FOUR LEARNED AND GODLY TREATISES; VIZ. 

The Carnal Hypocrite.  
The Church's Deliverances.  
The Deceitfulness of Sinne.  
The Benefit of Afflictions.    
By T. H.  
Printed at London by Tho. Cotes, for Andrew Crook, and are to be sold at the sign of the Bear in Paul's Churchyard, 1638.   

Imprimatur,  
Tho. Wykes. 1638.   

Several Treatises of this Author.  

1. THE Carnal Hypocrite, on 2 Tim. 3.5.  
The Church's Deliverances, on judges 10.13.  
The Deceitfulness of sin, on Psalm 119.29.  
The Benefit of Prayer, on Prover. 1.28, 29.  
2 The unbelievers preparing for Christ, out of, 

Revelations 22.17.  
1 Corinth. 2.14.  
Ezekiel 11.19.  
Luke 19.42.  
Matthew 20.3, 4, 5, 6.  
john 6.44.    
3. The souls Preparing for Christ, or a Treatise of Contrition, on Acts 2.37.  
4 The soul's Humiliation, on Luke 15 Verses 15, 16, 17, 18.  
5. The soul's Vocation, or Effectual Calling to Christ, on john 6.45.  
6. The Souls Union with Christ, 1 Cor 6.17.  
7. The Souls benefit from union with Christ, on 1 Cor. 1 30.  
8. The Souls justification, eleven Sermons on 2 Corinth. 5.21.    

THE CARNAL HYPOCRITE.  2 TIM. 3.5. 
Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, from such turn away.  
IF you cast your eyes into the first Words of the Chapter, in the first verse, you shall find the holy Apostle writing to Timothy his Son and Scholar, doth by way of Prophecy, and direction from God, discover the manifold dangers that would come to pass in the last days, and also annexeth the great danger in the 3, 4, 5. verses, he makes up as it were a Catalogue of those corruptions, that should harbour in their hearts, and discover themselves in the lives of wicked men, in the last age of the world, which is the age wherein we now live. In the 1. v. perilous days shall come, the reason of the trouble, and the ground of the misery, that the Spirit hath foretold, shall befall and be brought upon the world, it shall not be in regard of the punishment inflicted, but in regard of the sin committed.  
Among which sins, he reckons up the cursed dissimulation, that men should carry a fair show outwardly, when they had a great deal of wretchedness and vileness in their hearts inwardly, that is one of the last, though not one of the least sins here reckoned up, thus fare the Apostle doth exhort Timothy to turn away from them.  
Before we come to particulars, Doct. 1 take up the point in general from these words as they stand in reference to the former.  
The multitude of sins bring the danger times. When there are the greatest abominations committed, there is the greatest danger to be expected. For the danger of times lieth not in regard of outward troubles but in regard of the manifold corruptions that are in us, and the many evils committed by us, when men are most wicked, than the time is most dangerous, for it is not the power of Satan, nor his wicked instruments, that can bring misery to the People of God, but the root of all ruin lieth within ourselves, jere. 2.19. Here is the evil, here is the venom of all afflictions, and the gall of all troubles, that we have forsaken the Lord, that his fear is not within our hearts, 2 Chron. 15.5. They were without blessings, because without God.  
Instruction Use. to teach us, how to procure comfort to our own souls & to recover our Country & times out of those dangers that are threatened against us, it's not means, nor men, nor policy, nor strength, that can do it, till our evils be reform. Let every man look to his own ways, and reform his own corruptions, and turn from his evil courses, and then all dangers and inconveniences will turn away, and God will be a God to us, when they did eat and drink, and did righteously, was it not well with them, I say no more, but remember it is Gods only wish, that it should be thus with us. Isa. 48.18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments! what then? what should we have got by it, mark then what followeth, thy righteousness had been as a river, O why might it not be our wish too, that we that enjoy peace and plenty under our Sovereign, may have the same still continued to us, still hearken to God, and all things shall hearken to us, Hos. 2.21. If we would call and obey him, he would hear. Mat. 11.23. This was the ground of the desolation of Sodom and Gomorrah, so that to humble, and to reform our sins, is the best means to maintain the safety of a Kingdom or Nation.  
In the Verse observe two things first what Carnal Hypocrites and cursed dissemblers will do, They have a form but deny the power. Secondly, what the carriage of the Saints should be toward these, they should turn away, because they turn away from God, and the power of godliness.  
First, the Hypocrite what he doth, he is only the picture of godliness, as Machivel that cursed politician speaks, he would have a man to take up the name of virtue, because there is no trouble in it, no disquiet which comes by it, but he would not have him take up the practice of it. So it is with an Hypocrite, it is easy to have a show and appearance, but when it comes to the virtue, power, and strength of it, he cannot endure it.  
Here is two things to be discovered, before we come to the doctrine, first what is meant by godliness, secondly what is meant by a form.  
First, this word Godliness implieth two things, first, the doctrine of Religion, which by the Apostles is called the doctrine according to godliness, secondly, that implieth that gracious frame of spirit, whereby the heart is disposed and the soul of a Christian is fitted to express some gracious work outwardly. For what the oil is to the wheels of a clock, it makes them run glibber, so godliness to the soul, when the soul is oiled and anointed therewith, it is fitted to perform any good duty.  
Secondly, what is meant by the form of godliness, I answer, the word form or fashion, it is taken by way of resemblance, and similitude from outward things, it is nothing else but that outward appearance, that any thing hath, discovering the nature and being of it. We use to say, that he hath the guise of his behaviour, and the proportion of such a ones carriage, though he hath not the like disposition of mind, so in this case a carnal Hypocrite may have the guise and portraiture or the outward profession of a child of God, that what a holy heart doth express outwardly, he may express outwardly. Look as it is among stage players, the stage-player puts on brave apparel, and comes on to the stage, and resembles the person of a King, and acts the part of a Monarch, but if you pull him off the stage, and pluck his robes from his back, he appears in his own likeness, so it is here, a carnal Hypocrite, a cursed dissembler is like a stage player, he takes upon him the person and profession of a godly, humble, lowly man, and he acts the part marvellous curiously, and he speaks big words against his corruptions, and he humbles himself before God, and he hears, and prays, and reads, but when God plucks him off the stage of the world, and his body drops into the grave, and his soul goes to hell, than it appears that he had not the power of godliness, he was only a stage-player, a stage professor. When Saul went to the witch to raise him up Samuel, the devil took upon him the guise of Samuel, but he was the devil, so many hypocrites, though they have the guise of holiness, and the form of godliness, yet there is no soundness, there is nothing but dissimulation within: Hence note this:  
That godliness hath a form, Doctr. 2 or more clearly thus.  
Sound godliness always shows and discovers itself, where it is in the life and conversation of him that hath it. For it is not a mere fancy as some think. And they think when we talk of godliness and inward moving etc. what say they, will you have us Saints and Angels, as if godliness were some secret thing, that never saw the Sun, the Apostle doth professely oppose these, and says they are real thing, and it is really in your hearts that have it, and it doth not keep close, but appears and discovers itself, in a holy conversation outwardly. Psal. 45.13. The Text saith, The King's daughter, and that is not all, but her clothing is of gold. The King's Daughter is the Church of God, the Saints that God hath sound humbled, and powerfully converted, they are the Daughters of God, they are sanctified and purged, and the Image of God is stamped upon them, and what is their raiment outwardly? it is of gold, they have golden speeches, golden conversations, not dirty filthy conversation as the wicked h●ve, Act. 4.20. See how prevalent grace is, where it is, it was also the resolution of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 4.13. it is also said of David, he believed inwardly and therefore spoke outwardly, so must we, or if we rest upon God, we will express the power of his grace in the course of our lives. Look as it is with a clock, if the wheels run right, the clock cannot but strike, so it is with the trees of the field, if there be sap in the root, it will discover itself in the branches, by the fruit and greenness of them, though it be hidden in the Winter, yet it will appear in the Spring, and in the Summer, so it is in the Souls of God's Servants, the frame of a man's heart, that is like the wheels of a clock, if a man have an humble heart, he will have a holy life, it will make the hand work, the eye see, the foot walk, and the actions be proportionable unto the disposition of the heart. So if there be the sap of godliness and holiness, and meekness, and patience in a man's spirit, it will appear in the blossom and fruits, in good speeches actions, and an holy conversation. If there be sound grace in the heart, and godliness within, we must not think godliness will make a monster; but it will make a comely, decent proportionable Christian, that is four square in all good duties at all good duties, at all times, in all places, upon every occasion. I conclude with john the Baptist, Luk. 3.8. Worthy, the word in the Original is fine, Let your fruit be worthy, that is answerable, let them hold weight for weight with amendment of life, if there be obedience in the heart, it will answer such obediences outwardly, lay obedience in one balance, and then repentance will poise that obedience in the other scale  
But you will say how comes this to pass, Object. may not a man have a gracious good heart, may not a man have a soul truly humbled and converted, and yet be a retired Christian, and not express it Answ. outwardly?  
I answer no, if there be holiness in the heart, it will show itself without.  
From the power of grace, Reason. 1 where ever it is imprinted upon any soul, it will break through and make way for itself, what ever maketh opposition against it. Mat. 6.22. The meaning is, the eye is the Conscience, the sincere eye, is the sincere conscience, now if a man have a good conscience inwardly, his whole conversation will be proportionable to the same. Mat. 13.33. The grace of God is compared to leaven, it will never leave leavening, till it hath leavened all the whole lump, if the heart be leavened with grace and godliness, never think to keep godliness in a corner, and contrive it into a narrow compass, no, no, it will never leave leavening, till the eye looks holily, and the hand works mercifully. Nay, observe this in particular, first let corruptions be never so strong in a gracious heart, the power of godliness will over power all, and work out itself, and get ground in conclusion. Look as it is with the Moule, put her into the ground, and stop her up, she will work herself out one way or other, so it is with a gracious frame of spirit, though there be a great deal of earthly corruption, yet a gracious heart will work under ground, and work itself out of all these. It is observed by natural Philosophy, when a Ship is cast away, the Sea vomits on the shore the dead persons, and the Sea will not fetch them in again, so there is a Sea of grace in the souls of God's servants, there is but a beginning of grace indeed, but there is abundance of life, and virtue and power in the graces of God's children, so that though there be many corruptions, much deadness and untowardness, yet if this gracious work be there, it will vomit out all, it will fling out those dead bodies, but never take them in again. jer. 20 4. observe when jeremy out of a kind of discouragement and pride of spirit, because he could not find that success, and some despised it, and some scoffed, I will preach no more saith he, but even then the word of the Lord was as burning fire, this was the power of this gracious frame of heart we speak of, Matt. 12.35. Bring forth good things, the word in the Original is, All cast out good things, and it implies a kind of copulsion, so that a holy man, out of the treasure of holiness casts out holy things, that is how ever many corruptions hang about him, and would hinder him from doing what he should, yet a good heart will cast out all, and break through all. Look as it is with sire, let it be raked up never so close, yet there will be fire, it will heat, and burn, and consume all into itself, so it is with the sire of grace in a man's heart, though there be many clogging corruptions, yet if this grace be there, though a man have a great deal of filthy noisome humours of vanity, and collar and anger, and carelessness yet this fire will heat and burn, & make way, & kindle and turn all into a flame at conclusion.  
Secondly, it will not only break through all corruptions, but through all outward occasions that comes against it. Psa. 39.3. The good man was among a company of mocke-gods, that were flouting and gibing, and now saith he, I burned and spoke with my tongue, as who should say, the grace of God was so powerful, that he could hold no longer, he could bear no more, but spoke with his tongue. Look as it is with the Husband man, he casts his seed into the ground, and covers it over with earth, yet that little seed will break the earth, and rend the ground and come out: so it is with a godly and holy heart, where in the immortal seed of God's word is sown, though there be clogs and occasions of oppositions, this way and that way, and another way, yet a gracious heart will break through, and the good work of the Lord that is implanted in the soul will appear in the life and conversation.  
Consider Reason. 2 the end why God gives grace, which cannot be attained unto, unless we express the power of this grace outwardly, as well as to have it inwardly in our hearts. For mark the ends why God gives grace are principally these two. First, to glorify the Lord, Ephe. 1.6. There was such a proud heart humbled, such a carnal wretch purified, 1 Pet 2.12. I would have God's children carry themselves so holily, that the wicked may admire at them, and glorify God, the second end, why God gives grace, that we may be a means to draw others on in the same way, wherein God hath enabled us to walk, 2 King. 7.9. There they say, We do not well, this day is a day of glad tidings, come therefore let us tell it to the King's household: so it is with a merciful gracious loving heart, if God ever opens his eyes, and shows mercy to his soul, and pardon his sins, than he thinks sure I do not well, that I do not tell it to my fellow servants, that they may love grace and embrace it, and be blessed by it, this thou must do, and aught to do, and this you cannot do if you keep your grace secret within your hearts, therefore tell your fellow servants, of a truth I had as stony as careless a heart as you, but it hath pleased the Lord to break it, it hath cost me many a sob and salt tear, but now the Lord hath pardoned me, did you but know the peace of a conscience, you would never live as you do, this is the frame of a gracious heart.  
Instruction Use. 1 that it is not a fault for any man to show himself forward in a holy course and holy conversation, know it is no fault to express that grace which God hath bestowed upon thee. I speak this the rather by reason of the cavils of a company of carnal persons, that cast reproaches upon this course, ah say they, they can make a show, but they are all hypocrites, if a man knew their hearts, they are as bad as the worst. I answer how dost thou know their hearts to be bad, we judge the tree by the fruit, and we may judge the heart by the life and conversation. But be his heart naught, yet there is not a fault in that he makes a show, to make a show and to express holiness is good, but that is a fault, that the heart is naught, let that therefore which is good be commended, and that which is naught be avoided. It is not the fault of gold that it glisters, but that it glisters and is not gold. But what heart is thine in the mean time, that cannot endure so much as the show of godliness, it shows a heart marvellous violent against God, a heart marvellous Satanical, he that loves his father, will love the picture of his father, so if thou lovest holiness, thou wilt love the picture of holiness.  
But you will say we do not discommend holiness. Object. but it is this Hypocrisy, that we disallow God forbidden that we should speak against holiness.  
Give me leave to reply two things. First, Answ. that which thou seest them want, labour thou for, and that which is good in them, labour th●u to take up. Thou that sayest those be Sermon hunters, yet they will cozen and lie, and the like, dost thou speak against hearing the word, and praying in families, no, oh but this cozening, dissembling, why then, take thou that which is good, sanctify thou the Lords day, and pray thou in thy family, show thy holiness outwardly, and be thou also inwardly sincere, but thou that hatest the form of godliness, it is a sign thou hatest the power of godliness.  
Secondly, if thou hatest them for hypocrisy, than thou hatest them because they are sinful, and if thou dost, thou wilt hate those more that are greater sinners, as a man that hates a toad, the greater the toad is, the more he loathes it, so if thou hatest hypocrisy because it is sinful, than thou wilt hate that man which hath more sin, but thy conscience testifieth that thou canst love drunkards, and harlots, adulterers, and speak well of blasphemers, those thou art content with, and wilt not reproach them, this is a great sign thou hatest holiness and sincerity, because thou hatest the show thereof.  
For reproof it condems the opinions of a great company of carnal professors, that brag Use. 2 of their good heart, when in the mean time they have base lives. Take any carnal wretch that hath neither the form nor show, he will though he make not such a show as many do, but he hath as good a heart to God ward, be not deceived, God is not mocked, this is an idle conceit, of thine own carving and coining, a thing that the Saints of God never found, a thing that the Scriptures never revealed, no, no, if grace be inwardly, it will show it outwardly. You would think a man were beside himself, that should tell you of a Sun that did never shine, or of a fire that did never heat, this would be a strange sun, & a strange fire, so it is a strange kind of imagination thou hast, thou thinkest thou hast a good heart, and yet never express it outwardly in thy conversation, it is well, sometimes there may be a show without a substance, but this is impossible, that there should be a substance without some appearance.  
Should thou see a body lie on the bed, and neither sense in it nor action proceeding from it, you would say it is dead, it lives not, so in this case if faith work not it is a fancy, it is an idle foolish carnal presumption, why, faith purifies the heart, and works by love, faith is, mighty and powerful, and faith is operative and effectual, therefore thou that thinkest thou hast a holy heart, and never showest it in thy course, it is a foolish delusion of thy heart, therefore know this for an everlasting rule, that the worst is always within; Out of the abundance of the heart, etc. if thy eye, thy tongue and thy life be naught, what a vile heart hast thou then, there is the puddle of all abomination and profaneness from within, for the heart moves the eye, and the tongue, and the foot to wickedness. If the Streams be impure the Fountain is much more filthy, therefore away those carnal pleas and foolish delusions.  
Exhortation, we hear the Use. 3 duty God hath revealed, and the task God hath set us, therefore take up the task, if you desire any evidence to your souls or testimony to your hearts, that God hath wrought grace in you, then show it in your lives. Express the virtues of him that hath called you from death to life, as the Apostle, do not only have virtues, as patience, meekness, etc. but show forth these virtues that others may be bettered by them. Therefore the Lord saith be ye holy as I am holy, not in affliction only, but in all manner of conversation: mark he doth not say, have good minds only and honest hearts, but in all manner of conversation; be holy in buying, selling, travelling, trading, etc. God's Saints should be so holy in their lives, as men should say, surely there is a holy God, see how his servants are holy, there is a righteous God, see how righteous his servants are. Away therefore with those idle sottish policies of a company of carnal persons in the world, that are directly opposite to the power of godliness.  
There is a generation of Politicians in the world, that count it a point of great wisdom for a man to conceal his Religion to himself, and the phrase is among men, keep your holiness and your hearts to yourselves, and they confine godliness within a man's Closet or study, but if any holiness appear in his life, or any exactness in his Courses, there is an outcry made presently, O discretion would do well, if men were but wise much might be done. Wisdom I dare not style it, but that the Scripture speaketh of a wisdom that is not from above, that is carnal, sensual and devilish wisdom, which the Word requires not, the Word warrants not. These men may imagine the holy Apostles wanted wisdom, Phil. 4 5. He exhorts you to let your patience be made known to others and let all know it, for the Lord is at hand. This takes away a cavil some may say, if a man doth show and express godliness outwardly, than contempt and persecution will be at hand presently, why saith the Apostle, the Lord is at hand to comfort you, to deliver you: Nay in these men's conceits, Christ should have wanted wisdom, when he commanded peremptorily, Matth. 5.26. Let your light, etc. he doth not say hide your light in your souls, and keep your hearts to yourselves, No, no, but let it shine forth. You that are tradesmen, you are not content only to have your sons put to prentice, but you would have them to learn their trade also, you are bound prentice to the trade of holiness, you profess yourselves to be scholars in the school of the Lord jesus Christ, therefore let us express something we have learned, let us show something we have gained, show some workmanship as the Apostle calls it, Ephe. 2.10. I would have every Christian man express the workmanship of the Lord, that is, I would have him express such holy graces in his cou●se and conversation, that all the world should find no flaw, that when the wicked shall say, what have you done with your grace, are you a professor and pray, read and hear Sermons; now let a Christian put the word to silence, I am more able to suffer persecution than thou art to think of it I am more able to bear trouble than thou to hear of troubles, Heb. 10.34. But some may say, I wonder you can endure such indignities to be laid upon you, fie, you may wonder indeed, but now godliness showeth itself, what serves grace and godliness for, but only that we should do something for the glory of God more than you can.  
Ay Object. but you will say, to me this is the only way for to make a company of proud professors in the world, this is the only way to blow up a haughty heart, to make it show itself to the world, which is nothing else but pride.  
I Answ. answer, the Saints may show forth godliness, and yet not themselves, however a carnal heart is ready to abuse the best duties sometimes, as the corrupt stomach doth turn the best Cordials into Choler, so a corrupt heart may set forth his own vain glory, but yet the duty itself is good, though the abuse is to be avoided.  
But Object. you will say, how shall a man so order himself, that he may be neither cowardly in hiding his grace, nor vain glorious in expressing his grace.  
I Answ. answer there are four rules to be observed.  
First labour to lay down all Rule 1 carnal excellency of thy parts and abilities, and of all outward respects that are in thee and God hath bestowed upon thee, lay down all those in all thy service, that only the power of the Lord jesus may be discovered to the view of the world, let grace be above all, make that known, and lift that up above all other things whatsoever. Mark how careful Paul is to knock off his own fingers, 1 Cor. 15. 10. but not I saith he he shrinks in and will take nothing to himself, it was not I, but the grace of God, which was the author and the cause of it, and therefore 1 Phil. 20. Paul did set up God on the Pinnacle, so that nothing appeared but Christ and his grace: he lay in the dust, that the Lord only might tread upon him, that he only might be magnified, admired and extolled. I would have a Christian deal in Christianity as men do when one lifts another over the wall, he that is lifted up, is only discovered, but the other is not seen, all men may view him, but the other not descried: so I would have the soul lie down low in the dust, and at the foot of the Lord, and lay down all excellency of gifts, that Christ and his grace might only appear. I would have a Christian heart in reading, praying and professing to show forth Christ, only lie thou hid and bear up the Lord and his grace, that he only may be presented to the view of the world.  
Secondly Rule 2 labour that others may acknowledge that work of excellency, and that the excellency of that grace might be seen of others but not of ourselves, Matth. 5.16. O that Christians would so walk and converse that the whole world might see what grace can do? that men may say such a one by nature is marvellous choleric, but see what grace can do, he is very calm and meek, such a man is a very coward naturally, but see what grace can do, he is courageous for the cause of grace: observe the difference between a proud and a meek spirit. 2 King. 10. 16. john come and see, etc. this is the pattern of a proud spirit, for always a vain glorious man either begins or ends with something of his own, and if for shame he cannot commend himself, yet he will so express himself that he will leave some praise of himself behind him; if he talks with some great man he will flatter, and fawn, and praise the man he speaks to, so that when he is gone, they may say he is a wise descreet man, & fits every man's humour that it may appear what parts are in him. This is the temper of a proud man.  
But now take an example of an humble heart, Act. 4.12, 13. that was a fair booty to take a great deal of glory to himself, be it known not I, but the name of jesus hath made this man whole, 1. john 20. I am not that great Prophet.  
Labour Rule 3 that others may be in love with thee, and labour to be partakers of it, this we ought to labour at in all our performances, for we are but friends to the Bridegroom, and all that we have to do is to woo and win the hearts of people, not to us but to the Lord jesus, 1 Pet. 3. 1. I tell you a holy wife, that hath the work of grace in her heart, she may so behave herself to her husband, that he may say, what doth the grace of God work this? then sure I will love that word and that grace. The servant that stands at the stall asks the Chapman what will you buy, he doth not sell for himself, it is his master's commodity: so it is in this case, a Christian should not set out any thing, either parts or gifts to make men buy, but that they might buy grace, and love grace, esteem of grace, and rejoice in the power of grace.  
This should be our aim and care in showing forth the power of godliness that others may glorify God with us, and Rule 4 bless God. Men glorified God in Paul, and said, O the admirable power of God that can thus prevail, he that hath been an opposer, now a Preacher of Christ, men here wondered at the grace of God. So then labour to express thy grace outwardly when time shall serve; art thou a holy wife, show thyself meek to a churlish Naball, are you holy servants, and yet do you think you may be way ward and proud, and take one end of the staff, and think your Master nor Mistress may reprove you, this is not a show of godliness but of sauciness, if you have grace inwardly, show it outwardly, and let all the world know what it is to have a gracious heart, let them that have no grace be proud, etc. but be thou meek, obedient, and lay thy hand on thy mouth, and say nothing; O what a glory would come to the name of Christ hereby. Carry home the point in hand, masters, servants, fathers and children, have you any goodness, let the world see it, let thy father see it if thou be'st a child; let thy master perceive it if thou be'st a servant, that the wicked of the world may not say, what are your professors, that you talk so much of, they are as proud and as peevish as others, they are as unjust as others; for shame let it never be said so of you, but if you think you have any godliness, express it then, why show it then, the fire cannot be without light, the Sun without heat, so if grace be in your hearts it will appear in your lives.  
Now the second thing is the behaviour of the wicked to this power of godliness, they deny it, that is, they submit not, they close not therewith. As a servant that denies such a man to be his master, and the master deny such a one to be his servant, when the one will not own the other, so Hypocrites deal with the virtue of grace & power of holiness, they will by no means bear the authority of it; look as it was with Peter in another case, he denied Christ, as who should say, I would not own him, I do not belong to him, I own no subjection to him, he hath no authority over me: so many go under the name of Christians, but when it cometh to the power of godliness, than you say, godliness hath nothing to do with me, you will do what seems good in your own eyes, you fling off the power of godliness and the authority of grace which should rule you. Hence observe,  
That Doct. 3 Hypocrites take up the profession of godliness, but deny the power thereof, to close with it or to take possession of it.  
For the opening of it two things are to be discovered, first, wherein consists the denial of the power of godliness, secondly the reasons why they that outwardly profess it, yet will not stoop to the power of it.  
First your carnal Hypocrites deny the power of godliness three ways.  
First, partly in their judgement, when they will not assent to the authority of the truth, and acknowledge the necessity of godliness, when they say I hope a man may be saved, though he be not so exact and precise, what though he swear now and then, and hath none but that, such a man I hope may be an honest man and go to heaven. I see no necessity put upon a man, that a man must thus conform his life to the rule of righteousness with the strictness that Ministers call for and require, this is to deny it in your judgements.  
Secondly in your wills and hearts, when the will and affections will not submit themselves to be framed, and ordered, and disposed by the power of godliness, you will be proud, and peevish, etc. and will walk in your own ways, let God say what he will, and the Word command what it please, though we are damned and go down to hell for it, this is a professed opposition of the truth, and of the power of godliness.  
Thirdly, when we deny it in our practice, in our actions, for if a man's actions be naught, this is certain his heart is naught, this rule will never deceive you, now we come to show the cause why a company of hypocrites can swallow down profession, but these will only compliment with godliness, but away with the power of it.  
Because godliness and the Reason. 1 power of it where it comes is of a powerful nature, of a commanding authority, it will subdue all those beloved corruptions, those prevailing lusts which wicked men so highly prise and are not content to part withal, therefore they cannot away with the power of it. Take an Usurer or covetous man, & tell him he must make satisfaction, or else perish, this goeth to the heart. And I knew some of these extortioners that could be content to pay some small sums, but when it comes to 40. or a 100 pounds then they flew off, and for aught I know lived and died in their sins. The Adulterer saith he must have his queans, the power of godliness saith he shall not, the drunkard his companions, the power of godliness saith he must not have them, unless hell with them, now here is the quarrel, therefore they take up the show and deny the power thereof.  
The power Reason 2 of godliness is accompanied with a great deal of straightness and painfulness in a Christian course, now a carnal man would fain have some elbow room, and go a broad way, but the way of godliness is thus, and the hypocrite is not able to be pinched, hence he is not able to bear the power of godliness. Take notice of this, the power of godliness requires a conformity of the whole man in speech, practice, course and behaviour, the power of godliness hath an universal jurisdiction, and will rule in your tongue, in your course, in your apparel, in your company, nay it requires beside, the heart and sincerity thereof, and this is strait and difficult, therefore they deny it.  
The power of godliness is Reason 3 severe, and sharp, and keen, and cuts to the quick, it ransacks men's consciences, troubles men's souls, and will not let them alone, therefore it cannot be endured; when the power of godliness comes it will make a man see upon what ground he goeth, and with what evidence of life and salvation, Gal 6.4. as who should say, many men think themselves some body in the world, but they are nothing when they come to the trial, Rom 7.9.21. before God opened his eyes he thought he was in a good course but afterwards it was otherwise, etc.  
Outward hypocrites can lie, cheat, swear and be drunk for company, and go away and never be troubled, they say, they will repent and hope God will pardon them, etc. but the power saith, oh those cursed distempers of heart are enough to sink your souls into hell for ever, this now vexeth them, and then away goes godliness.  
These deniers and opposers of godliness may be referred to three sorts or ranks.  
Such as openly and caustomarily continue in the commission of any sin in any kind after their conscience hath been convicted and after their judgement hath been informed, and also the nature of the sin, and the condemnation due unto it out of the Word hath been discovered, these do undoubtedly discover unto the world, that as yet they have no work of true grace wrought in their souls. I do not say they that commit only heinous sins and continue in them, as drunkards, etc. but those that lie in and ordinarily take up the practice of any evil which is known, these have not the work of grace in their hearts. I know God's Saints oftentimes trip and are taken aside, but ordinarily to take up the practice of any evil cannot have true grace. As for example a common and ordinary swearer, a common profaner of the Lords day, a man may pass this conclusion upon such persons to be graceless, this is seen, 1 joh. 3.7. as if he had said, many will bear you in hand, that they are honest and holy, but let no man deceive you, 'tis not saying but he that doth righteously is righteous. And he that committeth sin is of the devil, but you will say, doth not every one commit sin, no, he that is said to fall into sin is not said to commit sin, but he that takes up a trade in sin, it is his occupation, they are workers of iniquity, Psal. 14 9 The Lawyer goes up to London in Term time, but he hath his Vacation time too, so sinners have their Vacation time, the Drunkard, Usurer, Adulterer have their Vacation times, but so soon as the term time comes, so soon as the occasion is offorded, and the opportunity offered they fall to their old trade. Now if you see these men, you may know him, he is one of the limbs of Satan, he is one of imps of the Devil, and in truth a child of the Devil so long as he remains in that estate; he doth not say, he falls now and then into an evil way, he is now and then taken aside, but the road wherein all travels is a naughty way, the gamester sets himself to gaming, etc. that same setting of the Bias of the soul in an evil way, and the expressing of the same in a man's practice, certain yet he is in the gall of bitterness, these persons are called the children of Belial, 1 King. ●1. this word signifies, such as will bear no yoke; it is their ordinary course to shake off the Commandments of God, as Drunkards, etc. are children of Belial, their hearts are base, and their lives as bad as their hearts; but you will say, their hearts may be good for all this; nay I say they cannot, how prove you this? I answer, thou toldest me so, that is, thy life and conversation doth testify it; the drunkard saith, I am a notorious drunkard, bear witness men, and Angels, and friends, and neighbours, they proclaim it to mad men and children. jam. 2.18. Show me thy faith by thy works, hence I conclude, faith inwardly may be seen by works outwardly; then I conclude also that he may his infidelity too by his works, if grace be expressed by precious works, than a man's base heart may be descried by base practices. No Physician sees the heart when he tryeth whether his disease be in the heart, but he feeleth his pulse, but if that be vehement and violent, he saith his heart is very much distempered. Happily I do not see the wheels of a Clock, but when it strikes, I know it moves: So it is herein, do not think that you may have good hearts, and yet wicked lives, No, no, I can feel your hearts by your pulse, if your conversation be naught your hearts are worse. Eccles. 10.3. The fool proclaims himself a fool, so doth the drunkard.  
Ay Object. but you will say, is it not possible for man's heart to be good all this while, such a man will be tipsy now and then, and such a one will lie, cousin and dissemble now and then, but cannot a man have a good heart for all this.  
I will not tell you so, Answ. but the word tells it, Matth. 7.18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, he doth not say a good tree may now and then bring forth evil fruit, but commonly it brings forth good, no further it is impossible; why judge you, can Grapes grow upon Thorns, or do men gather Figs on Thistles, can this be, you will presently say this is impossible, it is against nature and reason.  
He whose judgement is informed and his conscience convinced, what duty it is he should take up, which godliness requires and also enables him to take up, and yet will not set upon it, this man denyeth also the power of godliness in his practice. I do not say thus, that he that cannot perform good duties after such a manner or in such a measure, that he denies the power of godliness. I say not neither that he which is surprised either by temptations or corruptions; if he omit good duties now and then, and recover himself, and useth greater speed and care afterwards because he hath been negligent. As it is with a horse that stumbles, as soon as he recovers himself be goeth the faster, so if his stumbling and neglecting works this effect, he doth not this power of grace deny, but they that know this only and will not take it up, he only denies it Grace wherever it comes it makes not a man a monster, but ● new creature, so that it hath a heart but no foot, a foot but no tongue, a hand but no head, a head but no heart; some will do something, but know nothing, some will know something and affect nothing, grace will not do thus; No, no, grace makes a man a new creature, whatever a Christian should do, grace inables a man to do, 2 Tim. 2.21. A vessel of honour, not only fit for some good work, but for every holy duty, and a good Christian due not but at the first submit to it, Col 4.12. Drunkard's now submit, Vusurers now submit, Oppressers now submit; make restitution, or else thy heart cannot be sound.  
Ay but you will say, Object. It is but a duty I omit, I perform all the rest, let the world spare me in this  
I say he that will not set upon the performance of every duty that God requires and endeavours not to do it as well as he can, Answ. he that will not perform every duty, he never had the power of grace to perform any, hence it comes to pass that if any man will paddle with the Lord and take up services by halves, and will have his reservations and excuses. I have oppressed and cannot make restitution, any thing but that I am loath to pray in my family, that is seditious, etc. Now if you are convinced of any duty and set not upon it, you are professed opposers of the power of godliness  
He that is wilfully ignorant and will n●t search nor seek out those truths whereof he ought to be informed, nay he will not receive directions from those that are able to teach and guide him in the way of salvation, he that purposely flies off because he may have some plea and pretence for himself, to take up the course he would walk in, he is a denier of the power of godliness. As for example sake,  
A man will often hold this as a shield and a buckler, knew I it, or were I persuaded of it, than would I do it, thus men as it were withdraw themselves from the jurisdiction of the truth, and they will not know that they should know, that so they may have colour to excuse them in the not doing of that they would neglect; now these men though they be not informed, yet they because they are wilfully ignorant, and because they withdraw themselves from under the power of the means that should inform them, these are professed opposers, for godliness hath that power which is able for to make a man perform any duty, 1 Cor. 2.5. 1 john 2.27.  
Now we come to the carriage of the Saints, what their behaviour should be to such dissemblers, the Text saith turn away from them, because they turn away from godliness, as they are estranged from God so should we be estranged from them.  
First for the meaning of the words, this phrase turn is not to be found in all the Scripture but in this place, and it is a borrowed speech from things that are contrary one to another, and therefore withdraw yourselves one from another, and set yourselves one against another; these are implied in the phrase, first the heart is estranged from another, secondly the life and conversation is in some measure withdrawn from another.  
Secondly we come to show the nature of this communion we ought to have with these, and how fare we may go; first we will discover it in general, secondly we will lay forth the rules in particular.  
Communion therefore is twofold, 

Public,  
Private.    
Public concerns the public Congregation, and it is an open mee●ing of many together by virtue of public authority to partake of holy duties. Three things observe in the description, first there must be an open meeting, because it is in the Congregation, the Congregation is like to common pastures, that are common for every man's Cattle, so the ordinances of God are common pastures for every one, secondly it is by virtue of public authority, for that is observed of Hezechiah, that he opened the temple doors, so that public authority gives warrant to public meetings, thirdly is the sharing of men together in the holy ordinances of God.  
Now the question groweth on, how fare is it lawful for the Saints of God to converse with those that are common swearers, and drunkards, and adulterers, and the like for the present; what are these rules.  
The rules are two, first those that have public authority in their hands, they to whom God hath committed authority over others, such as are either scandalously naught, or openly profane, should by them be excommunicated, as we may see by the example of Paul, 1 Corrinth. 4.5. Matthew 18.15.  
The second rule suppose they that are in authority will not separate them, the second rule than is this, yet the Saints of God should not abstain from the Congregation, it is pitiful indeed, and the thing is troublesome and tedious to a gracious heart, and we must mourn for it, but being it is not in my power I must not abstain, I know there are many objections and cavils of the Anabaptists against this, and they thus reply.  
This aught to be done, Object. that such persons should be excommunicated, therefore why should I enjoy communion with the body of Christ.  
I answer it is true, Answ. we must mourn for it, & as King james said of the abuse of excommunication, it is a shame in the Church, but that part is yours to whom authority belongs.  
But they cast this as a reproach upon our Church, common drunkards they say, and swearers if they do but pay 2. pence for their offering at Easter, may receive the Supper of the Lord.  
We confess this fault, let it lie where it is, we cannot reform it, we can only mourn for it, and that God will accept, 1 Cor. 5.11. there they bring Scripture for it. If there be any Adulterer or unclean person saith the Text among you, let him not eat, that is communicate with him say they.  
Answer, I say to eat, there is not referred to the communion in eating the body of Christ, but eat not with him, that is, be not familiar with such a person, and it includes the word familiarity not communion at the Lords Table. Psal. 41.9. There eating implieth a common inward familiarity, my own familiar friend, etc.  
But Object. yet they reply again from the greater to the less, if we may not eat with them privately, then much less publicly may we communicate with them.  
It Answ. is no good reason, because I have more authority to refuse the company of a man in my own house than I have to refuse him in the open Congregation, I can keep a man out of my house, but I cannot fling him out of the open congregation, that belongs only to those that are in place and authority.  
Constant communion is that, when there lieth such a bond upon a bondman, that he cannot break this communion, such is the communion between the husband and the wife so having hired a servant, nor the servant from the master when he please until the covenants be fulfilled, this is constant communion.  
The question now is, how fare a man may turn unto the wicked, such as are openly wicked  
The rules of the question are three.  
First for a faithful man, when he hath his liberty, then to enter into communion with the wicked is unlawful, as for a free servant to make choice of an ungracious master, and so for a holy master to make choice of a wicked servant, so for a good woman being single to make choice of a wicked man, or for a holy man to choose a wicked wife.  
If Rule 2 a servant be entered into covenant with an unrighteous master, or a wife to a wicked husband, they are bound as long as those bonds last submissively and humbly to subject themselves to all services that are required of persons in their place and condition.  
As Rule 3 God affords liberty and opportunity in a good way and a good conscience, every man is bound to sever himself from such as are wicked and scandalously naught; now for a servant, thy year being out fly the house, thou that art a prentice, when thy years are expired lose thyself and deliver thy heart from this communion.  
Now we come to mutable, or voluntary private communion.  
Voluntary communion is a closure with such in common company and inward familiarity, so as when occasion serves they may all alter and change again.  
In the mutable communion observe these three things.  
1. It is a closing and fastening together, a meeting and concurring of men together, so fare as occasion drives them one to another, or else as affection draws them one to another, and therefore Psal. 119 63 the word translated, a friend, signifieth a companion, that is the first passage.  
2. We have the propriety or quality of this communion in the next words, it is a closure in common company, and familiarity, when they close one with another in common conversation. Prov. 28.7. so wicked company one with another in drinking, swearing, etc.  
They are joined together in inward familiarity, when there is a closure and combining one with another, when the souls of sundry men are Cabins to keep the counsels and secrets one of another, job. 19.14. the word there translated a familiar is a man of secrets, so we may see it in the example of jonathan and David, the Text saith that the soul of jonathan was knit to the soul of David.  
Lastly, they so close in common company and inward familiarity, that yet notwithstanding it is in a man's power as occasion serves, to change either this company or familiarity, therefore we call it mutable communion because there is no bond nor tie lieth upon a man to engage himself to his company, but as occasion is offered, a man may turn the back to a base fellow that hath cozoned him, this I take to be the communion mainly here intended, though the other are included, but this voluntary society I think is that the Apostle here specially aims at. Hence,  
It is the duty of all the Saints of God, not to close in communion and unnecessary company, and inward familiarity with those that are the deniers of the power of godliness.  
I say meetly observe the Saints must not close in common and unnecessary communion with the wicked, I call it unnecessary, because a man may be forced sometimes to keep company with profane men, as for example these three bonds force him.  

1 Bond.  Sometimes the bond of a man's calling will force him to keep company with the wicked, as the Magistrate must be ordinarily in the company of the wicked to reform them, the Physician among his patients, the Minister among his people, the Lawyer among his clients; so Innkeeper's, the Law will force them to entertain a stranger, and to give him that which is reasonable.  

2 Bond.  The bond of humanity and civility, that binds a man sometimes to keep company with the wicked, as the bond of neighbourhood, for example, people that live in the same place or town, they are forced to consult about the affairs of the town and other occasions one with another.  
The bonds of Religion and natural mercy binds sometimes to keep company with such, 
3 Bond.  for the souls of all men should labour to do good unto all, so fare as necessity requires and opportunity is offered thereunto, for we are bound to preserve the honour, life, goods, good name of any man, what ever he be, be the company never so wicked yet the duty is good and holy.  
Therefore I say we must not close with men in unnecessary communion, so fare we must turn away from them, 1 Cor. 5.11. 2 Thes. 3.6. withdraw yourselves from them, it is a comparison taken from full Sails, when the Sails of a ship are drawn, and it hath full sail, it goeth very swiftly: So saith the Apostle, do not strike sail, do not freely express yourselves in familiarity with him, but withdraw yourselves, Psal. 56.8 shut the door against them, so you see the point is clear.  
For our better direction observe these three particulars, first something by way of explication, how far the limits of turning from the wicked doth go, secondly the reasons why we must turn away, thirdly the use and application.  
Where may we set the bounds and compass of our familiarity with the wicked? for this we must remember these two passages, some that deny godliness make it their trade and practise, secondly others only deny it upon occasion, and though they have grace yet from both these we must turn away.  
But Object. first touching the former that are known to be wicked men, such as are openly naught, how fare shall we carry ourselves familiar to wards these.  
In these particulars, first, Answ. partly in regard of the disposition of the heart, secondly of the outward behaviour of our lives: In both these particulars we must turn away.  
First how fare must the heart of a good man be restrained from the company and familiarity of those that are scandalously wicked?  
I answer the rules are two.  
1. The Saints Rule 1 of God are bound to have a vile esteem and a base account of those that are such vile and base persons. Let the Word of God rule us in this, and let us be commanded by it, Psal. 15 4. Observe two passages, first, every wicked man is a vile man, secondly, they should despise and contemn them, it is a badge of a Christian, the note of a holy heart in whose eyes a wicked man is vile, a vile drunkard, a vile adulterer, etc. it is not a matter of liberty, but of necessity, as Esay 5.20. it is marvellous lying so to do. The Scripture styles wicked men dogs, hogs, and fools, what the Scripture saith, we ought to give ear unto, a drunken man a fool, a covetous man a fool, etc. if we judge not so, we judge otherwise then the Scriptures.  
Where wicked men think it a pride and audacity for God's Saints to esteem basely of them, it is no such matter, be you better and they will judge better of you; should a man judge that to be Gold which is dross, that to be Silver which is Lead, should we judge you to have the love of God when you have none.  
2. The soul Rule 2 of a gracious man is marvellous secretly jealous, lest it should be infected with such wicked persons, this will follow from the former by clear, and evident, and sound ground; that which the soul abhors and that which the heart is carried with abomination against, there cannot but a separation will follow, and he must needs be marvellous jealous of being tainted thereby.  
Now we come to the second thing which was the outward behaviour and carriage, and this also may show a dislike.  
How fare must our outward carriage be turned away from a wicked man.  
How should a man carry himself toward the wicked of the world, Object. must he express no point of love unto them.  
I answer you must bear a great deal of love towards them, Answ. and you ought to maintain a great deal of affection to them and do a great many services for them, and they are three especially.  
You must labour to have a spirit of campassion, and to mourn inwardly, and be grieved throughly for the sins that are in them, and for the manifest miseries they pluck upon themselves, this was the behaviour of our Saviour Christ, Oh jerusalem, etc. If ever you have had any relish of mercy and compassion from the Lord jesus, O then pity those that want this pity; when you see a company of drunkards staggering and a company of blasphemers stabbing the Almighty, and drowning their souls in the pit of destruction for ever, if you have any mercy, any bowels of compassion within you, let your eyes drop down tears in secret and mourn and lament for the misery and desolation of such poor creatures, happily enemies to God, happily enemies to thee, but what of that? we ourselves were once haters and hated of God, and ran the broad way to Hell and everlasting destruction, therefore show pity and compassion to such poor souls, jer. 13.17. Oh pity them poor creatures, they know not what they do, if you howl and mourn in secret inwardly for the confusion that is like to fall upon their poor souls, and think with yourselves, what must all those cursed drunkards and wretched Adulterers, and wicked blasphemers live here sinfully, and perish everlastingly, and go down to hell and grave, there in everlasting torments never to be comforted, never to be refreshed? if you have any bowels of compassion, you cannot but mourn for them  
Prayer for them in secret, when thou art praying to God, and seeking to the Lord for mercy for thyself, put into the same prayer all those that are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, put up a petition for the drunkard, put up a petitition for the adulterer, as thou desirest God to save thy soul, so entreat the Lord to turn the heart of the drunkard, etc. Remember what Abraham did for Ishmael, O let Ishmael live in thy sight Lord, so pray you, Oh that such a drunkard might have his life amended, O that such a profane heart may live in thy sight Lord.  
You must use all means to reclaim them, you must reprove them sharply, counsel them compassionately, and strive with them mightily that so you may bring them home to know the things belonging to their peace here, and everlasting happiness hereafter.  
Now we are to inquire, whether we must not turn from such as heretofore have not been noted to be wicked persons, but such as hath receiveved mercy and favour from the Lord.  
It may be in these two cases that follows, Answ. that is not only left to a man's liberty, but a duty of necessity, which God hath laid upon us to turn away from such.  
Those that have professed Christianity, 
1 Case.  and approved themselves outwardly to the Church of Christ, yet notwithstanding, if by reason of inward corruptions or temptations or occasions pressing in upon them, they fall foully and scandalously into some notorious, offence, than we should turn away from having any inward society with them for the while, till they have upon sufficient proof by their humiliation and reformation, and if it be possible they have given satisfaction publicly to the Church of God, 1 Cor. 5.9. the reason of this is pregnant, for the truth is, such falls give a good ground of suspicion, that there was never yet any sound grace wrought in their hearts; I do not say a ground of conclusion, but of suspicion, that the work was not sound, nor this grace sincere in the heart, because he hath sinned so foully, and fallen so fearfully. For how ever the Saints fall so foully, yet this is ever observable, it is not ordinary, as few be drunk, few commit adultery after their conversion, they have their infirmities and weaknesses, and though they may fall extraordinarily, yet ever observe as that their fall is foul, so their repentance is great, as in David, He roared, etc. and mark it, after the Saints of God have repent of their falls, who ever read that they fell into the same sins again.  
A man that hath lived in the bosom of the Church, 
Case 2.  and hath been conceived and judged in the course of reason and charity to be in the state of grace, yet notwithstanding if he come to this pass, that he is obstinately incorrigible, though the fault be but small, and not known of many, if yet he will not yield, when all arguments are answered, and all pleas removed, then shake hands with him, and have no familiarity with him for the time. This I take to be the scope of the Text, Matth. 18.15. It skils not what the matter of the fault be, but what the incorrigibleness of the parties. 2 Thes. 3.14. observe it, it is very reasonable a man should do so, for he that will not receive good by the society of the members of Christ, it is fit he should be cast out from having any communion with the members of Christ. For what is the end of Communion, but that men might be informed; now if a man will not hear nor be convinced, it is fit he should be deprived of the comfort of the society of the Saints. I reason thus, he that may be excommunicated publicly, may be separated privately from the company and intimate society of the Saints; but he that is obstinately incorrigible may be excommunicated publicly, therefore he may be separated from the society of the Saints.  

1 Rea.  Because it is the practice of much love, nay of the greatest mercy that a man can show to a wicked profane wretch, I presume you will hardly think it so, you will say, this is love indeed, when a man cannot look upon another but he must disdain him, doth a man show mercy to another when he will not keep his company, if this be your love, God bless me from such love; take heed what thou sayest, God bless thee from folly and not from this love, and you shall plainly see it so, because this course and behaviour is that, which God hath appointed as a special means, it is that which is marvellous helpful and useful, and profitable, to withdraw a wicked man from his wicked course, and work sound repentance in his soul, therefore it must needs be an argument of great affection, 2 Thess. 3.14. Note him, why? that he may be ashamed, now he that is ashamed of his course, is in some way and readiness to forsake and abandon his course; For shame implieth these three things.  
First, he that is ashamed of a thing seethe the vileness of a thing: secondly, he seethe himself vile and base, and that discredit is like to befall him by reason of the vileness of the thing: thirdly, he labours to keep himself, that dishonour and discredit may not fall upon him, and he labours to keep himself from such occasions and practices which may bring this discredit upon him: so this is the next way for thee to make him ashamed etc. How justly may such a one reason with himself, when he seethe the Saints of God are weary of his company, and loath to converse with him, how vile is my course, how base is my sin and ungodly practices, what reason have I to loathe my sin, therefore let me for ever abhor these base courses, that makes me to be abominated of the Saints and servants of the Lord.  
This Reason concerns ourselves, 
Ground 2  that we may not be defiled, that we may not be infected with their wicked courses, and polluted with their society. It is in this case with sin, as it is with the plague of the body, he that will be clear of it, the old rule is, fly fare enough, fly soon enough; he that is with those that are infected, likely he shall be infected: so it is with sin, which is the plague of the soul; he that hath a plague sore blossoming, he that hath a tongue belching forth his venom against the Lord of host: he that hath a plague sore of drunkenness, a plague sore of adultery, if ever you would be preserved, then go fare enough, fly soon enough, the Alehouse is the Pest-house where the plague is, the drunkards are the persons infected: if thou wouldst be clear, come not near them. Joseph learned to swear when he was in pharoh's Court, and Barnabas with dissembling, when he saw Peter halt before him; so it is said the Israelites mingled themselves among the Canaanites, and learned their works, as they say, one rotten apple spoils all the rest, and one scabbed sheep infects the whole flock, with the froward we shall learn frowardness, etc. It hath been the bane and ruin of many a man, and he hath carried this company keeping to his grave, nay happily to hell, etc. This is the cause why the Lord is constrained, when all reasons prevail not, when all arguments persuade not, the Lord is fain to bring him out by an almighty hand, unless the Lord let in the fire of hell on the conscience of the drunkard and tyre him out of his base company, there is little hope that the means of grace will work upon him for his good, therefore fly fare enough. Prov. 22.24. 1 Cor. 7.6. sin is there compared to leaven, now leaven doth not that which is only next it, but the whole lump; so mark the Apostles Argument. A wicked man comparably doth not only leaven himself, but he leavens all his company, all that converse with him, and all that maintain familiarity with him, with the swearer thou wilt swear, with the dissembler, with the liar, etc. 
3 Argu.   
Because it is a special means to fit us, and so to furnish our hearts to be much more ready and cheerfully enlarged in a constant and holy performance of all good duties that God requires of us, and to discharge all those holy duties which ought to be performed by us, Psal 119.115. as if he had said, until you be gone, there is no doing for me, the presence of the wicked and Gods sincere service cannot stand together, he that will keep the company of the wicked, cannot keep the commandments of God, he that will not departed from them, God will departed from him; therefore away with these. Observe the manner of the phrase. David presumes this, that ill company is not so much the breach of one commandment as the breach of all God's Commandments, as who should say, I shall keep the first Table, not the second, etc. he saith not I cannot keep the Sabbath, or pray, etc. but I cannot keep the Commandments.  
The company and society of the wicked doth hinder a man in keeping Gods Commandments in three particulars.  
First it takes off the fitness and disposition of the soul to the performance of any service, 
1 Parti,  that when the heart is sometime teachable and pliable coming to God, when there are some good desires after God, when wicked company meet it, plucks all these up by the roots, and if his conscience will not suffer him ●o do as they do, O then there is cause enough of gibing, and tanting, and scoffing extremely, your conscience, saith the drunkard, will not suffer you to be drunk, your conscience, saith the swearer, will not suffer you to swear, O you are a tender conscioned man? Thus if there be any desire or disposition of doing good, wicked company blast it even in the ●…nd. This is the cause that many young men curse their companions, or else when they are going the way of all flesh, this strikes him to the heart, the time was I may say, that God gave me some inclinations after goodness, and my heart was wandering after heaven, and mine eyes were opened, and my mind enlightened, and I had a resolution to take up good courses, and perform duties, but oh this ill company spoiled all, this was the man that cut me off from my course, and that took away my disposition of spirit from me, and made me twice as bad as himself, though he be as bad as the devil.  

2 Parti,  Cursed lose company, it deprives the soul of the benefit of all the means, and hinders the success of all the Ordinances of God, that they can never work upon the heart, wonder not then, though they cause a man to break all the commandments of God, since the Word of God works not, nor cannot for these three causes.  
First, either it keeps a man from coming under the means, and therefore shall never receive good thereby, lose company load all holy courses with such scandalous reproaches, that they scare poor sinful creatures from undergoing of them.  
2 Nay further, it is the policy of all lose persons, they will appoint their meetings when they may hinder men most from the means that may do them good, and this is the reason, that of all the days in the week, they choose the Lords day, and of all the hours in the day, the Sermon or Prayer time is then hour wherein they meet. And if he be resolved to attend upon the means, they then forestall the market, and make him have a slight account of preaching; what need we all this preaching? let him preach till his heart ache, who is the better for his preaching; so than if the poor soul doth come, the soul hear and cares not, if he cares, he attends not, if he attends, he regards not, if any thing touch him, he casts it off, as if it did not concern him.  
Thirdly, lose persons, if it be so, that any thing do remain upon the heart, if the Lord comes home and affrights his soul, and discover his sin, and writes bitter things against him, and the soul promiseth, resolves to turn unto the Lord, and to leave all, never to return. O then what a do is there with this cursed rabble to peck out the good seed of the Word which is sown in the heart, they will never leave plucking & haling of the poor soul, till they have made him cast away the blessed truth: it is with cursed once in this case as it is with the ravenous bird, Math. 13. Hence it is, that it they see one hang the wing a little and go aside, they think the Minister hath wounded him, and they imagine he will withdraw himself from their company, therefore they make after the soul overcome, and thus they set upon him, why is it? how comes it? what is the reason? what is the cause, that thou art thus disquieted? what art a mad man to be troubled thus at the words of a Minister, I would never do it while I lived, what would I care what all the Ministers in the world should say, they must say something, now let not this trouble thee; and thus they pluck the soul from under the power of the means, and haply the seed of the Word that the Lord then sowed, will never sow it again, may be it was the last time of ask, had he then withdrawn himself from the society, that seed might have taken root, and he might have been blessed for ever, but the ravenous companions stole it away: thus than we see wicked companions keeps a man from coming to the Word; if he doth come, they forestall the power of the Word, if the Word doth prevail, they pluck the seed of the Word out of the soul, that it can do their souls no good that keep company with the wicked.  

3 Parti.  Your cursed companions will never leave a poor sinner till they mould him even according to their own mind, until they bring him to their own bent and frame: therefore note thou that keepest company with wicked ungodly persons, they will leaven thee according to their own frame, and they will leave thee, the very same lusts and corruptions, this is the cause of a final and total destruction of a world of people. There is this kind of privilege in ungodly company keepers, that there is a kind of army of corruptions, they are the devil's army, and they, fight the devil's battles, therefore the soul is beset round with them. Were a man to fight against another man, there were some hope of resistance, or if there were two against one, there were some hope of escape, if he could not oppose them, yet he might sly from them: but if he be among an army there is no way to escape: so it is with those that keep wicked company, thou art beset with an army, perhaps profaneness hit thee not, their hypocrisy; haply hypocrisy doth not, their looseness, haply looseness doth not, than envy or some other distemper. Imagine you see a man in the midst of an army of Archers, haply though one hit him not, yet one of twenty; if one of twenty hit him not, one of a hundred may; if one of a hundred may not, one of a thousand may, one or other will hit him, he cannot avoid it, all ungodly courses, all wicked speeches, counsels, persuasions are but like so many arrows, and thou that art in the midst of wicked persons, thou art in the midst of an army, one or other will hit thee, thy conscience will be wounded, thy soul ruinated by this means. This I observe by my experience wicked men will never leave till others be worse than themselves; they are like the foggy air in the Fens, if a man live in the place it will be sure to arrest him; it is called the Fen Bailiff, and will never leave till it hath turned the humour of his body into the same nature with itself and then he may live there, and have his health well enough: so it is with a company of filthy foggy drunkards, and adulterers, & company-keepers, they will never leave thee till they arrest thee with base courses, till they have moulded thee with their frame, than thou mayst enjoy their society here, wi●h them and go down to hell hereafter, Mat. 23 15. So it is generally in this case, he that before company-keeping was somewhat tender and shamefast, he would blush to be seen in an Alehouse & in base courses; but after he hath been a while with them, they make him twofold the child of the devil, now he hath a whore's forehead, and his brow is of brass, and his neck of iron sinews, and dares be drunk at noon day, etc. the reason is, he is perfectly new moulded.  
Instruction Use 1 to the wicked themselves, you must not be displeased with the Saints of God, in that they judge meanly of you, and estrange themselves from you.  
But Object. you will say what care I what the Saints of God say, and do, do you think I care for their company, let them keep what company they will, I can keep as good as they.  
O take heed of this, if the Saints of God say, depart from me ye wicked: what will then the God of all Saints, if the gracious Saints will not abide thee here, will the God of all Grace abide thee in heaven hereafter; no no the fearful sentence will pass upon you, at the great day of account, Depart from me ye cursed; therefore labour to be senceable of this, and so be humbled and abased for this, and labour for to be better, and then the Saints of God will love and delight in your society.   

THE CHURCH'S Deliverances.  JUDGES 10.13. 
Wherefore I will deliver you no more.  
THese words are the speech of the Lord to the people of Israel. From the sixth Verse of the Chapter, to the end of the seventh we have the condition of the people of Israel in great distress discovered, together with the dealing of God towards them, and their behaviour towards him.  
In the Chapter three things are especially considerable:  
First, we have the children of Israel Apostatising, and declining from the Lord, and the sincerity of his worship. In the first part of the Verse, Ye have forsaken me, and served other Gods: Here was the declining of the people of Israel; they forsook the true God, and served false gods; and as their sins were, so were their plagues, the Lord pursued them with heavy judgements, and fierce indignation: heinous sins are commonly accompanied with great plagues and punishments, and that appeareth in the ninth Verse: Israel was sore distressed.  
Secondly, we have the people of Israel crying and complaining to the Lord, in the time of their trouble; they that forsake the Lord in the time of prosperity, were fain to fly to him in time of adversity for succour: And therefore we shall see how earnestly they cry unto the Lord, in the tenth Verse; heavy afflictions breed hearty prayers and earnest supplications; their punishment was not so grievous, but their prayers were as hot and vehement, They cried to the Lord, saith the Text.  
Then lastly, we have the Answer of God, in the 12, 13, and 14. Verses, where the Lord doth relate his good dealings with them: and their unkind dealing towards him: I have delivered you, saith the Lord, out of the hand of such and such enemies; he reckons up his former mercies, but now he doth deny to show any more favour toward them, because they had abused his former mercies, and that is, in the words of the Text, Wherefore I will deliver you no more (as who should say) go now to the gods of Zidon, let those Idols save you now, let those Images deliver you now: but my kindness was not regarded, my mercy was not respected, and for my part I will deliver you no more, expect no succour from me at all.  
In the general, before we come to the main, see here the denial of the Lord to the people of Israel, though they sought him, and cried unto him. The Point is this, Those that come unto God in prayer in their sins, Doct. they shallbe sure to have a denial of their prayers, Psal. 66.8. If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayer: so it was here, though they sought God marvellous earnestly; and cried in the vehemency of their spirits, yet the Lord stopped his ears, and listened not unto them, he gives no answer unto their cry; he professeth plainly, he will not deliver them, he will not secure them.  
The Use of this Point in general is this: First, Use of Instruction, we may here see the reason why we call, and God answers not, why we seek the Lord, and he is not found of us in mercy and compassion, why we pray unto him, and yet he rejects our persons, and stings out our Petitions, and is angry with the prayers of his servants. The cause is, we bring our s●…es with us before God, and therefore we cannot receive mercy from God: The abomination of our hearts spoil the petitions we pour forth before the Lord; that he neither accept them nor showeth any favour unto 〈…〉 when welcome before the Lord, and bring out sin herewith as, our pride and our malice, and our covetousness, it is not praying but lying, and dissembling, and mocking, and abusing the great God of heaven; as though we should come before the Lord to ask him leave to sin, and entreat favour of him that we might commit our sins without any disquiet, that he would give us a privy seal to sin: these drunken prayers, these idle proud profane prayers, and lying prayers, the God of heaven will not hear them, when they come from a lying, dissembling filthy drunken heart; thou that bringest such prayers, the Lord will not hear, the Lord will not accept, the Lord will not regard such prayers. This is the thing, I would have wicked men take notice of, that think to heal all in the time of distress, with a few large desires and idle wishes, they will be proud and lose, and opposers of God and his Gospel, and yet you think God cannot but grant you what you desire, if you have but half an hour's warning to ask pardon: no, you that live in your sins, and pray to God in your sins, you bring judgement upon yourselves, and plague upon your souls, but mercy you shall have none, answer you shall not receive in this kind, Prov. 28.9. The prayer of the wicked, etc.  
The second Use is a ground Use 2 of Exhortation, Would you so come to God, that you may find acceptance with him? Would you so call that the Lord may hear you when you call? then wash your hands in innocence and so compass his Altar: this is the counsel God gave, Esay 1.17. Cease to do evil, learn to do well: and than whatsoever your abominations be, they shall be pardoned, whatsoever your miseries be, I will ease you, Psalm. 10.17, 18. The Lord prepares the hearts of his people to call upon him, a heart mourning for sin, and a heart loosened from sin: when you leave sin behind you, and send up a prayer from an humble heart and a broken soul, than God will hear you, and you shall receive an answer from the God of heaven, as he seethe you have most need to carry you on in a Christian course. In the Verse there are three things observable: He saith, I will not deliver you, go to your gods let them comfort you, for my part, I have no comfort, no mercy for such as you are, those gods you served in prosperity go to them now for succour in the time of trouble: In the Verse itself, take notice of three things; first, that God doth deliver his Church, for that is presumed, I will deliver you no more (as who should say) I have preserved you, and protected you and the like: God takes this for granted, and they found this by experience. Secondly, God sometimes denieth succour to his people, I have done so, but now I will deliver you no more; I have no more mercy for you to secure you in the day of trouble. Thirdly we have the cause of this: Wherefore, that is, because you have served other gods, and departed away from my worship, because you will not reform your wicked ways, I will deliver you no more First, for the former, God doth deliver his Church. The Doctrine is this, Doct. The Lord is the deliverer of his Church and people in the time of trouble: the Church is in great misery it is confessed, and the Church hath been delivered, it cannot be denied; now I must add the third (namely) That God is the Author of the deliverance of his Servants: Doct. The Scriptures are marvellous pregnant in the proof of this, two or three witnesses will cast the cause, Psal. 3 last. The Prophet David attributeth this as a matter of propriety to the Lord, Salvation belongs unto the Lord; it is not to be understood of spiritual redemption only, but also of temporal deliverance in the time of trouble: It is that observable, jer. 14.8. It is as I may so say, one of God's Names whereby he is known to his Church, and whereby he shows himself, Oh, thou the hope of Israel, and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble. It is not meant in regard of spiritual redemption still, but in regard of temporal deliverance from those troubles that do betide, and those grievances that lie upon, and those heavy burdens that press down the Church of God, and therefore how ever it is true, there are many means used, and many helps appointed by God for his people's good; yet it is not men, it is not the policy of the wise, it is not the power of the mighty, it is not the fence of the Walls, nor the strength of the Castles, it is not the number of the Soldiers, nor the skill of the army: but it is the Lord that is the deliverer of his people, as we may see Psal. 44 4 Command th●n deliverance unto jacob: the Lord hath deliverance at command, the Lord can bring, keep and secure as he seethe fit, nay it is that which God takes and challengeth to himself, as that he will not have any other to share in, he will not have any other part stakes with him, in the performance of goodness and mercy to his children, Deut. 32.39. It is that the Lord takes unto himself, salvation is mine, preservation is mine, the issues of life and death, are only in the hand of the Lord, the point than is plain enough, we will open the ground of it, the which the cause now requires, being a remembrance of that miraculous deliverance from the Gunpowder Treason; The grounds of the point, are four, The first is this, God is infinitely wise, and only knows how to deliver his people, men are driven to their wits end many times, they see no means offered, no means appointed, they can finde no cause how to secure themselves in the time of distress, but he is an experienced deliverer, 2 Pet. 2.9. God knows how to deliver his, when enemies are practising beneath, and digging deep in their devices, the Lord sits in heaven, and seethe all, and laughs at them; all their practices he observes them, nay the Lord knows all the purposes, policies, and engines, which the wicked purposes to contrive, before they contrive them, as when David was in K●ylah, he asked the Lord, will Saul come, aye saith God, and will they deliver me into his hands, they will deliver thee saith God; the Lord knew what the men of Keylah intended, before they shown their malice, therefore he makes way for the escape of David.  
Secondly, as God only knows, all the engines and policies and practices of the wicked, when they are devised in the depth of the earth, as the Psalmist speaketh: Let them do what they will, and endeavour what they can never so cunningly and secretly, the Lord knows them. But secondly, the Lord is only able and sufficient to deliver his in want of means, above means, nay against means, 2 Chron. 14.11 When Asa was in great extremity, when there was five hundred thousand came against him, the greatest Army we read of in holy Scriptures, and not many more in profane Stories, the Text saith, He cried unto the Lord, and said, thou canst deliver by many or by few; God could save Asa and his Nobles, though he had no Army at all; for observe it, this all-sufficiency and ability of God, in delivering his children in time of troubles, will discover itself in three branches, and they are the particulars of this second general.  
First, the Lord provides means, before any means can be Psal. 47. the last Verse, all the shields of the earth are the Lords; all the shields in Spain, Germany and Denmark, and England, they are all the Lords, all mean before they are, have their being from the Lord, and Esay 54.16. the Text saith, there was no Smith before God created him, nor no coals before God made them, so that there are no means but they came from God.  
Secondly, God works with all means before they can work, as there is no means unless God provide them; so the means that ar● can do nothing unless God work with them, Psal 18.34.39. we shall observe it, God doth not only give David arms, but he teacheth his arms to war he doth not only give D●vid hands, but he teaches his hands to fight, he doth not only give him strength, but he girdeth him with strength to the battle, so that all means in the world, further than God is pleased to go out with them, they are like the withered hand of jeroboam when the Prophet cried against the Altar: jeroboam stretched out his hand, and he would plague the Prophet, and he would imprison him, but alas, his hand withered, so all the armies, all the plots and policies, are like withered hands, unless the Lord come with them.  
Thirdly, it is the Lord that gives success to all the means, when they are improved for the deliverance of his Church; so that as there is no means unless the Lord provide them, as those means can do nothing unless the Lord work with them: so these means can obtain no issue, they can compass no good, unless the Lord be pleased graciously to breath upon them, and give success unto them: therefore when the Midianites thought to have carried all before them, and quite to overthrow the people of Israel, because they had a mighty army, yet the Lord defeated their purpose, and turned their swords into their own bowels. Thus we see the ability and sufficiency of the Lord in delivering his people, it is he that gives all means, it is he that works with all means, it is he that gives success to all means. In the third place, the Lord is marvellous gracious and merciful and tender over his people; as he is every way sufficient for to do them good, so he is marvellous careful of their good, Esay 63.9. in all their afflictions he was afflicted; many a man hath power and wisdom and all, he knows how to help another, yet he wants a heart, he wants pity and compassion whereby he may lend succour to those that stand in need thereof: but it is not so with God, but in all the afflictions of his people, he is afflicted with them; in all troubles, he is in trouble with them; in all banishment he is in banishment with them.  
Fourthly, as the Lord is merciful, and loving and free and tenderhearted toward his people, as ready to help them as they are ready to call upon him; so lastly, the Lord is marvellous watchful, to do that which he is able and willing to do: we know what the Text saith, Psal 121.4. He that keepeth Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps. Nay, he is exceeding zealous for Israel: That is the phrase of the Prophet: Let us sum up the Point then, and see the issue of all, and the case will be marvellous clear: If it be so, that God only knows how to deliver his people, if he be able to do what he knows, if he be merciful to do what he is able, and if he be watchful to do what he is willing, then God must needs be the deliverer of his Church.  
We come now to the use of the Point, and so we will proceed to the next. It is great pity that we should so behave ourselves, that this God should not secure us; but say, He will deliver us no more, but let us make use of the Point in hand. And the Use we are to make is this;  
Is it so, Use that the Lord is the Author of all the deliverance and succour of his servants: 1. Then it must teach us a point of wisdom, namely, to whom we must give the praise of all our marvellous deliverance and preservation we have enjoyed, to whom it is, we ought to render all the glory of our protection and safety, that hath been continued for the space of above sixty years to this Kingdom; Do as the Prophet David doth: The Lord is the Author of all, let the Lord have the honour of all, Give unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name. The Prophet David doth distrain, as it were, he is violent with the hearts of men, and he labours to wrest praise and honour from men, Give unto the Lord the honour and the glory due unto his name: the truth is, we must not sacrifice to our own nets, that is, we must not praise our own power, and say, it is our power that hath accomplished it, and our wisdom that hath effected it: no, it is not our shipping, it is not our power or courage, or means that have done it. Therefore let us do as the Prophet David doth, in the 44. Psalm, It was not my Bow that did secure me, it was the Lord that hath delivered me, and relieved me, and his be the praise for ever: and if all people should do this, and aught to do this, than I had almost said, nay, why may I not say so, why should we not do it more than all the world beside, for whence comes it, whence is it, that the Lord hath had an eye unto me above all the rest, when the fire of God's fury hath flamed and consumed all the country round about us; Bohemia, and the Palatinate, and Denmark, when the fire hath thus burnt up all, yet this little Cottage, this little England, this Span of ground, that this should not be searched, nay when the sword hath ruinated, and overcome all the other parts of Christendom, where the name of the Lord jesus is professed, we sit under our Vines and Figtrees, there is no complaining in our streets, our wives are not husbandless, our children are not fatherless: mark the reason and ground of all, is nothing else but God's mercy towards us, and above all, here is seen the abundant goodness of the Lord, notwithstanding our unthankfulness and carelessness, we yet continue to be a nation, there is no other reason to be given of this, but God's love will have it so, when as in other Countries, here one is banished from his house, another from his country, that we are here this day to call upon the Name of the Lord, this is evidence enough that it is the Lord that delivers England: and shall the Lord do this, and shall not we acknowledge it, shall not we observe it and remember it for ever, shall not we score up the kindness of the Lord, and set up pillars of his preservation and records of his mercy to our souls for ever; and above all other deliverances, that in 88 was a great deliverance, but we specially record that upon the fifth of November: this we record unto all posterity; and let us but cast our thoughts upon the malice of our enemies, and then it cannot but be confessed that the Lord hath delivered us: it is the Lords own work; and this shall appear, if we compare the practice of the wicked, and the deliverance of the Lord together agreeably, three things in the former may be observed, three things in the latter may be considered, and doth show that God only delivered, if we look to the enemies of God's grace and Gospel, three things will make it appear, that none but the devil could devise that plot, and if on the other side, we consider the succour and deliverance the Lord did lend, it will appear that none but the Lord could deliver us and secure and relieve us. Let us consider three things in the Gunpowder plot. First, observe their policy; secondly, their malice; thirdly, their stoutness, whereby it will appear, that they intended the whole ruin, not only of us, but of the Gospel, they thought to have carried the matter so cunningly, that it should never have been spied, nay, so fiercely, that it should never have been recovered; first, for the former, behold in the forefront the depth of their policy the place, that is marvellous fit, the conveyance marvellous easy the pretence marvellous unsuspected, for they have a seller, it is in the earth, and hard by the water that they may convey things thither: and what can be alleged better than barrels of beer for a seller, and therefore no man questioned or imagined, that there was any matter of treason intended against the State: Secondly, as their policy was great, so the rage of these sinful persons was beyond measure hellish; for murder is so unnatural, that the earth groans under it, and the Sun blushes to behold a murderer: but to stay a Magistrate, the Law of Nations and Civility loathes it, but to lay hands upon the anointed of the Lord Reason and Religion, and the law of all Nations condemns it to the pit of hell. It was not the blood of a subject they did intent to spill, nor of a Magistrate, that they did desire to take, nor yet the blood of the King they sought for, but when the best of the Commonalty and Gentry of the Land were assembled, the choicest of the Nobles and the Council, the King himself, the highest of all degrees, and the choicest of all estates, when King, Queen, and Nobles were there assembled for the glory of God, and to enact good laws for this Common wealth, now these in that place in one hour, in one instant should all have been miserably blown up and torn in pieces, so they should not have been found, or being found, should not have been known that they might be buried according to their degree: This is that matchless villainy, and that unconceivable treachery, which the Papists had contrived, and had not God delivered us (blessed be his name, he did so) but had he not delivered us, we may easily conceive what the success would have been. Oh the lamentable confusion that would have been in every corner of the land, when a man's goods should have been taken from him, and no law to help him, nay, his liberty should have been deprived of, and his blood should have been shed, and no man to relieve him; therefore since this might have been; and since the Lord hath preserved us, that it is not so, score up this goodness, and think of this kindness of the Lord. This is the fruit of Popery, and the practice of the Papists. Oh that you would loathe such savage cruelty worse than hell itself. Add hereunto the third thing we must take notice of, if any thing more may be conceived to manifest the heinousness of the fact, the actors of the work took the Sacrament upon it, that they might not go back from the performance hereof: what cursed wretches were these, not only to commit sin, but to make the Lord the Author of it, nay, to make the Sacrament the scale of the desolation of the Church: Can the devil do more, I think he could scarce endeavour to do worse: this was their policy, and it should have been our misery, if the Lord had not delivered us. Thus we see the policy, their malice and resolution that we are defended from this malice of theirs, and succoured from this policy of theirs, there is no other reason can be rendered, but the Lord is the defender of his people; it was by his, power that we were delivered, and that we are a Nation this day, it was the Lords work, and to him we ought to return all the praise; so much for the first Use of the Point.  
The second use is this If God Use 2 be the deliverer of his people: Then it is a great ground of confidence to bear up the hearts of poor souls in affliction, if God will deliver, who can destroy, if God will keep, who can hurt: think of this in the day of trial, and in the time of extremity, think of this that God never leaves nor forsakes his servants, he will say to the South, give up, and to the North bring back my servants from fare, and my daughters from the end of the earth: We that are assembled here, if it had taken place, many of us had been scattered, and the children that have been borne since had not now been here: Therefore if the Lord shall shall send desolation upon the Land, and we be scattered one from another, yet uphold your hearts and sustain your souls, the Lord will say to the South give up, and to the North keep not back, but bring my servants from fare, and my daughters from the end of the earth, he will restore those little ones again, and they shall live to praise his Name, and magnify the greatness of his power, he can deliver against all means, against all hopes and expectations; think this against the time of trouble: the enemy is very strong, and we are weak, if you expect any strange extremity intended against us, think of this against that time, though the policy malice and power of the enemy be great, and we are weak and feeble, yet the Lord is still the deliverer of his servants, and behold the salvation of the Lord, the Lord hath power enough still, and can overpower the power of the enemy, the Lord hath wisdom still, and can defeat the policy of thy enemy: think of this, and hear for after times.  
The last Use is an Use of exhortation: Use 3 Hath the Lord done all for you, than you will save me a labour, what will you then do for God again, me thinks you that are here this day, should all come, and resolve to consecrate yourselves, your souls and bodies, to give up all unto the Lord, it is he that hath delivered you, let him have obedience from you, it is he that hath maintained you, therefore give up liberally all that he hath bestowed upon you, Luke 1 74, 75. see the Collection there made; He hath delivered us from the fear of our enemies, that we should serve him in righteousness and holiness all the days of our lives. God hath redeemed us from the jaws of hell, and the bond of the devil, (to what purpose) that being redeemed from the devil, and from our temporal enemies, we should live in baseness, and looseness, and dishonour him as he hath delivered us? No, but to serve him in holiness and righteousness; not in Holiness only, in regard of the first Table, but in Righteousness also, in regard of the second Table, and before him, that is, in Sincerity, and all the days of our life, that is, in the days of grace and prosperity, as also in the days of affliction: therefore say, the Lord hath delivered us in Eighty eight, and in the Gunpowder treason, to what purpose, therefore call upon one another and say, our lives, our substance and all we have is the Lords, therefore let us serve him, and glorify him, 1 Sam. 27.28. when Hannah asked a child, and the Lord heard her, when she had the child, she returns, and mark how she pleads, I prayed for the child, and the Lord heard me, therefore I will give him again unto the Lord. You Fathers of Israel, and Daughters of Sarah, men and brethren, think of it: Nay, I go further, you little ones that are preserved this day that you live, you may thank the Lord; if Eighty eight or the Gunpowder treason had taken place, where had you and your fathers been; but if children will not, or can not, yet you mothers teach them, and fathers instruct them, think of it, and join all in the same resolution, do as Hanna did, present all you have about you before the Lord, and say, these children are thine, we begged them in Eighty eight, and in the Gunpowder treason, they are thine by creation, they are thine by preservation, it is the Lord that hath delivered us from the jaws of the Lion, from the power of malicious enemies, therefore now join hands and hearts together, and say, Lord bless goods and children, all we have is thine, we consecrate all to thy Majesty; had the Papists prevailed, had the Powder plot taken ground, we had been defeated, but thy power resisted them, and thy wisdom defeated them, therefore all is thine, and we render all unto thee. Thus I charge you, give up all unto the Lord, he gave all at first, he hath preserved all hitherto, therefore give up all to the Lord, as you have received all from him.  
The second part of the Exhortation is this, as we must consecrate all to God that hath given all, so secondly, here is a point of wisdom, Labour to be in league with this God. Oh that I could persuade you to tender your own comfort. If you heard the enemies were landed, you would run a hurry and say, how shall we be saved and delivered? what course shall we take, and whether shall we go? Now learn a point of wisdom, and labour now to be in league with that God, that is the deliverer in the time of trouble, make God on your side, and then all will go well with you; deliverance is not in men, it is not in power, it is not in policy, it is not in shipping, it is only of the Lord, in whom you may have it and from whom you may receive it, persuade your hearts therefore to be in league with this God, and to join sides with the Lord, that in the time of trouble, he may pluck you out of the paw of the Lion, that he may turn the heart of the enemy towards you; if he should come, God grant he may never come; but in the mean time we shall do well to provide against the day of trial and misery, which is like to approach unto us. I say no more, but conclude this Point, with that, Joshua 9 as the Gibeonites dealt with joshua, so deal with God, at the 11. and 12. Verses: when the Gibeonites heard wha● joshua had done, that he had subdued all enemies, and slaine all Kings that came against him, and gotten a great victory; what course took they? they laboured to make peace with joshua, they saw he was coming against them, and that the Lord had given him exceeding strange victories: Now the Gibeonites come to joshua in Gigall, and tell him we are men of a fare country, and we have heard all that the Lord hath done for you in Egypt, and what he hath done to Sihon King of Heshbon, and Og King of Bashan, wherefore our Elders said go and meet them, and say we are thy servants, make a league with us. They heard how God had destroyed Pharaoh, and his host that came against his children, and how he delivered diverse Kings into their hands; therefore now they seek to get favour with joshua. We are thy servants, now therefore make a league with us. Let this be your course: have you not heard of the greatness of God who succoured you in Eighty eight, and who was it that made good his promises unto us in all extremities? It was the God of Israel, the Lord did all this; do as the Gibeonites did, therefore humble your souls and seek to him, and say, we are thy servants, only make a league with us, make peace with us; a league defensive, and a league offensive, that the Lord may deliver us and stand by us, that the Lord may be at peace with us, that in the day of trouble we may receive comfort and grace from him: so much for that Point. But this is that which cuts our hearts, and damps a man's endeavours, and makes his heart break almost: aye, but what if God will not deliver, and make a league with us, a shame it is, and a sorrow it should be that ever we should so behave ourselves towards this God, that he that hath delivered us, should give us a flat den all, and say, go to your Cups, you that are drunkards, and to your whores, you that are adulterers, those are you gods, let them now deliver you, I will deliver you and save you no more. Remember the time was, I have heard you, and delivered you, but you turned my grace into wantonness, Therefore I will deliver you no more. This will be a heavy doom, if God thus answer us. I come therefore to the second Point The estate of God's Church may be Doct. 2 such, that he may lend no further secure and deliverance unto it. It is that which God doth here profess peremptorily, I will deliver you no more, you have not acknowledged what I have done heretofore, nor walked worthy of it, therefore I will now stay my hand and deliver you no more. The Point is clear, The estate of God's Church may be such, that he will send them no further secure and relief, Luke 21.22. It is observable, when the day of jerusalem came on, and when desolation should come upon it, the Lord calls them the days of vengeance, as who should say, the Lord hath a fit season appointed wherein he will punish his Church and people, and when the time is come, those are the set and determinate days of vengeance, and the seasons of plagues and punishments, which the Lord which is the God of all seasons will observe: The Wiseman saith there is a season for every thing; A time to plant, and a time to lack up; a season to do good to a Nation, and a season to overthrow a Na●ion, R●v. 14 15. There is a harvest of vengeance, when a people is ripe to ruin, put in thy sickle for the harvest is ripe: the harvest is nothing else but the desolation of a people, and the sickle is nothing else, but the ruin of a people, so that there is a kind of ripeness, and fitness for desolation, wherein the Lord will execute judgement upon his people, hence it is that the Lord saith, he is weary with bearing: nay, the patience of God is even put to a stand, jer. 5.7. How shall I spare thee for this; as who should say, God was put to a stay, as I may speak with reverence, he was put to plea with himself, he knew not how to preserve his own honour, and save them, as who should say, my long suffering will endure it, but my faithfulness will not endure it my anger burns out against you. I have spared you often, I will spare you no more, Esay 1.24 there the Ministers of his patience are at an end. I will ease me of my adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemy; as if I had said, I have borne with you so long that I have been pressed as a Cart is pressed under sheaves, at last I will turn you off. I will ease me of my adversaries, and avenge me of my enemies: therefore, Ezeck. 14.14. there are three passages to be observed when the Lord seethe the time of destruction coming on and determined, the Text saith, If Daniel, Noah, and job were among them, they should deliver none but their own souls: you know if any thing will prevail with the Lord, it is Prayer, the prayer of the faithful; Noah; Daniel, and job, were eminent in prayer, yet the prayers of the best deliver not sometimes, nay, if they should join all together, for that is observable, if they were in it, as in a draught, when a Cart is at a plunge, one or two horses cannot pull it out, but if there come two or three horses more stout and strong, they will pluck it out, or tear all in pieces, but if these three should join all together their prayers and desires for a people, the Lord saith, As I live I will not save them: the Lord takes an oath of it, now whatsoever the Lord swears to, it is undoubtedly accomplished, that shows immutability of the decree, other threatenings may be dispensed withal, but as I live saith the Lord, though they all pray and join together, yet they shall not deliver this Nation from punishment; so than the case is clear, you see there is a day of vengeance, a ripeness of a people unto ruin, the Lord will bear no longer, nay he will ease himself, and all the means under heaven cannot prevail with him, they continuing in their estate, but now the main thing comes on, when is this time, what is this estate, when the Lord will not deliver any more, how shall we know it? when may we fear it? how shall we judge of this condition of a people when it is thus with them? Give me leave first to discover it in general, and then descend to particulars, the case in the general is marvellous, the time when and what the condition is, when the Lord will not deliver, Gen. 15.16. this is evidently set forth. The Text saith of Abraham, that the fourth generation that should come of Abraham should come into the land of Canaan: but why should they not come now? because, saith the Text, the sins of the Amorites are not yet full and perfectly ripe: this is the reason why Abraham and his posterity shall not take possession of the land of Canaan for the present, intimating that if the sin of the Amorites had been now full, the Lord would have brought his people into Canaan and destroyed the Amorites, they should not have continued, but because they were not yet ripe, therefore the Lord doth still bear with them; so then when the sin of a Nation comes to full ripeness and perfection, than the truth is the Lord will save and deliver no more; now the ripeness of an estate and condition will appear in two things, as it is in other things, in fruit, and in the body of a man; we say a child is come to full growth when two things befall him: when he hath attained his full bigness, and when he is come to be full of strength, we say then, he is as good a man as ever he will be; so it is in the nature of sin: when sin is come to the full bigness and strength and power it is the deadly symptom of desolation and confusion of a Nation where such kind of sins are, therefore mark it, this is the cause generally to be observed and concluded.  
Now I come to the particulars, and here I must stay a little, because the point lieth here, and I must show two things, first, when sin is come to the full bigness, and when it is come to the full strength and ripeness, and when these two are proved, the Case will be clear; when a destruction of a people is determined of God, and will be effected by God: these things belong to every soul of you, if you have not hearts of Christians about you, but even of humanity, as you are men, that belong to the same Country, and live in the same Nation, these things belong unto you, therefore attend thereunto. And first, I will open the first thing, and show you when sin is come to the full bigness, and that it may be discovered by two things. The first is this, when sin is grown universal, and common, and general, so that corruption is as it were crept into every corner and coast of the Nation, nay, it accompanieth every sort and condition of men, in every place, in every village and town: I must confess, that amongst a world of people some there will be, that will keep their garments unspotted, and themselves undefiled from the courses of the wicked, but this is not the meaning of the point: but sin is said to be general, when the face of a Church and a Commonwealth is overspread with base abominations, though some particulars be preserved, and some few keep themselves unspotted there with, what is that to the main, what is a handful to the multitude, what is one family to a town, or one in a family, or one street in a city? When sin overwhelmes the whole face and course of the Church: when for the general, almost all sorts and conditions of men depart from the Lord, Gen. 6.23. this we shall observe is the very note that hastens desolation and discovers the bigness of sin: All flesh had corrupted their ways, and God saw that the earth was full of violence, behold here is universal injustice, profaneness and contempt of God and his ordinances, all flesh had corrupted their ways, all kinds of men, great ones, poor ones, honourable ones, base ones, all in all places and conditions, they all run in the stream of ungodliness, therefore mark in the 6. Verse, the Text saith, It grieved the Lord at the heart that he had made man; God was inwardly vexed with his people, and then he gins to make an end, a Deluge of sin, and a Deludge of destruction, a 'slud of wickedness overflowed the old world, therefore the waters drowned the old world: Look as it is with a Garden, if all the good fruit and herbs be spoiled, only here and there a root of an herb, but all the rest is like a wilderness, than it is time to dig up the ground; so when wickedness in a Land is grown like a wilderness, drunkenness and swearing, like a wilderness, here and there is a Saint of God and a poor soul, that walks in sincerity, but for the common, the general sort deny the power of godliness; when it is come to this pass, this is the time for desolation and ruin; go to and fro through the streets of jerusalem, and see if there be any that doth righteousness; it was a strange desolation of righteousness, (as if the Lord had said, go from town to town, and see if there be any Magistrate abiding, or any Churchwardens abiding, and mark, he goeth to the poor, and they know not the judgements of the Lord, than he goeth to the rich, and they know it, but they break all bonds. Now mark what the Lord answereth, Therefore a Lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a Wolf of the evening shall devour them, because rich and poor and all were backesliders, the Lord beset them with plagues, with Lions and Bears, and Wolves, that is, ravenous enemies shall rend and tear them in pieces and none shall deliver: As it is in a man, if all the blood & spirits be infected, if the substantial parts, the head, the heart, & the liver be consuming and rotting, there must follow a total ruin of the whole man, because there is an universal kind of corruption. Look as it is in the building of an house, when the main pillars begin to rot, & the supporters of the house moulder away, there is no supporting of it, but it must be made new, or else it will fall down; as it is in the body natural, so also in the body politic, as in the house, so in the estate, when there is a kind of rottenness in the body and estates, when the head is sick, and the heart heavy; When the children gather sticks, and the father kindles a fire, and the mother bakes cakes to the Queen of heaven: this is when young and old, and all conspire together in wickedness, the Lord sendeth fire from heaven & none shall quench it, jer. 7.18. they all were busy to perform idolatrous worship, father and mother, children and all, and saith the Lord, Do they provoke me to anger, & not themselves to the confusion of their own faces: so it is when the husband and the wife and children, and all swear; when the father and mother hates holiness, the Lord will send fire from heaven, and none shall quench it, iniquity swells and groweth big in such a case.  
Secondly, the bigness of sin is discovered, when with the commonness of sin, there is openness joined, when sin grows open, and shameless, when the practisers thereof become bold and base in their abominable practices: Look as it is with a graft, when it is little it cannot be perceived, the hedge or pale may hide it, but when it is grown, it overtops the pale and wall, and every man may perceive it; for when sin is committed only by a few, when it is confined into a Cottage, or into an House, than it is not so open to the view, but when all sorts are given to it, the sin comes to have a whore's forehead, and a brazen face; sinners are more bold to oppose governors that are in place to punish it, than they are to execute the law upon them: drunkenness was wont to be a rare thing, as one spoke, drunkenness was for Beggars, but now it is for Gentlemen and Knights: this shows, that now sin is open and shameless, and therefore that it is come to its full bigness, and therefore we may justly expect desolation. But in the next place you will say, how shall we know when sin is come to the full strength, I answer, look as it is grace, so it is in sin: when a man can undergo all trials, and bear up himself against all temptations and doubtings, when he can either recover himself being fall'n, or else keep himself, this is an undoubted sign of a perfect and strong Christian: so it is in the nature of sin, in the body of sin; in this old man of corruption, when a sinner is come to this pass, that he is able by the power of his corruptions to withstand all the means of reclaiming and reformation, when he is not bettered by them, nor cannot be wrought upon by the power of them, than he is a strong wicked man, he is one of the else sons of Satan: he is one of the generals of the field in the camp of the devil; when all the helps that God hath appointed, and all the means that God hath ordained for the subduing of base corruptions, yet if the sins that are in a family, or town, or Nation, if the stream and tide of them bear down all before them, the work of the Magistracy and Ministry, and means appointed, than it is a sign, that sin is come to the full strength, and that ruin and desolation shall befall that person, or family, or town, or nation, when sin is come to that perfection, as it is in the body of a man, when a Gangrene is spread so fare that nothing can stop it, no physic can remove it, it presageth the certain ruin of that man, that member must be cut off, or else the body will perish: so when sin is grown so remediless, that all the means which God hath ordained for the purging out of the same will not prevail, than it is a sign that sin is come to the full strength, and that such a nation or person is fit for ruin. But you will say, wherein doth this strength of sin appear in the opposing the means of reformation: I answer, it appears, in five particulars; The first is this, when a Nation or People doth not profit by all the corrections that God lays upon them, when the rod and blows wherewith God hath exercised them have not proper and powerful effects in the hearts of those that have been beaten mightily by the hand of God, when the corrections of the Lord, humble not a People, and reform not a Nation, purge not the corruptions, and subdue not their distempers, nor make them come home to him that smote them, this argues the strength of corruption, when the fiercest indignation of the Lord is not able to crush a proud drunkard, howsoever the Lord hath sent many plagues into this country, and into this town, here one is dying and there another is taken away by the destroying Angel of the Lord, yet is not his drunkenness any whit abated, that man will be as drunk and proud, and as scorning, and as contemning of God & his ordinances as ever: Think of it, the God of heaven will require it one day at your hands, when men will not be bettered by God's corrections, he will break them in pieces; this is the course that God takes with them, Levit. 26.24. the Famine hath been threatened, the plague inflicted and the Sword is coming, when your husbands went to rack than you were howling and crying, if the Sword come to pluck away the child out of the mother's arms, than there will be howling and taking notice of the abomination that harbours among you: if all the former judgements do it not, he will send the Sword, and there are seven plagues in a Sword; he hath a quarrel against all profane persons that hate godliness: God will be revenged upon the heads and hearts of them in that day, when he sendeth to visit them. Look as it is with a Goldsmith, if he have a vessel or any piece in that nature that is all battered or broken together, or if there be a crack in it, that all the scouring and hammering of it will not bring it out, than he will melt it; so when the canker of a base heart, this canker of pride and covetousness, when these eat into the hearts of a company of sinful creatures, he hammers them, he sends plagues and sicknesses, but if all this will not do it, than he will melt them, and destroy their cursed generation and raise a new building that will walk with more care and conscience, and be subject with more uprightness, to take his yoke upon them, and if the Lord should not proceed after this manner, God could not maintain his own glory and justice: if a company of wretches might scoff at the corrections of the Lord, and count them as matters of nothing they will brave the Almighty, let God do what he can, we will be profane, and carnal, and unjust, let God plague us, we will be more vicious than God can be angry with us, and execute plagues upon us: when it is thus with wicked men, the Lord will make them feel his fingers, and they that will not be amended, the Lord will knock them to pieces and consume them. And when we shall see the streets run with the blood of drunkards and lose persons, than you will say, had the hand of the Lord wrought upon us, it would not now have been thus with us, Isai. 9.13. the Lord smote the people and they returned not, therefore what saith the Lord, he will plague and make an utter ruin of them, because they would not humble themselves before the Lord, nor seek to him, nor make their peace with him, the Lord hath seven plagues more, and he will welter you in your blood, and pluck your cursed abominations from your bosoms, than you will say. God is just and terrible, and had we been reform by former punishments, we had not hence under this fierce rod which we now feel.  
The second sign of the strength of sin is this, when the Lord sends peace and plenty, and prosperity, and these blessings of God do not persuade men to love him so much the more, and use them so much the better, but they fall in love with the gift, and for●ake the giver; you make your honour, and ease, and pleasure, you make them gods, and departed from the Lord, which is the giver of all, than it is just with the Lord to pluck away that ease and honour and preferment that you dote upon, and are addicted to, that in the want of these, you may learn to prise the Gospel, and learn to esteem of the Lord Christ and his grace above all these contents the world can afford: now unless the Lord should be accessary to the dishonour of his own name, what would you have the Lord to do, would you have him give you peace and prosperity, to neglect the peace of a good conscience; by this means God should be as it were, the author of his own dishonour: no, no, think of it; I fear it will be true, if the Lord should take away our ease and liberty, that we have made Idols off, than you shall say, if you had prized God and Gospel more than ease and liberty, you might have had these and God and Gospel too, Deut. 28.48. this is that which will one day stick heavy upon your hearts; for your soul's sake think of it, and remember it; if the Lord should send the enemy upon us, and lay hardness over us, and we should be made vassals unto the tyranny of wicked men, this will stick to your hearts: had I served the Lord in plenty, and such a time when I enjoyed the means of salvation, than it had been well with me, but I was lose and profared the Lords day, and therefore it is just now, I serve the enemy upon the Lord's day, I am made a drudge and a vassal and a slave to the malice of the wicked. It is just with God and righteous with the Lord, you would not serve God when time was; you would not hear the Word when time was, God will provide a course for you, you shall have service enough, and God will hold you to it, you shall serve cruel and bloodthirsty enemies, to the shame of your faces here, and to the ruin of you and yours hereafter for ever, 2 Chron. 36.21. then shall the land rest one Sabbath, saith the Text: mark this among the jews; the Lord appointed every seventh year to be a Sabbath, that the Saints should rest, there should be no ploughing nor sowing and all creatures should rest; now they were so covetous that they would pluck commonly out of the earth, the seventh year, well saith the Lord, you will not let the land rest, you shall be led captive, and then the land shall rest on her Sabbath; it is just that God should pluck away these benefits, to the confusion of our face, for ever when we abuse them. Look as it is with a wife, if she should have a servant in the house which she loves more than her husband, what course must be taken, he must fling him out of the house and away with him; so when we should love God and prize his glory and truth, I, yet we will love the world, and profit, and ease, and quiet, and peace, and liberty, and we will do nothing that may hazard these: it is righteous with the Lord to cashier those commodities, and pluck away the adulterous lover of wealth and honour and ease, that he may make a way himself in your souls, that he may rule in you, and take possession of you.  
The third means is this, when corrections reform not, and the blessings of God persuade not men, than the Lord vouchsafeth to send his Word among his people, and that should supply the want of all other means, and should be more powerful than any other in the world beside, so that howsoever the covetous Carl dotes upon his wealth, the Word should loosen his mind from it, and reveal the vanity of it; however corrections humble not, yet the Word is able to break the soul, and work the soul to an humble subjection, the Word is the power of God to salvation, which is able to crush all corruptions, and subdue all sins, but sin is come to this height that the Word is unfruitful and unprofitable, than sin is desperately strong, and we are then come to the last and worst estate that can be, it is more than we are ware of, and more than commonly we consider of, we know not what we do, when our hearts continue in resisting the Word of the Lord, 2 Chron. 36.16. It is a deadly sign of desolation of any people: When the liberty of jerusalem was at the last gasp, giving up the Ghost, and there was but an inch between them and desolation, mark what the Text saith, they mocked his Prophets, and despised his Messengers, till the wrath of the Lord arose, and there was no remedy, here was the ground, this was the main thing, that the sin eats the estate in sunder, and pulled down the pillars of the common wealth of judea, you would think, was it so much to despise the Word of a Minister, Ah, saith the Text, the wrath of the Lord arose and there was no remedy; as if he had said, the Lord is able to bear much at the hands of ungodly men: and me thinks the Lord saith; I could have endured your drunkenness, and endured your profaneness, had you but submitted to my Word, those corruptions might have been subdued, but not only to practise ungodliness, but to refuse the word, that should subdue those corruptions: when the Lord saw this, his wrath arose, and there was no remedy, God can endure much, though a man have many corruptions in him, though many sins have been committed by him if the soul be yet content to hear and tremble at God's Ordinances, but when a man is not content to commit sin only, but he will oppose God's Word: then the Lord, like the Lion of the tribe of judah, can hold no longer, than the wrath of the Lord arose, and there was no remedy, but he would lay waste the Land, when we spill the physic that should cure us, and cast away the salve that should heal us, how can we be helped and cured, this is the ground and reason of those many phrases we have in Scripture: Why? the Lord is said to extend his providence over a people, in vouchsafing the Gospel, Mat. 23. the later end; it is a well known place, we will open it a little and apply it to our purpose, because it is pregnant: the Text saith, O jerusalem, jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thee under my wings by the preaching of the Gospel, and revealing of their sins, he would have gathered their hearts unto him, and would have cast the wing of his providence over a people, as they are willing to submit to the Gospel, but jerusalem would not, he sent his Prophets to reveal his will, they stoned them, therefore saith the Text, Your habitation is left unto you desolute, that is the issue, they would not have the Word reform them, therefore they shall have the Sword to plague them, Luke 19.44. the case is evident, the Lord discovers the besiedging and the sacking of jerusalem, there shall not a stone be left upon a stone, because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation; as who should say, the Lord came to visit jerusalem with mercy to comfort her, with pardon to cheer her, to show her her sins, & humble her soul, but she regarded not this kindness of the Lord, therefore there is a siege about her, and that is very heavy, and take notice of it. The Lord is specially angry with a Nation, for the breach of his Covenant, and neglect of his worship, the Lord doth hate it, and is carried with great violence towards those people that worship God falsely, 1 King. 13. the two last Verses, the Text saith, He made of the lowest of the people Priests: as who should say, he made a company of drunkards, and belly-Gods Ministers, and is that such a great matter? Yes, that one sin turned to the utter ruin of the house of jeroboam, to root him out.  
Fourthly, if this will not do the deed, but men will resist the means that God puts into their hands: then fourthly, this is an other evidence, that sin groweth strong when there wants a competent number of mourners in a land, which might uphold it, and join sides against sin and Satan, and maintain the good of a kingdom, in despite of the wicked in a kingdom, this is one of the last succours of supplies a kingdom hath, how ever wicked men will not be persuaded and humbled, yet if there be a competent number. if there be so many as will make an army of fasting and prayer to grapple with God, they may prevail with God for mercy for a kingdom, there is hope though the most be naught, yet the better side will prevail, but when the floods of iniquity slow in amain, so that the best of God's people are taken aside with the stream of corruption, and begin to grow careless, and not to oppose the sins of the times, this is a sore argument that there is almost no remedy for such a Nation, no means to beat back the indignation of the Lord, Gen. 19 when Sodom could not save itself, ten righteous persons would have saved it, though they would have pulled God's indignation upon them, yet a competent number often men would have stayed the indignation, and gone between the living and the dead; so were there a proportionable number of mourners in a Land, though there be a company of mocke-gods, that would pull down the indignation of God upon them, yet a company of godly gracious men might strive with the Lord, and uphold their liberty, but when corruptions are grown so strong that good men are defiled, and their hearts tainted, and their mouths stopped, woe to that kingdom and people: Look as it is with the sea-coast, when the banks are such that they can bear out the waves, be the sea never so boisterous, there is hope of safety, but if the sea break all before it, there is no hope to stop it, so it is in this case, the banks that bear out the indignation of the Lord, are righteous holy men, they stay the hand of God, and stop the flood of God's vengeance; that they do not break in and overflow all, but if the bank be gone, if a convenient company of godly men be taken away, then there is no hope of mercy, but the sea of God's indignation will flow in amain upon that place.  
The fifth and last means, to uphold liberty and safety of a Nation, is this when men begin to be sensible of misery, when they have eyes to see the plague, and hearts affected with the sins committed, and with the judgements deserved when they observe what will befall, they will use some means that it may not befall: but when a people grow senseless, and benumbed, and secure, in a base practice and ungodly course, that they observe not the evils committed, nor take notice of the judgements of God deserved, but lie in a careless secure condition, there is no expectation in reason how such a Nation should prevent the wrath of the Almighty, when they see not what shall befall, have no care to prevent what may befall, 1 Thess. 5.3. There is a warning shot before the Cannon shot, there is a watch word before destruction cometh, when they cry peace, then cometh destruction: when they quiet themselves in their own courses- when they are not only wicked, but secure in their wickedness, then comes sudden destruction, I conclude with that, Matth. 24.39. As it was in the days of Noah, there the Lord as it were smites men with Plagues answerable to their sins, they were careless and secure in the days of Noah, and then came sudden destruction, so it will be now, as in the days of Noah, when Noah, was knocking the Ark, every nail he drove, was a Sermon: Repent you carnal and unjust oppressors, the flood is coming and desolation approaching, but they knew nothing, that is, they feared no such matter: Let N●ah say what he will, what, a flood come and destroy all the world? it will not be, it cannot be, they knew nothing before the 'slud came, so then the issue is this, when sin is grown universal, when men are shameless in the commission thereof, and outbid all means of reformation, the corrections of the Lord humble not, the mercies of the Lord persuade not, the word reforms not, nay when the righteous are perished from the earth, and the banks are broken down, when there is not a competent number of mourners, to withstand the wrath of the Lord, nay when men are senseless and secure, all men commit sin, and fear not the wrath of God for sin, than sin comes to be of a Giantlike strength and bigness.  
We will now make use of the point, the case is clear, when sin outbids all means of reformation, than men are ripe for desolation, we will first raise a ground of instruction, and then make way for an use of examination, and learn this point of instruction, that this, of all plagues under heaven, is one of the heaviest of all judgements, it is the sorest that a wicked man should prosper and thrive in his ungodly courses, that he should be able to break through the net, and come off clearly; whatsoever comes to the contrary, he hath what he will, and doth what he please, and no word reforms him, no means hinder him, think of this when the Lord pulls up the stake, and gives him the rain, and lets him go post-haste, and hurry headlong down to destruction, that is the only way to pull the soul of a sinner into the bottomless pit. It is said, Hosea 2. that when the Lord doth please to bring any of his people home, this is God's special care in the sixth Verse, the Lord pricks his fingers, and stops him, and makes a hedge about a covetous deceitful wretch, that he cannot break through but he hath now a knock of conscience, now a judgement of God, now a terror of the Almighty. This is the only way to bring a soul home to God, than she will say, I will return unto my first husband, but this is one of the heaviest judgements, and sorest plagues that can befall a sinful creature, that the Lord should pull down the hedge, and break open the wall, and let them run riot, take thy course, and follow thy vanities, I will hinder thee no more till I have thee in hell, and then thou shalt be plagued for all together, jer. 12.3. it is a fine phrase, when Jeremy was perplexed with the prosperity of the wicked, he was marvellously troubled, because of the excellency of ungodly men, at last he quits himself with this, they were as Sheep fatted for the slaughter. What will become of you that have all means of reformation, the Lords mercies and Ministers, and judgements have striven with you; what will become of you when such a creature comes to hell, the devil will make bonfires of him, but they shall make holy day in hell, their plagues shall be nothing to theirs that have had all means, and resisted all means of grace and salvation, the devils will rejoice to meet a drunkard in hell, and say, what art thou come to hell, after all means vouchsafed, and all helps bestowed? the devils will make bonfires, and stand on tiptoes and crow over such persons. What, you that enjoyed the means of grace and salvation, what, you come to hell too; all the whole rout of them will outbrave such an opposer of God, and his ordinances, he shall be a head block in hell; I will conclude the point and say no more; if there be any such here present, (as there is too many) that can brag of their lose courses, and glory of their villainy; I drunk him under the table, no counsel shall prevail with him, no means shall take place in him, dost boast of thy villainy in this kind, dost glory because thou thrivest in thy wickedness; woe, wo to thy soul, thou art ready for the slaughter, and the Lord shall bring thee down into everlasting destruction; know it, God hath said, when the harvest is ripe, he will put in the Sickle, and thou that art ripe shalt be sure of desolation: Look as it is with a sick man, when meat cannot nourish him, when physic works not, and Physicians are at a stand, and all leave him, than we say he is but a dead man; the Physicians have left him, think of it, the Lord of heaven comes to visit thee, thy sick soul is like the sick man, many mercies he poureth into thy soul to humble thee, many judgements, to eat out thy proud flesh; he comes to lance thee on one side, and bind thee upon the other side, but if all these will do thee no good, it is a fearful symptom; nay it is certain, there was never any man so sure to dye when all means left him, as thy soul shall be damned when all means prevail not.  
The second use is a use of examination, Is this true then, when sin grows ripe, than the Lord will not secure and relieve any more, than we may have a shroud guess, and gather a soar argument of the ruin and desolation of any person, town or country, when a Nation is as it were giving up the ghost, and drawing on to everlasting destruction, the former doctrine will be a mervelous help, and great succour unto us for direction in this ca●e: The Physicians, one part of their skill is this, they call it a foretelling sign, whereby they have a soar guess when the body is dying, and nature growing on to dissolution; when they see such and such signs in a man, they say he is dying, why the truth saith, the Text saith, and the Scriptures profess it, where ever there is a full increase a full strength of sin, an universal kind of incorrigibleness in a sinful course, it is a deadly sign that that state, kingdom or person, is breathing out his last, and drawing to desolation, as near as may be.   

THE DECEITFVLnesse of sin.  PSAL. 119.29. 
Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me thy Law graciously.  
TO press on to the words, and not to make any long Preface either with the commendation of this book of Psalms in general, or this Psalm in particular, only thus much, Interpreters observe this Psalm as a Diamond among Pearls, or as the Gold among other metals, or as Saul higher than his brethren there is a kind of excellency which Interpreters conceive to be in this Psalm; partly in regard of the largeness of the matter, partly in regard of the spirit, and life, and strength that appeareth in every line therein; Not to trouble you with these tinglings which come only to the care, but are not sappy to nourish and affect the heart, only a little consider that the Lord by the Penman of this Psalm, doth strive after a spiritual kind of exquisiteness, dividing it into 22. Parts, according to the Hebrew Alphabet, and every part having two verses beginning with the same Letter. Secondly it is observable, that among 176. verses there is not above one or two but mentioneth the Law of God, either Law, or Precepts, or Commandments, or Word, or Statutes, Testimonies or the like, as if the Prophet David had bestowed himself wholly, and had been eaten up with the Law of God. The aim of the Text is to discover the great desire that the holy Psalmist hath, and expresseth to God for the removal of the body of sin that was upon him, and for the supply of that grace he stood in need of, and craved at the hands of the Lord, and the two parts of David, prayer are the two parts of the Text; the first is the evil that he would have removed from him, first, take from me the way of lying, the second is the great good he needs, and begs and craves to be bestowed, upon him, grant me thy Law graciously.  
In the former again take notice of two things, the first is the nature of the sin described, and it is termed the way of lying. The second is the affection David had to this sin, he was weary of it, and burdened with it, & was desirous to have it removed from him, take it from me, and not only take it, but cause it to go away, as the Hebrew phrase carries it, it implies an action upon an action, as the Hebrew expresseth it, if the way of lying will not go, Lord take it away from the soul of thy servant; we will first come to the first part, and pass briefly, because it is not the main thing we intent, but what is meant here by the word way? We must understand that the passages of a man's Spirit, and the practices of a man's life and conversation are said in Scripture to be a path or way, it is compared to a path way, when all the power and ability of a sinner is spent in travelling and passing from one duty to another, from one action and service to another, as the body passeth from place to place, so the soul of a man goeth from one service to another, so that the work of a man, whether touching the soul or his outward actions, they are said to be a man's way; the mind is plotting and the affections stirring, and the will choosing, and all the parts of the body are acting forth their several works, this is a way, this the Prophet David intimates, Psal. 119.9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his ways? that is the frame of his heart inwardly, and his conversation outwardly, and the motions of the heart, and thoughts of the mind they are the galleries within doors, and all a man's courses and carriages and speeches are the roads and out-roomes, so that by the way is meant nothing but the cursed distemper of a man's heart, and the disorder of his life; the corruption of a man in regard of his disposition inwardly, and his actions outwardly, that is the way the Prophet here meaneth.  
Now the point we are to treat on is this; the nature of all sin is to be deceitful, the course of corruption is deceitful, it is fair in the outside, but in the bottom it will cozen and delude; all the ways of sin are crooked, and all the ways of wickedness are perverse, it is the nature of all sin in general, and of every sin in particular to be counterfeit and deceitful, this the Apostle intimates, Ephes. 4.22. Put off the old man saith the Text, that is corrupt after his deceitful lusts, the lusts of a man's heart will tell him he lies to his face.  
Now the deceit of sin is double, first it makes a man deceive others, corruption in the heart is like rottenness in the root of a tree, or in the core of an Apple, it withers all the branches if the root be rotten, and if the core of an Apple be rotten, though it be never so beautiful, it will deceive him that buyeth it, it will not be fit for food to him that hath it; so rottenness in the heart and distempers in the soul, it will whither all the shows of equity, and honesty, and uprightness, that formerly were observed, Z●ba had a deceitful heart, and of a servant he becomes a false accuser, Achitophel had a proud heart, and of a Counsellor he becomes a traitor, and David was wonderfully cozoned in him, it was thou my familiar that didst eat bread at my table: So the covetousness of Demas his heart made him fly off from the truth, and forsake the fellowship and faith of Saint Paul, and leave him in the lurch, Paul had some confidence in him, but he deceived Paul, he had a covetous heart.  
Secondly, it is deceitful, not only because it deceives others, but it deceives the Author himself, as it makes the sinner deceive others, so it deceives the sinner, it promises fair, and performs nothing in conclusion, it hath a fair outside, but the issue is nothing at all, it promiseth mountains of riches and ease, but when a man lies on his death bed, it plague's the soul and rends the heart, Obad. 3. We shall observe the main cause of the cozenage of Edom, The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the cliffs of the rocks, that saith, who shall bring me down? Because she was ferced strongly, and had men and means, she lifted up herself and said, I shall never see desolation; the pride of thy heart shall deceive thee, no body cozened her but herself, none deluded her but her own soul, and it is pretty to observe concerning jonah, he was sent to Niniveh, but because he thought disgrace should befall him, he should proclaim destruction to the city, and God would pardon it, and so he should be counted a false Prophet, this made him take another course, now he goes to Tarsis, and enters into a ship, and is gore fare, but this pride and policy of his deceived him, he thought he should have had all quiet and content and ease, no, the Lord sent a troublesome messenger after jonah, the Winds began to bluster, and the Waves beat, at last they awake jonah, and God's anger awoke his conscience, and God with great trouble sends him to Niniveh, God made him go down into the belly of hell, and yet made him go to Niniveh too, and does his message too: Little did Ac●n think when he took the Babilonish garment, and the wedge of gold to enrich him, all Israel should stone him in the Valley of Anchor. So Gehezai out of covetousness got two suits of raiment, but he little thought he had got a suit of leprosy that should cleave to him and his posterity for ever, nay, Exod. 1. I will name only this, when Pharaoh was to trade with the children of Israel, he calls his Council, Let us deal wisely, he thought all the world was his now, but when he thought to deal wisely, his wisdom cozened him, for take notice of it, which is a thing remarkable, the way he took to suppress them did multiply them, for hard labour is the only way for generation and multiplication, and his putting of them to great pains, turned to deceit to himself: so than if sin promise fair to others, and never doth what it pretends; if it promise fair to the workers thereof and never performs it, than sin is deceitful, sin is a liar: you might save me a labour, then me thinks every man that understands himself, and hath common sense will make the sense and conclusion fair, never believe a liar, reason and experience teacheth us this; no man will place his confidence in a dissembler that will cozen him: this will be the issue of all ungodly courses; you that look after and attend to any sinful course, how ever some promise fair, and pretend much, glorious comforts and encouragements, if you will believe a lose conversation, it will make you believe it will keep touch, and be as true as steel, and whatsoever is promised shall be accomplished undoubtedly, and performed certainly to your souls, but believe it not: it is in this case with sin, as it was sometimes with Saul, when Saul would draw his followers after him, and knit their souls to him: mark how he pleads, Can the son of jesse make you Captains of hundreds, and Captains of thousands; and as who should say, he is a poor banished man, and cannot keep himself, much less can he keep you, but Saul can do all this, therefore follow him. So sin will speak thus of itself, and say, can a holy conversation, a Christian way, an exact life, can these procure pleasure, and case and credit; nay, is it possible they should procure any content in this world: judge but equally and indifferently in this case, and mark how every lust will plead for itself. Whether is it more likely saith flattering and time-serving, that friends and great means which I will bring with me, or persecution, and opposition, which will attend a holy course, whether more like to enrich you; and ambition saith, whether will great living and preferment or a prison which exactness and curiosity hath accompanying of it, whether is more likely to advance you? and impatience saith is like to right your wrongs, you have hard dealing and measure, if you will be ruled by me, I will revenge all, but if you be ruled by patience and meekness you must bear all, whether is like to right your wrongs? and this is the reason that one follows revenge, and another malice, and thinks to give himself full content, stop your ears, and fence your hearts, against these chanting charms of sin and Satan, believe not one sentence or syllable, they will all deceive you, they will pretend fair, but the issue and event will not be answerable in any measure. Alas what is it for a man to drink a draught of poison in a golden cup and die as soon as he hath done? what is it to be rich and a reprobate, honoured and damned? what is it for a man to pull vengeance upon his brother, and to pull everlasting destruction upon his soul, these are liars and will deceive you, for the Lords sake therefore never rely upon and trust thereunto, and bring experience from former times of the old deceits of sin, and cast disparagement in the face of these pleas, and stop the mouth of these sins, and tell ambition, is this your honour, with Haman to be in high regard to day and hanged to morrow? then let me be mean still, is this all the content that all the carnal means in the world can afford, to far deliciously every day with Dives, and then lie in hell for ever? Let me live poorly rather; this will stop the mouth of these pleas; if a man have experience of an old cheater, if a man be noted, and have been on the Pillery for his cheating, no man will trust him, he cousins and deceives all that ever he deals withal, have nothing to do with sin, it is an old Cheater, an old Deceiver, there was never any that trusted thereunto, or had dealing therewith, but was cozened and deluded, therefore, as they said, What have we to do with Idols? So say you, what have I to do with pride, and malice, and envy, and earthly mindedness, and carnal security? they are all deceivers and cheaters: this they served such a one, and such a one, therefore I will have nothing to do with them, Psal. 62.10. the Text saith, Trust not in oppression because the oppressor hath a weighty purse, and great friends and means, he thinks to carry all before him, but trust not in oppression, for it will deceive you, so trust not to a proud heart, trust not to a malicious heart, in conclusion it will leave you in the dust, when you look for consolation, you shall see nothing but misery and confusion, gall of conscience here, and the worm that never dyeth hereafter will be the issue thereof.  
Secondly, as we must be careful not to trust a Liar, and depend upon a Cheater, so we must be careful to warn others of sin; this humanity learns us, and reason will persuade a man to this, if he hath escaped robbing by the highway, he tells every passenger, take heed how you pass by such a place lest you are surprised: if a man hath taken a Cheater, he will bid every man have a watchful eye to the cutpurse lest he be deceived; much more ought we to have a care of the souls of our brethren, you that have heretofore found by woeful experience the treachery of sin; a proud heart hath cozened you, and a lose heart hath deceived you, when you are delivered and freed from these spoilers and robbers in this nature, leave a remembrance to your fellow brethren, as is is said of Lot's wife, Remember Lot's wife; her hankering after Sodom brought her confusion; remember Lot's wife, and bold proud wives and servants, take heed of a proud heart, I was deceived with it, take heed of a malicious heart, I was cozened with it, take heed of a covetous heart, I had like to have been overthrown with it, if the Lord had not been merciful, I had never been delivered from it, Heb. 4.1, 2. The place is excellent, take heed, saith the Apostle, lest you also fall short, and as if he had said, you that live in the bosom of the Church, and enjoy the means of grace and salvation, you think you must needs go to heaven: take heed this cozened sixty hundred thousand fight men in the Wilderness, they were deceived and ruinated, & it slew them; take you heed therefore, remember their dead carcases, and beware you, lest you trust wholly to the means, and perish in the means, not trusting to God, and relying upon him for your everlasting comfort: and it is that which Saint Paul leaves upon record, as a point in his own experience, Phil. 3 8. speaking there of trusting to man's carnal confidence, if any man could boast of this, and that, saith he, then much more I, I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews, and circumcised the eight day; and if any man may boast, if any man have cause to trust upon these carnal props, I have more than any man, but they leave me in the lurch, and that which I counted gain, it proved loss; as who should say, you that live, remember this, I thought to be saved by my privileges, and I trusted to my performances, I thought none should go to heaven, if not learned Paul, and judicious Paul, and experienced Paul, but these left me in the lurch in conclusion, therefore take heed that you trust not thereunto.  
We come now to the affection which the holy man had to this sinful distemper in this nature, the Text saith, Remove from me the way of lying, take it away, that is the phrase, I will do what I can Lord, and do thou what I cannot, but however it is take it away from my soul.  
The Point is this, A good heart is in good earnest content to part with any corruption: What David did, a good man must do, the ground is the same, and the work of grace is the same, a good heart is in good earnest content to part with any corruption, he doth not put off God with good words, and think to satisfy God with fair speeches, but it is seriously and sadly, and in good earnest content to part with any corruption: He doth not say Lord, take away some style out of the way, or take away some log or impediment in the way of sinning, I would not be disparaged and disgraced and troubled in sinning, no Lord, take away the way of sinning, that I may never walk in that way more: this was the guise of the soul of the holy man; and it is so with every holy man, and Hos. 14.2. and it was so with the converted Church, when their hearts were humbled, and they came to seek the Lord, they say, take away from us all our iniquity, and receive us graciously: they do not half it with God and patch it, and piecemeal it; but oh take away all iniquity, even the greatest and the least and the dearest, take away all Lord, not only the open and the known, but the secret and the hidden, Lord take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: In the old Law the burnt offering was all to be burnt; so is it with a sound heart, when it offers a whole burnt offering to the Lord of sin, leave not a hair or a hoof behind, but let all be consumed, and all overmastered, and subdued: so Psal. 119.133. Let not any iniquity have dominion over thy servant; marken the generality, there is none exempted, none reserved, there is no reservation, not one Lord Let no sin have dominion over me. A good heart will not deal with sin as the people of Israel dealt with the Canaanites, the Lord commanded them to drive out the Canaanites and leave none there, but they for their own profit would not destroy them utterly but made them tributaries, but a sound heart will not thus deal with sin, he would have it utterly removed: it is a base thing that a man should retribute from his sins, he will not banish all malice, but he will take tribute of malice, that he may vex those he hath some secret spleen against, but this is the course, every man should take up, we should banish all sin, every Cananite, every corruption, and not only not suffer it to dwell with us, but not to be among us; therefore look what Haman did against Mordecay, he was not content to kill Mordecay alone, but he hated the whole Nation of the jews, therefore he would be at the charge to dispatch the whole nation; let but the King send out his decree, and he would be at the charge for the destroying of the jews, this shows the malice of the man; so it might be with our malice against sin, a man must not only hate a base beggarly corruption, a poor Mordecay that will not profit, but the whole nation of corruption abandon that, God hath given out his warrant against every corruption, therefore be thou at the charge to execute it, and set thyself against the whole nation of rebellion of heart, and distemper of spirit; this aught to be the guise and frame of the soul. I have done with the proof of the Point: we come now to open the Point; when I say the good heart is content to part with any corruption, this parting of sin and the soul appear in two particulars: First, he labours and strives and endeavours to do what he can himself; secondly, he goes to God to do that he is not able: first for the former, the endeavour and strife of a sinner, for the parting of his sin and his soul, it appears in four particulars, in all which we may fully perceive, that in the soul of a gracious man, there is this resolution to make a breach between his soul and his distempers: first, a sound heart is ready to take the least notice of any thing that is unlawful, it hearkens to any information, that may discover any thing to be sinful in any measure, after any manner; this is one argument that the soul is resolved to part with any sin, because it is marvellous ready to hear any thing against sin that it might part there from; a man that doth seriously desire to remove another out of his possession, the course whereby he doth express his affection is this, he is ready to hear any report, and hearken to any relation by any man, after any manner, that will bear an action against the party, and he will not only hear it, but record it, and make his advantage of it, that he may remove the man if it be possible out of his possession; so it is with a gracious heart, when the soul of a faithful Saint of God is weary of his inmate, of the sinful body of death that hangs about him, and would dispossess it, and reform it were it in his power, not only the dominion of it, but the presence of it in his heart any longer, he is ready to hearken to the least information, from any occasion, from any speech, from any action of the meanest Saint of God, that appears in his course and conversation, whereby he make it questionable, such a course is sinful, and such a practice unlawful, he is very careful to attend, & lay his heart levill thereunto; nay, if his enemy out of malice and spleen, and envy, shall cast any thing upon him as a matter unlawful, it mill make his heart shake within him, and he begins to consider, I never thought such a course unlawful, and such a practice unwarrantable, I see such a man dares not do it, if it be a sin, why should not I reform it as well as another, and if it be not a sin, why should he abridge himself of that liberty which is lawful, and the soul will never be quieted, till it get sound information, what is lawful, and may be performed, and what is unlawful, and aught to be avoided: this is an argument, that he is willing to part with his corruptions, because he is willing to know what is evil, that he may avoid it, job 6.24. Teach thou me, and I will hold my tongue, cause me to understand wherein I have erred: He doth not quarrel with the man that counsels him, or wrangle with the man that adviseth him, but teach thou me, and I will hold my tongue; I know not, I perceive not, but cause me to know, inform sound, reprove me throughly wherein I have done amiss, Nay, job 34.32. it is a sine passage, What I know not, teach thou me, if I have done amiss I will do so no more: he is willing to hear any thing, willing to be informed, he will not cast off counsel, and reproof with matter of scorn, and say, I know as well as you, let every tub stand upon his own bottom, meddle you with your own matters, and do not you come in another man's Diocese; no, a gracious heart will not do this, but what I know not teach thou me, if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more: a gracious heart when he cannot see himself, will be suspicious, what courses are unlawful, and will seek direction from God, that he may clearly perceive it, and reform it and avoid it: the heart of man is deceitful above all things, therefore a good man when he hath searched what he can, if he hear of any trick and device that a carnal hypocrite may have, he searcheth and seeks, am I such a one? and he looks up to heaven, and saith, Lord thou knowest the heart, let me know it, thou knowest the windings of this soul of mine, let me understand it that I may not be cozened.  
The second is this, when the sound heart is informed of the sin with evidence of reason, it yields quietly, and sits down convinced, and submit itself to the authority of the power of the truth; this is another thing, a gracious heart, as it will not when there is no reason to gainsay a truth, so it will not invent tricks to defeat the power of the truth when it is evident, and plainly brought home to the judgement, this is certain, though a man out of a carnal mind, because flesh will have his bouts, although a gracious heart sometimes when it is informed, and Reasons are sound, and Scriptures undeniable, it will a little quarrel and wrangle for the while: yet when it seethe it cannot answer the argument, it will be content to embrace the reason and be framed thereby, and submit to the rule thereof, job 40.4. when the Lord came to school job, and had informed him of his own excellency, and his baseness, he yields up the bucklers presently, once have I spoken, but I will not answer, yea twice, but I will proceed no further, as who should say, I have spoken foolishly, and said unadvisedly, but I will say it no more, and famous is that of the Cananitish woman, when Christ was hot upon her, and called her dog, truth Lord saith she, yet the dogs may eat of the crumbs that fall from their master's table as who should say, I confess I am as bad as thou speakest, I deny not what I am, I am a dog I yield it, yet the dogs lie under the table, that is all I crave and ask, that I may lie under the table and wail for crumbs of mercy, you know how it was with Peter when he had denied our Saviour, he doth not wrangle it out & colour it over, but the very look of our Saviour was enough to make him got out and weep bitterly, if the arguments be plain, and reason good, it will not cast them behind his back, and wink with his eyes, and will not see the truth, but a gracious heart yields easily, and comes on comfortably to receive the truth, I confess this, and experience hath taught as much in this nature in point of conscience, it is possible for the soul, partly out of weakness of judgement, not being able to perceive the truth, or else out of a self wild distemper which blinds the judgement, it will wrangle against the truth, but in my experience I have observed this is the issue, it will never leave enquiring and disputing about the business till it fall that way, the bias of the soul will run directly towards the truth; it is with a good heart though a weak one, as with a sound stomach though distempered; take hot water into a windy stomach the wind will stir on one side, and the water on another side, and distemper the stomach, but let the party take a little Mithridate, the Mithridate closing with the stomach will ease a man, and refresh a man in this kind: so a good man hath a weak judgement in this kind, and sometimes a distempered heart, but when the good word of the Lord, the Cordial water, the Mithridate, when that comes into his mind, and is taken into his soul, a man will quarrel with profit and ease and carnal reason, but yet the soul will be the better and will close with it, for its everlasting good.  
Thirdly when a sound heart hath taken notice and is informed, and upon that information sits down convinced, then in the third place it will set it self immediately to the duty whereof it is informed and convinced, when the judgement stands clear, and the heart yields, the floodgate is set open, and the water will flow, if there were any evil before committed, the soul sets upon the reformation of it, if any duty not before performed, it now sets upon the performance thereof; consider of it, it is true I do not say that when a man is informed and convinced, what is the course God requires, and what is the duty God commands, a man can then do the duty as he ought, but he will do what he can, and labour for ability to do that, which for the present he cannot, Gen. 22 3, it was a hard task that God enjoined Abraham, to sacrifice his beloved and darling son Isaac, now when the thing was plain though it was never so hard, Abraham set about it, he got up betimes in the morning, and he and the child went, and the servants and all, and he addresseth himself to the performance of the duty, and he prevents all occasions that might hinder him, his wife was not acquainted with it, his servants knew nothing of the matter: so if a man be the son of faithful Abraham, if then Lord commands it, though it be the kill of a darling secure, tender, beloved lust, if the Lord say it must be done, this sin must be abandoned, this corruption must be reform, though it be never so profitable, and bring never so much contentment; he will rise betimes in the morning, that is, he will use all means, and employ all helps for the accomplishing of it. A gracious heart if his mind be informed and his conscience convinced of a duty, he will set upon the duty, it is a thing I would have you remember, it is a marvellous distemper of Spirit, when people speak thus, I confess it is a thing that ought to be avoided, the word forbids it, the Lord condemns it, and my conscience goes against it, but what would you have me do? I cannot set into the work, I cannot go on in the work, why then lay all aside, lay sincerity aside, for it cannot stand with sincerity, that I should be informed, and convinced of a duty which the Lord requires at my hands, and I not set upon it. I do not say a found heart will not do it as he ought, but he will strive to get ability to perform that God requires. Alas saith the Gallant I confess these fashions are fooleries, but what shall I do out of fashion with the world, the Text saith, fashion not yourselves after the world, but the truth is I know not how to get out, and how to get in, it is a strict passage, art thou informed of a duty and convinced of it, and is thy heart persuaded of it, and wilt thou not set about it? where is grace then, Ciulitie will reform, Hypocrisy will reform, Nature will reform, Reason will reform a man in outward things, but if a man will not part with an apish fashion, a foolery, how will he part with all sin, that will not part with the shadow, the appearance of sin? I conclude thus, he that is informed and convinced, what is sin, and aught to be avoided, and will not address himself to reform it, that man is not under the power of the Word and therefore hath no power of grace, but he that knows the Word of God requires this, and that God exacts this, and is convinced of it, and will not submit to that word, he is not under the power of the Word, therefore hath no power of grace.  
Lastly, as he is willing to know what he should do, and is easily convinced of what he is informed, and doth endeavour to do that whereof he is convinced: so in the last place his heart is content to take up the hardest means, the sharpest medicines, that God hath appointed for the kill and slaying of his corruptions, if there be any medicine in the world more keen than other, any means more sharp than other that may cut off his base distempers, a gracious heart will be content to take up that, that it may serve his turn, that there might be reformation made. I express it thus, take an arm or a leg that hath a Gangrene, the nature of the sore is, that it will infect, and spread, and kill the whole man, now the Chirurgeon comes and tells the patiented, either you must lose your leg, or your life, either you must have your arm cut off, or you will cut off your days, there is no other remedy, why then if the patiented say he will abide the worst, every man will say he doth not purpose to live; if he did purpose to maintain life, he would take away that which will take away life: So it is here with some kind of base sins, I mean grosser, opener notoriouser crimes that I may so say are scandalously vile, there is no way in the world, but there must be some sharp corrasive applied, or else the soul will never be separated from these, there must be some strong corrasive and sharp medicine applied, now if the soul will not take that corrasive, and medicine, he doth not purpose to part with sin, because he will not use the means that may take away sin; as for instance a man hath gotten an estate by thievery and cozenage and the like, now when the Word of God comes home to his conscience and informs him, and tells him he must satisfy every man, that is the thing, he must make satisfaction, for he should humble himself and bemoan his estate with tears, that will not serve the turn, nothing will cure him, but satisfaction that is the Gangrene that must be cut off, but then he will say most of his estate was gotten by this means, and if he make satisfaction he shall beggar himself, but if he be content in good earnest to part with his sins, he will take this course because nothing else will do the deed, a Broker in London that had gotten much by cozening, when the Word came home unto him, and discovered his sins, he was content to make satisfaction till it came to five and ten pound, but when it came to an hundred pound he flew off; I will pass no judgement upon him, but his course was base before, and so it was afterwards, a man that deals falsely, this is the medicine this is the corrasive that must cure him, thus Zacheus did. If I have wronged any man saith he by forged cavelation, let him come I will restore him fourfold. A gracious heart that is truly wrought upon will apply this medicine; the other instance is this, imagine a man that lives in the bosom of the Church, a great professor hath been either openly drunk, or hath been a known adulterer, there is no cure for this man, let him fast and pray, and humble his soul, and cry and howl, I know not how this man's conscience can be quieted unless he make public confession in the Congregation, he must not only satisfy his own conscience, but he must satisfy the Congregation, the Church of God hath been wronged, and the Church of Christ dishonoured and discredited, he must therefore undergo public penance, as his offence was public, this is a sharp medicine, and corrasive, but a good heart will take it up, as an ancient spoke, he lay at the Church door and said, spit upon me, cast me out of your Congregation, so God cast not my soul out of heaven I care not. Thus much a good heart will do, and then he is content in good earnest to part with his corruptions, he is willing to know what is sin, he yields when he is informed, and readily embraceth what he yields to, nay he will take the sharpest medicine to do him good, but if yet the sinner finds that he cannot be rid of his corruptions and distempers, than he goeth to God, and entreats him to do that for him which he cannot do himself, and that appears in three things The first passage is this, it looks unto the truth of God, and it wisheth and welcomes those truths that are in reason most powerful to prevail with his soul, and most likely to work most effectually, for the subduing of his sins, that when he cannot do what he would, and master his sins as he desires, he wisheth that the Lord would direct some man by some powerful truth to pluck these rebellions out of his soul, he wisheth and he welcomes, and he takes those truths that may be powerful and effectual this way, so that the soul makes his moan to God and complains as David did, ye are too hard for me ye sons of Zerviah, Oh Lord, these corruptions stick too fast, they are too strong, they are too mighty for me, I am not able to remove them, but Lord, take them thou away from my soul, take away the way of iniquity from me, nay, tear them from me, nay, do what thou wilt with my soul, only remove them from my my soul, this is a gracious heart now, nay, the Lord takes this as his proper work and special prerogative, I take away the heart of stone, and I give the heart of flesh, this is his prerogative royal, none meddles with it but he, therefore the soul argues thus, Lord, thou hast said, that thou takest away the heart of flint, thou hast promised to subdue a stubborn spirit, and to master a malicious vain spirit, Lord do this for the soul of thy servant, take away these distempers, and in thy faithfulness, answer the desires of the soul of thy servant, help me Lord against the rage of these sinful distempers, and when the truth of Christ lays battery against a man's heart, and that it brings and sets up another frame and disposition of heart, the soul lies under the blow, and closeth with that truth, more of that Lord, oh there again Lord. A man that is troubled with the toothache, if the Tooth-drawer apply his instrument, and he find he hath hold of it, he saith, that is it, pull it out, leave nothing behind. So when the soul is under the stroke of strong distemper, if he make conscience of these things, when the word comes home to his soul, and meets with that distemper, he saith Lord, pluck out all of it, that I may never see that pride more that I may never see that malice more, leave not a stump behind, Lord, that I may be freed from that cursed distemper of spirit, this is the difference between a varnished hypocrite, and a sound heart, a wretched unsound heart, it fears least the Word should come home to it, it fears the blow when he seethe it coming, he wisheth he were rid of the place, or the Minister rid of that point; but a sound heart fears least the Word should not come close enough, it is conscious to itself, and knows and sees, I have heard such Sermons, and such terrors, and such mercies revealed, and I am still to this day stubborn, to this day rebellious; so that I fear nothing will prevail with me, nothing will get ground against this rebellious spirit of mine, I fear the Word will not touch me, nor master this rebellious spirit, this is somewhat, you mean in good earnest that you and your sin will part; it is a fine passage Zach. 13.6. One meets him and asks him, where hadst thou this wound? I was wounded in the house of my friend; a gracious heart counts the Minister a friendly Minister, and a friendly Word that cuts his heart to the quick, and goeth to the core of his corruptions, oh the wound was the wound of a friend, it was a friendly reproof, the Minister spoke friendly to me that wounded my corruptions, I saw the core coming, why this is somewhat when the soul can welcome such truths, as are for the a wakening of it.  
Secondly, as the soul wisheth and welcomes those particular truths, that may awaken and overpower a distemper, and leave a contrary grace, so it is restless before God be pleased for to work this, before it see every corruption mastered, and the frame of sin tottered at a restlessly looking to God, and restlessly waiting upon God, why when will it once be? such a man's heart is broken, and such a man's conscience awakened, and such a man's spirit brought low, and Lord, shall nothing prevail with me? He is restless in seeking unto the Lord till he see every sin mastered, and every corruption overpowred, so that though it be inherent, yet it is not regnant. The Irish man being malicious and fearful, he never thinks his enemy killed till he hath cut off his head, he will be sure to make him past recovery; so a gracious heart never thinks his sins are slain, till he see the strength and power thereof subdued in every particular more or less, till he see the very blood and life of his corruptions removed this is that a gracious heart is restless and entreats at God's hand from day to day, therefore it is a fine passage, Rom. 7.24. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death; mark the weight of his complaint, he doth not say, deliver me from the stroke of sin, or the action of sin, but from the body of sin, there is a body of pride, there is a body of malice, a body of anger, a body of the cursed distempers of a man's soul; now a gracious heart is not content to be freed only from the tongue of pride, that he may not speak proudly, but Lord deliver me from the body of pride, from the body of malice, from the inward frame of my distempers: in a word, look what Haman said concerning Mordecay, when he had all the caps in the country, and all knees bowing to him, What availeth this, saith he, so long as I see Mordecay sit in the King's gate? So saith a gracious heart, what avails it me, that I am not a thief, or a drunkard, or an adulterer, if yet this proud heart prevails, this proud heart and carnal confidence of mine will bring my soul into everlasting destruction, the soul is restless till the Lord look upon him, and deliver him from his corruptions.  
The third thing is this, that the soul is content that God shall do what he will with his corruptions, take them away after what manner he please, though it be upon the hardest terms in the world, as it welcomes those truths that may work, as it is restless till they do work, so it is contented that the Lord should work upon sin, and subdue it upon the hardest terms in the world. A covetous man if nothing but beggary will loosen his heart from the world, than he will pray the Lord to make him give away all, and leave himself a beggar so he may have a liberal heart: So if a man be notable to subdue the pride of his heart, a man hath great parts and abilities, and he pranks up himself therein, if there be nothing will cure this timpany, if nothing will do the deed, unless God knock off the wheels and leave him in the dust, and make him the offscouring of the world, yet a gracious heart though this be hard saith, Lord let me have an humble heart whatever it costs me, this man now is in good earnest content to part with his corruptions.  
For the use of the point we have first here a matter of lamentation, and I know not whether we are to condemn the evil of the world, or mourn for the evil that appears in the hearts and lives of men, but this is sure, that if this be the behaviour of a sound heart, than there is little soundness and uprightness in the world, not to hover in general, but to pitch upon particulars which is the life of application, let me make it appear in these three particulars, this is a bill of indictment and falls heavy and foul upon these three sorts; the first is the profane person the second is the indulgent hypocrite, he is very loath to part with his corruptions, if this be true, if this be the frame of heart which David expresseth, and is in the soul of every good man, then judge you, I will say nothing, but judge you, set down the sentence, what do you think of those that are content rather to part with their blood and with their hearts, then with their base corruptions? I mean the profane, carnal wicked of the world, they are so fare from being content to have their sins taken away, that they are not willing to hear of it, they are not willing that the Minister should meddle with them, or that any man should touch them or come near them nay there is no power outwardly that can prevail, no ability in any means that is able to tear these distempers away from their souls, and pluck the cup from the drunkard, or the dalliance from the adulterer, or a fashion from the fashion-monger, they are up in arms presently, nay observe it men must beware it they meddle with these things, they will take away men's credit and liberty, and life many times, rather than they will suffer their corruptions to be remooved, and their souls humbled by the power of the Word. john must rather lose his head, than Herod his incestuous adultery. Nay the league of these men with their lusts it is everlasting, jer. 18.12. when the Prophet came early and late speaking to the people, this is the good and ancient way walk in it, mark how they answer, we will walk in our own ways, and as they resolved so they did, jer. 8.5. the Text saith, when the Prophet came to speak to them, and inform them of their wicked ways, and pluck away their corruptions, they took hold upon their deceits, the phrase is strange, this is all the quarrel in the world between the Minister and the hearts of the people; we come to pluck away your sins, we would pull down your proud heart, and subdue your cursed distempers, and you take hold of your lusts, you take hold of pride and will continue proud still, you take hold of malice, and you will be malicious still, in despite of God and Ministers, and counsels, and directions and what ever comes to the contrary; look as the Philistines dealt with the Ark, so these profane carnal hearts deal with the Word of the Lord, when it comes to take away their distempers, 1 Sam 4.9. when the people of Israel brought the Ark into the Camp, they began to be amazed, and said there was never such a thing before, therefore say they, strengthen your hand, O ye Philistines, and quit yourselves, that ye be not servants to the Hebrews. The Ark was a type of Christ now if they would have been ruled by Christ, and have received him they might have been blessed by Christ, but all is gone when the ark comes to take away their sins, therefore they join hand in hand, and strengthen themselves against him, so it is with a naughty and carnal heart, when they see the word of God close, that the ministry of the Gospel is keen and pierceth, when a man shall not hover in the general, that a man may be a Christian, and profane, (a swearing, lying, profane Christian) but the word will pluck away every corruption, and master every lust, when they find the ministry thus strong, and the Word thus keen, and the work of God's Spirit thus mighty, they arm themselves and say, Play the men O ye Philistines, they bend head, and hand, and heart together; look either to master the power of the Word, or to lay down the power of your corruptions; therefore take heed of the nice, precise, curious course that the word reveals, and the ministers would press upon you. The resolution of these men is that of Ruth and Naomi, they say to their sins as they did, nothing but death shall part us, the contentious man will part with his estate, before he will part with his brangling, so the ambitious man will be content that God shall take away his Word and Spirit, but shall not take away his vain glory, you will not part with your sins until death, why you shall live in your sins here, and you shall be damned for ever for your sin; we have now done with the carnal gospeler and profane person.  
We will now trade in the second place with the indulgent hypocrite, I use this term because it fits the passage of the point in hand, and he is cashered and cast out, as not sharing in, as not partaking of the least dram of uprightness of heart, this indulgent hypocrite, I compare to a fond cockering father, that never loves to have his child out of his sight, but if he die, he will die with him almost: So this hypocrite, he is not willing to see an everlasting divorce between sin and his soul, he hath some secret haunt of heart, and distemper of spirit, and he will leave them now and then a little, but he will not part wholly with them, the soul of the hypocrite is hankering after those secret distempers of spirit, and though sometimes the Word doth overpower him, and the work of conscience doth make him, not dare to live with his sins, yea he will meet with his sins as occasion serves, and they will maintain their old league and friendship in this case, as it is with a cockering father, when sometimes the friends persuade him, and necessity forceth him, and he seethe he must put out his child to school, or else he will be spoiled, loath he is to have him go out of sight, but go he must, therefore go he shall, but his conclusion is this, he will see him once a quarter, or every good time: or look as it is with servants in a family that intent marriage before the master be acquainted with it, though the master turn one of them out of the house, that they do not dwell together, yet they will meet one another, and confer with one another as occasion serves. So it is with this indulgent hypocrite, he is very tender over his old ancient darling distempers, privy pride, and secret self-love, and carnal confidence, and earthly mindedness, he is not able to part wholly with these, but if reason force him, and conscience press him, and he must part with his profit if he be covetous, then with a sad heart he parts with his base profit, away you must, I must cozen, no more; and ease away you must, I must suffer for the cause of Christ, but though he puts them from under his wings, thus for the present, yet he will not have them go fare, but he must hear of them, and see them at some seasons: so the Tradesman, he hath his fingers knocked off from base dealings and false weights, and measures, but when the fair comes, and advantage comes, he will send for cozening again; so he that prizeth his liberty more than the Gospel and truth, and he that prizeth his honour more than God's honour, & yet saith he must abandon all, and forsake all if dangers approach, and miseries are at hand, than he can send for securirie, and shift for himself, and by base dealing maintain his own quiet: this I take to be the indulgent hypocrite, and me thinks it is like Pharaohs dealing, when Pharaoh was battered with the hand of God, and the judgements of God pursued him, Exod, 8.28. he could not bear it out, and therefore was content to let the people go and sacrifice to the Lord, but go not fare, saith he; so this indulgent hypocrite saith, ease, you and I must part, and profit, you and I must part, but go not fare in the mean time, let me hear of you as occasion serves: this is the guise of this hypocrite, which is indeed professely opposite to soundness and uprightness, and this wretched hypocritical person, discovers the falseness of his heart in three particulars, first, if there be search made, or information given touching his sins, he will not be known of it, he will not be seen to own any sin in the world, but he puts a new suit and a new tire upon his base courses, and he invents away and shift to make that he doth lawful, and then no man shall condemn that he doth as unlawful: it is a pretty passage, it is with the soul as it was with Abraham and Sarah, Gen. 12.13. Abraham was very fearful because his wife was beautiful, lest he should be slain for her sake; now mark the covenant, Therefore say I am thy brother, say so though she lied. So observe it, corruptions make a covenant with a corrupt heart, as covetousness makes a covenant with a miserable carnal base heart, and saith, if the case so require it; and the necessity of the Church expects it, that I should give somewhat liberally, if any such occasion comes, saith the soul to covetousness, I am resolved not to give, but to be close-fisted: but then some will say this man is a covetous man, oh say not you so by any means, but say I have a great family and a great charge, and then I shall save my money and my credit too, now covetousness is no more covetousness, it hath put on a new suit, it is frugality now. So ease and liberty make an agreement with the soul, if it be so that I must be compelled to suffer, the times are dangerous, if misery and calamity should come upon us, I am resolved to suffer nothing, but say not so by no means, but if any man say, you will not perform your duty, unless you be forced to your duty, say not so, but say thus, my conscience is fully informed upon good grounds, though I am not informed yet, say so, and I shall save my ease and honour and all, this is base cozonage, the soul deals in this kind as Rahel with the Idols, or Rahab with the spies, when Laban came to inquire of his Idols, she took the Idols and sat upon them, and she let him search all the stuff but that, and her excuse was the custom of women was upon her, so the indulgent hypocrite, he will be content to have his heart and life ransacked and searched, till it comes to his idol pri●e or vain glory, or time serving, but if it come to this Idol, the soul will sit upon this Idol, and then it is not the Idol, but a kind of excellency he doth pretend, so tell the fashion-monger of this and that, it is not pride, but it is comeliness, the fashion is under, but comeliness is ever; this now is a cockering hypocrite.  
Secondly, if it be so that this wretched heart be both informed and his conscience be convinced that it is a sin he must amend it, and aught to reform it, than the second passage is this, he doth go very slowly about the reformation of this, he whiles off the proceed against his sin, he saith it must be so and aught to be so, and he will take a convenient time to reform the sin, and in the mean time he commits the sin, look as it is with a sleepy Magistrate or cockering father, if a man plead to one of the misorder of the town that must be reform, and to other that the child hath done things that cannot be excused, they say it is true, and I will take a time to requite it saith the father, and observe a convenient season to reform it, but the one neglects the child, and corrects it not, and the other neglects the sin and reforms it not, this is false dealing with the Lord, this is a lively picture of an indulgent hypocrite, sometimes reason convinceth him and he yields; I confess I should pray in my family, and I confess my heart is cowardly and base, and I should suffer for Christ, and let liberty and honour lie rather than let the cause of Christ go, but alas what should I do? I shall take a convenient time to reform these things, all things cannot be done at once, threaten their sins and they will require it, but in the mean time they pardon their sins, I will pray in my family, and reform my servants, but that time of reformation will never come, they are loath to deal hardly, loath to proceed to reformation of the evils that are dear and tender unto them, you know what he said, father I will go into the Vineyard but went not, and they in Deut. all that the Lord hath commanded, we will do, but did it not, they were all shell and no substance at all.  
Thirdly, if he do proceed or be forced to proceed, and labour for the reformation of his sins, the third passage is this, he will not deal thoroughly, he will not deal keenly with his corruptions, but he will dally with it, he will not have a total separation made, and a thorough execution against sin, but only a moderation, and some connivance at sin, though he lays some kind of punishment upon it, and snubs his corruptions, yet he will not kill it, he threatens his evil and reforms it in some measure but he will not abandon it utterly, that he may never have more society with it, take notice of the guise of this hypocrite, you shall commonly have him complaining of too harsh preaching, there is wisdom in all things, these things are able to gaster a man's conscience, and terririfie men's souls, the English of it is this, take heed that you do not smite sin too hard, and torment the devil too much, you shall hardly hear of a good heart that is sensible of his sin and tired therewith, but he thinks, more of that Lord, and yet more sharply and keenly, I am afraid that the Word will not come close enough, and that the Minister will not meet with my sins and pluck away my corruptions from me; when Absalon rebelled against David, and conspired against his kingdom, he gives this charge, deal kindly with the young man for my sake, he hath dealt basely with me, but deal kindly with him for my sake, as who should say, he must be suppressed I confess it, he must be subdued I acknowledge it, but take him, do not kill him by no means; so this hypocritical heart saith, deal kindly with pride, I cannot part with it, deal kindly with carnal confidence, I cannot live without it: a man may dally though he commit not adultery, a man may pot it a little, though he be not drunk, oh deal kindly with drunkenness, and deal kindly with wantonness, these are the guises of wretched hypocrites: whereas I beseech you observe it, a gracious heart is like that spoken of, Deut. 13.8. the Lord gave this charge, If thy brother the son of thy mother, or thy son, or the son of thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend which is as thine own soul shall entice thee secretly, let us go serve other gods, thou shalt not spare him; this is the frame of a gracious heart indeed, and of a sound heart indeed, that is content to have his corruptions, though never so dear removed from him, that will not pity his sin, that will show no mercy to pride, no mercy to earthlimindednesse, but will slay them, this is sound dealing indeed. We see then all this while, that this man hides his sin and will not be known of it, and when he knows it, he will not kill it but put in bail, and when he doth proceed against it, he will not slay it, but only snibbe it a little, this is a rotten naughty heart, it is not content to part with his sins, which is the frame of every good heart.  
Now in the second place, it is a word of exhortation, you see the way, walk in it, you see what God requires, do what you know, you see what a sincere heart will do, therefore call and knock at one another's door, is my heart good you bear in hand, so this will try it, a good heart is content to part with any corruption, art thou so? say it is so? ask thy heart, am I content to part with the world, and idleness and pride, are you content to pray in your family, and reform your servants? then you have sincere hearts, go your ways, and go comfortably, go cheerfully, and the God of heaven go with you, if there be a Saint in heaven, thou art one hear upon earth, if there be a sound heart in heaven, thou hast a sound heart here, though thou art weak and feeble, but do it to purpose now, do not pretend fair, and fall short, half in Egypt, and half out of Egypt, body out of Egypt, and heart in Egypt, but take away all, and then the work is sincere, profit might persuade you to this, do not trouble yourselves to think, if I leave all my sinful courses what will become of my comfort, and honour, and contentment? Why, you shall not lose these, but only alter these and change them for better, what profit is it to be proud, and dogged, and waward, and snarling at God's truth? What profit is got by covetousness and cheating? all these profits and pleasures and contentments, are but shadows and lying vanity, there is woe in all thy wealth, and poison in all thy prosperity, and the best are but temporary, and mutable, insufficient, but part with these, and have eternal joy and everlasting comfort, and durable riches, do but change therefore, it is not the leaving of these, but the laying out of these; a man will do much for a good purchase, he that hath a fair bargain, and a great penny worth, though he hath so me old gold, he is loath to part, withal, yet if for so many hundreds as he lays down shall have so many hundreds a year, he will art with his old gold for such a purchase; so you shall not lose your profit and pleasure and contentment, but lay them out for a greater fold; He that leaves father or mother or friends for my sake shall have a hundred fold heres and everlasting happiness here, after; the purchase is propounded, therefore bring out your old gold, those old pleasures, those old contentments and delights in the world, bring all out, and lay all down before Christ, and part with all for Christ, and you shall receive comfort here, and everlasting happiness hereafter; but if profit cannot prevail with you, yet let danger force you hereunto: know therefore there is danger in the neglect thereof, if you would not have God take away your sins, the truth is, God will take away his mercy from you, and God will take away his grace and spirit from you, you shall never have it upon these terms: is there any man such a babe in nature, that he will not part with the wound that will kill him; is there any man so foolish that he will not take that physic which should purge him, when he knows it will recover him? Take notice of it, one of these two things you must take, either part with thy sin, or part with happiness, either suffer God to take away thy sins, or else he will take away his mercy, Psal. 53. Thou art a God that lovest not wickedness; if you will have sin dwell in your souls, God will never dwell with you, nor you shall never dwell with him, if you will harbour and hold your sins, you must hold your shame too, you will not part with your sins, you must part with heaven, for there is no coming there for you with your sins.   

Heavy afflictions breeds earnest prayers from the wicked.  PROV. 1. 28, 29. 
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.  
FOr the coherence of these words know thus much from the 20. verse to the end we shall take notice of two things mainly intended by the Spirit of God. First, the kind loving and passionate invitation of wisdom to simple, sinful, scornful wretches, this we shall observe from the 20. verse to the 23. there wisdom cryeth earnestly and uttereth her voice in the streets, that is, she presseth in with a kind of violence to win and woe the souls of sinners that at last they may know the things belonging to their peace. The second is the issue and success that the voice of wisdom found in the hearts of those to whom she spoke, and the success is double, the first is the contempt of scorners against the call of wisdom, they stop their ears, and harden their hearts, and will not submit to Christ, and be ruled by him, and that in the 24. and 25. verses, the second issue is in the words of the Text, they rejected God, & God rejected them, they cast his call behind their backs, and therefore he casteth off them, Then shall they call, saith the Text, but I will not hear; they that rejected mercy offered, shall not obtain mercy sought and desired, this is the scope of the words, Then shall they call, that is, in the time of trouble, and in the day of distress, than they will call for mercy, and comfort, No, saith the Lord, time was I offered mercy, but then mercy was not worth the receiving, I called and you would not obey, therefore call you shall, and seek you shall, but I will never answer you, you shall never find me.  
In the words observe two passages: First, we have here the practice of the wicked, In the time of trouble. A company of scorners and mockers in their distress, they will cry and call unto the Lord; Secondly, we have their success, God will not hear them: In the former we have several particulars to be observed; first, they sought the Lord, and called upon the Lord, a company of scornful wretches, and wicked reprobates sought the Lord; secondly, observe the time when they sought him, when their calamities did come like a whirlwind, In the day of trouble than they cry and call, and cry unto the Lord; the last thing is from the manner of it, it was not slightly, but they cried unto the Lord; and withal the Text saith, They sought him early, that showeth their earnestness, and their crying that showeth their vehemency, and yet the success is this, the Lord will not answer: they shall not find him. In the Verse we have three points of great use: the first is from the time, Then shall call. The Point is this, That scornful persons in the time of affliction, are forced to seek, and to sue unto the Lord. Secondly, that when they do seek, they seek somewhat vehemently, and earnestly; the third is this, that howsoever they do thus seek, yet the Lord will not answer. The first point is this, That scornful wretches in the time of affliction are forced to seek unto the Lord; They that have neglected prayer formerly, when trouble comes, and desolation approacheth, than they call and seek for favour: In the 78. Psalm, Verse 4. This is plain, the children of Israel when the Lord slew them, than they sought him, so Isaiah 25. The Text saith, that in the time of trouble they will visit the Lord, In the time of prosperity the Lord calls for holy duties, but then he cannot hear of you, you will not visit him but in the time of trouble, than the Lord shall be acquainted with you; Experience teacheth this when a man is upon the wrack, than he confesseth his sins, and then the Lord rends a yrayer from him, and then he confesseth like Pharaoh, I have sinned, and I and my people are wicked, but God is just and righteous, 1 Sam. 12.19. When the people of Israel were set a ●…adding after a King, Samuel made a marvellous elegant gracious Sermon unto them, exhorting them not to forsake the Lord, but they say in the eight Chapter, Nay, but we will have a King; as who should say, have you said what you will, is your Sermon done, why, yet we will have a King, but; but when the Lord thundered from heaven, than they cried, we have sinned, he is a terrible God, we see now he is an angry God, we observe, it now we have sinned, pray for us, and to the rest of our sins we have added this, in ask us a King, when the Lord sent his judgements upon them, than they desired favour, and pardon, and desireth the Prophet to pray for them. The reasons of the Point are two; the first is this, because nature itself is proffessely cross unto trouble and vexation, it is tired therewith, and is desirous to be eased thereof; and howsoever a man be never so unreasonable, no counsel takes place in him, yet the Word prevails not with him, and God cannot rule, yet he carrieth nature about with him, he is a man still, he hath flesh and blood still, therefore when Gall comes to his heart, and the Wormwood into his soul, Nature itself will make him in regard of the horror that lieth upon him to seek unto God, and endeavour after means, to ease and refresh him: yond know how it is with rebellious children, a froward little one however he will hear no counsel, not receive any direction from the Parents, yet when the rod comes, and falls heavily, they will down on their knees, and ask forgiveness, and nature forceth this, he feels the blow, and so useth means to be eased, even nature compels us to seek for case, and call for secure in the time of trouble; Nay, the beasts though never so sturdy, yet the bit in their mouths, and the shackles on their heels, and the whip on their back, will make them teachable and tractable; nature teacheth us this, therefore so long as nature is in a man, afflictions force the soul being tired with misery for to seek and call and use means to be succoured. The second Reason is, because all other means are helps in the time of trouble, and therefore they are forced to seek to God because all other comforts fail: in the 107 Psal. ver. 20. the Prophet speaks of those that travel by sea, when they are tossed by the waves, than they call upon God; as who should say, so long as any thing would do it, God shall never hear of them, but when all helps and means fail, than God must help or no one can. Take a man when outward afflictions cease upon him, as in the time of death, friends may talk to him, and companions may mourn for him, but all now leave him in the lurch, unless the Lord help they cannot, therefore they are forced to repair to the Lord, and to visit him with their prayers, so then the argument is this, if it be so that nature forceth a man in the time of trouble to seek for ease, and if it be so that all other means cannot help a man but only the Lord, than no marvel and that in the time of distress, the wicked seek unto the Lord for comfort. This is the first use of the point, is it so that scoffers in the day of trouble are forced to seek unto the Lord, than this highly commends the price and worth of God's ordinance, heaing and praying and the like, because in the heaviest times, at a dead lift, when all fail, wicked men than selves are forced to take up these ordinances of God, take a drunkard or an adulterer on his deathbed then let all the profits in the world be offered him, you see how unprofitable they are, it is a vexation to the drunkard to see his campanion, nay all the pleasures of the adulterer they are as so much gall to his conscience, because he hath delighted in those dalliances. Now when all the profits and pleasures in the world are not able to comfort them, then send for a Minister that he may pray for me, pray for you? why I had thought you had not stood in need of prayer, is prayer come into any reckoning with you, what is the reason of this? why they that scorned prayer formerly, now at the day of death and time of affliction than nothing but Ministers, and Christians, and prayer, why? the reason is, nothing else will hold water and give a man comfort in the day of distress, therefore let us prise those means of salvation, that will be so powerful and comfortable when all other means fail, it is true that wicked men in their mad moods, and wicked fits, scoff and are despisers of the ordinances of God, and what needs this praying and this Bible carrying, and sanctification of sabboth's, and seeking of God; this is in a drunken mood, but when they come to their wits again in the day of death and time of trouble, they admire then 〈◊〉 such holy courses, and they will seek such godly courses when trouble comes, than nothing but prayer and good duties, than he sets a high price and commendation upon these courses, see them therefore and love them because they will be in account when the day of distress comes. Secondly, do afflictions many times force a scorner to seek unto God, then take notice of the fearful stubbornness of such kinds of spirits that all afflictions, and plagues do not provoke their souls to be humbled and to seek for that favour of God which they stand in need of; go thou therefore that art such a one, and reason thus with thyself, good Lord what a wretched, knotty, sturdy heart have I? how many judgements hath God sent upon the nation, how many upon my particular, how many upon my family, and yet this soul is not humbled and enlarged to seek unto the Lord and call upon his name, as the devils almost would do, what a vile unreasonable distemper is this, one judgement after another, and one plague after another, did cause Pharaoh to confess his sins, the Lord did wrest it out of him, nay the devils believe and tremble, jam. 2.19. Good Lord? I beseech you think of it, what a hard hearted Pharaoh confess his sins, and what do the devils believe and tremble at the wrath of God, why then what a hard heart hast thou, that the Lord flasheth hell fire in thy face and sendeth plague after plague, and yet never touched and humbled, all wrists not one prayer from thee. In the third place it is a ground to teach us thus much, never place much confidence in those prayers that are wrung out of a man by force of affliction, the Lord plucks it out of thee whether thou wilt or no, he will make the stoutest hearts to come in, scorners, reprobates, they pray, the Lord makes; them cry and howl and call daily upon him, and yet all this while nature forceth them, therefore trust not thou to forced prayer in the day of distress, that which is commonly most forced, is commonly most false, and therefore shall find little acceptance, it was a speech of a good man that the repentance of a dying man, it is commonly a great fear of a dying repentance, so I say when a man lives wickedly all his life time, and then thinks that a few lazy wishes in the time of trouble will serve the turn, take heed, hypocrites do thus, and scorners do thus, and yet are never heard, but rejected, the Lord he loves prayer and holy duties in the days of peace, and when a prayer comes out of love to God, and love to the duty, there is some comfort in this, but little comfort can I or any Minister give you in the time of sickness, if you never used to seek to God in the time of health, for you seek only when you are forced thereunto.  
The next point is this, that the seeking of scorners is somewhat earnest and vehement, but we will come to the third which is this, scornful men, wicked men, they may seek, God earnestly, they may call upon him vehemently, and yet never be heard, never receive any mercy or acceptance from him, Luk. 13, 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many shall strive to enter, but shall not be able, it is not any man's power to be able to enter; no, no, many shall seek this but shall not be able. Add to this John 8.21. It is the heavy doom of Christ upon the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall seek me saith he, but shall die in your sins; as who should say I offered you, grace you refused it, I come home to you, you entertain me not, the time will come, when I will lay anguish on your hearts, and horror on your souls, and then you shall seek me but shall not find me, but shall die in your sins, you will have your sins, I cannot remove them, you will not suffer me to take place with you, the truth is, you shall die in your sins, take your proud hearts and go down to hell with them, take them, and perish with them, I go to my father to heaven, but you shall never come there: Our Saviour saith, the time shall come that you shall seek me, and shall not find me, but die in your sins; but you will say, if they may seek, call, and yet not find, how comes this to pass, is not seeking the way to finding, is not calling the way to receiving, hath not God said, if you ask any thing in my son's name, you shall receive it? I say as the Apostle james in another case; You ask and have not saith he, because you ask amiss; so I say to you, ye seek and find not, because you seek amiss: Though they call with violence, and seek with vehemency: yet it is not suitable to God's rule, and that is the reason they do not prosper: now the reasons why their seeking do not speed are three; first, they seek unseasonably, when the Lord happily hath taken away the means of salvation, when the time is past, and the opportunity is over, when God hath taken away the means, as also the blessings upon the means; in the 25. of Matthew, the five foolish Virgins went for oil, and when the time was past, and the door was shut, than they knock at heaven gates, open to us, but the door was shut, they that stood upon the watch, and attended the Lords coming, they entered into the bride Chamber, Esay 55.6. Seek the Lord, while he may be found, that is, while the means of grace are continued, while Wisdom is crying, and the Lord jesus is holding out his golden Sceptre of mercy and salvation: Now is the day of salvation, now is the time accepted, who knoweth whether the Lord will cover the heavens, and take away the light of the Gospel, and make us wander in darkness, Rocks, and Wildernesses; if desolation should come we must be driven from our houses and habitations, here one man alone, there one woman alone, and there a child crying, and the third dying, than we shall observe what opportunities we have had and neglected, the Lord was near to us in the use of the means, but now the time is past, the Gospel and opportunities are gone, he that seeks unseasonably may sink down, and never enjoy means and helps, and the blessing of God upon them, Revel. 2.21. God gave jesabel a day of repentance, but she repent not, therefore he would cast her into a bed of sorrow, she loved bedding and ease, and pleasure, and delight, and she had a time of repentance, but she would not take it, therefore because she loved bedding, she shall have enough, she shall have a bed of sorrow, and anguish, that is the first ground, that seek unseasonably: secondly, they seek upon a false ground, it is not out of hatred of sin, that they seek for mercy but out of horror of conscience, it is not out of loathsomeness of corruption, but by reason of the burdensomeness that lieth upon their hearts; it is not for holiness they labour, but for quiet, ease, and contentedness, that they might not be troubled and vexed, Psal. 78.36. The Text saith those that did seek the Lord when he plagued them, dissembled in their hearts, they pretended to seek the Lord, and worship the Lord, but they did not seek the Lord but their own ease and dissembled fearfully and abused the Lords mercy and patience that he had vouchsafed unto them; look as it is with the dog, he doth not cast up his vomit, because he loathes it, but he is weary of it, he loves it still, therefore licks it up again presently, he did not cast it up out of loathsomeness of it, but because it did trouble his stomach; so it is with a carnal hypocrite in the horror of heart and anguish of spirit; it is not for love of holiness but of quiet, that he renteth himself and saith, I have hated God's people, profaned the Sabbath, and committed adultery secretly, he would vomit and confess his sins, and crave mercy, not because he loathes his sin, but he loathes anguish and horror of heart, and when that is taken away, he falls to his vomit and base practice. Thirdly, they seek to a false end, he doth not seek grace for a Christ's sake, and Christ for the love of a Christ, to have union with him, but he seeks grace not to have have sin removed, but to have a kind of safeness in his sin; a wretch in the desperate anguish of spirit seeks unto a Saviour, as to a Surgeon, not that he may remove sin, but that he may be the more quiet in sin, he would have Christ pardon sin, that he may commit sin with quietness, not to have him take away his corruptions, and convert his soul, but to heal the wound, and to take away the bitterness of sorrow, Esay 58 34. A company of wicked wretches seemed to seek the Lord by fasting, but they did not seek the Lord, but their own lusts, they fasted that they might continue in their base courses, with more quietness, without distraction, or suspicion, as a malefactor after he is attached and condemned, he will seek a pardon, and sue for it, not that he might become better afterwards, but for quiet and liberty, that he may not be hanged, so a cunning chapman is content to attend and pray, that he may cozen and cheat, by fasting and praying so much the more: so then gather up the Point, if they seek out of season, out of false grounds, and to a wrong end; no marvel then though they call earnestly and seek vehemently, and yet God answers not, nor is found of them according to their desires.  
The first Use is for terror, Is it so that a man may seek earnestly, and yet never obtain mercy, than this is able to shake and sink a company of souls of carnal wretches: Oh, the lamentable condition of a company of poor creatures that live in the bosom of the Church, and therefore it falls sore upon those creatures that make a scoff at praying, and hearing all ignorant and deluded persons, that know not how to pray and seek to the Lord for grace and mercy; me thinks the former truth were sufficient to dash all the carnal hope that can creep into the mind of such creatures, therefore take notice of the desperate condition wherein they lie; Reason thus, Is it so, that those that seek the Lord shall never find him, then what shall become of me that never cried at all, nay, that loath prayer, and reject the use of God's ordinances, and despise the means of grace and salvation, whereby I must seek and obtain mercy if ever I have it; if they that do seek attain not, than I that never seek, my condition is desperately lamentable, fearfully irrecoverable, why? Why, my heart riseth at such persons; I have tanted this praying, and mocked this fasting, good Lord, what shall become of my soul, desperate is my condition, and fearful is my estate, the Lord be merciful unto me, I am gone for ever, I, grace will the Lord vouchsafe? grace to me; do I count of mercy and pardon for my sins? no let me set my heart at ease, those days are gone I mercy, no, I have loathed and scorned mercy, the day will come when the Lord will say, you have hated mercy, therefore you shall be condemned, and never partake thereof, nay, what will become of a company of carnal wretches, that set themselves with desperate indignation to hinder, and crush, and oppose the improvement of all holy means, if there be any servant in their family, that riseth early to pray to the Lord, if there be any child that is godly, and a wife that looks towards Zion, there is an uproar in the family, the master he flieth about, and saith, I cannot maintain my family by poring on a book, how then dost thou get thy living if not by praying and reading, thou gottest thy living, but a curse with it, if thou get without these means, thou mayst get wealth, but God will curse thee with it, and thou shalt go down to hell and thy wealth with thee; why reason thus with yourselves, I cannot so much as buy cattle, but I must seek in the Fairs, I cannot provide food for my family but I must go to the market, and what a wretched heart have I that think to get mercy and grace and salvation, and yet he in my base lusts, and never stir a foot to seek the Lord, and call upon his name, how is my judgement blinded, and my soul cozened, ●hinke of it if those that offered fair for mercy and grace by many prayers, and desires, and endeavours, if they in the mean time fell short, and never came to heaven, what will become of me that never look after the things of grace and salvation, surely if the Lord be in heaven I shall never come there.  
The last use is this, you will say what shall we do if seeking will not get it at the hands of the Lord, than we had as good cast away all, and do nothing, as get nothing by what we do; therefore the last use is a word of exhortation, we are to be entreated in the name of the Lord jesus to do not only what these seekers do, but go further, and do more; This is no argument because they obtain not mercy by seeking, therefore we should not seek, therefore seek after another manner, so seek and pray that you may find benefit thereby, and comfort therein unto your souls, in the 13. of Luke 24. this is the use Christ makes, many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able; what shall we therefore cast care away, no therefore strive you to enter, seek after another manner than they do that so thou mayst obtain that which they shall never obtain, many deal in this case as Gentlewomen at a Sermon; if they may have a seat at their ease; they will sit down and hear, but if they must crowd for it, than they return and get no good, so many seek but they strive not, with their seeking they are not able to crowd through all occasions, and take up arms against the distempers of their souls, that so they may obtain that mercy they stand in need of, But you will say if earnestness and vehemency will not do the deed, what then will do the deed, the rules therefore for our direction in seeking are three; first labour to seek seasonably while the day of grace lasts, and the Sun shines, take the season and go on cheerfully, and arrive at the end of your hopes, call upon the Lord while he may be found, it was the direction God gave to jerusalem, and the moan he makes for her neglect, therefore Luke 19.41. O that thou hadst known in this thy day, etc. he ceaseth praying and falls to weeping, he had preached often, and prayed often, but nothing would prevail, he falls a weeping over it. O that thou hadst known at least in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, as who should say, now this is thy day, now the word is brought home unto thee, now my Disciples are preaching, and the Son of man himself is come to woo you, Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that, etc. but they are hidden from thine eyes, take notice, every man hath a day and a season which is the harvest of salvation, do you not take notice of this, that at some Sermon God opens the eye and pricks the conscience, and sometimes lovingly persuades a man, and the soul is yielding and walking after the Lord, the soul melts lovingly under the hand of God, this is thy day, take heed how thou neglectest it, and as thou goest home, entreat the Lord to make profitable that which thou hast heard, and say this is my day, I am now in the fire, Lord melt me, I am now under the power of thy ordinance, make it effectual to my soul, and take notice of it, if the spirit of God call and you regard it not, and let all go, and all commodities are plucked up, and gone, you may come, and call, and cry, but it is too late; that Spirit which thou hast resisted shall never work more, thank thyself, the day is gone, now they are hidden from thine eyes, the day is over, and therefore thou mayest cry, Oh, for a Minister, & oh for a Sabbath, no, no, if all the Angels in heaven should speak, and all the Ministers on earth should preach themselves hoarse, thou wouldst not be affected therewith, therefore take the season and the golden opportunity of grace, and when Christ comes to your souls entertain him, if Christ knocks, open the door, if he awaken thy conscience do not snubbe it; labour now to see thy sin that thou mayest find mercy at the hand of the Lord. Secondly, as we must seek seasonably, so we must seek with our whole heart, now the whole heart makes known itself in two particulars; the first is this, when all the good things of this world, be they what they will be, cannot withdraw us from Christ, this is one part of the whole heart, when profits and pleasures of this world stand in competition and opposition between God, and our duty to cast off all, and say whether I have honour and liberty or no, I care not, so I have God, my God I will have, this is a happy seeking away therefore with that lazy heart, I think it should be so, and aught to be so, and it is good sanctifying the Sabbath, and praying, it is mervellous reasonable I ought to do it, but if I do it, ease and honour will be gone, and disgrace will be cast upon me, thou now seekest thy ease and honour, and the Lord of heaven will curse thee, and thy seeking, but if thou didst seek with thy whole heart thou wouldst go through the work, and say, what regard friends and honours? let ease and friends look to themselves, let friends be displeased, I had rather friends should be displeased then God, it is not necessary to be rich or honourable, but it is necessary to find mercy, and to have sins pardoned. Secondly, as no good thing must withdraw us from God, so no misery must be a stop to let us from coming to the Lord, but we must break through all miseries that lie between God and us, this is that Saint Paul resolved, Acts 20.24. as who should say, come what can come, though heaven and earth meet together, I am resolved to do what God requires, he that seeks God with his whole heart, if he were to run through hell he would run through it to go to God, now away with that daubing and hagling with the Lord: O saith the poor soul, I confess the course is honourable, God requires it, and I should do it, but if I do it, trouble and persecution will befall me, what shall become of me and mine, will you have my wife and children undone, if thou thus seek the Lord, thy seeking is accursed, thou dost not seek with thy whole heart, they that seek with their whole heart are like a maid that sets her affections strong upon a man, happily her friends will be reasoning about the portion, and there is a cavil on the one side, and an objection on the other, poverty on one side, and maintenance on the other side; but if the woman love the man, for the man's sake she will say, let me have him though I beg and die with him, so it is with the soul of a poor Christian that seek, Christ with his whole heart, when Christ and grace and duty be propounded, and the match offered, and Christ tendered to the soul and the Lord saith, I will be thy Saviour and Redeemer but thou must look for disgrace and misery, and persecution, but there is a better life a coming now, if you stand for a portion with Christ, that you must have ease and quiet, and will not have misery and prison with Christ, than you are never like to make a match, but he that loves Christ for Christ's sake, the soul saith, let the Lord jesus be a Saviour to me, though I beg and die, and never enjoy good day, it is enough my soul shall be saved, if I should rot in prison, and be banished into the utmost coasts of the earth, yet let me have my Saviour, let him take possession of me, let his Spirit rule me whatsoever come of it; this is to seek God with our whole heart, and now you are like to find him. Thirdly, you must seek the Lord constantly, you must persevere in the use of all means, look as it is with a man that is resolved to find another, and not to leave seeking till he hath found him; he goeth first to his house, he is not there, he was gone to such a place an hour before, well, he pursues him thither, he is not there, but is gone to the Market, he follows him thither, when he comes thither, he is gone home again, well, then back again he goes to his house, and never leaves hunting and pursuing of him till he finds him; so it is with a soul that truly and constantly seeks after the Lord, he is to be found in his ordinances, haply thou comest to the Word and findest him not here, the Word saith he went from hence to fasting and prayer, than thou findest him not there neither, than thou goest from fasting and prayer to holy conference, than he is not to be found there, but is gone to the public ordinance, in the Congregation, than thither thou goest, and wilt not be content till thou findest him, but goest backward and forward, from the Word to prayer, and fasting, from them to conference, from thence to the Word again; this to seek the Lord constantly and he that thus seeks is like to obtain, Psalm 122.1. The Prophet David saith, He will wait until the Lord showeth mercy: let this be thy resolution, seek unto God till he do work effectually upon thy heart, thou hast fasted and prayed, yet God hath not heard, why, fast and pray still until he supply what is wanting, and pardon what is amiss; thus never leave endeavouring and doing until the Lord showeth mercy unto thy soul, and give the assurance of the pardon of thy sins: thus seek the Lord seasonably, thus seek thee Lord with all thy heart, thus seek him constantly, thus seek him with your whole heart, and he will be found of you in mercy and compassion.  
FINIS.