , from that particular Clause of the 12th . Verse , And he divided his Living unto them .

HAVING done with the two general Doctrines from this first part of the Parable , I shall now proceed to those which result from the several Clauses thereof ; beginning with that in the end of the 12th . Verse , wherein the Father of these two Sons acts his first part , viz.

And he divided unto them his living .

The Greek word 〈◇〉 signifies life ; it is translated so in 1 Tim . 2.2 . 〈◇〉 . — that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life — Sometimes the word signifieth livelyhood , or living or estate , Luke 8.43 — which had spent all her living upon Physicians , or all her livelyhood or estate : 〈◇〉 . So that this Father divided his estate or goods to them ; he gave them their portions . Now the Doctrine from the words is this :

That God gives men , even natural and sinful men , a portion , and leaves them to improve it .

The Father gave his younger Son a portion , and left him to husband it . The wicked and slothful servant had a Talent put into his hands by his Lord : Matth . 25.15 . Eph. 4. Christ giveth gifts to men to improve , even to the rebellious , Psal . 68.18 .

The Heathen have their Talents : First , They have the light of Nature within them ; they have a natural Divinity , whereby they know God , and much good and evil : 〈◇〉 , Common parts . Rom. 2.14 , 15. — having not the Law , do by nature the things contained in the Law : They have excusing and accusing Consciences .

And Secondly , they have the light of the Creature without them , by which they may feel after God , Acts 17.27 . — that they should seek the Lord , if haply they might feel after him , and find him . As we know the presence of the Soul in the Body by feeling the Pulse , so may , and so have the Heathens perceived God by their inspection into the Creation : Rom. 1.20 . So saith the Apostle , The invisible things of him ( i.e. of God ) from the Creation of the World are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternal Power and Godhead ; so that they are without excuse . But now to Christians , who live in the Climate of the Gospel , God gives another greater light than those of Nature and the Creature , scil . the light of the holy Scriptures , and the offers of Christ and Salvation by him ; the convictions also , and motions of the Spirit : The Spirit of God strives with men long , Gen. 6. though not always . Besides , the Scripture holds forth to Christians the example of Christ , and of former Saints .

And the Spirit also works in many men gifts and common grace , in some more , in some less . Judas had gifts as well as the rest of the Disciples ; so had those that prophecied in Christ's Name , Matth . 7.22 . and in his Name cast out Devils — . Prov. 7.16 . Every man hath a price put into his hand , even the fool . God gives the worst of men among us a Portion to improve , and leaves them to husband their Talents .

And first , men themselves would have it so , as we see in this younger Son : Men love to have it so , Jer . 5.31 . as the Lord said of the Jews : Natural men think they can shift sufficiently for themselves ; they are full of self-projects , and self-confidence withal : I will pull down my barns and build bigger ; Luke 12.16 . and I will say to my soul , Soul , thou hast much goods laid up for many years , take thine ease — Such self-confident Creatures were those Is. 56.12 . To morrow shall be as this day , and more abundant . Eph. 2.12 . Many men can live in the World without God ; this is their conceit .

Yea , better men than these mentioned have been prone to self-conceit , and self-confidence ; not only Peter , but James and John : Matth . 20.22 . They asked Jesus to sit one at his right hand , and the other at his left — Jesus asked them , Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of ? They say unto him , we are able . But alas , as they knew not what they asked , so they knew not what they answered ; for when Jesus Christ was to drink the Cup , these two Disciples left him as well as the rest .

We may see self-conceit in the very Nature of man , if we observe Children when they first find their feet , they phancy they can go of themselves , and venture , though they get falls .

2. As men love to have it so , scil . that God should give them their Portions , and leave them to themselves to husband it ; so God will have it so , and that for divers Reasons .

1. To justifie himself when he judgeth and condemneth men . God gives every man more than he useth well : We need not go to God's decree of Reprobation to justifie his damning men ; we do not find that God will judge man by his decrees ; he will not say , Thou art damned , because I reprobated thee , but because thou hast not lived up to thy light , nor improv'd thy talent , thy knowledge , thy conscience , thy opportunities , and many helps .

God reaps not where he sows not , Matth . 25.24 . as foolish man is apt to charge him . Men will be damn'd for misusing their Portion God hath given them : the light , the means , the mercies , the afflictions , the Ordinances , and the examples God hath given and set before them to improve .

God will not need to condemn the Heathen for not believing in Christ , negative unbelief ; i.e. e . unbelief for want of means damns not ; but they will be damned for misusing the light of Nature , and the light of the Creature , that would have taught them more of God and themselves than they would learn : Rom. 1.20 , 21. They are without excuse , saith the Apostle , because when they knew God , they glorified him not as God , neither were thankful , but became vain in their imaginations .

Indeed evil and slothful Christians will be damned for not coming home to Christ , and for not walking up to the Profession of Christ they have made , because they walk not in those Duties of Holiness the Gospel discovers to them : These men will be speechless at the Sentence of Damnation which the Lord Jesus will pass on them , as he was in Matthew 22.12 . Their own Consciences cannot but concurr with Sentence of Judgment ; Qui tacet , consentire videtur . they will be speechless ; they will be 〈◇〉 , Tit . 3.11 . self-judged and self-condemned . They will not chat at God then , as they often do now . Rom. 9.19 , 20. Who hath resisted his will ? Nay , but O man , who art thou that repliest against God , or answerest against , or chattest with God ?

2. God doth give all men , the worst of men , their Portion , or Talents to improve , to glorifie his free Grace , and that two ways :

1. In entertaining such as have abused their Stock put into their hands , as the Father did by his Prodigal Son , and as the Housholder did by those that came into his work but at the eleventh hour . Sins against light and goodness , when pardoned , are great illustrations of free Grace : That woman loved much when much was forgiven her . Luke 7. O when a Saul obtains mercy , after he hath been a blasphemer and a persecutor , after he hath turned the edge of all his learning , parts , gifts , and interest against the Name of Jesus Christ , and so farr vitiated and debauched his Conscience , as to do all this under pretence of Conscience ; as he himself said , Acts 26.9 . I verily thought with my self , that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth .

I say , for such a man , after such base abuse of his Talents , to be received to Grace and Mercy , But I obtained mercy , 1 Tim . 1. this must needs exalt the free Grace of God in the hearts of such as have so abused his Grace : For God might have said to such a man as to the wicked and slothful Servant , Cast ye him into outer darkness : Matth . 25.30 . There is desert enough for it , but free Grace over-rules the Case .

2. God does it , that he may glorifie his free Grace in a free choice of the objects of his Grace ; for all men in themselves are alike indisposed to honour God with their Portion he gives them . As we are all alike by Nature the children of wrath , Eph. 2.3 . Tit . 3.3 . so we are all by Nature foolish , and disobedient , serving divers lusts . All by Nature refuse and resist Grace . Now God takes whom he pleaseth out of their own hands and power into his , to be under his Discipline : Psal . 51. He made David to know wisdom in the hidden parts ; but did not so by Saul , — Thou hast hid these things ( saith our Lord Jesus to his Father , Matth . 11.75 . and that with thanks ) from the wise and prudent , and hast revealed them unto babes . Matth . 13.11 . And to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven , but to them it is not .

That Question of the Apostle in 1 Cor . 4.7 . supposeth this , Who made thee to differ from another ? Indeed if the Question be asked a Jesuit or Remonstrant , he will Answer , I my self made me to differ ; but it 's a proud Answer : For it is plain , the Apostle asked not this Question to puff up man , but to humble him , and to exalt God , as appeareth by the following Question ; And what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? and then , Why dost thou glory , as if thou hadst not received it ? It 's evident St. Paul's scope was that which is the scope of the Gospel , to exclude boasting : It is likely that Paul directed his Question to those Theologi gloriae , as Luther used to call the vain-glorious and self-ascribing Preachers at Corinth , Acts 8. who would seem to be some great ones , as Simon did in Acts 8.

In the Creation all was a confused Chaos till the Spirit moved on the face of the Waters , Gen. 1. and then there was a distinction of Creatures : So all men by Nature are a confused mass , all in darkness , and disobedience , and abusers of our Portions , turning our Talents against God who gives them , Exod . 32.3 , 4. as the Children of Israel made an Idol of the golden Earrings of the Egyptians which God had given them .

She did not know , saith the Lord , that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl , Hos . 2.8 . and multiplied her Silver and Gold which they prepared for Baal , or wherewith they made Baal . Such abusers are men of their Parts and Portions he gives them , until he changes their hearts , and giveth them another spirit . Philemon 11. Heins . & Sculto . in loc . All are like Onesimus before his Conversion , unprofitable Servants , contrary to his Name , which signifieth useful or profitable ; but when Onesimus was Converted , then he answered his Name to purpose ; Now profitable to thee and to me , Philem . 11. vers . Colos . 4.9 . He became both a faithful Servant and a faithful Brother : So contrary are men in a state of Grace to what they were in their Natural state .

Quest . But whence is this Change ?

Answ . Not of man himself , but of God : He that made the old Creature makes the new . It is not the spirit of man that produces Regeneration , but the Spirit of God ; John 3. Except a man be born again of the Spirit — . All Converts to a state of Grace , are begotten and born of God : He that is begotten of God , John 1.3 . — and born of God , are usual expressions with St. John .

3. God gives men a Portion , and leaves them to husband it , that he may humble them in the sense and proof of their own weakness and impotency , and make them look for help from Grace : God will have men humbled , not only for sin , but also for their impotency to get Grace .

There must be in men a double self-despair ; one in regard of sin and guilt ; Rom. 3.19 . All the world must become guilty before God : And another in regard of self-impotency to get Grace when they feel they need it . Sense of sin will make a man seek Grace ; and sense of impotency will make him seek it of God : Many have the first self-despair , but want the second ; for though they are out of hope in regard of their sins , yet not as to their own conceited self-sufficiency to repent and turn to God .

Here lieth the reason of many mens not repenting and turning from sin to God , their thoughts of their Can when they will . Josh . 24.19 , 21 Joshua told the people , Ye cannot serve the Lord , for he is an holy God : The people reply , Nay , but we will serve the Lord . Men commonly cheat themselves with self-conceit and considence in the power of their own wills .

Alas , God must not only give men power to seek Grace , but power to accept of it when he gives it , and power to use it when they have it . Hos . 5.5 . Ephraim had been brisk enough in self-dependence ; his pride did testifie to his face : Jer . 31.18 . yet at length Ephraim crieth out , Turn thou me , O Lord , and I shall be turned . You that have Grace know , that not only the gift of Grace , but the use of Grace also is of God : Work out your salvation with fear and trembling ; Phil . 2.12 , 13. for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure .

The Spirit of God must help godly mens infirmities in prayer , Rom . 8.26 . teach them what to say when brought before Rulers for Christ his sake , Matth . 10.19 , 20. Thou hast wrought all our works for us , Isa . 26.12 . If God did not do thus for his own people , 2 Chro . 32.31 . they would manage a state of of grace but ill . When Hezekiah was left to himself but in one point , he miscarried sadly : And therefore it is not ordinary for God to leave his people to themselves ; he did Hezekiah , yet but in one single case , to find him matter of humbling in himself , as he had had matter of glorying in God . And

We all may see our own insufficiency in him , 2 Cor . 3.5 . even in common actions ; yea , to a good thought , we are like young Writers who must have their Hand and Pen guided , else they make bad Letters . Had not Jesus Christ prayed for Peter's faith , Luke 22.32 . it had failed him ; and it 's thus with every Grace and all Duties : John 15.5 . And therefore little Grace acted with great dependance on Christ , will do more than a greater measure of Grace , but less dependance on Christ's assistance .

St. Paul ascribes not only the dignity of his Apostleship to God , but all his actual service therein ; By the grace of God I am what I am . 1 Cor . 15.10 . I laboured more abundantly than they all ; yet not I , but the grace of God which was with me : Not to the Grace of God in me , but with me : He refers the honour of the Case , not to inherent , but assisting Grace .

This is the reason why men receive not Grace , because they trust to their own purposes and endeavours above their allowance : And this is the reason why many , who have received Grace , do not increase and grow in Grace as some others do , because they live not dependingly enough on assisting Grace .

CHAP. IX . In which Application is made of the foregoing Doctrine ; in shewing how much it concerns every man to improve his Portion from God ; and in giving Directions for the doing of it .

I Have already shewed , That God gives to every man a Portion to be improved ; together with the Reasons for his so doing . I now proceed to the Uses we are to make hereof . And

1. This exhorts us to consider our selves as Children who must give an account of our Portion to God our Father , and as Servants to our Lord . We have all a Stock to husband ; Matth . 25. every one hath one Talent at least ; There is a price even in the hand of a fool , Prov. 17.16 .

God gave Adam at first the whole World for his Portion , and his own Image , Gen. cap . 1 , 2. besides a special Commandment as his Talent to improve . Matth . 28.19 . And since Christ ascended , God hath given the World the offer of Christ as their Portion , besides the things of this life .

But as Adam abused his Portion , Mark 16.16 . John 3.16 . and was therefore thrust out of Paradise , and the Earth that was part of his Blessing , was cursed : so the World now abuseth their Talent , especially the offer of Christ ; and this will be their condemnation , John 3.19 . that light is come into the world , and men love darkness rather than light . And if this Judgment pass not on the Heathen , yet they have the light of Nature , with the Book of the Creation , to point them to God , to fear , and love him , and to admire , and adore his power , and wisdome , and goodness : and their miscarriage in these will leave them without excuse . And Christians have another Book besides that of Nature , Rom. 1.20 , 21. and that of the Creature , the holy Scriptures , and there Christ offers himself , and grace and glory with him ; and if you improve not these Talents well , the Scriptures will judge you : He that rejecteth me , John 12.48 . saith Christ , and receiveth not my words , hath one that judgeth him : The word that I have spoken , the same shall judge him in the last day .

And men that have grace have more Talents than all others ; they have all five Talents in respect of other men , though amongst themselves , one hath five , 1 John 2.12 . another two , and another one ; there are fathers , young men , and children among them .

My Brethren , there is nothing that any man hath but it is part of his Portion , and he must be accountable for the management of it ; his degree , his calling , his time , his strength , his weakness , his comforts , his crosses , his natural parts , his spiritual gifts , his grace , his means of grace , his estate , his priviledges , his ways , his words , his thoughts , God takes notice of a man's thoughts , and how he improves them . Thou understandest my thoughts afar off , Psal . 139.2 . Matth . 3.16 . And a Book of Remembrance was written before the Lord for them that thought upon his Name . Psal . 139.3 , 4. And there is not a word in my tongue , but , O Lord , thou knowest it altogether , and art acquainted with all my ways . I say unto you , saith Jesus , Matth . 12.36 that every idle word that men shall speak , they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment : Rom. 14.10 , 12 2 Cor . 5.10 . And we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ ; And every one of us shall give account of himself to God .

But I cannot name all things Christians must be accountable for ; it is certain for all their trust . 1 Pet . 4.5 . Paul had his trust , 2 Tim . 1.11 . and Timothy had his trust , 1 Tim . 6.20 . and we have every one of us our trust .

And by the way , Let the thoughts of this either prevent or prevail over your grudgings at the greater estates , larger parts and priviledges which others have above you ; they are but Trustees in all ; as to men , they are Masters of their own in a manner ; but as to God , they are all Stewards and Servants , even the greatest of men , of Lords and Ladies ; give an account of thy stewardship . Luke 16.2 . Num . 12.7 . & 14.24 . Psal . 116. Jer . 25.9 .

The Lord called Moses his Servant , and Caleb his Servant , and David his Servant , and Nebuchadnezzer his Servant , yea , Jesus Christ , as man , his Servant , Isaiah 42.1 . It was the Reply of a great Lady to one that told her , God had given her much ; No , saith she , God hath lent me much to improve , and I must be accountable to him for all I have .

O let all consider their Portions , and their improvements of them for God : Prov. 3.9 . Honour the Lord with thy substance ; 1 Cor . 10.31 . God expects you should eat , and drink , and rest , and work , and do all to his glory . Men must give an account how they have used the light of Nature , and the light of Grace ; their honour , their parts , their time , their trades , their relations ; they are intrusted with all to improve for God as well as themselves ; as the Apostle saith of the gifts of the Spirit . 1 Cor . 12.7 . But alas , how many spend their stock upon their lusts ; The lusts of the flesh , the lusts of the eyes , or the pride of life ? And of those that do not thus , how many let their gifts lie fallow , and do little or nothing for God with them ? Others devote their Estates to their covetous hearts : This is for a Lamentation .

Yea , where is the Christian that leaves all sin he might , and does all the good he might ; that prays so much as he might , and walks by Faith as he might , and denieth himself so much as he might , and hath his conversation in Heaven so much as he might ? We all need Christ to make up our Accounts to God , more than Onesimus did Paul to make up his to Philemon .

Quest . But where lies the power of improvement ? Not in us ; 2 Cor . 3.5 , 6. it lies in the hand of God : We are not sufficient of our selves , as of our selves to think any thing ; John 3.35 . all our sufficiency is of God . And the Father hath given this power into the Son's hand ; Without me , John 15.5 . said Jesus , ye can do nothing .

Answ . It is true ; but there is an open way for us to God by Christ ; and an open way to Christ by his own offer ; Come unto me — And St. James saith , Ye have not , James 4.2 . because ye ask not .

But now to those that lay this block in their own way , and make this Objection , either they make it of experience and proof , or else of meer cavil . If the former , if you have willed it , and laboured for it , and bemoan'd your selves in the want of it , then you have but one step to it ; for if you are come to self-despair , through sense of impotency , now is the time of that Promise , Zach. 12.8 . Isa . 40.29 . The feeble shall be as David : and that , He giveth power to the faint , and to them that have no might , he increaseth strength . Do but now fix your eye on God , as the lame man did on Peter and John , Acts 3. and he 'll bid you rise and walk .

When Saul went to seek his Father's Asses , and could not find them , he went to a Seer , 1 Sam . 9. to a Prophet , and had good speed : Why so when you cannot get grace , or ask grace , or do duty of your selves , by your own strength , take hold on God , and welcome ; Let him take hold on my strength . Isa . 27.5 .

But if you make this Objection of Cavil , be it known to you , you mistake your selves ; you 'l miss of your excuse you phansie to your selves . He that had but one Talent had his Cavils ; his Master was a hard Master , &c. But did this excuse him ? Matth . 25.24 . &c. No.

It is one thing to know your own impotency to get grace , or improve grace , only by hear-say ; and another to know it by experience and trial . If you object it , when you know it only by hear-say from the Minister and the Word of God , it is but a Cavil and a sorry Excuse : It is your knowledge of it by trial and proof that will make you look out of your selves for your strength , and that will bring you in grace , with power to improve it . You should work out your own Salvation with no less pains , than if your own pains should procure it .

It is true , God gives the success ; this is all in his hand , 1 Cor . 3.7 . But he gives success to him that labours for it . St. Paul makes not his inference thus ; Because God hath all grace , and gives all , I 'le do nothing ; Phil . 2.12 , 13. but therefore do you work , because it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do . You must labour as much , as if to will and to do were in your own power : You must work that God may work .

Many from their impotency father their sin and their condemnation for it on God ; it is in way of Cavil , and not from their bewailed sad experience .

Nay , the truth is , it is common with natural men to think themselves abler than they are , witness their frequent resolutions in good moods ; O what they will do and be ! Rom. 1.21 . As those Heathens professed themselves to be wise , so do natural men ; they sometimes profess their ability , and sometimes their impotency , but have little practical knowledge of either .

Some men again disable themselves beyond their natural disability ; they weaken their natural power by their own wilfulness ; and this is so farr from an excuse , as it 's an aggravation of their sin . If a Master send his man to Market , and he is drunk , and so cannot do his business , will this disability excuse him ? Surely no ; it rather doubles his fault . This is the case of these Objectors of their impotency ; their impotency is their own , they cannot charge it upon God ; they may charge it in part upon Adam indeed ; but when they come to declare their own will , they make it their own impotency .

Ye will not come to me that ye might have life . John 5.40 . They are impotent , and they love to have it so , as the Lord said of the Jews . Jer . 5.31 . They would not come to Christ , as he would have them , if they could . Thus much for answer to the Objection , and also for the use of Exhortation .

This Doctrine may also put us all upon enquiry after direction in this case of infinite moment .

1. We must take an account of our Receipts from God , what our Talent and Trust amounts to . As those that take in work from others , observe what they take , that they may know what to return ; we should consider , That God observes what he gives , and so should we what we receive , what estates , what education , what parts , what means of grace , what motions of the Spirit , what workings of Conscience , what temptations , what afflictions , what deliverances , what experiences , what encouragements in promises and providence .

Remember , God himself takes an account of what stock he hath put into our hands , as he ordered Samuel to tell Saul , 1 Sam . 15.17 . When thou wast little in thine own eyes , wast thou not made the head of the Tribes of Israel ? and the Lord anointed thee King over Israel , &c.

And this account God ordered Nathan to give to David ; Thus saith the Lord , 2 Sam . 12. I anointed thee King over Israel , and I delivered thee out of the hands of Saul , and I gave thee thy master's house , and thy master's wives into thy bosome , and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah , &c.

Suppose thy self to be thus charged of God with an account of all he hath put into thine hands : for as he will set mens sins in order before them ; Psal . 50.21 . so he will do their Talents and Trust .

2. Be sensible , and knowing by experience , of your own inability to discharge your Trust , though you have but one Talent ; be as sensible in the case as Moses was of his insufficiency to deliver Israel out Egypt ; Exod . 3.11 . Exod . 4.10 . Lord , who am I , that I should go in to Pharaoh , &c. I am slow of speech , and of a slow tongue .

So sensible was Gideon of his weakness in himself to deliver Israel ; Judges 6. Lord , wherewith shall I save Israel ? Thus sensible be you of your own impotency to improve your Trust from God , be it never so small .

3. Look to the great assistance that is provided for you ; Phil . 4.13 . I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me . 1 Cor . 15.10 . I have laboured more abundantly than they all ; yet not I , but the grace of God that was with me . Phil . 2.13 . It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do . O look with incouragement for help , for auxiliary grace in all your Trust : I will instruct thee , Psal . 32.8 . I will teach thee and guide thee : I will be with thy mouth , and teach thee what to say . Thou shalt guide thine affairs with discretion . Exod . 4.12 . Psal . 112. The Spirit shall teach you all things , Job . 14.26 . When our Lord Jesus Christ sent forth the Seventy upon special business , they did his work with his power , and so returned with a joyful account ; Luke 10.17 . Lord , even the Devils are subject to us through thy Name , or Power .

4. Look to your Undertaker , for your accounts , even your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ . As Paul was for Onesimus ; Philem . v. 8. If he hath wronged thee any thing , put it on my account ; I will repay it . The same is our dear Lord Jesus to a Believer , Col. 2.10 . Heb . 7.22 . and much more ; Ye are compleat in him : He is a surety to God for Believers ; and what thou canst not make up of thy account , put it upon his .

It hath been great relief to the Consciences of many poor sinners , that when Satan hath charged them , and they have owned the charge , but withal have seen their liberty to turn him over to Christ their Surety : Thus maist thou humbly , and reverently , 1 John 2.2 . and believingly do ; Lord , I come short in my accounts of the portion which thou hast put into my hands , and committed to my trust ; but Lord , be pleased to look on Christ's accounts , and there are mine made up to the full . Not that every man may make thus bold with our Lord Jesus Christ ; but those that indeed believe in Christ , that have cast themselves upon Christ upon the tearms of the Gospel ; they that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity , and live to him , as well as look for life by him , such may doubtless use this freedom . Christ pays the true Believers Debts , Col. 2.14 . and blots out all hand-writings that are against him . So much for the 12th Verse .

CHAP. X. Representeth how quickly man forsakes God , when God leaves him to himself ; with the Reasons whence it comes to pass ; and the Uses we are to make hereof , from the first Clause of the following Verse , And not many days after , &c.

THE younger Son having got his Portion into his own hand , begins to act his part ; first in sin , in this verse ; secondly in sorrow , in the 14 , 15 , 16th verses ; thirdly in repentance , in the 17th , &c. In the two former he is the picture of all natural men ; in the third but of some , yea of few . In acting his part in sin ; first , he presently leaves his Father's house : secondly , he goes into a farr Countrey : thirdly , there he spends all his Portion in luxury and riot .

Now in this Prodigal Son there are represented to us many things in natural men of sad Observation .

1. Here we see how soon man leaves God , when God leaves man to himself ; man makes hast to sin against God . Not many days after the younger Son took his journey into a farr Countrey , &c.

This is the temper and inclination of the rational Creature , they sin so soon as they can ; and herein they appear to be irrational : We see this both in the Angelical and Human Nature . The Angels that were left to themselves sinned presently , Jude 6. they forthwith left their first estate : John 8.44 . The Devil abode not in the truth , saith our Blessed Saviour in the Evangelist John . The Angels that fell from their pure and excellent state immediately , they left their own habitation , as St. Jude expresseth it , i.e. e . their heavenly places . Hence it is said , Job 4.18 . that God charged his Angels with folly , because of their mutability and inconstancy in holiness and happiness .

Some of the School-men hit right in this . A Creature , saith Aquinas , though never so excellent and holy , may and will sin , if not prevented and assisted by grace . And this was the Answer St. Augustine gave to the Question , How the Angels came to sin so soon , Quia non Deus sunt , because they are not God . God only is immutable in his being ; With him there is no variableness , James 1.17 . neither shadow of turning . I am the Lord , I change not , Mal . 3.6 .

But many Angels changed their condition presently ; The Devil sinneth from the beginning : 1 John 3.8 . the Devil , that is , the Prince of the Angels that left their first estate . A space there was between their Creation and defection ; First , that it might appear they came holy Angels out of God's hand : And secondly , that they might remember afterwards , and for ever , from whence they were fallen ; as our Lord said to the Angel or Pastor of the Church of Rev. 2.5 . Ephesus . Yet 't is likely it was but a little after their holy Creation before they sinned ; it was before the sin of man , Gen. 3. 2 Cor . 11.3 . for man sinned by the instigation of the Devil .

And as the Angels soon fell from glory , so did man from grace , from his innocent state , from his likeness to God after which he was made : Gen. 1.26 . Some think he fell the same day he was created ; others think not so . Psal . 40.12 . The Scripture saith , Man being in honour , abideth not . He lodged not one night in his honour , as the Hebrew imports .

It is the nature of man to make haste to sin , as the Lord said to Moses ( when he was with him on the Mount ) of the Children of Israel , Exod . 32.8 . They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them : and of the same people in the Judges , Judges 2.17 . They turned quickly out of the way their fathers walked in , which kept my Commandments . And the Psalmist speaking of man's disposition and complexion by nature , saith thus of him , That he is estranged from the womb , Psal . 58.3 . he goes astray as soon as he is born . Men are born with evil Dispositions , and act them so soon as their Faculties can sin , if grace prevent not .

Young Nettles sting , and young Crabs go backward ; and so man in his youth dedicates himself to sin , Eccles . 11.10 . 2 Tim . 2.22 . Gal. 1.6 . Youth and Childhood are vanity ; and St. Paul speaks of youthful lusts . How soon were the Galatians removed , or transported as the Greek signifies , unto another Gospel . The Church of Corinth was presently corrupted ; and so were the Seven Churches of Asia .

Reasons of the Doctrine .

1. Because the corrupted nature of man is greedy of sin , They work all uncleanness with greediness : Eph. 4.19 . They have a strong appetite to sin ; the strength of appetite , as in the Hebrew , Isa . 56.1 . therefore called greedy dogs . Man sinned almost so soon as he was , and if he might , he would sin as long as he is , and would , Omnis peccator peccat in aeternum . if he could , sin for ever , and be for ever that he might sin : How will men break through all restraints to sin ? as Balaam would have rush'd through all the checks and disappointments he met with in his way to curse Israel .

Though the dumb Ass forbad his madness , 2 Pet . 2.16 . and the Angel stood in his way with a drawn sword to stop him , Num . 22.23 to 30. yet he was violently hurried on with the strong impulse of his own lusts .

St. Ambrose speaks of one Theolimus , On Luke 4. who being told by his Physician , That unless he left his intemperance , he would lose his eyes : His heart was so desperately set on his lust , that he replied , Tunc vale lumen . Then farewell eyes ; I must drink , though I drink out my eyes .

Thus do the hearts of many say , though not their mouths , Farewell God , farewell Christ , farewell Heaven , I must have my lust . Amnon's lusting after Tamar is an instance in the case . Psal . 14.2 . The fool hath said in his heart there is no God , i.e. O that there were no God! Look what trouble it is to Saints to part with God , such trouble it is to wicked men to part with sin . There is no hope , No ; 2 Jer . 25. for I have loved strangers , and after them I will go . The immediate reason of mens sinning is their will : It was so in the fall , and so it is since .

2. A second Reason why men make so much haste to sin is their weakness ; no man by nature hath strength enough to hold out against temptations to sin : If God were not infinite in strength , he would not be immutable ; 1 Sam . 15.29 . The strength of Israel will not repent , or change . But the first temptation turned man upside down ; and since the Devil had that success , he follows man close with temptations ; and if he fails in one , Num . 22 , & 23. he presently tries another , as Balaam did experiments to curse Israel .

Man is too weak a Creature to stand out a temptation to sin without the aid of grace , either preventing or assisting grace , besides inherent : It was seen in Hezekiah , and in Peter , when left to themselves . Grace it self , of it self , is not immutable . The godly know by experience that it is subject to ebbings and flowings ; and the reason why the people of God do not quite lose grace , is not from the nature of grace in it self , but because grace in the Saints is fed by grace from the fulness of Christ ; John 1.16 . Jer . 32.40 . and because the Covenant of grace hath undertaken they shall not totally and finally fall from grace .

And again , grace is upheld in the godly by their communion with God , and therefore the more this communion is interrupted , the less grace , and the more sin Saints themselves have : Hence it is that when they come to live in the blessed vision of God in Heaven , they cease to sin , and there is no more capacity of sinning .

This is the reason why the elect Angels , 1 Tim . 5.21 . so called in Scripture , stood in their first estate ; free grace preserved them in the beatifical vision , and still doth ; And they always behold the face of my Father in Heaven , saith our blessed Saviour . Matth . 18.10 . O remember that man is by nature a weak Creature , and yet very wilfull , and would be independent on God , 2 Tim . 2.26 . and so the Devil leads him captive at his will .

Application .

1. This shews us the necessity and mercy of preventing and restraining grace ; were it not for this , the World would be fuller of sin than it is , even like the old World ; all places would be Sodoms , and the godly as Lots therein . Psal . 32.91 . But God makes wicked men chew upon the Bit ; he seeth they have need of Bit and Bridle , as well as the Herse ; Isa . 37.29 . I will put my hook in thy nose , and my bridle in thy lips , saith the Lord to Sennacherib .

If God had not restrained Balaam , he would have cursed Israel ; he made many attempts after disappointments . Gen. 20.6 . Had not the Lord withheld Abimelech , he had wronged Sarah : And when the Lord saw that nothing would be restrained from the builders of Babel which they had imagined to do , Gen. 11.6 , 7. he confounded their language .

2. This may be of use to humble us all , that we were innocent , and without sin so little a while ; we made haste to sin , we soon left God in Adam , as this younger Son did his Father ; this I say should humble us , Hos . 6.4 . that our goodness was as the morning cloud , and passed away as the early dew . Our first Parents were holy Creatures when they came out of the hand of a holy God ; but they were like the Ephemera , their holiness was but holiness for a day ; Jer . 2.32 . I but we have sinned days without number , as the Lord said to his people in Jeremiah . We begin betimes to sin , and hold on till God break us off from so sinning . This was the melting Confession of the Lord's people ; Jer . 3.25 . We have sinned against the Lord our God , We have sinned against the Lord our God , we and our fathers from our youth .

And as this should humble us , that we begin so early to sin ; so we have reason to be humbled , that usually we are so long before we are good : It is commonly many years before our Conversion to a state of grace : Some come not in to God till the sixth hour ; Mark 20. others not till the eleventh ; O how should this humble late Converts , that they are good so little a space on earth ? Some indeed give God the kindness of their youth ; Jer . 2. God hath their First-fruits ; he sets them apart for himself from their infancy ; Jer . 1.5 . Before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee , saith the Lord to Jeremiah . Samuel was good from his youth ; 1 Sam . 3.1 . 1 Kings 18.12 . The Child Samuel ministred unto the Lord : I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth , said Obadiah to Elijah . And Timothy knew the holy Scriptures from a child , 2 Tim . 3.15 . but these are rare Birds .

There are some indeed that think themselves to have been Saints , but no such matter : as that young , rich , 〈◇〉 ●● . 20 . great man , All these have I kept from my youth ; but he was mistaken .

And there are others make a shew betimes , as if they would look towards God and Heaven , but retreat again ; such as God spake of in Jer . 2.2 . I remember thee , and the kindness of thy youth ; and yet in the fifth Verse he complains that they were gone farr from him , and become vain . Some have kindness , or rather seem to have kindness for God in their youth , but never after ; They begin in the spirit , but end in the flesh . Gal. 3.3 . Rev. 2.4 . The Angel of the Church of Ephesus left his first love .

3. This may speak comfort to those that are Saints , and God's holy ones indeed ▪ And wherein ? Because they have a contrary disposition to this of natural men : Natural men make haste to sin ; they make haste to do good ; I made haste , Psal . 119.60 . and delaid not to keep thy Commandments . This gracious disposition was prophesied should be in Converts among the Gentiles : Psal . 68.31 . Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hand unto God : And the Inhabitants of one City shall go to another , saying , Zach. 8.21 . Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord , I will go also .

The will of a godly man is seldome behind to any holy duty ; To will is present with me . Rom. 7.18 . And where this is , there is a badge of grace , and of a holy nature : The flesh indeed makes them linger sometimes , as Lot did in coming out of Sodom ; Gen. 19. but when the regenerate part sitteth in the chair , then the Soul calls , as the Lord did to Lot , Haste thee , haste thee to Zoar . As other men hasted after their gods , Psal . 16.4 . so David hasted after his God ; Awake up my glory , awake Psaltery and Harp , I my self will awake early . Psal . 57.8 . With my spirit will I seek thee early , Isaiah 26.9 .

Delays in Religion are dangerous ; Heb . 3.7 . To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts . The foolish Virgins were too late to enter in to the Marriage with the Bridegroom . Mark 25.11 . Thus much for the Observation from the first words of the Verse ( And not many days after ) viz. That so soon as God leaves man to himself , he soon goes away from God .

CHAP. XI . Sheweth the worldliness of man's heart by nature ; from the next Clause of the 13th . Verse , The younger Son gathered all together .

HE bundled up his happiness , even his gods with his goods , as Rachel did Laban's . Gen. 31. He said to his Soul , as that rich man did , Soul , thou hast much goods laid up for many years , Luke 12.19 . take thine ease , eat , drink , and be merry . This young man carried his gods in his goods ; and herein he gives us to take notice ,

That it is a disposition in natural men to carry their gods in their goods ; their hearts , which should be the seat and temple of God , is the habitation of these .

This young man's Portion was his all , Phil . 3.19 . Job 31.24 . even his Heaven and his God . St. Paul speaks of some whose belly was their god : And Job of those whose gold was their god , being their hope and their confidence . Many men have their Portion in this life ; Psal . 17.14 . their Heaven and Earth together .

Every thing is a mans god that feeds his lust , and his heart is set upon , as the Israelites golden Calf was to them ; Exod . 32.4 . These are thy gods , O Israel — and as Micahs Mothers eleven hundred shekels of silver were turned into Gods . Judges 17.4 . And thus all natural men make gods of their lusts , or of their goods , on which they fix their hearts . They carry their gods in their goods , Gen. 31.34 . as Rachel hid her Father's Idols in the Stuff . It is natural to man to seek his felicity here . Psal . 17.14 . The Scripture calls them men of this world ; here are their hearts , and here they would always be , if they might have their choice . They have a greater mind to be here , Luke 9.33 . than Peter had to be on Mount Tabor .

Their inward thought is , Psal . 49.11 . saith the Psalmist , that their houses shall continue for ever , and their dwelling places to all generations ; they call their lands after their own names .

This shews that their hearts are wholly here ; their minds are given up to earthly things . Phil . 3.19 . So they might be here on earth for ever , they could be content to be out of heaven ; Gen. 25.31 . as Esau parted with his birthright for a mess of Pottage .

Our blessed Saviour bad his Disciples rejoyce rather that their names were written in heaven , Luke 10.20 . than that the Devils were subject to them . But these men would rejoyce rather if their names might be written on Earth . Though the Scripture speaks of it as a Judgment ; Jer . 17.13 . They that depart from me shall be written in the earth : Yet earthly things lie nearest to a carnal man's heart ; as it 's said Queen Mary should say on her Death-bed , That if they saw her heart when dead , they should see Calice there . The Israelites appetite or phancy was more after the Leeks , Numb . 11.5 , 6. and Onions , and Garlick of Egypt , than after Manna .

Men are apt to set up Idols in their hearts , many places in Ezekiel shew it ; Ezek . 14.3 . Judges 5.8 . the children of Israel chose new gods . The Devil would be the god of this World ; this is his name by usurpation , 2 Cor . 4.4 . Many mens hearts are devoted to him , and know it not ; as it 's said of Ephraim , that he had gray hairs and knew it not : yea , he made an essay for Christ's heart and devotion to him . And when he cannot get in himself into the hearts of men , as he wishes , then he gets into one Creature or other to be as god there . When Esau said to Jacob , I have enough ; Gen. 33.9 . what was his enough ? the fulness of his outward condition without God . Carnal men can be content with the World without God ; Eph. 2.12 . they are without God in the world . The Creature , in some sort , satisfies them without God , as it does the Beast . Psal . 49.20 . Man makes himself in this like the Beast . Esau neither saw , nor sought God in Jacob's face , as Jacob did in his , Gen. 33.10 . Rom. 1.25 . Lam . 3.24 . Men naturally affect the Creature more than the Creator . Indeed , if a godly man have not God for his Portion , his all he hath is nothing : The Lord is my portion , saith my soul : Psal . 73.25 . and , whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee . The Lord knows indeed that his Saints on earth have need of earthly things , Matth . 6.32 . as our blessed Saviour said to his Disciples . And therefore gives them of these more or less , as he sees meet ; yet whatever he gives them of the World , he so gives it , that they may see him in it , as Jacob did in Esau's face .

O take heed of thinking you have enough , when you have the most of this world , except you have God with it , and see God in it . Take heed of this young man's spirit ; when he had got his Portion , he now feels no want of his Father , but takes his journey into a farr Countrey . Take heed also of thinking that you have not enough of the worlds good things , when you have , or may have God himself with your little ; for now your little is as much as All ; 2 Cor . 6.10 . and you may say with the holy Apostle , As having nothing , yet possessing all things .

CHAP. XII . Wherein is shewed , How inclinable man is by nature to go farther and farther from God ; from the following Clause , And took his journey into a far Countrey .

IN this course of the Prodigal , who herein is the Representative , as it were , of natural men , we may observe two Doctrines ; the first ( whereof in this Chapter ) is this ,

That man by nature would go farther and farther from God ; he would get to the utmost point of distance from him .

This Prodigal did not only leave his Father's House , but went into a far Countrey . Psal . 73.27 . Ungodly men love to be far from God , that they may sin their fill . As a godly man goes from grace to grace , so an ungodly man from sin to sin . As it is their Judgment to do so ; Add iniquity to their iniquity , Psal . 69.27 . Jer . 9.3 . so it is their choice ; They go from evil to evil . The Ephesians , before their Conversion , Eph. 2. were afar of , and without God in the world . Gen. 3. When Adam was fallen from his innocency , he got as far from God as he could . Psal . 10.4 . Natural men shove God out of their thoughts as much as they can .

It is true , all natural men are not at an equal distance from God actually , though all are by nature inclined to be at the farthest point : There are degrees in a natural state , as there are in a spiritual . Our Lord Jesus told him that answered him so discreetly , Mark 12.34 . That he was not far from the Kingdom of God . Some men are utter strangers to Christ ; others are bordering on Conversion ; yet still in their natural state ; as the Israelites were at the borders of Canaan , when yet they entred not in .

Quest . But what is the nearest or least point of distance from Christ , in a natural condition ; and what is the farthest ?

Answ . When men like Christ , but not at his terms , yet are troubled the terms are so hard that they cannot yield to them : When Jesus told that man in Mark 10.21 . That he must sell all , and follow him , it is said the man was sad at that saying , and went away grieved — v. 22. This man was bordering upon Christ , but left him .

So when men make a profession of Christ , John 2.23 , 24. and yet their hearts are not right towards him ; they are near Christ , but not near enough , they are not in him : Many believed on his Name , but Jesus did not commit himself unto them , for he knew what was in man .

Thou art near in their mouths , Jer . 12.2 . Isa . 29.13 . and far from their reins , saith Jeremiah to the Lord . And again , natural men may be near God , as in profession , so in priviledges : Judas was one of Christ's Disciples , one of the Twelve : And the people of Israel were a people near unto God . Psal . 148.14 . This is the nearest point of distance from God .

But then secondly for the farthest point of distance ; and this is , when men live as it were without God in the world ; Eph. 2.12 . live in sin without sense of it , and sin with greediness ; it is meat and drink to them to sin , John 4.34 . as it was to Jesus Christ to do his Father's will ; They drink iniquity like water , Job 15.16 . and who being past feeling ; whose sense of feeling , as to any evil in sin , is gone ; They give themseves over to work wickedness : 1 Kings 22.20 Ahab sold himself , but some give themselves to sin . Eph. 4.19 . These are Candidates at least in Atheism . Psal . 94.5 . They say the Lord shall not see : Psal . 50.21 . Psal . 36.2 . Psal . 14.1 . And they think that God is such an one as themselves : and thus they flatter themselves in their own eyes ; they half think there is no God , and altogether wish it . Few men indeed are always or altogether Atheists : The Devil can never be an Atheist , being always under the sense of God's wrath ; but he tempts men to be Atheists , and prevails very far , yet not to the full .

They lie , saith the Philosopher , Seneca . that say they hold there is no God ; for though they say so to others by day , yet they say otherwise to themselves by night : these are the men that keep at the farthest point of distance from God , which was this Prodigals case ; he went from his Fathers House into a far Countrey .

Quest . But how can any man be far from God , since God is every where ? Psal . 139 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit , or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? And it 's said in Job , Job 34.22 . There is no darkness where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves . And saith the Apostle , Acts 17.27 . God is not far from every one of us , either Christians or Gentiles .

Answ . There is a three-fold distance .

1. Of place ; so no man can be at a distance from God ; Psal . 139.8 . If I ascend into heaven , thou art there ; if I make my bed in hell , behold thou art there .

2. There is a distance of nature , which is where there are opposite natures and dispositions : and so many , if not most men , are at a great distance from God ; there is nothing of the Divine nature in them , they have different minds and wills from God's . God wills this or that ; and they will the contrary . Many men make God's affirmative Commands negative , and his negative Commands affirmative .

Jeremiah told those Jews in Jer . 44.16 . that they should not go into Egypt ; and they replied , As to the words of the Lord thou hast spoken to us , we will not hearken to thee .

3. There is a distance as to grace and favour ; and so God may be said to be far from men in his special grace ; as when men have not the grace of God in them , nor the love of God , nor acquaintance and communion with God ; God may be said to be far from them .

The presence of God with men must be measured by his grace and spirit in them ; and not by his common favours , as riches , power , natural parts , means of grace , Psal . 17.17 . yea common grace : for heathens may have some of these , and hypocrites may have others , and yet both at a distance from God , as to saving grace ; God cannot say of them as of Abraham , Isa . 41.8 . Abraham my friend , my familiar . A blind man may be near the Sun , and yet be said to be afar off , because he wants the light of it ; so it is with many men who live in the light of the Gospel , and yet are far from God as to any saving knowledge of him in Christ . A man may be your next Neighbour , and yet be as far from kindred , as the farthest in the Town .

The Lord judges men near to him , or afar off , by their hearts ; Heb . 3.12 . Take heed lest there be in any of you an heart of unbelief to depart from the living God . An Hypocrite may be nearer God's people in outside similitude , than a Publican . As a painted Pot on the wall is nearer a Pot in outward similitude than a piece of Clay under your feet , and yet in fitness the Clay is nearer , because it is apter to be made a Pot ; so an humble Publican and Sinner is nearer coming into the Kingdom of God than a proud Pharisee or Hypocrite , because his heart is more tender , and humbled under the sense of sin and wrath : Mark 21.31 . The Publicans and the Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you .

Now the reason of mens going from God as far as they can , i.e. e . by nature , is the enmity that is in man's sinful nature to God ; though God become nigh to our nature in his Sons assuming of it , yet naturally we keep at the greatest distance from his nature , i.e. e . from his holiness and purity : Rom. 8.7 . The carnal mind is enmity against God ; it is not subject to the Law of God , neither indeed can be .

The Greek word signifies the best of a natural man is cross to God ; 〈◇〉 . the more wisdom and wit a natural man hath , the more crosly he acts towards God . This enmity in man to God came in with his fall from God : Before Adam hid not himself from God , but was the friend of God by nature ; his first nature , as Abraham was by grace ; he could lean on God's bosome as the beloved Disciple did on Jesus ; James 2.23 . 2 Pet . 1.4 . Gen. 1. he had the rays of the Divine nature in him , as men in a state of grace have ; God made him to his own likeness , but when he fell from his innocency , his enmity against God came in .

A natural man cannot subject himself to the will of God , nor does he love the likeness of God ; he is a lover of his own lusts more than of God . ● Tim . 3.4 . The Psalmist speaks of haters of God , Psal . 81.15 . and so doth the Apostle , Rom. 1.30 . They care not for acquaintance with God , verse 28. yea , there are men that could wish there were no God .

Application .

1. This is useful to examination , to try our selves , whether we be near God , or gone far from him : And trial in this case is of great concernment to us ; for we may be near to God outwardly , and in a profession of him , yet inwardly be at a distance from him ; as those Jews were in Isa . 29.13 . This people draw near me with their mouths , and with their lips honour me , but have removed their heart far from me . Heb . 3.12 . We must estimate our nearness to , or distance from God , by our hearts . Therefore

1. Is God great or small , high or low , in our hearts account , in himself , and his word , and his works , especially as he is a holy God ? If God be not much in our thoughts , Psal . 104.34 . and dear in our thoughts , as to David , it 's a sign that we are far from God . Out of mind out of sight . What 's the reason that the Stars seem so little to us , that are such great Bodies in themselves , but because they are at a great distance from us , and we from them ? so God is a great God , glorious in holiness , fearful in praises ; Exod . 15. Psal . 63.3 . his loving kindness better than life it self . And if he be not so in our thoughts , and to our hearts , it argues we are far from him ; for were we nigh him , the pleasures , the profits , the honours of the world would be but trifles to us ; these would be far from our hearts if God was near them . I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much , Psal . 119.127 . and doubtless more , than in all riches : I love thy Commandments above gold , yea above fine gold .

2. We may know our distance from God by the chilness and coldness of our minds and affections in his service and ways . As in Winter , when we are at a farther distance from the Sun , days art short , and nights long , we are cold , and it is a dead season with all things : Why so when we are dull and deadhearted in holy imployments , and walk dully as to acts of grace and comfort , it signifies that we are at a distance from God , and he from us , as to his gracious and quickning presence .

3. Men may be known to be far from God by their secure sinning , and sinning without sense . The holy Apostle gives three signs of men that are greatly remote from God , and they are desperate signs . Eph. 4.18 , 15. 1. Their gross ignorance of God : 2. Their sinning without feeling : 3. Their sinning with greediness : Having their understanding darkened , being alienated from the life of God , through the ignorance that is in them , because of the blindness of their hearts , who being past feeling , have given themselves over to lasciviousness , to work all uncleanness with greediness .

When men sin with greediness , it 's a sign they are past feeling , and when they are past feeling , it 's a sign they know not God , and this is a sign , they are alienated from the life of God , and so are at the greatest point of distance from him .

O that men could bewail this cursed disposition , to be willing to be strangers to God , and to be as far from him as they can ; they will go from God to the Devil as Saul did : 1 Sam . 28. Many men fly from God , as from a Lion , and fly to Satan , who is indeed a roaring Lion , 1 Pet . 5.8 . seeking whom he may devour .

CHAP. XIII . Representeth , how natural men are driven further from God by all the good he doth for them ; whence it is thus ; and what Uses are to be made hereof ; from the same Clause , And took his Journey into a far Countrey .

I Have done with the first Doctrine from this Clause of the 13th . Verse : I now proceed to the second , which is this ,

That whatever good God bestowes on natural men , it drives them the further from him .

The more the Sun shines on the Dunghil , the more it stinks . This baseness is in every man by nature ; Isa . 1.2 . Hear O heavens , and give ear O earth , for the Lord hath spoken ; I have nourished and brought up children , and they have rebelled against me . The Lord calls heaven and earth to witness in this strange case ; which , as it is an Apostrophe to Angels , and all the Gentile world , Numb . 20.8 . Psal . 105.31 . concerning the Jews ; so may it also imply , that the whole Creation , even of sensless Creatures , are ( as I may say ) more obedient to God than natural men are .

Moses in Deut . 32.15 . charges Israel thus ; Jeshurun waxed fat , and kicked : Thou art waxed fat &c. Then he forsook God which made him , and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation . This people were worse towards God after their wonderful deliverance from Egypt than before , and worse in Canaan than in the Wilderness . The Lord made no such complaints of Saul , as after he made him King ; 1 Sam . 15.11 . then Saul so miscarried , as It repented the Lord that he had made him King : And we may find many instances besides Saul .

1. Look into the world , and you shall see many men of great parts and learning to imply them against God , rather than for him ; their learning serves them to reason against God and Christ and the Spirit , and the Scriptures , and against the Lord's day , and the Saints ; as the Lord said to Chaldea , Thy wisdome and thy knowledge hath perverted thee ; Isa . 47.10 . and thou hast said in thy heart , I am , and none else besides me . And the Apostle to the Corinthians saith , 1 Cor . 1.21 : The world by wisdom knew not God . Their great parts , natural and acquired , made them the more ignorant of God : 2 Pet . 3.5 . Willingly ignorant , as St. Peter saith .

2. As some use their sine naturals , so others their neat morals against God : Their morality makes them to reason against thorow convictions of sin , and against deep humiliation for sin ; and they are loath to leave their own righteousness to take sanctuary at Christs ; their morals fill them with self-esteem , to think of themselves as that Pharisee said of himself , Luke 18.11 . God , I thank thee , that I am not as other men , or even as this Publican ; I fast twice a week , I give tithes of all that I possess .

Moral men are apt to dote upon self-righteousness like the Jews ; of whom it 's said , Rom. 10.3 . They being ignorant of God's righteousness , and going about to establish their own righteousness , have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God . There is a Meiosis in the last sentence , a gentler word is used than might have been ; for whereas he saith , they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God , he means they have zealously opposed it .

3. There are many who abuse their health , and wealth , and strength , and beauty , and dignity , and turn all against God . Hos . 2.8 . When he gave Israel Corn and Oyl , and Wine , and multiplied their Silver and Gold , they prepared it for Baal ; or made the Idol Baal of it . Natural men do usually make all the kindness which the Lord sheweth them , to be fewel for their lusts ; they spend all upon their lusts , James 4.3 . as St. James saith .

That goodness of God which should lead them to repentance , keeps them from it , Rom. 2.4 . and hardens them against it .

4. Natural men are too apt to turn God's Ordinances and means of grace against him ; as the Scribes and Pharisees would neither go into the Kingdom of Heaven themselves , Matth . 23.13 . nor suffer those that were entring to go in . Christ's offers of himself to many men make them resist the more ; All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a gainsaying people . Rom. 10.21 .

5. They turn his greatest deliverances God hath wrought for them against him ; Jer . 7.10 . Ye come and stand before me in this House , which is called by my Name , and say , we are delivered to do all these abominations .

6. Many imploy the power which God hath given them against his word , and ways , and people : this is plain , if we look upon many , if not most of the powers of the world ; Rom. 13. God gives them power to be a terrour to evil works , and they make it a terrour to good .

Our blessed Saviour foretold this to his Disciples , Matth . 10.18 . Ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake ; Mark 13. and in the Synagogues ye shall be beaten . And thus we see that God's goodness to many men makes them the worse ; they abuse his lovely attributes , as his mercy and patience , to more eagerness in sinning : Eccles . 8.11 . Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily , therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil .

Reasons of the Point

1. Now this comes to pass from the exceeding sinfulness of sin in men , Rom. 7.13 . insomuch as sin by the Commandment becomes exceeding sinful ; sin was more exasperated by the Commandment which was to restrain it . Some men are of such a strange constitution , that their Physick works quite contrary to the Physicians meaning ; as it is a saying , That the Bee sucks honey , but the Spider poison out of sweet Herbs . O the vile and base nature of sin !

Reas . 2. Because men are prone to ascribe to themselves the good things they receive from God : They said not , Jer . 2.6 . where is the Lord that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt . Men attribute that to their own power or parts , which belongs to God . This the Lord knew , when he would not let Gideon and Israel beat and conquer the Midianites with a great force ; Judges 7.2 . Lest Israel vaunt themselves against me , saying , Mine own hand hath saved me .

And saith the Lord to the same people , Deut. 8.12 , 14 , 17. Beware lest when thou hast eaten , and art full , and hast built goodly houses , and thy herds and thy flocks multiply , and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied , then thine heart be lifted up , and thou forget the Lord thy God , which brought thee out of Egypt , &c. And then say in thine heart , My power , and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth .

Application of the Point .

1. This tells us how little reason there is to exalt and magnifie the nature of man , and man's naturals in order to grace , as some men do . For man by nature is a most disingenuous Creature ; he is prone to be worse towards God , by all the good that God does him . What the Lord said to Israel , he may say to all natural men very often , Do ye thus requite the Lord , Deut . 32.6 . O foolish people and unwise ? is not he thy father that hath bought thee ? hath he not made thee , and established thee ? Observe the ill requital ; God was their Lord , their Father , their Maker , their Redeemer , their Establisher : And Israel was foolish , unwise , corrupt , perverse , and crooked . So that there is more reason to debase , than exalt the nature of man , in his behaviour towards God and his grace . A disingenuous nature in man towards man sounds harsh ; Isa . 5.4 . much more towards God . What could I have done more for my Vineyard that I have not done ? wherefore , when I looked that it should bring forth grapes , brought it forth wild grapes ? They tempted God , Psal . 106.7 . and provoked him at the Sea , even at the red Sea ; where he wonderfully delivered them .

A natural man is an unthankful Creature to God ; this is one of his black marks , 2 Tim . 3.2 . unthankful . This is his manner from his youth ; he treads in the steps of unkind Israel : 1 Sam . 10.18 , 19. I brought up Israel out of Egypt , and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians , and out of the hand of all Kingdoms , and of them that oppressed you : And ye have this day rejected your God , who himself saved you out of all your adversities , and your tribulations ; yet ye have this day rejected your God .

It is said of Amazia , 2 Chron . 25.14 . That after God had given him a great victory over the Edomites , he brought their gods , and set them up to be his gods : A strange and sad requital of the strength which the Lord had lent him to conquer his enemies . And of Uzziah his Son it is said , That when God had marvellously helped him , till he was strong , 2 Chron . 26.15 , 16. then his heart was lifted up , and he transgressed against the Lord his God .

2. This bespeaks you all to observe and try your own spirits in this point . O if you , or any of you find upon observation , the goodness of God obliging to your hearts , and that you use to dedicate your Mercies to God , as Hannah did her Son ; 2 Sam . 3. Rom. 12.1 . and your selves as well as your mercies , this is a good sign . Do you lay your selves below your mercies , Gen. 32.10 . as Jacob did ? I am less than the least of all thy mercies thou hast shewed unto thy servant : And do you set God above your mercies , and above your selves also ? Let him do unto me what seemeth good unto him , 2 Sam . 15.26 . And do you use to admire God when you see how mindful he is of you ? saying in your hearts as David did , 2 Sam . 7.18 . Who am I , O Lord God ? or what is my house , that thou hast brought me hitherto ? Now you may conclude that you have more than meer nature in you , that you have grace , which is of the Divine Nature , which begins to exert it self here , in the everlasting imployment you shall have in heaven .

3. Yet because you are not all spirit and grace here , but have sinful flesh , and the flesh lusting against the spirit ; therefore beware of the leaven of natural men , in turning God's goodness to you against him . 1 Cor . 3.1 . Spiritual men may be carnal in some things : So good a man as Hezekiah may pride it after famous deliverances : 2 Chro . 32.25 . And so holy a man as Paul may , if not prevented , 2 Cor . 12. be exalted above measure , after the abundance of revelations . Psal . 30. And David may wax wanton and secure , when God hath made his mountain strong .

O take heed , Christians ; if your Portion here make you proud , because it is great , or discontented because it is little , as you think it , be sure you shall come under Providences to humble you , and bring you to your selves . O let grace watch the corruption of nature , James 4.6 . and use its power over it ; for God giveth more grace , grace that is too strong for the corruption of nature ; but if good days carry you from God , be sure that evil days shall bring you back .

CHAP. XIV . Which sheweth , How unserviceable every man , in his natural estate , is to God ; from the last Clause of the 13th . Verse , And there wasted his Substance with riotous living .

WE are come now to the last Clause of the 13th . Verse , what this younger Son did , when he came into the far Countrey ; There he wasted his substance with riotous living : And the spiritual import of this will teach us many things .

And first , we may observe how this younger Son was worse than that wicked and slothful Servant that hid his Talent , Matth . 25.25 . Though he improved not his Masters goods , yet he did not waste them : But this youngster did ; He wasted his substance with riotous living : From whence we may observe three several points of Doctrine ; the first whereof shall be the subject of this Chapter , viz.

That a natural man is an unprofitable and an unserviceable Creature to God .

He spoils all that goes through his hands ; he pollutes the holy things of God , as those Jews did Mal . 2.7 . He ordinarily takes the name of God in vain by his carnal , careless , customary performances , Hos . 7.8 . and dough-baked duties ; Ephraim is a Cake half-baked . And for the outward good things he hath of God ; James 4.3 . 1 John 2.16 . these he consumes upon his lusts ; the lust of the flesh , the lust of the eyes , and the pride of life . Judges 10.6 . As the Gentile Nations had their several gods , so have natural men their several lusts ; one pleasure , another pride , another covetousness , another intemperance , &c. Corruption of nature in natural men breaks out several ways in several persons , as corruption of the blood and humours of the body , break forth in one disease in one man , and in another disease in another . All natural men have their particular lusts , on which they spend their Father's substance .

They are all like Onesimus before his Conversion , Philem . 11. Rom. 3.12 . unprofitable ; They are together become unprofitable , or rotten , as the Greek imports , and so good for nothing , as we say of a rotten Apple . It may be written on every natural man's grave , who lives and dies in that estate , Here lieth the man that never did God one days good service in all his life ; Nahum 2.10 . Zach. 7.5 . but empty , and void , and waste : or if he did any good , it was to himself , and not to God .

Other Creatures are more usefull to man than natural men are to God : Isa . 1.3 . The Ox knoweth his owner , and the Ass his Master's crib , but Israel doth not know — Balaam's Ass was more serviceable to God , than Balaam himself ; Numb . 6.22 . what service he did , he did it by force , Exod . 9.27 , 28 as Pharaoh was forced to desire Moses his prayers , and to confess he had sinned , and to let Israel go . Exod . 12.

It is true , God may , and doth make use of natual men sometimes in some special service : As he made use of Cyrus to do his good pleasure , in releasing the Jews , Isa . 44.28 . and returning them into their own Countrey , and in their laying the foundation of the Temple .

So Nebuchadnezzer did the Lord a great peice of service against Tyrus , Ezek . 29.18 , 19.20 . and he gave him Egypt for his hire : But alas , he intended no such thing as to do God service in the case , but satisfied his own ambition and lust .

As the Assyrian was the rod of God's anger to punish his sinning people ; Isa . 10.7 . Howbeit he meaneth not so , neither doth his heart think so , but it is in his heart to destroy , to serve his own pride and cruelty , and not the will of God . Zenacherib indeed pretended the service of God , when he came up against Jerusalem , and the Cities of Judah ; Isa . 36.10 . Am I come up without the Lord against this Land to destroy it ? The Lord said unto me , go up and destroy it : But alas , his end was to destroy the Jews , and the God of the Jews also , as he had done the Idol gods of other Nations : Vers . 18 , 19. Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad ? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim ? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand ? that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand ?

All the actions of natural men are from selfprinciples , and to self-ends ; and the service they do God , Zach. 7.5 . is for and to themselves , as the Jews fasting seventy years was .

And the Reason why natural men are unserviceable and useless Creatures to God is , because they are branches without a root ; they are separated from God ; they are in a far Countrey from God , as this Prodigal was from his Father : neither are they in Christ , branches in him . Now when branches are cut off from the Tree , they wither , and bear no fruit . Since the fall all men by nature are separated from God , which was signified by Adam's being thrust out of Paradise , Gen. 3. so that now men by nature are like the fruitless Fig-tree which Jesus cursed : Matth . 21.19 . or they are that wild Olive-tree spoken of in Rom. 11.17 . If some natural men have the leaves of a Fig-tree , yet only leaves without fruit , as that Fig-tree was which our Lord Jesus cursed . Natural men may have moral vertues , and a profession of Religion ; Job 19. but the root of the matter is not in them , as Job's phrase is ; that is , true grace , or the grace of sincerity .

As when the earth lost its blessing it was under at first , 2 & 3 Gen. and came under a curse , in the second and third of Genesis , Gen. 3.18 . then it brought forth thorns and thistles ; Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee . Thus is it with men since the fall , and still in a state of nature ; they bring forth thorns and thistles to God , as the earth doth to man , whilst uncultivated .

In the Prophet Jeremiah they are compared to fallow ground : Jer . 4.3 . The French call it Jash'res from the Latin Jacere , because it lieth idle , and brings not forth grain , but weeds , without the art of man . Thus is it with natural mens hearts till grace alter them ; they are fallow or idle ground , and bring not forth fruit to God : They are void and waste ground , as it 's said of Nineveh , Nahum 2.10 .

Application .

1. This informs us of the excellency of a state of grace ; in this state men are useful to God , not in strictness of speech , for God needs no man : Can a man be profitable to God , Job 21.2 . & 35.7 . as he that is wise may be to himself ? If thou be righteous , what givest thou him ? Yet God is pleased to accept of his people as a useful people to him , Vessels of honour sanctified , 2 Tim . 2.21 . and meet for the master's use , and prepared to every good work .

As it is said in Psal . 113.6 . that the Lord humbled himself , to behold the things that are in heaven , and in the earth : so is the Lord pleased to humble himself in owning himself to have need of his people , as our Lord Jesus bad his Disciples ( if any asked about their loosing the Ass and the Colt ) to say , Matth . 21.3 . The Lord hath need of them .

It is true , all they do for him , or give to him , is of his own ; Thou hast wrought all our works for us . Isa . 26.12 . 1 Chro . 21.14 . Psal . 116.16 . And of thine own have we given thee . Saints are useful Creatures to God . O Lord , truly I am thy servant , I am thy servant , says David . And as David said thus to God , so God said of David , I have found David a man after mine own heart , Acts 13.22 . which shall fulfill all my will . Godliness is profitable to all things , 1 Tim . 4.8 . Godly men and women are like those that came to David to Ziklag ; 1 Chro . 12.2 . Psal . 37.31 . they could use both the right hand and the left . When a man hath the Word of God in his heart , 2 Tim . 3.17 . as every man in a state of grace hath , he is throughly furnished to every good work .

The Saints are the Lord's Eden , they are his Garden , Cant . 4.16 . where he eats his pleasant fruit , and refresheth himself ; we have the expression in Exod . 31.17 . Take heed therefore , you that have grace , that you fail not in your usefulness to God .

2. This should humble natural men , if they had any sense and feeling of their state , that they should be so unserviceable and useless Creatures to God . Many a godly man , though he do bear fruit unto God ; yet not bearing so good , and so much as he would , Isa . 56.3 . and thinks he should , he calls himself a dry tree ; he cries out , O my leanness , my leanness .

But natural men that are fallow ground , their soul is a wilderness , waste ground , an empty vine , or that bringeth forth fruit only to himself , Hos . 10.1 . as it 's said of Israel : he is his own Alpha and Omega , beginning and end ; and yet he hath no sense of his great sin and disingenuity herein .

CHAP. XV . Sheweth , that a natural man is an unprofitable Creature to himself . The several Uses that are to be made hereof . And how the Sins of Self-will and Self-seeking , the great Causes hereof , may be known ; from the same Clause of the 13th . Verse , And there wasted his Substance with riotous living .

I Have done with the first Doctrine from this last Clause of the 13. Verse , viz. That a natural man is an unprofitable and unserviceable Creature to God . I proceed to a second from the same words , which is this , That a natural man is an unprofitable Creature to himself , as well as to God . He wasteth his Substance in a far Countrey . No natural man is wise for himself ; Prov. 9.12 . he may be wise in his time , as the World counts wisdom . Our Saviour saith , Luke 16.8 . The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light ; i.e. in their contrivances for the things of this world .

But this is wisdom from beneath , such as the Serpent is , and teacheth : For indeed no man is truly wise for himself , who is not wise and a forecaster for eternity ; Mark 8.36 . What will it profit a man to gain the whole world , and to lose his own soul ? And as are his profits , Heb . 12.25 . such are his pleasures ; the pleasures of sin for a season : 2 Sam . 2.26 . They will be bitterness in the end , as Joab said of the Sword .

Whatever natural men possess , health or wealth , or parts , or power , yea , or means of grace , they use them not to their true advantage in the end : When their accounts are cast up , it will be found that all is wasted , they have laid up nothing for their eternal comfort , but die infinitely in God's debt : and unless mercy and free grace forgive them and God put their debt on Christ's account , as Paul did Onesimus his , Philem . on his own , they must lie in prison for ever . Every man that dies in his natural state , John 8. dieth in his sins ; he dieth poor , and miserable , Rev. 3.17 . and naked : as our first Parents when they had sinned , Gen. 3. they saw themselves naked within as well as without ; they saw a strange sight of themselves ; they were afraid of themselves , as well as of God ; they were Magor-missabib , Jer . 20. as Pashur was , a terrour to themselves ; so will all natural men be , dying such .

They labour in the fire ; Mos. 12.1 . they sow folly , and reap misery ; they feed upon the wind , and at length the Lord speaks to them out of the whirl-wind ; They shall eat of the fruit of their own way , Prov. 1.31 . and be filled with their own devices .

Those of them that make a fair shew in the world , Numb . 11.20 . Psal . 106.15 . their glut of these worldly things will prove a deadly furfeit to them , as Israels fill of flesh did to them . Death is in the pot of every natural man ; and all their plenty and pleasure here will in the end be like that Manna which the Israelites kept till morning , Exod . 16.20 . which rotted and stank .

Reason of the Doctrine .

Now the Reason why natural men are unprofitable Creatures to themselves is , because their selves , and the satisfying of their lusts , is the beginning and end of all their seekings and gettings . What God gives them , they use not to him , but to themselves , to feed their pride , or covetousness , or intemperance , or revenge : Some lusts or other are fed with all they have .

As whatever a man or woman eats that hath an Ulcer or Cancer in their bodies , feeds those sores ; so does a natural man's estate , power , pleasure , yea his profession of Religion , all feed his lusts .

Natural mens lusts are their rule and their end ; they fashion themselves according to their lusts . 1 Pet . 1.14 . Judges 17.6 . It is natural to men to do that which is good in their own sight . Nothing will be restrained from them that they have imagined , Gen. 11.6 . as the Lord said of the builders of Babel , if they may have their own wills . They say as Pharaoh , Our lusts shall be satisfied , Exod . 15.9 .

Now when a man's own lusts are his rule and his end in all , God will curse and blast all his works and ways in the end ; Isa . 42.8 . he will not give his glory to another , nor his will neither . Therefore did not the Lord make any account of the Jews their seventy years fasting in Captivity , Zach. 7.5 . because they fasted not to him , but to themselves . This Prodigal in the Text was all for himself , and his own lusts , nothing for his Father , or his Father's house ; he was for a far Countrey , and there he wasted and consumed all .

At first man would have had a parity with God , ye shall be as gods — O this took much with them . Isa . 14.13 . This was Lucifer's language , I will be like the most high . It is spoken of the Babylonian Monarch ; yea , man hath pride enough in his nature to prefer himself above God , to think himself wiser than God , Alphonsus . and juster than God . As a King of Spain said , as History tells us , That if he had been at the Creation , he could have ordered some things better .

How did Sennacharib exalt himself above the Lord ! Who are they among all the gods of these lands , that have delivered their land out of my hand , Isa . 36.20 . that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand ? He thought himself of more might than the Almighty . Thus is man by nature great in his own eye , and his own way good , yea the best ; and hereupon he is so good a friend to himself , as to undo himself ; Jer . 4.18 . Thy way and thy doings have procured thee these things .

Application .

1. This shews us the sad Condition of meer natural men , in that their wit , and wealth , and honour , and all their contrivances dwindle away into vanity , as fire doth into smoke ; as that rich fool's Barns did , when it was said unto him , Thou fool , Luke 12.20 . this night shall thy soul be required of thee . They find at the end , that their accounts fall altogether short of their expectations ; their disappointments amaze them , like theirs Hag . 1.6 . Ye have sown much , and brought in little ; ye eat , but ye have not enough ; ye drink , but ye are not filled ; ye clothe you , but there is none warm ; and he that earneth wages , earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes . Poor natural man , he chooses his own ways , but to his own confusion : As Saul said to his son Jonathan , 1 Sam . 20.30 . Thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion . At last , if his condition change not , he will say of all his possessions , and parts , and projects , and pleasures , as Haman did of all his , Esth. 5.13 . All this availeth me nothing . All falls into a little gelly , as Star-like Meteors in the Air do . So unprofitable a Creature is a natural man to himself ; he is ignorant of the true riches , and so hath cheated himself with a meer phantasm of happiness , as the holy Ghost calls Agrippa's and his Queens great pomp in which they came into the Court , Acts 25.23 . they entred 〈◇〉 , with great phancy .

2. Learn we hence , what a destructive thing it is to men to walk in their own ways , to make themselves and their lusts the rule and end of their practice . This young man had much ruined himself this way . It was God's heavy Judgment on the world of the Gentiles , Acts 14.16 . when he suffered them to walk in their own ways : and it was the like Judgment on the Jews , Psal . 81.12 . when he gave them up to their own hearts lust , and they walked in their own counsels . This self-will and self-endednes is the plague of most mens hearts , even in these last days . — Men shall be lovers of their own selves , 2 Tim . 3.2 , 4. and lovers of pleasure , or their own lust , more than of God . O this self in our actions natural , civil , or religious , consumes all our good : It is to mens most specious conversations and accomplishments , as the worm was to Jonah's Gourd , withers all .

There may be leaves , but no fruit , when gathering time comes . This is the reason why many , when they come to die , have so little comfort , yea so much discouragement in the reflections they make on their lives .

3. Therefore in the third place , this point serves to Instruction . If you would be wise for your selves , and reap profit and comfort from your ways , keep corrupt self out of doors ; else all the good you think you do for your selves will be your death , as that part of Annanias his goods he kept back from the Church was his . Acts 5.5 . O learn and labour to have God in your eye , and to interest him above your selves in all your ways and undertakings , and then you 'l make something of them ; you will be sure to have your share in the fruit . Nothing will be lost this way , no not that which may seem to be lost ; He that loseth his life for my sake , Mark 10.39 . shall find it .

We count what we lay out in Land is not wasted , we shall have comings in by it ; but what men or women lay out in intemperance in Meat , and Drink , and Apparel , that vanisheth into nothing , or worse . Thus so much of our time , and gifts , and estate we lay out for , and to God , will be as Land and Substance to us ; we shall have our comings in that will exceed our layings out : But all we lay out on our lusts , it is consumed ; James 4.3 . and all we lay out meerly for self-ends , is all waste . There may be the profits and pleasures of sin for a season , as Heb . 11. but in the end we shall meet with the sting of the Bee ; and all , like Moses's Rod , will turn into a Serpent . And

Condsider first , If your selves be your rule and end in your ways , you are not for God's use , and so he 'l lay you aside ; he will esteem you as broken Vessels , wherein is no pleasure , as he did Coniah ; Jer . 22.28 . The Lord sets apart the man that is godly for himself . The man that will eye God , Psal . 4. and concern God in all he does , this is a man after God's heart , Acts 23.22 . as David was .

If a Vessel into which you put Bear , sours or distasts it , you 'l lay it by till it be sweeter , and use another . Why did God repent that he had made Saul King ? 1 Sam . 15. because he saw he was for himself in his ways and actions , and not for God . Yea ,

2. While men make themselves their rule and their ends in their actions , in their particular Callings , or Profession of Religion , they set themselves in God's room ; and how will God take this ? We see how God took our first Parents attempting to be as gods .

God may make one man to be instead of God to another in some sense , Exod . 4.16 . as he made Moses to Aaron ; but no man may be instead of God to himself , which he is , while his own will is his rule , and himself is the chief end of his works and ways .

All God's own actions are for himself , because there is none above himself , Prov. 16.4 . or like himself . God's holiness and righteousness lies much in willing his own glory ; for he should do himself wrong if he should give it to another , Isa . 42.8 . there being none besides himself capable of it . And so our holiness and righteousness lies much in improving all we are or have to and for God chiefly ; none of our actions may terminate in any created being ; they may not fall short of God and his glory , 1 Cor . 10.31 . as their main scope . As Joab would have David , and not himself to have the honour of taking Rabbah : 2 Sam . 12. so should we do by God ; He is all in all in heaven , and so he should be on earth .

3. The meanest of actions that have God for their bias and mark , hereby become glorious actions ; and as mean as they be to the eye of the world , if it be but the giving a cup of cold water — Christ will have as great care such actions shall not be lost , as he had of the fragments of the miraculous bread and fish with which he fed many thousands ; Matth . 14. he would have all gathered up , and none lost . A reward in heaven is the fruit the meanest actions bear which are thus terminated : They are more glorious things in the eye of God than an Angel's tongue , 1 Cor . 13.1 . or a faith of Miracles . These are actions that will follow their Agents to heaven ; such actions and works as are wrought in God , and for God , will follow a man to God ; Rev. 14.13 . his works shall follow him : They do not go before him , to make way for him ; Christ's works alone have this honour : but they shall certainly follow him , and be to praise , and honour , and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ ; as St. 1 Pet . 1.7 . Peter saith of the faith of Saints .

The Reason why I am so large on this matter is , because a man's dedicating his ways and works to his own will and end , is the reason , as you have seen , why natural men are so unprofitable Creatures to themselves .

Quest . But how shall we know whether God or our selves be our main rule and end in all our ways and actions ?

Answ . 1. Observe what it is that puts you upon good actions , and that sweetens your labour and pains therein : If your own credit , or profit , or other outward self-advantages , then your selves are your main end , and not God : But if the will of God , and glory of God , pleasing of God , and injoying of God bear sway , and be the wings that carry you on ; not your selves , but God is your supream end : As the pains that the people took in Psal . 84. in going from all parts of the Land to Jerusalem , was to meet God in Zion .

2. Observe where you mostly look for reward in your religious and good works . If from men , you are your own ends : if from God , God is your end , especially if you look at God himself for your reward . Gen. 15.2 . The Nurse looks not for a reward of her care from the Child , but the Mother : And so when you look for your reward from God , and not men , you quit your selves from the Spirit of an hypocritical Pharisee , and have an argument for your sincerity , and that God is your mark and motive .

3. Observe what it is wherein thy heart resteth it self in thy passage through this world : If it be for that thou hast estate enough , or repute with men enough , or a sufficiency of other flesh-pleasing circumstances , it is a sign thou art thine own end ; like that rich man in the Gospel , Luke 12. who sang to himself , Soul , take thine ease , thou hast much goods laid up for many years : but if thou hast no hearts ease longer than thou hast God's presence , or restest upon him , and art laying out thy self in his service , and for his glory , thou maist reckon upon it that God is thy great end . This was the great content of Christ's heart , That he did always the things that pleased his Father : John 8.29 . John 17.4 . and , Father , I have glorified thee on earth .

Our Lord Jesus , Heb . 1.4 . even as the Son of man , was much better than the Angels ; yet not his own , but his Fathers will was his rule , John 6.39 . and his Fathers glory his high end ; Joh . 12.27 , 28. What shall I say ? Save me from this hour . Father , glorifie thy Name . This was the comfort of Jesus Christ , when he went out of this world ; Father , I have glorified thee on earth .

O my Brethren , this is one of the greatest points in religion , to look what is your great end in Religion , and in all your conversation in this World , your selves or God : if your selves , you will have a blast on all you do ; do you never so much , you do but waste your Substance your Father hath given you , Isa . 55.2 . as this younger Son did ; You labour for that which satisfieth not . But if God be your motive and your end , you may be sure you labour not in vain , nor spend your strength for nought , for your judgment is with the Lord , Isa . 49.4 . and your reward with your God .

Here is the excellency of grace , that it lifts up your eyes much to God : as it 's the excellency of man's body above that of other living Creatures , in being made erect ; his own figure teaching him to lift his eyes and thoughts up to heaven . Look upon it as an evidence and excellency of grace in your souls , Psal . 25.1 . Psal . 86.4 . Psal . 143.8 . that they are thereby much carried up to God ; Unto thee , O Lord , do I lift up my soul , was much in David's mouth . And it was the use of our Lord Jesus to lift up his eyes to heaven , Joh . 17.1 . & 11.41 .

CHAP. XVI . Sheweth , that when men forsake God , he gives them up to the height of sinning ; from the same Clause , And there wasted his Substance with riotous living .

THERE is yet a third Doctrine from this last Clause of the Thirteenth Verse , viz. That when men depart from God , and cast off his fear and counsel , then he gives them up to the height of sinning . When this younger Brother got from under his Father's eye into a far Countrey , there he lived in all excess of riot ; he lived riotously . And what a life that is , 1 Pet . 4 3 , 4. St. Peter tells us ; a living in lasciviousness , lust , excess of wine , revellings , &c. This was the case of the Jews , when they hearkened not to the Lord's voice , Psal . 81.11 , 12. and would have none of him , he then gave them up to their own hearts lust —

We see the case also exemplified in the Gentiles , when they regarded not God , Rom. 1.24 , 26 , 28. nor liked to retain him in their knowledge , he gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts , and unto vile affections , and unto a reprobate mind , to do those things which are not convenient . As Ahab sold himself to work wickedness , 2 Kings 21. And others gave themselves over to lasciviousness , Eph. 4.19 . to work all uncleanness with greediness , being led captive by the Devil at his will , 2 Tim . 2. 2 Tim . 2.26 .

And such men are within a few steps of the state of the Devils , because they sin wilfully and greedily : There is not only their will in their sinning , but wilfulness and obstinacy . Jer . 44.16 , 17. As for the word thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord , we will not hearken unto thee ; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouths . It 's true , that not only natural men , but such who have grace , do sin ; but not such sins as these sin , nor any sins in such a manner . A godly man may sin a great and gross sin , Gal. 6.2 . but he is tempted to it , and overtaken with it . It was Satan that provoked David to number the people , 1 Chro . 21.1 . And Satan sifted Peter when he fell so foully . Luke 22.

And besides , they greatly afflict their souls for such sins : David watered his Couch with his tears , and writ many penitential Psalms ; Mark 26. and Peter wept bitterly . I , but natural men , especially those who are given up to their own lusts by the just Judgment of God , they sin almost any sins with delight ; Prov. 2.14 . They rejoyce to do evil , and delight in the frowardness of the wicked , that will not endure any reproof ; as many in these loose times rejoyce to make men , and see men drunk . And the Apostle in the first to the Romans , v. 29 , 30 , 31. speaking of the most dreadful sins committed by men , speaks of men that not only do them , but take pleasure in them that do them . Now the more will and affection there is for sin , the more sinful it is . It is more the manner , than matter of sin , that shews the state of the heart . Sin considered simply is not the brand of a reprobate ; for none of the Elect are without sin in this life . 1 Joh . 2.8 . It 's willing and wilful sinning that denotes a wicked man . If the greatest sinner be upon the returning point to God , sin will not damn him ; Repent , and turn from all your transgressions , so iniquity shall not be your ruin . Ezek . 18.30 .

Application .

1. This may be for a lamentation , that in our times there are so many desperate sinners that waste their Substance , not only their wealth , but their health , their parts and places , and all the Lord hath intrusted them with , they waste all in riotous living . Do we see great men great sinners ? we have no need to envy their greatness , but to pity their great sinfulness and folly . Such practical Atheists St. Paul speaks of to Titus 2.16 . They profess they know God , but in works they deny him , being abominable and disobedient , and unto every good work reprobate . And because they profess to know God , and Christ , and the Scriptures , their sin is the greater , as Christ said to the Jews .

2. This may much move you to admire and bless the Lord , whose will , and affections , and content , is taken off from all sin . It 's as great a mercy , as that all your sins are forgiven you ; for both are parts of the Covenant of grace . O look on it as mercy when God hedges up your way , Hos . 2.7 . when you are going out of his .

Art thou fearful when thou sinnest ? bless God for so much mercy . Doth thy heart smite thee when thou hast sinned ? bless God that sense of sin is not taken from thee . Hath God took away pleasure from thy sinning ? bless God thou art so far delivered from sin . How many sinners are past feeling , and given up to a reprobate mind in sinning ?

Quest . But may not such a sinner be converted ?

Answ . It is not impossible ; the case is very dangerous , though not utterly desperate . Conversion hath been the happy lot of the worst of Heathens ; and Publicans and Harlots were converted , Matth . 21.31.32 . and believed . But when men pretend to know God , and to believe in Christ , and yet are greedy sinners , and sin without feeling , their case is more hopeless , and they are very near that heavy sentence , Rev. 22.11 . He that is filthy , let him be filthy still . But when men come to feel a bitterness in sin , and their conscience cannot bear with it , there is now some hope . Thus much for the the thirteenth Verse .

CHAP. XVII . Wherein is shewed , That great pain and sorrow do always follow the pleasures of sin . With Meditations hereupon by way of Use ; from the fourteenth Verse , And when he had spent all , there arose a mighty Famine in that Land , and he began to be in want .

IN the former Verse this younger Son , the Picture of every man by Nature , acted his part in sin ; and in these Verses we see him acting his part in sorrow : there we saw his bravery , here his misery . And here let us consider ,

1. His misery it self in the fourteenth Verse ; And when he had spent all , there arose a mighty Famine in that Land ; and he began to be in want .

2. The Course he took for his relief , in the fifteenth Verse ; And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey : and he sent him into his field to feed Swine .

3. The Ineffectualness of that Course in order to his relief , in the sixteenth Verse ; And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the Swine did eat , and no man gave unto him .

First , Of his distress and misery we have here expressed a double occasion ; 1. He had spent all ; and 2. There arose a mighty Famine in that Land . He was distressed within and without : Within , for he had nothing of his own left ; he had spent all his Substance , his whole Portion ; all was gone : And without also ; there was a Famine in the Land whither he was rambled from his Father's House ; so that he was straitned on all hands . Though there had been a famine , if he had had something of his own , his case had been tolerable ; or though he had nothing of his own , had there not been a Famine in the Land , he might have had hopes of supply : but he is every way distressed , as those Lepers were . If we say , we will go into the City , the Famine is there , 2 Kings 7. and there we shall die : and if we sit still , we die also . And observe , It is said , there arose , or began , a mighty Famine in the Land ; and he began to be in want . All his straits were but the beginning of sorrow , as Christ said , when he had spoken of many sore evils that would befall Judea and Jerusalem ; All these are the beginnings of sorrow : Matth . 24.8 . So was it with this man's straits ; for like the flood , they increased , and prevailed mightily day after day , Gen. 7. The misery of graceless men hath a beginning , but no end , if free grace dispose not otherwise of it in their conversion , as it did in this Prodigal's Case . But we come to the spiritual things which this part of the Parable means and intends .

1. This intimates to us , That great pain and sorrow follows the pleasures of sin : first he spent all his Substance upon his lust ; and then he was in want , and hedged in with straits .

2. It intimates to us , That when men leave God to shift for themselves in this evil World ( which is a far Countrey from God ) they shall find a Famine therein ; i.e. e . they shall find no satisfaction in the Creature : Let them have never so great a Portion , they shall have no satisfaction .

The first of these shall be the subject of this Chapter , viz. That great pain and sorrow follows the pleasures of sin . The sweet of sin is but for a season , and ends in bitterness , Heb . 11.25 . as Joab said of the Sword . Sin's best will be soon spent , and then comes its worst ; but this is not gone so quickly . The Bee hath a sting as well as honey : There is a core in the forbidden Fruit , that will stick in a man's throat when he has eaten it . The pleasures of sin are not immortal things , but very flashes , and they go out like a Candle , with a stinking snuff . Roses stay not always on the Tree , but are gathered , or wither , and shed , and then they leave prickles behind them .

The pleasantness of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was soon gone from Adam and Eve , Gen. 3. and changed into nakedness , and fears , and amazement . When the affections have acted their part in sin , then sin acts its part on the Conscience : yea when the pleasing affections , love , desire , delight , have had their time in sin , then the bitter affections , grief , and sorrow , and vexation , have their season , and that for ever with many ; Cain , and Amnon , and Judas are examples .

While Belshazzar was drinking Wine in the golden Vessels of the Temple , Dan . 5.3 , 4 , 5 , 6 he saw that handwriting on the wall , which made his countenance change , and his thoughts trouble him , and all his joynts to tremble . Sin will punish and plague men when they have spent their love upon it ; Jer . 2.19 . Thine own wickedness shall correct thee .

And though a man have a long day of the pleasure of sin , yet that day will have a night ; and if bitter repentance prevent not , that night will never have day more after it . Rev. 21.25 . Matth . 8.12 . As the Saints in heaven have no night , so the damned in hell have no day , but utter darkness . The pains of sin have a longer season than the pleasures . Rejoyce , O young man , Eccles . 11.9 . in thy youth , or youthful lusts , saith the Preacher , and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth , and walk in the ways of thy heart , and in the sight of thine eyes ; but know thou , that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment .

And Eccles . 8.11 . Though a sinner do evil an hundred times , and his days be prolonged , yet it shall not be well with the wicked . And wo unto the wicked , it shall not be well with him ; Isa . 3.11 . for the reward of his hands shall be given to him : that is , God's unavoidable doom , Rom. 2.9 . Tribulation and auguish upon every soul of man that doth evil . The end of these things is death . Rom. 6.

If men might have the pleasures of sin on earth , and after have the pleasures of God in heaven , the Scriptures would be disproved , and Christ should die in vain , and the Law curse sinners in vain , and upon the matter , God would be found a lyar ; he that believeth not God hath made him a lyar . 1 Joh . 5.10 . And what a heap of blasphemies would these suppositions rise to ?

Nay , if a righteous man should return to the pleasures of sin , Ezek . 18.24 . God hath professed that he should die , and not live . If a righteous man could do the one , God would do the other . If Angels sin , they must not stay in heaven , but be damned . All the world cannot forbid the banns between the pleasures of sin and eternal sorrow , unless Conversion alter the case .

If David will have the pleasure of sin , he must have the pain of it too ; Psal . 6.2 , 3. Psal . 51. his flesh must wither , and his bones be broken ; and his soul must be vexed in him .

It 's true , that our dear Lord Jesus Christ hath taken off the sorrows of sin from the Saints so far , Rom. 8.1 . Heb . 12.10 . as they are mortal ; but not so far as they are medicinable . Though they are kept out of hell , yet they may be brought to the borders . Though the Canaanites shall not hinder Israels possessing of the good Land , yet they may give them great disturbance . It is convenient that sin should end in sorrow in the Elect in this life , that they may taste what sorrow Christ felt for their sins ; and what sorrows the damned do , and shall feel there ; that so they may learn to set a high price and value upon the pardon of their sins , and their escape from condemnation . O when a godly man's Conscience comes to feel the bitter that follows the sweet of any sin , this makes him a great admirer of the free grace of God .

Application .

1. Let this be for a lamentation , That the world , yea much of the Christian world , should be so sottish as to buy the pleasures of sin for a season at such an excessive dear rate , as the hazard of eternal pains . This is like Esau's selling his birth-right for a mess of Pottage . How can such men read or hear the Scripture in Job 21.13 . if they believe it , without horrour ? They spend their days in mirth ( so it is in the Margent ) and suddenly , or in a moment , go down into the grave ; and it may be into hell one part , before into the grave the other .

Satan is the Prince of this world , John 14.30 . 2 Cor . 4.4 . and the god of this world by usurpation ; and he rewards his Subjects with the pleasures of this world , and lusts of this world , to fit them to be tormented with himself in the next . As Abraham said to Dives , Luke 16.25 . Remember , that in thy life time thou hadst thy good things , the pleasures of this world ; but now thou art tormented .

The Devil could not tempt Christ with all the Kingdoms of the world ; but he tempts thousands with the base lusts of the world : He puts many tricks and cheats upon poor sinners . He lessens and sweetens sin before , and in the act ; but greatens and imbitters it afterwards .

He troubles not for sin before he have tempted men to it , and then he often falls on the Conscience , as he did on Cain's ; Gen. 4.13 . Mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven ; and the punishment of my sin is greater than I can bear . Sin may be sweet in the swallow , as some Vomits are ; but then it torments when it is in the stomack , and brings up bitter stuff : But here is the misery of it , that men will not believe till they feel , John 20. as Thomas his unbelief said ; except I feel , and see , I will not believe . Those that tell men of these things , they seem to them as mockers , Gen. 19.14 . as Lot did to his Sons in Law , and say in their hearts as those scoffing Jews at the Prophets threatning their sins with judgments ; Let him make speed , Isa . 5.19 . and hasten his work , that we may see it ; and let the counsel of the holy one of Israel draw nigh , and come , that we may know it .

It hath been an old practice of sinners to flatter themselves in the fulfilling their lusts ; Deut . 29.19 . I shall have peace , though I walk in the imagination of mine own heart . He flattereth himself in his own eyes , till his iniquity be found to be hateful , Psal . Matth . 24. 36.2 . Our blessed Saviour saith , that in the days before the flood , they were eating and drinking , &c. and knew not till the flood came , and took them all away . And knew not ! Did not Noah forewarn them many years ? Yes , but they did not regard or believe him , Hos . 4.11 . till they saw it : Whoredome , and wine , and new wine , took away their hearts , and reason , Hos . 11.12 . and senses . Thus men compass themselves about with lies , Isa . 50.11 . and with the sparks of their own fire ; with their own fond reasonings and vain hopes . But what saith God to them ? This ye shall have at my hands , ye shall lie down in sorrow .

St. Paul reckons this amongst the sins of the last times or days ; 2 Tim . 3.4 . Men shall be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God . They let their own lusts take place of God in their hearts . What is it to be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God , but to follow a man's own lusts , rather than the will of God ? When a man's pleasures take him off , or put him by any duty that God commands him , why now he loves his pleasure more than God : It 's a plain conviction in the case .

For as Faith works by love , Gal. 5.6 . so love worketh by obedience . John 14.15 . If ye love me keep my Commandments . So that when men will break through a Command of God to take their own pleasure , now they are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God . But , O ye simple ones , Prov. 1.21 . how long will ye love simplicity ? O turn ye at this days reproof ; It 's infinitely better to grieve and afflict your souls for sin , than to take pleasure in it . O sorrow for sin at present , that ye may not sorrow by it for ever ; unless you do the former , you must do the latter ; unless you do sorrow , you shall sorrow , as he said , Periissem , nisi pertissem , I had been undone , if I had not been undone . Seek then to sorrow for sin with sorrow that is to conversion , that ye may escape sorrow for sin that will be to your confusion .

Let me put this Question to every such person that takes pleasure in their lusts that count it pleasure to riot in the day time ; 2 Thess. 2.12 . 2 Pet . 2.13 . Rom. 13. ult . sporting themselves with their own deceivings ; making provision for the flesh .

Let me ask these that question which was asked those Oppressors in Isa . 10.3 . What will ye do in the day of Visitation ? Do ye think to escape the Judgment of God ? Rom. 2.3 . You must feel the bitter of sin , as well as the sweet : If I have done so and so , saith Job ; Job 31. What shall I do when God riseth up ? and when he visiteth , what shall I answer him ? And if Job cannot , how canst thou ? Thou wilt have nothing within or without to speak a good word for thee .

Thy affections will lothe the things that thou did so lust after , 2 Sam . 13. as Amnon did . And thy memory will be wormwood and gall to thee , as theirs was , Lam . 3.19 . And thy Conscience will vex and trouble thee ; it will be the Executioner of God's displeasure upon thee for thy pleasure taken , and sinful ways . John 12.48 . And that Word of God which thou despisedst and rejectedst , will judge thee . And thy Companions in evil , that were wont to encourage and drill thee on to evil , they 'l say to thee , as the High Priest did to Judas in his agony of Conscience , Mark 27. I have betraied innocet blood ; Caveat emptor ; what 's that to us ? See thou to that .

Yea , every thing that thou expectest relief from in the day of thy sorrow , and bitterness of thy soul , all will say to thee , as the King of Israel did to that Widow which cried out , 2 Kings 6. Help , O King : If the Lord do not help thee , whence should I help thee ?

And again , to take every man off from taking pleasure in sin , in sin that offers the most , let a man consider this , That there is more real evil in sin that appears most pleasing , than there is in all the sorrows and miseries of the world : therefore Moses chose rather to suffer afflictions , Heb . 11.25 . even the greatest tribulations with the people of God , than to enjoy the pleasures of sin ; And other Saints have chosen the greatest torments imaginable , rather than sin , or a sinful escape from them , verse 35 , 36 , 37.

And our Lord Jesus Christ , who was willing to be a man of sorrows , and acquainted with grief , Isa . 53.1 . yea , to be made a curse , and to suffer the wrath of God , which was hell to his soul , Mark 1. so long as it lasted , and all to save his people from their sins : yet would he not have done the least sin himself , to have kept them from hell ; Who did no sin , 2 Pet . 2.22 . and knew no sin ( i.e. ) by experience in himself : The former text explains the latter . 2 Cor . 5.21 . He was willing to bear all their sins upon him , 1 Pet . 2.24 . but would not have the least of sin in him . The Prince of this world cometh , John 14.30 . and hath nothing in me .

And so holy Paul groaned more under the weight of sin , than of all his sufferings ; when in 2 Cor . 11.23 . — he had numbred them to a great sum ; In stripes above measure ; in prisons more frequent ; 2 Cor . 12.11 . in death oft — yet he could glory in these , verse 30. and take pleasure in them , as brave Souldiers do in their scars , as badges of honour . But when he speaks of sin that dwelleth in him , he groans grievously ; O wretched man that I am — Rom. 7.24 .

A Saint is not well pleased with any sin , nor does he at any time rejoice in sin , as he usually doth in his sufferings for well-doing ; as Moses chose rather to suffer affliction , than to enjoy the pleasure of sin , Heb . 11.25 . Sin of it self is misery ; as God in himself is blessedness . There is bitterness in sin , as well as for sin . It is bitterness to the people of God , Psal . 38. abstracted from its punishment ; Mine iniquities are a burthen too heavy to bear . And sin is bitter to God himself : That in Lam . 2.18 . Lam . 2.18 . I have rebelled against his Commandment , may be read , I have made bitter his mouth . So in Deuteronomy , De●ut . 32.32 . Their grapes are grapes of gall , their clusters are bitter : Their Vine was their sinful nature ; and their grapes their sinful works ; and these were bitter to God , to speak , as himself doth , after the manner of men .

There is more evil in sin , than in the punishment of it . Indeed sin it self is the greatest punishment that God inflicteth on sinners in this World : Because those Heathens sinned so greatly , therefore , as a punishment , Rom. 1.26 , 28. God gave them up to vile affections , and to a reprobate mind . Their latter sins were the punishment of their former , without any unrighteousness in God : And therefore when the Apostle had spoken of Gods punishment God inflicted on them for their sins , viz. his giving them over to sin , he saith of it , 〈◇〉 , it was that which was meet ; receiving in themselves that recompence of their errour which was meet , in the 27th . verse . O how great is the evil of sin , when God makes sin the highest punishment of sin out of hell ? 2 Thess. 2.12 . Because they received not the love of the truth ; for this cause God shall send them strong delusions , that they should believe a lie .

Quest . But how can men take pleasure in sin , if sin be the greatest punishment of sin in this life ?

Answ . Because whilst they are under the power of sin , it is no burthen to them , but pleasure : As a man that swims or dives under the water , feels it not a burthen , but pleasure to him ; whereas if he went out of the water , the tenth part of that water on his shoulders would make him groan , and sink him down . And so when a man is delivered from under the dominion of sin , as he is when he cometh into a state of grace , those sins which were easie and pleasant to him before grace , are now the greatest trouble and vexation .

You see then how little reason men have to phansy pleasure in sin , or to reckon themselves happy when they may have their lusts ; let not therefore our eyes dazzle at the men of this world , that have their fill of the pleasures of sin , and have liberty and opportunity to fulfill their lusts . Psal . 73.12 , 13. Jer . 12.12 . It was Asaph's infirmity , and Jeremiah's too , to be troubled in their minds at such a sight .

Alas , all their pomp is but a phantasy , as St. Paul saith of that of Agrippa and Berenice ; Acts 25.28 . Psal . 39. so it is in the Greek : All is but a vain shew ; as is a Dream when one awaketh ; So , O Lord , Psal . 73.20 . when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image . Dreams of honour , and pleasures , and riches , are not real , but imaginary things ; men find it so when they awake out of their dreams .

Thus doth God make all these mens delight and pleasure in their lusts , the lusts of the flesh , 1 John 2.16 . the lusts of the eye , and the pride of life to be but imaginary delights in their own sense and experience , when he awakens to Judgment , and awakens their Consciences unto Judgment .

We should therefore tremble at their courses , as well as their ends . So did holy Paul at their debaucheries he speaks of in Philip . 3.19 . Many walk of whom I have told you often , and now tell you weeping , that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ , whose end is destruction , whose God is their belly , and whose glory is in their shame , who mind earthly things .

These men seem like to Leviathan , Job 41.33 . made without fear ; they laugh at mens threatnings , and God's threatnings for sin , as Leviathan is said to do at the shaking of a Spear . Job 41.20 . These spend their days in sinful mirth , Job 21. and in a moment go down to the grave , or to hell . They have pleasure and mirth no where but on earth ; not in the grave , for that is darkness and silence ; not in hell , there is nothing but weeping , and wailing , and gnashing of teeth ; and they are sure to have none in heaven , for no unclean thing comes there . O that these would remember what Father Abraham said to Dives ; Luke 16. Son , remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things , but now thou art tormented . Sins that have been sweet to the affections , will be bitter at length to the Conscience : As St. Rev. 10. John's Book was sweet in his mouth , but bitter in his belly . Hos . 2.6 , 7. Gen. 3. O happy were men , if God did hedge up the way from the pleasures in sin , as he did the way of the Tree of Life from man by a flaming Sword .

CHAP. XVIII . Manifesting , That whenever men set their hearts upon the things of this world , God makes them all empty and unsatisfactory to them : The several ways God takes to bring this to pass : And what use we are to make hereof ; from the same fourteenth Verse , And when he had spent all , there arose a mighty Famine in that Land , and he began to be in want .

I Have done with the first Doctrine from this Verse , scil . That great pain and sorrow do always follow the pleasures of sin . I next proceed to the second , which is this ; That when mens hearts go a whoring from God to the world , and the lusts of it , they meet with a famine or emptiness therein . That Scripture , Psal . 73.27 . is express for it , and it 's full of terrour ; For so , they that are far from thee shall perish : thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee . Where God is not , there is a Famine This far Countrey is this present evil World ; and God and this World are at a great distance : Gal. 1.4 . Know ye not , that the friendship of this world is enmity with God ? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God . And in another place , James 4.4 . If any man love the world , the love of the Father is not in him : for all that is in the world , the lusts of the flesh , the lusts of the eyes , and the pride of life is not of the Father , but of the world . When earnal men court the vanities of the world , they bid defiance to God ; and God will be avenged on them , in making the things of the world , which they so court , to be vanity and vexation of spirit to them . When mens minds go a whoring from God after the world , and the things of the world , they meet with a mighty Famine .

But the men of this world have their Portion in this world , Psal . 17.14 . and God fills them with his hid treasure ; it may may be with silver , and gold , and other precious things digged out of the earth : And they have more than heart could wish ; Psal . 73.7 . more than they once imagined they should ever have had .

Suppose this , and yet there may be a famine in the heart and mind ; Job 20.22 . In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits . Esth. 5.11 . So it was with Haman , Esth. 5. when he had told his wife and friends of the glory of his riches , and the multitude of his children , and all the things wherein the King had promoted him , and how he had advanced him above the Princes — yet says he , All this availeth me nothing — So when Esau said to Jacob , I have enough Brother , Gen. 33.9 . it was but a flourish ; his heart said little enough .

2. God disables the Creature from satisfying any man , when he sets it in his heart instead of God . Jonas was exceeding glad of his gourd , i.e. e . Jonah 4. overmuch ; and presently a worm is sent to wither it . Jer . 2.13 . When men forsake the fountain of living waters , they hew them out broken Cisterns that can hold no water . There is a lie in them : Prov. 23.3 . They are like salt meats , that increase a man's thirst . The more of the world , the more craving is the worldly heart : It is hydropical , still thirsting after something he hath not , or something more of what he hath .

Solomon is a famous instance in the case , and may be instar omnium , one for all . It is said of him , that when he was old , 1 Kings 11.4 . his wives turned away his heart after other gods : And now he left God , as this Son did his Father's house , he went into a far Countrey ; and setting his heart on the lusts of the world , he met with a mighty famine amongst all things under the Sun , or over all the face of the earth : He was King in Jerusalem , Gen. 41.5 , 6. and he gave his heart to seek and search out by wisdom ( i.e. carnal or earthly wisdom ) concerning all things that are done under the heavens ; i.e. to find out happiness ; but he found this to be fore travel : Eccles . 1.12 . — He tried all Creatures for satisfaction , but found it not ; every Creature said , It is not in me . Job 28.14 . In all his fulness his heart was empty ; he met a mighty famine over all the world . None in all the world like him for parts and knowledge ; he was the wonder of the world for these : They came from all parts of the earth , 1 Kings 4.34 . even from all Kings of the earth , to hear of his wisdom . Aristotle , who by many is called Natures Secretary , was but a Novice to Solomon .

And beside his high and extraordinary parts , his riches were so vast , 2 Chro . 9.27 . as that silver was plentiful as stones in Jerusalem . And he had sumptuous buildings , Eccles . 2. and he kept a sumptuous Court , 1 Kings 4. His Dominions were large and extensive ; and his Kingdom exceeding great : And he gave his heart to mirth and pleasure ; Eccles . 2.1 . and whatsoever his eyes desired , he kept not from them ; I withheld not my heart from any joy , v. 10. And yet this was the summa totalis , the sum of all , v. 11. Behold , all is vanity and vexation of spirit .

Wherever Solomon looked for satisfaction and happiness out of God , he was failed in his expectation . As when Eve brought forth Cain , she thought she had born the promised Seed , Gen. 3. but she found herself utterly mistaken ; and therefore names her next Son Abel , ●e . vanity . But Solomon doubles it , after his enquiry for content in all things under the Sun ; Eccles . 1.2 . Vanity of vanities , saith the Preacher , Vanity of vanities , all is vanity .

And herein God was merciful to Solomon , in that he would let him find no rest to his Soul out of God ; as God said to Israel when their hearts went a whoring from him ; Deut . 28.65 . Thou shalt find no ease , neither shall the sole of thy foot find rest amongst those Nations where the Lord shall scatter thee .

If a wounded man find a weed in the field that will give him ease , he 'l not go to the Chirurgion : And so if a natural man's heart can find satisfaction in any thing of this world , he will not go to God . Whilst the Prodigal could make any shift , he had no thoughts on his Fathers house .

1. Now the Lord disables the whole Creation from giving satisfaction to men , sometimes by removing them from their place . Isa . 38.8 . As he made the Sun go back ten degrees by the shadow on Ahaz his Dial : So does he by mens Creature enjoyments on which their hearts are set ; Psal . 18. Lovers and friends hast thou put far from me , and mine acquaintance into darkness . God often cuts down the Tree , Lam . 4.20 . under whose shade a man reckons upon it to find refreshing . This was Job's case , Job 19. from the thirteenth Verse to the twentieth ; He hath put my brethren far from me , and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me . — My breath is strange to my wife . — And it was David's case at Ziklag ; 1 Sam . 30.6 . his followers , who had stood by him in that distress , talked of stoning him .

2. Sometimes , though the Lord lets a man's Creature comforts remain with him , yet he locks up their vertue ; so that though he have their presence , yet he hath not their influence ; as he shut the heavens in Elias his time , James 5.17 . that it rained not for the space of three years and six months . As the Lord doth sometimes shut up the nocent and destructive power of the Creature from his servants ; as he did that of the fire from the three young men , Dan . 3. Dan 6. Acts 28. and of the Lions from Daniel , and of the Viper from Paul : So he often shuts up the cheering and gladding power of the Creatures from men that have them in abundance . Manna may seem but light and loathsome meat to Israel .

3. God doth often disable the faculties in men for taking any comfort in whatsoever they possess . Man's faculties are frequently vitiated , like the mouth and palate in a Fever , that cannot relish the best drink . The light of the Sun hurts a weak eye . Gen. 21.19 . Hagar saw not the Well of water when her Son was ready to die for thirst , till God opened her eyes . And the Preacher speaks his own experience in this case ; Eccles . 6.1 , 2. There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun , and it is common among men : A man to whom God hath given riches and honour , so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all he desireth , yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof . What 's the most pleasant Instrument , where there is not Art to use it ? No man hath the Key of the Creatures influence , that opens and shuts at pleasure , but God , himself .

Application .

1. This Doctrine serves for Caution to all : Take heed you leave not your Father's house , to go into this far Countrey : if you do , you are sure to meet with a mighty famine ; Isa . 44.20 . you 'l find you feed on Ashes . God will let a man find no content in any thing , that finds it not in him , or seeks it not there . God hath made the whole Creation too narrow for the soul of man , much more for the hearts of Saints . If your heart settle and fix on any Creature , you will find it will pinch you , as a narrow shoe doth the foot .

The soul of man is from God ; Gen. 2.7 . God breathed into man the breath of life , and he became a living soul . And so the soul that came from God , Eccles . 12.7 . Hos . 3.3 . is for God , and not for another . God is for the soul , and the soul for God . Lam . 3.24 . Prov. 23.26 . The Lord is my portion , saith my soul . And saith the Lord , My son , give me thy heart . Man was made in the image of God , that nothing but God should satisfie man . God was satisfied with himself , when there was nothing else besides himself ; and man should be satisfied with God alone ; I am God Alsufficient .

It 's said God rested not till he had made man ; nor should man rest till he enjoy God ; nay , man cannot . A man may say , as he did Luke 12. Soul , take thine ease , thou hast much goods laid up for many years : I , but God will call him fool for it .

When David had a Kingdom , or a promise of it , this would not satisfie him without God . Psal . 42.1 . As the hart panteth after the water brooks , so panteth my soul after thee , O God . It is God alone that can give a man his hearts desire : Psal . 37.4 . Delight thy self in the Lord , and he shall give thee thy hearts desire . O Israel , open thy mouth wide , and I will fill it . Psal . 81.10 . Isa . 65.13 . Behold , my servants shall eat ; but ye shall be hungry . This is the difference betwixt those that enjoy God , and other men .

Nature in man must have bread , but grace in man must have God . Give a gracious soul all the world , and take away God , and you give him stones for bread . He says as Micha , Judges 18.24 . Ye have taken away my gods , and what have I more ? In thee are all my springs , saith the holy Psalmist . Psal . 87. ult . A godly man can no more live without God , as many do , Eph. 2.12 . than a fish can live out of the water .

Quest . But hath not godliness the promise of the life that now is ? 1 Tim . 4.8 . And he tells the Saints , 1 Cor . 3.21 — that all things are theirs ; even the world , and things present —

Answ . I ; but not to set their hearts on . These things must keep in the Suburbs of your heart , Prov. 23.26 . Eph. 3.16 . but not come into them . The heart is God's place , and Christ's place . 1 Cor . 7.31 . Saints may use this world , but not abuse it ; which they do , when they set their hearts on it . You may desire the things of this world , but not lust after them , as Israel did after flesh . Your lustings after them will make you lean or thin from day to day , 2 Sam . 13.4 . as Amnon's lusting after Tamar did ; and make you surfeit of them when you have them , as the people did of their flesh . Num . 6.11 .

While the humours of the body keep within their measure , the body hath an encrease or good temperament ; but if they get into the excess , some sickness commonly follows : So is it with the soul , while affections keep their stint to these outward things , what you have you 'l enjoy comfortably ; God adds no sorrow with them ; Prov. 10.22 . Eccles . 2.24 . but gives you power to eat — and to see good in your labour and portion here . And as you 'l have comfort in what you have ; so what you have not , you will feel no need of it .

But if affections run out , and exceed their bounds , instead of satisfaction , and enough , you 'l find a famine and dearth in your selves . And therefore when your hearts are settling here , say to them , Mich . 2.10 . Arise , this is not your rest . When men seek for rest in a Countrey far from God , they will be like the unclean spirit , which walketh through dry places , Matth . 12.43 . seeking rest , and findeth none .

Quest . But are godly persons in danger of this , to let their minds go astray to these outward things ?

Answ . Yes ; they may enter into this temptation . Christ's Disciples hanker'd after great things in this world ; their thoughts were busied about an earthly Kingdom , both before Christ's death , and after his resurrection . Mark 10.33 , 35 — James and John made their requests for the greatest places there , even when he had been telling them of his sufferings at hand . And after his Resurrection , all his Disciples jointly asked the question , Lord , Acts 1.6 . wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel .

The world may steal away a godly man's heart from God ; 2 Sam . 15. as Absolom did the peoples from David . Gen. 34. When Dinah went to see the daughters of the Land , she was defiled by Shechem : and so if Christians do not over-see their hearts , they will be gadding to change their way , Jer . 2.36 . like the Jews ; and now it 's ten to one the world defiles and deflowrs their hearts . Our blessed Saviour saw it needful to Caution his Disciples to take heed lest their hearts be overcharged with the cares of this world . Luke 21.34 . They had in them that 〈◇〉 , that common poyson of nature , which , when abetted by Satan's temptations , may draw our hearts , as well as theirs , to court the world and the lusts of it ; The lusts of the flesh , the lusts of the eye , and the pride of life . 1 John 2.16 .

We know how righteous Noah was thus overtaken after the flood ; Gen. 9. Gen. 19. and Lot , when out of Sodom . And it was after he had spoken of these days of Noah , that Christ gave that Caution to his Disciples . So much for this Doctrine from the fourteenth Verse , viz. That when mens hearts go a whoring from God to the world , and the lusts of it , they meet with a famine or emptiness therein .

CHAP. XIX . Sheweth , That troubles of Conscience are God's preparative to a Sinner's Conversion : And the Reasons hereof . How God sometimes varies his Method : And to what end . What degree of sorrow requisite : With the Application of the whole ; from the last Clause of the fourteenth Verse , And he began to be in want .

I HAVE done with the two former Doctrines from the fourteenth Verse . I come to the third from the last Clause , viz. That God brings a sinner into Soul or Conscience straits in order to his Conversion . The Prodigal's Case tells us this ; There arose a mighty famine in that Land , that far Countrey , and he began to be in want . This fell out before his return to his Father . The spiritual meaning and signification whereof is , That troubles of Conscience or Soul straits , are God's preparative to a sinner's returning to him . Mark 3. They are the sick that need the Physician . There is indeed sorrow and trouble for sin after Conversion , 2 Cor . 7. which is called godly sorrow ; and this sorrow for sin is grace , for it is sorrow for sin , as sin is an unkindness to God : But this I am not speaking to now . There is a sorrow for sin before Conversion , and in order to it , which is not grace , but a preparation to it .

Indeed this sorrow for sin , and trouble of Conscience in the sinners apprehension of wrath , may be dangerous , and an hinderance to grace , if not rightly ballas'd ; It may bring to despair , as it did Cain , and Saul , and Judas : But rightly improved , it is a happy preparative to a natural man's return to God , as we see in this Prodigal . I say it is a happy preparative : because , though this trouble of Conscience begin in self-love , which God doth allow a sinner ; yet he knoweth it will end in love to Jesus Christ ; Luke 75. as that womans , called 〈◇〉 , a noted sinner , when she knew that much was forgiven her , she loved much .

This conviction of sin and pain of Conscience , through feeling or fear of Divine wrath , driveth a sinner to cast about for ease , and a better state than now he is in .

Quest . But how is a man prepared for Conversion by his sense of sin and misery ?

Answ . 1. This removes the barrs to a man's Conversion ; scil . his ignorance , wilfulness , security , pride , self-flattery and presumption : These vanish away , when the true sense of sin and misery come into to the Soul . When the Earthquake had set open the Prison doors , and put the Goaler into a trembling in his body and soul , Acts 16. he then cries out to those men he had used so severely , Sirs , what must I do to be saved ?

But yet if Christ carry not on this work farther by giving in converting grace , it will be but a false Conception , or a miscarrying Womb . For the Law in its humbling and terrifying work gives not grace , but helps in fitting the heart to receive it . These sorrows of Conscience by the work of the Law level the hills and strong holds of pride and presumption that hinder grace . John must prepare the way of the Lord .

There are two things required in a sinners Conversion ; the removal of impediments , and the influence of grace into the heart . The one is the work of the Law , i.e. e . conviction of sin and labourings in the Conscience ; and the other is Christ and his Gospel . If a room have light , there must be openings of the shuts , and shining of light of the Sun. If the shuts be not withdrawn , the Sun cannot shine into the room , nor the light come in ; and if the Sun be not up , there can come no light , though the shuts be open . So impediments to Conversion must be removed by conviction of sin , and then God shines into the heart with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ . 2 Cor . 4.6 .

2. Sense of sin , and straits of Conscience for it , make the sinner feel a need of Christ , as the Disciples did when the winds and storms were ready to sink the Ship or Vessel ; Lord save us , we perish . Matth . 8.24 . Thus when storms arise in the Conscience of a sinner , now if the work be not hindered , it comes to this , Acts 2.37 . Men and brethren what shall we do ? and Sirs , what must I do to be saved ? Acts 16.30 . And now Christ is likely to be received on his own terms , i.e. e . with his Yoke and Cross : For no sorrows or sufferings for Christ are so bitter , as sorrow and sufferings in Conscience for sin before a man come unto Christ .

Quest . But doth God need this preparation-work in the conversion of sinners ? Can he not give grace without thus shattering the Consciences of poor sinners ?

Answ . The Question is not so properly what God can do , as what he will do in the case . This hath been God's path that he hath usually trodden in the work of Conversion , in the Conversion of adulti , such as have the use of Reason . Christ Jesus gave not grace to stocks or stones ( though God is able to raise up Children to Abraham of stones ; ) Matth . 3.9 . but Jesus gave grace to men and women prepared to it by the ministry of John the Baptist , who preached first Repentance for sin , Matth . 3.2 . and then Faith in Christ . He can , and doubtless doth give grace to Children , as to those he took up in his arms and blessed : Mark 10. But he gives grace in another way to such ; the same grace , but in a different way .

And this also must be yielded , That every sinners Conscience is not wounded alike in order to Conversion . The Smith makes not every Nail with his great Hammer ; nor doth God smite every man's Conscience with the like terrour of the Law , that he brings to grace . 2 Chro . 33.12 . Manasseh was greatly humbled ; and who knoweth how greatly ? But if the Lord deal more favourably with some others , why should any man complain that his bones are set with a little pain ? The Physician knoweth best how to use his Patient . God has pity on many a poor soul under the sense of sin , and drops of his wrath , lest Satan should get an advantage ; 2 Cor . 2.8 , 11 which was the reason why St. Paul willed the Corinthians to carry it gently towards the repenting and grieving incestuous person .

O then bless God , if in thy Conversion he hath abated thee any thing of those terrible and most severe shakings of Conscience , that some other sinners have had in theirs .

It 's true , that there are amazing Convulsions of Conscience in some men , who never reach Conversion , or saving Humiliation for sin ; Gen. 4.13 . 1 Kings 21. as in Cain and in Ahab : Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself ? So in Judas , Matth . 27.

And there is in some a silent sorrowing for sin , which though it make no great noise in the Conscience , yet it kindly melts the heart , and makes a man lothe both his sins and himself , and fall into dear love with his Saviour . This was the Case of that woman in Luke 7. And for ought we read , most that the Lord Jesus himself called , he called in this way . He converted many Publicans and Sinners with a still voice : The bruised reed he did not break , Mark 12.20 . nor quench the smoaking flax . He opened many sinners hearts without any terrifying-alarms of Conscience , as he did Lydia's . Acts 16.14 .

God can humble a sinner as well by the sense of mercy and free grace , as by the sense of his wrath . This is certain , that the Lord doth change his way in the Conversion of sinners : He hath , as St. Jude saith , compassion on some , putting a difference ; Jude 22 , 23. and others he pulls out of the fire . A yielding block needs not so great and hard a wedge , as a hard knotty piece of wood doth .

And God lets some endure the greater pangs and throws in their Conversion , that they may be the better Midwives to those that may need them in the like condition . God useth the same matter and method in every sinner's Conversion ; first conviction of sin , and then conviction of righteousnes — yet he uses not the same degrees : Some men have the sight of sin and of Christ almost together .

Quest . But what is the measure or required degree of humiliation or trouble of Conscience for sin in order to conversion ?

Answ . When there hath been so much as brings the sinner out of himself , and off from all other Sanctuaries to Jesus Christ ; and so to Christ , as that his mind would know him as the Gospel holds him forth to sinners ; and the will would choose him , and the affections incline to embrace him , and upon his own terms ; then there hath been sufficient trouble of Conscience for sin in order to a sinner's Conversion . This was Mary Magdalens Case in Luke 7. for she is probably thought to be that woman , a noted sinner .

The end of the terrour of the Law is to bring men to Christ , Gal. 3.24 . Indeed if trouble of Conscience drive sinners to Christ , only to prevent and save from damnation , this is not enough : For a throughly humbled sinner would have Christ , to escape the dominion , as well as the damnation of sin . He doth not divide Christ , but takes him in the whole ; with his Scepter to rule in and over him and his sins , as well as with his Censer to offer Sacrifice for them . Sufficient sorrow for sin takes a man not only off of his shifts , but off of his lusts also . He is weary of sin as well as sorrow . Mark 11.28 . Christ sanctifying is welcome to him , as well as Christ saving ; and Christ purging , as well as Christ pardoning . A sinner is not sufficiently terrified with sin and wrath , till he come to say to Jesus Christ , as Saul did at his Conversion , Lord , Acts 9.6 . what wilt thou have me to do ?

Application .

1. Let every man see to it , that his sorrow for sin have been sufficient ; that it hath shew'd him his lost condition ; turned him from all refuges but Jesus Christ ; made him willing to give as well as to take ; willing that he be Christs , as Christ his . Sorrow for sin that hath not these effects , is not sufficient .

Many sinners look on sin through false Glasses : as 1. They measure sin by their own phansies , and so look upon it as a dead Serpent without a sting , or as a painted Lion , and so without fear of danger . Few men see sin with God's curse as it 's sting ; 1 Cor . 15.56 . The strength of sin is the Law . How ? As it curses the sinner ; as it is Mount Ebal to the sinner .

2. Men commonly judge of sin by God's patience towards sinners , and not by God's word . Because God lets sinners alone at present , and holds his peace ; and because sentence is not speedily executed against an evil work ; Psal . 50.21 . Eccles . 8.11 . therefore the heart of man is fully set in them to do evil .

But what saith God , to undeceive such men , in the quoted Psalm ? These things hast thou done , and I kept silence ; and thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self : but I will reprove thee , and set thy sins in order before thee .

God's patience should greaten sin in our eyes , and not lessen it ; Rom. 2.4 , 5. because sin multiplies under patience . Though God have long patience , yet there will be a day of reckoning betwixt him and the sinner : His transgression is sealed up in a bag ; and God sews up his iniquity ; Job 14.17 . as Job's expressions are . Yea , God himself saith as much Deut. 32.34 . Is not this laid up instore with me , and sealed up among my treasure ? O then let men judge of sin , not by God's patience , but by his Law . Look on every sin as a debt in God's Book , that must be answered for . Christ would have us so to estimate sin , Matth . 6.12 . so that all our sins must be answered for , as having brought us into debt to Gods Law and Justice ; and we , or Christ for us , must pay the debt : We cannot ; and Christ will not pay any sinners debt , that knows not his debt and his own inability to satisfie it . Christ shed not his blood for presuming sinners . There was no Sacrifice allowed in the Law for sins of presumption . Numb . 15.30 .

Therefore it 's the safest way for sinners to be Nathans to themselves , to discover their own sins to their souls , to load their prayers with confessions of them , and to give full audience to the Lectures of Conscience that will speak home to the sinner first or last . Sin lies at the door , ready to go into the Conscience when God saith Go . Gen. 4.7 .

The Hebrews put sin for its punishment , as Gen. 19.15 . Take thy wife and thy daughters , saith the Angel to Lot , lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the City , i.e. the punishment of it . Every man's sin will find him out , if he find not out it . Be sure your sin shall find you out , Numb . 32.23 . i . e . to confess it , and be humbled for it .

Jesus Christ escaped not the punishment of sin , when he undertook for their sins who came to him ; and therefore let not any sinner think to escape the punishment of sin in his Conscience , who cometh not to Christ .

O spare not thine own soul in sorrow for sin , so far as thou findest it thy way to Christ . If remorse of Conscience for sin be not come , it will come : And the sinner may look upon himself within Gunshot , that is at ease , and in peace at present .

Think not that God hath forgotten those sins that thou thy self hast . Thou sinnedst so and so , and thoughtest I was like thy self ; Psal . 50.21 . but I will set thy sins in order before thee . A man may be questioned by men for a murder done long since ; how much more will a sinner be questioned for his sins , he sinned in Adam , so many thousand years ago ; and especially for those of his whole life , if he have not sued out his pardon by Christ ? Remember , and forget not , Deut . 9.7 . how thou provokedst God in the wilderness , from the day that thou didst depart from Aegypt . This was forty years since , yet Israel must remember this , and be humbled for it , or else there is no pardon for it . Men that live in sin , with easie thoughts of pardon , it 's just with God to give them up to despair of pardon , when their Conscience comes to sense of their sins .

But yet take heed , when sense of sin and wrath does come , of settling your selves in the valley of Achor ; Hos . 2.15 . but see it to be a door of hope . God dislikes dispair in sinners , as much as presumption . God would have sinners magnifie his mercy , as well as his justice : He is Almighty to pardon , as well as to revenge . Your sins may be mighty , but not Almighty : But God is Almighty to pardon ; Numb . 14.17 . Let the power of my Lord be great , saith Moses , to pardon this peoples sin . And the humbled sinner hath this great power of God to pardon sin in promise ; Isa . 55.7 . Let the wicked forsake his way , and he will abundantly pardon : and may glory in it , as they did Mich . 7.18 . Who is a God like unto thee , that pardoneth iniquity , and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage ; because he delighteth in mercy ? And so much for the third and last Doctrine from the fourteenth Verse .

CHAP. XX . Representeth , How much it is in the nature of man , when convicted of sin , to have recourse to any thing , though never so vain , for ease , rather than unto God . Several Reasons or Causes from whence this comes to pass . The Application informing us , That Conviction is but a partial Conversion ; and of what nature are all false Refuges . With divers Considerations moving us to beware of them ; from the first Clause of the fifteenth Verse , And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey .

HAVING Considered the sinners misery , let us next see the course he takes for his relief , in the fifteenth Verse ; And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey , and he sent him into his fields to feed Swine .

And here we have two things to be considered : 1. The project of this Prodigal for his relief in his great strait , He went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey . 1 Cor . 6.17 . 〈◇〉 in the Text 〈◇〉 . The Greek word signifieth to glue together ; so that he did , as it were , put himself as an Apprentice to him ; the same word as is used to express our union with Christ . He that is joyned to the Lord , is one spirit .

2. There is the imployment the Citizen set him to , He sent him into his fields to feed Swine : mean and base service .

As to the first , you 'l say , Who is meant by this Citizen ?

It may be the Devil , Stella in Luc . James 3.15 . or carnal Reason , which is from the Devil . So St. James speaks of wisdom that is sensual and devilish . The Devil is called the Prince of this world , John 4.30 . 2 Cor . 4.4 . and the God of this world . He is the Chief of this far Countrey ; and to his service carnal and wicked men devote themselves : John 8.44 . Ye are of your Father the Devil , and his lusts ye will do . The Devil hath wicked men at his beck ; 2 Tim . 2.26 . They are taken captive by him at his will .

2. Rom. 8.7 . The carnal mind , which is enmity against God , sensual wisdom , which is of the Devil , James 3.15 . This sent him not home to make his peace with his Father , but kept him in this far Countrey , though labouring under Famine . As Israel had rather return to Egypt , Numb . 14.4 . that had been to them a house of Bondage , than go forward to Canaan , the good Land of Promise .

2. As to his imployment this Citizen set him about , it was base , He sent him into his fields to feed Swine ; which was intolerable to a Jew , Lev . 11.7 . to whom Swine were an abomination . It imports the drudgery that Satan puts natural men upon ; they are his Vassals ; he imployes them in very base work , 2 Tim . 2. ●● . to do his lusts . As Turks do Christians who are their slaves , but with this difference ; these are drudges against their will , those very willingly , Isa . 10.7 . though they think not so ; as it 's said in another case of the Assyrians .

The scope and spiritual meaning of this part of the Parable is this ; It sets forth 1. the sorry shifts that men under Conviction and pangs of Conscience , as to their sinful state , do commonly make to get any peace , and prevent their returning to God ; any quiet from a brawling Conscience keeps them off from seeking peace with God . So that this is the first Doctrine , That when natural men come under troublesome Convictions of sin , and sense of wrath , their way is to fly to any vain and sorry shifts for ease , and not to God . It 's the use of such to make lies their refuge : It runs in the heart-veins of natural men : We have made lies our refuge ; Isa . 28.15 . and under falshood have we hid our selves . Like a man that is fallen into the water , he 'l catch at any thing that is next to help him , though it do him no good .

If a meer Moralist fall under these Convictions at any time , Matth . 19. his sanctuary is , All these have I kept from my youth . If a Pharisee's Conscience check him , Luke 18. as it seldome does , his refuge is , I thank God I am not as other men , or as this Publican . If an ignorant Creature's conscience grumble , he betakes himself to his good meanings , 1 Sam . 6. as the Philistines did , when they sent away the Ark that plagued them upon a new Cart . If the Conscience of a prophane man slie in his face , he slies to hereafter Repentance ; or God is merciful ; or Jesus Christ died for sinners in the lump . And thus natural men , when against their will they are convinced of their woful condition , think thus to skin over the sore for present .

And this is the reason why we have many convinced sinners , but few converted , because their convictions send them to false refuges , and not to God . This Prodigal , when he was in want , and met with a mighty famine in a far Countrey , he speaks not a word as yet of his returning home to his Father ; but he hires himself to a Citizen of that far Countrey . So long as a sinner can make any shift to be quiet in his sinful state , he thinks not of his return to God . As it 's said of Ephraim , when he saw his sickness , Hos . 5.13 . he went to the Assyrian , not to God , though he missed there of healing for his wound .

We have much experience how apt men are to ward off the blows of the Word from their Consciences : And if a blow do light there , and hurt , their plaister is some worldly diversion ; some deceitful lust in their heart asks them , as Jonadab did Amnon , Why art thou so lean from day to day ? 2 Sam . 13.4 . or they think to wear it out in time , as some hardy men do by bodily distempers .

It 's the practice of men in their sins to keep off their doom , as long as they can , by Apologies for themselves , having been taught it from the beginning ; The Serpent beguiled me , and I did eat . Gen. 3. The woman which thou gavest me , gave me , and I did eat . When John terrified the Pharisees and Sadduces with , O generation of Vipers , who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? They immediately slie to their imaginary City of Refuge ; We have Abraham to our Father . Matth . 3.

What a Catalogue of Pleas had Paul for himself before his Conversion ? He had his birth , Phil . 3.4 , 5 , 6. and his sect , and his unblamable life , and his zeal in his way : but when he had obtained mercy and grace to be a Convert , he was ashamed of all those plausible shifts he had made to keep and nussle himself in his natural , sinful estate ; he cast them all off as dross and dung , Phil . 3.7 , 8 , 7. when he came to know the necessity and excellency of Jesus Christ by experience ; here he saw was a convicted sinners City of Refuge indeed .

Poor sinners have their bushes to stand under when a shour comes , till there come a storm indeed , that forceth them out to seek a safer place . When a sinner is ready to fall , then Satan puts a Reed in the shape of a Staff into his hand ; he represents to him an imaginary mercy of God , such as cannot be found in the holy Scripture ; such a mercy as would destroy God's Justice , and Truth , and Holiness ; such mercy as incourageth in sin , Rom. 6.1 . to sin that grace may abound . And if he be beaten off from this mercy , then he catches at hereafter Repentance , or at some negative goodness : He thinks in himself , he is not guilty of such and such sins as many are , and some of the godly in Scripture . I am the fuller in this case , because men are so full of shifts , when under convictions of sin , to hold them off from through Conversion to God .

Reasons of the Doctrine .

The Reasons why men , when under Convictions of Conscience have recourse to false Refuges , are

1. From their ignorance : when they feel their wound , they are ignorant of a certain remedy , and therefore make many experiments : They are as men affrighted out of their sleep , that know not on the sudden where they are , or what to do . Mens Ignorance of the Covenant of Works , and Grace , and of the state of nature and grace ; or of the nature of sin and grace ; this ignorance makes them so fouly mistake in their Sanctuaries , when their sin finds them out , and the curse of the Law pursues their souls : Hos . 4.6 . My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . A blind man could not hit the way to any of the Cities of Refuge among the Jews : So poor ignorant souls , when they fall under terrour of Conscience , through their blindness they cannot hit their way to Christ , the appointed remedy . Satan drives on a great design in blinding the minds of them that believe not , 2 Cor . 4.4 . lest they should believe , and be healed : As the Philistines carried on their design to destroy Sampson by putting out his eyes .

2. A second Reason is mens unwillingness to venture on Christ upon Scripture terms : Sinners would have Christ , but on their own terms ; his are too high for them ; to forsake all , Matth . 10.37 , 38 — Luke 14.26 . Gen. 12.11 . Heb . 8. Matth . 19.21 . even their sweetest lusts , take up his Cross and follow him , not knowing whether they go , as Abraham did his own Kindred and Countrey ; therefore they take up with cheaper stuff . Others , besides that rich man , think Christ's terms too hard . Jesus Christ is a City of Refuge to none that would have him and their lusts too : Indeed they may bring their sins to him , when they come themselves , but as their sores , of which they would be healed . But it 's as hard for a natural man to leave his lusts , to follow Christ , as it was for that rich man to leave his great estate .

But doth not God offer Christ , and Christ himself freely , and without terms ? Isa . 55.1 . — buy wine and milk without money , and without price . Yes ; but this invitation is to such as thirst ; Ho every one that thirsteth come — And this thirst of the sinner comes through the Consciences labouring under the burden of sin , and sense of Divine wrath : Matth . 11.28 . Come unto me all ye that labour , and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest .

And yet Christ's terms , he propounds to a sinner , hinder not the terms of the gift . It is but as if a man should bid you cast the stones out of your hand , that you may take an handful of silver or gold ; for so the sinner is bid to cast his lusts out of his heart , that there may be room for Christ ; Ezek . 18.31 . Cast away from you all your transgressions — Now rather than a natural man will do this , he will close with any sorry shift to get his Conscience quiet .

3. A third Reason is , because it is ease , and not grace , or Christ himself , that the sinner troubled in Conscience first desires and seeks . The troubled sinner does not naturally look out after grace , but ease ; the soul is as eager of ease as the body . When the body is in great pain , a Countrey man will take any slip-sawce , as they say , for some ease , rather than he will go to the Physician ; this is costly ; he is for any thing that will stupifie the part grieved , and minds not to take away the cause of the grief .

Thus doth the soul of a natural man , when he is in pain ; there any thing that will give him present ease is welcome : He 'l stop Cerberus his mouth with a Crust . David must play away Saul his Evil Spirit with his Harp . Yea , there is many a man , when in Soul-trouble for sin , and sense or fear of wrath , will fall to prayer and reading , and resolving , &c. to get some quiet within ; but so soon as it is got , his Devotion is laid aside , as a man plucks off the plaister when he thinks the sore is well . When the Lord slew Israel , then they sought him , and enquired early after God ; Psal . 78.34 , 36 , 41. yet they did but flatter him ; they turned back . A man in a storm will into his Neighbours house , not to dwell there , but for shelter , till the storm be over . So is it with natural men , when Conscience is affrighted , they are for good prayers , and good books , and good company ; but when the pain is past , they are as they were afore .

Application .

1. This informs us , that a sinner , who is convinced of his sinful and miserable estate , is but half converted : Indeed this is but the least part of his conversion ; to drive him out of his secret places , to keep him off from false refuges and self-shiftings , and to get him to Christ upon Christ's terms , and to stick there , is the better part of the work . To convince of sin is the Spirit's first work ; John 16.8 , 9. but to convince of righteousness is the harder : What to keep him from false Sanctuaries on the one hand , and from despairing reasonings on the other , this is the more difficult business . Either a man is sullen , and will not hearken to a remedy for the wound , as Cain was ; Gen. 4.6 , 7. Why is thy countenance fallen ? saith God to him : If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted ? or else he betakes himself to the next hedge he meets with for shelter , and there he thinks himself as safe as the Jebusites in their strong hold , when they sent this message to David ; 2 Sam . 5.6 . Except ye take away the blind and the lame , ye shall not come in hither . The strong man in the sinner , that is Satan , will not be disarmed , Luk . 11.21 , 2● . till a stronger than himself do the work , that is , the Lord Jesus Christ . Paul's considence in his stock , Acts 9. and sect , and legal righteousness , were a great prejudice to his conversion , so that he was converted in a miracle .

2. This may put us upon examination of our selves in the case ; and

1. Observe your aptness or aversness to apologize for sin , or for your selves in sin . Men hard to be convinced of sin , will easily take up with false Refuges when they are convinced : Most natural men withstand conviction as long as they can ; John 9. Are we also blind ? And when they are convinced , and come under the lash of Conscience , they will shark any where for present ease : Gen 4. as Cain , when he was driven out of the presence of the Lord , full of terrour in his Conscience for his sin , he strove to make diversions , in seeking a pleasant situation , and building a City for his safety , thinking ( it may be ) to drown the howlings of his Conscience ; as the Italians of old were wont to do by Thunder , in ringing their great Bells , and shooting off their great Canon .

2. Observe whether the Sanctuary you haste to upon conviction of sin , be a Scripture Refuge , or some forged apprehension of your own phansie . It is the Word rightly understood , and so applied , that is an easing plaister for a disturbed Conscience at sin . What saith the Scripture ? Rom. 4.3 . It is the word of Christ that cures the sores of Conscience : Matth . 9.2 . Son , be of good chear , thy sins are forgiven thee . It 's the office of the Word to wound , and search the sinners Conscience , Heb . 4.12 . How did the Word make Felix tremble ? Acts 24.25 . God smites the Earth with the rod of his mouth ; Isa . 11.4 . Hos . 6.5 . I have hewed them by the Prophets ; I have slain them by the words of my mouth .

And it is also the office of the Word to heal a wounded Spirit ; Isa . 50.4 . The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned , to speak a word in season to him that is weary . Luke 4.18 . And , The Lord hath sent me to heal the broken hearted , to preach deliverance to the Captives . O when convinced and grieved sinners put their own wits to it for ease , it 's a poor Medicine ! Medicina est morbo imbecillior ; the Potion is too weak for the Disease . A sinner must follow the Word for his guide in all Soul-straits , as the Israelites did the Cloud in the Wilderness ; and look up to Jesus Christ for healing their stung Consciences , John 3.14 , 15. as they did to the brazen Serpent for their stung Bodies .

3. If the Sanctuary that a troubled Conscience takes to , leave or keep him in his sinful state , and loath to come out of it , as Lot's wife out of Sodom , this man makes lies his Refuge ; he believes a lie ; 2 Thess. 2.11 . a judgment on the followers of the man of sin . The true Sanctuary of a grieved sinner is the free and rich grace of God in the Gospel , which is a great enemy to sin , Tit . 2.11 . yea , though a man be willing to part with some particular sins , if he be not willing to part with his sinful state , he leans but on a broken Reed if he charm his troubled mind with this .

4. If a sinners Refuge in trouble of Conscience be injurious to the Attributes of God , his Mercy , his Justice , his Holiness , &c. this man deceives himself . How many , how many Conscience-galled sinners lick themselves whole with an imaginary mercy and grace in God ? such a mercy as God hath not declared in his Word ?

David supposeth in that prayer of his , Psal . 49.5 , that there are sinners to whom God will not be merciful . Numb . 15.30 . There was no SAcrifice in the Law for presumptuous sinners . As the Jews phansie to themselves a strange Messias , which the Scripture knows not ; so do many sinners , yea convinced sinners , phansie to themselves a strange mercy in God ; such a mercy as is injurious to his justice and holiness ; such mercy as separates between the pardoning and purging of the sinner ; whereas it 's plain in the Word of Truth , that sin is nauseous , when the sinner obtaineth mercy and grace : grace and sin are greater contraries than fire and water ; because the Divine Nature is infinitely opposite to natural corruption . It is infinitely so in God , and everlastingly so in his Saints .

3. This Doctrine is useful to exhortation to all that have , or may have trouble of Conscience for sin . Take heed of false Sanctuaries , they will fail you at last , Psalm . as Achitophel did David , who seemed to be his bosome friend .

It 's not enough for you to know your lost condition , but you must seek the way to be found , as this Prodigal at length did : You must know your Cure , as well as your Disease . And your only cure is Jesus Christ . The brazen Serpent in Numb . 21. was a famous Type of this . John 3.14 , 15. Let the sense of sin , and sorrow for it , send you to Christ ; and you wrong him much , if you say or think he cannot , or will not help you .

He that cometh unto me , John 6.37 . I will in no wise cast out . You 'l find all other things Physicians of no value : and as Job said of his friends , Job . miserable comforters . O then come to Christ , and stick not in the way , but come home to him , Matth . 11.28 . and he 'l ease your Conscience of it 's burden ; come to Christ on his own terms , and you are made for ever .

Take heed of carnal reasonings , when you would have ease in your Consciences . As John said to the Pharisees , Matth . 3. Think not to say in your selves we have Abraham to our Father : So think not to say within your selves , God is merciful , and Christ died for sinners , meerly to quiet Conscience , that you may sin with ease . This is the way of the wisdome of the flesh to befool you . The wisdome of the flesh bids you apply your own Plaisters , and take your own Receipts , and not go to the Chirurgion or Physician , and so many convinced sinners perish in their carnal reasonings about the way of peace ; Rom. 3.17 . The way of peace they have not known .

Alas , what can imaginary shelters advantage you in real dangers ? Will the shadow of a House keep you from wett in a storm ? This is the case of many troubled sinners . Be jealous of Sanctuaries . Better to endure your pain , than to accept of false ease : Though there be danger in despair , yet there is more in presuming . 1 Sam . That it may be hath killed its thousands , but the other its ten thousands ; as the woman said of Saul and David .

To take you off from carnal reasonings in this case ; Consider

1. 1 Cor . 2.14 . That carnal reason is blind in the ways of God with lost sinners . This is seen in natural men of the greatest parts and attainments , as in Nicodemus a Doctor in Israel ; John 3. yet how simply did he reason and discourse Jesus Christ in the point of Regeneration ?

2. The wisdom of the flesh is deceitful as well as blind : It hath of the Serpent in it , 2 Cor . 11.3 . which beguiled Eve through his subtilty . The wisdome of the flesh presents spiritual and eternal things to a man as they are not indeed : It puts a fair gloss of pleasure and profit on sin ; but represents the ways of God unlovely , as it did by Christ ; Isa . 53. There is no comeliness in him , why we should desire him . It makes the way to Heaven wider than the Scripture doth ; and the way to Hell narrower ; else how could any man say in his heart , I shall have peace , though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart ? Deut . 29.19 .

3. Carnal reason , or the wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God , Rom. 8.7 . and against his holy will : It maintains argument stiffly against many duties God requireth ; and it vitiates the mind and judgment about spiritual things , as a foul stomack doth the palate .

4. All carnal reasonings do but skin over the sores of Conscience , they will break out again : They may muzzle Conscience for a while ; but it will awake , though at present it may be in a dead sleep , and like Sampson , will break all Cords and Wyths , and lay about it at the sinner , as Sampson did at the Philistines . O consider how the holy Scriptures speak enough , and enough again , against mens deluding confidences : Jer . 2. ult . The Lord hath rejected thy confidences , and thou shalt not prosper in them . Isa . 28.17 . The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies . And , Behold , all ye that kindle a fire , that compass your selves about with the sparks , Isa . 50.11 . walk in the light of your fire , and in the sparks that ye have kindled : This shall ye have at mine hand , ye shall lie down in sorrow .

All carnal reasonings about your estate towards God are but foundations of Sand , that a showr or storm will wash away ; and like that building with untempered morter , Ezek . 13.10 , 11. which the Hail-stones did rend . God will at length so shake and shatter the Consciences of such sinners , that all their leaning-stocks for ease shall fall , and they with them .

5. While a man is under the sense of sin and wrath , there is some hopes ; there are some hopes of his conversion , for he is in God's way to it : But when he betakes himself to consult with flesh and blood , the case is more desperate . It 's a harder thing to overcome Souldiers in a Garison , than in the open Field ; so is it harder to convert a sinner to God , when he hath fortified himself with opinionative shifts and bullwarks , than when his conviction of sin lays him open to the fear of God's wrath . The Pharisee's own righteousness kept them from Jesus Christ ; so do a sinners own carnal reasonings .

6. It is Satan's way , when he sees a sinner wearied with Conscience-conflicts , Judges 4. to allure him into his tents , as Jael did Sisera , and there sooths him with carnal reasonings for some ease and quiet , till the opportunity come , and then slays him .

Quest . But what kind of reasonings have men to get loose from disquieting Consciences ?

Answ . Very many : I 'le speak of some .

1. The heart reasons thus ; There are thousands , yea millions , that walk and live as I do . But to this men should reply ; Exod . 23.2 . Follow not a multitude to do evil : we know the whole world lyeth in wickedness , 1 John 5.19 . Matth . 7.14 . & few there be who find the way to life .

2. Some times men may reason thus ; Very many of the great and learned men of the world , the Christian world , tread the pathes that I do , and if they be not saved , who can ? As they said , Matth . 19.23 , 24 , 25. when Jesus said a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of heaven , who then can be saved ? say his Disciples . This is like their reasoning in John 7.58 . Have any of the Rulers of the Pharisees believed on him ? But to this reply that of the Apostle to the Corinthians , 1 Cor . 1.26 . Brethren , ye see your calling , how that not many wise men after the flesh , not many mighty , not many noble are called .

3. Some argue thus in themselves ; This is an easie way I am in ; my Conscience would let me have no quiet before , and I see there is nothing but trouble and melancholy in a stricter and preciser course ; Why should I travel forty years through a wearisome Wilderness to Canaan , as some do ? I , but to this reply ; This carnal ease and pleasure is the Devil's Paradise : And what comfort is it to the Bee to be drowned in honey ? Remember Father Abraham's words to that Dives , Luke 16.25 . Remember , that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things , but now thou art tormented .

O for Moses his faith , Heb . 11. who chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God , than to injoy the pleasures of sin for a season . And for David's mind , Psal . 84. who esteemed a day in Gods Courts better than a thousand elsewhere .

In a word , when any of you come under rebukes and terrours of Conscience for sin , make use of the weapon that hath wounded , for healing , i.e. the Sword of the Spirit , the Word of God ; and then to Jesus Christ , he is the only City of Refuge for a sinner to fly to from the Pursuer of blood . So much for the first Doctrine from the first Clause of the fifteenth Verse .

CHAP. XXI . Sets forth the Power that Satan hath over men whilst in their Natural Estate . Together with a threefold Use to be made hereof ; from the same Clause of the fifteenth Verse , And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey .

WE Are to consider this Citizen , John . 14.30 . 2. Cor . 4.4 . as meaning Satan , who is the Prince and God of this World , which is this far Countrey ; and who seeks to make a prey of men when under Conscience-straits for sin . As St. 1 Cor . 4.5 . 2 Cor . 2.6 , 11. knew he did by the incestuous person , who was , by his order , delivered over unto Satan . So that the second Doctrine is , That Satan hath great power over men , whilst in their natural estate , both in their sinning , and in their trouble of Conscience for sin after Conviction .

Satan hath power over them , not only as he had with Adam in innocency to tempt him ; Matth . 4. and with the Son of God to tempt him , though he prevailed not as he did with Adam ; and with Saints to tempt them , as he did David , 2 Chron . 21. but he hath power to take them captive at his will ; 2 Tim . 2. ult . to make them his Vassals .

Satan had power to enter into Judas , Luke 22.3 . to influence him to the betraying of Jesus . Haply Judas might not intend the death of Christ , as the Jews did ; but might conceive he would slip out of the midst of them , as he had often done , Luke 4.29 , 30. John 8.59 . when they sought to lay hands on him . Satan might help him to this conceit , that Jesus would save himself , and he get money ; which pleased his humour at present , but brought him at last into despair .

God delivers more over to Satan than the Church doth : He is the Spirit that now worketh , 〈◇〉 Eph. 2.2 . that worketh effectually in the children of disobedience . And therefore sinners in their conversion are said to be turned from the power of Satan unto God . Acts 26.18 .

Quest . Whence hath Satan this power ?

Answ . God lets it be so in his just judgment upon the fall of man . In the fall man forsook God , and cleav'd to the Devil : so that it was first their sin to put themselves into the power of Satan ; and now it is God's judgment upon men . Dan . 5. Those Scriptures may be read with trembling , as Belshazzar read the hand-writing on the wall , Psalm 78.49 . The Lord cast upon them the fierceness of his anger , wrath , indignation , and trouble , by sending evil Angels among them . Psal . 109.6 . And that Prophetical Prayer of David concerning Judas , Let Satan stand at his right hand .

Quest . How doth Satan exercise this power ?

1. In tempting men to as much sin as he can , to such sins as himself cannot act . He tempts them to Atheism , though he himself cannot be one ; the Devils believe that there is a God , James 2.19 . and tremble . He tempts them to Drunkenness and Adultery , sins that he cannot properly act . He provoked our first Parents to eat , Gen. 3. but he himself could not eat . Yea , Satan hath influence on them in their best actions and works , in their callings , in their holy performances : Zach. 3.1 . He stood at Joshua's right hand to resist him , when he stood before the Lord for the people . But he hath power on carnal mens hearts , when they come before the Lord . He matters not how much of Religion they do , so he can poison their manner and ends . He may carry men to Church in a design , Matth . 4. as he did Jesus to a Pinacle of the Temple . The Devil had power over their souls , Matt . 7.22 , 23. who had power to cast him out of other mens bodies . Satan can tempt no Creature but man to sin ; and so he bestirs himself among them .

2. He puts them on to presume on the goodness of their present and final estate , however they live in this World . He teacheth them to say , We shall have peace , Deut . 29.19 . though we walk in the imagination of our own hearts . The unbelieving Jews could not be moved from their confidence , that they were Abraham's Children ; John 8.44 . though our blessed Saviour proved it to them , that they were of their Father the Devil . A lying Spirit deludes them , as he did Zedekiah that arch false Prophet , in making him confident that he had the Spirit of the Lord , and by that gave counsel to Ahab , 1 Kings 22.

3. In presenting to their minds lying Refuges , when they are under painful convictions of Conscience for sin : 2 Cor . 11.14 . Satan transformeth himself into an Angel of light to the sinner : He can turn himself into any shape or appearance , Proteus by the Paynims called the god of the Sea . as the Poets feign of Proteus . As Satan helps the man of sin to do lying wonders , 2 Thes . 2.9 . so he helps many troubled sinners to lying Sanctuaries . It is likely he set Cain on building a City , to charm the evil Spirit that vexed him .

4. If this way fail , then he aggravates the sinners trouble of Conscience for sin , to get him into despair : not that he affects mens being troubled for their sins ; but when they are sorrowful this way , he would have them swallowed up of over-much sorrow . 2 Cor . 2.7 , 11. This is one of Satan his devices to get an advantage of the sinner , to bring about his damnation .

Satan makes many a soul pine away in their sins , Ezek . 33.10 — Job 2.9 . as those Jews said of themselves , and perswades them to curse God , and die , as he would have done Job . And as he prompted his Friends to esteem him a Hypocrite : so he prompts many a Conscience-wounded-sinner to look upon himself as a Reprobate , as having out-sinned mercy , and he must be damned .

Quest . But how cometh it to pass that natural men are no more sensible of this power of Satan over them ?

Answ . Because he blinds their minds , 2 Cor . 4.4 . as the Philistines put out Sampson's eyes , and did with him what they list : He deadens their sense of feeling . The holy Apostle Paul speaks of sinners that are past feeling . Satan is a Juggler , Eph. 4.19 . and an Impostor , 2 Cor . 11.3 . or Deceiver , from the beginning .

Quest . Have natural men no power to resist the Devil ?

Answ . Matth . 4. They have lost it very much . Adam had power , if he had used it ; and Jesus Christ had power , and did use it ; and men in a state of grace have power to resist the Devil , James 4.7 . 1 John 2.14 . 1 John 5.18 . and to overcome the wicked One , and to keep themselves that the wicked One touch them not , i.e. with a destructive touch ; such a touch as he moved the Lord to touch Job with .

Satan indeed hath power to tempt the Saints , and in part to get advantage of them . He provoked David to number the people , 2 Chro . 21.1 . Luke 22.31 . Jo . ch . 1. & 2. Zach. 3.7 . and he did it ; and he winnowed Peter ; and he assailed Job very hard ; and he stood at Joshua the High Priests hand , to resist him , when he stood before the Lord . Our blessed Saviour hath taught us to pray daily , Matth . 6.13 . that we be not led into tempiation . Yet Satan hath not that power over the Saints , as over other men ; yea , as over man in the state of innocency , i.e. e . to seduce them from God , and from a state of grace . It 's true , man in innocency in one respect had the advantage against Satan , which men in a state of grace have not now ; in that he had no sin to joyn with Satan : John 14.13 . In this point he might say , as our Lord Jesus did ; The Prince of this World cometh , and hath nothing in me . Yet the Saints now have that power against and over Satan in other cases , that men in innocency had not ; Luke 22.32 . power to resist him , power to overcome him : Rom. 16.20 . Christ prayeth for their faith ; and they have a promise that Satan shall be bruised under their feet .

I , but natural mens power to resist the Devil is but small ; some they have , i.e. e . when he tempts to sins against the light of nature , Rom. 2.14 , 15. and a natural Conscience , in these they may resist temptation . There are many sins that natural men sin , which they falsly charge upon Satan , they would sin if Satan were dead and buried ; they are as willing to some sins as the Devil would have them ; as the Pharisees and Jewish Rulers were to be rid of Jesus .

It 's to be observed in Scripture , that the people of God charge not the Devil in the confession of sin , as Eve did with hers ; I have sinned , 2 Sam . 24.17 . and I have done foolishly , saith David . He pleads not that Satan provoked him , as Eve did , that the Serpent gave her , and she did eat . But many wicked men charge their sins upon the Devil , when they tempt him to tempt them , 1 Sam . 28. as Saul sought to the Devil .

Application .

1. Let no man be too fearless of the Devil ; he hath great power in the world , 2 Cor . 4.4 . especially over this men of this world ; he is called the god of this world ; he would be so , Eph. 2.2 . and the Lord lets him be so to some men , in some things . He is the Prince of the power of the Air , that worketh in the children of disobedience . Yea , he may have power over the people of God , to tempt them , Matth . 26.41 . if they watch and pray not against temptation , to which the Lord Jesus cautioned his Disciples .

He put on Peter to disswade Christ from his sufferings , Matth . 16. for which he had this check , Get thee behind me Satan . He winnowed all the Disciples , and thereupon they all left him when apprehended . And Paul himself , after he had been in the third Heaven , 2 Cor . 12.7 . was buffeted by a messenger of Satan . Yea , he was permitted to tempt our Lord Jesus to a most horrid sin ; Matth . 4.4 , 8. and to carry his body to a Pinacle of the Temple , and after into a high Mountain .

Yea , and Satan may be in possession of souls , and not be known ; the Devil often works in men incognito . Of all Creatures he would possess men ; and though he acted by the Serpent's head , yet his aim was at Eve , Sen. 3.1 . and Adam's heart . He got leave to go into the Swine , yet his design was at their owners , to make them disgust Jesus the more ; and so they did , Matth . 8. ult . They besought him to depart out of their Coasts .

The Devil knows that men only , of all Creatures in this world , are capable of sin and hell ; and therefore he lays his contrivances against men , to bring as many as he can into his own Condemnation : And he had rather possess their souls than their bodies ; he would have the best room in the house for himself , and that 's the heart ; He entred into Judas his heart , and into Ananias his heart : Why hath Satan filled thy heart ? Yet Satan's spiritual possessions may be known , and how ? why , when men will do the lusts of the Devil ; John 8.44 . 〈◇〉 . Gal. 5.19 . Ye delight to do his lusts . The lusts of the flesh in carnal men , are so many unclean spirits : Not that the Devil does all these works of the flesh , but he tempts men to all . He did not dance about the golden Calf , Exod . 32. but he made Israel to do so .

Let no man therefore be too fearless of Satan . Paul was jealous over the believing Corinthians , 2 Cor . 11.3 . Lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve , their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ .

2. Yet let not any sinner , under the power of conviction of sin , despair of Conversion , because of the power that Satan improves to hinder it . For consider , Rom. 1.16 . 1 Cor . 1. Acts 26.18 . that the word of reconciliation which is preached to you , is the power of God to the salvation of the greatest of sinners . St. Paul's Ministery turned men from the power of Satan unto God . Therefore let such wait on the Ministery of the Gospel , and do it in hope , as the infirm people did for the Angels troubling of the waters of that healing Pool , John 5.

And be advised also to be in the company of the godly ; Satan hath not that power to vend his wares there , as among other Company . The Spirit of Divination knew this in that possessed Damosel he made use of to disturb Paul and his holy Company in their meeting to pray ; their prayers , Acts 16. v. 18. and Paul's authority from the Lord Jesus , cast him out .

In thy trouble of Conscience for sin be not overmuch alone . In this case I may use the words of the Preacher , Eccles . 4.10 . Wo to him that is alone . Solitariness in this season is Satan's house of temptation ; he assaults where there is no help in resisting him , as he did by Eve . The evil Spirit used that man to solitariness Luke 8.27 . God is much for the society of his people ; he appears with his power and glory in the Assemblies of the Saints . Frequent solitariness is useful indeed for men of grace ; Mark 1.35 . Jesus Christ went oft aside into a solitary place : but poor souls afflicted in their spirits for sin , should be afraid of it , as Children are to be alone .

And be further advised to follow faithfully the affairs of your Calling : Matth . 13.25 . Idleness is the Devil's working time . While men slept , the Enemy came and sowed his tares . 2 Sam . 11. When David was lazing and gazing on his House-top , the Devil presented an Object to stir up his lust .

Again , Eph. 4.26 , 27. take heed of an angry passionate spirit ; this gives place to the Devil : And take heed of an envious spirit ; Satan is the envious one ; he filled Cain with envy at his brothers good works , because his own were evil : And beware of a discontented spirit ; this was one of the Devil's first sins , and the sin of our first parents : And above all , seek to Jesus Christ for deliverance from Satan's bondage . John 8.36 . Luke 4.18 . If the Son make you free , ye are free indeed . He was anointed to preach deliverance to the captives . He loosed the daughter of Abraham , Luke 13.16 . whom Satan had bound eighteen years ; and it is observable how affectionately Jesus both spake and did in her case .

3. Here is comfort to God's people , that Satan's power is exceedingly broken as to them ; he hath no interest in them , Eph. 6.12 . to the 18th . John 14.17 . and they have armour of proof , both defensive and offensive against him . You have the Spirit in you to guide and assist you ; and he that is in you , 1 John 4.4 . Heb . 1. ult . is greater than he that is in the world : And you have the Ministery of the holy Angels , who are stronger than Devils : And you have the continual prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ for you , that your faith fail not : And you have a promise , that God will bruise Satan under your feet shortly ; Rom. 16.20 . Matth . 16. and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against you .

In a word , let all poor sinners , that have any sense of the sad estate of their souls , come from under the shadow of this Bramble , the Devil , unto the shadow of Jesus Christ , the true Vine . The Devil writes all his Laws in Blood , as Draco did ; O but Jesus Christ came meek into the World to save sinners ; and he came into his Ministery with a beseeching Spirit to sinners ; and left such a spirit in his Ministers , that were to treat sinners in his Name , when he was gone to the Father : As though God did beseech you by us , 2 Cor . 5.20 . we pray you in Christ's stead , be ye reconciled to God . Jesus Christ is the sinners near Kinsman ; he hath took part of flesh and blood , that he might have the right to redeem them . Poor Conscience-afflicted sinners may have gentle usage of Christ ; He will not break the bruised reed , Mark 12.20 . nor quench the smoaking flax . His Laws are not written in the sinners blood , but in his own . And thus much for the first Clause of the sifteenth Verse .

CHAP. XXII . Sheweth , what care natural men take in making provision for the lusts of the flesh : with the Application ; from the last Clause of the Fifteenth Verse , And he sent him into his fields to feed Swine .

NOW we come to the second thing in the fifteenth Verse , viz. the Prodigal's imployment ; He sent him into his field to feed Swine ; a course and base imployment . He sent him not into the City to traffick and converse with men , but to feed Swine , and at last to feed with them , as in the next Verse .

This passage of the Parable may the better be understood by considering the Jews , to whom it was spoken , Lev . 11.7 , 10 , 11. in their great dis-affection to Swine : Swine were an abomination to them ; It was one of their unclean Beasts .

And here is the marrow of this Bone : This signifies what a monstrous miserable man this younger Son became , by leaving his Fathers House to follow his own Lusts ; he fell from the Son of a rich Father to be a Swineherd : And

The Scripture sets forth natural men by Swine for their uncleanness and filthy lusts wherein they wallow and bemire themselves , Matth . 7.6 . 2 Pet . 2.22 . and prefer before Grace .

The Devil possessed Swine ; Matth . 8.32 . and those that are of the Devil , and in his power , feed Swine ; they feed themselves with their own lusts . Psal . 14.3 . The Psalmist saith of natural men , They are altogether become filthy . And St. Jude calls some natural men filthy dreamers , v. 8. The Observation we may make from hence is this , That carnal men make provision for the flesh , to fulfill the lusts thereof . This is implied in that of St. Paul to the Romans , c . 13. v. 14. Make no provision for the flesh , to fulfill the lusts thereof ; i.e. as carnal and fleshly men do .

The lusts of the flesh are the things that such men take most care for . The lusts of the flesh , 1 John 2.16 . the lusts of the eye , and the pride of life , are by some Divines called , The Worlds Trinity .

Natural men are very drudges to their lusts ; Isa . 57.10 . Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way , in pursuing thine own lusts . The soul of man , since the fall , is chiefly made up of desires , like a Spunge which is still sucking in . The most vigorous bent of the soul lies in this faculty of desire , which in the fall of man was , and still is in natural men , corrupted into lusts .

So that it is natural to men to walk after their own lusts , either of pleasure , or profit , or honour : These are the three sorts of lusts that are in the World , 1 John 2.16 . as St. John enumerates them . St. Paul makes himself an instance in the case , Tit . 3.3 . as well as others in the state of nature ; We our selves were sometimes foolish and disobedient , serving divers lusts and pleasures . Lust is a natural man's Master ; he serveth divers lusts . It 's possible that a godly man may be an unwilling slave for a time to a lust , but he cannot be a willing servant to it ; Rom. 7.23 , 24. O wretched man that I am , who shall deliver me from the body of this death ! He may suffer a rape by his lust , but he cannot prostitute himself to them . It is the natural man that indulgeth his lusts ; they are his sweetmeats , Prov. 9.17 . & 20.17 . as Solomon saith of stoln waters , and the bread of deceit .

He is fond of his lusts , as David was of Adonijah , never chides them : It is the very tenor of a natural mans life to do his lusts : Rom. 13.14 . Ye are of your Father the Devil , and his lusts ye will do . John 8.44 . They are not estranged from their lusts , nor can be ; Psal . 78.30 . Jer . 13.23 . James 1.14 . A natural man is drawn away of his own lusts , or enticed : His lusts have the command of the whole man , as the primum mobile has of the motion of all the other Spheres .

Sin laps and rolls up it self in sugar to natural mens lust , 2 Cor . 7.1 . though it be filthiness in it self . The mire and dunghill are filthy and stinking things , 2 Pet . 2.22 . and yet it 's pleasure to Swine to wallow in it .

Application .

This shews us , That to serve sin and lusts is a base service ; it is the Devil's drudgery he sets carnal men about : As such are slaves to Satan , 2 Tim . 2.26 . who leads them at his pleasure so are they slaves to their own lusts , yet willingly so ; so they love to have it . Jer . 5.31 . As Ephraim walked willingly after the commandment of their idolatrous Princes , Hos . 5.11 . so carnal men walk willingly after the command of their own lusts , their corrupt and worldly desires : As they said to Jeremiah , Jer . 18.12 . We will walk after our own devices , and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart .

O that men would consider it , that the service of sin is a base service , it makes men Swineherds . It may be pleasure to them , as mire is to Swine ; but to sanctified souls it 's base and fulsome : Carnal men are unclean Creatures . As in the Law there were clean and unclean Creatures , so are there such under the Gospel ; regenerate and spiritual men are the one , and natural carnal men are the other . Spiritual men are so ashamed of the filthiness and uncleanness of their natural state they are got out of , Ezek . 6.9 . c . 16.63 . c . 20.43 . c . 36.31 . that they loath themselves at the thoughts of it : But natural men glory in their shame , Phil . 3.19 .

God made man an honourable Creature , Gen. 1.26 . in his Image , Psal . 49.12 , 20. and after his Likeness : but man hath made himself like a Beast ; else it would be a strange thing , that men , who are Creatures capable of the highest enjoyments , even of glory , and of the God of glory himself , should take up with so low and base things , as any sinful sensual pleasures . And whereas God put all things under his feet , Psal . 8.6 . he now puts himself under foot , under the basest of things , the vilest lusts . This man does by nature and custome in sin .

Some men make their bellies their gods ; Phil . 3.19 . St. Paul speaks of such with tears . Israels golden Calf was their god . Exod . 32. Isa . 36. Dan . 11. Some men make themselves gods ; as Sennacherib , Antiochus Epiphanes , and many more . As it was said to Judah , Jer . 2.28 . According to the number of thy Cities , so are thy gods , O Judah ; so may it be said to a natural , carnal man , according to the number of thy lusts , so are thy gods .

And you who are now spiritual , you your selves were as these in your natural state , as the Prodigal was before his conversion ; you fed Swine , and fed with them while you were unconverted ; Tit . 3.3 . We our selves were sometimes foolish and disobedient , serving divers lusts . Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past , in the lusts of the flesh , fulfilling the desires of the flesh , Eph. 3.3 . and of the mind , and were by nature the children of wrath , as well as others . There is no difference among men , till effectual Calling make it . Election leaves men equally vile and wretched , till Conversion come and distinguish . It 's true , Election makes a difference in God's purpose , but not in the quality of the persons , till grace doth it . There is no difference in the Clay whilst in the lump , but only in the Potter's intention , and hands afterward .

And so we are all alike in sin , 1 Pet . 2.9 . and under wrath , till effectually called by God out of darkness into his marvellous light .

God suffers his Elect to be born in sin , and live in sinful lusts till the time of their Conversion , and then he makes them visibly to differ from other men : and therefore a judgment of the final state of natural men , even the greatest sinners , cannot be made by their present state ; for though they are now in a natural condition , they may be elect vessels , and if so , shall be called to grace in their time . Indeed , such a mans state may be judged what it is at present ; but his final estate is a secret .

And for such as are effectually called to grace , you should often look back to what you were by nature ; Such were some of you , saith St. 1 Cor . 6.11 . Paul to the converted Corinthians , fornicators , idolaters , &c. And to the believing Romans , Rom. 6.17 . Ye were the servants of sin ; and to the Ephesians , Eph. 2.3 . We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others .

And hereupon admire free grace in your change , that when you were in your blood , I say , Ezek . 16.6 . when you were in your blood , the Lord said unto you live . This my Son was dead , and is alive . And now you have this priviledge , that you are out of that base service and drudgery to sin and lusts , which carnal men are in . And let this indear the love and free grace of God and Christ to you , and of the Spirit in you , That you can say , and say truly and feelingly , as he did in the Ninth of John , I was blind , but now I see : I was an unclean Creature , but now am washed : I fed Swine , and did feed with them ; but now at my Father's Table . Thus much for the fifteenth Verse .

CHAP. XXIII . Wherein is shewed , That the things of this World , which natural men's hearts , for the satisfaction of their lusts , would feed upon , are , in the judgment of our Saviour Christ , no better than Husks and Swinesmeat . In what respect they are so , exemplified in two Particulars ; from the first part of the Sixteenth Verse , And he would fain have filled his belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat .

I HAVE already represented to you

1. The Prodigal's Misery , from Verse the fourteenth ; And when he had spent all , there arose a mighty famine in that Land , and he began to be in want .

2. The Course he took for his Relief , from Verse the fifteenth ; And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey ; and he sent him into his fields to feed Swine .

3. I come now , in the last place , to shew the Ineffectualness of that Course in order to his Relief , from the sixteenth Verse ; And he would fain have filled his belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat , and no man gave unto him .

In the former Verse the Prodigal found imployment in his strait , such as it was , he was sent into the field to feed Swine ; but yet he got not a subsistance by it . He had work , but no wages ; not so much as bread to eat . His work was to feed Swine , and he would have been content to feed with them , if he might have had it . He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the Swine did eat , but no man gave unto him .

So that this Verse sets forth the insufficiency and ineffectualness of the Prodigal's course he steer'd to supply and relieve himself in his extream straits . He was content with worse imployment than the Gibeonites , Josh . 9.5 , 21. who were made hewers of wood , and drawers of water to all the Congregation of Israel . This was a worthy service towards the Prodigal's feeding Swine : And their mouldy bread , old garments , and old shoes and clouted , were brave clothes and diet towards the Prodigal's feeding on Swines-meat , the husks that they did eat and feed on , and glad too .

Quest . But what were these husks ?

Answ . It 's plain they were Swines-meat . And these 〈◇〉 , here called husks , as some of the Learned observe , were Egyptian figs ; a course unwholesome fruit , not fit for man's meat , but Swines . And Pliny saith , the rind of them was that which was eaten , and therefore they are called husks . They were a little sweet , but very hard of concoction , and the juyce very unwholesome . Yet this Prodigal wished for these Egyptian figs , these husks that were Swines meat , as the Israelites did for the Leeks , and Garlick , and Onions of Egypt ; But no man gave unto him , ( i.e. ) he could not get enough to fill his belly : He still missed of content and satisfaction .

For the spiritual meaning , it shews us , as I before hinted , the ineffectualness of this mans course , who is the Representative of all natural mens seeking relief in Conscience-straits and troubles , when they come to be convinced sinners . And the words hold forth four things .

1. That the things of this World , which natural mens hearts would feed on for content , and satisfaction of their lusts , are but Husks and Swines meat without God . As Swine in the fifteenth Verse signifie worldly and sensual men , that live upon their lusts ; so these Husks , or Swines meat , signifie the things of the World , the lusts of the flesh , 1 John 2.16 . the lusts of the eyes , and the pride of life , which carnal mens souls seeks after .

2. Whereas it is said , that he would fain have filled his belly with the Husks that the Swine did eat ; it shews the property of natural men in Conscience-straits , viz. That they would sit down with the basest things of this World with ease , rather than return to God .

3. Whereas it 's said , and no man gave him ; it shews , that nothing shall be able to give a sinners troubled Conscience relief and comfort , nothing of this World , when God means to bring him home to himself .

4. That the lowest step of a sinners misery is not to see and feel himself in a sinful and dangerous state ; but to see himself without remedy , and to find all refuges to fail him . Of these in their Order .

That the things of this World , on which a natural man's heart would feed without God , and in which he would satisfie himself , if he could , are but trash , or , as here they are called , Husks and Swines meat .

What the World counted the Apostles of Jesus Christ , 〈◇〉 and 〈◇〉 signifie the filth of filth . filth and refuse , 1 Cor . 4.13 . and the Chaldeans the Jews in their Captivity , Lam . 3.45 . offscouring and refuse : why thus the Holy Ghost makes no more of the things of this World , when the heart is set on them instead of God , but Husks or Swines meat . Look upon the best of this World , and it is no better to a sinner of a troubled Conscience , being in fear of Gods wrath .

Power , parts , riches , honour , pleasure , all these in conjunction availed not Haman , Esth. 5. when his spirit was perplexed ; nor Ahitophel , nor Saul , nor Judas , nor Cain , when an evil Spirit vexed them . Samuel calls them vain things that cannot profit , 1 Sam . 12.21 . because they are vain . God calls them so , and men who have made trial of them , have found them so . Let Solomon speak for all ; he found all vanity of vanities , yea , and vexation of spirit ; nothing , and worse than nothing , Eccles . 1.2 .

And the Devil himself thinks them so ; and therefore he would have given all the Kingdoms of the World , had it been in his power , Matth . 4. for one bow of Jesus his knee . And though he use honour , and pleasure , and silver , and gold , as baits to tempt men to sin , yet he values them not himself .

A House full of silver and gold , Num . 22.18 . as Balaam said to the Servants of Balak , are but trifles to the Devil , saving as they are bait and temptation to men to sin . What is a flie or a worm to a man , but as they are his baits to catch fish ?

And at last the men of this world find the things of this world lighter than vanity , as the Psalmist saith of men of high degree ; Psal . 62.9 . Prov. 11.4 . Zeph . 1.18 . Riches profit not in the day of wrath . Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath .

And the things of the world , to which men grip'd in Conscience for sin , and with fear of wrath , are wont to go for ease , are but husks and trash in this Case , in a double comparison .

1. In comparison of the Soul of man . And

2. In comparison of the Grace of God .

1. In comparison of the Soul of every man , and that in a double respect .

1. As to the great disproportion between the Soul of man and the things of this world . Man's Soul is of divine extraction ; it is the off-spring of God ; Acts 17.28 . Gen. 2.7 . God breathed into man the breath of life , and he became a living Soul . And therefore something Divine must sustain the Soul .

But all the things of this world are of an earthly original , all came out of the Chaos , as man's body did , which was formed of the dust of the ground : So that that which feeds the Body will not feed the Soul . And however the more choice things of the world , as honours , riches , pleasures , make a fair shew , and a goodly appearance ; yet it is but to the phansie or sensual faculties : As it was said of King Agrippa and Berenice , Acts 25.23 . 〈◇〉 . came into the place of Judicature with great pomp ; or as it is in the Greek , with great phantasie . Now if the greatest of these outward things cannot satisfie the Soul of man , much less can they satisfie the troubled Conscience of a convinced sinner .

2. And again it is considerable , That the greatest things of this world , and the greatest share of them , have been , and are bestowed on Reprobates , and such as God hates ; Mal . 1.3 . as he said of Esau , I hated Esau ; I rejected him , Acts 14.16 . left him to himself , and his own lusts and ways , as he did the Nations or Gentiles in times past ; Heb . 12. he left Esau to be prophane Esau .

Yet God gave to Esau large earthly possessions : Behold , Gen. 27.39 . thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth , and of the dew of heaven from above ; and thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck . So he did within an hundred and twenty years , 2 Kings 8.20 . and so continued for Eight hundred years and above ; yet Esau was hated of God .

Now things that are given even to Reprobates as their Portion in this life , Psal . 17. they can have no relieving and refreshing influence on afflicted Consciences , and poor Souls under the sense of God's wrath . That which gives any ease or true lasting rest to a sinners perplexed Conscience , must be that which can bring a sinner near to God , and into his saving favour again ; and nothing but the blood of Jesus Christ can do this : But now in Christ Jesus , Eph. 2.13 . Ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh , through the blood of Christ .

The union of the Body and Soul of a man is by his own blood ; but that which unites a man to God again , is the Blood of Jesus Christ .

Though straw and hay nourish a Beast , yet it will not nourish a man , unless God give a man the heart of a Beast , as he did Nebuchadnezzar , Dan . 4.

So the things of this world may nourish the lusts of worldly men , but they cannot relieve a Soul that hungers and thirsts after the pardon of sin , and peace of Conscience ; they are altogether useless to a sinner in his spiritual misery ; they can neither ease the pains , nor supply the needs of such a Soul . For that pain is from the sense of the displeasure and wrath of God ; And what can worldly things do in the asswaging of this pain ?

If a perplexed sinner go for ease to any thing of this world , he does as Saul , 1 Sam . 28. when he went to the Witch to resolve him in his present straits ; or as Israel , when in their sickness , they sent to the Assyrian ; and as Judah , when they felt their wound , Hos . 5.13 . sent to King Jareb : These could not heal them .

Quest . But have not some men ease in ther gripes of Conscience by their recourse to the things of this world ? Gen. 4.17 . As it may be Cain had by building a City ; so some by Dogs , and Hawks , and Horses , and other sensual pleasures , as Lewes Cardinal of Aquitan : Some in taking up their minds and thoughts on their riches and grandure in this world , as that man our Saviour spake of , who said to his Soul , Soul , Luke 12.19 . thou hast much goods laid up for many years , take thine ease , eat , drink , and be merry .

Answ . I answer , such men may have some ease for the present , as an aking tooth by the use of some Medicines , but no Cure . These things may cast a sinners Conscience into a sleep or stumber , as rocking does a Child that cries ; I but Conscience will waken again , and in greater pain . The wrath of God felt in a sinners Conscience , is too great a wound for so weak a Plaister as the world to cure . The things of this world may suit well with worldly mens lusts , and evil concupiscence ; as some women find pleasure sometimes in eating trash , and children in eating coles and dirt ; but it puts them to pain afterwards . As Eve did in eating the forbidden fruit ; it agreed well with her Lust , but it did not so with her Conscience . Those things that please mens Lusts , do after grieve and trouble their Consciences .

2. The things of this world are but trash to a troubled Conscience for sin , in respect of Grace : It s Grace that relieves the Conscience in trouble ; the free Grace of God in Christ towards lost sinners . O when the wounded spirit comes to see , that where sin abounds , Rom. 5.20 . grace doth much more abound ; this is a healing Plaister for a sinners sore within .

And men may take notice of the vast difference betwixt the things of this world and grace , not only towards , but in a man .

1. The best things of this world are but of short continuance ; 1 Cor . 7.31 . the fashion of the world passeth away : But Grace is of an eternal nature , it is glory begun ; and Conscience in man is an immortal faculty , it never dieth . And so Conscience must have ease and peace by that which is immortal like it self ; and the best of this world is not so .

2. Eccles . 9.1 . None of the things of this world can evidence God's love to a man , or a man's conversion to God . No man's Election or Calling can be evidenced to him by any thing of this world . The Apostle cautions rich men , 1 Tim . 6.17 . that they trust not in uncertain riches ; some render it , to the unevidence of riches . They can give no certain evidence of a man's state towards God . When a rich man falls into trouble of Conscience , his silver and gold , and lordships , are miserable Comforters ; these cannot scatter his fears , nor answer his doubts , nor give any ease to his perplexed Soul .

CHAP. XXIV . Containeth the Application of the foregoing Doctrine , in four Uses .

1. AND First , This may rectifie our opinion of the things of this world ; when we set them in God's stead , they are but Swines meat , and they are swinish that set their hearts upon them , and seek happiness in them . Psal . 73.22 . The Psalmist calls himself a Beast , for his conceit of mens being happy in having this world at will .

Would any of you think a man the richer for having his Garner full of husks or chaff ? yet comparatively these worldly things are such , they are no more to an afflicted Conscience , and prove so at last to all that have confidence in them . Rom. 1.28 . 〈◇〉 . And yet how generally are men given over to an injudicous mind in this Case ?

Yet the spiritual man , who alone can give a right judgment of things , 1 Cor . 2.15 . he is of Solomon's mind , when returned to his right mind , That whoever seeks satisfaction in the best of this world , Eccles . 1.2 . shall increase and multiply his vexation of spirit .

Worldly men look on worldly things through a magnifying Glass , a vitiated phansie ; but a man of another world as well as this , looks on them through the Glass of God's Word , and his own Experience , and so escapes an errour in the Case . The more spiritual a man is , the less he 'l mistake in his thoughts of the things of this world .

2. This point is useful to rectifie our desires of the things of this world . We may desire them , but not lust after them , as the Children of Israel did after flesh . Since the fall of man , man is composed and made up much of desires ; his Soul runs out this way in desire after forbidden fruit ; 2 Sam . 15.4 . O that I was made Judge in the Land . So saith the carnal man's Soul , O that I had this , and that , without end .

And since the fall , man's desires do commonly corrupt into lust , as Amnon's did to Tamar . Natural men are taken with the outward appearance of things , as Samuel was with Eliab's goodly person , 1 Sam . 16. and for that he thought him to be the Lord's anointed . Gen. 25. Esau phansied a mess of Pottage better than the birth-right .

Well therefore said the Apostle , Rom. 8.5 . They that are after the flesh , savour the things of the flesh ; and they that are after the spirit , the things of the spirit . The honours , profits , and pleasures of this world relish , and go down better with the one ; and the love and grace of God , interest in Christ , pardon and purging away of sin with the other . Many say , Psal . 4.6 . who will shew us any good ? Lord , lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me . Psal . 73.25 . Whom have I in heaven but thee ? Take what you will of the world from this man , and if you can give him God in the room , he is well . The Lord is my portion , saith my Soul . Lam . 3.24 . But if you can take away God from him , and give him what you will , yet he complains ; as he did concerning his Idols , in Judges 18.24 . Ye have taken away my gods ; and what is this that ye say unto me What aileth thee ?

3. This discovers the great difference that is between meer natural men , and men that have grace . The one looks at present things ; Demas hath forsaken me , 2 Tim . 4.10 . and embraced this present world ; such men are blind , and see not afar off , 2 Pet . 2.9 . Heaven is a Countrey out of sight to such men ; Pope Zachary condemn'd Virgilius a Bishop , for holding there be Antipodes . and a world to come is as uncouth to them as a world in the Moon , and as the Antipodes are to some . But men who have grace look more at things which are not seen , and eternal , 2 Cor . 4.18 . They see and enjoy Promises that are afar off . Heb . 11.13 . Grace sees as far as glory . And when the men of this world are full of the things of this world , and they empty ; these see , and satisfie themselves with some better things that God hath provided for them . Heb . 11.40 .

4. Let the people of God receive the word of Exhortation : Take heed that you degenerate not from the nature and temper of Saints ; be not like natural men in your fondness of the things of this world . If God find your hearts going to and fro in the earth , as Satan said of himself , or like the hearts of carnal men ; he will rebuke you for it some way or other , as he did Elias , when he said to him in the Wilderness , 1 Kings 19.13 . What doest thou here Elias ? Desires after the things of this world you may have , but gaged and bounded , as the waves of the Sea are .

Take heed your desires corrupt not into lust ; and one of your great works , as Christians , is done .

Indeed , if there should be no desire , a Saints earthly enjoyments would have no sweet in them ; where desire fails , Eccles . 12.5 . the sweet of Creature comfort fails . What is bread to a man that hath no appetite ? or drink , if he have not thirst ?

Yet desire to these outward things corrupted into lust , is worse than no desire : So was Israel's lusting after flesh , and Amnon's lusting after Tamar , and Gehazi's lusting after a reward at such a season as that was wherein he did it . Corrupt desires will corrupt the things desired . Thus they shall be hurtful to you , as Saul was to Israel , or Delilah to Sampson .

If a man have a distempered thirst , the more he drinks , the more his distemper grows upon him ; though he drink much , it satisfies little : the way is to get his preternatural thirst cured , for it cannot be satisfied .

Thus , the stronger desires are after the things of the world , the less content there is in them . The eye is not satisfied with seeing ; Eccles . 2.8 . & 5.10 . and he that loveth abundance shall not be satisfied with increase .

Therefore if you feel a thirst in your hearts after the things of this world , get the Distemper heal'd ; never expect to have your thirst satisfied .

Quest . But how may I cure it ?

Answ . Why , exchange your carnal lustings into spiritual : Covet earnestly the best things . 1 Cor . 12.31 . The better you taste the waters that Christ gives you , that is the grace and comfort of his spirit , John 4.14 . the less thirsty you will be after the things of this world .

It is one of Solomon's sayings , Eccles . 10.19 . That money answers all things , i.e. all outward things : and this is as true a saying , That the Spirit answers all things , all good things . Compare Matth . 7.11 . with Luke 11.13 . In the first place our Lord Jesus saith — how much more shall your Father in heaven give good things to them that ask him ? In the other , How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him ? Christ makes the holy Spirit to answer all good things . And thus much for the first Doctrine in the sixteenth Verse , That the things of this world are comparatively but Husks or Swines meat , when separated from the enjoyment of God himself .

CHAP. XXV . Sheweth , The Property of Natural men , in chusing to sit down with any base things in the world for ease , rather than they will go to God for it . From the same part of the sixteenth Verse , And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the Swine did eat .

THERE is a second Doctrine contained in this first part of the sixteenth Verse . For , whereas it is said , that he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the Swine did eat , this shews us , the property of Natural men , when troubled in Conscience for sin , is , That they would sit down with any base things in the world for ease , rather than go to God for it .

Something of this was spoken on the fifteenth Verse ; I shall not add much .

When Cain's Conscience vexed him , he humbled not himself to God , but quarell'd with him ; Behold , Gen. 4.14 . thou hast driven me this day from the face of the earth — and every one that findeth me shall slay me . And when God put him besides this fear , in v. 15. Whosoever slayeth Cain , vengeance shall be taken on him ; yet he applied not himself humbly to God , but went out from the presence of the Lord , v. 16. And what went he out for ? for rest : Matth . 12. He traverst the world for it , as that unclean Spirit did ; and he seats himself in the most pleasant place he could find on earth , on the East of Eden . Eden was called The Garden of God . Gen. 4.16 . Ezek . 28. There he built a City , and called it after the name of his son Enoch ; and all this to charm his vexed spirit .

Thus when the evil Spirit was upon Saul , he sought not to God , 1 Sam . 16.23 . but for sweet Musick ; and indeed the requisiteness of the pain puts them upon any thing next for present ease . The terrours of God on the Conscience of a sinner , are worse than the sits of the stone , or any other tormenting Disease : They are sparkles of hell fire .

But yet the main Reason , why men in pains of Conscience for sin make any diversions from God for quiet and ease , is , because men naturally are unwilling to come to God ; they are unacquainted with him , Eph. 2.12 . being , as it were , without God in the world . They know the world better than God . And

Again , their estrangedness from God makes them afraid of him ; Gen. 3.10 . as Adam when he had sinned was . As stout as many sinners seem to be for a time ; yet the time will come , that it will be with such sinners as with the sinners of Zion , Isa . 33.14 . The sinners of Zion are afraid ; who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ? Kings , and great men , and rich men , and the chief Captains , and the mighty men , will hide themselves in the dens , and in the rocks of the Mountains , and say to them , fall on us , Rev. 6.15 , 16. and hide us — It is , or shall be with guilty Consciences , as it is with the Devils , James 2.19 . who believe and tremble .

Uses .

1. This shews us what enemies Conscience-smitten sinners are to their own Conversion ; they had rather stay in a far Countrey , than return to their Father's House . The Elect themselves , if they might have their own way , would be content to remain in a state of Nature with any peace they could get ; the practice of this Prodigal , as the Representative of sinners , shews it

2. Let no man troubled in Conscience for sin , think of getting any peace that will be to any purpose , but what they get from God , and his Word . The grieved Conscience , that has peace any other way , is but as a broken bone ill set , the pains must be repeated in setting again . Your peace is not right , till your trouble send you to God , and his Gospel grace in Christ .

Observe what the Lord said in Ephraim's Case , Hos . 13.13 . He is an unwise son , for he should not have stayed long in the place of the breaking forth of children . Such is the folly of poor convinced sinners , as to check their repentance towards God , when God is as it were in travail of their new birth . But happy are broken sinners , when they come to that in Hos . 14.3 . Ashur shall not save us , we will not ride upon horses ( i.e. ) into Egypt for help ; — for in thee , O God , the fatherless findeth mercy . Such poor souls City of Refuge is that glorious and gracious Name of God , which he proclaimed before Moses ; Exod . 34.6 . The Lord , the Lord God , merciful and gracious , longsuffering , and abundant in goodness and truth , keeping mercy for thousands , forgiving iniquity , transgression and sin . Men and Angels cannot imagine a better course for sinners troubled in Conscience to take , than to resolve as those Lepers did ; 2 Kings 7.4 . Why sit we here till we die ? If we say , we will enter into the City , the famine is there , and we shall die there ; if we sit still here , we die also : Now therefore come , and let us fall into the host of the Syrians ; if they save us alive , we shall live , and if they kill us , we shall but die .

Why thus do you reason , and resolve when under the apprehension of your lost condition ; if we flie to any Refuge but to God , we shall die ; and if we sit still in our sinful state , we shall assuredly die ; Therefore I will go to God , 2 Sam . 24. I 'le fall into his hands , as David said in his great strait ; if he save me , I shall live ; if not , I shall but die . O poor sinner , venter on God in Christ : Thou hast heard he is a merciful God , as Benhadad's Captains said to him of the Kings of Israel ; We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings , let us put sackcloth on our loins , and ropes upon our heads , and go out to the King of Israel , peradventure he will save thy life .

Why so let the self-convinced and condemned sinner go with such self-abasing and self-judging to God , and cast himself upon his mercy and free grace in in Jesus Christ : O resolve on this way ; and say as Esther , I will go to God , and if I perish , Psal . 3. ult . Jonah 2.9 . I perish : Salvation is of the Lord . So much for the second Doctrine from the first part of the sixteenth Verse .

CHAP. XXVI . Wherein is observed , That when God hath a purpose to convert a sinner , he suffers nothing to yield relief and comfort but himself . With the Reasons wherefore he doth thus . And the Uses we are to make hereof ; from the latter part of the sixteenth Verse , And no man gave unto him .

FROM these words we may learn , That when God hath a purpose to bring a convinced sinner to conversion , he will stop all ways of relief and comfort but from himself : He will disable all other Refuges .

So that such a man may traverse the world over for peace , as Solomon did for happiness , and for certain receive disappointment . Every Refuge besides God will say as the Sea and the Depth did , Job 28.14 . Isa . 23.12 . It is not in me . Pass over to Chittim , there also shalt thou have no rest . Sin and Conscience will find out the convinced sinner every where , till Christ hath said to him , as he did to that man , Be of good cheer , Matth . 9.2 . Luke 7. thy sins are forgiven ; and as he said to that woman , Thy sins are forgiven , go in peace .

For sinners troubled in Conscience to think they shall find ease and rest in any other Refuge , it is but a cheat upon the Conscience , a present charm . It 's like Sampson's sleeping on Delila's lap , a snare and forerunner of mischief to his soul .

It is a sad sign that God intends not such a kindness to a sinner in bringing him home to himself , when he sees him running to Self-refuges , and says , Let him alone ; as he said of Ephraim , Hos . 4.17 . Ephraim is joyned to Idols , let him alone .

O! it 's a much better sign , when the Lord hedges up such a sinners way to false Sanctuaries , as he did theirs Hos . 2.6 . when God charges all other Sanctuaries but himself not to succour such a sad sinner ; help him not , ease him not , supply him not , satisfie him not , this is a mercy to a sinner ; and a good sign , when the Lord brings a sinners thoughts of relief into so narrow a compass , as to seek it in himself , and no where else ; and makes all other Refuges say to him , as the King of Israel did to the woman that cried to him for help in a time of famine ; 2 Kings 6. How should I help thee , if God help thee not ?

When God will save a sinner , he will trouble his Conscience , and let it sting , and the wound bleed , till he indeed draw in his eyes and thoughts to relief by Christ . When a man places a Net in the water to catch fish , or on the land to get fowl , he 'l stop all hopes of escape : And so will God , when he purposes to save a man ; he 'l stop all inlets of peace and comfort , but what is from himself .

It was happy for that diseased woman , Matth . 9. that she found no help from any of her Physicians ; for by this means she became acquainted with Jesus Christ , and was fully cured by him . God will beat a sinner from every bush , under which he thinks to shelter himself on this side Christ , and Christ as offer'd by the Gospel , when he intends his conversion and salvation .

Reasons of the Doctrine .

If God did not thus by those he means to save his Election would be frustrate , and the Scripture would fail , Rom. 11.7 . which saith , The election hath obtained it . For the Elect would persist in opposition to their Conversion , as well as other men ; there is no difference between them and others , till their Calling make it . There is a difference in Gods purpose , not in theirs ; the Elect are as willing as other men to stay in their natural state . Gen. 19. As Lot was loth to leave Sodom , as well as his sons in law ; but God being merciful to him , the Angel brought him forth , that he should not perish in the City .

No man by nature hath any desire to a state of grace , John 6.44 . but the very Elect resist , till the Father draw them ; as Reuben and Gad had no mind to go over Jordan into Canaan . Therefore when the Spirit does his office in convincing such of sin , he lets them not find rest at any Sanctuary on this side God himself .

If a convinced sinner , a sinner troubled within , should meet with any ease and rest in other Refuges , he would love these more than God . If a wounded man find a weed in the field that gives him ease , he 'l love that weed more than the best and sweetest flowers in a Garden . Men will commend most the Medicine that helps their distemper , and asswages their pain .

So that if God did not make a sinners Refuge bitter to him , as well as his sins , he would love such things better than God . As the Israelites straits in the wilderness made them like Egypt better than Canaan , because of the flesh-pots and onyons , &c. they had there their fill of . And therefore God will break , or empty Cisterns , that men may have more mind to the Spring .

When God brings the sinner out of trouble of Conscience , he does it in such a way , as a man may see that he is beholding to God only for quenching the sparks of Hell in his Conscience .

Hereby God magnifies his own Free-grace , in that after a sinners trial elsewhere for ease to no purpose , he will cure the wound himself . God does not do or say in the like case as men do ; as he said in Terence , Cum nemini obtrudi potest , itur ad me . I am thy last Refuge ; if thou couldest have had peace any where else , thou hadst not come to me .

But God is free in the case , that he may thereby honour his Free-grace ; as he said of Ephraim , Isa . 57.17 , 18. I hid me , and was wrath . Ephraim has a taste of the wrath of God in his soul ; and what then , does he humble himself to God ? No ; but he went on frowardly in the way of his heart ; he shirk'd and shifted up and down to get off the trouble , but could not : And what then ? did God leave him thus ? No ; I have seen his ways , and will heal him . O how greatly does God here commend his Free-grace to sinners ! He useth to say to poor undone sinners as he did to Israel , Hos . 13.9 , 10. O Israel , thou hast destroyed thy self , but in me is thy help . There is none other that can save thee .

The Lord doth thus to make such a sinner , when converted , a way-mark to other conscience-smitten sinners after him . Psal 51.13 . After David's recovery from his fall by his great sin , he taught other sinners the way to God : And experience made Luther a Soul-affecting preacher to distressed Consciences . When Ministers speak to sinners more from bowels than from brains , this is likely to affect and effect most .

Application .

1. This informs us , That God hath a secret work on the hearts of sinners , whom he will convert , towards their conversion , while they themselves are hindering it . When the sinner labours under convictions , which God intends shall be to conversion , God keeps him from despair on the one hand , and from presuming on Self-refuges on the other , that he may neither wilfully refuse relief , nor lean upon broken Reeds ; that he neither perish on the Rocks or Sands , but flie to God , betake himself to the Lord as the only sufficient Sanctuary : Is● . 45.21 , 22. There is no God besides me , a just God , and a Saviour ; look unto me , and be ye saved .

2. This shews , that a man's estate is never the worse liking , when he can settle his Conscience , his unquiet Conscience , with nothing on this side God himself , and his Free-grace in Christ . Art thou troubled in Conscience for sin , and canst find no satisfaction or ease , though thou hast tried twenty ways ? why , all this may be ; because God intends to do the Cure himself , and make thee to know it ; that so when thy Conscience is settled , thou maiest say as the Psalmist said , This is the Lord's doing , Psal . 118.23 . and it is marvellous in mine eyes . When the man that had an infirmity thirty eight years , John 5. could not be healed by the Pool of Bethesda , because he could not get in of himself , Christ himself healed him .

That troubled sinner is in a dangerous condition , whose trouble of Conscience meets with peace on this side the Free-grace of God in Jesus Christ ; it 's a sign God leaves that man to his deceitful Refuges and Sanctuaries , where he sculks at present from the sense of sin and wrath : As he did by Ephraim , when he took up with Idols , Let him alone , Hos . 4.17 . says God ; let him see what will come on 't .

And on the other hand , if in thy Consciencetrouble and distress thou hast been beaten from bush to bush , where thou thoughtest to have had comfort , but still hast met with disappointments , live in some hope that God means thee good , that he has in his own thoughts named thee Ruamah , Hos . 2.1 . having obtained mercy .

O let no convinced sinner think himself the better , because he hath company to divert his troubled thoughts , or worldly business to take up his thoughts , or the thoughts of some good thing in himself to please and stroke himself with , or some good purposes to be better hereafter ; alas , these are but charms to get a little ease for present : They do but hinder thy thorow humiliation for sin , and thy sinful state , which is previously needful to thy thorow conversion to God .

It were a better sign that all Refuges should fail thee on this side thy looking after God himself for peace with him , and from him .

And if God should not do thus with men , they would never get beyond the first step of humiliation in their sinful state : For so soon as they have a sense of sin , and are afraid of wrath , they begin to look about them for a hedge , or a house , to get from the storm , in hopes it will be over ; therefore God disables their shifts , and beats them from one to another , till from all , that when they find no footing on dry ground , they may , like the Dove , sly to the Ark. God allures sinners , whom he will convert and save , Hos . 2.14 . into the Wilderness , and there speaks to their hearts .

When you are brought to this failure of expectations , Jer . 14.19 . We looked for peace , and there is no good ; and for the time of healing , but behold trouble ; now you will fall upon plain dealing with your own souls , and with God , and cast your selves upon mercy and Free-grace : So it follows , Jer . 14.20 . We acknowledge , O Lord , our wickedness , for we have sinned against thee ; do not abhor us for thy Name sake .

I have been the larger in the Application of this point , because of the errour and mistake of poor souls on both hands : Some in betaking themselves to false Refuges in their gripes of Conscience . For though there were many Cities of Refuge in the Law , yet there is but one in the Gospel , that is Christ , and the Free-grace of God through him .

Others again , disquieted in Conscience by , and for sin , and seek , and can find no rest for their souls under Heaven , they think themselves quite lost , and that they shall perish for ever ; whereas it is a better sign to them than they are aware of , viz. That Christ means to bring them from all other Sanctuaries to himself ; Matth . 11.28 . Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest .

3. This may inform us , What a mercy it is to God's people to be disappointed in many things their hearts gad after , thinking of content and self-pleasing in them . God may , and often doth disappoint them for their good ; he knows that if they should have them , and content in them , they would be a snare to them , Judges 8.27 . as Gideon's Ephod was to his house . When things prosper not in your hands that would draw your hearts off from God , it is a mercy to you .

They shall follow after their lovers , Hos . 2.6 , 7. but shall not overtake them ; and by this means they resolved on a return unto God , and there fixed their hearts .

O look upon it as a kindness from God , when he crosses you thus , Psal . 141.5 . as David did the reproofs of the Righteous ; Let the righteous smite me , and it shall be a kindness . The Lord did David a good turn in taking away his child , though he begged so hard for the life of it .

Let us therefore learn to look on 't as a kindness , when God will not let us be at hearts ease in Creature injoyments . Peter did not wish his own happiness so much as he thought , when he said on Mount Tabor to Jesus , Luke 9.33 . Master , it is good for us to be here . The Lord's end in giving check to our satisfaction in the Creature things , or persons , or places , may be , that we may seek it in himself , and to bring us to say by proof , Psal . 87. ult . All my springs are in thee .

CHAP. XXVII . Sheweth , That the lowest step of a sinner's misery is , to see himself remediless by any carnal means whatsoever : Together with the Application hereof ; from the whole sixteenth Verse , And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the Swine did eat ; and no man gave unto him .

I Come now to the fourth and last Doctrine from the sixteenth Verse , That when a man feels himself in a lost condition , and withal sees no way of relief , this is the lowest step of his misery to his own sense ; yet in Gods method and meaning may be a fair step to mercy in his Conversion .

When the Prodigal was in such want , that he would have eaten what men gave to Swine , and none gave unto him , this , to his own apprehension , was the very depth of misery , and yet it proved the inlet of mercy : As the valley of Achor , or the valley of trouble , was given by God to Israel for a door of hope . Hos . 2.15 . Bare conviction of sin leaves a man as far from God as before , till he be beaten out of all his creeping holes . It 's true , the first work of the Spirit in order to Conversion is conviction of sin , that this man is a sinner . I but , saith this man , so are others , so are all men . Therefore the Spirit goes further , and convinces this man that he has no grace , but is in a state of sin . Otherwise , though men be convinced that they are sinners , yet they think they have some grace ; and so their opinion of grace keeps out grace . It 's a step towards a state of grace , for a man to be thorowly convinced that he has no grace .

A man is never the poorer for casting away counterfeit grace ; that which he thought to be grace , but is not . He that wakens out of a rich Dream , and finds it not with him as he dreamed , is never the poorer , because he never had the riches he dreamed of .

Application .

Labour than for a double conviction in order to Conversion ; a conviction of sin , and a conviction of the vanity of all Sanctuaries but God himself , against whom men have sinned . Sight and sense of sin and wrath , will send men to a Citizen of a far Countrey , to something of this World for relief ; but experience of the unprofitableness of this way sends them to their Father's house , where is help in deed .

The more a man is emptied of himself , and the Creature , the nearer he is to God . It is darkest a little afore day break . When a convinced sinner is at worst for relief in his own thoughts , he is fair for it .

Quest . But are there not some sinners troubled in Conscience by sin , that find no releif in the World , and yet look not after it in God ; as Cain and Saul , and the men that were scorched with great heat , Rev. 16.9 . and yet blasphemed God ?

Answ . There is no preparative to a sinner's Conversion that works further in a sinner than God leads it on : Converts are born of the will of God , John 1.13 . and not their own . The Plow is not the cause of the earths bearing fruit , but the Seed that is cast into it : though there be plowing and harrowing , and the first and latter rain ; yet there can be no fruit , if there be no seed .

It 's true , that God ordinarily brings about a sinners Conversion by preparatives ; which although we should say they work Physically , yet can they go no further than their own nature , as preparatives , and so can never finish the work .

It was not the water of Jordan that cured Naaman's leprosie so much as the will of God put forth in it , and the word of God that commanded it . 2 Kings 5. Though the wax be melted , yet it 's the owners hand that sets on the Seal , and makes the impression . A man may be convinced of his sinful state , and helpless state , and yet not be converted , except the will and power of God work-up conviction so far . It was not the whirl-wind , Job 38.2 . but the powerful voice of God in it , that humbled Job to silence and self-abhorrence . And therefore men should give God the glory of the effectual working of all their preparatives to Conversion : Psal . 115.1 . Not unto us , Lord , not unto us , but unto thy Name give the glory , for thy mercy and for thy truths sake . When God hath a will to save a sinner , he puts powerful and effectual influences into the preparatives of his Conversion .

Object . But then a convinced and conscience-afflicted sinner is still at an uncertainty for his Conversion ; when beaten off of all his Refuges , his Conversion still depends on God's will and power .

Answ . I answer that such a man is not at that uncertainty as before : For first , he is at a certainty for God's power , that that cannot fail him , though all his other helps have fail'd . And secondly , if the turning of the Scales hang upon God's will , his solemn invitations and promises may incourage him as to the will of God in the case ; Ezek . — why will ye die , O ye house of Israel ? It 's mens own wills , and not God's , that damns them . Though there may be ground of a sinner's despair in himself , yet there is none in God . God hath so set forth himself to a sinner , both as to his power and will , as to leave no cause of despair . God hates and abhors the despair of a sinner more than all his other sins .

The Devil cannot revenge himself more on God , than to bring reproach on him by a sinner's despair ; for herein the Devil makes the sinner likest to himself : He is himself a desperate sinner , and he would have other sinners to be so . This is one of the chiefest sins that Satan aims at in his temptations to sin ; his tempting to other sins is to dispose men to this ; as wooll hath first a tincture of a lighter colour , that it may receive a deeper die .

And let convinced and self-judged sinners consider , that despair puts them actually under the punishment of Hell in part , when as other sins only bind them over to condemnation ; even the greatest of Gospel sins , which is unbelief : John 16.9 . Mark 16.16 . John 3.18 . He shall convince the world of sin , because they believe not in me ; and he that believeth not shall be damned . He is condemned already , Sentence is passed upon him , but it is not executed ; but in a sinner's despair , execution is begun .

O then let not sinners in trouble of Conscience for sin consult with reason disorder'd and mated by temptation in the case : This reason is low of stature , like Zacheus , and cannot see mercy and free grace in the throng and press of his sins ; but standing on the Promise , as Zacheus did on the Tree , on that Promise in Isa . 55.7 . or of the like nature , he will be in sight of hope .

A man may have mighty sins , but not almighty ; Amos 5.12 . but the mercy of God is almighty mercy . The mercy of God is unlimited to those that do not limit it ; that is , who seek for cleansing and purging mercy , as well as pardoning . And therefore for sinners that would be penitent , as well as pardoned sinners , for such to say in their hearts , Can God forgive my sins ? is as great a sin , as it was to Israel to say in their straits , Can God prepare a table in the wilderness ?

Remember and consider what the Lord saith in this case , My thoughts are not your thoughts ; Isa . 55.7 . he can pardon abundantly .

The very holiness of God inclines him to mercy , as man's wickedness inclines him to cruelty : The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel . Prov. 12.10 . The Devil , who is the greatest of sinners , is disposed to the greatest revenge and cruelty : he would revenge himself on God if he could ; and therefore he belies God to man , as well as he does man to God : As he charged Job with hypocrisie to God , so he charged God with cruelty to Job . Job 2.9 . Doest thou still retain thy integrity ? Curse God and die . There is no such thing in the Devil , as the least pity towards any sinner . But God's holiness disposes him to pity poor sinners , when their Souls are in trouble for sin . Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity , whose Name is holy ; I dwell in the high and holy place , Isa . 57.15 . with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit , to revive the spirit of the humble , and to revive the heart of the contrite one .

The holy God can be righteous in pardoning sinners , 1 John 1.9 . as well as in damning them for sin ; If we confess our sins , he is just and faithful to forgive us our sins — Oh therefore , if there be any one that the Spirit of God hath convinced of their dangerous and damnable state in sin , and set their Consciences on the rack by the spirit of bondage , and withal beatten them from all false refuge , let such come to God , and try him .

Obj. But is it likely that God will harbour such a wretched sinner as I , who make him my last refuge , when all others have failed me , and now I come to him on meer necessity ?

Answ . Yes , meer necessity may turn a sinner's eye to God at first . Luke 14.23 . At first God compells men to come into the feast . Sinners are constrain'd upon necessity to betake themselves to God for sanctuary . God allows men to come to him out of self-love at first , though after love to God must keep them with him . It 's well that mens sense of their own misery will force them to seek after mercy in God . The Father will suffer those things in a child , which he will not do after . Joh . 4.39 , 41. The Samaritans believed Jesus at first for the womans words ; but after because of his own word .

That woman which had a bloody Issue was driven to Christ for healing on necessity , Matth . 9.20 . for she had spent all on the Physician , and to no purpose ; and when all would do nothing , she applied her self to Jesus Christ for cure , and he heals her ; and it redounded to his honour , that he could do , and had done that which no other means could do .

And therefore it is good for poor sinners in their Soul-straits to look at the power and freeness of God's grace , which can and will help them , when other refuges have fail'd them , that they may magnifie God's grace above all .

God's time of giving grace , is when he may have the honour of it : James 4.6 . Therefore he gives grace to the humble , because he knows the humble will give him the glory of his grace .

But then , though a sinner may go to God of pure necessity , and self-love at first ; yet when he is come to God , Psal . 73.28 . he must and will abide with God in love to God himself ; he will now say , It is good for me to draw near to God .

And now let the presuming sinner live in sin , and the convinced troubled sinner despair of mercy from God , at their own eternal peril . For the first , Deut . 29.19 , 20. God will assuredly curse that sinner , who blesseth himself in his sins .

And for the convinced and conscience-pricked sinner , who hath mercy offered him by the Gospel , and yet despairs of mercy from God by Christ , it argues a defect in that sinners humiliation for sin : For it is not so much the greatness of sin , as the greatness of the sinners spirit , that is the cause of his despair . To those Jews who said , Jer . 2. ●5 . Ezck. 33.10 . There is no hope , we shall pine away in our sins , God hath said , Your words have been stout against me . Mal . 3.13 , 14. Wherein say they : Ye have said , It is in vain to serve God , and so to seek him .

I may not doubt to say , that there was never any sinner outed of his sins and himself , who missed of mercy , if he sought it of God . Thus much for the sixteenth verse , with which endeth the first part of the Parable .

FINIS .