THE unbelievers PREPARING FOR CHRIST.  LUKE 1.17. 
To make ready a people prepared for the Lord.  
By T. HOOKER  
LONDON, Printed by The Coats for Andrew Crook, and are to be sold at the Black Bear in Saint Paul's Churchyard. 1638.   

Several Treatises of this AUTHOR.  

1. 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.    
2. The soul Preparation for Christ, or a Treatise of Contrition, on Acts 2.37.  
3. The Souls Humiliation, on Luke 15. Verses 15, 16, 17, 18.  
4. The Souls Vocation, or Effectual Calling to Christ, on john 6.45.  
5. The Souls Union with Christ, 1 Cor. 6.17.  
6. The Souls benefit from union with Christ, on 1 Cor. 1.30.  
7. The Souls justification, eleven Sermons on 2 Corinth. 5.21.  
8. Sermons 

on I●dges 10.23.  
on Psalm 119.29.  
on Proverbs 1.28, 29.  
on 2 Tim. 3.5.      


PREPARING FOR CHRIST.  REV. 22.17. 
Whosoever will, let him taste of the water of life freely.  
BEfore the soul of a man can partake of the benefits of Christ, two things are required: First, that the soul be prepared for Christ. Secondly, that the soul be implanted into Christ. Concerning preparation, there hath been two doctrines handled out of Luke, 1.17. The first of which, That the soul of a poor sinner must be prepared for the Lord jesus Christ, before it can receive him, and comfort from him. The second doctrine was, That a powerful Ministry is the ordinary means that the Lord hath appointed to prepare the soul of a poor sinner sound for Christ. Now we are to proceed in this preparation, and in the handling of this general preparation, two things are to be considered. First, the general circumstances that pertain to preparation: And secondly, the substantial parts of preparation. For the general circumstances which are most remarkable in preparation, they are twofold; some on God's part, and these are, First, the freeness of the offer of his grace. Secondly, the universality of this offer of grace, To all. And thirdly, the easiness of the condition whereupon he offereth it, Whosoever will may receive it, and that freely. On man's part, two things are to be considered. First, he must consider that his own corruption doth oppose this grace of God. And secondly, he must consider, that God hath appointed to work this grace in man, and to take away man as corruption which opposeth the same. So that there be five things considerable in preparation, 
Five things in Prepatation.  as general circumstances thereof, before we come to the substantial parts of it. The first is this, 
1 1.  namely, That the offer of grace, that God propounds to his, 
2 2.  and will work in his is free. Secondly, the condition of grace and Gods offer is this, That a man must will to receive Christ and grace, before he can receive Christ and grace. 
3 3.  Thirdly, H● that doth truly will to receive Christ and grace, shall have Christ and grace. 
4 4.  And fourthly, That no man of himself naturally can will that he may receive Christ. Lastly, That God will work a will in his servants to receive the Lord jesus Christ, 
5 5.  and then he will bestow him upon them. And these are the five passages which are general circumstances of preparation. And three of these points which are the three first, we have in this text, Every man that will let him take freely of the water of life; here is the free offer of God's mercy and goodness. Here also we see that a man must will Christ and grace before he can have Christ. And thirdly, that he that doth truly will Christ shall have him, and grace and salvation by him.  
We will open a word or two in the text, and so proceed. First, we must see what is meant here by water. Secondly, what is meant by water of life. First, what is meant by water: by water is meant here the Spiritual grace of God, together with the immediate assistance of his holy Spirit in the working of the same upon the soul of man.  
In water here we may conclude two things, not only the grace which God doth convey to the souls of his people, but also the assistance of the Spirit working the same in the soul; look for the truth of this, the 7. of john 38, 39 He that believeth on me (saith the text) as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Now what are these waters here spoken of; in the next verse the text saith, This spoke our Saviour of the Spirit, which they that believed on him should receive from him, that is, the working assistance of his Spirit. So that we see in this place of S. john, this phrase is expounded, and so the 4. of john the 10. verse, the like phrase is used. There our Saviour replieth to the woman of Samaria after this manner. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, Thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. And so in the 14 vers. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. That is, he that receiveth the grace of God's Spirit, and the assistance thereof, It shall be a well of water to him, springing up into everlasting life. Hence it is that Christ is called, The fountain of the garden: and a well of living water, Can. 4.15. jer. 2.14. He is called, The fountain of living waters; My people (saith the text) have forsaken the fountain of living waters, and have hewn unto them Cisterns, even broken Cisterns that can hold no water. So that Christ jesus is the fountain; the grace of God are the rivers, and the operation of the Spirit, as the streams, which make glad the City of God: or else, Christ is the Conduit, the graces of God the cock, and the operation of the Spirit is the drawer of the water which comes into the souls of his servants. So that we see plainly, that by water is meant the graces of God's Spirit, which God is pleased to convey and work in the souls of his servants. The second phrase in the text is water of life: and we must see what is meant by that, it is as much as if a man should say quickening grace: and that is said to be the water of life in two regards, First, because it is that which begets a spiritual life in us; a man is dead without the Lord jesus, and the graces of his Spirit, Without me you can do nothing, saith our Saviour: but look as it is with the graft which is out of the Stock, it prospereth not, nor bringeth forth fruit, but withereth away; So those that are not engrafted into Christ, which have not the power of Christ to assist them, they are dead in trespasses and sins; but when this grace and Spirit comes, it is a lively grace, and a quickening Spirit; it begets life in the soul of a man. In the 47 of Ezech. vers. 9 the Prophet there discovering the time of the Gospel, and the offer of salvation therein, he saith there, Every thing shall live whithersoever this river cometh: The rivers there are nothing else but the rivers of grace and salvation; when Christ shall come, abundance of grace shall be offered and wrought in the souls of God's people, and wheresoever this grace cometh, those that be dead shall be quickened. Secondly, they are said to be waters of life, in regard of the continuance of them, for wheresoever this grace is truly wrought, it never ceaseth; so saith our Saviour, joh. 4.14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst. This water is not like a pit or standing pool, that in the heat of summer is dried up, but it runneth amain continually. So that the frame of the words run thus; Whosoever will, let him come and take living water, living and quickening grace from jesus Christ freely, whereby a soul may be quickened and saved: here is a proclamation, Whoever will, let him come, and take the Lord Christ, and grace and salvation by him freely, he will not repine at the favour he vouchsafes unto us; take more hope, more faith, more sanctification; come, and come freely, and the more oftener ye come, the more welcome shall you be: This is the substance of the words in the text; wherein we have these three points formerly spoken of. First, here we have the freeness of God's mercy, Whoever will, let him take of the water of life freely: as who should say, shall any man bring money with him and buy grace? no, no, let him take the Spirit freely. Secondly, A man must will Christ, before he can receive Christ and grace from him, and this is the second thing in the text. The third is, That every man that doth truly will Christ and grace, shall have Christ and grace from him. Men think that they would be saved, every man will be ready to say, I would have Christ rule in me, but this same willing of Christ is a hard matter; whosoever doth will hearty to receive Christ, shall have him and salvation by him: but we shall find it a hard matter to bring our hearts to this willing of Christ, as we shall here hereafter; and thus we see the three points that arise out of the text, and by this time we are entered into our work, let us proceed with the pursuit of the first point, which is this, The offer of grace from God is altogether free. There is nothing but only God's will that moves him, nothing but his own good pleasure that persuades him to show mercy to a poor soul, there is nothing out of God that can move him, or purchase this favour from him, but it is from out of the goodness of his nature, and the freeness of his will, he will have it so. In the 21 of the Revel. 6. there is a marvellous pregnant place for this purpose, there saith the text, I will give unto him that is a thirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely. There are three things or phrases considerable. First, God will give him to drink, and what is freer than gift; nay, that we may know that he will not give it us upon any consideration, he will give it freely; nay, mark further, he will give it to every one that thirsteth: though a man desireth it earnestly, even as a man that is a thirst desireth drink, though he do what he can to obtain it, though he use all means for the procuring of it, yet God will give it him, and that freely; and this cuts the throats of merit-mongers the Papists, that stand so much upon their merits, and therefore it is observable in the 4. of Zach. 7.9. in the building of the material Temple, the text saith, That Zerubbabels' hands which had laid the foundation thereof, should finish it. The same hand which laid the first stone, so the same hand should lay the last: the meaning of the place is this; when the poor people of Israel were to build the Temple in time of persecution, they had no ability of themselves to do it, yet the Lord bids them go on cheerfully, for I will dispose of all things, for the gold and silver is mine: and hereby the Lord doth quip at a secret conceit of theirs; they might think with themselves, alas, we have no gold, we have no silver, how shall we bring this work to pass; the Lord he answers this secret objection of theirs, and tells them the gold is mine, the silver is mine, the hands of Zeru●babell that hath laid the first stone, shall bring forth the headstone thereof, and what is the ground of all this, the reason is rendered in the 7. verse. All the people shall cry grace, grace; as if they had said, Grace hath sent means, grace hath continued means, grace hath given us hearts to use the means, all is grace, nothing but grace and mercy hath done it; thus the people admired at God's great goodness, that did so help them, and shouted crying, grace, grace: And as it was thus in the material Temple, so it is here in the building of the soul a Temple for the Lord. The beginning of grace, the receiving of grace, the continuing of grace, all is grace grace: from the beginning of election, to the end of glorification; from the beginning of conversion, to the end of salvation, all is grace and mercy; nothing but grace that doth all, works all, prepares all for the good of God's people. God's grace and mercy is altogether free, and the freedom of it appeareth in these three particulars. It is free, First, ●nregard of the preparation of the means of grace that God hath invented; the means of salvation which God hath invented for his people being fallen in Adam, was altogether free, for when Adam had forsaken God and harkened to the enemy, had left the way of holiness, and went into the way of confusion, it was free with God whither he would help him or no; when Adam had spent the patrimony which God had given him, it was free whether God would set him up again or no, free it was in God the Father, which appointed the Son as the means; free it was in Christ jesus, that took the task upon him; and free in the holy Spirit, that wrought grace and salvation in the hearts of God's people; God out of his free will gave his Son to redeem mankind, and Christ gave himself freely, and the holy Ghost doth freely work comfort in the hearts of Gods chosen: it was free with God to appoint Christ for the means, free with Christ to be the means, free with the Spirit to work the means.  
Secondly, as it is free in regard of the appointing the means, so likewise in regard of the Revelation of the means to any soul, it was free with God, whether he would enlighten any man's eyes, and bring Salvation unto him; why doth God rain upon one City and not upon another? that is, why doth the dew of the Gospel's rain upon one place, and not upon another? it is for nothing but because it is Gods will it should be so; in the 4 of Luke the 25. the place is very pregnant for this purpose, There saith the text many widows were in Israel, in the days of Elias, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, but to none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta a City of Sidon, unto a woman which was a widow; and this was only out of God's free grace: he may take the means from one man, and give it to another, he may send his Gospel and the means of Salvation to one poor soul, to one poor town in a Shire or County, and not to another, according to his own good pleasure, for his mercy is free, look into the 17 of the Acts the 30. together with the 6 of the Acts the 1. for those two places interpret one another, in the 17 of Acts the 30. the text saith, And the times of this ignorance God winked at, now the word winked as is the sa●e with the word neglected Act. 6.1. there saith the text, There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration, the word in the Original, signifies not to regard a thing, and the same doth the word winked at ●ignifie, in Acts 17.30. The Lord winked at this ignorance, as if he should say, the Lord over-looked and regarded it not: the heathen they never had the knowledge of his laws, he neglected the heathen, and had an eye only upon the Jews; he vouchsafed his grace, and ordinary means of Salvation to them only, and why was this? it was of his free mercy, of his own good pleasure, and for the others, the abuse of their knowledge: and as the freedom of God's grace and mercy appeareth in the appointing of the means, and in Revelation of the means; so  
Thirdly, it appears in the blessing of the means, it is in the free mercy of God, that any means of Grace and Salvation are blessed unto men, and that they work upon the souls of men, 1 Cor. 1.21. there saith the text, after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching, to save them that believe: how comes it to pass, that men believe and are saved? why? it is because it pleaseth God, it is not because men could procure this, but it is of God's mere good will, of his free goodness and mercy; and this was the cause of our Saviour Christ's great thanksgiving, Math. 11.25, 26. many poor souls were converted by the Preaching of his Apostles, and therefore saith Christ, I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes, even so father, for it seemed good in thy sight; the reason why God did this, was because it was his good pleasure; so than the point standeth fair, in regard of explication; Namely that the offer of grace is free, free in regard of the means that God hath appointed free in regard of the Revelation of the means appointed, free in regard of the blessing of the means revealed. But you will say, what is the reason of this? by what argument can you prove that the offer of grace is thus free? The reasons briefly are three: First, this offer of grace musts needs be free, because there is nothing in man that can purchase this, in the 8 of the Acts 19.20. when Simon Magus saw that the Apostles by laying on of hands conveyed the grace of the Spirit into men's souls, he thought to have gotten a booty, and have done so also, and offered money, that he might receive that gift, but mark how Saint Peter took him up with indignation, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money, thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter. It was a marvellous fearful sin, and therefore the Apostle Peter, bade him pray that if it were possible, the thought of his heart might be forgiven him. It is a vain thing to conceive, and a great sin to think or imagine, that grace can be purchased from God by any thing that we have received; for there must be some proportion between the price, and the thing that is bought in common reason, but in the 3. of the Prov. 14, 15. Solomon saith, That the Merchandise of Wisdom (that is, of the wisdom of God, wrought by the Spirit of God) is better than the Merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold, she is more precious than Rubies, and all the things thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto her. There is no proportion between any thing and this wisdom; no, no; they that think that God loves them any whit the better, because they are rich and learned, and honourable, let them know, that all those things are dung in regard of the graces of God's Spirit. If any think to buy grace they shall perish, and their money with them; for the offer of grace is free.  
And secondly, as there is nothing that can purchase grace, so we can do nothing that can merit grace, for some man may say; however I have no money to purchase it, yet I can work it out, as poor men use to say to those for whom they work, when they would have any commodity of them, they tell them they have no money to pay them for it, but they will work it out by their handy labour. But alas, there is nothing that can be done of the sinful son of man, that can procure any thing from God this way, as we may see, Rom. 9.16. It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that showeth mercy. It is not our willing, our working, our running, what ever we have, or can do, is nothing for the procuring of grace in this kind; it is God alone that showeth mercy. Thus he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and compassion on whom he will have compassion, and whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. 9.18. If thou shouldest mark what is done amiss, (saith the Prophet David) who could abide it. If God should enter into judgement with any poor soul upon the earth, there were no living for him, he could expect nothing but death, and the fierce anger of God continually to pursue him; and therefore fare it is from man to have any thing that can procure grace at the hand of God.  
Thirdly, a man naturally hath no ground whereby he can challenge this by way of promise from the Lord, no natural man hath any promise in this kind, The promises are Yea and Amen, to them that are in Christ; to them that are called, and converted and brought home to Christ, to those they are all, yea, confirmed; and amen, concluded; yea, made; and amen, performed: but a man by nature can claim nothing at God's hands but hell and damnation, and therefore all the plagues and punishments that befall wicked men, are the fruits of their own labours, they are their own, they have the fruit of their own tree; so judas is said, to go to his own place. In the 3. of Esay, the 9 there saith the text, Woe unto the wicked, for they have rewarded evil to their own souls, the reward of their hands shall be giver them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. They can challenge confusion and everlasting destruction, this is their own; judas went to his own, he had his own share, and his own condemnation, they were his own, his own sins procured them: but as for the obtaining of Christ, and of grace and salvation, there is nothing that can do it, it is of the free mercy and goodness of God Godliness ●s great gain, saith the Apostle, it hath the promise of this life, and of the life to come: but an ungodly man there is no promise at all made unto him, he can challenge nothing from God by way of promise, so that by this time we have the proof of the point; namely, That the offer of grace is altogether free: for we have nothing can purchase grace, we can do nothing that can procure grace, we have no right whereby we may challenge grace by way of promise naturally, and therefore the case is clear, That we have grace freely from the hand of God. We see the point cleared, the doctrine confirmed and established.  
The use of it is two fold, partly to the Saints of God that have received grace: partly to those that want grace.  
First, for the Saints of God that have received grace, I beseech you think of it, it is a truth that cannot be denied, proved by reason strong, and Scripture plain; that whatsoever we have from the beginning of conversion, to the end of salvation, is free grace. Why, me thinks your hearts should answer, we ought to be stirred up, the more to magnify the mercy of God, and so much the more to be thankful unto him for this mercy which our poor souls have received at his hands: the freer the grace of God is which he offereth unto us, the greater our thanksgiving, the greater the acknowledgement of the goodness of the Lord ought to be: those whom God hath given any assurance of sound grace; that Christ is there, that salvation is there, they do not know how much beholding they are to God for the same, for this proceedeth altogether of his free mercy, look up therefore unto God, and bless God for it, this is that which did drive the Prophet Micah to a stand, Mica. 7.18, 19 there faith he, Who is a Godlike unto our God, that pardoneth iniquities, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his people, he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy, he will turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all our sins into the bottom of the sea; as who should say, here is a God indeed, who is like our God, who hath pardoned all our sins, why? because his mercy pleased him, because he delighteth in goodness, no God like jehovah, no Redeemer like Christ, no Comforter like the Spirit, all sins pardoned, & all iniquities cast into the bottom of the Sea; but what is the ground of all, because his mercy pleased him; as if he had said, Men will do no good unto us unless they see good in us, unless they expect some good and profit from us, but who is like our God, no man is like unto him, he hath passed by our transgressions, and subdued our iniquities, and given us the graces of his spirit, not because we pleased him, or did any thing that could deserve this at his hands, but it was his free mercy that moved him, all our peevishness, all our looseness, all our carelessness, all our sins subdued, and thrust into the bottom of the Sea and pardoned, and why? because we pleased God? no, because his mercy pleased him; this is God full of grace, full of mercy, full of goodness and compassion, no God like our God, no mercy like this; no grace, no goodness, no compassion, like unto this, and therefore you poor Saints that have received any grace from the hand of the Lord, go into some secret place, and say unto your souls, and plead with your own hearts, and provoke your souls to thanksgiving, for God's mercy towards you: reason with thy heart, and provoke thy spirit to take notice of God's mercy, and say, How is it Lord, that many that have lived in the same town, in the same family, nay the same man that is under the same ministry that I am, that hears the same Sermons that I do, and sits in the same seat with me, how is it that such a poor man or woman is still in the gall of bitterness, in the bond of iniquity, still in the snare of death, and under the power of Satan; Father how comes it? why is it that my mind is enlightened? why was my heart humbled? why didst thou give me any care to walk with thee, and to forsake my sins, and abandon my former lusts and corruptions, why is this Lord, it was of thine own free mercy Lord, for I had nothing which could purchase this at thy hands; I could do nothing that might procure it; I could claim no promise naturally from thee in this kind: if thou canst think thus, and say thus, go thy ways and be as thankful as thou canst to such a God, that hath done this for thee, and plead with the Lord, as the Prophet David did, What is man that thou shouldst be so mindful of him, and what is the son of man, that thou shouldst regard him; why Lord? thou mindful of me when I forgot myself, when I ran headlong into all wickedness, as profane as ever any soul was, oh! those days which I now remember with grief of soul, when my heart rose up against thee and thy ministers, and yet thou Lord, mindful of such a sinful wretch as I am, that forgot myself and my own salvation, why what am I Lord, and what is this poor soul of mine, that thou shouldest remember me; oh! do thus and think of this, and remember that our Saviour Christ when the Apostles Preached the Gospel, here was a poor man on one side converted, and a poor woman on another, when the Lord jesus saw this, why I bless thee Father saith he Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast revealed these things to the poor of the world, and denied them to great ones; take this to your hearts, the poor receive the Gospel, the rich they are so full and so delighted in these earthly things, here below, that they have no room for any spiritual grace; but you that are Saints of God, that have received any grace, think of this, let your souls bless God, even extraordinarily, and say, I thank thee Father, that that thou hast hid these things from the wise, and from the rich, and from the noble, and hast revealed them unto babes, that thou hast taught me, a poor silly creature, that thou hast wrought upon my heart, and shown me Christ jesus, when as most in the world have not seen him, nor salvation, many great ones, and mighty ones thou hast sent packing to hell, but me a blind creature, out of a poor cottage, out of a corner of hell, thou hast plucked and given me salvation: Father I bless thee for this, for it was of thy free mercy. I beseech thee to give me a free hear● to bless thee for this thy wonderful mercy vouchsafed unto me, and to walk worthy of thee. What, shalt thou give thyself freely for my poor soule● and shall not I give thee a good action freely? thus stir up your own hearts to bless God for this his great mercy: the greater the grace is which he vouchsafeth unto you, the greater your thankfulness ought to be: and so much for this use, it should stir up every poor soul that hath received any grace, to go into a comer, and look up to heaven, and be amazed at God's great mercy, and say, Father I have received grace, and why I● there is no reason Lord for it, but because thy mercy pleased thee.  
The second use is to the wicked themselves, those that yet want this mercy, to those that are yet in the gall of bitterness, is it so that God's grace and mercy is altogether free; then this may be a ground of encouragement unto them to seek after this mercy: they may think with themselves thus, why, the offer of grace is free, and therefore why may not I come to have some of this mercy as well as another; though they are yet in the snare of Satan, under the power of sin, and in the bond of iniquity, yet the freeness of God's mercy may encourage them to seek to God for this grace, and to sustain their hearts in some hope that they may obtain it. Why, it is a free mercy, and therefore why mayst not thou have it as well as another, it is freely given, and why mayst not thou receive it as well as another, it is worth the while to seek after grace and mercy, for there is some hope and expectation to attain it; This was the ground why the Prophet Esay did persuade all people to come unto the Lord jesus, Esay, 55.1. Why saith he, Every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price: Come you that have no money, saith the text; the people might make a cavil, and say, Why? we want money to buy, to what end therefore should we come; the text answers this and saith, Come you that have no money, and buy without money: What is the meaning of this, that is, you that have no sufficiency to procure grace and salvation, though you have no ability of yourselves to purchase this, yet come and come freely, and buy without money, as if he should say, If you will but come and take grace, this is all God looks for, all that the Lord expects and desires, you may have it for the taking, you may receive grace for the carrying of it away, though your weakness be great, and your infirmities many, yet if you have but ability to take grace and carry it away, this is enough, this is all that God requires at your hands; and this is that which makes the Saints of God in the 14. of Hos. 3. to go unto God, and renounce all others, there saith the text, Ashur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more to the works of our hands, Ye are our gods; and what is the ground of all this, for with thee, the fatherless findeth mercy: so that, hast thou a desolate soul, why, be of good comfort, and be encouraged to go to God for help, for he doth not secure men because they have strength, but he helpeth those that are succourless.  
Art thou fatherless, and cast off of the world; hast thou a fatherless soul, a motherless soul; that is, a hopeless and a helpless soul, that hath no ability to procure mercy, or to purchase grace; why, with God the fatherless findeth mercy; and therefore say, Lord, with thee the fatherless findeth mercy, I am such a one, therefore Lord I expect mercy from thee. If a great rich man should proclaim, that at such a time every one that will come, may receive dole from him; if this dole now were to be purchased with money, none but the rich could receive it, but when he saith he will give to every one that comes a dole freely, than the poor may have it as well as the rich, when the dole cometh not to be purchased, but only to be received, than the beggar may have it as well as he that hath money, for the dole is not to be bought, but to be received, and therefore every one that hath but a bag to put it in, and ability to carry it away, may have it; consider this ye that God hath not called home, there is a dole of mercy to be given you from God, and God doth not intent to sell his mercy to you, but to bestow it freely upon you, and therefore if you will but come & receive it, and carry it away, you may have it, God requirs nothing else of you; and therefore comfort yourselves and say, Why, this mercy of God is free, others have it, and why not I Lord. Come therefore and wait upon God in his ordinances, think with thyself that the dole of mercy is to be given at such a place, at such a sermon, and therefore resolve to go thither, and say, If wisdom, or goodness, or understanding, would purchase any thing at God's hand, then miserable creature that I were, for I have none of those, but the mercy of God is free, there is a dole of mercy freely to be given, and such and such have had it bestowed upon them, and therefore why may not I have it as well as others. And therefore natural men that are burdened with abominations, and full of sin and corruptions, let them reason with their souls, and say, Why, did God convert Saul, call Abraham, and humble Manasses, why? God did this freely, of his free mercy and goodness, did he? and why then may not I receive this mercy from the hand of the Lord also? and when your own weaknesses trouble you, and your sins and infirmities lie sore upon you, why, then help your own souls in this kind, and say, I can do nothing that can procure grace, no more could David, I have nothing that can purchase favour and mercy at God's hands, no more had Saul, and yet God was merciful to them: why, he is as merciful now as he was then, his goodness is not diminished, nor his mercy abated. Lord thou that show'dst mercy to these, show mercy to me also; thou that didst bless these Lord, bless me, even me also. Lord thou bestowest thy mercy freely, I beseech thee therefore bestow one drop upon my poor soul. Ay, but some may cavil now and say, God's mercy is free, and therefore he may as well deny it me as bestow it upon me. I answer, this is true, he may deny it thee as well as give it thee, and he may also as well give it thee as deny it thee; it is as possible that thou mayest receive mercy, and therefore try all means possible to obtain it. In the 3. of jonah, the 9 vers. there the people of Niniveh say, Who can tell if God will turn and repent, The Lord there had sent the Prophet jonah, to prophesy against Niniveh, That within forty days it should be destroyed, When the people heard this, there was a fast proclaimed, and every man was commanded to put on sackcloth and cry mightily to the Lord, for who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not: as if they should say, We have deserved that this judgement should come upon us, and our sins have procured it, but yet who can tell whither God will turn away from his fierce anger, for the Lord is merciful, and freely merciful: and thus do thou, and say, I confess God may confound me for my sins, but who can tell whither God will have mercy upon me; I confess that God may harden me, but who can tell whither he will humble me, I will therefore wait upon him in his ordinances, and try if he will be merciful to my poor soul.  
The third use is an use of Exhortation to all poor creatures, that are burdened with the burden of their sins, and are under the power of them, as to be encouraged to seek for mercy, and to have some hope to obtain it, so also with patience to wait and stay the time of the Lord; this should exhort them to come continually into the Congregation of God's Saints, and wait patiently when, and what God will bestow upon them, according to his good will and pleasure. The mercy and grace which God bestoweth upon any, is a free gift, and therefore if you come into the Assemblies of God's people, to hear God's word; if thou wait upon God in his ordinances one day, and have not grace granted unto you, nor mercy vouchsafed towards you, if you come the next day and yet have it not, you must still wait and expect because it is a free gift, and therefore as God may give it to whom he will, so also when he will, and therefore murmur not, nor say what shall I come so often, and wait so long, and pray so much, and yet nothing? why? aye it is a free gift, in the 3 of Lament. 25.26. the text saith, The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, it is good that a man should both quietly hope, and wait for the salvation of the Lord, as it is with the sea, when it ebbs the water goeth back, when it flows and is at the main it cometh again: now a man that is to take a journey by sea, if the coming of the tide be not for his turn, and is gone back, he must wait until it cometh again; so it is with God in this kind, there is a flow of grace and mercy with him, now sometimes God withdraweth his grace from his poor creatures, but yet let them cry still, and pray still, and resolve so to do still; do not say, If God will not secure me, and bestow mercy and grace upon me, now seeing I have waited so long, I will pray no more, I will expect no longer; & will you not so? why? alas who shall have the worst, you will be sure to have the worst of it: you that will be so sturdy, that because God hears not, and helps not when you will, and when you call, therefore you will pray no more, nor expect no longer; you that say, you have waited thus long and have not had grace nor mercy vouchsafed unto you, and therefore to what end, to what purpose should we wait any longer, or attend any more? why if it be thus with you, you may departed if you please; who think you, shall have the worst of it● beggars must not be choosers, this is not begging of mercy but commanding of mercy at God's hands; this is not to desire that God would give you mercy, but that he would follow you with mercy. Some man may say, What shall I use the means so long, pray so often, and hear Sermons so often, and still wait? aye and bless God that thou mayst wait, bless God that thou hast not been long since confounded, that God hath not long before this time sent thee packing to hell, but that thou hast still opportunities, that thou still hast peace and the means of Salvation afforded thee: shalt thou wait? aye, and bless God that thou mayst wait, before thou goest hence, and he no more seen, Psal. 69.3. 
Psal. 69.3.  there saith the Prophet David, I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God; as if he had said, I have looked this day and heard thy Word, this day I have looked up to heaven in prayer and have not ●ound thee; I wept this day, and mourned this day, I have used all means, my eyes even fail with waiting for my God: did David wait thus that was a King? and why mayst not thou wait? why mayst not thou stay looking for the salvation of the Lord, shut down those proud hearts and lofty spirits of yours which think themselves too good to wait the Lords leisure, and reason with your own souls, & say, why is not my heart humbled? why are not my corruptions subdued and abated, as well as others? check and subdue all those bubblings of Spirit in the beginning; see what Paul did, when his heart began to grapple with God, why, who art thou O man, saith he, that thou liftest up thyself against God, as if he had said, Art not thou a damned creature, sinful dust and ashes, why, who art thou O man that thou shouldest do thus? so when thy heart begins to rise against God, suppress those distempers, and say, who art thou damned sinful soul, that dar'st thus stand against God? what if I had gone to hell long before this? why, I had had my portion, if I had been confounded long since, and sent roaring to hell, my sins had merited it, and therefore well may I wait for mercy, and thank God that I may wait: down with those proud imaginations and lofty thoughts that arise in man's heart, and resolve with David to wait for the Salvation of the Lord, with God is the gate of mercy, & the fountain of mercy, and this mercy is free, & therefore use the means still though God hear not, pray still though he accept not, resolve though thy heart fails, and thy eyes fail, yet to roll in the dust, and call for mercy, and say Lord thy mercy is free, therefore bless me Lord even me also.  
The 2 conclusion in the text is, that not withstanding this mercy of God is free, yet a man must have a will to receive grace and mercy, before he can have it, for saith the text, whosoever Will let him take of the water of life freely, and here we have the reasonableness of the condition, together with the universality of it, it is not a great thing that God calleth for, but if a man will have mercy, and grace and Salvation, he shall have it. First; a man must will mercy before he can have mercy, and whosoever doth will it shall have it, and herein is the universality of the condition; so that the doctrine which ariseth naturally out of the text, and which is the second general circumstance of preparation is this, viz. that the soul must be willing to receive Christ and grace, before it shall have Christ and grace; God will not save a man against his will, Rev. 3.20. there saith the text, Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, etc. the door is the heart, & the knocking is the striving of the Lord in the use of the means, God stands this day & knocks at this and all other the like opportunities, the Lord knocks this day, and will come and knock again the next Sabbath, and the next, the next Lecture, and the next opportunity, when the minister comes God comes, when he persuades God persuades, when he threatens God threatens, when he reproves God reproves, sometimes the Lord knocketh at the door, sometimes he picks the lock, thus every way striving to come in, stands thus knocking, and entreating, exhorting, persuading, he knocks with much patience and long suffering, if any man will but open, here is all the Lord requires, all that he expects and looks for, the opening of the door that is all; the door is the heart, the opening of the door is the enlarging of the heart to entertain Christ; if any man will but open now, here is all the Lord desires, he will come and sup with that man, and he with him, and in the 16. 
Mat. 16.24.  of Mat. 24. there saith our Saviour; If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and follow me; what a strange phrase is this, If he will follow me let him, it is a pretty collection of Divines out of that place, that a man must will to follow Christ before he can follow him, the truth is, the will never cometh after the following of God, but if a man hath a heart that way, a will to the business, than he may follow him, than all goes forward cheerfully, this will is the great wheel that turns all, and the power of the soul, that works all in this case, and we may observe when the Lord is pleased to prepare a people for ruin, he than shuts up the door of their hearts, 
Acts 28.27.  in the Acts 28.27. there saith the text, The heart of this people is wa●●ed gross; e, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their e●●es, and understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them, in the 24. verse saith the text, some believed and some believed not, how comes this to pass now, that some believed not, the reason is ●endred in the 27 verse, the heart of this people is waxed fat, or gros; s; e, lest they should be converted, and I should hedle them; if a soul will be converted, than God will heal it, but if the heart of the people be stopped up, if the heart be fatted up with sin and corruption, than the Lord will never heal, he will never have mercy upon that soul; eating and sleeping makes a man naturally to be fat and gross, so it is with the soul, when a man's heart feeds upon his corruptions, when a man lies securely in his sins this fats the soul, and this is the forerunner of confusion, some believed and some believed not, why their hearts were fatted up, they had no will to receive Christ and Salvation by him, and therefore look as it was with the cure of the Lame man john 5.6. our Saviour saith unto him, 
john 5.6.  wilt thou be made whole so it is in spiritual things, the Lord will have a man to will mercy and Salvation by Christ, before he will bestow it upon him, and therefore in the 5 of john the 40. the text saith Ye will not come to me that you may have life, and this is the reason that they had not life, and that they were not saved, You would not come that you might have life, as who should say, You must will to come before you can come to have life, and when you have once got this will, than there is hope that there is life coming; but a man must first will life, before he can have life: so that then the point is clear and evident, namely that a man must will to receive the Lord jesus and grace, before he shall have the Lord jesus and grace, and Salvation by him: for the further opening of the point, we must observe two passages; first, what is meant by the will? secondly, wherein this will discovers itself, and by that time we shall have somewhat to hold ourselves unto. And first for the former, what is meant by will in this place, we must understand that this word will, it carrieth a double signification with it. And first it discovers that natural power and faculty wherewith every man is endued to will, but this is not meant here, viz. the very faculty and power whereby a reasonable man is enabled to will, for then every man should have life and salvation, for every man hath this natural will, for it is with the soul, as with a clock that runneth the wrong way, and striketh false, it hath the same wheels like other clocks, but it doth not strike true as other clocks do, and herein lies the difference, so it is with the nature of man fallen from God, the wheel of his will, that is, the power of his understanding remaineth still, the nature of the soul still existeth, but the quality of it is altered, this natural faculty of the will is not meant here, for then the devils should be saved, for they have a natural will, and therefore in the second place, by will in Scripture, we must understand the actions and operations, which proceed from the natural faculty of this will which God hath wrought in us, it implieth any act issuing from this faculty upon any object; by object is meant any thing that is presented to the soul, and this discovers itself generally thus, when the face of the soul turns itself to a thing, and openeth itself to receive a thing, to close with, and to catch up a thing, as it is with the hand of the body so it is with the will, which is the hand of the soul, every man hath hands, but if these hands of his be bound together, he is not able to lay hold on any thing, but as a man hath a hand that he may lay hold of a thing, so he must have his hands at liberty, and he must open them, that so he may take hold of it, or else he cannot lay hold upon it, so it is with the hand of the soul, this will is the hand of the soul, a man must therefore turn his will towards a thing and open itself, the hand of the soul must be open before it can close with and fasten upon a thing, and this is meant here; when the heart which is turned towards grace, and when the soul opens the hand thereof to catch at grace, and lay hold thereupon, than it wils to receive grace, when as we are unwilling to receive a thing, we then turn away our hearts from the thing, as children use to speak, if you press any thing upon them, which they do not like, but is displeasing unto them, they say, they will not have it, they will not, the soul shuts itself against that thing, it turns away from that thing, and casts out that thing which is displeasing unto it, so it is with that will of the soul, when the soul is unwilling to receive any thing, it shuts itself against that thing, and will by no means receive it, Exodus the 7. Chapter, 13, 14. verses, 
Exo. 7.13, 14.  There the Text saith, The Lord hardened Pharaohs heart, that he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had said, and the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaohs heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go, he hardened his heart, that is, he shut his soul against the commandment of the Lord, and against the advice of Mose●, and he would not let the people go, he would not take hold of the Command of God to perform it, he clasped his heart together as it were, that his heart might not fasten upon God's Commandment, so that by will here is meant, not only the bare power and faculty of the natural will, but also the act of this power, when the soul is towards grace, when the hand of the soul is turned towards God, when it opens itself to entertain grace; this is meant by will in phrase of Scripture.  
The second thing considerable is, how this act of the Will? how this opening of the soul doth discover itself? how a man shall come to know when he wills grace?  
I answer, that this same turning of the Soul to grace, discovers itself in three particular passages; the first is this: A man is then said to will a thing, when he apprehends the price of a thing, and hath a high esteem of a thing, according to the price of the thing, and the excellency which is in the thing; for it is a rule in natural Philosophy, and reason telleth us thus much, that no man wills a thing, unless he apprehends the thing which he willeth to be good, either good indeed, or else seemingly good; for no man willeth his own hurt, for if he did nature would destroy itself, every thing therefore desires the preservation of itself, and therefore whatsoever is suggested as evil unto the soul of man it will not close with that evil, but turneth from this evil, if it apprehend it as an evil, hence it is that a proud heart loveth proud courses, a covetous heart covetous courses, a malicious heart malicious courses and practices, namely because the soul apprehends these as good though in themselves they be evil, yet the soul takes them to be best for it, now as the soul must apprehend some good in a thing before it can will and desire it, so it must apprehend the excellency of it before it can will it truly, this is that which carrieth the will of a man unto a thing, the will will never otherwise entertain a thing. The 2d. thing wherein the act of the will is seen, and wherein it makes known itself is this, when the soul seethe the good which is in a thing, and apprehends the excellency thereof, so the second thing wherein this act of the will is discovered is this, the soul chooseth that good which before it hath seen, and the excellency of the thing which it hath apprehended, answerable to the nature of the good, and the excellency thereof, the soul it chooseth that good which before it hath esteemed, it takes it to itself, as who should say, I will have this thing not another, & mark when the soul chooseth any good, it maketh such choice of it, as may be answerable to the nature of the good which it esteemeth, as things of greater worth, a man chooseth with greater affection, things of lesser worth, with lesser affection, he will choose the best things in the first place, and those of less value in the second, as suppose a man choose a woman to be his wife, if he doth not choose her for her grace & for her goodness, so much as for beauty or wealth, he doth not now choose the woman upon the point, but her beauty and wealth, because he chooseth them in the first place, and with greater affection; so that a man is then said to will a thing, when he doth not only see and apprehend a thing to be good and excellent, but also makes choice of that thing, according to the goodness and excellency thereof.  
Thirdly, he that truly willeth a thing, doth not only apprehend the goodness and the price of the thing which he willeth, and chooseth it according to the price and excellency thereof, but in the third place, the heart giveth up itself unto that thing which it hath chosen. A man chooseth a wife a right, he will have the woman whom he hath chosen, take that possession of his heart as becometh a wife in that case, otherwise if a man say, be choose such a man to be king over him, and will not give up his obedience unto him, nor suffer him to exercise authority over him, this man doth not choose him as a king, but rather as a servant; so that to gather up all, a man is then said to will a thing, when he apprehends the goodness and excellency of the thing, when he chooseth that thing answerable to the goodness and excellency of it. Thirdly, when the heart giveth up itself to that thing; now to applyth particulars, when is am an said to Will Christ, and grace, and Salvation by him, a man must will grace, before he can have grace: but how shall a man come to know when he wills grace? I answer, first when the soul of a poor Christian seethe an excellency in Christ, when he holdeth the Lord jesus at a high rate, when he hath him in an high estimation, answerable to the worth of him, when a poor soul can put a price upon the Lord jesus, answerable to the sufficiency that is in him, and agreeable to the grace and goodness that is in him, than the soul doth partly Will the Lord jesus, and grace and Salvation by him; when the soul is able to see a greater good in the Lord jesus, and have a greater esteem of the grace which is in him, when it can set a higher rate upon the goodness which proceeds from him, than upon any thing else in the world whatsoever, when he hath the Lord jesus in higher estimation than riches, or honour, or preferment; than of riches that may advance him, or of honour that may promote him, when he esteems Christ above any thing that the world can afford, or the heart desire, than he partly willeth Christ and grace, the soul will never will a thing truly, but when he seethe some good in the thing, and hath an high estimation of it according to the goodness thereof, Col. 3.11. 
Col. 3.11.  there saith the text, Christ is all in all, when a soul can say that Christ is all in all, that it desires nothing else, than this is the value of him; many will be content to have Christ, but they do not court him worth a great price, but they that will truly will Christ must know and apprehend the excellency that is in Christ, and esteem him answerably thereunto, as you may see in the third chap. of the Lament. and 24. verse, there saith the text, The Lord is my portion, therefore will I hope in him, now a man's portion is his chiefest good, and David also saith, thy Commandments have I chosen as mine inheritance, that is, as the chiefest good that could befall me, or be received of me: So when the soul can truly apprehend that Christ is the better part, when the soul can say it is not necessary to be rich, it is not necessary to be learned, it is not necessary to be honourable, nor to have pleasure or delight, but it is necessary to have Christ, it is necessary to have grace, it is necessary to have sins pardoned, when we can say Christ is our portion and our inheritance, when we can see the excellency that is in him, and can set a price upon him answerable thereunto, than we are said to will Christ in the first place.  
The second thing whereby a man may know whether he wills Christ or no, is this, when the soul seethe as the Church in the Canticles, that all pleasantness is in Christ, when it seethe that he is better than friends, better than riches, better than health and liberty, when the soul, as it setteth an high price upon Christ: So in the second place can choose Christ answerable to that price it sets upon him, when it can choose him above all things; let the world go, that takes Christ to itself, let friends go, that takes Christ to itself, that chooseth Christ above all things, when the soul can do this, than it may be said to will the Lord jesus; the Phrases of Scripture are very sweet in this kind, in the 37 Psalm, the Prophet David there is troubled with the things here below, and his soul almost staggered when he saw the wicked prosper in the world, and increase in riches, In vain saith he have I washed my hands in innocency, for the wicked they have what they can desire, their eyes start out with fatness, and they have more than heart can wish, but all the day long I have been plagued and chastened every morning, but when he went into the Sanctuary, and knew their end, how God did set them in slippery places, and did cast them down into destruction, when he saw that his portion was better than theirs, than he cries out; Whom have I in heaven but thee, and who is there in earth, that I desire in comparison of thee, as who should say, take your gold give me Christ, take your pelle give me grace, Whom have I in heaven but thee, than the heart chooseth God, when it thinketh better of God than of all other things whatsoever, Who have I in heaven but thee, and who is there in earth as I desire in comparison of thee, and therefore in the last verse of that Psalm he saith, It is good for me to draw nigh to God, as who should say let the covetous man have his money and pelf, and let the ambitious man have his honours and proferments, but it is good for my soul to draw name to the Lord, 
Heb. 11.24.  and therefore it is said, Heb. 11.24. that Moses when he was come to years, he refused to be called the Son of Pharoahs' daughter, chousing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than 〈◊〉 enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, as who should say, Let me suffer persecution, let me have neither coat to my back, nor meat to my belly, let me dye in prison, let me undergo any cross or calamity, give me but Christ and I care not whatsoever becomes of me, this is to will Christ jesus, when a man cares not what becomes of all other things whatsoever, so he may but enjoy Christ; he wils a good truly that wils a good in order, as if it be the chiefest good, if I will will it truly I must will it and desire it in the first place: so when I can hold Christ at a high value, above all things, and my soul can choose him above all things, than I am said to will Christ, in the 10. of Luke and last verse, there faith our Saviour, Martha is troubled about many things, but Mary hath chosen the better part, she chose this and let all other things alone: he that chooseth a wise, he is not said to choose her, unless he choose her to be in that place which best befits her, he that saith he chooseth a wife, and keepesa whore, he maketh not her his wife, truly so it is with the soul, though it see an excellency in Christ, yet if it choose not Christ in rank and order, as the chiefest good, and in the first place, it doth not truly will Christ jesus, and this is the second thing, wherein the willing of Christ is discovered, namely when the soul chooseth Christ in the first place, answerable to the excellency that is in him.  
Thirdly, when the soul hath prized Christ above all, and chosen him above all, so in the third place, if the soul truly will Christ jesus, it will be carried towards Christ, to close with him, never to sever from him again, for he is said to will a thing that closeth with it, and will never part from it, as for example, he that will buy house and land, and make it his own for ever, he first chooseth that house and land, and then he resolves to keep it for ever, and never part with it again, and if he part from it, or sell it again, than he is said to refuse it, as well as to choose it, and the stomach that chooseth meat, when it hath such liking to any dyer, that it openeth itself and receiveth it, and closeth with it; then we are said to will and choose Christ, when we see the worth of Christ, and take him before all, and fasten upon him to make him our own for ever, when we take such delight in him, that we will not be freed from him, but desire that he may be for our souls, and our souls for him forever, this is to will the Lord jesus. So then to gather up all, when the soul prizeth Christ as the chiefest of all, when it chooseth him above all, when the soul answerablely giveth up itself to Christ, that Christ may take possession of it, and never sever from it, than a man doth will Christ jesus hearty: So that by this time we see the nature of the point, and the English of the Doctrine is thus much, the soul that seethe the worth of Christ, and chooseth him above all things, and closeth with him, that soul willeth Christ jesus: But now here a question may arise, you may ask me whether a man can will Christ and grace, thus naturally out of the power of nature? I answer no, it is beyond the power of man, to will Christ and grace naturally, it is the free gift of God; as it is the Lord which must give grace, so it is the Lord that must give the will to receive grace; what availeth all the water in the Sea, if we have no vessel to receive it? what availeth it to have meat, if we have no stomach to digest it? what availeth it to have the fountain of grace set open unto us, if we have no vessels, no hearts to receive it, if we have no stomach to digest it? all is worth nothing, & therefore the doctrine of the Scripture is compared to rain, the rain which falleth upon a rock remaineth not, but presently slides off; so it is here, the fountain of grace is set open to every one that heareth the Word this day, but if you have no vessels to receive, no wills to embrace it, no heart to entertain it, all this mercy of God, grace of God, love of God, will fall down at your feet, you may carry away some words in your mouths, but unless you have a will to receive grace, it will never dwell in your hearts, it is impossible that the soul should receive grace and Salvation by the Lord jesus, unless it hath a will to entertain him, for common sense telleth us, that those actions that have relation one to another cannot be done one without the other; no man can buy, unless another will sell; no man can take or receive any thing, unless another will give it and bestow it upon him: Christ cannot be bestowed upon us, and given unto us, unless we have a will to receive him; there is no giving of a thing, unless there be a taking and receiving of it: Christ will not be a guest with us, unless he be entertained by us. If a man should come unto an Inn and ask for lodging, if the Host of the Inn tell him that the Inn is full, and there is no room for him, and thereupon he goes his way, this man cannot be said to be a guest unto that Inn, but that he only offered himself to be a guest; so it is here, there is no soul that ever can or shall receive Christ as a guest to himself, unless he be content to make room for Christ, and be a receiver of him, Christ will never come with salvation or comfort unto thy heart, unless thou hast a will to entertain him: if our willing of Christ be that which makes room for Christ, than it must go before the entertaining of Christ; but the willing of Christ is that which makes room for Christ, and therefore it must go before the entertaining of him. So then the case is clear, and the point evident, that a man must will to receive Christ before he shall have Christ and grace and salvation by him.  
The use of the point is threefold, the first is for reproof, must a man have a will to receive Christ and grace, before he can receive Christ and grace, than this condemneth that carnal conceit of a company of poor deluded persons in the world that think they may receive grace upon other conditions than the word hath revealed, upon other conditions than Christ ever made agreement with them; this conceit it is marvelous common, it is a general fault in all carnal professors, they think to go to heaven, nay, they make no doubt of it, they think they have grace, and why? because they say so, and profess so, and therefore it must needs be so; because a man can say he believes, and would have grace, and wills to receive Christ, therefore out of all question it must needs be so, grace must needs be given them, they cannot be without grace, because they say they have it; and if a man press upon them, and say, the truth is, the world knows it, that you live in base courses, a common swearer you are, a covetous wretch, a base usurer, that loves your money more than God; true say they, all flesh is grass, and in many things we sin, the Lord give us of his grace, and for give us our sins, and I hope he will do so, and this will make up the breach presently, nothing but repent, and say Lord have mercy upon us, and then all will be well, it is true, if you can but truly repent, all will be well indeed, your sins shall be forgiven you; but now you talk of cost, you must do more than say so, you must do so likewise; but thus a thousand poor souls go to hell hoodwinked after this fashion, they have invented a shorter cut to heaven, they have invented a new way, a back door to heaven and happiness more than the word ever discovered. But let any soul make this conceit good in Scripture, and then I will believe them, but if it be so that they cannot make it good by the word of God; then know that if you continue in it, your souls will be damned. Is it thus in the word, he that saith he hath grace hath grace, if a man profess grace he cannot be without grace, no, no, it is not thus in Scripture, the text saith, He that wils grace, that is he that hath a heart to receive grace, he shall have grace, not he that saith and professeth that he hath grace, but he that wils it: you must not bring your tongues to talk of grace, and your heads to think of grace, but you must bring your hearts to will grace, otherwise you never shall, you never can receive grace; and yet notwithstanding, what is that which carrieth away men in the world; they are naught and wicked, reprove them for it, they heal all, and make up all presently, they believe in Christ, and they repent them of their sins, and shall not they be saved? They say indeed that they do believe, and they do repent, but the text saith, they do not so, and the Lord in his word saith, it is not talk, it is not wishes, but it is the willing of Christ and grace that will obtain grace. In the 15 of Matthew, 
Mat. 15.8, 9  and the 8, and 9, verses, there saith the text, In vain do these men worship me, for they draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips, but their heart is fare from me, they draw near Christ with their lips, that is, they speak as good words as can be, they say they are sinners, and that the Lord came to save sinners, and they are humbled for their sins, and attend their Church diligently, and hurt no body, But their hearts are from me, saith the text, why, because that hearts are still upon their sins; they are as proud as ever, as ignorant as ever, as vain as ever, their hearts still run after sinful courses, and wicked practices, and therefore away with this talk, and such vain pretences as men make in this case, unless your hearts go together with your words, all is worth nothing: what a fond imagination is this, that a man should think his words should do him good, when his heart goeth against them; when their mouths profess Christ, and their hearts oppose Christ: Thou sayest thou prizest Christ above all things, and yet thou wilt not lose a base sin for Christ, thou wilt not forsake any wicked lust or corruption for Christ; you will say you prise Christ above all, and yet many of your profane drunkards will not lose a cup for Christ; nay, you will not lose any base custom for Christ, you were profane and you will be so still, you were proud and you will be so still; thy heart and thy words do not go together, and therefore never think that thy words will save thee: Thou sayest thou believest, but thy heart saith the contrary: thou professest thou hast grace, but thy heart denieth it; and therefore it is a very sottish conceit to think thy words will do thee any good, when thy 〈◊〉 denieth what thy tongue professeth: go home therefore and examine your own hearts, and think thus with yourselves; I have talked much, and I have said that I had faith and grace, but oh wretch that I am! my heart saith the contrary. What a wretch am I, do I think that God will have mercy on me, because I say and profess that I am a sinner, and because I say that I pray unto God for the forgiveness of my sins; no, no, those very words will condemn me, because my heart goes not with my words, it had been fare better for these men that they never had spoke these things, for these very words will rise up in judgement against them, nay these words will keep them from the true willing of grace, for they think they have it already, because they say they have it, this is a very dangerous conceit, and therefore know that words will not carry all away, to say we repent and believe and have grace, these do us no good at all, we must will grace before we shall have grace, but this is not a willing but only a talking of grace.  
The second use is a word of terror, to shake the hearts of all wretched sinful creatures under heaven, those whom we may condemn out of their own mouths, they profess they will not have grace, and therefore we may conclude they never shall have grace, their own words will witness against them; for when the Ministers list up their voices like a Trumpet, and cry night and day, and call upon them, this is the good and ancient way walk in this way, in the way of faith and repentance; what answer do men give, they openly profess they will not do this, they will not walk in this way: The Lord tendereth grace, happiness, and salvation unto us, and yet many do profess they will not come, they will not attend upon God in his ordinances, they will not embrace, nor they will not entertain Christ and grace and salvation, they will not come to the means of grace and therefore they shall never have grace, they never shall be made partakers of it. A man must will grace, before he can have grace, but you will it not, you desire it not, and therefore as sure as the Lord liveth, you cannot have it.  
Another generation there is, that come to the house of God, and sit as God's people do, and hear as God's people do, but their hearts runneth after their covetousness; when in your souls you can say, our bodies are here indeed, but our hearts are after our lusts and corruptions, after our profits and pleasures; if it be thus with you, than still you resolve that your hearts shall not will the grace of God, and therefore it is clear and evident, that you have not yet received grace. Men resolve to do as they did in the 18 of the Prophecy of jeremy, verse, 
jer. 18.12.  12. They said, there is no hope, but we will walk every one after our own devices, and do the imaginations of our evil heart. When the Lord called upon them to walk in the good way, oh they would none of that! but they would walk after the imaginations of their hearts. And did these spirits think ye dye in those times, are not some such now among us in these times, wherein men say, we will not reform our families, nor we will not pray with them, we will not keep the Sabbaths, nor we will not leave our swearing and our swaggering, our pride and our covetousness; no, all the Ministers under heaven shall not persuade us, we will take up our own lewd and wicked courses, we will be profane still, and we will swear still, we will not amend our lives, nor reform our families, in what a miserable accursed damnable estate are those men, they will not leave and forsake their lewd practices, and therefore they cannot will grace, and if they cannot will it, than we may certainly conclude, they shall never obtain it. But you will say, you would leave your wicked courses, and reform your families if you could do it, but you cannot. I answer, is it nor in your power to pluck your children and your servants into the Lord's house on the Sabbath day, is it not in your power to use the means whereby you may reform your lives? you can do it, but you will not do it, you will take up your own ways, and your own practices, and therefore the case is plain, you will not take Christ, and therefore you shall never have him, and Salvation by him, there is also a cursed kind of Hypocrites which profess saire, and much, they say they will do for the Lord jesus, 
jer. 24.20.  but they are like unto those in the 42. of jeremy, the 20. verse, mark what the text saith there, Ye dissembled in your hearts, whe● you sent me to the Lord our God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God, and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. So there are many that make a fair outside, and will take up holy duties, and they will be professing, and talking of God, but there must be more than this, there must be a willing of grace besides a professing of grace; you pretend fair, and promise this, and purpose that, but when it cometh to you, you fly off, and you will have your own liberty, your heart is double, you say you will reform your ways, and yet you will be idle still, and lose still, and therefore you never yet willed Christ, you never yet prized him aright, you never truly chose him, and therefore as sure as the Lord liveth Christ is not yours; if the condition be not performed by you, you shall never be made partakers of that which is promised upon the performance of that condition: if you will Christ and grace, than indeed you have Christ and grace, but you never willed Christ, and therefore it is evident, you never had Christ. 
Deut. 29.4.  In the 29. of Deut. 4. vers. there saith the text, The Lord hath showed you great w●nders, and discovered many mercies unto you, and you the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to he●re, unto this very day, and therefore go home and mourn for yourselves, and reason with your souls, and say, what, after all ou● profession, bearing, praying, talking; after all the cost and care that God hath bestowed upon us, have we not yet a heart to will grace and desire the Lord jesus, many mercies have been vouchsafed unto us, many judgements removed from us, there is no nation that God hath dealt so mercifully with, as with us; we have peace yet, and the Gospel yet, and prosperity yet, and yet for all this to this very day, God hath not given us a heart to receive grace, and the things belonging to our everlasting peace, and therefore wives mourn for your husbands in secret, and say, oh my husband, what hath not God yet given thee a heart to fear him, and fathers mourn for your children, that are not yet in the state of grace, and say oh my son not yet a heart that God hath given thee to sanctify a Sabbath, and to leave off thy wick●d courses; and friends mourn you also one for another, and say, oh my friend what not yet a heart to humble thyself, and to fear the name of God, thus mourn in secret, and say, God hath done this and this for thee, and hast thou not yet a heart, not yet a will to entertain Christ the world carries all, pleasure carries all, profit bears all away, malice carries away all: The promises and Commandments of God are despised, and hast thou not yell a heart to believe the promises, and prise the Laws of ●od above liberty and peace profit and pleasure; there is nothing wanting on God's part, he gives peace still, and the Gospel still, and yet not a heart all this while to fear God, and keep his Commandments; thou hast a good house and good land, and many mercies are vouchsafed unto thee and not yet a good heart what a misery is this not yet a will to embrace Christ, and receive grace; why what a lamentable condition is this? and therefore in the last place it is a word of Exhortation to every soul here present, to labour now to begin at the right end, and take a right course, and follow the path that God hath chalked out unto us, in a word, we see it is come to this pass that all is grown to an outside, every man must be a Christian & go to heaven, and all the argument is this, because a man can talk well of religion; but this is not the right way, the willing of grace must go before the receiving of grace, and therefore go home and examine yourselves whether grace be truly wrought and fashioned in you or no, and reason thus, with your own hearts, and say, it is not enough to bring my mouth and profession to the Word of the, Lord but heart what sayest thou? in the mean time, I can talk of religion and many good matters, but will what sayest thou? in the mean time, dost thou prise Christ above all things, dost thou choose Christ and grace above all other things in the world whatsoever? heart what sayest thou? dost thou open thyself and close with him, and dost thou purpose never to forsake him? 
Deut. 32.42.  in the 32 of Deut. 42. there saith Moses to the people, Set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you this day, for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life, and through this thing you shall prolong your days, so say I set your hearts to the word, labour to set your souls to the word of God, for it is not a vain word, it is your life and length of your days, it is not talking of Christ, but it is the willing of Christ, from the heart that will obtain Christ and Salvation by him.  
We have spoken already of the reasonableness of the condition, whosoever will may receive grace, and that freely; and now we come to the universality of it, the work of the Spirit is tendered to every one, whosoever will give way thus unto it grace is set open to all, and proclaimed to all that will take it upon those terms before spoken of, & therefore saith the Text, Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life, the word in the original is, every willing man, there is no man exempted, no man debarred, no man hindered to take grace upon those terms, if he will condescend to God's conditions, be he what he will be naturally, either in regard of sins and corruptions, or in regard of poverty, or infirmities, whatsoever his natural condition be, yet if he will but agree to God's conditions, if he will but choose and prize Christ above all other things, ●he shall receive him, and grace, and salvation by hi●●● so that the doctrine is this, Whosoever in truth doth will to have Christ shall receive him, and salvation by him, the Text doth not say, Whosoever saith Lord, Lord, shall have Christ and grace, but the willing soul, he shall have him, not the tal●eing man, nor the presuming man, nor the glorying man, but the willing man, so that this is the point, Whosoever in good earnest and in truth will have Christ, shall receive Christ and salvation by him, in the 10. of Luke ver. 5, 6. 
Luke 10. 〈…〉.  when our Saviour Christ sent out his Disciples to prepare way for himself, he saith, into what house soever ye enter, say first, peace be unto this house, and if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it, if not, it shall turn to you again, By peace is meant here, all prosperity whatsoever, all good, temporal and eternal, it was the manner of the ●●lutation of the Hebrews to say, Peace be unto you, therein including all good things whatsoever, now saith the Text, if the house be worthy, that is, if the house be truly disposed if the son of peace be there, that is, he which hath a soul so disposed towards peace, as a Son is towards his Father, that is, he that desires peace, upon that Soul peace shall rest, a blessing shall be upon that soul, but if the house be not worthy, that is, if the heart will not receive the Gospel of Salvation, if the Son of peace be not there, if he be a rebel against God, and against peace in this kind, then let your peace return to you again, there is no footing for Salvation in the soul of that man that refuseth the Gospel, and the means of Salvation which God hath tendered, and as our Saviour Christ, before he comes in doth knock at the door that he may come in, so whensoever the door is opened, 
Reve. 3.20.  he will come in, Reve. 3.20. there saith the Text, Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man will hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. The door is the heart, if the door be opened, if the will be opened to prize and entertain Christ, than Christ and his Father will come into that soul, and dwell with it for ever, and refresh it with all spiritual comfort, and in the 15. of Luke, 
Luk. 15.17.18.  the 17, and 18, verses, when the Prodigal son was returning to his Father, when he saw that he was in misery, and how the case stood with him, no body succoured nor relieved him, he returned to himself saith the text, and reasoneth thus with himself, How many hired servants in my father's house have bread enough and to spare, but I perish with hunger, as who should say, Now I know what it is to be ●n a father's family, here no man considers mee● no man regards me or respects me; and though I be 〈◊〉 son, yet there are many in my father's house which are but servants, which have bread enough, ●ut I though a son, have want of all things, and ●m ready to famish; here is the prize now that he ●utteth upon a father's house, he thinks now it is good to be in a father's house; he thinks now, oh ●he provision and love of a father! happy are they that have it, blessed are they that do enjoy it; and when he had set this prize upon his father's house, Then he ariseth and saith, I will go to my Father, and say, Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants. Then the soul doth put a prize upon Christ, and returneth to him, when it seethe the excellency that is in him. The father of the Prodigal son, when he saw this, that his son returned unto him, and humbled himself, and confessed his fault, he made much of him. The Prodigal had a purpose, a will, a desire to come to his father, And as soon as his father saw him afar off, he went out to meet him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and made much of him, and commanded to bring forth the bestr●be & put it on him, & put a ring● on his hand, and shoes on his feet. The Prodigal is a sinner, and he that is enlightened so fare forth as to see his wretchedness, and is able to set a prize upon the mercy of Christ; he that hath run away from God, the base sinful wretch that never made any account of the word if the Lord hath awakened his h●●rt, so fare forth as that he● can set a high prize upon the word, and say, I wondered heretofore 〈◊〉 see men run to sermons so fast, and make such haste to the house of God when the bells rnuge, woe is me I could never do so! but oh happy are they 〈◊〉 and blessed are they that did so 〈◊〉 o one promise now is worth a world, now the assurance of the forgiveness of sins is worth all the world beside; when the soul of a poor sinner begin thus to prize Christ, and resolves to go to Christ, and expects mercy from him, than the Lord seethe this soul a fare off, and is resolved to give entertainment to it, & to afford comfort thereunto. But you will say, what is the reason of it, that if a ma● wils Christ and salvation he shall have it. I answer, the reasons hereof are three. The first is this, because the Lord requires no more at the hands of a poor sinner, nay, the Lord jesus is fully contented when the soul cometh to give entertainment to him, this alone will give contentment wholly to the Lord jesus Christ. It is the meaning of that speech of the Wiseman, in the Prov. My son, give me thy heart: by heart in that place, is not meant the substance of the soul as it was created of God, this is not that which God looketh for, but My son, give me thy heart, that is, let the actions of thy heart be set upon me; prise me, and choose me, this is that with which the Lord is contented, nay, it is the main thing with which the Lord is fully pleased. In the 5. of Deut. 29. 
Deut. 5.29.  when the people heard the voice of Moses, and were resolved to yield obedience to God's Commandments, they said, Whatsoever the Lord hath spoken by thee, that will we do: when the Lord heard that ●hey would attend and obey his word which he ●oke by his servant Moses, these are very good words, saith the Lord, But oh that there were such a ●eart in them to fear me and keep my Commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever. God he took their outward profession and appearance in good part, but oh that there were such a heart: this strikes all dead, this gives God full content, and therefore we shall observe, that when all other things are weak in us, though there be many failings, and many distempers in a poor soul, yet when the heart is sound and sincere, that is that which giveth the Lord full contentment, he goeth away fully satisfied, with that. In the 2. of Chron. 15.17. 
2 Chron. 15.17  there the text saith of Asa, that he did not take away the high places out of Israel, nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his d●yes: though he failed in many things, yet his heart was perfect and upright, and this the Lord accepted.  
Secondly, as God only requires this, namely, the willing and choosing and prising of Christ, so also▪ by this work of the soul, a poor sinner comes to be enabled to close with God; it is the will that is the main thing whereby we are fitted to close and lay hold of God, and to fasten with the Lord jesus, for it is a rule which we have i●●●turall causes, that all good properly is the object o● the will of a man, truth is the object of the understanding, but the object of the will is good; look as it is with the body of a man, it hath several senses, and those senses have several operations about which they are exercised; as the eye, that se●th colours; the ear heareth sounds, and the tongue that relisheth the meat a man eateth; now all these have several things about which they are exercised, and they are not able to reach one unto the work of another, as the eye cannot hear sounds, nor the ear discern of colours, and neither of these can taste or relish any goodness in that which a man eateth; but the eye that seethe, and the ●are that heareth, and the tongue that only is exercised about tasting; every one of these have several operations; so it is here, all things are made for man, the body for the soul, the understanding for the will, and the will for God; the understanding that seethe truths, and discerns the excellency that is in God, but there is nothing that relisheth and tasteth the goodness which is in God but the will: so that, look as the eye cannot hear, not the care see, and neither of these can relish any goodness in the meat a man eateth, but this is proper to the tongue only, so there is nothing in a man that is able to relish and receive the goodness or the mercy of the Lord, but the will of a man, all things are made for man, the body for the soul, the understanding for the will, and the will for God; the understanding is the Counsellor that seethe all, but the will is the Queen of the soul, that taketh all that good which the understanding seethe and discerneth, and which is offered and tendered unto it. In the 2 of Hosea, and the beginning, this was the ground why the repentant Church came home to God, it is in the 2 of Hos. 7. there saith the text, She shall follow after her lovers, 
Hosea 2.7.  but shall not overtake them, and she shall seek them, but she shall not find them, then shall she say, I will return unto my first husband, for it was better with me than, than it is now: she would return to her first husband, she would give entertainment to the Lord, why, what is the reason of this? why saith she, it was better with me than, than it is now; when the soul can see that it is better to perform the holy services which God requires, than enjoy all the things of the world, when it can say it is better to be with God than any where else, than it returneth to Christ, and this is the reason, why a reasonable creature only is able to receive grace and salvation, reasonable creatures only can receive it, because they only have to receive it, so that we see the willingness of the soul is the heart, whereby we lay hold upon the Lord jesus, whereby our souls are enabled to close with the graces and goodness of God.  
The third reason is this, because the want of this same willingness and heart to receive and embrace Christ and grace, is that which breaketh the match between God and the soul; it is a point of some weighty consideration, there is no lack on God's part, there is no failings on God's side which may hinder or debar a poor soul from receiving the Lord jesus Christ; the fault is our own and lieth at home, for God commandeth all to believe in Christ, nay he beseecheth and intreateth them that they would receive the Lord jesus Christ and comfort and salvation by him; nay it cannot be, because God is just and holy, but he must will that the soul should receive the Lord jesus and believe in him, and be willing to give entertainment to him in this case: So that it is evident that there is no backwardness on God's part, God doth freely will that every soul that heareth the Word of God and hath Christ offered, that they should receive the Lord jesus and benefit thereby, and comfort there from to their souls; but the failing is only in our part, we have not a will to receive Christ jesus when he is offered, and give entertainment to him, and this is that which breedeth the jar between God and our souls, it is not want of obedience to the Commandments of God that will condemn, if the soul be but contented to receive Christ and entertain the work of grace, but this is that which breaketh the match, and maketh a separation between the soul and God, because men will not entertain that grace nor embrace that faith which should procure the forgiveness of their sins. A man may be saved though he do not keep the Commandments of God so perfectly as God required Adam should do, for God said unto Adam, Do this and live, but though a man do not so now he may live, but a man cannot live unless he believe in Christ, and have a will to receive Christ jesus. The first covenant that God made with Adam was do and live, because he created him after his own Image, in righteousness and true holiness, and made him able to perform obedience to all his commandments, but though we have never so many weaknesses, never so many infirmities and sins, yet if we will but be content to receive Christ jesus and grace from him, all our weaknesses shall be strengthened, our wants supplied, and our sins pardoned, but when a man cometh to this pass that he is naught in himself, and will not take Christ to be made better, than he must needs perish and come unto everlasting destruction; and this is that which breaketh the match and breedeth the opposition between God and the soul, 
Matth. 23.37.  Matth. 23.37, 38. there saith our Saviour, O jerusalem jerusalem, thou which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a Hen gathereth h●r Chickens under her wings, and ye would not; Behold therefore your house is left unto you desolate. the fault was on their parts, the Lord wooed them, and strove with them; he would have gathered them as a hen doth her chickings, but they would not, and this caused the jar between the Lord and them, and therefore their house was left unto them desolate. So Psal. 81.13. there saith the text, 
Psal. 81.13.  Oh that may people Israel had harkened unto me! and had walked in my ways, I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries: but my people would not hearken unto my voice, and Israel would none of me, so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust, and they walked in their own counsels. Israel would none of me, there was the breach. So that, that which breaketh the match between God and us, is, because we will not receive mercy, and grace, and salvation, offered unto us, that so our sins may be pardoned, and our persons accepted for our everlasting comfort and salvation. Look as it is with a woman to whom a man maketh love, and would marry her; if she speak him fair, and use great compliments, and bid him welcome, and all this while resolve that she will not be married unto him; all her other outward behaviour the man regardeth not, but counteth it as nothing, because her heart is not with him, (and as the phrase is) if she do not grant him her good will, all is worth nothing. In this case just so it is here, all other outward compliments and performances, God taketh them as matters of ●o consequence or worth, if this believing in Christ, and willing of grace be wanting. If a man shall come and hear the word of God speaking unto him, and shall receive Christ into his family, & pray unto him, and make a great profession of him, all this I must confess is very good; but if the soul do not will Christ, if the heart doth not prize Christ, and choose him, and close with him, and fasten unto him, it is worth nothing. If men will profess fair to Christ, and say, he is welcome, and all this while do not give Christ their souls and good wills, the Lord jesus doth take himself as despised, and counts himself as rejected in this kind, and therefore we shall observe that God regards not any of our performances, 
2 Chron. 25.2.  if they be not done from the heart. 2 Chron. 25.2. there saith the text of Amaziah, He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, and therefore what is this to the marriage in the mean time: so that to gather up all, if it be so, that this hearty willing is that which God requireth of us, if it be that whereby we are able to close with Christ, if the want of this breaketh the match between God and the soul, than the case is clear, that whosoever hath this will shall have Christ and salvation by him; but this willing of Christ doth fully satisfy and content God, it doth enable us to fasten and lay hold upon Christ; the want of this doth break the match between Christ and the soul, and therefore he that hath this will, shall s●rely have Christ, and salvation by him. This contents God, by this we lay hold upon God; and the want of this causeth the breach between God and us, and therefore he that hath this shall have Christ.  
The use of the point is threefold, it is a ground, first of instruction, here we may see and wonder at the riches of God's bounty and goodness in his reasonable dealing with poor sinners, in that God doth not exact every thing at the utmost of us, he doth not require every thing in the utmost rigour, he doth not take poor sinners by the throat (as he did his fellow-servant) saying, Pay me that thou owest me; there is no poor sinner, but he may send the Devil after him to drag him into hell, he may justly say unto every sinful soul, I gave thee perfect righteousness and holiness and ability to perform obedience to all my commandments, either give me that I expected from thee, and thou owest unto me, or else to hell thou must go, where is my service and my obedience and my righteousness that I required of thee; God may say thus to every poor sinner, but he doth not deal thus in justice with us, but blessed be his name, he doth not expect that we should have all sufficiency in ourselves; he doth not say, That he that hath no sin shall be saved; let him take Christ, he that is able to perform obedience to all my Commandments, and do whatsoever● require, he shall have Christ and salvation by him he doth not deal with us after this manner, for then woe were it with us, it is not exact obedience that Christ requireth of us, but the condition is this, If any poor soul will take mercy offered and receive grace tendered unto him, he shall have mercy, he shall receive grace; as if God should say, Thou art a poor sinful creature, many weaknesses are with thee, many imperfections trouble thee, many corruptions do oppress thee, I require no exaction of thee, if thou wilt take Christ and mercy, than Christ is thine, and mercy is thine; is not this marvellous mercy, is not this wonderful goodness. If there should be a poor miserable wretched creature, one that had neither portion nor ability in any measure, nor any thing that could procure a husband, no friends to secure her, no parents to relieve her, but were fatherless and motherless, and void of all comfort; if yet notwithstanding all this, a man of place and ability should come and offer love unto her, though she have nothing, but is troubled with all weaknesses and infirmities, and full of all deformities, if this man now for all this should regard none of these things, if he should look for nothing, nor require any thing of her, but her good will and liking, if she would have him then, he would be married unto her; you will say this is wonderful love, and that nothing but love prevailed with him; surely he could see nothing in her but that which might rather make him despise her, then show any love unto her, but it was the violence of affection which caused him to marry her: This is our condition perfectly, nay we are not able to express our miserable and woeful estate this way, because our baseness and vileness and misery is great in respect of our sins than any poor wretch can be in regard of any outward respect, and the excellency of God also is greater, and fare exceedeth the dignity and excellency of any man in the world, and yet notwithstanding though we be nothing but rags, full of corruptions and rottenness, and deformities, though we have neither beauty, nor portion, nor friends, nor means, but are fatherless and motherless, and laden with abundance of all abominations, yet for all this, this is all that God requireth of us, though we have nothing, and can do nothing, yet if we will but have Christ, if we will but receive grace and mercy offered, if we will but welcome and entertain the Lord jesus, this is all that God expects, the match than is made up, and the business is fully ended, we shall have Christ and abundance of love shown unto us, and this should make a soul burst out, and say is it possible? is it credible that if this my miserable heart would take Christ, he would direct me, if this my wretched damned soul would give entertainment to Christ he would receive me? Oh! what wonderful love, mercy and goodness is herein discovered, there can no better way be devised, how God may express more love, and show greater mercy toward; us, it is the Psalmists phrase, open thy mouth wide, and I will fill thee, lie doth not say, go and provide for yourselves, and feed yourselves, no, no, the provision is made ready, and we need only open our mouths wide, and God will fill them; mark here the wonderful riches of God's bounty, what greater care of provision can be expressed or expected than this, that a man should only open his mouth, and that wide, and it should be filled, it is not spoken of the mouth naturally, but of the soul spiritually, do but thou open thy soul, and empty thy heart of all other things whatsoever, do but get a heart willing to welcome and give entertainment to the Lord jesus Christ, and he will fill thee full of grace here, and glory for ever hereafter; this is the bounty of the Lord, it is the Lords mercy and goodness, and it should, it ought to be marvelous in our eyes, as the Psalmist speaketh in another case, we ought to admire the goodness of the Lord, in that he is pleased to offer us Christ and Salvation, upon so reasonable conditions: and this is the first use.  
Secondly, the second use is a word of terror, it shows in the second place, the just and heavy condemnation of all such as perish, they are damned and go to hell and everlasting destruction, because they will be damned, for if you would have had Christ and grace, you might have received Christ and Grace and Salvation by him. Every man that will, let him take of the water of life freely, let him receive mercy and grace, and Salvation, and therefore if you have not grace, it is because you will not have it, and therefore if you perish thank yourselves, for you would not be saved: there is never a soul this day in hell, bu● received the fruits of his own labour, the reward of their own works, and the desire of their own hearts, nay they have their own will, if thou wilt not be recovered, and receive mercy offered, why then thou must be damned and perish forever, he that will not receive the Lord jesus and entertain grace so that he may go to heaven, 'tis pity but he should be damned into the lowermost pit of everlasting ruin and destruction; when men come to this pass once, that they are not willing to be the treasury of God, but are weary to hear the Word of God preached unto them one hour, and notwithstanding God hath revealed himself in his Word, and that with some glimpse▪ yet wicked men would not be under the power of it, because they would have their profits and pleasures, and enjoy their lusts and coruptions, they will not forsake their lusts, and abandon their abominations, and receive Christ and mercy; when the case stands thus with men, it is just with God to plunge them into everlasting misery, in the 8 of Prov. 36. there saith the text He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul, 
Prov. 8.36.  all they that hate me love death, they that hate me saith the text, that is, they that hate wisdom love death, by wisdom there is meant the Lord jesus, revealing the wisdom of the Father in the Word, now he that hateth this Word of God, he that will not be informed by this Word, he that will not be directed by it, he that will not be humbled by it, his soul taketh up arms against God's ordinances, why he loves death both naturally and eternally, when the wrath of God ceaseth upon him, he hath that which he loveth, you loved this, you loved death, you have it, you loved damnation, you do enjoy it, and it is merveilous just with God, thus to deal with you, you cannot blame God for this but yourselves, wicked men are desirous to be rid of God, and freed from the Counsel of God, that may chalk them out the way to Salvation, and they desire nothing; the knowledge of God's laws many wicked carnal man doth not desire, the good and Salvation of his own soul, he doth not desire the preaching of the Word, for the reformation of his life, and the humbling of his soul, and directing of him in the ways of God's Commandments; they say to God, now depart from us, we care not for thy laws, we will not walk after thy Commandments, if he at the last day say unto you, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not, than you shall have your desire, when the heavens shall melt away with fire, and the Sun and the Moon shall be darkened, when all flesh shall appear before the judgement seat of God, at that day men and Angels shall hear the dreadful doom which shall pass upon you by the Lord, you contemned my word and ordinances, and therefore away from me ye cursed into everlasting destruction, prepared for the devil and his Angels, you desired not to be informed, you would not be humbled, you refused to be directed by my word when it was preached unto you, but you desired to fulfil your lusts, and enjoy your profits and your pleasures, you did not desire to be saved, and therefore now you shall have your desire, you shall be damned, and therefore departed from me, I know you not. You would have your pride when you were upon the earth, when you are in hell you may be as proud as you will, you would have your malice, when you are in hell you may have your desire, you may have your fill of maliciousness, in hell you may have elbow room enough to satiate yourselves in your lusts and sinful abominations, when the soul of a man doth secretly desire that the Word may not work upon him, than it is just with God to grant that desire of his soul, it were just with God that the Word should never work more, that the Spirit should never strive more, that mercy and Salvation should never be offered any more, that man shall then have what he desired, and he may blame himself for whatsoever judgement falls upon him, in the 2 of Thess. 2.12. there saith the text, 
2 Thess. 2.12.  that they all might be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, mark that he speaks before of those that would not entertain the truth, and the love of it, but when God made known his will and the way of Salvation, they did not love that niceness, they cared not for that exactness and holiness, why what do you love then saith God? upon what is your love placed? upon what is the desire of your soul fixed? oh saith the text, They took pleasure in unrighteousness, in contemning, opposing, hindering, and despising the good Word of God, and therefore they shall be damned: when a man is not able to abide an admonition, when he cannot endure to be informed or counselled, exhorted or reproved; when the ministers nor the Word of God can have any power over men, when these poor creatures shall come into hell, than they shall have elbow room to fulfil their lusts and corruptions wherein they so much delighted, they took pleasure in wickedness, they would not, they could not abide the means of grace and salvation; you would have no reproofs, you would endure no admonitions, it was well with you, when you had no ministers to check and reproove you, but alas poor soul, when you are gone down into the bottomless pit of everlasting perdition, than you may have your full swing, than you shall never be reproved more, than you shall never be counselled more, you shall never be admonished more, you shall then never be prayed for any more, but be damned in hell for ever, from everlasting to everlasting; you shall then have your full pleasure in your sins, is it not just with God, that you who would live in wickedness and profaneness, and would not receive grace and mercy when it was offered, that God should give you up to the hardness of your own hearts, and blindness of your own minds, & send you into everlasting condemnation for ever? First look as it is with a malefactor that is convicted of high treason for plotting some wicked practice against his Prince, or for proceeding into rebellion for the overthrow of his Country, after all the sinful passages of his be discovered and made known, both to himself and the world, if the King after this make the Proclamation, that if he will leave of his wicked erterprises he shall be pardoned, nay if the King shall send message after message unto him, secretly to tell him, that if he now will lay down arms, and take his pardon, he shall freely be remitted and graciously received into favour, if this Traitor shall rather fling away his pardon then his weapons, I appeal to your own consciences in this case, if the King should ●●ife an army and overcome him, and take him and execute him without any pity or mercy, is he not justly rewarded, what will the world say, they will say, execution and death is too good for him, so he had a fair offer of pardon, if he had had a heart to receive it, he had pardon proclaimed unto him, nay the King sent messenger after messenger, to tell him, that if he would stoop to him, he should receive mercy and favour from him, and therefore seeing be refused and neglected so kind an offer, he is executed justly, it is pity but condemnation should befall him, because h● would not take the means of consolation, this is the condition of every poor soul under Heaven truly we are all Rebels and Traitors against Heaven, by our ●●thes and blasphemies we fet our mou●● against Heaven, we have often taken up arms against God, and yet after all our pride and stubbornness, and looseness, and profaneness, and contempt of God's Word and Ordinances, and yet the Lord is pleased to proclaim mercy still, to every one that will receive it, all you that have dishonoured my name, all you that have profaned my Sabbaths, and contemned my Ordinances, all you cursed wretches come, come who that will, and take pardon, let them lay aside all their weapons, and receive it and salvation by him when it is offered to them, and they shall have their sins forgiven, and they shall be received to mercy, now if any soul will stand out against God and say, I will not have Christ and Salvation, but will shift for myself, and try it out to the last, I will walk in my own ways, and take up my own courses, I will be proud still, I will break Gods Sabbaths' still, and I will be malicious still, and break God's Commandments still, if any man shall be thus disposed, if then the great God of Heaven and Earth shall come, with ten thousand thousand of judgements, and execute them upon that man, if he shall bring a whole legion of devils, and say, Take him devils, and torment him devils in hell forever, because he would not have mercy when it was offered, he shall not have mercy, because he would not have Salvation when it was tendered unto him, therefore let him have everlasting condemntion, if God should thus deal with that man, the Lord should be just in so doing, and he justly miserable: And this is the second use, it is an use of terror to all those that will not receive Christ, and grace, and salvation by him.  
Thirdly, in the third place it is a word of exhortation, it should set an edge upon your desires, and provoke your souls to give no sleep to your eyes nor slumber to your eyelids, to give no quiet to your souls, nor contentment to your hearts, until you have brought your souls to be willing to receive Christ jesus, you are the Spouse of jesus Christ, it is good for you therefore to consider, and think of your estate in this kind, if you will but have Christ, that is all he careth for, if he can but get your good wills, he looks for no more, and therefore you are to consider of it, and lie at your hearts daily, you should daily be persuading of your souls, and never cease till you have brought your hearts in some measure, to be willing to receive the Lord jesus, and bid him welcome, and give entertainment unto him, and the more to prevail with you in this case, consider of the reasonableness of the condition, and this may be a motive to provoke your souls hereunto, because the offer is marvellous easy, as fair as can be, the terms of agreement are as fair as any heart can desire, nay there is very good consideration in the goodness which the Lord hath tendered to us, and that is thus much, If we will but receive Christ jesus, all that he hath shall be ours, the treasures of wisdom, and grace, and salvation, they shall be all ours, if we will but entertain the Lord jesus, let us therefore reason with our own souls, and commune with our own spirits concerning this gracious offer of salvation; the soul should say, What, hath the Lord offered salvation at so easy a rate, will he notwithstanding what ever I have been heretofore, full of corruptions and abominations, though my soul stands guilty of my sins and distempers, though I be possessed with many weaknesses and infirmities, yet notwithstanding all this, will the Lord be pleased to pardon all, to supply all, to pass by all, only upon this condition, if I will welcome and entertain him; may I have Christ for taking of him, may I receive grace for carrying it away; why, good Lord if I will not do this for Christ and grace I will do nothing; doth God require no more, why, then if grace and mercy and salvation be not worth this, they are worth nothing, if I will not do this, I will do nothing for eternal life; this is that God expects, all that he looks for; Every man that will, let him take grace and mercy, and that freely. In the 2 of King. 5.13. the text saith of Naaman the cabirian, 
2 King. 5.13  when he came to Elisha the man of God to be healed, the Prophet sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash seven times in jordan, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. Now he being a man of authority and of some place, he took this somewhat in disdain, that he should send a messenger out unto him, and bid him wash seven times in jordan, he was wrath and went away and said, Behold, I thought he would surely come out to me, and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and struck his hand over the place and remove the Leper; he did think the Prophet would have done some great matter unto him, and therefore when he saw that he bid him go wash seven times in jordan, he went away in a kind of indignation; but then his servants they came near to him in the 13. 
2 King. 5 13.  verse, and said, My father if the Prophet had bid thee, etc. As who should say if you will not do so small a matter to be cured, you will do nothing. So I say to every soul here present, if the Lord had required a great matter of us whereby we might attain salvation; if he had required a thousand Rams & 10. thousand rivers of Oil; if he had required the first borne of our body for the sin of our souls, if the Lord had enjoined every soul of us to live howling & crying all the days of our life for mercy; if he had commanded us to go into a Chamber secretly, and there to fall upon our knees and pray unto him continually for mercy until our eyes had failed with looking up to heaven for mercy, until our hands had been wearied with holding them up to heaven, until our tongues had been hoarse with crying for mercy, and until our hearts failed us and fainted within us; if at the very last gasp we should be crying for mercy and did 〈◊〉 then receive one drop of it▪ it would quit cost, it would be worth our labour; if the Lord had required all things whatsoever of you for one drop of mercy; if you had had your eyes about you, y●● would have given them, but what a wonderful goodness is this, that the Lord should require nothing at our hands for Christ and grace and salvation, but a will to receive them; let me press this a little further; if God had required a great thing of you, would you not have done it to have been saved? how much more, when it cometh to this once, that it is at a lower rate than we can desire or expect it should be, only be willing to take mercy and you shall have it, do but carry away grace and it is your own for ever. I cannot conceive of any easier term, whereby God might better express his wonderful goodness towards us, wilt thou receive Christ and salvation by him● why then thou mayst have him, nay the Lord even forceth his commodities and his favour upon us, he doth not only offer us this, but he forces it upon us in this kind, he is not only willing that we should receive Christ if we be but willing to take him, but the Lord himself doth beseech us that we will be reconciled unto him, and receive mercy from him, and be blessed for ever. Take notice of this unmatchable and unconceivable mercy of the Lord, in that he offereth Christ and the means of salvation upon so easy conditions, and at so low a rate; if we can but will Christ we shall have Christ and salvation by him, nay we shall not only receive Christ if we will entertain him, but the Lord himself doth beseech us to take mercy at his hands; ask your own souls therefore if it be not equal that you should entertain the offer of Christ thus pronounced unto you. But be ●●les as a further motive hereunto consider, that as the terms are equal and easy, so the commodity also in the second place is worth the price, and this may also enforce our hearts to forsake all for the getting of, the possession of this goodness which we stand so in need of; if the commodity were not good, though the condition were cast, and the price reasonable, it were the● indeed something, we could think to mend ourselves in another place; but here as the terms are most easy, so the good is fare better than can be conceived; you cannot mend yourselves go whither you will, use what means you will. If you will have Christ, what then, will you have as men use to say, when a man hath a commodity offered him a good penny worth, and he knows not a good bargains when he hath it, mark what Chapmen will say; Oh say they, you will go further and speed worse▪ just so it is here, it is the woefull●●● thing under heaven for ●en not to know when they have a good bargains, and when they are we● dealt withal▪ To refuse mercy and salvation when it is offered them, and that upon so easy terms, and at so low a rate; for what will you have if you will not have Christ, if you will nor have grace and salvation, why, what will you have, upon what will you bestow your hearts? you will have your sins and corruptions, and not grace and mercy, you will have damnation, and not salvation; you will have hell, you will not have heaven; you will be like the jews, who refused Christ, and chose Barrabas a murderer, for whensoever a soul refuseth the Lord jesus, it is certain that he chooseth a Barrabas: if you refuse the one, you must needs receive the other, and then consider which is best, you will not have Christ and salvation, what will you then have, hell, damnation, confusion, and destruction; you will not be happy, and therefore you must be miserable; and therefore this is observable, the Lord hath sent from heaven this day, and offered salvation and happiness to men, as freely as ever any man had any thing offered; I come this day from the Lord to inquire how the case standeth, and how the match goeth forward between Christ and you: Let me therefore go to your souls, and answer you me unto my question; the offer of grace you see is free, the condition is easy, the price is reasonable, whither now will you have mercy and salvation, or no▪ you little ones, you young ones, that have been married to profits and pleasures, to lusts and corruptions, the Lord jesus is become a great suitor to you all this day, and I am Christ's spoksman to speak a good word for him; be not, oh be not squeamish and coy, and say afterward you will speak with him, and tell him how your mind stands: defer not the time, but welcome him, and give entertainment unto him now presently, do not put him off with delays, but presently embrace his kind offer, and be married unto him, for if you will not now take him, he will come in a flaming fire hereafter, to take vengeance of you all that now refuse and reject him, and therefore I beseech you let 〈◊〉 get your good will for this, every man that will, let him take grace and salvation freely, tell m●● then, will you have mercy and salvation? oh take heed of refusing it, for if you do the time will come when you shall never have it, though you never so earnestly desire it, if you obtain it you are made for ever, if you enjoy it not, you are for ever damned; return therefore I beseech you a comfortable answer to the demand which the Lord maketh, if you will receive grace and Christ and Salvation from him, then speak to the Lord in this case, let your souls answer him cheerfully, we will Lord, the Lord saith, come unto me ye sinful sons of men, and I will h●ale your rebellions; answer the Lord and say, we come Lord, for thou art our God, think upon this, and work your souls hereunto, grant Christ your good wills in this kind; if you will but prise him and choose him above all things in this world, if you be resolved to cleave only to him, and forsake all other things in the world for him; if your souls be but willing to receive Christ, I proclaim mercy and salvation unto you, we are as I told you before, Christ's messengers, sent to speak a good word for Christ, and to get your good wills for him: oh that we may have our errant from you▪ shall I say to the Lord jesus, all the poor souls that have heard the Word this day, and received the tender of Salvation this day, I have all their hands, they have all writ down their names, that they will have Christ, and they will have salvation offered unto them, is it thus with you, if it be so, than I may go and return a cheerful answer to Christ; but do not, do not I beseech you give me the denial, do not say I cannot live by grace; I must provide for family, for wife and children; can you not so, why? I must not take this answer from you, let not Gods messengers go drooping to heaven, and return this uncomfortable answer to the Lord, in this case let us not say we offered mercy, no body would receive it, we tendered salvation, but no body regarded it; shall we return this answer, no no, we must have another answer from you, and therefore I beseech you work yet more upon your souls, and turn unto us a cheerful answer in this case; for God looketh for a comfortable answer, he wooeth from heaven, and therefore never give her the denial. 
Deut. 5.29.  In the 5. of Deut. 29. Oh that there were such a heart in my people to fear me and keep my Commandments, that it may go well with them, and with their children after them, thus he writeth, thus we speak, what answer shall we have from you? that you will not have Christ, and you will not have grace and salvation! Oh take heed of this, we come for your hearts, and we must have your hearts, therefore shut up your doors against all other lovers, and come and say cheerfully, we will Lord, we will cleave to thee only; go home therefore, and whatsoever you now resolve this way, persevere in it, and take heed that no man inveigle you and withdraw your love from the Lord jesus; and when you come at home, reason with your own souls, and say, Lord I have followed ra●ties heretofore, I have had profits and pleasures do look after, but now I care for nothing but for the Lord jesus, if I may but have him, I care for nothing else; I ●are not whether I ever see good day again or no: and therefore if pleasures call, if profits entice, if lusts and corruptions stir, than I will answer, I am married to Christ, I will have Christ, and I will have salvation, nothing shall make me forsake him; thus cleave fast unto Christ forever, let every soul resolve that hath heard me this day, that they will have Christ, and let them take heed that they never start back from him, and say to your so●●es before so many witnesses in the Congregation, the Lord called and asked whither I would have him? and I answered, I was willing, and what shall I now break off my resolution● no, never do it for shame; for if you do for sake Christ, and do not keep close to your resolution; at the last day, when the Angels of God, & a whole Congregation shall come and witness against you, what a miserable estate will you then be in, therefore resolve to hold f●st to Christ, and keep this resolution unto the end.   
1 COR. 2.14. 
The natural man receiveth no● the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  
WE have propounded heretofore five general circumstances of preparation. First a man must know that the offer of grace is free. Secondly that a man must will Christ and grace before he shall have Christ & grace. Thirdly, he that doth will Christ, shall have Christ and salvation by him; all which we have already handled out of that place Revel. 22.17. Whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely. And now we are come to the fourth circumstance, which is that no man by nature can will Christ and Grace; and for this purpose I have chosen this Text. And a little to make way for ourselves, if you take your eyes back to the beginning of the Chapter, about the 3, 4, and 5. Verses, you may see how the holy Apostle doth express his earnest desire to preach nothing, not know any thing but Christ jesus, and him crucified, and therefore he looks not after the excellency of humane eloquence, or wisdom of men, though he could have had this too; and happily expressed this also, yet he proclaims it in the ears of the Corinthian Doctors, that he desired nothing in that University (for Corinth was a famous University as Cambridge and Oxford is) but to know the Lord jesus and him crucified, and therefore his speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power the Corinthian Doctors bragged of, that humane wisdom and learning wherewith they were endued, but he tells them he desired not this, nor never look● after it. Now lest some might cavil at the Apostles neglecting of this elegance, whereby 〈◊〉 might sugar over his doctrine that was to be d●●●vered by him to the people, lest by the nor regarding of this, he might bring a neglect upon himself and upon his doctrine; the Apostle therefore to remove these  objections and secret cavils, discovers unto us from the fift Verse to the end of the Chapter, the excellency of the Gospel of the Lord, delivered in the plainness of it in the sixth Verse; there saith he, howbeit we speak wisdom among them that be perfect, yet not the wisdom of this wo●●●, nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory, as if he had said, though you think (O ye Corinthians) that there is no learning but humane learning, yet you must know that we speak wisdom too, and that to those that are the perfectest men in their own understanding. I tell you, we speak wisdom which the world and the princes thereof, those that have the greatest parts never knew, never obtained; you Corinthian Doctors brag much of your learning and knowledge, but you have received it of other humane authors, but we teach unto you the wisdom of God and of the Gospel, which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, for God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit, where we may observe by the way, that he which teacheth the Gospel in the plainness of it, teacheth the deepest things that can be conceived; for here S. Paul speaketh of things which the wise of the world never heard of, never conceived. But then they might reply further, how can you know these things, and why may not others know them as well as you? These are the two objections that might be made against that which the Apostle had before spoken of. How came you to know them, and why may not others know them as well as you? The Apostle answereth these two questions. And he answers the first, how he came to know them, from the 10. Verse to the 14. God saith he, hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God; now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, as if he had said, The spirit of God knoweth these things, and teacheth a poor soul these things as fare as is convenient for him; the Spirit of God understandeth these things, and makes known these things to his servants; they know not these things of themselves but by the power of God; Spirit, the Spirit of God assisting and working effectually in them, teacheth them these secrets. But then why do not wicked men come to understand these great matters also? To this the Apostle answers in the Text, The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit; for they are foolishness unto him, etc. they do not know them because they cannot. A natural man doth not know these things, they are wonders and miracles unto him, tell him how a poor soul comes to be humbled and broken, and have his sins pardoned, and be received to mercy, why these things are wonders to a carnal man, the Text saith, he doth not understand these things, because he cannot, and the ground of this is, because they have not the spirit to teach them; & this I take to be the scope of the Apostle in the Text; and in the verse we are to observe only one point meet for our purpose, for as we have said before, there are five general circumstances of preparation observable; three we have handled, and the fourth is this, No man of himself by nature can will to receive Christ; and this is here plainly set open in the text, and therein manifestly expressed, it is the main scope of the holy Ghost in the words, a natural man receiveth not, nay he cannot receive the things of God; but before we can come to gather the point, two things must be discovered unto us. First what is meant by a natural man. Secondly what is meant by the things of the spirit of God. First, what is meant by a natural man, the Corinthians might have replied upon the Apostle, what are you a man of the spirit only, what mean you by a natural man? I answer, he is a natural man, in phrase of Scripture, which hath not the work of grace sound wrought in him, which hath not the spirit of God; whosoever he be that lieth in the bosom of the Church, whosoever he be that hath a name to live and yet is dead, all carnal Gospelers and hyppocrites, those that are coloured over with the name of Christians and religion, whosoever they be that have not that saving work of grace, and the new frame of grace set up and reared in their souls, by the assistance of God's Spirit, all these how ever they may be coloured over, if they have not had the sanctifying work of God's Spirit upon them, all these are said according to the Phrase of the Apostle, to be natural men, and void of the spirit, as may appear by the words going before the Text, and following after. First compare them with the words going before in the 10. and 12. Verses, We have received the Spirit of God, faith the Text; the natural man and the spiritual are opposed one to another. We saith the Apostle have received the Spirit, so that he that hath God's Spirit is a spiritual man, and therefore he that hath not the Spirit of God in him, he that hath not the will of God revealed unto him by the Spirit he is a natural man. Look also in the words after the Text, Vers. 15. He that is spiritual discerneth all things, he that hath a heart truly humbled, and a soul truly sanctified; he that is adopted, he is a spiritual man, so that he which is void of the Spirit▪ he is a natural man; the phrase is excellent in this kind, 
jude 19  jude 19 these be they saith the Text, that separate themselves, sensual, not having the Spirit; the words there interpret one another, he was speaking before of wicked wretches, and those that lived after their own ungodly lusts; in the 18. Verse saith the Text, there shall be mockers in the last time who shall walk after their own ungodly lusts; where we may note, that we shall never see a mocker, one that opposeth Christ and the Gospel, and is jeering at the Saints of God, but he walks after ungodly lusts. They are sensual men, who be those sensual men? those that have not the Spirit of God, as we may see Verse 19 and therefore whosoever he be or whatsoever he be, be his appearance never so good, if he be not truly sanctified by the spirit of God, though he be a new man outwardly, if he be not sound in his conversation, he is a natural man; he that hath not the Spirit of God ruling and domineering over his lusts, he is in a natural estate.  
The second thing which is to be discovered is this, vid. what is meant by the things of the Spirit of God, and then the point will fall fair and undeniable. To this I answer, there are some things of God that are revealed in the creation of the world, Rom. 1.20. there saith the text, 
Rom. 1.20.  The invisible things of him (meaning God) from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; that is, a man that looketh into the frame and fabric of the world, and seethe the making of the earth, and the Sea, and all things therein, he cannot say, but God hath been here, an infinite wisdom, and an Almighty power hath been here, and framed all these things, but these are not the things of God, which are meant in the text, but there are other things of God which we must look after, and they cannot be discerned by the creation of the world, and therefore, 1 Cor. 1.21. 
1 Cor. 1.21.  we shall observe this, After that in the Wisdom of God, saith the text, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching, to save them that believe, mark the natural men might have known though they would not, that there was a God, by the wisdom of God, that is by the wisdom of God in creating of the World and by the observation of things in the same, but they could not take notice of him as a God reconciled, as a God that should appoint Christ as a redeemer, and as a God that should send Christ to be a redeemer, these are the things which men could not know by the creation of the world and by the wisdom thereof; the things of grace and of our redemption, the favour and love that God bears towards his in Christ, these are the things of God, the things of election, sanctification, justification and glorification; these are the things of God which are meant especially in the Text, as if he had said, God by the spirit can only reveal these things, these come immediately from God by the means he hath appointed; a man may know that God hath created heaven and earth, and that he hath made all, and provided for all, and yet go to hell. But he that hath found God's love in Christ, God working graciously upon his soul, God humbling his heart and pulling down his soul that he might be fit to receive mercy, and then bestowing mercy upon him; when a soul seethe these things, than these are the things of God here meant; God's spirit must only work these, the spirit only must reveal these, and by the operation of the spirit we are made partakers of these, these are the things of God which are to be understood in the Text; God is said to call and to sanctify, it is the Spirit that converts, and adopts, and humbles men's souls, as who should say, These are the works of the Spirit, there is no seeing, there is no perceiving of these, there is no way to be made partakers of these without the spirit, so that the doctrine now lieth open, and that is this; No man naturally is able of his own power to receive the spiritual things of grace and salvation, no natural man, that is, he that hath not the spirit of God working in him, no man that is in his natural estate can receive the spiritual things of grace and salvation. He doth not receive them, nay he cannot receive them saith the Text, to put out all doubts, and to cast away all cavils; the Text doth not only say he doth not receive them, but that he cannot receive them, do he what he will, do he what he can, come to a natural man; and ask him will you receive Christ and the work of grace? why yes with all his heart, and he makes no doubt but he doth so, and he hopes he shall find the comfort of it. The Text saith, God saith, the truth saith, you do not, nay you cannot, you say you do, whom shall we believe in this case, God or you; I can prove you are a natural man, you live in base wicked courses, the Spirit of God is an holy Spirit; you live in ungodly and unlawful courses, the Spirit of God is a wise Spirit, you are ignorant and know not the things belonging to salvation, and therefore the world knows, and you know that you are a natural man, and the spirit, that saith a natural man cannot receive the things of God, and yet you say you can, whom therefore shall we believe? so that the point is plain, that a man by nature hath not power to will to receive Christ and grace and salvation by him, and we will make good the point in four particulars, by way of explication, That a man hath not power to will to receive grace and salvation by Christ; First to omit that which the Papists themselves confess in this case, namely that a natural man of himself cannot find out the means of life and Salvation, but God must give him some preventing grace, he must be enlightened, that is, God must reveal and make known the things that concern his peace unto him out of the Word; he must discover those things unto him, which appertain to his peace and justification by Christ. I will omit this, and speak only of the power which a natural man hath to entertain the things belonging to life and Salvation; and suppose it be granted that the things of Salvation must be made known unto a natural mat in this case, or else he can never of himself find them out, yet when these things be set open to men's cares by the ministers of God, when grace and Salvation are offered unto men, yet mar●● when these are proclaimed, a natural man cannot entertain these things, but the heart of a natural man will 〈◊〉 away from these things, which we may plainly see, if we look but into the 19 of Mat. 
Mat. 19.22.  22. there was a young man made some good profession, he came unto Christ, and asked him, Master, what good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life? Christ said unto him, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments, the young man aske● Christ, which Commandment he should keep, our Saviour answers him, Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not commit adultery, etc. The young man answers, All these things have I observed from my youth, what lack jyet; Then Christ saith unto him, if thou wilt be perfect, go sell all that thou hast and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, but the text saith, Vers. 32. When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions: All the while before our Saviour had not touched him to the quick, but when he saith unto him, Go thy ways sell all that thou hast and follow me, and thou shalt have treasue in heaven, he then went away, why, mark here, Christ made him a brave offer, he told him he should inherit heaven and happiness if he would but do this, but saith the text, he went away sorrowful, the text doth not say that he would dispute of it, and consider of it, but presently as soon as he heard it, he had a secret kind of distaste against it, and went away and with drew himself from the offer of life & salvation. The phrase is pretty to observe in the 5 of john 40. 
john. 5.40.  there our Saviour Christ was disputing with the Scribes and Pharisees, and showing unto them the means of Salvation, but mark what our Saviour saith of them, Ye will not come to me that ye might have life, mark that phrase; for it is observable in the 39 vers. the verse going before, our Saviour had said unto them, Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me; the offer was fair, if they would but have come to Christ, they might have had life, but mark what he saith of them, of the Scribes and Pharisees, and so of all natural men, they will not come, though mercy and salvation be offered and tendered.  
But in the second place, when these things of life and salvation are set before a natural man, and offered unto him, and he will not come to Christ, that he may have them; yet suppose Christ come to him, imagine the Lord jesus comes home to the soul of a poor sinner, and knocketh & rappeth at the door of his heart, continually striving with him by his blessed Spirit, and the use of means; although the Lord would win him, and woo him as he did jerusalem, O jerusalem, jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not: Look as the hen clocketh her chickens together that so she may gather them under her wings, and thereby prevent them from some mischance that may befall them, so the Lord jesus called after Jerusalem, and wept over it: Oh that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace, and yet they would none of him; just so is the case of all natural men, God calleth after them, and kno●keth again and again, and yet notwithstanding they do not only decline from the truth, but if the Spirit of God still strive with them, if they cannot go away from Christ, but Christ follows them home to their houses as it were, than they fall out with Christ, and profess they will none of Christ and salvation, they resist and oppose the Spirit of God, they take up arms against the Spirit in this kind. Act. 7.51. there saith the text, 
Act. 7.51.  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye: which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted, etc. as who should say, the Lord sent his spirit in the ministry of the Prophets (for so you must conceive of God's Ministers, though they be poor souls, yet God's spirit labours through them, and when they strive with the souls of men, and labour to pluck them out of their sins, than God's Spirit strives.) God sent his spirit among these men here, & yet they resisted it. And so, Act. 13.46. 
Act. 13.46.  there saith the text of Paul and Barnabas, that they waxed bold and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing ye put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo we turn to the Gentiles. The text doth not say, because ye have gone away from the word, But because you have put it away from you: Thus the soul of a natural man doth put away the word of God, and opposeth salvation. In this kind, in the 22. Matt. 5. 
Matt. 22.5.  When the King there had prepared a great feast of fat things, when he had killed he Oxen and his fatlings, and all things were ready, he sent forth his harbingers about to call them that were bidden to the feast, but they (saith the text) made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to hit merchandise, etc. Christ he sends his faithful Ministers about to invite all people to receive life and salvation, Come ye that are hungry and thirsty and buy without money: but the truth is, they in the Parable spoken of, would not come to the feast, so it is with all natural men, though our Saviour follows the●, and would persuade them to entertain the means of salvation, yet they refuse it, and stand out against it; so that they do not only withdraw themselves from the truth, but oppose it when they are pursued.  
Thirdly, a natural man doth not only withdraw himself from grace and salvation offered, and resist this grace pressed upon him, but if the Lord follow him yet further, and course him, and pursueth him that he may give him grace; yet considered in hi● self, he is not capable of this grace. In the 6 of Mat. 24. there saith our Saviour, Ye cannot serve 〈◊〉 and Mammon, 
Mat. 6.24.  Every man naturally hath his Mammon, the proud man hath his Mammon, and the covetous man hath his Mammon, and the prop●●● man hath his Mammon, now these cannot serve God and Mammon, also to serve them both, doth not imply only a difficulty, but an impossibility also, so that we may plainly see, a natural man is no capable of grace, but understand this wisely, I do not say, that a man by nature is uncapable of grace, thus fare, that he is not a fit subject to be wrought upon, and to be made capable, but th●● I say, that a man having sin, and remaining in his sins, is not able to entertain grace, things so considered for a while, as long as he continueth in that estate, he is not capable of grace, but yet God ●an make him fit, and disposed thereunto, he may be wrought thereunto, and God by his spirit can make him able to entertain grace, but he must first be disposed thereunto, look as it is with a vessel that is full of puddle, there is an unpossibility now in this vessel, as long as it is full of that pudly and filthy water, that it should receive clean and pure water, but when it is emptied of that filthy water, than it is capable to receive pure water, but first the dirty water must be put out, before it can receive the pure. Just so it is here, though the soul may be made a vessel fit to receive grace, yet now being full of abominations, full of covetousness, full of malice, full of pride, full of love of ourselves, full of hypocrisy, full of carelessness, looseness, and profaneness, full of all manner of lusts, and corruptions, and concupiscence of the flesh, when the soul is brim full of these, it is impossible that it should receive grace, it is impossible that grace and corruption should lodge in the same bosom, so that God must first empty the soul of these lusts, and abominations, and prepare him for grace, before grace can be put into him, before he can receive grace from God, the fallow ground that hath a great many thistles, and is full of weeds, and nettles, and grass, this ground we use to say is yet arable ground, it may be ploughed and made fit to receive seed, and bear fruit, but it must first be ploughed, for all the while this trash is in it, it is not fit for seed, though it may be made fit by tilling of it, so the soul of a sinner is arable, God can fit it, and prepare it to receive grace and eternal life, but he must be first ploughed and made fit, he is overrun with all corruptions, and therefore of himself, for a while before the Lord humble him and fit him, and prepare him to entertain Christ, and receive grace, he cannot receive it. 
joh. 5.44.  joh. 5.44. There saith the Text, Ho● can you believe which receive honour one of another, and s●eke not the honour which cometh from God only. As who should say, these things cannot stand together, that a man should be full of sin, and at that time go to the Spirit to have his sins crucified, these thing cannot stand so, that there is a kind of indisposition and impossibility, for the present, 
Rom. 6 20.  that a natural man should receive grace▪ Rom. 6.20. There saith the Text, When you 〈◊〉 servants to sin, you were free from righteousness, that is, when a man's corruptions rule over him, when a man yields himself to be under the power of his lusts, when sin is a man's master, insomuch that he must do every thing which that commands him; if malice command him to hate, than he must obey malice, and hate, and envy his brother, when covetousness is a man's master, and, if that bids him gripe, and cheat, and cousin, he must then do it, i● a man be thus a servant to sin, he is free from righteousness, he cannot be made partaker of grace and salvation so long as he remains in this estate and condition.  
Fourthly, the fourth passage is this, as the soul of a natural man declines from grace offered and revealed, as it opposeth grace, pressed so in the fourth place it is not willing to be wrought upon, that it may be fit to receive grace, and be made capable of it; there is no natural man under heaven that is willing to be wrought upon, that he may be capable to receive grace, 
Luke 19▪ 14.  he would not have grace and Christ, and though he might in the 19 of Luke the 14. and 27. verses, our Saviour Compares himself to a master that was to go into a fare Country to receive a kingdom, and therefore gives over his estate into the hands of his servants, he called his ten servants and gave them ten pounds, saying, Occupie till I come.  
Now when he is gone mark what the Text saith in the 14. Verse, We will not have this man to rule over us; the Citizens hated him and sent a messenger after him saying, We will not have this man to rule over us. Herein is employed two things, first that God would rule over the hearts, he would inform their judgements, and fit their souls to receive grace, but mark what they say, We will not have him to reign over us, we will not have the Lord jesus take possession of our hearts, and rule and guide them in the way of grace and salvation, and so say all natural men when the truth of God is followed and pressed, and their consciences awakened and their minds enlightened, than they cry out, we will not be troubled and pestered with these matters; in the 8. of Rom. 7. there saith the Text the carnal mind is enmity against God, 
Rom. 8.7.  for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. A natural man is not subject to God, he is not, nay he cannot be subject to the Law of God, the Text doth not say he doth not obey the Law of God, but he is not subject to it; for it is one thing to obey the word and Spirit of God, and another thing to be subject unto it, as for example, suppose a master command his servant to do something that is unjust and unlawful, and if he will not do it, then beats him; the servant is then said to be subject to his master, he may bear the blow and endure the stripes of his master, but if he be honest and will not do the thing, he cannot be said to obey his master; so likewise if it please a Prince to deal harshly with his subject, and punish him unjustly, his subject may submit himself unto him, but he doth not obey him, but this is the madness of our sinful natures that we will not be subject to the Word of God, we will not bear the blow, nor endure the stroke of the Spirit, that so it may pluck us out of our corruptions, and frame us and fashion us in this case, and make us fit to receive grace; but when the word discovereth our sins unto us, and our misery in regard of the same, the soul begins to swell and take up an indignation against the truth revealed, it endeavours what it may, and labours what it can to acquit itself of the word and to cast out the same, we profess that we will not have our hearts informed and our minds enlightened, we will not be humbled and prepared to receive grace and salvation offered by the Lord jesus. If it be not thus, what mean those swellings and bubblings of heart against the word when it is preached, sometimes a man's conscience is opened and touched by the Word of God, and what follows? why presently he professeth he will never hear that Minister more, he saith 'tis pity he should ever preach more, and 'twerew'ere good he were out of the Country, and that the kingdom were rid of him; alas, what doth the Minister this while, what doth he intent all this while that you take such distaste at him, why, you have a proud heart, he would humble it, he would pluck you out of your corruptions that you may be prepared for grace, but your souls say, you will not be wrought upon and framed, that you may receive grace and salvation; however you do not profess so much with your mouths, yet your actions testify as much, there is never a faithful Minister of God but speaks home to the consciences of men, and tells them of their beloved sins and bosom corruptions, and he doth this to prepare way for the Lord jesus. He knows you must be fitted to receive grace and salvation, before you shall be made partakers of grace and salvation; he knows that there are many mountains to be leveled, and crooked things to be made strait, and many rough things to be made smooth and plain, and therefore he intends nothing but to have your souls broken and prepared for Christ, but you say you will not be humbled and framed, and made fit to see the things that belong to your peace here, and your salvation hereafter, and therefore you cannot receive the things of God: so then to gather up all together, if it be so, that when the things of grace and salvation are revealed and offered, a natural man doth turn away from them, if it be so that though the Lord striveth with a natural man, and labours by his Spirit to win him and woo him to receive grace, yet he resists the Spirit, and takes up arms against the offer of grace; if it be so that when the Lord follows him with grace, yet a natural man is not capable of grace, if it be so that the heart of a natural man is not subject to the Word of God, and would not be wrought upon that he may be made fit to receive grace, than it is clear, that a natural man cannot receive the things of God if he goes away from grace offered and resists grace pressed; if he be not capable of grace, and is unwilling to be made capable, than the point is evident, and the doctrine undeniable, namely that a man in his natural estate cannot receive the things of grace and salvation; and this is a thing so clear to a gracious heart, as nothing more; we see then the proof of the point, a natural man cannot receive the things of God, the reasons of the point why a natural man cannot but do thus, as he doth withdraw himself from grace offered, and resist and oppose the Word of God. The grounds of it are three, the first argument alleged is taken out of the words of the Text, and it stands thus, a natural man cannot receive the things of God, why? because they are spiritully discerned, what is that? the meaning is this, he that will receive spiritual things, must have some spiritual ability and power about him, some spiritual help vouchsafed unto him for the performance of this work; a man that will discern spiritual things must have a power answerable to that he would discern, a man must have spiritual help from heaven before he can entertain spiritual graces; for spiritual graces and the spiritual work of the Lord are only agreeable and fitting one for another, but now no natural man hath any spiritual power, these two things are different in their kinds, namely nature and the Spirit, a natural man hath nothing of the Spirit, no spiritual ability in him, but he must have a spiritual ability that can discern the things of the Spirit, and therefore a natural man cannot discern spiritual things; thus I reason, no natural faculty can put forth a supernatural work, a thing that is barely within the compass of nature cannot put forth an action above the nature of it, because every thing works within its compass; as the tree that grows, it cannot go and walk as the beast doth; the beast that hath the sensual faculty, that walks, and sees, and hears and feels, but it cannot reason; man he hath the reasonable faculty, and he reasons and performs such actions as belong to him; now every one of these work within their own compass, they have their several kinds of operations; the tree grows, the beast feels, and man reasons, and none of these can exceed their own nature, or put forth a work above their nature, so that then we see no natural power can perform a supernatural work, but a natural man as he came into the world hath nothing but nature in him, and therefore he cannot discern the things of God, which is a supernatural work wrought by the Spirit of God, for so saith the Text, they are spiritually discerned.  
The second argument is this, all natural men are altogether fleshly, that is, wholly overpowred with sin; mark that place in the third of john and sixth, there saith the Text, whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh, 
jostn 3.6.  and that which is borne of the Spirit is spirit, but now mark all the things of God, as first election, secondly conversion, thirdly sanctification, fourthly justification, fifthly glorification and the like, they are nothing else but spiritual, they are spiritual things, the grace of God is spiritual, and the Word of God is spiritual; now mark what followeth in the fift of Galathians the 17. 
Gal. 5.17.  there saith the Text, The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, & these now are contrary the one to the other, that is, a natural corrupt heart resists and is contrary to the work of God's Spirit, they lust one against another, and are contrary one to another; then mark how I reason from the former ground, if the soul of a natural man be professely opposite and contrary to the Spirit of grace, than the soul of a natural man will not of itself, nay it cannot receive and entertain Christ and grace, they that oppose and would destroy one another, they will not entertain one another; as for example, fire and water are contrary one to another, and therefore they will not meet together and entertain one another, but continually seek to destroy one another, so light and darkness they are contrary, and therefore will not receive one another but seek the destruction one of another, as when light comes darkness is gone, and when darkness comes light that must be gone; but now mark, the heart of a natural man is all flesh, and the things of God are all Spirit, and therefore these two are contrary, and therefore oppose and would destroy one another; the heart of a natural man is contrary to God and grace, and therefore cannot receive and entertain God and grace, but seek to destroy them, and therefore it is observable in the 8. of Rom. 7. 
Rom. 8▪ 7.  the wisdom of the flesh is enmity to the Spirit of God, it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; when the heart of a natural man gins to feel the blow by the hand of God's Spirit stirring and striving in him to humble him and make him fit for grace, it flieth back presently, and will by no means be are the blow of the Spirit, it will not give way to the work of God. Now mark how I dispute, that which will not, nay that which cannot be subject to the Spirit of God, that will never receive grace which is the work of the Spirit of God, but a natural man whatsoever he hath, even his wisdom is not subject to the Spirit, he will not bear, he will not away with the work of the ministry, and therefore he cannot receive grace, and this is the second passage. If the nature of a natural man be altogether flesh, and is contrary to grace, and will not be subject to the Spirit, than it cannot receive grace; but all natural men are contrary to grace, they are altogether flesh and resist the spirit and therefore they cannot entertain grace.  
The third Argument is this, a dead man hath no power to procure life unto himself, but all men by nature are dead in trespasses and sins, and therefore no natural man is able to procure spiritual life unto himself; for the understanding of this argument, know thus much, that the nature of man since his fall is stripped of all that holiness and righteousness whereby he might be enabled to the performance of any spiritual work, and not only so, he is not only deprived of the image of God, but is altogether overspread with wickedness and unrighteousness, which take the possession of every poor soul under heaven, Io●. 3.6. Whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh, 
john 3.6.  now every man naturally is altogether flesh, the will of man and the heart of man is altogether fleshy; and therefore in the heart of man there is no good 〈◊〉 all. And consider the reason of this, why the whole soul is thus defiled with sin, we must conceive that Adam was not only a particular person, but he took the whole nature of mankind upon him; so that the nature of man in Adam while he● was in his innocence might either be carried to the obedience of the will of God, or else wholly against the will of God, and therefore by Adam's fall man was altogether deprived of his righteousness, and carried against the will of God. Now to press the Argument if it be so that all men's hearts are possessed with rebellions by nature, and turned away from God; then men naturally cannot turn unto God, but all men naturally are wholly possessed with sin, and by rebellion, are turned from God, and therefore they cannot naturally turn unto God. Again consider there must be some spiritual power, some spiritual life put into a man before he can perform any good, therefore a natural man cannot do any good, but is a dead man in respect of grace, because be hath lost that same soul of righteousness whereby he should perform that good which God requireth, and so that holiness being gone, the soul of the will is gone, and the power to do any good or receive any good is gone. So then the case is clear and the point evident by force of argument and Scripture; that a natural man hath no power to receive the Lord jesus, and grace, and salvation from him.  
If this be true as hath been proved by reason plain and undeniable arguments, that a natural man cannot receive the things of God, than every soul may take notice of and condemn that sottish and foolish conceit that harbours in the mind of many silly poor ignorant souls; if any of you know such, take notice of them; there are many think that they brought grace into the world with them, and that they had grace 〈◊〉 their mother's belly; ask them when did you receive grace, when did you receive faith, they will answer, they believed ever since they were borne, they had faith ever since they can remember; a great many poor ignorant soul's th● that grace came into the world with them; No, no, be not deceived, faith cometh by hearing, faith is the gift of God, and repentance is the 〈◊〉 of God, narrow is the way, and strait is the 〈◊〉 that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find 〈◊〉 therefore alas, if thou thinkest thou broughtest 〈◊〉 with thee into the world, it is an argument that thou never hadst ●aith, it is an evidence that th●● never hadst grace; for if every man should bring faith and grace into the world, than all should got to heaven, and what is hell made for then? No, no, narrow is the way and exceeding strait is the gate; we must not think to go to heaven 〈◊〉 our hands by our sides. No, no, it is a very narrow way, and few there be that find it. But then they will plead, though they had not grace by nature, yet grace is within a hair's breadth of them, they have grace at command; and as it is with a man that leaves a commodity at a man's house upon ●●king, if he like it, if it be for his turn he may buy it, if he like it not he may refuse it; now after 〈◊〉 hath lain by him a while, if it doth not please him; he may return it into the owner's hand again, 〈◊〉 many say, I took your commodity upon liking, and if it would have been for my turn I would have bought it, but it will not serve for the use I thought to put it to, and therefore I return it to you again; So it is here, most men think that grace is left with them upon liking, and they may let it lie by them, and after they have lived in sin, and tired themselves in their own imaginations, and in following the sinful desires of their own wretched hearts, if after this when they become old, or lie upon their death beds, if then they like grace, they may take it, if not they may let it alone and refuse it: O poor creatures, you will perish and go to hell hoodwinked in this kind, you think you may have grace for calling for; hereafter when I am old than I will repent, and when I lie upon my death bed, than I will begin to pray and humble myself before God, than you think to have grace at your own liking; if you like the course of grace than you will take it, if you like it not, you will refuse it; must I pray with my family you will say? Well if I like the course happily I will do it, if not I will neglect it; Alas, alas, I tell thee thou canst as well make a soul as convert a soul, thou canst as well create thyself as repent; is it in thy power to say, now I will have grace, now I will not? now I will repent, and now I will not? Oh think of it, you shall find it a harder task than you are ware of, and if God be pleased to open your eyes, you will then say, Oh what shall I do to be saved, than you will see that something must be done before you can be saved, than you will find it to be a hard matter to repent. Do not think when you lie upon your death beds than you may repent if you will; is it in your power to repent and go to heaven? no, no, all natural men are under the power of Satan, he ruleth them, he commandeth the hearts of the children of disobedience according to his will, and then for sin and the power thereof look, 
Rom. 6.16.  Rom. 6.16. know ye not saith the Apostle that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? every natural man is a servant to sin and a slave to his lusts, he can do nothing but that sin will have him to do. Take a proud man, whether art thou able to confess thy pride, to see thy sin, and humble thyself, and renounce thy folly, art thou able to do this? No, thou must ask thy sin leave first: So take a covetous man, art thou able to set open thy house, if thou hast wronged any man, or gripped or cozened any man? art thou able to say, I will restore him fourfold? art thou able to do this? No no, thou must ask thy covetousness leave first; now whether you think that the devil will suffer you to go out of his clutches when he hath power over you, if you think sin will give you leave to forsake your lusts when you are servants to it; I appea●e to your own consciences, and therefore whosoever he be that is a natural man, let him not co●●n himself, he hath no power in himself to forsake fin; if heaven were laid down before him and offered him for the leaving of one lust, he could as well make a world, as part with one lust for heaven, and therefore every man should labour to see this and say, Lord heretofore I have been deluded, I thought if I would have grace at any time, I might have grace when I would, if I would not have grace I might choose, and therefore I thought I would have profit now, and pleasures now, and corruptions, and hereafter I will repent, hereafter I will have Christ, but Lord I was deluded, what was it in my power then to entertain the Lord jesus? then it was in my power to go to heaven, to make a world, and to create a soul also? I will assure you it is the almighty power of God that must do this, in the first of Ephesians 19 
Ephes. 1.19.  there the Apostle giveth us to understand how God worketh in our conversion; What is the exceeding greatness of his power, saith he, to us ward that believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. When the Lords body had lain in the grave three days, the self same power that raised Christ from the dead; this is the very same almighty power that works in the heart of a man that is converted in this case; canst thou raise Christ from the dead? if thou canst do this, than thou mayst repent, if not, then of thyself thou canst not repent; for the very same power that raised Christ from the dead, the same power must work repentance in the heart of a man; be not therefore deceived, but now look to it, ●●●ny Christians have thought that they might have grace and salvation when they would at commend, but when God opened their eyes, O then they saw no hope of this, they then knew that the same power that raised Christ out of the grave, the same power must raise them out of the grave of their sinner. I beseech you therefore to be informed, to yield to, to be convinced of this truth; the Text saithe natural man cannot receive the things of God, you say you can, who shall we believe now? What will you be Atheists, the Lord saith, the word saith, a natural doth not receive the things of God, nay he cannot, now whether thy word, or the word of God will stand, thou wilt one day know it to thy everlasting woe, and therefore now be persuaded to see your own follies, and abandon this foolish conceit.  
The second use is an use of examination, namely from the former doctrine delivered, every soul that heareth the word this day, if they will de●● plainly with their souls may understand what their condition is; you may read your own estates, whether you be natural men or spiritual, whether gracious or graceless men; what wouldst thou know then, whether thou art a natural man 〈◊〉 no? and if thou be'st so, woe be unto thee. The trial is easy in this kind, observe what disposition thou hast to the things of God, observe whether thy soul be affected with them, whether thy soul can give entertainment to them? the 〈◊〉 man cannot receive the things of God, if thou be'st a natural man, thou then canst not receive grace nor entertain Christ and salvation, so then canst thou find that if pleasures come, than thy heart giveth way to them? if profits come, than thy heart is transported with the love thereof? Is thy soul enlarged to these things? dost thou love and desire them? canst thou swallow down all, entertain all, digest all very willingly in this kind? never too much riches, never too much honour, never too much profit, never too much pleasure, is thy soul thus disposed? But when the word calleth for repentance, when the Gospel calleth for self denial at thy hand, & the Lord jesus would rule in thy heart, when the Lord would take away all thy sins, and all thy corruptions, is it so now that thy heart is weary to hear the se● is it so that thou canst not give way to these? then the case is clear, thou art in a natural estate, for the Lords sake take notice of it; natural things please thee, profits and pleasures, sins and corruptions please thee, but thou canst not away with the things of the Spirit; thou art therefore a natural man, there is therefore no room for Christ in thy soul, therefore there is no true grace yet wrought in thy soul. In the 8. of the Rom. 5. 〈◊〉 saith the Text, They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit, the things of the Spirit. Now observe therefore what relish thou findest in the things 〈◊〉 ●●●●low; canst thou relish base courses and ill ●●●●pany? is any course or advice taken that may adduce thee unto wickedness? canst thou swear with the blasphemer, and swagger with the drunkard? canst thou relish and approve of these courses? but when the Gospel comes and when a man checks thee for drinking and swearing, and tells thee that these things stand not with the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Christ consists in righteousness and joy, and peace in the holy Ghost, and thou must deny thyself before thou canst receive the Lord jesus; if a man shall tell thee that thou must be pure as Christ himself is pure, & that the Lord Christ jesus did not come into the world to make men lose and careless, but holy and righteous, to live soberly in this present world, and deny all ungodly and worldly lusts, to renounce and abhor these, when thou hearest that thou must become a fool that thou mayst 〈◊〉 made wise, and that the Lord came to refesh those only that where laden with the burden of 〈◊〉 firmes, when thou hearest these things, how 〈◊〉 thou take them, most men may give this answer we think not so, we believe it not, nay we cannot be persuaded of it; is it thus with thee why then the case is ended, the trial is do●● whoever doth not nay cannot receive the things of God; the Gospel of God, and the things revealed therein; why the Text saith, and the Lord saith, that man is a natural man. Now many soul can say, I am not persuaded of these things which the Gospel reveals; why then the cases clear, thou sayest plainly thou canst not receive the things of God, why then the Lord saith, the Text saith, and God of heaven saith, that thou art a natural man as thou camest into the world, and that thou hast not the grace and spirit of Christ. But then some may say if I be a natural man what then, what hurt is it? And therefore in the fourth place it is an use of terror; I presume many that have heard this will say we are so, and shall a man be ashamed because he is a natural man? Therefore observe from the former doctrine a word of terror to all natural creatures under heaven, I am almost afraid to speak of the misery of a natural man, my tongue trembles to discover the wretched, fearful, damned, miserable estate that every natural man is in, you think it is nothing to be in a natural estate; but I tell you, did you but know what the Lord hath revealed concerning a natural man, it were enough to break the back of a man; a natural man, why it is enough to make thee go sighing to thy grave, though thou livest a thousand years; if thou be'st a natural man thou hast not received Christ, nay thou art not near the things of a better life, nay you are not only still to attain those things, but you are not able to receive the things of the Lord jesus, whereby you may be quickened to entertain those things, and this is that which maketh the souls of natural men miserable, and the misery of those souls the more miserable; because they are not only unwilling to be out of this condition, but they are unwilling to be made willing to be out of it; they boast that still they remain in it, for mark what natural men say, they bring a reproach upon Gods. Saints and children, what say they, you are a man of the Spirit, you are a spiritual professor▪ one of the holy brethren, are you miserable wretch, dost thou profess thyself that thou art not so, but that thou art a natural man? why than thou art a miserable man, a natural man, why then a damned man? a natural man why th●● an accursed man? thou that professest thou hast no part and portion in the Lord jesus, take heed that one day he doth not profess that he hath no part in thee, Rom. 8.9. If any man hath 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ, 
Rom. 8.9.  he is none of his; thou that dost make a matter of mocking at those that do walk uprightly before God, and that have the Spirit of God in them, thou that proclamest to the world that thou hast not the Spirit of God, the Lord proclaims it as openly to thee, that the Lord jesus will not own thee, he will have nothing to do with thee, and then what shall become of thee 〈◊〉 the devil must take thee at the last day, when all flesh shall appear before the judgement seat of God, and the book shall be opened and the actions of men made manifest to Saints and Angels▪ Oh one drop of mercy then, one dram of comfort than will be worth a world; Oh than you will wish, Oh that Christ would save us; no, no, you that were natural men, Christ will not own you now, you had none at all of the Spirit, you have opposed the good Spirit of God and flouted it, these are your spiritual men, these are your holy ones, thus you have mocked and blasphemed, you have said the Spirit of Christ is not mine, and therefore Christ saith he is none of thine; thy estate therefore here is miserable, but thrice wretched and miserable will it be hereafter; men may imagine great matters, and boast of themselves, of their riches, and their wisdom, and their honour and preferment in the world, but if they be natural, there is small good at all in them, they may have lands, and preferments, and honours, but they have small good in them, and therefore miserable needs must their estate be here, but fare worse hereafter. Do not think ye may climb up to heaven by your own imaginations; good Lord, how can a man that is in a natural condition sleep quietly? with what contentment can he walk, when a man goeth into his fields to recreate and delight himself, and then considers the means that God hath offered him, whereby he might attain unto grace and salvation, when the soul thinks with itself, I may go into my ground to be eased and refreshed, but alas I am but a natural man, what therefore shall become of this poor soul of mine; he considers with himself, I am but in a natural condition, and therefore in a miserable, damned condition, and then when he returns home, still this strikes in his mind, I a●● but natural, flesh and blood, and therefore never shall receive any spiritual comfort; but when these things shall neither help me nor I be helpful unto them; Oh what then shall become of me? I have had no part in Christ here, and therefore I can never look that he will own me hereafter; it is a great evil for a man to have no good, but this is the misery of a man that he cannot procure any good, and this is the misery of all miseries▪ that he cannot desire to be out of this misery; and yet this is the condition of every natural man, you therefore that are natural go into comers and mourn for yourselves and those that belong unto you, and for those to whom you have relation; you husbands that have wives which be natural, and you wives who have natural husbands, go and mourn for them and for you selves, and sigh to heaven for mercy, and pray to God that he would be merciful unto them and forgive them their sins, and bring them out of their natural estate, and make them able to entertain Christ, and grace, and salvation. Parents mourn for your children that are natural, when thou lookest upon thy child whom thou dear lovest, and whom perhaps hath good natural parts, and is obedient unto thee in outward respects, when thou beholdest this child of thine, and considerest that he is in a natural estate, than this may pierce thee to the very heart, than thou mayst burst out and say, woe is me that this child of mine was ever borne, for he is in a natural condition, and therefore in a miserable condition, he is a natural child, and herefore a child of the devil, truly he is my son, and for aught I know if God have not mercy upon him, the child of the devil also; a natural child is a damned child, a natural man is an accursed man; consider this, doth not the Word say this, doth not the Lord say this, that a natural man cannot receive the things of God, and therefore deal with your own souls, and with the souls of thy friends, as men use to do with those that are sick, hast thou a child or a husband sick of any disease, thou goest to the Physician to ask his counsel concerning the diseases, he tells the disease is not dangerous and deadly, it may be helped, and if he be but able to receive those things which he shall prescribe he will warrant his recovery, but now if the disease continue, and he be not able to take any food, on receive any Physic, than the disease cannot be helped, health cannot be procured; you that are natural men you are sick of corruptions, the disease I must confess is not deadly, if you can but take mercy & receive grace, which is the physic of the soul, than you may recover, but as long as you remain in your natural estate, you can receive no spiritual food, no spiritual physic, but cast up all, and therefore you are gone, you are but dead men. I tell you, you have many brethren, many friends, many children that are sick, I tell you, they are proud, and careless, and lose, and profane; but this is their greatest misery above all the rest, they cannot take any spiritual food, they cannot receive any spiritual good thing, but cast up all, and vomit up all; the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel prevails not, your counsel they will not hear, the Ministers exhort, admonish, reprove, they will not regard, they cannot away with any spiritual physic; I tell you, this will be their death, and if God be not merciful, their damnation also, and therefore go and mourn for your children and for your friends if they be natural, and pray for them. When a man is sick of some disease, if he can take no food, if no physic will stay with him, nor work upon him, 〈◊〉 he casts up all, than his wife she sits in one corner of the house weeping, and his children in another corner mourning and lamenting, now if one comes in and asks them how doth your husband, or how doth your father, Oh then they fall● wring their hands, Oh my father or my husband is but a dead man, if he could but take any thing, then there were some hope of life, but 〈◊〉 nothing will stay with him, but as soon as he takes it he vomits it up again, and therefore now there is no expectation of his recovery, this is the condition of many of your friends and children, they can take nothing which should do them good, they can receive no spiritual good things; 〈◊〉 counsel can take place with them, the word of God prevails not with them; O mourn for them therefore, they are in a miserable estate, they 〈◊〉 but dead men, they will be damned; if they could but receive the things of the Spirit, than there were some comfort; but alas, how can a man receive salvation? is it not by the Word? why than if the Word will not prevail with them or take any place in them, nor work upon them, how then shall they come to salvation, why they must therefore be damned, they must therefore perish, they must be cast into utter confusion and destruction for evermore, Oh mourn therefore and pray for those which belong unto you if they be in a natural condition.  
In the last place, if it be so dangerous to be in a natural condition, than it is a word of exhortation to you all, that you would labour to get out of this natural corruption. I entreat you for the Lord jesus sake, as you love your own souls whoever you be that hear this doctrine if you be natural men, give no sleep unto your eyes, not slumber unto your eye lids, give no rest to your souls nor contentment to your hearts, until you have studied by all means possible to recover yourselves out of your natural condition, begin speedily and persevere constantly in the means that God hath appointed, that the Lord may bestow that power upon you whereby you may be enabled to receive grace and salvation offered you, that so it may go well with you for ever, john 3.27. there saith the Text, 
john 3.27.  a man cannot receive any thing unless it be given him from heaven, so then the case is clear, though thou of thyself canst not receive grace and salvation, yet God can give ability to receive them; away therefore from yourselves, & look up higher, fly unto God for strength and sufficiency; I would have such a natural man fear continually that God will cut him off, and than he is damned for ever; Oh consider of 〈◊〉 a natural man, why he may be afraid that God's judgements will every moment, in every place 〈◊〉 upon him, both at home & abroad, within & without, he may fear they will fall upon him upon every occasion he meets withal, when he● goeth in the way, when he sitteth still, when 〈◊〉 eats, when he sleeps, what business soever he is about, in every place, at all times, upon all occasions, he may fear that the curse of God will fall upon him. A natural man may continually stand in fear and consider, if God should cut 〈…〉 by death, what then would become of me, my body must return to the ground, and my soul that 〈◊〉 go into everlasting torments in hell fire among 〈◊〉 devil and his angels, where the worm never 〈◊〉 nor the fire never goeth out, and therefore sure 〈◊〉 estate is woeful, and my condition miserable▪ 〈◊〉 you will say, a natural man cannot receive 〈◊〉 good, why should he then be counselled to receive the things of God, as grace and salvation, this is a cavil of Bellarmin and thus I answer it, we have no spiritual ability in ourselves to perform any spiritual duty, but yet we have ability to perform some moral actions; a man hath restaining and preventing grace whereby he is able to wai●● upon God in the means, that so he may be enabled to receive grace, and therefore as long as the parts and members of your bodies and the faculties of your souls continue, as long as your understandings and memories endure, why cannot you bestow your bodies to come to Church as well as to go to the Alehouse? why cannot you bestow your eyes as well in reading, as in carding and dicing? God hath given you liberty to use these means, that so you might receive grace, and therefore this objection is only a cavil of Bellarmine, God doth not punish a man because he cannot get faith, but because he will not use the means whereby he might get faith, we may wait upon God in his ordinances, we may attend upon the means; these things you may do and those things you have power to do; you may do natural and civil actions, and therefore you should employ yourselves in hearing the Word, and reading, and praying; you should use the means which God ordained for the working of grace in yours souls, when you come under the ministry of God; hereby you may be converted, and therefore you must come, that so grace may be wrought in your hearts, and that you may be converted.  
And therefore I will advise you of three things which are in the power of natural men to perform as directions to the use of the former means appointed by God for the working of grace; First I would have every natural man throughly convinced of the misery he is in, and informed of his own insufficiency, jer. 10.23. there saith the Text, O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man that walketh to 〈◊〉 his own steps; and the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 taketh it to himself, I know saith he, that 〈…〉 self there dwelleth no good thing, this is a 〈◊〉 matter that we presume of ourselves; we 〈◊〉 we can stand of ourselves, though we never use the means to have our weakness strengthened, 〈◊〉 this is the reason that we never seek to God 〈◊〉 the use of the means, take therefore 〈◊〉 course of the Apostle, and say in me dwelleth 〈◊〉 good thing, suffer yourselves to be throughly ●●formed and convinced of your own misery 〈◊〉 weakness, and confess this truth; I confess I am a natural and carnal man, and therefore a my flesh there is no good at all. Secondly, 〈◊〉 you have thus done, and when your hearts are ●●●swaded of your own misery, and you co●●●● there is no good in you; when you can say, 〈◊〉 what a stout heart have I, what a many gra●●●● promises and godly counsels have I had, and 〈◊〉 never would receive or give way to any of the● and therefore there is no good in me; and 〈◊〉 thirdly, when you have done this, than conv●●● your own hearts that there is an all-sufficiency in the promise that the Spirit is able to do good unto your souls, 
Ezech. 11.18.  Ezech. 11.18. there saith the Text, I will give them one heart, and put a new 〈◊〉 within them, I will take away their stony heart, 〈◊〉 give them a heart of flesh, so that however it is 〈◊〉, that we have no sufficiency in ourselves, yet 〈◊〉 Lord jesus hath enough; the spirit is able to the that for us which we are not able to do for 〈◊〉 selves; and therefore in the third place, 〈◊〉 thou art throughly informed of these two things, then come unto God's ordinances, and look up unto God, and wait upon him in the use of this means; it is a fine passage of David, Lord saith he, teach me the way of the Spirit, as if he had said▪ Lord I have a naughty spirit▪ I have a naughty heart, but Lord thou hast a good Spirit, lead 〈◊〉 by that good Spirit of thine in the ways of uprightness; Thus do you, wait upon God in 〈◊〉 ordinances, and say, Lord thou hast promised tha● thou wilt put a new soul into thy people, and create a new heart in them, and throw their sin's 〈◊〉 the bottom of the sea, and that thou with 〈◊〉 them to walk in thy ways. Thou hast promised to give thy Spirit to them that seek it, Lord 〈◊〉 good this thy promise unto me; take away 〈◊〉 wretched sinful heart of mine, and 〈◊〉 a new heart in me, and direct me by thy Spirit to 〈◊〉 in the ways of thy Commandments. It is 〈◊〉 Lord, a Leper cannot take away his spo●●, a Blackamoor cannot change his hue; but 〈◊〉 thou canst make a Blackamoor white, 〈…〉 canst cleanse the Leper; though I be a dead 〈◊〉 thou canst put life into me, though 〈…〉 thing, yet thou canst do all things, I 〈…〉 more, but thou canst make me of a 〈…〉 am a Leper, but thou canst take away my 〈◊〉 I am natural and carnal, in me there 〈◊〉 thing, but Lord thou eanst make me 〈…〉 ritual things; good Lord grant that thy 〈◊〉 Spirit may teach me to know the things 〈◊〉 to my everlasting peace; this do, above all take heed that you do not defer the time; Oh defer not the waiting upon God in the use of the means; Why? because you have no power in yourselves to help yourselves, it is not in you power to receive Christ, and entertain salvation and therefore begin speedily to attend upon 〈◊〉 ordinances, that at length the Lord may put a 〈◊〉 spirit into you, and work upon you to your ever, lasting peace and comfort. I exhort you 〈◊〉 all things not to defer the time and say, we 〈◊〉 gather the flower while it is green, while 〈◊〉 youth continues we will follow our pleasures, 〈◊〉 take up out sports, and when we come to be 〈◊〉 than we will turn over a new leaf, and on our death beds than we will repent; alas, alas, 〈◊〉 wilt thou think to do it in thine old age, wh● thou couldst never do it in thy youth? and therefore do not thus delude thy own soul; tho● thinkest when thou liest on thy death bed, if 〈◊〉 dost but send for a Minister, than he will 〈◊〉 salvation to thee presently; but I tell thee tho●g● all the Ministers under heaven should preach mercy unto thee, though all the Angels in heaven should exhort and entreat thee to entertain salvation, though thou shouldest have all glory and all happiness laid down as it were upon a table before thee, if the Lord should say here is all glory and happiness, do but believe and take it and it shall be thine, thou shalt be made partaker of if for ever; yet consider in thy natural condition thou hast no power to receive happiness and glory, thus offered; if God should open heaven gates, and bid thee go into heaven, yet thou hast no power, if thou be'st a natural man to receive mercy and salvation upon those terms which God hath offered them, thou couldst not enter into heaven, though God should open the gate wide, and entreat thee to enter in, what a thing is this then, when neither Minister can persuade thee, nor Angels exhort thee, nor Christ himself entreat thee to take mercy, yet thou shouldst think in thy old age or upon thy deathbed to have mercy and salvation at command; why defer not therefore this work until the last, but make speed, begin betime and hold on constantly to the end that at last God may take away your corruption and give you his spirit, and raise you out of the graver of your sins, do this because you see it is needful to be done, it is not in your power to do good unto your souls, or receive good, and therefore 〈◊〉 begin betimes and wait upon God in the means, that so you may have grace and salvation thereby.   
EZECH. 11.19. 
I will take away their stony heart, and give them a heart of flesh.  
ACoording to our Order intended, and Course propounded, we have laid down five general circumstances, & have chosen several texts answerably: whereout we might observe the same, four of those five we have already handled, and now we are come to the last Circumstance, which is this, Howsoever a natural man cannot receive the Lord jesus, yet the Lord will make all his that belong to the election of Grace willing to receive him, and then he will bestow Christ jesus upon them, and grace and salvation by him: and for this purpose I have chosen this text, and as our course is, I will not meddle with every Doctrine in the text, which are six in number, but choose that only which fits best for our purpose. But before I can come to lay down the point of Doctrine, two passages must be opened: first, what is meant by heart, secondly, what is meant by a stony heart, and what by a fleshy heart; and these two being opened, the Doctrine will be plain and lie fair: first for the first: a heart in Scripture, besides that which it signifieth naturally; is applied to the will of a man, or to that ability which is in a reasonable soul, whereby he willeth or rejecteth a thing, this is put for a heart in Scripture, together with love, delight, joy, hatred and grief, which are attendants upon this will; as a man will have such a thing, why? because beloves it, and delights in it; and he again refuseth such a thing and will not have it, why? because he hates it, and because it is displeasing unto him; and this is the meaning of that place, Mat. 
Mat. 15.19.  15.19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemy. Secondly, the Will is put in phrase of Scripture, not only for ability of the soul whereby it wills, but for the same spiritual disposition, that is, in the will & affections of a man, in this kind the temper and frameablenesse of the Will to any action is termed by the name of heart in Scripture; for there is somewhat in the Will, whereby it is carried to any work: look as it is with a Bowl it runneth, because it is a round thing, but that it runneth at such and such a mark, is because it hath a Bias upon it, whereby it is swayed and carried to that mark; so it is with the heart of a man, there is not only an ability therein, whereby a man is enabled to will, but there is a frame and a disposition in the Will, either to good or evil, either to grace or sin, and as the will of a man is biased and swayed, so a man is said to will good or evil, not in regard of the natural faculty of the Will, but in regard of the disposition of that faculty which doth carry the faculty to the performance of any work: now a righteous man out of the disposition of his heart, is carried to yield obedience unto God's commandments; and a wicked man out of the frame and temper of his heart is carried after lusts and distempers and sinful abominations; and this is the meaning of that place, 
Deut. 29.4.  Deut. 29.4. The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive to this day, why? they had a heart, for they were natural men, they had the natural faculty of the Will and the understanding and affections, but the meaning is, they had not the gracious disposition in their wills, whereby they might be carried and enabled to will that which was pleasing to God, and might be comfortable unto themselves: it is a pretty phrase, 
Match. 12.35.  Mat. 12.35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things: there is a heart in both, and there is a treasure in both also; but there is a good treasure in the heart of a godly man, and out of this comes good things, so out of the treasure of a wicked man's heart, comes evil things; there is a treasure of love and holiness, and goodness in the heart of a gracious man, whereby he is carried to walk holily and unblamably before God and man; good words and good actions come from the good treasure, that is, from a good disposition of the soul; again, a wicked man hath a heart, and he hath a treasure also, he hath a treasure of pride, and a treasure of covetousness, and a treasure of all manner of corruptions, and these carry him to wicked speeches and lewd actions, he talks loosely & lives basely; so that there is a disposition good or bad in the soul of a man, and this is termed a will or a heart in Scripture: now in both these senses we understand not a heart here in the Text, but in the latter only; God will give them a heart, that is, God will give them wills and hearts disposed to that which is good.  
The second passage to be opened is this, namely, what is meant by a stony, what by a fleshy heart; First what is meant by a stony heart; a heart is said to be stony by way of resemblance, because it is of the nature of a stone, look what the nature of a stone is, such is the nature of a heart compared thereunto, a stony heart, that is, an unsensible and an uncapable heart; a stone that is insensible, it receiveth no impression, set a seal upon a stone and press it down never so hard, & you may break the stone in pieces, but it will receive no impression, it will take no print; but now set a seal upon wax, and that will receive any impression that a man stamps upon it, so it is with a stony, stout, sturdy heart, though God knock it in pieces it will not be humbled, it will receive no impression, but resists and beats back the means of grace and salvation offered and revealed unto it, if the Lord set a stamp of humiliation upon it that will not be humbled, it will receive no stamp but makes it fly back and bound upward: so that a stony heart is a hard sturdy heart capable of no impression.  
Secondly, what is meant by a heart of flesh, and that is quite contrary to a stony heart, it is like unto flesh, soft, tender, easy, and pliable, willing to take any impression that comes upon it; so that now a fleshy heart is nothing else but a heart lovingly teachable, and humbly tractable to the Lord, willing to entertain any impression that it shall please the Lord to stamp upon it; if God commands any thing, that obeyeth, it God threatens, that trembles; it is said of I●siah that he had a melting heart: look as it is with wax, if you set a seal upon it, just as the print of the seal is, so is the print in the wax which it leaves behind it, so it is with a fleshy, lowly, p●●able heart, it receives any stamp that God puts upon it; when the Lord faith fear, that trembles, when the Lord saith love, that entertains it, when the Lord commands any thing, that ye les obedience to his commands, this is an humble and a pliable spirit: and this is the substance of the Text, and the intendment of the Prophet therein, is thus much: In the beginning of the Chapter, about the seventh Verse, the Lord threatened to in●●rict many judgements upon the people of Israel, because they had not walked in his statutes; after the Lord had done this, yet 〈◊〉 tells them in the 16. Verse, if they would walk in his ways, he would be a Sanctuary unto them, & he would make them better than ever they were, and he would do better for them than ever he did, but how will he do this? Why saith he, I will take away that stony sturdy heart which is in them, and will give them a frameable heart and a teachable heart, which shall yield to whatsoever I cammand, and then they will be able to cast away all those evils which they have embraced, and perform all those holy duties which they have neglected, the heart which God takes away from them cannot be meant the heart itself, the natural faculty of willing, and the heart which he gives them, cannot be meant the bare faculty itself, but the rebellious disposition that was in the faculty the Lord removeth, and that same teachable, frameable disposition he putteth into the faculty, whereby their hearts should be carried to that which was pleasing to God, & comfortable to themselves. I intent to speak of two things concerning Gods taking away of this same stony heart, and giving a heart of flesh unto his people: first, that God doth this, that he is the Author of it; secondly, I will speak of the circumstance of time when God doth this, when he thus works upon the hearts of his chosen, sometimes sooner sometimes later; and this, same circumstance of time when the Lord doth this is double; first in regard of the means, the Lord doth thus work upon the hearts of those which belong to the election of grace, when he gives them the means of salvation when they have the Sunshine of the Gospel shining in their faces: The second circumstance of this time, is in regard of the men whom the Lord will thus work upon, some sooner, some later, some in all ages; some in their young and tenderage, some in their middle age, and some, though very few, in their old age: First I will speak of the Author of this, and that is God, he takes away the stony heart, and gives a heart of flesh to his servants. The Doctrine out of the words is, The taking away of the indisposition of the soul to any good duty, and the fitting, framing, and disposing of a soul to perform any spiritual service, is the alone work of God, he removes the indisposition of the soul, and he puts the disposition to any good into the souls of his; the case is clear, if we reason after this manner what is a stony heart? A stony heart is a sturdy, unteachable heart, uncapable and indisposed to any good; what is a heart of flesh? it is a lowly, teachable, pliable heart, wiling to receive any impression that God stamps upon it, who takes away the one? The Lord; who gives the other? The Lord. So that both the removing of the stony heart is the Lords work, and the giving of the fleshy heart is the Lords work also, I will take away their stony heart, and I will give them a heart of flesh. Nay the Lord doth make it his chiefest prerogative to do this work for a poor sinner; 
Ezek. 36.25.  Ezeck. 36.25. I will pour clean water upon you saith the Lord, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and your Idols, I will cleanse you: A new heart also will I give you, and put a new spirit within you, I will take away the stony heart, and I will give you a heart of flesh; and therefore we shall take notice of it; this great work of conversion is compared with the work of creation, God only created man, and God only converteth a man; how was it when darkness was over the face of the earth, Let there be light said the Lord, and there was light, the same God that created light, the same God doth shine in our hearts, nay this work of conversion is said to be one of the greatest works of God, as if God did the best he could do for a poor sinner when he converts him. To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed, saith the Prophet Esay, that is, to whom is the utmost power of the Almighty God revealed, the Lord putteth forth his whole strength upon poor sinners when he converts them unto himself. The power of God's strength, the depth of God's wisdom, and the riches of God's mercy is discovered in this work of conversion; here is power against all power, and strength above all strength; for the Lord doth not meet with the soul of a sinner in the work of conversion, as he did in the work of creation with the world, for when he made the world, he met with nothing to resist him, but he only spoke the word, he commanded and it was made; but when the Lord cometh to meet with the soul of a poor sinner, to open his eyes and convert him unto himself, and bring him home; he meeteth with the whole frame of all creatures opposing and resisting him; the devil and the world without, and sin and corruption within; when the Lord comes to convert a firmer, he meets with all these, with sin, Satan, and the world resisting him, and therefore here must needs be power against all strength that opposeth him, here must needs be wisdom against all policy that resists him, and here must needs be wonderful mercy against all weakness and misery, 
1 Cor. 14.24.  and therefore 1 Cor. 14.24. there saith the Text, If all prophecy, and there come in 〈◊〉 that believeth not, or unlearned, he is rebuked of all, and judged of all; and so are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, and say plainly, God is in you indeed, here the Text faith, when the Lord cometh to speak home to a poor sinner, a poor soul, he comes into the Congregation, & though he be simple the word is wise and powerful and that discovereth what is in his heart, man is not able to do this, but God can do this, and then the soul will say, God is in you in deed, as who should say, Here is God, or else I had never been humbled, or else my sins had never been subdued, or else my soul had never been wrought upon, the sinner that is strucken with this work, he professeth plainly, that here is the stroke of God, and power of God, and wisdom of God, which was able to discover all things that were in my heart, and take 〈◊〉 this stubborn heart of mine, Oh this is 〈◊〉 ●orle of God indeed.  
The grounds of the point why it is necessary that God should be the Author both of taking away the stony heart and giving the heart of flesh are these, if we do but consider the nature of the stoniness and the fleshiness of the heart, it will appear that God only can take away the one and give the other. First if we consider the nature of the stony heart, and the distempers thereof, it will appear that it must be the work of the Lord only to take it away; and not to follow any other similitudes than the Text affords; I will show the similitude and resemblance that is between the sturdy stout heart of a sinner and a stone, by which it shall be made manifest, that none but the Almighty power of God is able to remove it. Now in a stone observe three particulars, which discover the nature of it; first the ground of all, the hardness which is in the stone is from hence, there is a close fastening, combining, and knitting of the parts together which is the ground of the hardness that is therein; as for example, take a path, if it be continually ploughed up, it will be soft and lose, but if many walk upon it, if it be continually trod upon then it will be hard; what is the reason of this, namely this hardness proceeds from the close fastening and settling of the earth together, this it is which makes the way hard, but if it were daily ploughed, and the earth continually loosened, it would then 〈…〉 soft, but when there is a natural fastening and compiling of the earth together, it cannot but b●e hard.  
Secondly, from this fastening of the parts of a stone together, as there comes hardness, so also from this hardness ariseth a great strength in the stone, and that is the reason that the hardest things are marvellous strong; a child before his joints be settled is but weak, he is not come to his strength, but a man when his parts are settled, and his joints throughly knit together, than we use to say, be is come to his full strength; and so it is in metals, those metals that are closest knit together and most nearly concocted, they are said to be strongest metals, as Gold is said to be a stronger mettle than Silver, and Silver is said to be a stronger mettle than Led, because the parts thereof are more nearly settled and more closely concocted: So it is the nature of stones, those stones whose parts are most combined together as Flints, they are said to be the hardest stones, and those whose parts are not so closely knit, they are said to be more soft and of less strength.  
Thirdly, from the hardness and strength of a stone, there comes a resistance against any thing from without it, because the parts of a stone are knit together, therefore it is hard, and from the hardness thereof proceeds strength; and being hard and strong in the third place it resists and bea●s back any thing that falls upon it, as if you knock against a stone with a hammer, it resists it and makes it ●lie back by reason of the strength and hardness of it; Even so it is with the soul of every poor sinner, of 〈◊〉 sinful creature under heaven, it hath an inward secret kind of union between sin and its self, between corruption and its own nature. The heart of a poor sinful soul hath a near combination with sin, there is a fast closure between sin and the soul, and therefore sin in the Scripture is termed by the name of the old man, as who should say, The sin and corruption that is in a poor sinner, is as it were another nature in him, in so much that the union and combination that is between sin and the soul, is fare stronger than any other bond of nature, and this is the reason of that phrase, Luke 21.16. there saith the Text, 
Luke 21.16.  Ye shall be betrayed also of your parents, and of your brethren and kinsmen, and some of you shall be put to death, and ye shall be hated of men all for my name's sake, & this is the reason, because the union that is between sin and the soul of a wicked man exceeds all other bonds of nature▪ as for example, if a naughty wicked father have a godly religious child, the father will neglect those duties to his child which even nature itself 〈…〉 him to perform; and if a wicked lewd for the 〈◊〉 a good father, he will not discharge those 〈◊〉 unto him which nature binds him unto, but the ●ather he hates the son, and the son he hates 〈◊〉 father, the mother hates the daughter, 〈…〉 daughter hates the mother, and they break 〈◊〉 bonds both, of nature and religion; the 〈◊〉 father will do any thing against his son, before the bond that is between sin 〈…〉 soul shall be broken, before this union 〈…〉 broken, he will not abide the presence of his sin, nay that which is most unreasonable to consider, a wicked lewd ungracious man will lose his life, he will spend his own heart blood before he will leave one sinful beloved lust or corruption, and the reason of this is, because there is a nearer 〈◊〉 on, and a closer combination between sin and the soul, then between all relation, that nature can put upon a man, insomuch that a man will rather have his sins and his lusts then his own child; nay such is the union between sin and the soul, that it becomes 〈◊〉 God unto the soul; look as it is with a stone, the parts thereof being closely fastened and nearly settled together, it becomes marvellous strong and hard, so when God hath forsaken the soul, and it closeth with his corruptions, this union that is between the soul and its corruptions is marvellous strong and firm, nay so strong and firm that there is no means under heaven, no creature in the world that is able to break this union, and dissolve this combination that is between sin and the soul, unless the Lord by his Almighty power come and break this concord and conspiracy that is between sin and the soul, against himself and the glory of his name; and for the truth hereof observe this, all outward means are too scant, too narrow, too short to break the union between the soul and sin, as it is with the body of a man, if there were a great and an old distemper in a man's stomach, if a man should put a rich doublet upon him and lay him in a Featherbed, and use all other outward means, this would do him no good, because the disease is within, and is become as it were another nature in him, it is an old distemper that hath eaten into his very bowels, and therefore all outward means cannot make a separation between the disease and the body, because the disease being inward they cannot come near it. Just so it is with the soul of a man, a man's heart will have his sin; there is an inward combination between the soul and sin; now all means, as the Word, and the like is outward, and can do no good in this kind, they cannot break the union between a man's heart and his corruptions, unless God give a blessing to these means, unless the Lord by his Almighty power and infinite wisdom make a separation between sin and the soul, and dissolve this union. The soul saith, I will have my sin, and I will have my life, and I will have my God, though I die for it, there is a strong league 〈◊〉 between the heart of a sinner and his lusts, 〈◊〉 therefore all outward means cannot possibly break this league; look as it is wi●h a strong stomach, if you give it any ordinary meat the strength of the stomach is above the meat, and turns the meat into the nature of itself, ●o it is with a corrupt heart that hath made a league 〈◊〉 his lusts, all outward means and of 〈…〉 God, a corrupt heart converts them and 〈◊〉 them aside to his everlasting destruction; the instrumental cause is always under the 〈◊〉 the soul of a man is a sovereign commander, this way all outward means are but instrumental m●ses, and the heart of a man is above them, and therefore they may as well ●arden a man as soften his heart, and humble his soul; a man can receive no good thereby unless it please God to overpower this distemper that is in a man, and break the near union and firm league that is between sin and the soul.  
Secondly, as there is a near union between sin and the soul, so in the second place as from the knitting of the parts of a stone together, there comes a strength to resist the blow; so there is a marvellous power, a sovereign command that sin setteth up, and Satan possesseth in the soul; nay so strong a power it is, for therein lieth the strength of the argument, that nothing can overpower it and overcome it, but the Almighty come it power of the Lord, for this is the meaning of that place, 
● Cor. 15.56.  of Saint Paul, 1 Corinth. 15.56. The sting of a each is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law; so that a man may see so strong as the Law is, so strong is sin, and therefore the strength there of must needs be great▪ I open that place of the Apostle thus, The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law; look as it is with a King when a male factor is apprehended and convicted of high treason, the king giveth up the malefactor into the hand of the jailor, and giveth him authority to keep him in what prison or dungeon 〈◊〉 will and tyrannize over him as he list, the jailor now hath not power of himself only, but is armed also with authority from the King, he hath a commission from the King that he may dispose of the Traitor as he pleaseth, he may keep him in what prison he will, and tyrannize over him as he pleaseth and as he seethe good, and the reason is, because he hath authority from the King to backe him, and he hath as much authority as the King, because the King doth this by him; so it is with the blessed will of God, every poor soul rebels against him and breaks his Laws, and therefore the Lord taketh notice of it, and treason is brought against him, and he is condemned for it, and then he delivers him up into the power of sin, and into the hands of the devil, as who should say, Take him sin, and take him Satan, and hale him into damnation and tyrannize over him according to your own minds, thus God giveth them authority over him; me thinks I hear the Lord say thus; Let all occasions domineer over him, let all corruptions take place in him, he hath opposed my Laws, I will never help him more, he hath transgressed my Commandments, my Spirit shall never assist him more, take him sin, take him Satan, and dispose of him according to your own pleasure; so that now sin and Satan have not only their own power over this soul, but they have power from God, and they are backed with authority from the Law; in this kind Satan may say, This soul must 〈◊〉 damned, I have Law for it, by the virtue of the Law I prevail against him and domineer over him; God hath given me authority to tyrannize over him, thus the strength of sin in the Law. Now he that, must come and rescue this soul, and deliver it from the power of sin and Satan; must be able to equalise and, answer the strength of the Law, and this none can do, the Law of God, none can bear the strength of it, but he that is perfect God, none but the Lord jesus Christ, none can deliver the soul and rescue it from the power of sin and Satan but he; this is the reason of that unconceivable and admirable power that a man's corruptions have over him, a man would wonder to see that a base lust or corruption should so domineer and tyrannize over a man, and make a man such a slave thereunto; the reason is, because the strength of sin is the Law. God in his just judgement hath given over a sinner into the hand of sin and Satan, now the Lord jesus only cometh and taketh away this power, and over cometh this strength for the rescuing of a poor soul this, way, and hereby we may conceive that the wisdom and power of God's mercy goeth beyond the power and wisdom of God's justice, as I may so say; for what saith the Law, and what doth the justice of God require, the Law saith Do and live, justice faith, if Adam dee obey the Commandments of God he shall be saved▪ if Adam sin he shall be damned. But then the wisdom and power of God's mercy comes and saith, a man shall not die though he doth not keep all God's Commandments; but how is this done, namely this way, Christ which is perfect God and man, cometh and suffereth for man, he comes and doth that which man should have done, and therefore though man do it not, yet he shall not be condemned, so that our Saviour by his death did satisfy for us, and gave full contentment to the Law of God, so that now the justice of God hath nothing to say to a poor soul, and Christ by his resurrection he did overcome the power 〈…〉 and Satan, so that now mark what follows, if any thing hindereth the soul from being saved, it is because either God's justice is not satisfied, or else because the power of sin and Satan is not abated, but Christ by his death did satisfy the Law of God, and by his resurrection did overcome sin and Satan, and therefore these cannot hinder it from salvation, and this is the ground how it cometh ●o pass that the Lord only, and no 〈…〉 can deliver a soul from the strength of 〈…〉 power of Satan, which have the strength of the Law to backe them.  
Thirdly, as in a stone there is a close setting 〈◊〉 a near knitting of the parts thereof together, 〈◊〉 whence comes the hardness thereof, and secondly as from this hardness there proceeds strength; and as in the third place from this strength ariseth a resistance against the blow that is 〈…〉 upon it, so it is with a stony heart, there is a 〈◊〉 union between sin and it: secondly, by 〈◊〉 of this union sin comes to have a 〈…〉 power in the soul, and not only so, but in the third place, there is a great resistance in the soul against Gods Command▪ Look as it is with a stone, of a man striketh a blow upon it, it resistes the blow and beats it back, so it is with the soul, with a stony heart; the Word, the Sacraments, Admonitions, Reproofs, Counsels, Exhortations, they enter not into it, they prevail not with it, but it resists and obpposeth all means of grace and salvation that are offered unto it; what help soever God bestows upon it, it beats it back, it will not be disposed, it will not be framed and fashioned according to God's holy Will, Zach. 7.12. there saith the Text, 
Zach. 7.12.  They made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should bear the l●s, and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent by his Spirit in the Ministry of the former Prophets; that is, they closed with their corruptions and grew strong in their corruptions, and resisted the commandments of the Lord, and therefore it is said of Pharaoh, that he hardened his heart, that is, he strengthened his heart in sin, and would not obey the commandment of the Lord, but refused to let the people of Israel go: when there comes to be a near union between sin and the soul, than the soul doth strengthen itself in sin, and opposeth the Law of God; the proud man saith, he will have his lust, let God say what he will, the covetous man he will have his corruption, let God say what he will, and the drunkard he will have his own way, and the adulterer he will take up his own course; let God say what he will they grow strong in their sins, and therefore resist all means which may be for their good, until the Lord by his almighty power doth break this fast knot that is between corruption and the soul, and removes the power and strength of sin, and then by a strong hand takes away this resistance and overpowers a soul in this case: so that then, to gather up all together; if it be so that the union between sin and the soul cannot be dissolved but by God alone, if the strength and power of sin and Satan cannot be vanquished but only by the Lord, if the resistance that cometh from sin cannot be taken away and removed, but by the work of the Spirit of God: then the case is clear, and the point evident, That it is God which taketh away the stony heart and giveth a heart of flesh: if God alone by his almighty power doth these things, than he is the author of this work, it is his work to do this in the soul of a poor sinful creature.  
The first Use is an use of instruction; from hence we may see, that therefore this great work of conversion, the fitting and preparing of a poor sinner to entertain the Lord jesus, it is a work of great weight, it is a work not of ordinary, but of marvellous and admirable difficulty; if it be the work of the Lord only, if nothing else can do this work but it lieth upon Gods alone almighty power, if all means fail, nay, if the wisdom of men & Angels stand aghast & amazed at this work, than I must conclude it is the Lords work, and is aught to be marvellous in our eyes. And from hence it is that it is a marvellous wonder that any creature that is under the power of sin and Satan it is a wonder it is a miracle that after all teaching, after all means used, any soul is humbled and prepared to receive mercy from the hand of the Lord jesus Christ: Nay, hence it is that we see little profit come from the work of the Ministry when we see the greatness of this work of conversion, we may wonder how it cometh to pass that any are converted and brought home unto the Lord; the Ministers are fain to lift up their voices like trumpets, and spend their hearts as it were, they pray again, and fast again, and preach again, and yet all will not dye; for when is the heart of any humbled, when is the soul of any turned and converted unto God, and therefore away with that cursed delusion that harbours in the minds of many men, they will repent, and they will believe when they list, why? Alas it is not in your power, it is the almighty work of God, thou hast not the work of repentance to command at thy pleasure; it is not talking and saying, I do repent with all my heart, and do believe that will serve the turn, this will not do, the Lord must work effectually in thy soul by his almighty power, or else the union that is between sin and thy soul will not be dissolved, or else the strength of sin and power of Satan that is in thy soul will never be vanquished, or else the resistance that is in thy soul, and which cometh from this strength against the blow of the Spirit, and all means that may fit it, and prepare it for to receive the Lord jesus, and mercy from him will never be removed, a man shall sometimes find that the indisposition of his soul to any good shall be a little abated by the power of the Word, the edge of it will a little be blunted, but a poor soul cannot be freed altogether from this, until it shall please the Lord by his almighty hand to remove it: and therefore in the first of james the 18. Verse; the text saith, 
jam. 1.18.  Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth, that we should be as the first fruits of his creatures, 
joh. 1.13.  and joh. 1.13. To them that received him, saith the Text, he gave power to be the sons of God to them which believe in his name, which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God. And therefore think of it Ministers that teach the Word, and people that hear the Word; we must know, that unless the Lord steppeth in and doth the work for us, all our labour is lost; it must be I ●ay the Lord that must take away the stony heart, and it must be he that must give the heart of 〈◊〉; it is not talking and making a profession that can pluck sin out of the soul of a man in this kind, but it must be the almighty power of the Lord that must do it.  
The second Use is a ground of comfort, whereby the soul of poor sinners may be supported, and the hearts of those that have sin hunging about them may be cheered when the soul considers that it is laden with abundance of corruptions and abominations, than it is quite discouraged and thinks with all that it shall never be recovered; why? though you be not able yet here is the comfort of a poor foul, the work is the Lords, and he whose work it is, is able to bring it to pass, what though thou be'st weak, yet God is strong, and therefore quiet thy soul and content thy heart; a man may say, I have a hard heart from within, and it will receive no good from without; the Word prevails not, the Sacraments have no power over me, why, all the means and cost and charges that God hath bestowed upon me is lost, and my heart is not yet humbled, my corruptions are not yet weakened: be yet comforted, though means cannot do it, which God useth at his pleasure, though these cannot do it, yet the Lord can do it, there is nothing hard or difficult to him that hath hardness itself at command, he is a God which hath all things at command; he can command the devil himself, and therefore he hath the hardness of thy heart at command also there is nothing hard to him that hath hardness at his command; nay, though all things be impossible to man, yet nothing is impossible with God, God can do what man not means cannot, the Lord he showeth mercy upon us, why? because we will, no, because he wills; and though we cannot cast away our sins, yet the Lord will remove them? Oh, then saith the soul, this is somewhat comfortable that the Lords mercy depends not upon my will, but upon Gods will. And I would tell you somewhat by experience in this kind, for I knew one that was over whelmed with despair a whole year together, because he thought he had committed the sin against the holy Ghost, and yet at last was comforted by this means, he refolved with himself, if my conversion were in my will only, than I should be damned, but it is not because I will, but because God will do good to my poor soul: aye but the soul will say, I confess it is not in my will, but it is in God's will that he showeth mercy, and this is some comfort yet, but oh my corruptions are old sins of a long time, can those be pardoned, they are become as another nature in me; can those therefore be removed, yes, the Lord is able to remove those also, for saith the Prophet, the Lord hath laid salvation upon the mighty, so that though thy corruptions be mighty and powerful, yet there is a mighty God that is able to undo that cursed combination that is between thy soul and thy corruptions, and therefore quiet thyself in the consideration hereof, and say, I must confess, that I have many corruptions, but the mighty Lord of hosts hath promised that he will take away my stony heart, and give me a heart of flesh, and he is able to do it also, be herein quieted and supported and look up to heaven for comfort.  
In the third place it is a word of exhortation to all those that are in the bond of iniquity and under the power of Satan, to those which carry a stony heart about them, it is a word of exhortation to these, see your own wants and be exhorted in the name of the Lord jesus, to have recourse to this great God, and entreat him to take away your stony heart from you: look as it is with men if there be a Physician of excellent skill that cures all diseases that are brought unto him; why then all men will repair to him, why, so it is here, God alone is able to do this cure for us, and herefore he should have our custom; if a man should set up a bill upon the market post, that he would cure all that come to him which were troubled with the stone in the reines, or any other grievous disease, and if we should meet with many coming from him that were healed by him, why then we would be ready to say, such a one went and he was healed, such a one went and he was cured, and this will stir up all to repair unto him, and every one would bring those that appertain unto them, and were troubled with this disease unto him, that they might be cured by him: the Lord hath set up a bill this day, that he will cure all those that come unto him of their stony heart, and all the Sons of God have found proof hereof to the comfort of their own souls, the Lord is he that will do this, he will take away your stony heart: you wives therefore that have husbands which have stony hearts; and you parents that have children that are troubled with stony hearts, go home with comfort, and tell them that you have heard this day of a Physician that will undertake to cure them of this disease, and exhort them therefore to repair unto him: Our Saviour Christ when he had healed many of their diseases, the Text saith in the third of Matthew, That all came unto him and brought their sick that he might heal them. In the bowels of the Lord jesus, be entreated you that have stony hearts to go unto the Lord, that so you may be cured: you were better have a millstone about your necks, then have this stony heart; we have all of us this stony heart more or less: as it is with a man that hath been cured of a disease, perhaps the disease is much mitigated, but there will still be much weakness and some relics of the disease remaining in him a long time after. So the Sons of God have the strength of this stony heart somewhat lessened and abated in them, but they are not altogether freed from it, but those that were never cured of this disease, those that never had this stony heart in any measure removed, they were better have a millstone about their necks, for it will sink them into the bottomless pit of hell and destruction; if death take them away while they carry this stony heart about them they will be surely damned; therefore 〈◊〉 them as they love their own souls be 〈…〉 and persuaded to come to this Physician God 〈◊〉 I will take away your stony hearts, and I will 〈◊〉 you hearts of flesh; come therefore and 〈…〉 selves to the hammer of God that your stony hearts may be taken away: when you 〈◊〉 this Ministers teach, then say Lord, I beseech 〈◊〉 teach thou me in the mean time; when the Minister persuades, then say, Lord do thou over rule and persuade this sinful heart of mine, take thou away this power of corruptions which is in my heart, and remove thou the rebellions of my heart; go home and be exhorted to go to this Physician, and importune the Lord in this case, put him in mind of all those many savours, which he hath vouchsafed to you, put the Lord in remembrance of that which he hath desired in his Word: Oh that people had such hearts as would fear me and keep my Commandments always: say unto the Lord, that it is as easy for him to create such hearts in you, as to wish you had such hearts; put the Lord in mind of his promise, and tell him that he hath promised that he will take away their rebellions from his people, and that he will give them a new heart, and renew a right spirit within them, and he will cause them to walk in his ways, and entreat him for the Lord jesus Christ's sake to make good this promise unto you; entreat the Lord to consider what a deal of honour shall redound unto his name, if he shall cure your poor souls, down upon your knees, and pray to God that he would heal you of this disease, and say unto him that thou hast heard he is a merciful God, and that he will take away the stony heart from his people, and beseech him for his mercy sake, that he would take away thy stony heart, nay, tell him, that if he will cure thee thou wilt help him to a great many patients; tell him that thou wilt tell thy neighbours of it, and exhort them to come unto him that they may be healed by him, come close to God and say, Father, hast thou not desired that people had such hearts as would fear thee, and keep thy Commandments always? Hast not thou promised that thou wilt pour clean water upon thy people, and thou wilt take away their stony hearts and give unto them fleshy hearts? Say, Lord, what a great deal of honour thou shalt have hereby, I will exhort all that have stony hearts, to go unto thee that they may be cured, and therefore for thy promise sake, and for the honour of thy names sake, I beseech thee to take away my stony heart, and give me a heart of flesh. Do thus and you shall 〈◊〉 a great deal of comfort to your poor souls thereby.   
LUKE 19.42. 
If thou 〈…〉 known as least in this thy day the things belonging to thy 〈◊〉.  
ACcording to our purpose we have proceeded thus fare in the point of preparation, we have spoken of the five general circumstances thereof; the first whereof was this, the mercy of God is free; secondly, a man must will to receive Christ and grace before he shall have Christ and grace; thirdly, he that doth will Christ truly shall have Christ and salvation by him. These three we have handled out of the 22. of the Revelations the 17. The fourth was that a man by nature cannot receive Christ and grace, and that we handled out of 1 Cor. 2.14. The fift was, howsoever a soul by nature cannot receive Christ and salvation, yet God will bring the souls of his to prize Christ, and approve of him, and be willing to entertain him, and then he will bestow Christ and salvation upon them, this we handled out of Ezek. 11.19. and in this work of God in the preparing of a soul for himself, there are two further circumstances to be considered in regard of the time when God will do this, and the first circumstance is in regard of the means, the second in regard of the men which are to be wrought upon; and so we have a trouble consideration in regard of the time when God will thus prepare the soul of a poor sinner for himself; the first is in respect of the means, and that is this, when the Gospel of life and salvation is sent and revealed to a people and continued to a people, if ever God work upon the hearts of men, if ever he means to bring people to the knowledge of the things belonging to their peace, it is then when the Lord is pleased to send his faithful Ministers among them, & discover the means of life and salvation ●nto them. The second circumstance is in regard of the men that God will work upon; some sooner some later, some in their young and tender age, some in their middle age and in their ripe years, and some though very few in their old age, few are called when they are old, God calls some such but very few, as we shall hear hereafter. We will handle now the circumstance of time in regard of the means, when God doth purpose good into a man, or town, or a country, or a kingdom, namely when the Lord sends his Gospel among them & his faithful Ministers to discover the means of 〈◊〉 unto them; and for this purpose I have this 〈◊〉 Text. And first to make way for ourselves and then to press on unto the point, we must therefore understand that our Saviour Christ came in the last day of ask, as it were, to jerusalem, they had had many Priests to teach them, and many Prophets to exhort them, and a great many of means of life and salvation vouchsafed unto them; now when Christ was coming towards the city and saw it a far off, and fo●● saw also the desolation that should come upon it his bowels yearned within him towards the people, and he mourned secretly within himself, Oh these famous monuments and goodly buildings shall all be laid waste, thou hast had many Priests to advise thee, and many Prophets to instruct thee in the ways of life, but now those days are gone and passed: Nay the great Prophet of the world Christ jesus is now come to woe thee to receive the things belonging to thy peace, and yet thy heart is hardened, and thou will not receive the things belonging to thy peace, and therefore now I will turn my preaching into mourning and sighing; Oh jerusalem, jerusalem, that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace, but now they are hidden from thine eyes, now those golden days are gone, and the gate of mercy is shut, there is no more means of grace and salvation offered, the Gospel shall never more be vouchsafed unto thee, and because thou hast rejected the means of salvation offered, they shall never more be granted: so that now here we have the passing peal of jerusalem by our Saviour, look as it is with a man that is carrying to be buried, his wife she weeps, and his children they mourn, and his firiends they lament. So it is here, our Saviour he follows jerusalem to the grave as it were, and when he could do no more for it, than he weeps and mourns over it, Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace; and the exhortation that here Christ presseth upon jerusalem, depends upon three circumstances; the first is taken from the nature of the things offered her and revealed unto her, they were not matters of trifles, but they were things belonging to her peace, the second is in regard of the time, at least in this thy day, as who should say, this is the last day of ask, the last time that ever these things shall be offered unto thee, and therefore this aught to move thee to give entertainment to the exhortation of thy Saviour. The third is in regard of the person, Christ jesus requested this that might have commanded it, he entreats and requests it, nay with weeping, he doth beseech thee to give way to this exhortation of his; all means should have been embraced, all opportunities should have been entertained, all Ministers should have been heard, and regarded, but principally these things belonging to thy peace, especially in this thy day 〈◊〉 not to have been rejected, thy Saviour above all other should not have been refused and con●●●ned, and then he falls a weeping and then 〈◊〉 mourns; Oh that thou hadst known these things in this thy day, and then his heart even break●●, 〈◊〉 he weeps again, Oh but now they be hidden from thine eyes, thou shalt never receive the like favour again, the like opportunity shall never hereafter be offered. We will first handle the fir circumstance, but before I can come to deliver the poin: plainly and nakedly, give me leave a little to open the meaning of this word day, kn●w therefore thus much, that this word in phrase of Scripture discovereth unto us that time, or that parcel of time which God hath set out in his providence for any particular service. As it was in the creation of the world when the Lord made all things, the Lord turned an hour glass as it were, and set down the time wherein every thing was made, God said, let there be light and there was light, and the evening and the morning was the first day, than God said let there be a firmament and there was so, and the evening and the morning were the second day; and here is the stop and stay that God maketh to the creature, as who should say, as every thing hath a day wherein it was made, so every thing hath a day wherein it works, and the Lord hath limited a certain time to every action, that every creature is able to perform and which God requires of it, so that observe a man's day in general, is nothing but the time of his life● besides this, a day discovereth the passages of God's providence and that special nick of opportunity that God hath laid out for every particular act; as God hath appointed a day wherein anguish and grief shall come upon us, and that is said to be the day of trouble, ●all upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you saith the Psalmist; there is a day of trial also in the third of Hebr. 8. harden not your hearts as in the day of trial or temptation in the Wilderness, and there is a day of visitation also, as we may see in this Chapter, verse 44. They shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another, because thou knewst not the day of thy visitation; jerusalem was like a sick person, as indeed all sinners are sick men; now the Lord jesus being the great Physician of the world, came to visit jerusalem. When he sent his balm from Gilead, the glad tidings of grace and salvation, than the Lord did visit jerusalem for the healing, comforting and saving of her, and this was jerusalem day: So that then the day of a man is the time of his life, together with that parcel of time that God hath allotted him for every particular wor●e; and the day of a man which belongs to his visitation, is that particular opportunity wherein grace is offered, and salvation tendered unto him; as there is a day of trouble and a day of trial, so in the third place there is a day of salvation and a day of visitation, which is that particular season wherein God sends his faithful messengers to dispense the means of life and salvation unto a people. O that thou hadst known, &. as if Christ should have said, O ye inhabitants of jerusalem, while the word of life lasteth, and the means of grace and salvation is continued unto you, this is your day, and this is the meaning of the word, every man hath his day more or less as jerusalem had when the means of salvation were discovered unto it. The doctrine with which we will grapple is thus much, namely That while life is continued, & the means of grace & salvation afforded to a people, that is the season wherein God meaneth to work upon their hearts effectually that they may receive life and salvation. It is true when Corn fails God can send Manna from heaven; God can use extraordinary means to bring men to life and salvation and happiness, but men must not look now for extraordinary conversions, they must not expect to be miraculously saved, as in former times some were, when the means of salvation was revealed only to the people of the jews; Rahab indeed and job that had not the means of salvatition so apparently revealed unto them; but had only ●●inckling of the happiness that God had wrought for his people; this wrought upon them and prevailed with their hearts, and by the power of the Almighty God brought them to the knowledge of the things belonging to salvation. But in the common course of God, if ever soul now be converted, it must be by the ministry of the word, that is our day, that is our time, that is the special season wherein God will vouchsafe to look upon poor sinners, and convert them unto himself; if a man were not alive means would not profit him, and if a man were alive and had no means, he could get no good neither; but when both these go together, then is the time wherein God offereth life and salvation, then is the season wherein God (if ever) will work upon the soul of a sinner to make him fit to entertain things belonging to his peace. We must handle two parts in the point, first that a man's life is part of this season; secondly that the means offered in that season is the making up of the point, we will prove both parts severally, and then make uses of them both together. First we will prove that the time of a man's life is part of the season wherein God will work effectually upon him for his everlasting comfort, 
Eccles. 9.10.  in the in the ninth of Ecclesiastes 10. there saith the wise man, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest; as though he had said, if there be any thing that God requireth of thee, If there be any duty that ought to be discharged by the labour whilst thou livest to do it. And now be careful to perform it, for when death shall close thine eyes, and thy body returneth to the grave, then there is no more teaching, no more hearing, no more expecting of grace and mercy from God, and we shall find in course of Scripture, that a man shall receive according tot hat he hath done in the flesh: while a man lives here he is in the time of trading, and the time after this life is the time of enjoying, in this life is the time of labouring, and the time to come is the time of rewarding; as our trading and labouring is here in this life, so shall our enjoying and rewarding be hereafter in the life to come, A● 〈◊〉 soweth so shall a man reap, Gal. 6.8. if he sow to the flesh he shall reap to the flesh, 
Gal. 6.8.  if he yield to the corruptions of his own nature, and gives way thereunto, and be carried aside thereby, he shall have the wages of sin, but he that is willing for to stoop to the Commandments of God, he that serves God here and walks uprightly before him shall receive everlasting life, and eternal happiness hereafter; and so much for the proof of the first Point, after this life is once ended, there is no hope of life and salvation.  
Secondly, together with our lives we must also have the means of grace continued unto us for the making up of that season wherein God will, if ever, fit us and prepare us for mercy, I mean by the means of grace the preaching of the Gospel, for this was one part of jerusalems' day here spoken of; and therefore this is the second part of every man's day, namely, when we have the glad tidings of the Gospel vouchsafed unto us; 
2 Cor. 6.2.  in 2. Cor. 6.2. the Apostle doth conclude that when the means of life and salvation is afforded, this is the time of salvation, he layeth his finger, as it were, upon the season of life and happiness, for he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee? now some may say, when is this time of salvation? The Apostle doth particularly make this good in the words following, now saith he, behold is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation. Now while the Lord is pleased to vouchsafe the means of grace and salvation to you, and to send the Doctrine of salvation among you; why, now is the time accepted, now is the day of your salvation, 
Luke 19.9.  and therefore Luke 19.9. Zacheus when he had a strong desire to see Christ, and to meet with the Lord jesus, and could not by reason of the press, he gets him out of the crowd, and came before into a Sycamore tree, that so he might the better behold him; but before Zacheus could see Christ, Christ saw him, and calleth to him, Make haste Zacheus and come down, for to day I must abide at thy house, and Zacheus made haste and came down joyfully; and then the Lord jesus when he came with him to his house said unto him, this day is salvation come unto this house, why? because this day he was made the son of Abraham, as we may see in the words following, this day it pleased Christ to bring that desire of Zacheus unto some perfection; & this was the day of Zacheus: while then the Word is revealed, and while the means of happiness is laid open, while God makes a tender of grace and salvation to a soul, this is the day of every man's salvation: so than we have the proof of the point plain out of Scripture, namely, that while life and the means last, that is the season that God hath appointed and set apart to do good to the souls of those whom he meaneth to convert unto himself.  
The next thing to be considered is the reason of this how it cometh to be thus, that the time of a man's life, and the time wherein God vouchsafeth the means, that this is the time wherein God offereth salvation to a poor soul; and we will lay down the reasons of both parts severally. First, concerning the time of a man's life; and the reason of this is, because when this crazy frame of ours begins to be dissolved, then comes Gods definitive sentence, God's definitive verdict than passes upon a man, God then passeth a sentence upon a ●an which he never meaneth to recall; a man at the time of his death, when death closeth a man's eyes, he is then either everlastingly happy, or else everlastingly miserable; there is then afterwards no alteration to be expected, Heb. 9.27. There, saith the Text, 
Heb. 9 27.  it is appointed for all men once to die, but after that comes judgement; as death leaves a man, so judgement finds a man, he doth not say after death comes amendment, after death comes repentance, after death comes Purgatory; no, no, this is a dream of the Papists, they think that a man may after death be in trouble a while, and be in Purgatory, and then be brought out by the treasure of the Church: but alas, this is a vain dream to enlarge the Pope's coffers, and to make the Pope's Kitchen hot, as Divines use to say, that so the Pope may have a great deal of money: they say, if a man have le● never so wicked a life, if yet he will bestow such a legacy upon the Pope's holiness, though he have been in Purgatory a great while, he shall yet by the treasure of the Church be released, but this is a fond, foolish, sottish dream, the case is plain enough after death judgement comes next, a man shall either go into everlasting happiness, or else into everlasting confusion; there is no third place for a soul to go unto, but a man must either go to hell for ever or to heaven for ever; every man that is saved, is saved by Christ, joh. 3.36. 
joh. 3.36.  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him: so then now if a man believe in Christ he is perfectly saved, if he believe not in Christ he is p●●fectly damned, joh. 3.18. 
joh. 3.18.  He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, that is, he hath one foot in hell as it were, he is now in the gall of bitterness, and if he liveth thus, and endeth his days in this condition, he shall as surely be damned and go to hell, as if he were there already. All that believe in Christ are fully saved, and therefore to heaven they must go 〈◊〉 if they believe not in Christ; they are as surely damned, and therefore to hell they must go▪ so the● the case is clear, the sentence of God is fir●● and the virdict that God passeth upon a 〈◊〉 sinner at thet time of death is most certain, there is no repealing of the sentence, there is no recalling of the verdict, and this is the reason why the time of a man's life is the season wherein 〈◊〉 man shall receive grace and salvation if ever he receive it.  
The second thing to be proved is this, why the means of salvation makes up the opportunity wherein God meaneth to save poor sinners if 〈◊〉 they be converted, and we shall observe that the ground of this lieth in the very nature of a season; if we ask what makes a season of grace? I answer that it will appear that only the revelation of the Will of God in the Gospel maketh this season; Know therefore thus much, that to make up the season for any thing; there is not only required a continuance of time, but also a supply of all those helps that may be useful and needful for the accomplishment of any work in that season; As for example, imagine the days and the nights were of an equal longth, so many hours in the one, so many hours in the other, yet this continuance of time doth not make an opportunity barely; for a man to walk in the night though there be as many hours in the night as in the day, because the hours do not make on opportunity for a man to walk in, but the means that are needful for this action, for when the Sun shines so that a man may see his way, and avoid dangers and inconveniences, this is the time wherein a man hath a fit opportunity to walk in, so saith our Saviour, If a man walks in the night he stumbleth, but if he walk in the day than he stumbl●s not, because he seethe where he goeth; so that the continuance of time doth no make up an opportunity, but a supply also of all helps and sufficiency needful for the performance of any action in this time. Look as it is with men when they go to fail, when there is wind and tide for their purpose, this is the fittest opportunity for them to take ship in: now in a calm day there may be as many hours, as much continuance of time as in a day when there is wind and tide serving for their turn; but this cannot be said to be a season for them to go to sea in, but when they have wind and weather to carry them, and tide to convey them, this is a sit opportunity for them to take ship in: so when the Gospel is revealed, when the means of grace is offered to any people, than there is a powerful concurrence of all sufficiency and help every way to procure that good which is wanting to the soul, and which is necessary for the soul for the attaining of happiness here and hereafter; and therefore this is the season wherein men shall be converted and receive salvation if ever they shall be made partakers of it; and therefore it is said of the Word, that it is able to save the souls of men, though a man were never so weak, yet this Word of the Gospel is able to make him strong, though he were never so proud, never so sturdy, yet this word is able to humble him, though he were never so full of unbelief, yet this Word is able to work faith in him, though he were a damned man, yet thus is the only means to bring him to salvation. Now than this I reason out of the former arguments, they that enjoy that continuance of time wherein they have all means necessary to procure life and salvation; they have the 〈◊〉 wherein life and salvation is to be obtained; 〈◊〉 they that have life continued and the means of the Gospel revealed and vouch safed unto them, 〈◊〉 have all means and helps whereby grace and ●●●vation may be procured unto them, and 〈◊〉 they enjoy the fittest season wherein God doth mean t● do good unto their souls. The life of the Doctrine is behind, that lieth in the application of the Point.  
The uses of the Point are three, If it be so that while life is continued, and the Gospel preached; this is the time wherein God means if ever to show mercy to the soul of a poor sinner: then in the first place, it is a ground of instruction to every soul here present, to teach us how thankful we ought to be unto the Lord that enjoy yet these liberties in the land of the living, to acknowledge God's goodness towards us, and take notice of his merciful dealing with us, that yet we live through him, and that yet we may receive grace and mercy from him by the means of salvation that he hath appointed; it is a mervellous high and happy privilege that we may enjoy the light of the Gospel, that a man was borne in such a time, in the last age of the world, in such a place, in this kingdom, wherein the way of life and salvation is so fully, so plainly, nay, so powerfully made known to the souls of men, as the whole world enjoys not the like, that we have the day of salvation to trade in for the good and comfort of our souls, that we have the day before us wherein we may walk in those ways whereby comfort may be derived unto us, that the Sun of the Gospel shines full in our faces, and is not yet set, and that as we live in the earth, so we enjoy the means of a better life, that so we may be with, God, when we shall go hence and be no more seen. The ancient people of God did observe God's goodness herein, the Scripture saith, that Abraham saw this day a fare of and rejoiced, he saw the day wherein Christ should come into the world, and when the means of salvation should be offered and revealed, those things were laced up in types & figures in Abraham's time, but when God revealed the day of Christ jesus unto Abraham, he by faith believed it, he saw it afar of and rejoiced: nay, good old Simeon when he saw this accomplished when he saw Christ was borne, and had him in his arms, than he desired to live no longer, but blessed God and said, Now lettest thou thy servant departed in peace according to thy Word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, to be a light to lighten the Gentiles; and the glory of thy people Israel; when he saw the means of salvation discovered and declared, his heart was so ravished with the delight he took therein, that he did desire to departed out of this life, that he might be with Christ in a better life: it is true that while we live in this world we shall have many troubles, while we continue in this vale of misery, we shall have many vexations, but this is the comfort of a man that he hath the voice of the Gospel sounding in the ears of him, and the Spirit behind him crying after him, This is the good and ancient way walk in it; if a man that were to travel by night had but the Moon, or the light of the Stars to direct him in his journey, this would be very comfortable unto him, but if he had a lamp or a torch carried before him he would think this a marvellous comfort, but if a man that hath a journey to take, hath the Sun shining clear above him, this will greatly cheer the heart of a poor traveller, though his journey be tedious, and the way be foul; why yet he will say it is fair above head, and I have day enough before me, and therefore I care not: So it ought to be with every Christian man living; we are all travellers here below, we are all bound for heaven, though a man find rough ways and cold weather, though a man have many troubles, many disgraces cast upon his person, many reproaches put upon his name, yet this may be his comfort there is day enough before a man, it is fair weather above head, the preaching of the Word may cheer a man, and the means of life and happiness may comfort a man that walks in the way unto salvation; in 1 Pet. 1. ●0. the Te●t saith, that the ancient Prophets enquired and sought diligently when Christ should come, when the means of salvation should be revealed, of which salvation, 
● Pet. 1.10.  saith the text, the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come, etc. all the ancient Fathers before enjoyed only the Moonshine and the Starlight of the Gospel, and therefore in the 2 Pet. 1.19. The Apostle saith, 
2 Pet. 1.19.  We have also a more sure Word of prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the daystar arise in your hearts; as who should say, when Christ came, when the Gospel was revealed, the Son of righteousness did then clearly appear, if they that expected those things only were thankful for them, then what should we be that enjoy these helps, for the cheering of us, helping of us, and comforting of us in the ways of salvation; it is a speech of the Prophet David, Give me understanding that I may live: it is an observation of holy men out of this place, that a man doth not live because he growth, a tree doth so, a man doth not live because he feels and sees and hears, and hath the sensible faculty, the beasts do so, a man doth not live because he reasons, the devils do so; but give me understanding that I may live: we live not as holy men unless we understand the ways of God, unless we know the things belonging to our peace, here 〈◊〉 hereafter; we live not because we are wise, for the devil is wiser than any man living; but give me understanding that I may live, that I may understand the things of God; this is the wisdom of it Christian whereby he shall come to 〈◊〉 eternal happiness: many in the East parts of the work● worship the devil, they never so much as heard 〈◊〉 thing of Christ jesus, and the glad 〈…〉 Gospel's, and therefore is it not a wonder 〈…〉 that God hath continued us until this time, wherein the means of salvation are so fully re●●●led? You that are going on in the road way 〈◊〉 destruction, all you that are in a natural estate, 〈◊〉 God should pluck you out of the land of the living, what should become of your poor souls, it is a great mercy that God doth yet vouchsafe life unto you, but that you may hear the Word, and enjoy the means of salvation, what a comfort is this: A Ploughman if he hath but a fit opportunity of sowing, ploughing, or reaping, he is thankful for it, and he ought so to be, for it is a great goodness of God to afford unto him seasonable weather to sow and gather in the fruits of the earth; in the time here of late when by reason of unseasonableness of weather, famine was feared, and yet God gave a seasonable time afterwards to ripen & gather the fruits of the earth, I appeal to your own consciences did not this comfort you, did not this cheer you? Nay, could not people come and be thankful to God for such blessings, and say it was a good season God be blessed, God's name be praised for it? Was this such a goodly season wherein you might fill your barns full of corn, and your purses full of money? Why then, had we eyes to see and hearts to conceive what is that season, that blessed season of salvation, those good days that have passed over our heads, wherein many have enjoyed the opportunity and means of salvation twenty, thirty, yea forty years; Oh blessed season, the Sun never saw the like, nay the whole world wonders at this marvellous mercy that the Lord hath vouchsafed to us in this Land. Shall we enjoy all these blessings, and yet not be thankful for them, and prize them as we ought, and walk worthy of them as we might; Oh let it not be so with us, but you that can be thankful for a plentiful harvest when you may gather money into your coffers; oh be thankful, be thankful for the means of salvation vouchsafed unto you whereby you may fill your souls full of comfort; and therefore go your ways in secret, and be thankful to God that you live, and if you have received grace, bless God that ever you saw that day, if you have not received grace, yet bless God that yet you breathe, and that you may seek unto him and wait upon him in the use of the means, that so you may receive mercy and salvation from him: bless God that thou hast the Sunshine of the Gospel shining in thy face, that thou hast the day before thee that thou mayst trade therein and receive comfort thereby.  
Secondly, is it so that while life lasts, and the means of salvation is continued and vouchsafed unto us, that this is our day, that this is the season wherein God will show mercy unto us; what use then will you make of this for the present, what will you say, and what will you now persuade your hearts unto, why, me thinks every man answers, and every man's soul ecchoeth again, surely if this be the time, if this be the season, let us take it then, since the Lord offereth this, and continueth this, we ought then to be entreated in the name of the Lord jesus to take this opportunity, and not omit any season wherein the Lord calleth upon us, that so we may obtain the end of our hopes, the desire of our souls, even salvation hereafter; Redeem the time because the days are evil, saith the Apostle, that is, because the time is now, therefore take the opportunity; it is the use that the Apostle makes, While ye have time do good unto all men, then much more to our souls; if we must do good to our neighbours, then much more to that poor soul of ours that is miserably oppressed with sin, that is in a dainned and cursed estate. Oh but there are many arguments whereby Satan laboureth to defeat this truth, and many shifts the soul hath to put off this that hath been spoken; give me leave a little to wipe away those carnal conceits and cavils. The first is this, the soul will be ready to say, I confess it is true indeed, that when the opportunity is we should take it, but that may be hereafter, who knoweth whither this be my time or no, my opportunity or no? I answer with the Apostle Paul, while I am speaking, and you are hearing, while we are all living, now is the time, 
2 Cor. 6.2.  now is the season, it is in 2 Cor. 6.2. the Text saith; I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in a day of salvation have I succoured thee, behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Whilst Ministers are calling upon you, and you are living, though they cannot give you grace, nor you of yourselves receive grace, yet we have the promise in the accepted time God will hear us, even now while I am speaking and you are hearing, this the very day of salvation, and therefore let us not turn the deaf ear upon the Lord, but while opportunity is afforded, let us make use of it, while the Lord is pleased to continue opportunities unto us, let us embrace them, he that never heard, let him hear now, he that never prayed, let him pray now, it is now high time to awake out of that cursed security wherein we have a long time lain, the Lord is come near unto us even to the very next door, Christ jesus is calling, and mercy is entreating, and wisdom is even hoarse with crying after us, there is nothing but a heart wanting, mercy is offered, we ought therefore to entertain it, the means of salvation are revealed, therefore we ought for to embrace them, Cant. 2.10. 
Cant. 2.10.  there saith the Text, My beloved spoke and said unto me, Rise up my love, my fair one and come away, for the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, and the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our Land; thus God speaketh to you this day, those words are made good to every soul that heareth me this day, God calleth to every poor sinner; the Church was then in misery, and so the Lord speaketh to every poor soul, thou art in the grave of thy sins, arise my love, my dove, the time of persecution is past, and the voice of the turtle is yet heard, the Ministers of God are preaching to us, and wooing of us, and saying, the Spring time of grace is now present. The Lord saith unto us as to the Church there, rise and come out of those sinful courses wherein you are; he plucks the adulterer out of his lewd practices, and he calls the proud man out of his wicked courses, and the covetous man out of his counting house, and from the things here below and bids them come unto the house of the Lord, that he may speak comfort and consolation to their souls, the Lord doth even strive with us, and labours every way to pluck us out of our base and sinful courses, the Lord dealeth with us, 
Ezeck. 12.3.  as he did with Israel, Ezeck. 12.3. there saith the Text, Prepare thou son of man thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight, and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place, it may be they will consider though they be a rebellious people, as if he had said, it may be when all these means are used, it may be at last they will be persuaded and perform that which I require of them, it is a lively pattern of God's special providence over us in this Land, God hath not dealt thus with other Nations, he hath passed by other people, and hath let the Gospel abide among us, the sound of the Gospel, an inkling of it hath been in other countries, but he hath commanded the Gospel to abide with us twenty, thirty, forty, sixty years, we have yet the Gospel among us, we are yet in peace and prosperity, we enjoy those liberties that thousands of our poor brethren want and would attain unto: many have had some means, but we have had all means, we have had famine for to affright us, the Plague to awaken us, and peace to cheer us, nay the Gospel and means of salvation are still continued to us, the Lord saith, preach still, continued still calling, and still crying to the people of England, that so if it be possible their proud hearts may be humbled, their sturdy hearts may be softened, their unregenerate hearts may be converted and their souls may be saved.  
The second cavil is this, the soul may say though the opportunity be now present, yet there is time enough, the day is long enough; for the answer hereof I will go no further than the Text saith, O that thou hadst known the things belonging to thy peace in this thy day, but now they are hidden from thine eyes. The day of a man's life is very uncertain, no man knoweth how long he shall live, who knoweth not what our lives are, bubbles, and vapours and flowers, how soon are the bubbles down, how soon are the vapours vanished, how soon do the flowers fade, nay many of us are in our middle age, nay some of us are in our old age, we have one foot already in the grave, and how soon may these flowers whither, how soon may these men return unto the earth, and then what will become of all their expectations. It is good saith the wise man to enjoy the present time while life and strength continue; young men will be ready to say, I will take my own content now, and hereafter I will return unto the Lord, I will gather the flower while it is green and while I am young, I will not spend my days in mourning, I will not break my heart with sighing and sorrowing for my sins, but when I grow crooked and aged, and sit at home, than I will repent and 〈◊〉 unto the Lord and become a new man; those young men say unto repentance as Felix did to Paul, go thy ways now, I will hear thee another time, so say they to repentance, hereafter when there comes a convenient time I will repe●t, I will be holy and obedient, and turn over a new leaf, and become a new man; but now let me make use of the treasury of my youth, and because I am in the strength of my years, therefore I will follow my pleasures; O fool, O fool, I say unto thee as Christ did to the rich man in the Gospel, this night thy soul may be taken from thee, and then what will become of thy thoughts, plots, and plojects, thy bed may become thy grave, and then what will become of thy poor soul, the devils may drag it into hell. It was the word of the rich man when he had filled his barns full of goods, and his purse full of money, than he saith unto his soul, Soul take thy rest, thou hast goods laid up for many years; take thy cups saith the drunkard, take thy whore saith the adulterer. Oh fool this night the devil may hale thy soul into everlasting confusion, how knowest thou but that sentence may be given upon thee which was given upon him, and then there will be no repentance in the grave. But be it so that thy life may continue which is very uncertain, though thy day continue, yet the day of grace happily will not continue, that is but a minute of the particular time of thy day, if God take away the light of the Gospel, thou mayst die so hunger and thirst, and never come to the like mercies, never receive the like encouragements, thou that heretofore hast despised a faithful Minister, it may be thou shalt never see the face of a good Minister more hereafter, and then what shall become of all thy fair hopes and goodly expectations; Oh then when the market is done thou wilt come too late to buy salvation, thou shalt never receive those benefits and means of grace and salvation again which thou hast neglected. Nay consider that this which I have spoken may be the case of any one in this congregation, every man hath his day, I gave her a time to repent saith the Lord of wicked jesabel, but she would not, the Lord would have plucked her out of her bed of down, and from the arms of her lovers into a bed of sorrow, she hath now pain for her pleasure and sorrow for her jollity, who knoweth but this may be my day and thy day, and every particular man's day. When the word of God comes home to the soul of a man, and the Lord is pleased to knock at the conscience of a poor sinner, he may then break out into admiration, and say, is it thus? is the Lord so compassionate that notwithstanding all my rebellions he is still pleased to strive with me, nay to mourn over me, as he did over jerusalem, O that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace, many mercies hath the Lord let into my soul to allute me, many judgements to terrify me, many promises to persuade me, and hath used all means possible to bring me to a better life, no mercy equals this, no goodness is to be compared with this, thus take notice of the mercies of God towards you, and go aside and make good use of those good motions that God by his Spirit shall suggest into your souls; and if the Lord hath almost persuaded thee to be a Christian, oh than make much of those blessed motions, and begin to be a new man presently! oh, go home and say, if God do thus strive and struggle with me in particular, then resolve and say this is my day, if there be any soul here present that it hath pleased God thus to move, oh know and consider that this is thy particular time, thy particular season, say and remember that such a time thou hadst a fair offer, it may be he that now moves and persuades thee, and entreats thee to come to everlasting life and happiness, it may be he will never look after thee more. And now what remaineth more, when a man resolves that this is his day, and that now the Lord comes near unto him, but even then presently to break off all impediments, and leap over all blocks that lie in his way, and resolve thenceforward to bid adieu to all his corruptions; he should consider with himself and say, seeing the Lord doth even mourningly strive with me for my good, than I will never attend more to those lusts, I will never yield more to those occasions that have gotten the mastery over me, I would wish every poor soul, to take up this resolution, to give a bill of divorcement to his sins, and never to see the face of his corruptions any more; to do this now will be a very hard thing, I know it, and experience proves it, your lusts will cleave to you and hang about you, you would be loath to part with your old corruptions, old friends that have been of old acquaintance, for these to be shaken off on a sudden, this will be very grievous: S. Austin speaking of his conversion confesseth this, his sins did hang about him, and he was loath to leave them, and forsake them, he was often persuaded by the motions of God's Spirit to return from his wicked courses, and become a new man, but he was loath to part with his beloved lusts, and therefore thought he might have time enough to repent afterwards, but at length he took up this resolution to break through all impediments, and broke out into those words, Why not to day Lord, why not to day, he had dallied too often, and deferred too long, and therefore now he resolved to go through stitch in this case, he resolved to do so, and kept his resolution. Why do, you as he did, and say, why not to day Lord, why not to day; you could be content on your death beds to be drunk no more, why cannot you as well to day resolve to be sober; the adulterer when he lies upon his death bed will not endure so much as to look upon his Queen, why should he not as well abstain from this base sin to day, we know not whether the means may be taken from us, or we from the means, and therefore when the Lord saith, My face seek you, answer again and say, thy face Lord will we seek.  
But there are yet some shifts still behind which must be answered; the heart will yet be ready further to reply, suppose God call and I refuse, may I not hear this call again hereafter? I answer, take heed of that, for the text saith here, they are now hidden from thine eyes, ye are not Authors and Patrons of this grace, ye are not givers of this mercy, it is of God's free love to offer mercy and salvation unto you, and therefore especially take heed of this conceit; he that offereth grace unto thee now, if thou refusest it, may chance never to give it thee hereafter, though thou greatly desirest it, and earnestly seekest after it; he that now holdeth out a golden Sceptre to entertain thee, may afterwards have an iron rod to break thee in pieces if thou dost not accept his kind offer and come in unto him, he that now doth persuade thee to receive mercy at his hands while he offers it, that God hereafter may seal up thy heart in stupidness and benumbedness for ever, if thou dost not embrace it; that Spirit which now strives with thee may never strive more, that Spirit may never work upon thee more, and then when the gate is shut you may knock till your heart ache, as the foolish Virgins did, and yet never get in, you may then howl, and cry, and call, and knock, and yet with Esa● you shall not obtain a blessing, though you seek it even with tears; but the Lord will answer, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know you not; it will be just with God to take away those holy motions of his blessed Spirit which you have slighted, to take away that mercy which you have despised, take heed that do not befall you which shall befall all despisers of grace and salvation, Pro. 1.24. there saith the text, Because I have called and ye have refused, 
Pro. 1.24.  because I stretched out my hand and none would regard, but ye have despised all my counsel, and ye would none of my correction: I will also laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh like sudden desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind. There was a time when the Lord called to all despisers of grace and refusers of mercy, how long and how often, but they that would not hear, the time will come, when the Lord will say, I will laugh at your destruction; when a poor sinful creature at the day of judgement shall come before the Lord of glory, the devil drawing him, and then the Lord shall laugh at him, and say, how often have I sent unto you, and called upon you, and you would not hear nor regard me? Behold men and Angels, this is the man, this is he that contemned my Word, and slighted the means of salvation, and therefore laugh at him, mock at his destruction: Oh what will become of that man then when the Lord of mercy shall not only take mercy from him, when the God of goodness shall not only take goodness from him, but shall laugh at his confusion, and shall rejoice when he executes his judgements upon this man to his everlasting destruction; and therefore I beseech you take heed of this dangerous conceit.  
The fourth shift is this, if all will not work upon the soul, than it falls upon this, is it so that grace and mercy being neglected they shall never be obtained, why then it takes up this conclusion, if I never have grace and mercy, than I can live without it; oh fool if there were any creature of this distemper in this congregation, I may speak terrible things unto that soul, when a man is brought to this pass that he cares not what becomes of his soul, when he says what matter is it if I have not grace, is this such a loss? When a soul is come to this, oh then he is in a miserable condition, in a woeful lamentable estate: is it no matter to be saved, is it no matter to be comforted, is it no matter to be glorified eternally, what matter is it to lose grace? Nay what availeth it to live frolickely here and miserably hereafter? What matter is it to neglect grace here, and to be deprived of glory hereafter, is this no matter? Let me say to you, as the man of God did to his servant, 
2 Kings 5.26.  2 King. 5.26. Is this a time to take money and receive garments and olives, and vineyards and sheep and oxen? So say I, is this a time to live frolickely and merrily? Is this a time for a man to follow cursed companions, and embrace sinful corruptions, is this a time for a man to follow the world, and the vanities thereof, and in the mean time neglect the means of life and salvation? No, no, know it is the day of God, the day of grace, our souls lie at pawn, if these opportunities be omitted, woe and grief and pain, and wormwood will be upon that man by whom they be neglected, he that despiseth these means here shall live miserably hereafter, everlasting happiness and glory depends upon this opportunity; tell not me it is a day of merchandise, and you must provide for your families, I tell you it is a day of salvation, hast thou time to provide for thy house and family, and not for thy soul and for thy ever lasting happiness. So then gather up all briefly and the scope will be this, it is now the most opportune time, and therefore the fittest, it is the day of salvation & therefore the shortest, it is the day of visitation and therefore the greatest commodity, the opportunity is the fittest, the day is the shortest, the commodity the greatest, and what remaineth now, but that the Lord will work this upon your souls, that he which spoke this to jerusalem whilst he lived on earth, may speak the same to you though now in glory, and persuade your hearts to entertain this opportunity to make use of this day and embrace this commodity.  
But if all means will not persuade men hereunto, than the last use is an use of exhortation unto us all, to pity the case of such men, and to show remorse for the desolation of those that neglect the means of their salvation. If we cannot persuade you, yet give us leave to mourn for you, if our persuasions will not take place in your souls, yet I hope you will give us leave to go in secret, and let our eyes drop down tears for the miserable desolation that will fall upon those that neglect the means of life and happiness: you must not think to pass through Purgatory, you must not think to go to heaven whither you will or no; me thinks I see a poor creature that slighted mercy & salvation when it was offered unto him; me thinks I see that soul lying upon his death bed, light is departing from his eyes, & his soul is departing from his body, his body is a burden to him in regard of his disease, and his conscience a hell unto him in regard of his sins, oh the name of a Minister, of a Church, they are all as bills of inditements coming against the soul of this man, me thinks I hear such a man say at his last gasp, the day is gone, the gate is shut, and now it is too late to enter; and thus the soul departs from the body, the body to the grave, and the soul to hell: Oh what bitter and woeful lamentations will that soul make when it comes in hell! Oh the golden time that I have seen and not regarded, oh the gracious opportunities of salvation that my eyes have beheld, and yet I neglected! Oh the mercy and grace and goodness of God that have been offered unto me, and I have contemned and trampled under my feet, and therefore now must be tormented with the devil & his angels from ever lasting to everlasting, on the Lord give us hearts to take notice of these things. If we cannot do what good we would to men, yet let us lament their miserable conditions; wives mourn for your husbands, parents mourn for your children, and say the Lord hath offered the means of salvation both profitable and comfortable, yet my husband hears not, my child receives not these means, why then mourn and lament oh my poor husband, oh my child, thou mightest have had grace, but now it is taken from thee, thou hadst the offer of salvation, and now perhaps it shall never again be tendered to thee; but if mercy cannot prevail with you, nor the voice of the Ministers take place in you, yet let the safety and comfort of your own souls, move you to make much of the opportunities and means of grace and salvation. Let every master of a family go home and resolve and say, this is my day Lord, this very day may be my day, and thy day, the last day that ever I shall speak, the last day that you shall ever hear. If I were now breathing out my last breath, I would breathe our this legacy to all Christians which I leave behind me, This is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation: He that hath an ear to hear, let him now hear, he that never had a heart, let him now have a heart to embrace these things, whilst grace and salvation is offered unto him, let him entertain this offer. It doth me good to consider if the soul of a man would but receive mercy and grace now while it is offered him this day, what comfort he may have for ever, both here and hereafter, he might then say, this day I received comfort, I was never humbled before, but this day I was humbled, I could never before receive any mercy, but this day I received it, this was a good day to me. Oh if men would but be exhorted to take the opportunity while it lasts, and entertain the means of grace and salvation while they are offered: Oh what comfort might men gain hereby, then at the last day they should receive an everlasting crown of glory, they should then receive the fruits of their labours even the salvation of their souls. Let us all therefore as we love our own souls be exhorted, to entertain the things of grace here, that we may obtain the things of glory hereafter.   
MATTH. 20.3, 4, 5, 6. 
And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you, and they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth hour & ninth hour, and did likewise; and about the eleventh hour he went out and saw others standing idle? and saith unto them; Why stand you here all the day idle? They said unto him, because no man hath hired us, he saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right that shall ye receive.  
We have heard heretofore that all men being dead in sins and trespasses are so fare from working out their own salvation from themselves, as that they are not able to receive grace and mercy offered unto them from the Lord, for the comforting of their hearts here, and obtaining of happiness hereafter, and therefore the last general circumstance of preparation we did handle, was this, That howsoever a natural man is not able to understand the things of the Lord, yet the Lord will make all those which belong unto him able to receive the Lord jesus, and then he will bestow the Lord jesus and grace and salvation upon them. Now concerning this point, there are two circumstances of special consideration. The first is the circumstance of time in regard of the means, and that we have already handled out of Luke 19.42. and the point then delivered was this; When God continues life and the means of salvation to a people, than this is the time when God means to bestow mercy and salvation upon them. The second circumstance concerning the time of this work is in respect of the men upon whom God will work: and some he works upon in their tender age, some in their riper years, and some in their old age, at all times God doth call some; and this is the circumstance we will now grapple withal, and for this purpose I have chosen this part of the Parable; and in the Parable, as in all other Parables, besides the outside, and letter of the Parable, we must understand the sense and meaning thereof. When therefore we hear in the parable of a vineyard, and of the master of the vineyard, and of the servants that were hired to work in this vineyard, and of the several hours wherein they are hired; these are only the outsides of the Parable, the meaning thereof is this; by vineyard is meant the Church of God, and by the Master of the vineyard is meant the Lord jesus, the hiring of the servants into the vineyard, is nothing else but the powerful calling of poor sinners by the work of the Ministry, to the knowledge of the truth here, and happiness hereafter, and in that he calls some at one hour, and some at another; the meaning is, that God calls some at one time, some at another; some in their tender years, some in their middle age, and some in their old age; some older, some younger: but that we may understand the sense of the Spirit, in these words, The third hour, the sixth hour, ninth hour, and the eleventh hour: We must understand that the jews and the Romans used to divide their days, which consisted of twelve hours into four parts, from six to nine was one parcel of the day, from nine to twelve was the second, from twelve to three was the third part, and from three in the afternoon till six at night was the last parcel of the day. Now therefore the third hour was nine of the clock, the sixth hour was twelve of the clock, the ninth hour was three of the clock in the afternoon, and the eleventh hour was five of the clock, an hour before night. Now the Lord doth provide some souls for himself at nine a clock in the morning, some at three in the afternoon, and some at the last cast, at five of the clock when the Sun begins to set; in their old decrepit age the Lord meant to convert some unto himself. Some understand this parable of the calling of Ministers, good and bad, and in that it is said here, They were hired every one for a penny; they understand by this, that some will be Ministers for this living, some for that, some for preferment, some also come into the Ministry for the salvation of souls: but this cannot be the meaning of the Text here, and the reason is this. This Parable must be understood of those men of whom the last clause in the 19 Chapter is understood; in the 30. Verse of the 19 Chapter, the Text saith, Many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first. Now this Parable is set down here in the beginning of this Chapter, and brought in by the Spirit of God merely for the manifestation of the Scripture going before; therefore it is clear that this Parable is to be understood concerning those persons spoken of before in the former Chapter. Of those also this Parable must be understood to whom it is applied afterward in the 16, Verse of this Chapter, it is said also, The last shall be first; and the first shall be last. So that the case is clear, this Parable being brought in by the Spirit for the illustration & discovery of the former truth, therefore who ever they be that were there understood, and whoever they be to whom this Parable is afterward applied, of the same the Parable here must be understood; but it is clear, that that Verse must be understood of those that are gracious, for the Text saith in the 29. verse of the former Chapter, Every one that have forsaken houses or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife or children, or lands for my name sake shall receive an hundred fold, but many that are last shall be first, and many that be first shall be last, that is, they that are first called if they trust unto themselves shall be last rewarded, and they that are last called if they renounce themselves and go out of themselves shall be first rewarded, & then presently follows this parable as a manifestation of that truth, and this is the interpretation of the words. So that now we see the meaning of the Parable. The Doctrine is, That God can and doth call in all ages, some in their younger age, some in their riper years, and some in their old age; God calls some in all ages, but most and most usually before their old age; this is that we shall observe here in the Parable, the Lord calleth at the third, six, and ninth hour, but at the eleventh hour he went out occasionally not thinking to see any standing idle at that time of the day, it was strange and unexpected to see any then idle, no man would hire any man to work in his vineyard for one hour, and therefore the text saith, he asked them, Why stand you here idle? As who should say, he did not once expect to see any idle at that time. For the explaining of the Doctrine there are two parts of it, we will handle them severally, that we may perceive our proceeding the better. The first part is this, That God doth and can call several of his servants at several times: Secondly, That God doth call most, and most usually before their old age. First to begin with the former, That God can, doth, and hath called several of his servants at several times, some in their younger age, some in their older, some in their tender years, some in their riper age; he calls them when he seethe it most agreeable to his good pleasure; we shall observe that of Timothy that he was called in his tender years, 2 Tim. 3.15. 
2 Tim. 3.15.  There saith S. Paul, Thou hast known the Scriptures from a child, which are able to make thee wise unto salvations and therefore the Apostle tells us in the same Epistle, that he was nourished up in the Word, that is, he was made strong with the milk of the wholesome Scripture▪ So 1 King. 18.12. 
1 King, 18.12.  It is said that Obadiah feared God from his youth; and 1 Sam. 12. 
1 Sam. 12.  It is said of Samuel, that he carried himself so blameless from his youth that he was without all exception. So much to prove that some are called in their younger age; now we have examples of many also that were converted in their middle age, as that of the jailor, Acts 16.37. and that of Lydia, Acts 16.14. 
Acts 16.37.  and the conversion of Paul, Acts 9 and of Zacheus, 
Acts 16.14  Acts. 19 It is very probable that all these were converted in their middle age; for it is said of Lydia, that she was a seller of purple, and that she got her living thereby; and the jailor, it is like he was in his middle age, for he had a great charge of prisoners committed unto him; and Paul was in his prime when he was converted, for a long time after he was converted, he continued a great instrument to set forth God's glory: and Zacheus he was a toll gatherer, and had gotten a good estate by that means. By this it appeareth that God did call these about their middle age. Now for old age, I must confess it is true that there is not any pregnant example in Scripture of God's hand this way: 
Gen 12.4.  we know, Gen. 12.4. compared with joshua 24.2. 
joshua 24.2.  that Abraham the father of the faithful was an idolater, and that God called him at 75. years old, but Abraham lived 175 years, to that Abraham was but in his middle age when he was called; but for any pregnant example, the Scripture is marvellous sparing this way: only that which may be observed by probability and may be gathered, depends upon those two places Acts 2.41. 
Acts 2.41.  there were 3000 souls added to the Church by the preaching of Peter, and Acts 10. It is said that Cornelius had got all his kindred and acquaintance together against Peter came, 
Acts 10.  whom by the commandment of God he was sent for; and the text saith when Peter came, they were all gathered together to hear the Doctrine of life & salvation; & that while Peter was inspeaking, the holy Ghost fell upon them all; now Divines reason thus, it is marvellous probable, that among those 3000 which were converted by Peter, some of them were aged men; and when Cornelius had gotten all his kindred and acquaintance together, and the holy Ghost fell upon them all: there were, it is very likely, some aged men among them whom God was pleased to show mercy unto, we know these things may be, and there is good probability of it, and we see it out of the Text plainly, that God may call some in their old age; for he called some at the eleventh hour when it was almost night, but he hath reserved this power in his own hands, he hath left no pregnant example thereof in the Scripture that we may not rely upon it; so than we see that God doth, and can, and hath called several of his servants, at several times, some at the third hour, some at the sixth, some at nine, and some, though few at the eleventh hour; and the reason of the Point is double, why, the Lord doth deal thus in this case, he doth not always choose young men that are strong, nor old men that are grave and wise; the ground of it is, that he might express the freeness of his favour in jesus Christ, as if he should proclaim to the world that we could do nothing of ourselves this way, that we have nothing in us that can move God to show mercy unto us, but that it is out of the freeness of his love in jesus Christ; for should God call only children, middle aged men, or old men only, than men would conceive that there were something in the persons that moved him to this, either the weakness of the child, or else the innocence thereof did move God to show mercy thereunto, or else that God did delight in the strength or in the gifts and parts of a young man, or if he should call men in their old age only, than men might think that their experience and gravity did move God to call them only; but when God calleth some in all ages and at all times, some young ones chosen, and some refused, some old men called, and others cast aside; then all men may conceive that there is nothing in the persons or parts of men, but that it proceeds all from the freeness of God's mercy that he deals thus with the souls of poor sinners; it is the reason of that passage in the 15. verse of this Chapter, there the Master of the vineyard called the labourers together, and they received every man a penny; now they that came first and had borne the heat of the day, when they saw that they which came last had as much as they, they murmured against the master of the vineyard saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us which have borne the heat of the day, but then the master answered saying, Friend I do thee no wrong, is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? as if he had said, I called thee at the third hour, and him at the sixth hour, and this man at the eleventh hour, it was out of my mercy that I called thee, and out of my mercy that I called him, is it not lawful to do what I will with mine own; mercy is mine, and love is mine, and reward is mine, it is my mercy that I will call any at any time, and therefore I may dispose of it as I please. Secondly as the Lord doth express hereby the freeness of his grace, so the Lord also hereby doth mervelously magnify his great power and All-sufficiency in saving the souls of poor people, that is able to do what he will in heaven and in earth; and so likewise in the hearts of his servants, there are many little ones that are fools and have no knowledge and yet the Lord is able to convert them and make them understand the mysteries of salvation, there are many strong men that snuffle up the wind like the Ass in the Wilderness, they will not stoop, they will not be humbled, but they will do what they list, and yet the Lord is able to over power this sturdy heart of a young and strong man, and he is able to support the weak nature of a young one. And so men that are weatherbeaten in their sins and screwed into their corruptions, God is able to overpower these, and convert these also and bring them home unto himself, if he be a weak silly child, yet God is able to enlighten him, if he have a sturdy heart, yet God can bring him down, and if he be a weatherbeaten and an old sinner, yet God is able to call him and convert him also; and hereby the wonderful power of the Lord is seen, in that he is able to work how he will, when he will, and upon whom he will in this kind; look as it is with a Physician, when a man hath a disease which lies low in his body and breeds rottenness in his bones, insomuch that it is almost past cure, than the Physician that can recover this man showeth admirable skill, and he showeth admirable power in regard that he is able to provide such means, and apply such means as thereby the party may be cured; by this means the skill of the Physician and the power of him is magnified, so it is with this great God, when all sorts of sinners are called, and all corruptions subdued, your little ones that know nothing yet God inlightens them and supports them, Timothy did suck the sincere milk of the Gospel on one side, as he did suck the milk of his mother's breasts on the other side; and then there is a stubborn heart on another side, which breaks all bonds and snaps all cords apieces, h●e cares for nothing, he will be ruled by no man, and then there is your old forlorn sinner, his sins are become a rottenness in his bones, old incanl●●ed pride and incancred covetousness and malice, God now to conquer all these and help these, doth not this show admirable power in the Lord, 〈◊〉 to work and thus to order things for the good of his people: so that we see that God doth and can call in all ages. We come now to the next passage, and that is this, however the Lord doth at several times convert several of his servants, and there is no time allotted to him, yet most and most usually God doth call them before their old age, and that some interpreters wittily observe out of the Text, it is said that the master of the Vineyard went out at the third, sixth and ninth hour, and saw some standing idle, and he sent them into his Vineyard; he went then on purpose to see and hire, and send in Labourers to work in his Vineyard, but the Text saith, he went out at the eleventh hour not to hire any, for he did not expect to see any then idle, but he went out upon some other occasion, and seeing some then standing idle he wondered at it and said, Why stand ye all the day idle, as if he should say, no man will hire you now, it is but one hour to night, it is time for men to leave working, and not to begin to work, he went out occasionally and meeting with these unexpected, he wondered at these and therefore they observe, that if there had not been great mercy in the master of the Vineyard, this was no time to hire Labourers in, so that the case is clear, some are called in their youth, some in their middle age, some in their old age, some in their tender years, some in their riper age, some old, some young, but this is most true than those whom God doth call it is most commonly in their middle age before they come to their old age, this is the general course of God, he call many before, some after, but most then, Eccles. 3.1. there the wise man observes, that there is a time appointed for every purpose, and it appeareth that the middle age is the fittest time for this purpose, it is true indeed that all things depend upon God's will, but yet there is wisdom in this God, and he ordereth things according to wise doom, and this seems to be the fittest season wherein the Lord should deal thus graciously in converting of a sinner; if we consider either the nature of man, or the end of Gods giving grace, in both these respects, first if we look to man, and regard either the constitution of his body or the gifts & qualities of his mind, we shall see that it is most fit for God to work upon him in his middle age, he can do it, and may do it at another time, but that is the fittest time; and that first in regard of the constitution of his body, for it is observed by Philosophers that a man in his tender infancy lives the life of a tree only, he only eats and grows, and so it is with little children in their swaddling , afterwards when he comes into further years, when he comes to be ten or twelve years old, than he lives the life of a beast, he is taken away with those objects that are then most suitable to him; for a child to consider of the mysteries of life & salvation is almost impossible, he is not yet come to that ripeness of judgement, but when he comes to the ripeness of his years, from 20. years until he come to be 40. or thereabouts, than the works of reason put forth themselves, than his apprehension is quick to conceive a thing, and his memory is strong and pregnant to retain a thing apprehended, and his heart is somewhat pliable, and his heart is somewhat frameable to receive that impression that is put upon him; now because in a man's middle years ability of nature comes on, and reason comes on, insomuch that a man is able to conceive and partake of the things of grace, and fathom them, and the power of his understanding comes on whereby he is able to embrace them, therefore then is the fittest time that God should bestow his graces upon a man, look as it is with wax, if a man melt it, it will be too soft to hold any impression, and when it is too hard it will receive no seal neither, but when it is neither too soft nor too hand but in a middle temper between them both, than it is fit and ready to receive any impression whatsoever a man stamps upon it, it must neither be too extremely hot nor too hard, but mediately disposed, and then it will receive a seal, so it is with the nature of a man, in his tender years he can hold nothing, he hath such a weak understanding; tell a child of the wonders of salvation, and it is impossible unless God works wonderfully that he should receive them; a man's nature in his infancy is like wax that is too soft, and the nature of an old man that also is like wax too hard, but now a middle aged man is neither so weak as the one, nor so hard as the other, but it is most fit for God to put a stamp upon, for his heart is then most pliable to receive the things of grace, and his affections are then most frameable to the mind of the Lord. Secondly, as this is the fittest time for God to work upon a man in regard of the constitution of his body, so also in regard of corruption, because a young man that is come to the strength of his years, his mind will be sooner informed, and his judgement sooner convinced in regard of those corruptions that are in him, because he hath not continued long in any base course, therefore he is most easy to be wrought upon, but when a man is grown old in wickedness, when his soul as his body gins to buckle under the sins of his younger years, when the heart is hardened, and the conscience seared in wickedness, than it is desperately hard, it is a mervelous miracle for the means of salvation to take place in such a man, we see it is marvellous hard to drive a nail into an old knotty snarly post, especially when it is weatherbeaten and seasoned, and clung together. It is no wonder that we spend our hearts and can do no good, for those that have been old weatherbeaten sinners, knotty snarly, stubborn rebellious hearts, a man were as good speak to the seats where they sit, and to the walls as to the hearts of them, it is marvellous hard to bring any thing home to the affections of such men, they will not away from their old corruptions, their hearts are riveted to their old lusts and corruptions, and therefore they will not entertain that which may do good unto them, if a man will transplant a tree, he doth not take an old withered rotten tree, that is not fit to be transplanted, but he takes a young tender twig and transplants it, so it is here, those old trees, old sinners that are withering, dying and decaying, such are of the Lepers spots, and Blackamoor's hue, they that are settled in their corruptions, and resolve to take up their old courses; now they are too old to learn, thus long they have lived, and if they be now stubborn they will be so ever; if they be now peevish and malicious they will be so ever; if they be now covetous they will be so ever, they will not entertain, they will not partake of those things which God hath appointed for their good. The third and last argument is in regard of grace itself; it is very convenient and reasonable that God should bestow grace upon those that are in their middle age, rather than upon those that are in their tender years, or in their old age, if we consider the end of the giving of grace, for what is the end of grace, and why doth God give a man grace and frame his heart so, that he may be fitted to partake of happiness, but that the Lord hereby might receive the praise and glory of the riches of his grace? That they which have it may express the power of God, that hath called them out of darkness into marvellous light; the Lord is pleased to show this favour towards them, that they might show forth what God hath done to their poor souls, as the Prophet David doth; now this middle age of a man is the fittest time, wherein grace may receive most glory, and God most honour, in regard of the giving of it; for grace when it cometh to nature doth not destroy it, but perfect it, it doth not take away the natural parts, as learning, knowledge and courage, and the like, but rectifieth them and turneth them the right way: as for example, he that had a strong memory, or a sharp wit, or a great courage, and a violent affection, God preserveth and keepeth those still, but when grace comes God, turneth them the right way and maketh him a fit instrument to set forth his glory, that before was a great enemy to the same, and therefore it is said that Paul was a chosen vessel for the Lord, and why? because Saul was a man of great learning, fiery zeal, fervent love, and undaunted courage, and therefore when he persecuted the Church, it is said that he breathed forth persecutions; he got him a good Steed, & got letters from Damascus, & haled all poor Christians to prison where he came, but when grace came, the Lord did still retain the natural power of zeal, love, courage, and learning, the Lord did retain all these; that tongue that before spoke against God is now fitted to confute the adversary, he convinced them mightily saith the text, & that courage whereby he before was carried against God's Saints is, now fitted to suffer persecution, imprisonment and disgrace for his name's sake, and therefore in all reason it was fittest that the Lord should take Paul in the middle of those years, that he might employ him to the furtherance of his praise, that had before been a great hindrance to his Gospel; It is said by the Apostle Paul, that the members of a godly man's body, and the faculties of his soul, are weapons of righteousness; a gracious tongue will speak those things which may be for God's praise, and the good of men; a gracious foot will be swift to run the ways of God's Commandments: now the wisest, workman will not choose an instrument that is broken and unfit for service; now an old man is a broken and crazy instrument, little honour can God have by his tongue when it falters, little good can God have by his understanding, and learning, and wisdom, when as in regard of his age he is become a child again, and therefore it is marvellous reasonable that God should take this time for the expressing of his grace; for when a man is in the strength of nature, than grace turns all the members of his body and faculties of his soul the right way, and a man runs as earnestly forward in a good course, as he did before in the ways of wickedness; so then gather up the point, if in regard of the constitution of his body, a man is then fittest to receive the things of grace, if in regard of corruption he is not so hardened to resist grace, if also then he is fittest to glorify God for bestowing grace upon him; than it is reasonable, that as God can call when he will, so it is most fit that he should call him before he is in his old declining age, when his body is fit for nothing but to be carried upon a coffin and laid into the grave; now we see then that it is clear, God can call at any time, but God doth most usually call most of his servants before their old age: Let us now see what use we can make of the Point; and first observe from hence a ground of Instruction; we must take heed that we be not too rash & giddily censorious, in setting down a final censure upon men; seest thou men running on headlong in the ways of wickedness, yet never conclude therefore that God will never show mercy and favour unto them, and work upon the souls of them, for we know that God can call at the eleventh hour, and therefore be not too rash in censuring this way, 
1 Cor. 4.5.  but receive the exhortation of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4.5. There saith the Text, judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, etc.  
FINIS.   

THE FIRST TABLE; Out of Revel. 22.17.  
WHosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.  

Doct. I. That the offer of grace from God is free. page 6  
It is free in regard of the preparation and the means of grace, that God hath invented. p. 8. Secondly, it is free in regard of the revelation of the means. p. 9 Thirdly, it is free in regard of the blessing the means of grace and salvation to any soul. p. 10  
Reas. I. This offer of grace must needs be free, because there is nothing in man to purchase this. p. 11  
Reas. II. Because the creature can do nothing to merit it. p. 12  
Reas. III. Because no natural man hath any promise to challenge grace. p. 13  
Use I. It is a word of advice to the Saints that have received grace, to magnify the mercy of God. p. 15  
Use II. It is to the wicked that want this mercy, a ground of encouragement to seek after this mercy, seeing it is free. p. 19  
Use III. It is a Use of Exhortation to all poor creatures that are burdened under the multitude of their sins, to hope for mercy from the freeness of of it. p. 23  
Doct. II. That the soul must be willing to receive Christ and grace, before it shall have Christ and grace. p. 27. What is meant here by the will. p. 30  
Quest. But how shall a man come to know, that he wills grace and Christ.  
Answ. A man may know whither he will grace or Christ by these 3. particulars, First, when the soul seethe such an excellency in Christ and grace, that he highly prizeth Christ and grace. p. 35. Secondly, whereby a man may know whether he will Christ or no, is this, when the soul can choose Christ above all things. p. 36. Thirdly, if the soul truly wills Christ, it will be carried towards Christ to close with him. p. 39  
Use I. It is for reproof, and condemneth all those carnal Gospelers that think to be saved, though they have no will to receive Christ. p. 41  
Use II. It is a word of terror to all sinful creatures, that do profess by their wicked lives and conversations, they will not have Christ. p. 45  
Doct. III. Whosoever in truth doth will to have Christ, shall receive him, and salvation by him. p. 51  
Reas. I. Because the Lord requires no more at the hands of a poor finner. p. 54  
Reas. II. Because by this willing of Christ, the creature is made fit to close with God. p. 56  
Reas. III. Because the want of this wilingnesse to receive, and embrace Christ, is that which breaketh the match between God and the soul. p. 58  
Use I. It is a ground of instruction to wonder at the riches of God's bounty and goodness in his reasonable dealing with poor suitors only to take Christ and mercy offered. p. 62  
Use II. It is a word of terror to show the just & heavy condemnation of all such as perish, as are damned and go to hell, it is because they will be damned, they will have none of Christ and grace. p. 65  
Use III. It is an use of exhortation to stir you up never to be quiet, until you have brought your souls to be willing to receive Christ. p. 72   

1 COR. 2.14.  
Doct. NO man of himself by nature can will to receive Christ. p. 85. What is meant by a natural man. vid. p. 85. What is meant by the things of the Spirit. vid. p. 87. That a natural man hath no power to will Christ appeareth in four particulars. p. 90  
Part. I. That the things of salvation must be first made known unto a natural man, else be can never of himself find them out, yet when these things of Christ and salvation by Christ are made known unto natural men, they cannot entertain these spiritual truths. p. 90  
Part. II. When these things of life and salvation ●e brought home to the souls of natural men, yet the heart cannot but resist and oppose the Spirits work. p. 92  
Part. III. If the Lord followeth a natural man further, that he may give him grace, yet in himself he is not capable of this grace. p. 94  
Par. IU The natural man is unwilling to be wrought upon that he might be made capable to receive grace. p. 97  
Reas. I Because a natural man cannot receive the things of God, p. 100  
Reas. II. Because all natural men are fleshly and wholly overpowred with sin. p. 102  
Reas. III. Because a dead man hath no power to procure life unto himself p. 104  
Use I. It is to condemn that foolish conceit that ●arbours in the minds of many poor ignorant souls, that they brought grace into the world with them. p. 105.  
Use II. It is an use of Examination, to try whether you are natural or spiritual. p. 111  
Use III. It is of Exhortation to labour to get out of thy natural estate. p. 119. The means. p. 121   

EZECH. 11.19.  
Doct. THe taking away of the indisposition of the soul to any good duty, and the fitting of a soul to perform any spiritual service, is the alone work of God. p. 132 The Reasons, why the Lord only can do it. vid. p. 135  
Use I. It is an use of Instruction to show you, that this work of preparing a sinner to entertain Christ, it is a work of marvellous difficulty. p. 145  
Use II. It is a ground of comfort to support the hearts of those that are hard hearted. p. 147  
Use III. It is of exhortation to those that carry a stony heart about them to have recourse to God. p. 149   

LUKE 19.42.  
Doct. THat while life is continued, and the means of grace afforded to a people, is the season wherein God meaneth to work the heart to receive life and salvation. p. 160  
Use I Instruction to be thankful to the Lord for the enjoyment of the means of salvation. p. 168  
Use II. Exhortation to pity the estate of such men that neglect the means of salvation. p. 185   

MATTH. 20.3, 4, 5, 6.  
Doct. THat God can and doth call in all ages, some in their younger, some in their riper, some in their old age. p. 192   
FINIS.   

PREPARING FOR CHRIST.  john 6.44. 
No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day.  
FOr the application of the merits and obedience of Christ jesus to the soul of a poor sinner, and for the enjoying of the same, there are two things mainly observable; First, the soul must be prepared for the Lord jesus; and secondly, it must be engrafted, and implanted into Christ jesus, before it can be made partaker of the saving grace and salvation in Christ contained, and from Christ communicated to those that love and fear his name. Now concerning this great work of preparation, wherein is the 〈◊〉 of a Christian, for if the heart be but prepared, the Lord will then suddenly come into his Temple (as the Prophet Malachy speaks.) Now this preparation consists of two parts: First, the dispensation of God's gracious work upon the soul of a poor sinner. Secondly, the frame and disposition that God works upon the soul, in converting it to himself. Upon these two hangs the main work of preparation: and herein lieth the great drift of a Christian; for the mercy of God is very free, but we cannot make men fit to receive this mercy. And therefore in preparation hereunto, we must apprehend two things: somewhat must prepare; secondly, somewhat must be prepared: he that doth prepare, is the Lord; he that doth receive the work, and is prepared, is the souls of those whom God hath elected to salvation: So that as I said before, something on God's part must be observed, something on man's part must be considered: on God's part the dispensation of his work, and on man's part the disposition that is wrought in the soul. I come ●o the first thing, which is the main thing to be 〈◊〉 out of the Text, namely, the manner 〈◊〉 God worketh upon the soul when he prepares 〈…〉 himself; and this discovereth itself in two particulars: we will handle them both together. 〈◊〉, God doth pluck a poor sinner from his corruptions and darling sins, to which he was glued and fastened: and secondly, as he draweth the soul from sin, so he draweth it to himself to believe in him, and to receive mercy from him. First God plucks the soul from sin: secondly he draws it to the Lord jesus. And for this purpose we have chosen this text, that so we may have some footing for that which we speak out of Scripture, and my purpose, is not to handle all particulars in the Text, which are many, but to choose those that do concern our present purpose, and best fit us in our proceeding. And the two main points which I mean to discover out of the Text are these: First, that every man in his natural condition is fastened and settled in the state of sin and corruption. Secondly, that the Lord by a holy kind of violence plucks off the soul from sin, and draweth it to himself. These are the two things which in the Text I aim at, but the second is the main thing I look at: & we must handle them both, because the drawing of a thing from another implieth that the thing which is drawn was fastened to some thing from whence it is to be drawn; and therefore when the Lord saith, he will draw a poor sinner to himself, it implies that we were stuck fast and glued to our corruptions, from whence we must be drawn; and when this is once done, than the face is towards heaven, towards Zion; than it is fitted to receive mercy from the Lord jesus: and because this drawing unto God doth imply a fastening of the soul unto sin, from whence it must be drawn, the point therefore is this; namely, that every man's natural estate and condition is fastened, and settled, and riveted to his sins and corruptions▪ a poor creature by nature is not only engrafted into sin, but he is rooted into the rebellions of Adam, and is grown strong with sinful corruptions and distempers of his own soul; nay a man is not able to express the strong combination, between sin and the soul; it is screwed into sin, and riveted into corruptions, which have been conveyed thereunto and derived from our first parents: and that the so●●le is thus fastened, and settled, and glued to sin, we may observe it in two particulars; Partly in the dominion that sin and Satan hath over the soul: Partly in the amity that the soul hath to sin. First then, consider the dominion that sin hath over the soul, that sovereign and  command which sin exerciseth over the soul of every poor creature under heaven, which is in a natural estate, in the bond of iniquity and under the power of Satan; and we shall see that the soul is fastened to sin, Acts 26.18. the text saith, that they are under the power of Satan, To open their eyes, saith the text, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. If you ask me how the Devil hath power over poor sinners, the Apostle telleth you, That he catcheth them at his pleasure: the proud man must go no further than he will, and the covetous man must do nothing but that which he list: but this is not all neither, though this be sufficient to discover the power that Satan hath over the soul of a sinner: but when he hath thus taken a poor soul, and fettered him in this case, he than shuts him up in prison, Tim. 2.2.26. there the next saith, that the devil takes poor sinners, prisoners at his will. Gal. 3.22. it is said, that all men by nature are under the law, shut up under sin: it is a phrase taken from prisoners; a prisoner that is under the hand of the jailor, and hath his legs settered, and is shut up in prison, we use to say that such a man is sure enough. And not only so; sin and Satan have not only taken a poor prisoner, and settered him, and shut him up in prison, but they have slain him, and taken away his life also; and therefore now sin musts needs he fastened deep in the soul of a poor sinner. If a thief, or a Traitor, were apprehended, and convicted, and imprisoned, and had bolts and fetters upon him; and further, if he were condemned, and hanged, drawn, and quartered; then though the party were never so resolute, or his practices never so outrageous, yet ●en might say, now he is sure enough, now he will steal no more, nor plot treason any more: just so it is with the soul of a poor sinner, every man naturally, is so fare forth under the power of sin and Satan, that he is not only surprised and taken by Satan, but his sins are as so many bolts, and fetters about him, nay he is shut up in prison; nay further, sin hath slain him out right; in so much that a man may as soon pluck hell from the place where it is, as pluck a poor sinner out of his corruptions. The devil hath not only taken a poor sinner, but he hath fettered him and imprisoned him, and taken away his life; and therefore now the devil hath him sure enough, as we may so spe●l; he is now firmly fastened unto sin. This is the first passage, add to this the second. As the dominion of sin over the soul is great, so also that same land of league, and close kind of firm fastening, that same union that is between the soul and corruptions, is marvellous great. The Scripture never enough expresseth the love that is between sin and the soul; look what love and union there is between the husband and the wise, Rom. ●. 2. there faith the text, the woman which is in subjection to a man, is bound to the man while he liveth; the one must die before the other can marry: such is the union between sin and the soul, a poor sin is married and given over to sin, in so much that before the Lord conquers and slayeth sin, the soul is never free. Nay further, look as the members are to the body, such is sin to the soul, Collos. 3.5. mortify your members which are on earth, saith the Apostle, as fornication, uncleanness inordinate affection, and the like: nay sin is called the old man in Scripture, as if sin were another man in us; there is a head of sin, and an eye of sin, and a hand of sin, and a foot of sin; in every sinful creature it is as another man within him. Nay to go further, Matth. 16.24. there sin is called a man's self, there, saith our Saviour, let a man deny himself and take up his cross and follow me: let him deny himself, that is, let him deny his pride, and his other sinful distempers and abominations. I tell you, a natural man's sins are as near unto him as his own life, he will part with his own blood, before he will part with his corruptions; nay his sins are himself, they are so fast and so firmly settled unto him, that you may as easily pluck self from self as a man from his sins. So than if it be so, that the dominion that Satan hath over the soul of a sinner, is the strongest of all other, if the union between sin and the soul be the firmest of all other; than it is clear, that every natural man sticks fast in sin he is bound hand and foot in sin, sin and a man makes but one man; and therefore it musts needs be a hard thing to pluck a man from his sinful distempers: so that then the case is clear, every man is informed of this, that the soul is fastened and glued, and firmly settled unto sin: we will now proceed unto the use of the point. And first for instruction, 
1 Use.  we may here see that woeful servitude and base slavery, that all poor creatures are in, if they be no better by grace than they are by nature: though they carry it out never so bravely, and lift up their heads never so high, and think their penny good silver, yet their servitude is of all other the worst; and their vassalage, of all other in the world, the basest. There was never poor soul stuck so fast in a pit of clay, wherein was no bottom, as a poor soul sticketh in his sins and corruptions. You have heard of the house of bondage, that the Israelites were in, when they were in Aegygt, how miserably they were afflicted and tormented by the hands of unreasonable Tyrants, how they were forced to gather their straw, and then to scorch themselves in the fiery furnace, to make brick. You have heard of Ie●e●●ie in the dungeon, how ho stuck fast in the mire and 〈◊〉, and could have no ease until Evil merodach came and delivered him. You have heard of the Mill that Samson grinded in, after the Philistines had put out his eyes; that they should then put him as a horse to grind in the Mill. You would think it marvellous irksome and troublesome to be thus oppressed by unreasonable men. I tell you, the house of bondage that the Israelites were in, was a heaven, it was a Paradise, to that slavery, that bondage, that servitude, that vassalage which every poor sinner is in under sin and Satan: nay Samsons Mill was an excellency, it was a glory to that slavery which every poor sinner is fain to perform, to be at Satan's call, and to be at the devils command; if he bid; a man to be proud, than he must be proud; if the devil command a man to be covetous, than he must obey him, and go like an Ox to the slaughter, and a Fool to the stocks, to do whatsoever sin and Satan bids him: what a base slavery and servitude is this? jeremy in the dungeon, it was a delight to be there where he might look up to heaven, and leave the desires of his soul with God; but for a poor soul to be in the dungeon of his sins, where his mind cannot be enlightened, ●or his judgement informed; where he can see nothing, nor know nothing; where there is no help, where all the men on earth, nor all the Angels of heaven, cannot help him; what a woeful miserable wretched condition is this? Oh that God would open men's eyes, and set open the consciences of those that look so high and brag of their privileges: Many men boast of their base courses, and wicked practices, as if a thief should brag of his chains and fetters; this is a woeful misery: many creatures make this a great part of their liberty, that they can break all bonds, and snap all cords in pieces, and cast the holy commandments of God behind their backs, not to be persuaded, not to be yoked; and then they think they are the bravest men alive; they care not what the Minister says, they care not what the word commands; oh these men think they are in the greatest liberty of all men under the Sun, let me speak a little to these men; didst thou never see a poor prisoner look out of Newgate, and cry bread, bread, for the Lords sake; or didst thou never here of a poor man that was fettered and cast into a filthy dark dungeon, where light never came, where Sun never shined; if you have seen these, or heard of these, do you think these men free and at liberty? I appeal to your own consciences in this case. Why truly these men are free men in regard of that bondage, that slavery, that vassalage, that those men are in, which break Gods commandments. Thy body indeed may be at liberty, and may go from alchouse to alehouse; but alas thou hast a poor soul, that is shut up in sin, and corruption, nay it never saw the Sun, the Sunshine of the Gospel never came unto it, never any promise took place in thy soul, never did any counsel do thee any good, and yet notwithstanding, these base slaves, the miserable prisoners, those are they, that account of the poor servants of God, as if they were the basest persons in the world: If there be any poor souls that humble themselves, and obey his commandments, than they count those poor sneaks, and base fellows; if God commands any thing, they obey it, if he threatens, they tremble, and howl, and cry, and even break their hearts because of their sins, they account this as a base thing, they count these men of no spirits; but when no fear of man terrifieth them, when the word of God cannot ●rule them, these are royal hearts, and the brave spirits of the world; brave spirits, for the Lord jesus sake think of it. Of all peasants in the world, I tell you, they are the basest bondslaves, the most miserable vassals that ever breathed on the face of the earth, to have sin to be a man's commander, and the devil his jailor, and his heart a hell; and to have an ill conscience to be his hangman that continually keepeth the roap about his neck, when there is not one hair; breadth between death and him: but if it please God by death to tutne the ladder, than he is hanged in hell for ever: is this freedom? are these the brave spirits of the world? the Lord deliver his from such liberty. Should we see a malefactor arraigned, imprisoned, condemned, and gone to the place of execution, and upon the top of the ladder, and the Hangman having the roap about his neck, ready to turn him off, would we think this man a free man? would we think him a man of a brave spirit, that is in this condition? I tell thee, thy condition, if thou be'st in a natural estate, is fare worse. Thou art a poor soul, that hast been imprisoned, and ●ettered, thou art under the bondage of sin, and Satan, and thy evil conscience is like a hangman, that every day hath the noose about thy neck; and if the ladder by death be but once turned, than thou art hanged in endless, and easeless torments for ever, never to be comforted, never to be refreshed; and yet these brag and say, who is Lord over us? why, I tell you the devil is Lord over you ●and sin is your commander; you are in the greatest slavery of any men, under the cope of heaven. This is the first use, to show the miserable slavery, that all poor creatures are in.  
In the second place, it is a word of exhortation. 
2 Use.  Is it so, that all sinful men are in such a wretched condition, than we ought to be persuaded, and entreated, especially the servants of God, that have had their bolts knocked off, and have been freed from the slavery of sin, and Satan, these aught to be exhorted, to put on the bowels of compassion, and to pity these poor creatures, these poor prisoners, and to lend them their helping hand, to pluck them out of the mire and clay, wherein they stuck: It is the custom of the world, if a poor prisoner be taken and condemned, and is going to the place of execution; why, reason persuades men thus fare, to yearn towards him, they will be ready to pity him, and say, alas poor man, he is alive now, within this short time he will be dead; and what shall become of his soul who knows, unless God have mercy upon him, he is like to perish for ever. Why, do you see a company of proud persons, covetous wretches, profane creatures in the world, alas they are going to the place of execution, there is but one hair's breadth between them, and everlasting damnation: if God turn the ladder once, and a natural death creep upon them, what then shall become of their poor souls? take notice therefore of these poor souls, and pity poor prisoners, that are in such a wretched condition. If a child that had a farther of good ability, and of some place in the country wherein he lived, if he should see his father for some offence, apprehended by the officers, and committed to prison; or if he should see him go begging, from door to door, with his fetters and his bolts about his heels, oh how it would grieve him, oh how he would weep, and howl, and say, little had I thought, my poor father would have come to this misery: or if a wife should see, her husband going to the gallows, for some heinous crime committed, I know she would have a heart to mourn for her husband in this kind, she would be ready to say, little thought I, that my husband should have come to such an end, it is his own folly, that hath brought him to this. Can you pity those that are overtaken with outward bonds, with outward misery, and can you mourn for that which is fallen upon their bodies, why do thus much more, for the soul of thy father, for the soul of thy wise, for the soul of thy child, or thy friend, and say, little did I think that my father, or my husband, or my child, should ever have been shut up in hell, and fettered by Satan; little did I think that ever sin, or Satan, should be his jailor, that the devil should hale him to the place of execution: alas he cannot speak a good word, nor perform any good duty; he cannot pray in his family, but is shut up under pride and covetousness, and drunkenness, and profaneness. If thou canst pity and pray, for the body of thy father, or for the body of thy husband, or friend, why then pity and pray, much more for the soul of thy father, husband, or friend. It is that which is observable Deut: 10.19. there saith the text, you shall deal kindly with strangers; why, because ye yourselves were strangers, in the land of Egypt: we that have been in prison, under sin and Satan, and have been in the same condition ourselves, we know what it is, to be shut up under a hard heart, and a blind mind, and distempered affections; we know what it is to be prentice to the devil, and therefore this should move us, to deal pitifully with poor miserable captived creatures; we ourselves were in the same condition, we ourselves lived without God in the world heretofore, as those do now. Nay, this is that which the Apostle presseth, Tit: 3, 1, 2, 3. there saith the text, Put them in mind to be subject to principalities, and powers, and to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men; for we ourselves also, were sometimes disobedient, foolish, deceiving, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice, hateful, and hating one another: you that have been prisoners, and have had your souls, pierced with bolts and fetters; why, remember your own estate, and pity poor prisoners, that are now in that estate; that you have formerly been in. Hath the Lord opened thy eyes, and humbled thy heart, hath the Lord broke thy bonds, and knocked off thy bolts, and let thee out of prison, why then pity poor prisoners, you were such once yourselves, hating God, and hateful one to another; and that you are not so, bless God for it. You know what it is to be in such a condition, to be troubled with a hard heart; you that have been in prison, and know what it is to have hard hearts, and dead souls, and blind minds; why, pity poor prisoners that are in the same case, and cry to heaven for help for them, entreat God to free and deliver them from the bondage of sin and Satan: in the 12. of Matth. 9.10. it is that our Saviour presses upon the Pharisees, there saith the text, what man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, and will not lift it out, how much then is a man better than a sheep? so say I, if any of you should have a child, or a father, or a husband fall into a Well, would you not use all means possible, to lift him out? oh hear one would be breathing, and would scarce speak, there another would be hoarse with crying, help, help, for the Lords sake, my child, my father, my husband is drowning; thus you would do, and you do well, and mercifully: but have you care of oxen, and of the bodies of your sons, and your fathers, and husbands, and have you no pity, no compassion upon their souls? you that see the souls of your husbands, sunk down into a dirty pit, into a filthy dungeon, into a drunken profane course; thou that seest thy wife fallen into a course of chambering, and wantonness, if thou seest this, why then call and cry for succour, and relief, and pray for help, and labour by all means possible, to pluck out these souls out of the gall of bitterness, and out of the bond of iniquity, labour to pluck them out of sin here, and damnation hereafter. Look as a man deals with carriage, if a Cart be at a stay, or at a set, in the high way, why then the Carter that drives it, doth what he can himself, he sets his shoulder to the wheel, and labours as much as in him lieth, to lift the Cart out; but if this will not do, than he craves the help of some others, especially if there go two or three teams together, than he gets all the other teams set to this load, to draw it out, and especially if the load be going, than they cry, it is coming, it is coming, and labour by all means possible, to lift it out altogether. Dost thou see the heart of thy father, or the heart of thy child, at a stand, under pride, covetousness, and profaneness; why, then pray thou what thou canst, and do what thou mayst, put thy shoulder to the wheel, and use all means to pluck them out; but if this will not do, use all helps that can be by the supply of others, and crave their help in this case, entreat them to help thy father, or thy child, or thy husband at a dead lift: say, my father, or my husband, is sunk forty fadam depth into the earth, he is buried in the world, and in his corruptions, especially if th● load be coming, if he be almost persuaded to become a Christian, then labour earnestly and cry, one pluck for my poor husband, one pluck for my poor father, he is coming, he is coming, therefore pull, pull, for the Lords sake: and go further, and cry mightily unto the Lord, that it would please him, to pluck him out of the ground, look up to heaven, and entreat the Lord to lend his helping hand: if man cannot, nor neighbours will not, why then look up higher unto heaven for succour, and say, good Lord, my father is a prisoner, and a bondslave to sin and Satan, therefore, good Lord I beseech thee, break those bonds, and knock off those bolts of pride, and infidelity, and the like: in the 12. of the Acts when Peter was taken prisoner, it is said that prayer was made, without ceasing of the Church unto God for him; and the same night when Herod would have brought him forth, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound in two chains, and the Keepers before the door kept the prison; and the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and a light shined in the prison; and he raised him up, and said, Peter arise, and the chains fell off from him: afterwards he came unto an iron gate, that lead unto the City, and that opened of its own accord. Why, that God that was able to knock off the bonds of Peter, and was able to make the iron gate open of itself unto him; that God is able to break the bonds of sin and Satan, wherewith thy father, husband, or friend are fettered; he is able to break the brazen door of their hearts, which hinders the light of the Gospel from shining in, and therefore cry to this God for help and succour, and mercy, and say, good Lord, thou that wert able to break off the fetters, wherewith Peter was bound, and to make the iron door to open, good Lord I beseech thee, do thou work upon my father, my husband, or my child, especially that he may never be so hardened, slip the lock, and break in upon him, and humble him here, that he may be saved hereafter; especially when you see the load is coming, then draw, oh than draw with all your power; when you see their minds are enlightened, and their judgements informed, why then the load is coming, pray therefore then to God especially for help; who knows but God may humble them, and convert them to himself, and therefore strive amain with God, use all means both ordinary and extraordinary for the benefit of them: and this shall suffice for the first passage, namely, that the soul of a man by nature is glued, and fastened to sin and corruption. The next point considerable, is this, who it is that must deliver the soul from the bondage of sin and Satan, and pluck it from sinne● a man cannot do this of himself, it is the Lords own work that must bring it to pass, for so saith the text, no man cometh to me, except the father draweth him; it is he that must do the deed. The point is this, the Lord by a holy kind of violence, doth pluck the hearts of sinners from sin, unto himself, this is the scope of the text, and this is the aim of our Saviour in the versel, and this is the work, on God's part considerable: for as we have heard before, we must observe two things in preparation; First God's act upon the soul, Secondly the frame and disposition that is wrought in the soul by God. The act of God is a drawing of the soul by an holy kind of violence, from sin unto himself. I will not here speak of the inability of the soul, or that God is the author of this work, for these I have handled before, out of that place, Ezech. 11.19. it is God that taketh away the stony heart, and giveth a heart of flesh: we will only now speak, of the dispensation of the work of God, of the manner how God prepares a sinner for himself, and the text saith, he doth it by drawing, he doth by a holy kind of violence, draw the soul from corruptions, and sinful courses, unto himself; and I will handle both these together, the plucking of the soul from fin, and drawing of it to God, because they are both made up together, by one action and motion; as for example, look as it is with a man, that rends one piece of wood from another, as he plucks the one piece from the other, so he draws that which he plucks to himself, he doth not only draw it from the other, but he draws that part, nearer to himself; so that both are made up, by one action and operation: and so it is here, the plucking of a sinner from corruption, and drawing of him to God, both these are acted by God at once, and therefore I will handle them both together; only observe, there must be such a kind of thing as this is, before God will take possession of the soul, namely, there must be a severing of the soul from sin, and a drawing of it to God; look as it is with a man's body, if any part thereof be out of joint, or broken, before this part can be jonted aright again, haply there is some filth, some moist humours about it, or haply there is some dead flesh in it, now this dead flesh must be taken away, and the filth and ill humours must be removed, before that part can be set in its right place again; so it must be with the souls of God's servants, every soul by sin is unjointed, and wholly removed from God: the soul indeed was made for God, and should have closed with him, and fastened upon him, but by reason of sin, the soul is quite broken; now before the soul can be made fit for God, before it can be put into a right frame, all that noisome corruption that is in it, and those base lusts that hang upon it, the soul must be freed from these, before God can work upon it, or that receive mercy and salvation from God, before it can perform any good duty; and this is done by drawing: the Lord by a holy kind of violence, doth pluck the soul from those sins that harbour in it, and those distempers that press upon it, and then he draws it unto himself. And for the opening of this, we must consider three things: First, what the nature of this drawing is, what is meant hereby. Secondly the means how, and whereby God cometh to draw a poor sinner, from sin to himself. Thirdly, the arguments why God must thus draw with a holy kind of violence, and that God may do this without any prejudice at all to the will. First, what the nature of this drawing is; and we must understand, that there is a double kind of drawing in Scripture, this word implieth a double sense in the phrase of Scripture a there is first a moral kind of drawing, it is a word used by Divines, but that I may speak to the capacity of all, I will term it an outward or an external kind of drawing, which is this, when a man by reasons propounded, and good things offered to the understanding and the will, comes thereby to have his mind enlightened, and his will moved and persuaded, to embrace and give entertainment to the things offered: and observe in this two things; first, that it is only outward in regard of the subject; secondly, that it putteth nothing into the heart, but stirreth up that which is in the heart already: there is nothing but objects offered, and arguments propounded to persuade the soul to the love and liking of the thing offered; and this is usual in Scripture, and it is said to be a compelling of a man; it propounds arguments to the soul, and so brings on the soul to the affecting of any thing; in the 16 of the Acts 15. it is said of Lydia after she was converted, her soul clavae to the holy man Paul, and she besought them saying; If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, abide in my house: and then saith the text, she constrained us, she laid such hooks upon them that she constrained them, how is this? she laid no violent hands upon them, no, but she used arguments that were so forcible, and reasons that were so pithy, that she persuaded the Apostle Paul and those that were with him to yield unto her request: if you have judged me faithful come into my house; as if she had said, if you believe that I have received the grace of God by you, if ever you means to receive any comfort from the blessing of God upon the work wrought in me by your means, if you think that my soul hath been made partaker of any good from you, come then in unto my house and abide with me; now unless Paul would have denied his own work which God by his grace had showed him, he must yield unto her, and come in, and therefore the text saith, that she constrained him, that is, she did by arguments and reasons propounded unto him, persuade him to grant her request: so in the 22 of Matt. it is said that the King when he had made a great feast, and those that were bidden would not come, he bids his servants go out into the high ways, and compel men to come in; there is nothing meant there but this moral, outward drawing by strength of arguments, when by arguments propounded, we draw and persuade men, to do that we would have them perform: but this is not meant here in the text, and I prove it thus, because it is not the purpose of our Saviour Christ in the text, for Christ having taught a spiritual and an heavenly Sermon, the Pharisees murmured and said, Is not this jesus the son of joseph, whose father and mother we know, how is it then that he saith, he came down from heaven? jesus when he perceived their murmuring, said unto them, Why murmur you among yourselves? and that he might prevent the offence that the feeble ones might take at the example of the Pharisees, he saith unto them, No man can come unto me, except my father draweth him, as though he had said, be not you troubled, and perplexed, because these great scholars do not believe my doctrine, and embrace it, it is not in them willing, but in me drawing; do not you think ill of my doctrine of salvation, because your wise men and your brave men, will not believe it; for I tell you, though these have had arguments propounded, to persuade them to this, yet they cannot embrace my doctrine and believe, unless my father draweth them; they have had their hearts convinced and their mouths stopped, but yet all this will not do, unless my father draweth them. Secondly, this kind of caution, except my father draweth him, no man come unto me, is employed, that if my father doth draw him, he will come; and the Papists themselves confess this, that a man may have this moral drawing arguments, persuading, and reasons alluring to come unto God, and receive mercy from him, and yet he may not come; but they that have this drawing meant in the text, they will undoubtedly come; no man comes unto me, except the father which hath sent me draweth him, and therefore whosoever the father doth draw, he shall come, and certainly will come, and therefore this drawing, that is meant here, is not a moral drawing by outward persuasions: thus much for the clearing of this point, namely that a moral and external drawing is not to be understood in the text. This will not serve the turn, there is more in it than so, we must therefore search further, into the nature of this word drawing; and God is said to draw a poor sinner unto himself, in the second place, when he is not only pleased to enlighten a man's mind, and offer arguments to his understanding, and lay truths and propound promises unto him, for this will not do it, this is only an outward drawing; but when the Lord is pleased to put a new power into the soul of a sinner, and with all, to carry the will to the object propounded, that it may embrace it; when God is pleased, not only to offer good things to the soul, but to enable the soul to lay hold upon the things offered, not only to offer Christ and salvation, but to work effectually upon the heart, and make it able to give entertainment to Christ, than the Lord is said to draw a sinner unto himself, from sin and corruption; and this is termed an internal kind of drawing, and this is meant here in the text, it is not only the propounding of arguments, to move and pluck the soul, but the Lord doth by his effectual power, draw the soul from sin, and bring it unto himself. And therefore observe two things, touching this internal drawing, namely, that there is a separation first wrought, between sin and the soul, the union that is between fin and the soul, is broken. Secondly, that when the soul is once severed, and broken off from sin, than it comes to a right set, to a right frame and disposition towards God, and then it goeth no further, but here it stoppeth; and this is that which I call plucking and drawing of a poor sinner from his corruptions to God, in both which actions the will of the creature is wrought upon, plucked from sin and set towards God, and of itself it doth not move at all. I express it thus, look as it is with the wheel of a clock, or the wheel of a jack that is turned aside, and by some contrary poise set the wrong way. He now that will set this wheel right, must take away the contrary poise, and then put the wheel the right way, and and yet the wheel doth not go all this while of itself, but first there is a stopping of the wheel, and a taking away of the poise: and secondly the wheel must be turned the right way, and all this while the wheel is only a sufferer; so it is with the soul of a man, the heart of a man, and the will of a man, and the affections of a man, they are the wheels of the souls of men, the Lord jesus made them at the first to run to heaven-ward, and to God-ward, but when Adam sinned, than the poise of corruptions prevailed so fare forth over them, that they drew the heart, the mind, the will of man from God, and made it run the wrong way to the divell-ward, and to hellward; now when the Lord cometh to set these wheels aright, he must take away the poise and plummet that made them run the wrong way, that is, the Lord by his almighty power, must overpower those sins and corruptions which harbour in the soul, and have dominion over the soul: as for example, if a man have a covetous heart, insomuch that the world will not suffer him to hear, and pray, and perform any good duty, than God must pull away that plummet, he must pluck the soul from that sin, and then he must draw it to himself, that is, he must draw it to Godward, and to Zion-ward, and make it to be at his command, that God's spirit as a new plummet, may carry it and order it, and now it doth nothing all this while, God must first take away the contrary plummet, that drew the soul aside, and then the frame of the soul will be to God-ward, it will be in a right frame and order, it will run the right way, and all this while the will is only a sufferer, and this I take to be the meaning of the text: That God by a holy kind of violence, rendeth the soul of a poor sinner, and withal by his almighty power, stops the force of a man's corruptions, and makes the soul teachable, and framable to the will of God, it makes it to lie level, and to be at God's command, and this is done by a holy kind of violence; and so much for these points of speculation, without which I could not well open the point. But now we see the bottom of the point, namely, that God doth by a holy kind of violence, pluck and draw men from their corruptions, unto himself. The next thing to be considered is, the means whereby God thus haileth the soul, and draweth the heart of a poor sinner unto himself: and the means are four. 
1 1.  The first work of the Lord is this he lets in a light into the foul of a poor sinner, and discovereth unto him, that he is in a wrong way, and tells him, there is another way that he must walk in, if ever he mean to come to heaven, and this is the first means, when the soul of a sinner is enlightened, and his mind informed that he is in a wrong course, and that he must take a better course, or else he shall never come at heaven, and this the Lord doth suddenly, the sinner not perceiving of it, the Lord setteth a sudden flash upon his soul, and telleth him that he is going unto hell, the soul presently wonders at this, and marvels how it came to pass, Esay 66.1. there saith the text, I am sought of them that asked not for me, and I am found of them that sought me not, the Lord putteth a sudden light into souls of men, which they never dreamt of. Hypocrites if they can but go to Church, and sit in the Church as God's servants do, and lean on their elbows, and hear as God's people do, than all is well with them, but as many of them as belong to God, God will discover unto them that they are in a wrong way, and he will show and reveal another way unto them, which they never dreamt of; and therefore this is that▪ we shall observe, haply we shall see a man come riding into a town on a Sabbath day, and when he comes, there he seethe the people going to Church, well, perhaps than he sets up his horse at the Inn, and goes into the Church for a custom and for company sake, and when he is in the Church, he goes into a seat and sets down his staff, and sits down and attends the Minister, and never thinks of any thing, well at last the Lord sends a light into his soul, and telleth him, thou art now riding about thy own worldly business, when thoushouldst be in sanctifying of my Sabbath: I tell thee my friend, thou art in a wrong way, thou takest a naughty course, thou dost wickedly, and if thou continuest and goest on in this course, thou wilt never come at heaven. And this the Lord doth on a sudden, when a man never so much as thought of any such matter. And after a man is thus enlightened, he will be ready to say, the truth is, heretofore I went to hear the word but for custom's sake, but when I least dreamt of any such thing, it pleased the Lord, blessed be his name, to reveal such things unto me, as I before never knew, he told me that which sticketh upon me to this present hour, he discovered that unto me, which I hope I shall carry with me unto my grave; this is that we may observe in the 9 of the Acts, Paul there was running on in a resolute-course, he had gotten letters at Damascus, and purposed to make havoc of all poor Christians where he came, now while he was in his journey the Lord met him from heaven, and cried unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? as he if had said, this is not the way to heaven, you think to persecute my poor Saints, but Saul, Saul, I tell thee, this is not the way, thou takest a wrong course: he called unto him, as a man would call after one that is running out of his right way, into some wilderness or dangerous place. And when Saul heard this, he presently fell off his horse, and humbled himself and said, Lord what wilt thou that I do? and so Luke 15.4. the text saith, that the shepherd that had lost his sheep left his ninty and nine, and went into the wilderness to seek that which was lost, and if he had not gone to seek the sheep, the sheep would never have sought him: alas the poor sheep was gone astray, and bewilderd, and if the shepherd had not followed it and sought after it, that would never have found the shepherd; nay to go further, many a man goeth to the word, and heareth it for nothing else but to carp at the Minister, and yet the Lord hath caught many such men also, and hath put such a light into their hearts, that he hath made them know that they were in a wrong way: and mark, when the Lord hath let in this light, than the soul gins to be at a stand, and thinks with himself, surely if this be the right way, I am in the wrong, if the Minister saith true, than I am not right; but then sometimes the heart would put out this light, it would not be informed and persuaded; if the Minister tells a man that he must sanctify God's sabboth's here, or else he shall never sanctify a Sabbath unto him in heaven hereafter, when the Minister saith, that unless God humble us here, he will break us in pieces in hell hereafter; loathe a man is to know this, and be informed of this, because he would not be offended by this and provoked to perform this, but though a sinner would shift off this, yet the Lord will not leave him, but will still pursue him and lay reasons upon him unanswerable; the soul would fain play tricks with the Lord in this case, and put out this light, but God will reveal to the soul of a sinner that these things are certainly true, God will lay hold upon the understanding of a poor sinner, and follow him with reasons that are undeniable until his reason shall yield, and his understanding give verdict to that which the Lord reveals, until he says I, confess Lord, it is true, I yield full assent thereto: Thus the Lord knocketh at the door or heart of a poor sinner, and not only so, but lifts up the latch and opens the door of a man's heart, and letteth in the light; and this is the first course that God useth. 
2 2.  The second is this, after that the Lord hath thus enlightened the mind and let in the light of his spirit into the heart of a sinner, and though a man would defeat the power of it, yet God still followeth him with forceable arguments until the understanding is settled, and reason answered: after the Lord hath done this, than the second cord wherewith God draweth sinners unto himself, is a cord of mercy, whereby the Lord doth compass a poor sinner about with kindness, & goodness, and compassion, Hos. 11.4. there saith the Lord, I taught Ephraim to go, taking them by the arms, I drew them with the cords of love, and with the bonds of a man. This same cord of God's mercy is a cable rope, the abundant riches of God's mercy is a great thick cable, and we will tell you of what it is twisted, & it makes known itself in four particulars; if the illumination that God sends into the heart will not be able to persuade the heart, though it answers all objections & pursueth it with arguments undeniable, why then the Lord will draw us with the cord of his mercy, and this great cable of God's goodness is made up of four cords.  
First, 
First Cord.  the Lord revealed himself to be ready to receive, and willing and easy to entertain poor sinners when they come unto him, Esay 55.7. there saith the text, let the wicked for sake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. The word in the original is this, the Lord multiplieth pardons, the Lord hath not uttered all his pardons; the Pope's pardons indeed may be all sold, but God's pardons are not at the bottom; no, no, he hath a multitude of pardons. The Lord is ready to give thee pardon for all thy transgressions, what ever thy corruptions be, whatsoever thy abominations be, the Lord standeth to multiply mercy and pardon, and forgiveness, that so thou mayest have mercy for all, and forgiveness to all thy sins and distempers: hast thou multiplied rebellion? why the Lord doth also multiply pardons, the bowels of compassion are still open, and the arms of mercy are still spread abroad, and when the soul seethe the attributes of God in Scripture, that he pardons all poor sinners that come unto him; stubborn Manasses, he was humbled, and resolute Paul, he was converted; when the soul seethe this, than the soul thinketh, why not I Lord, why not I pardoned also? why yes, thou mayst be received to mercy and pardoned also, for the Lord doth still multiply pardons: Manasses had some mercy, and Paul had some, and yet there is mercy for thee also, and for a thousand thousand more; the Lord is ready to pardon poor sinners, and willing to entertain them.  
Secondly, 
Second Cord.  the Lord is not only ready to forgive when men will come unto him, but he doth also call and command them for to come, for the poor sinner when he hears this, that God is merciful and ready to forgive, he may be amazed and at a stand, and thinks with himself, oh but may I, shall I, dare I go unto the Lord for mercy, may I be so bold to press in for favour at the hands of the Lord? it is the Lord indeed that showeth mercy, but may I come unto the Lord? I have been a gievous sinner, and have heaped abomination upon abomination, and therefore I am afraid to approach near unto the presence of the Lord: why I ●●ll thee thou mayest come, and the Lord willeth and commandeth thee to come upon the penalty of his everlasting wrath, he chargeth thee to come unto him, and entertain that favour he hath provided for thee, in the 3. of jer. 22. there saith the Lord, come unto me ye rebellious people, and I will heal your rebellions: you that never prayed, nor never came to hear, all rebels come unto me and I will heal your rebellions, and then the people answer, behold we come unto thee, for thou art our God: be not to full of niceness in this case, do not stagger and say, I have despised God's goodness, and slighted Gods mercies, and therefore may I be bold to come? why I tell you, you may go to God for mercy, come to me yea rebellious people, and I will heal your rebellions; mercy will answer all your sins, they shall be no impediment unto you; in the 3. of jer. 1. it is a fine passage, there saith the text, They say, that if a man put away his wife and she go from him, and she become another man's, will he receive her again? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me, saith the Lord: if a man should put away his wife for an adultress, would he take her again, no certainly; all the world will say, an adultress whore, away with her; after so many injuries & wrongs done unto her husband, there is no expectation of mercy or kindness from him; but the Lord saith, thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me: whatsoever we delight in more, or love more than God, they are our lovers; now the Lord saith, though thou hast had pride, and covetousness, and malice, & drunkenness, and adultery for thy lovers, yet return unto me, notwithstanding all thy base doings and wicked practices, yet come unto me, saith the Lord: this is great encouragement to a poor sinner, that all his sinful abominations should not hinder him from receiving mercy; this works wonderfully upon the soul of a sinner, and he beggings to wonder and say, Lord, shall all my sins be pardoned, shall all those oaths, and all that profaneness of mine be forgiven, after so many mercies slighted, and so many abominations committed, yet forgiven? why aye, saith the Lord, come unto me, and you shall be forgiven; thou hast played the harlot, yet come unto me thou proud heart and be humbled, come unto me thou stout stubborn sturdy heart and be softened, come unto me yet for all this thou covetous heart and be sanctified; and this is the second cord of this cable of mercy, the Lord doth not only reveal unto the soul of a sinful creature, that if he doth come unto him he shall be accepted, but he commands him to come and receive mercy from him.  
Thirdly, 
Third Cord.  the Lord doth not only command a poor sinner to come unto him, but, to go further, it is marvellous strange to consider, when a sinner in the sight of his unworthiness is hardly brought to go to the Lord for mercy, but says, it is true, there is a great deal of mercy with God, but not for me; when a sinner, thus goeth away from God and flieth from mercy, the Lord followeth him still, and fendeth another cord after him, and pursueth him with mercy and kindness, that so if it were possible he might win him and woo him to receive mercy and forgiveness. It is almost impossible to conceive the wonderful goodness of the Lord in this kind; he doth not only command poor sinners to come unto him, but he entreats and beseeches them to come and receive mercy: and this one would think should move the heardest heart under heaven; 2 Cor. 5.20. there saith the Apostle, Now than we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be you reconciled unto God: the matter here we see is passed all question, the Lord doth not only command you to come, but rather than you shall go away, he will beseech you to come and take the mercy that the Lord offereth to you, and you have so much need of mercy will come and kneel down before you and beseech you and entreat you for the Lord jesus sake to pity your poor souls, and receive pardon for your sins, to receive sanctification and justification here, that you may be blessed and glorified for ever hereafter; this is that which a sinner is not able to comprehend, but he gins to be at a stand and at amazement. It is a great matter that God should command a sinner for to come unto him, and that he should be accepted when he doth come, but that God should beseech and entreat a poor sinner to receive mercy, herein is discovered the incomprehensible depth of God's love, that the Lord should beseech us; oh that you would receive pardon for your sins and be blessed for ever; why this is wonderful mercy, and admirable goodness! if this Cord will not draw a man, what will do it? this makes a poor soul to stand aghast, and amazed, and say, good Lord is this possible that the great King of Heaven should come and beseech such a traitor, such a rebel as I am to take pardon? if the King of England should proclaim a pardon to some notorious Traitor that had plotted some dangerous treason against his person, this were much; but that the King should lay down his Crown and come creeping to him, and beseech him upon his knees to take mercy, and not to be punished, why this is a thing beyond all expectation, no man will do this, no man should do this: but when the soul shall think, what a King entreat a Traitor, a Rebel; a Conqueror entreat a slave to take mercy; what shall heaven stoop to earth, shall majesty stoop to misery; shall the great God of heaven and earth that might have condemned my soul, that is a God holy and just, and if I had perished and been damned, might have taken glory by my destruction; is it possible, is it credible that this God should not only entertain me when I come, and command me for to come, but entreat, and beseech me to come and receive mercy from him; oh the depth of the incomprehensible love of God imagine you saw God the Father entreating you, and God the Sun beseeching you, as he doth this day; come now and forsake your sins and take mercy which is prepared for you, and shall be bestowed upon you; would not this make a soul think thus with itself, what for a rebel, not only to have mercy offered, but to be entreated to receive mercy and pardon; why then if I will not take it, it were pity but I should go to hell and be damned for ever: nay I tell you, this mercy, one day, if you refuse it, will plunge you into the bottomless pit of hell; I tell you, you were better hear ten Sermons of judgement than one of mercy, if you do not take the same when it is offered. The Lord he complaineth, why will ye die, as I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner: the Lord takes an oath upon it, that he desires not the death of a sinner, and calls after sinners, turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die ye sinful sons of men? Mercy is offered you, the Lord jesus reacheth out his hand to you to pluck the drunkard out of the alehouse, and the adulterer out of the company of his whore; I tell you, you had been better have been at the East-Indies where you might never have heard of mercy, than slight it when it is offered: if you do break this cord, I know not what to say unto you, this is able to break a mountain in pieces, shake O mountains, saith the Psalmist, why, because God hath redeemed jacob; the redemption of jacob was enough to shake a mountain: when thou hast been a great sinner, and heaped up transgression upon transgression, and drunk in iniquity like water, why yet after all this the Lord offereth mercy unto thee, and beseecheth thee to receive it; I tell thee, if thou wilt not have mercy now, it is pity but thou shouldest go to the Devil, and if thou dost go to hell, then thank thyself, it was thy own fault; thou mightest have had mercy and wouldst not: and this is the third cord of God's mercy, he entreats a poor sinner to come unto him and receive mercy from him: but if the soul be yet awke and untoward and will not come, but say, if mercy be so free, than we will let it alone a while, and take it hereafter; if God be so careful of us, than we will be a little careless ourselves: why then there remains but one cord more, and if thou breakest this, thou art in a miserable condition, and that is this:  
The Lord doth wait and stay in long patience & suffering, 
Fourth Cord.  to see if at any time a sinner will turn unto him: our Saviour follows poor sinners from Alehouse to Alehouse, and says, I beseech you, you drunkards take mercy, and have your sins pardoned; the Lord tires himself so, and wearieth himself with waiting one day after another, and one week after another; it may be this day, this week, this Sabbath, this Sermon a sinner will turn unto me, what will it never be, why are you not ashamed that the Lord jesus should thus wait your leisure, and follow you from house to house, and into the field, nay that Christ should every morning appear unto your understanding, and every night come to your bedside and say, let this be the last night of sinning, and the next day the first day of your repenting; oh when will you be humbled, when will you receive mercy that it may go well with you and yours for ever; why for shame if none of all the other will move you, yet let this cord draw you unto the Lord: this is the last cord of God's mercy, he stayeth our leisure; the Lord will not wait always, but he waiteth a long time for our amendment; he stayed above a hundred years for the old world: jer. 13.27. there God taketh upon him the person of a travelling woman, oh jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean, oh when will it once be? a woman that is in travel, and oppressed with pain, oh how she expects and longs for her delivery, when the thro● comes, than she cries, when will deliverance come, and then the throb comes the second time, and then she cries, would death would come so deliverance would come, and thus her heart breaks almost with waiting in this kind, for the birth of the child which is to be delivered; God the father doth take upon him, the person of a travelling woman, he is travelling even unto death, until he can bring forth his first borne, until some soul be converted and brought home unto him; oh jerusalem wilt thou not be clean, oh when will it once be? I have waited one year, ten year, twenty year, forty year, why when will it once be? if a woman should be in travel forty years, she would be accounted the wonder of the world, nay it were impossible she should endure so long, but the Lord hath traveled twenty years, yea forty for the birth of poor sinners; and how many throbs, think we, hath the Lord endured in this time, saying, oh ye men of England, will you never be clean? when will it once be? the Lord thus travels in patience, looking when we will receive mercy, oh when will it once be, will it never be that those proud hearts will be humbled, will it never be that those stubborn hearts will be softened, will it never be that those unregenerate hearts will be sanctified, will it never be that those profane hearts will be pure and holy, why when will it once be? thus Christ waiteth still, and expecteth still, if not this day, than the next week, if not the next week, than the next month, if not the next month, than the next quarter, if not the next quarter, than the next year, if not the next year, than the next score of years: you old sinners that are grayheaded in wickedness, how long hath the Lord waited upon you, for shame let him wait no longer, but turn unto him, that you may receive mercy from him, and have your sins pardoned by him. This is the last cord of God's mercy; first, the Lord will entertain poor sinners if they come; secondly, he doth command them to come; thirdly, he doth entreat and beseech them to come; and lastly, if all this will not do, than he waits in parience for their amendment: and thus the Lord makes up his great cable roap of mercy; and this, one would think, should melt the hardest heart under the Sun: but if this will not do, if God by these cords of mercy cannot draw a sinner, than he takes himself unto another course, and as he justly, may he lets in other cords in the heart: you will not come with mercy, will you? very well, I tell you, the Lord will lay hooks upon you, that shall bring you with a witness; if these bonds of love will not prevail with you, the Lord hath iron cords that will pluck you in pieces; and therefore the third means whereby God draweth a sinner from corruption to himself, is the cord of conscience, which God lets down into the soul, and this same iron cord, this iron chain of conscience hath three hooks at the end of it, which are able to rend the heart of a sinner, and pluck it in pieces, and draw the soul unto God; if the cords of God's mercy will not draw you, than these iron hooks of conscience will pull you to the Lord; for this same cord of conscience hath three main hooks, that is, there are three great works of conscience which God useth to work upon men to draw them from sin to himself. First, conscience is a warner of the soul, and admonisheth the sinner of his ways; this conscience gives a sinner an uncontrollable command to come from sin, conscience gives him a peremptory charge upon pain of the heaviest judgement that can be inflicted upon him, not to meddle with corruption; it is conscience that doth this, the Lord stirreth up conscience and arms him with authority as a Vicegerent under him, that he may stifle those sinful lusts, and overpower those sinful distempers that harbour in the soul, and overcome the soul: it is true, that wicked men by reason that they live in sin, have their consciences either blinded or asleep, their consciences oftentimes come to be seared and hardened; wicked men have their consciences some times under them, they stifle their conscience and stop the mouth of conscience; if conscience offer to reproove them, they presently take him on the mouth, and make him quiet; they bind the hands of conscience in this kind, but if a wicked man belong to God, than he will awaken conscience in this life, but if they do not belong unto him, than they may be sure when they are in hell to have their consciences awakened, they carry a black dog in their bosom that will tear them with a witness, but if God purpose good unto a man, than he will awaken his conscience in this life, he will arm conscience with authority, and put a new commission into the hand of conscience, insomuch, that now conscience stands upon terms, and conscience will not put it up as he hath done; howsoever it hath heretofore been stifled, yet now it gives men a peremptory command upon pain of their everlasting torment, as they love their own souls, to take heed that they meddle not with sin, for if they do, it will cost them everlasting life: now when conscience hath such a commanding power, than the command is marvellous awful, terrible, and fearful, and it makes a sinner start aside and withdraw himself from his former courses, it makes him hang down his head, and he dares not look out of doors, he dares not run with that courage into wicked practices as he did before: it is with conscience in this case as it is with a Lieutenant or a Shreife of a country, happily in the King's absence a company of rebels join together in a conspiracy and rend the commission out of the Lieutenant's hand, and beset the Shreifes house; & the officers, because the rebels are more in number, dare do little or nothing unto them, they may say as David did to the sons of Serviah, ye are too strong for me, ye sons of Serviah; and therefore he would not meddle with them: and so in some unruly town we shall see a company of riotous fellows, because they are more in number than the officers, they set the Constable in stocks, when as they are more worthy to go to the gallows than he to the stocks: just so it is with conscience, haply wicked men in former times have stifled conscience, and took the commission out of the hands of conscience; but when the King comes into the country, and the officers shall complain unto the King of this conspiracy, than he gives them a larger command, and gives them more power, he puts a new commission into their hands, and furnisheth them with greater aid, and commandeth upon pain of death that there be no more such uproars made; and when this is proclaimed upon the Market-post, than this makes those resolute fellows to pull in their heads, and they dare not show themselves: So it is with conscience, sometimes the Lord let's wicked men blind conscience, and fear it; wicked men oftentimes make a mock at conscience, if a man reproves them for some sin, and admonisheth them for conscience sake not to commit wicked practices, than they flout at the person that speaks unto them, and say, what your conscience will not suffer you to do as we do, you will not drink will you? why? oh your conscience will not suffer you; you will not commit adultery will you? your conscience will not suffer you; what you are a man of conscience are you, and you will suffer your conscience to make a fool of you? what care we for your conscience, or you either: thus many sinners keep conscience under, but howsoever conscience be thus slighted and despised, the time will come when God will awaken conscience, and put a new commission into his hands, and sends him help from heaven, and says, go to such a man and tell him, you have blasphemed, and you have spoken against God's Saints, you have broken God's Sabbaths, and slighted God's word, and contemned God's ordinances, and neglected the means of salvation; be it known therefore unto thee, that I have a command from heaven and from God, I charge you as you will answer it at the dreadful day of judgement, take heed of those evils and sinful practices that heretofore you have committed, lest you damn your souls for ever: and you must know that conscience comes not without a commission, but he hath a commission in his pocket and he shows it also; Pro. 29.1. there is one part of conscience's commission, there saith the text, he that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy; if you be often reproved & will not be bettered nor informed, than the Lord says, & conscience from the Lord tells you, be it at your own peril, ye shall surely perish, & that without remedy; and in the 2. of the Thess. 3.14. there is another part of his commission, If any man obey not our word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed: he that will not obey the Gospel, he that will not stoop thereto, nor be framed thereby, why conscience he shows his commission, and charges men to take heed of this, & the God of heaven will take the part of conscience, and will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to that soul that will not obey the Gospel: But you will say, cannot a man shift and free himself from the terror of conscience? I answer no, conscience hath now a great deal of aid from heaven; because he hath been in former times so badly dealt withal, therefore he will go no more so slenderly guarded, Deut. 29.19. there saith the text, If it come to pass, that he that heareth the words of this curse, shall bless himself in his heart and say, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst, the Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book, shall lie upon him; & the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven: and therefore you that say, conscience may command what he pleaseth, yet you will do what you list, and though you add dunkennesse unto thirst, yet you shall have peace, and it shall go well with you: tell you, the wrath of the Lord shall smok against your souls, & he shall blot your names out of the book of life, the wrath of the Lord shall follow thee into all places, and upon all occasions, whatever thou dost, or whithersoever thou goest, the wrath of God shall follow thee, God's wrath shall follow thee to the Ale house, and the Brothel-house, and to the Tavern; God shall follow thee and pluck thee out to thy shame here, & to thy confusion hereafter: and this is the first work of conscience. He hath been snubbed in former times, and no man cared for him, but now he is a wakened and backed with power from the Lord, and gives a peremptory command to the soul of a sinner; be it at your own peril if you meddle with sin: and this makes sinful wretch's lie snug for a while, they dare not show themselves, but shut themselves under hatches; conscience perkes then upon the crown, and this makes them hang the wing a little, and withdraw themselves from their base courses, and abstain from the Alehouse awhile; but now when wicked persons see that their companion is gone, and that they have lost one of their company, they make after him amain; and then conscience plucks one way and they pluck another way; they lay siege to the soul of a poor sinner, conscience bids him look to himself, and take heed what he doth; perhaps conscience sees him half persuaded to yield to his old companions, and then conscience hath an eye to him, and biddeth him take heed unto himself, and says; I command and charge you as you will answer it at the dreadful day of judgement before the Tribunal seat of God, that you run not into your former wicked courses; but then his cursed companions they draw backward, and come unto him and say, what is the reason that now you begin to sever yourself from us? he tells them, his conscience hath troubled him, and he heard the Word of God, he heard the commission of conscience read; that whosoever was often reproved and not bettered thereby, should perish, and that he which obeyed not the Gospel, should be accursed; and this makes him do as he doth: when his companions hear this, they begin to blind his judgement as much as they can, and take off the command of conscience; you have heard, say they, many threatenings from God, and conscience hath told you, that you shall perish and be damned if you continue in your old courses, but threatened men live long, these words break no bones, and this breath blows no corn; there have been many so threatened, and yet never felt any of those judgements, but have lived a merry life to this day, and are the bravest fellows and the boonest companions in the whole country: and thus by carnal company and cursed persuasions the soul is drawn back again to his former wicked course, and so haply this hook is broken and the sinner is gone; but when conscience sees this, that his first hook is broken, and that his command is slighted, he follows fast after him, and layeth another hook upon him; and as before he was a commander over him, so now he comes to be an accuser of him, and a witness against him, he accuseth him before God, and is a witness against him, because he hath committed those sins which he upon pain of God's everlasting displeasure and his own everlasting damnation commanded and charged him he should not commit; conscience before was only God's Herald to tell him what God commanded, but now conscience is become a Pursuivant and a Sergeant to arrest him: and therefore 2. Sam. 24.10. David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people, conscience he fling his actions upon him; know however a man may avoid the warning of conscience, and break the command of conscience, yet he cannot avoid the herror and stroke of conscience, but conscience, will smite him and fling this hook into the very heart of him; and conscience will smite the heart so much the more heavily, because his former commands were despised: look as it was with Gideon, judg. 8.5. when he was pursuing after the Midi●●ites, he came unto the men of Succoth and prayed for aid of them, he entreated them to help him, and join sides with him, but they refused and scorned him, and said; Are Z●●● and Zalumna now in thy hands, that we should give bread unto thine army; as if they had said, art thou a commander over them, art thou sure to overcome them; no, no, we will not help thee: Mark now what answer Gid●on makes these men of Succoth in the 7th. verse, we●● saith he, When the Lord hath delivered Zeb● and Zalumna into mine hands, than I will tear your flesh with thorns of the wilderness, and with briers; and in the 16. verse after the Lord had delivered those men into his hands, he did unto them of Succoth, according as he had threatened; He took the Elders of the City, and thorns of the wilderness, and briers; and with them he did tear the men of S●●coth, saith the Text: Just so is it with conscience, conscience before only commanded, and persuaded men, but because he hath been slighted and despised by them, because they have flouted him, and said; what must be a servant to my conscience, must I be a slave and a fool to my conscie●e, no, no; I will do what I list for all conscience: will you so saith conscience, well, when God giveth me authority, and gives me a commission, I will tear your flesh for this, and rend your hearts in pieces with horror, and then conscience he surpriseth a sinner, upon every occasion in this case he bursts into the Al●house, and into the Tavern upon him like a Sergeant, and arrests him, he follow shim to the alehouse, he pursueth him home, he takes him in his bed and arrests him in his sleep; and when he is in bed and asleep, than conscience awakens him and terrifies him, and hales the soul before the Tribunal seat of God, and saith, lo Lord, behold this man, this is the drunkard, this is the adulterer, this is the blasphemer that swears by thy name, profanes thy sabboth's, and contemns thy word: this is he Lord, that is an enemy to thy servants, and a hater of thy truth and a despiser of thy ordinances, this is he Lord, this is he that hath done these things, and committed these abominations, this is he that hath committed many sins in secret, when no eye saw him, this is so Lord, at such a time, and in such a place, in such a chamber, with such a company, than this man blasphemed thy name and despised thy truth, and railed on good men, this, this Lord is the man; and when conscience hath thus dragged him before God, and witnessed against him, then, take him ●aylor, take him devil, saith the Lord, and imprison him, let vexation, and horror, and trouble, and anguish lie upon his soul, saith God, until he confess his sins and resolve to forsake them; now this this hook sticketh fast in the very heart of this man, and all his friends and companions are not able to bail him, one cometh, and another cometh, and all speak and ask him, what is the reason, what is the cause, why are you thus discontented, and why thus disquieted? oh saith the poor soul, you see not, you know not, you conceive not, the horror that conscience hath laid upon me, and what heavy wrath and fearful vengeance God hath threatened to inflict upon me for my sins; now when his companions hear this, they cannot all of them bail him, but unless he will see his base courses, and confess his sins, and be humbled for them and resolve to forsake them; conscience will not be at quiet, but will continually torment and perplex him with horror, thus the Lord deals with the Prophet David as we may see, Psal. 32. when I kept silence, saith he, my boneswaxed old through my roaring all the day long, for day and night thy hand was heavy upon m●e, my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer, I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid, I confessed my transgressions unto the Lord, and then forganest the iniquity of my sin. David he folded up his sins at first he would not come of eleverly he would not take them to himself, and say, I have committed adultery, and I have murdered Vri●● and therefore his bones were consumed, and 〈◊〉 roared continually, when the Lord had him upon the rack, he made him roar again, and would never leave tormenting of him, until he had confessed his sins, but after he had confessed them, than he forgave his iniquity, the Lord dealeth with the soul in this case, as a King doth with a Traitor after his conspiracy is discovered, and he attached, if he will not confess his conspiracy, and who were his fellow traitors, than he is brought upon the rack, and then one joint is broken, and then he roars again by reason of the extremity of the pain, why confess then saith the King; and if he will not confess the whole conspiracy, but only some circumstances of it, than he is hoist upon the rack the second time, and then another joint is broken, and then he roars again, why confess more yet then saith the King, and never leaves racking and tormenting of him, until he hath discovered and laid open the whole treason: so conscience will bring the foul of a sinner unto the rack, and make him confess his sins and come out of itself, and then the drunkard he cries out, oh the abominations that I have committed, which the Sun never saw, in such a place, at such a time, I railed upon God's servants and blasphemed God's name, I profaned Gods sabboth's and contemned his ordinances, but conscience will make him confess more yet, and the refore forceth him to the rack against, and then he cries and r●ares for anguish of spirit, and confesses all, and resolves to amend, he purpurposes to pray, and hear, and sanctify Gods sabboth's, and lead a new life, and now a conscience upon the confession of his sins, and purpose of amendment, receives some satisfaction, and then it begins to be at quiet, and give him some rest, and this is the second hook of conscience. But when the poor sinner hath gotten some quiet by his confessing of his sins, and resolving to forsake them, when his companions see that he is come out of that horror, and vexation wherein he was, and that he puts his head out of doors, and is creeping abroad, than they set upon him again, and labour with might and main by wicked persuasions, and cursed devices to draw him to his old courses, they knew there was no meddling with him before, but now conscience is a little quieted, and he a little eased, than all the drunkards in the town pursue him, and all the lose mates hang about him, and lay hooks upon him of love and entertainment, and mark how they reply upon him: Why refresh, say they, your soul with some of your ancient dalliance, you know we have been old friends, and of long acquaintance, and what contentment have we had in our times? why, do not smoak out your days in melancholy, I dare warrant you the worst is past: it was only a fit of melancholy that perplexed you, and therefore now it is over refresh yourself with your friends, and with those that love you. Thus the devil by temptations on one side, and wicked men by cursed persuasions on the other side, be leaguer a poor soul; and the soul having some quiet, he gins to listen to their persuasions, and then he begins to take up his old course, and follow his sinnesmore violently, and with greater eagerness than ever he did all his life time before: For mark that always, if after God hath enlightened a man's mind and awakened his conscience, he falls into his old ways again, than he is a devil; he is twice as bad as he was before, he follows his corruptions with such outrageousness, as if hell were broken lose. Very well, he hath now broken two hooks, the third hook is that which will rend him in pieces before it will let him pass: when conscience seethe that the other two hooks are broken, when he seethe that commands prevail not, that accusations terrify not, than the Lord exerciseth another work of conscience upon the heart of a poor sinner, and that is this: As conscience did before command him, and peremptorily charge him upon the hazard of everlasting life, not commit sin; and secondly, as it before did accuse him before God, for the commission of that sin, whereby God was dishonourted, and his soul polluted: so in the third place, conscience becomes his executioner, it takes the office of an executioner upon him, conscience will bear with him no longer, but now drags him down to the very place of execution: he was convicted before; conscience says unto him, thy sins were discovered, and I charged thee not to meddle with sin any more, upon pain of God's displeasure, and as thou wouldst answer it before God: afterward I became an accuser of thee before God, and then thou didst confess thy sins, and didst purpose amendment, but now since thou hast slighted my commands, and not regarded my accusations, there is therefore no remedy but thou must go to the place of execution: now there is no way but one with thee, now conscience gins to condemn the soul; as Divines express these three works of conscience, by a practical kind of reasoning, and conscience reasons thus with the soul. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, he shall perish, there is no remedic; there is the command of conscience: but thou hast often been reproved and admonished, and yet hast hardoned thy heart and hast not been bettered by it, there is the work of accusation, and therefore thou shalt perish, there is no remedy; and this is the condemning work. Suppose conscience should come thus unto the heart of a man, he that being often reproved, hardeneth his heart he shall perish, saith the Lord, there is no remedy: but now let conscience go into every man's bosom, and reason thus with him, thou art the man, woman, or child, whom counsels in private, and reproofs, exhortations, and admonitions in publque would do no good; nothing would convince thee, nothing would inform thee; therefore thou shalt perish, man, woman, or child, there is no remedic. These are the three works of conscience, and when conscience hath done this last work, and performed his office of execution, when he hath condemned a soul, and delivered a sinner into the hand of the executioner, than it is thus with this sinner: after all mercies and cords of love will do no good, after the commands and accusations will not prevail, than conscience says, come damned ghosts, take away this drunkard, this blasphemer, this adulterer, this contemner of my word, and throw him headlong into the pit of everlasting destruction; he would not be amended, let him be condemned; he would not be humbled, let him therefore be damned: Thus conscience delivers a sinner into the hands of the jailor, into the hands of the devil, and then he is amazed and thinks himself past hope, past help, past cure. This is that we shall observe in conscience; look as it with a debtor that liveth in prison, he was haply put in at first for some trifle; when he is once there, than all his creditors come in, and one layeth a hundred pound to him, and another a thousand pound, and then his case is irrecoverable, he is never like to come out again: so when conscience hath arrested a man, and cast him into prison for his pride, or for his covetousness, or for his drunkenness, or for his adultery and the like; then mark, Mercy, and Goodness, and Patience, and Long-suffering come all in, and arrest him, and Mercy saith, at my suit so many hundreds; Grace, that saith, at my suit so many thousands; then Patience and Long-suffering comes and says, at my suit so many millions; and this is the woefullest plight of all. When conscience is thus tormenting a sinner, than patience comes and pleads against him, and mercy that sueth a bond against him. Mercy saith, Lord, I have been wronged; then cometh grace and saith, Lord I have been refused; then cometh patience and saith, Lord I have been contemned; I have besought him, saith mercy, to be reconciled but I was slighted; I have waited for his amendment, saith patience, but I have not been regarded: I have been offered, saith grace, but yet have been neglected: Lord, all thy cost and care hath been despised; they all come before the Lord, and plead against the soul of a sinner, justice Lord, saith mercy, justice Lord saith grace, justice Lord, saith patience, we have all been slighted, neglected, and contemned: and then the Lord he condemns him, and saith, take him devil, and execute vengeance upon him, mercy was offered but he refused, he would none of it, and therefore mercy shall never be showed unto him, let him for ever be damned: And by this time the soul perceives itself to be in the devil's hands, as it were, and in the devil's possession, and that Satan may torment him as he please: and then the soul being thus perplexed, he cryeth out, the devil is there, do you not see him, he is come for me, and I shall go and must go with him: why, since I must go to the devil, why let me go then; nay if the soul that is thus in the jaws of the devil, lie upon his death bed, as soon as ever he takes a little rest, the Lord terrifieth and affrighteth him in his dreams, and then he riseth out of his bed, and the first word he speaks is this, I must go, and I will go: then his friends that attend about him, ask him whither he will go: they tell him he is among his friends, than he saith, I am damned, and I am going to hell, and therefore let me go; the devil is coming to fetch me, and therefore I must be gone. I beseech you consider this, you that make nothing of conscience, if it once lay hold on you with this hook, it will hold you sure enough, and rear your very hearts in pieces: Now when the Minister in sent for to come unto apoore soul in this miserable condition, when he comes haply he tells him, there is a great deal of mercy and comfort with the Lord, there is a great deal of grace and salvation with Christ; but then the sinner, when he hears of mercy, is distracted and besides himself, and says, that is my plague, that is my bane, and that in the end will be my damnation; if I had never heard of mercy, if I had not lived under the Gospel, and the means of salvation, oh then I had been a happy man in comparison, alas it is mercy that I have neglected, it is the glad tidings of salvation which I have contemned, how shall I then be saved; if the means of salvation have thus been slighted by me; if I had never opposed grace, grace might now have helped me; if I had not despised mercy, mercy might now have succoured me; but this is my plague, this is my woe, all the kindness that God shown to me, and all the mercy that God hath revealed and offered, I have despised and refused: many a knock hath God given at my heart, and many a rap at my soul, the Lord hath even wept over me as he did over jerusalem, oh that thou hadst known the things belonging to thy peace: the Lord came kindly and wooed me lovingly; oh the persuasions of the Lord, and commands of conscience that I have had, and yet after all persuasions and horror, and commands, what yet proud still? what yet covetous still? and profane still? why then surely there is no mercy to be looked for, no grace to be expected, and therefore certainly to hell I must go, and then he riseth and will be gone to hell; all that are about him cannot hold him: but then the Minister haply further replies; the truth of it is, you have done thus: but do you think so still? would you do so still, if you were out of this perplexity? is it good now to be drunk? is it good now to commit adultery? is it good now to blaspheme? is it good now to contemn God's ordinances? would you now rail on God's Saints, and despise God's truth, & profane Gods Sabbaths? would you now do these things? oh no, no, saith he, I now find what the end of those wretched courses will be the word of God could not prevail with me, the Minister could not persuade me, & therefore now I shall perish, I shall be damned for these abominations which I have committed, there is no remedy; if ever man shall be danmed, it is I; if ever man go down to hell, surely it is I; nay, hell is too good for me; oh the good Sermons that I have heard, the Minister hath spoken home oftentimes to my conscience, the very flames of hell have been flashed in my face, the Minister would often have spent his blood that he might do good to my poor soul, and yet I despised the word, and scorned the Minister, and mocked those whom conscience vexed, saying; What, you are a man of conscience are you? you dare not sin, your conscience will not suffer you? what are you such a fool to be ruled by your conscience? and therefore God hath justly let my conscience lose upon me, now I know to my woe that I have a conscience, the worm that never dieth gnaweth my heart, and rents and plucks my soul in pieces: woe, wo be unto me, that ever I snufled my conscience, that ever I put out the light of conscience, for therefore is it that my conscience is now thus tearing of my heart, and terrifying of my soul, here; and therefore it is that I shall for ever perish hereafter. But then the Minister he replies, yet further; aye, the truth is, you have done thus, but you will not yet forsake your sins, and abandon your corruptions? will you still be drunk and riotous? will you still be proud? will you still swear and curse and blaspheme? if you will part with these sins, and take mercy in stead of these, why yet there is hope. Then the poor soul cries out, now the Lord for his mercy's sake remove these sins from me; oh I never had so much delight in my sins heretofore, as now I have woe and misery and vexation for them: Why here is a cup for a drunkard indeed, here is a cup for a whore indeed, here is a cup for a blasphemer indeed, if every sinner's cup were filled thus brim full of God's wrath, never any man would take any joy in being drunk more, never would any man take any delight in chambering and wantonness more: but then the poor soul says further, oh but it is not in my power to help my soul, but if it will but please the Lord, to do good unto my poor soul, let him do what he will with it. What, faith the Minister, you are then willing and content to part with your sins a yes, yes, saith the poor soul, I will rather offend all the world than God, I had as leiffe go to hell as to the committing of any sinful practice; well saith the Minister, if it be so, it is well, but do you speak this from your heart; yes faith the poor soul, if it would please God to help me, I would forsake my sins with all my heart. Why now the poor soul is coming again, and God is haling of him aside again from his corruptions, and sinful distempers. This is that we shall observe. Hos. 2.6. there saith the text, behold I will hedge up the way with thorns, and make a wall that she shall not find her paths, and she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, & she shall seek them but she shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better with me then, than it is now. The Lord at last tears the soul and rends the heart from sinful distempers, and then the soul thinketh, oh there is not that pleasure in sin, as I have formerly thought there was, the soul than hateth drunkenness as death, he is not able to look upon his adulteress quean, he is not able to abide the house where he committed the folly, & his heart begins to tremble at it. And therefore mark the next and last cord: I should have added more to the former point out of Psal. 88.16. there saith David, thy fierce wrath is gone over me, and thy terrors have cut me off; thine arrows stick fast in me; how ever David before had shaken off the commands and accusations of conscience, though these would not draw him to God; yet now the Lords arrows stuck fast in him, he could not pluck them out, nor cast them off for his life. The last cord is the cord of the Spirit, the Lord by the almighty power of his spirit, when the soul is thus loosened, he then fully plucks it to himself, never again to be sodered and closed unto corruptions; with an almighty hand he cuts the soul off from sin, and takes it into his own hand, that it may never be mustered by sin, and Satan any more as it was formerly. Look as it is with a graft, a man must pluck it by force from one stock, before he can plant it upon another; so the Lord by the spirit of power doth rend the soul from sin, and ingrafteth it into Christ, and now the soul purposeth never to commit any sin again, john 16.11. there Christ saith, that he will send the spirit, the Comforter, and he shall reprove the world of righteousness, and of sin, and of judgement: In that it is said, he will reprove the world of judgement, thereby is nothing else meant, but that the Lord will govern men; and why shall the comforter convince the world of judgement? because Satan is judged, saith the text; that is, he is kept off and cannot pluck the soul to himself, the government that Satan had over the soul, is wholly removed, and Christ hath the soul under his command, and the soul is contented to be wholly at at his disposing. In the time that Christ lived upon the earth, when the devils did possess the bodies of men, the Lord saith unto them, I charge thee thou unclean spirit to come out; so the Lord saith now to the devil that hath taken possession of the souls of those men, which do belong to the election of grace; after the Lord hath rend a poor sinner from his corruptions, and haled him to himself, than he saith, come out of him Satan, and never rule him more, never take place in him more; and then he takes the soul into his hands, that he may govern him, and dispose of him according to his own good will and pleasure. This we see the cords, whereby God draweth a sinner to himself. First he inlightens the mind, and reveals to the soul of a sinner, that he is in a wrong way, and that he must take another course if ever he mean to come at heaven, and then the lays the cords of mercy, and the cords of conscience upon him, whereby he constrains and forces him to come unto him, and the last is the cord of the Spirit, whereby he doth take the soul out of the hands of Satan, into his own possession. The next thing to be considered, is, the reasons why the Lord by a holy kind of violence, 
Reasons, or Arguments.  thus draws a sinner from corruption to himself, & the arguments are three. The first is taken from those tear me whereby the Scripture discovereth this work of God, upon the soul of a sinner, Matth. 12.29. there saith our Saviour, No man cometh into a strong man's house, but first he overcomes, and binds the strong man before he takes possession of his house, and spoils his goods: this is the parable; the meaning is this, the house is nothing else but the heart of a sinner, the strongman is nothing else but sin and Satan, the devil and sin taking possession of, and ruling in the soul of a sinner; (and this is the woeful condition of many men, that think their penny good silver, and bear their heads aloft, howsoever they lift their heads so high, yet their souls are nothing else but habitations for the devil,) now Satan ruling, and overpowering the soul by sin, is the strong man, that usurps authority over the soul, by reason of the corruptions that prevail over the soul, (for if there were not sin within the souls of men, there were no power that Satan could usurp over men:) now observe it, the Lord jesus is the stronger man, and before he can come, and take possession of the soul, and work effectually in the soul, he must bind Satan, and take away the weapons of Satan, and then when he hath bound him, and overcome him, than he takes possession of the soul; this is the meaning of the parable: Now I reason thus, conquering, binding, and slaying, imply a kind of violence; Satan will not come out by entreaty, the devil must be commanded to go out, or else drawn out by a kind of violence: if all the Angels in heaven, and all the men on earth should entreat Satan to come out of the soul, he would not come out, but this implieth a holy kind of violence, that Christ offereth to corruptions in the soul, when he draws the soul from sin to himself. In another place it is said, that Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, joh. 3.8. those works are the sinful corruptions, that were at first put into the soul by the delusion of Satan, when he tempted our first parents to eat of the forbidden fruit: Now Christ cometh to destroy those works, now the works of Satan will not destroy themselves, sin and Satan will not bind and overcome themselves, the enemy will not come out of his hold willingly, but the work that must be put forth for the binding, conquering, and destroying of those, must needs imply a work of constraint, and holy violence which is offered. A man offers violence to his enemy when he binds him, a man offers violence to his enemy, when he overcomes him, a man offers violence to his enemy, when he flays and destroys him: such is the work of the Lord, when he takes possession of a soul this way, and this is the interpretation of Divines in this case: they say, that the Lord doth take away that deadness, and stupidity of heart, whereby it may lay hold on grace, if it resist not the good motions of the Spirit.  

The second Argument.  The second Argument: is taken from the natural union between the soul and corruption, and then I reason thus: one contrary expels another, from a natural subject, by constraint and compulsion; but the spirit, as a contrary, doth drive out sin from the soul, in the work of preparation, as a contrary thereunto: and therefore must do it by constraint and compulsion. We will open both the parts of the Argument; I say, one contrary driveth out another, by violence and constraint; as for example, wheresoever heat is, if it cometh to drive out cold, it doth it by a certain kind of violence, for the ground of all constraint, ariseth from the crossness and contrariety that things have one to another; we need no constraint to to make things do that which is natural unto them, as to make fire hot, or a Lion fierce, or a Wolf ravenous; but he that will make a Lion become a Lamb, and he that will make a wolf become a Kidd, he that doth this, must offer a kind of violence to the nature of the Lion, and of the Wolf, and break the combination that is between the fierceness of the thing, and the thing itself; so that it is clear, that one contrary driveth out another, from a natural subject, by constraint and violence; and that sin is naturally in a corrupt heart, is evident joh. 3.6. whatsoever is born of the flesh, is flesh; that is, whosoever cometh from Adam, is rooted in sin: now mark, sin being thus naturally in the soul, the Spirit of grace, and the Lord jesus, when he cometh to drive away sin from the soul, breaketh that near union that is between sin and the soul, by a holy kind of violence; Gal. 6.17. there saith the Apostle, from henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord jesue; the Lord jesus breaking this natural, and near union, between sin and the soul, must offer a kind of violence upon the soul, otherwise this union could not be parted. To speak punctually to every one's capacity, I appeal to any here present: is it not a violence, to pluck a branch from the tree, or an arm from the body? every man will say, you ●●are and pluck it: the arm naturally is knit to the body, and the branch naturally grows to the tree; our sins are as arm to the body, and our corruptions as branches to the tree, therefore the Lord jesus when he comes to pluck off these arms, and cut off those branches, must offer a kind of violence to the soul, before this union and combination, between sin and the soul, will be parted and broken, this is the second reason, if there be such a natural near union, between sin and a corrupt heart, then if God will pluck corruption from the soul, and sever this union, he must offer a kind of violence, but there is a natural near union, and league between sin and the soul, and therefore the Lord must dissolve this league, and break this union, by a kind of violence, and constraint.  
The third, and last argument is this: 
The third Argument.  As in regard of that union that is between the soul and sin, the soul must by a holy kind of violence, be drawn from sin; so also in the second place, if we consider that sovereign kind of power that sin hath over the soul, and prevaileth within the soul, (which kind of resistance and sovereign command must be drawn away, and removed from the soul,) we shall see that this cannot be done, unless there be an almighty hand, to work this, and offer a kind of conquering, and constraining violence upon the soul: in this case, the sovereign rule that sin doth exercise in the soul is such, that unless the Lord by his almighty hand, doth overpower this, there is no kind of prevailing, in the soul of a sinner in this case: now to show how the Lord jesus doth overpower the strength of sin and corruption, observe it in two particulars, how the Lord jesus is pleased miraculously, to overpower that rule which sin hath over the soul; the first is this: The soul of a sinner being wholly possessed with, and defiled by corruptions, is so fare carried against God, that it doth nothing but resist against God; it is naturally so fare overwhelmed and possessed with sin in every kind, that it doth nothing but resist; nay it can do nothing but resist the work of the spirit, it beateth back the work of the spirit, that it may not work upon it, nor take place in it, jer. 2.31. there saith the text, oh generation, see ye the word of the Lord, have I been a wilderness unto Israel, a land of darkness, wherefore say my people, we are Lords, we will come no more unto thee? as who should say, do you think to rule us, or do you think that your commands shall take place with us, no no, our corruptions corruptions are our Lords; we will come at you no more, we will neither hear your words, nor obey your commands in this kind. Secondly, when the soul doth nothing but resist, when the Lord would work upon the heart, when the soul beateth back the work of the Spirit, and doth nothing, nay can do nothing, but resist the Lord jesus, the Lord jesus then takes away that stony heart, he gives us a fleshy heart, whereby we may lay hold on the means, and be fitted to receive the good motions of the Spirit. There is an old phrase, which Saint Austin propounded in his time, and Divines take it up with one consent in this case, and that is this, that God of an unwilling will, doth make a willing will; the word being truly interpreted, I desire no more for the work in hand, which implieth a holy kind of violence, to be offered thereunto, and expressed thereupon, before the work can be brought to pass. For the opening of the point, observe these particulars, in the sentence before spoken of, that I may speak punctually, and precisely; first, the soul of a man naturally, is altogether unwilling to receive grace; secondly, that the Lord doth bring willingness out of this unwillingness, as light out of darkness; thirdly, that God must take away this unwillingness, before he can bring willingness into the soul; lastly (wherein lieth the strength of the point) the Lord he only must do this; unwillingness will not destroy itself, the soul is altogether corrupt, corruption will not destroy itself, and therefore there is nothing else in the soul of a sinner, but only the Almighty hand of God and his conquering power that must take away this unwillingness, and put willingness into the soul: The Text saith in the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 4.6. that God bringeth light out of darkness: how must he do this? why he must first destroy darkness, before he can bring light out of it: for one contrary cannot make up another, both remaining, but darkness must be destroyed before light can be brought forth: So it is with the soul, God brings willingness out of unwillingness; first therefore he must destroy this unwillingness, he must destroy that darkness that is in the soul before he can bring willingness, and light to the soul; he must conquer that resistance against the Spirit which is in the soul, before he can make it pliable and frameable to his own will and pleasure. It is a pretty passage, Acts 9 there Paul went into the field against Christ, and pitched a combat between Christ and him, he had gotten letters from the Synagogue of Damascus, and he was resolutely bend to kill and slay all poor Christians: when he came, the Lord jesus met him by the way, and there was a fight between the Lord and Paul, and in all reason he was resolved to fight against God, to try it out to the last; now the Lord met him, and the battle was fought, and the Lord Christ overcame him, and what followeth, instead of fierce resisting the Lord, he comes to submit himself humbly to the Lord, he doth not only put off the act of resisting, but the will of resisting also, as we may see, vers. 6. there saith the text, he trembling and astonished said, Lord what wilt thou have me for to do? Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me, saith the Lord, it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Why Lord, saith he, what wilt thou have me to do? Paul was not willing to take up his own heart, for that was mad against the Lord, but he did submit himself and his will unto Christ. Briefly then to gather up the point: if it be so, that the Lord doth destroy and bind, and conquer Satan, if the Lord break that natural union and combination that is between sin and the soul, if it be so that the Lord by his almighty power and conquering hand doth overcome the power of sin in the soul, than the Lord by a holy kind of violence doth pluck the soul from sin, and draw it to himself; but all the former have been proved, it is sin and Satan which God binds and overcomes, it is that near union between sin and the soul that God breaketh, it is the power that sin hath over the soul that God doth conquer, God takes away not only the act, but the power of resisting from the sauce, and therefore there must be some constraining power that must work this in the soul. We will now proceed to the use of this point.  
Use 1 In the first place it is a ground of instruction, to teach all people that hear this truth, to go home and stand aghast and amazed at the admirable unconceivable goodness of the Lord to a poor miserable, sinful, damned creature; it had been a great mercy if the Lord had only provided some means, and offered some means, and given salvation after many troubles and much seeking, but that the Lord should not only provide mercy and offer it, and reveal the truth, but that he should follow us and pursue us with the means of salvation when we never thought of it; nay that the Lord should follow us with mercy, and press it upon us, when we refused it; that he should give us the freedom of his spirit to be delivered from our sins; when we go into fetters, and go into prison, that the Lord should not only set open the door for us that we might come out, but that he should by an almighty hand draw us out of the dungeon of our corruptions; this is mervellous mercy and admirable loving kindness: the truth of it is, men and Angels are not able to comprehend this, nay the Angels of Heaven desire to observe and wonder at this admirable goodness of the Lord, the passage is observable Gen. 19.16. the text saith, when Sodom was to be destroyed, because Lot was a little worldly, and would not come off cleverly from his profits, While he lingered, saith the Text, the men laid hold on him, the Lord being merciful unto him, and brought him forth, and set him without the city, and it came to pass that when they had brought him forth, that they said, escape for thy life, look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. Mark how the holy man answereth; Behold now thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified the mercy which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life, I cannot escape to the mountain, lest I die, behold now this city, is it not a little one? let me escape thither and my soul shall live. Here lies the point now, the Lord had told Lot, that he would destroy Sodom: why now he persuades him therefore to arise and away, lest he perish, but the poor man he dreaming either of the profit that he might take, or else loath to part from his outward contentment, he lingered, at length (the Lord being merciful unto him) he took him by the hand, and by main force carried him, and by his almighty hand conveyed him and set him without the city, and bade him fly for his life; a great favour it was that the Lord revealed unto him the judgement that he would execute upon the city that he might escape it, but that the Lord should pluck him out of the fire by force, and carry him upon eagle's wings, what wonderful goodness was this? and this Lot himself confesseth, saying, thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast showed to thy servant in saving his life, not only to reveal favour and show mercy, but to hale and carry one out of misery whether he will or no, what admirable mercy is this? It is my resolution saith the Lord, that whoremongers and adulterers, I will judge, those that live wickedly shall perish everlastingly; is it not a great mercy for God now to come to a drunkard, and say, I am resolved to overthrow all drunkards, and it is my purpose to destroy all adulterers, but if you will abstain from these sins, I will show mercy unto you, great goodness it is, that a man should have his heart forewarned of misery, that he might prevent it; but that the Lord should by a strong hand pluck the drunkard from his cursed companions, and the adulterer from the company of his whore, and to pluck a covetous man from the bottom of the earth, not only to entreat him, and persuade him, but by his almighty hand to set him free from his corruptions, and say, escape for thy life, never be drunk more, never commit adultery more, never swear more, lest thou perish, but go and save thy life, what a wonder is this! a poor soul should therefore go in secret, and say, Lord herein hast thou magnified mercy towards me, for who was so nought, but I was as bad? who was so wicked, but I was worse? oh the mercies that thou hast showed me? oh the commands that have been suggested to me, and yet I have stuck in the Alehouse, and continued in my sins: the flashes of hell fire have sparkled in my face; I have seen one drunkard going to hell, and the devil as it were dragging of him into everlasting destruction, and an other adulterer plunged into eternal damnation, and yet when I stuck fast in my sins all this while, that the Lord should not only persuade me and entreat me to come out, but by main force carry me out of these flames whether I would or no, oh what wonderful goodness is this! that yet I live to praise and magnify thy name, that yet I live to get assurance of thy love here, that I may reign with thee for ever in glory hereafter no mercy is like unto this, no mercy to be compared with this; this is not mercy, but the depth of mercy; this is not compassion only, but the bowels of compassion. Should a King come to a Peasant, and proclaim pardon unto him after he hath plotted treason against him, and if in the mean time the traitor rebels and flings away the pardon, were it fit that the King should yet pursue him with favour, or pursue him with judgement rather for neglecting this mercy? that he should pursue him with favour this is more than nature can do, or will do in this kind: but here God doth not only proclaim pardon for our sins, and reveal mercy to us, but when we contemn all, and slight all, and trample the pardon under our feet, yet the Lord will force his mercy upon us, and he will save us whether we will or no; that the Lord should thus overcome us with compassion, let us walk worthy of all this riches of God's favour, for the Lord Christ jesus sake 〈◊〉 and let no man presume because of this mercy and favour of the Lord, for he that hath those cords and hooks cast upon him spoken of before, he will be wearied I warrant him before he will be made fit for mercy.  
Use 2 The next use is a word of terror, it discovers the fearful estate and woeful condition that those men are in, which purpose to set themselves against that work of preparation, which God meaneth for to work upon the souls of men. Is this the work of the Lord that he doth by an holy kind of violence draw a sinner from corruption to himself, out of the bowels of his compassion? what then shall we think and judge of those men, that use all means, and all slights; that employ their wits to draw sinners from God, to sin? is it Gods great work, his Masterpiece; the greatest good that he intends for his people, to pluck them from their corruptions, and draw them to himself? what then will become of those men that go professedly against God, and oppose the work of God in this kind: if there be any such persons here, as I doubt there are many such in the congregation; I tell you, if God be an holy God, than thou art an unholy man; if God be merciful to poor sinners to save them, than thou art cruel to damn them; if God be a gracious God, and would draw poor sinners from sin unto himself, than thou art a graceless man, and in a miserable condition, that wouldst draw poor souls from God to hell; and yet do no our towns swarm with such wretches? and are not our villages pestered with such ungracious miscreants? such as the wise man in the Proverbs speaketh of, that eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the blood of violence, and they cannot sleep unless they cause some to fall; the God of heaven open these men's eyes, and awaken their consciences that they may see their wretched estate; such as eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence, unless they can get such a man to be drunk with them, and such a woman to play the whore with them, and such a fellow to cozen and cheat, their hearts cannot be at quiet, they are not at rest, in this case their sleep departeth from their eyes, unless they cause some to fall; if the Lord let in a light into the soul of a sinner, and discover unto him that he is in a wrong way, and that he must take up a better course; if the Lord by the cords of mercy seek to prevail with a sinner; nay if he lay the hooks of conscience upon a sinner to pluck him from sin to himself, there are a company that are mad the contrary way, and they labour to cut the cords of mercy, and breaketh the hooks of conscience, and labour to hale a poor sinner down to hell and destruction; nay wicked men have invented cord against cord, and hook against hook in this kind, the devil hath his factors and his brokers under him, which lay cords upon poor sinners, to withdraw them from the Lord to sin: as God plucks heaven-ward, so they pluck to hellward; nay they have a cord for a cord, God hath not so many cords to pluck from sin to himself, but they have as many to pluck men from God to sin, and into the paths of ungodliness, that they may perish for ever; the Lord hath mercies to allure, and they have profits and pleasures to persuade and entice; the Lord hath the hooks of conscience to awaken, and they have base shifts this way also.  
I will therefore discover these two things, first, the cunning of men in this course; secondly, the miserable condition that they are in, which continue in this course; I take it they are in the most woeful, and wretched estate of any men under heaven. First, to see the cunning of sinners in this kind, they will work upon the heart, and draw the soul, and cut Gods cords, and break God's bonds, that God may not draw a poor sinner from sin to himself, they have a cord for a cord, and a hook for a hook, in this kind: First, if God let in the light of knowledge into the understanding of a poor sinner, a young man perhaps receiveth direction by the word, that he is not in the right way; the spirit that calls after him and tells him he is wrong, and says, this is the good ancient way, walk in it: when the Lord lets in the light thus into the soul of a sinner, and reveals the good way to him; when the Lord thus turneth a man out of the mouth of the Lion, and paw of the Bear, then happily he goes into a corner and mourns for his sins, and resolves to forsake them, he will not keep company with his old companions, but seeks God always, and prays to God continually. Now mark what hooks they apply to pull him off from this good course, they use a company of carnal reasons to persuade him to the contrary; when the master, father, or husband, seethe that God is drawing his wife, or his servant, or his child unto himself, why then the town is in an uproar, as if there were some fire in the town: mark what the husband says, my wife was wont to be careful to go about her business, but now she leaves all at six and seven, and is so precise, that she is always praying or poring upon a book. The child, he thinks his father distracted; his father perhaps gives him a strict charge not to profane the Sabbath any more, no more gaming now sirrah, no more sporting now, the child wonders at this, and stands amazed; he admires what is become of his father, he was wont to suffer him to do these things without any controlment, and because now he commands him the contrary, he thinks his father is out of the right way. And as the child is to the father, so is the father to the child; if the understanding of the child be enlightened, and he be creeping to salvation; if he will not do as he did in former times, if he will not run on in those wicked practices which he did before, than the father thinks his son is undone, his son was wont to yield obedience to him, and he was wont to have service from him, but now he is grown so curious and exact, that he expects no goodness from him, he can look for nothing to be done by him, I now give him over for lost: and as their hearts are thus troubled, so they pluck with a kind of violence from God, as God plucks to himself, so they labour to pluck a poor soul from God, and they begin to chide, & taunt, and chafe, and brawl: what say they, will you always be reading, and will you always be praying? I warrant, you think your mother and I are not in the right way, because we do not as you do, you thought heretofore such a man to be an honest man and your friend also, and yet he doth not do thus as you do, nor you yourself were not wont to do thus in former times neither. Thus mark what cords they lay upon a man that hath been enlightened: the child happily replieth, alas father, when I knew no other, I must confess, I did no better; but when the Lord hath once given us the truth, let us walk in it, I must follow the example of no man in this kind; the Minister told me that there was no expectation of mercy unless I turned from my sins, the text was plain, and the Minister said, that we must walk in God's Commandments here, if ever we mean to reign with him in glory hereafter. Oh then saith the father, I would the Minister had been fare enough off, when he put this into your head: and if he see that this will not prevail with the child, than he sets another upon him, he sends his carnal friends after him; he sets a carnal gospeler one that hath been twice dead, and plucked up by the roots, as Saint jude speaks upon him, 
jude 12.  and he bids him see what he can do in this case, and then he comes and closeth with him with all the carnal counsel and wicked devices that can be invented: and mark how he sets upon him, Friend, saith he, I hear you attend upon the Ministry of the Gospel, I am very glad to hear it, but yet be wary and wise though, too much, is too much in this case, your head is not yet grey; if you had had the experience that I have, you would then perhaps know as much as I know: be wise I say in this kind; but I pray understand me aright, I do not speak against holiness all this while, I beseech you do not mistake me so, for I am glad with all my heart that there is such a change wrought in you, and that you take up such a good course, but this is that I say; Be religious and wise both together; blessed be God my friend, we have a glorious Church, many wise men, and yet they require not so much, and they perform not so much, they will drink and be merry, and why should you exact more than these wise men? aye but, replieth the child, I cannot tell what wise men say, and what they do, I must not do as they do, but as God commands; the Text saith, Be ye holy, as I am holy; and be ye pure, as Christ is pure, 1. joh. 3.3. can a man be more holy than Christ, can a man be more pure than Christ in this case? I know not what men do, but I am sure the word gives no such allowance: and now they think the matter is past hope, when carnal counsel cannot prevail, nor cursed devices take place, than they think the matter is past cure, and therefore they pursue him with deadly indignation, they put such taunts upon him, and follow him with such scoffs, that the heart of the poor creature is even wearied and tired, and so departs from his God and all good courses, and so he falls into wicked courses again, and runs down headlong into hell. And this is one cord which the wicked, the devil's factors lay upon a poor sinner to pluck him from God; you that are guilty of this, you must see into these things, and be humbled for this, or else you must look to suffer that judgement which is due to the commission of this sin; you must know you go professely against the Lord, and therefore you must needs be in a miserable condition. Secondly, if this cord be broken, than the Lord hath another cord, the Lord makes a sinner apprehend the mercy of God, he hears the Minister how he speaks of God's wonderful love and goodness, in that he will not only accept poor sinners and entertain them when they come, but command them to come; and not only so, but entreats and beseeches them to come and receive mercy from him, nay he waits for our amendment and cries out, oh when will it once be, and when a poor sinner hears this, this even melts his heart, and he resolves never to follow his sins more, and then he comes home and tells his father or his master what wonderful goodness God hath been pleased to make known unto him. I, saith he, could not have thought so much, I could not have conceived, so much: what, that God should stoop to man, and majesty to misery? that God should not only offer grace, and give a sinner leave to take grace, but that God should follow such a wretch as I am with mercy, and entreat me to be saved? what admirable and wonderful goodness is this! Father, or master, shall I be so unnatural as to neglect this mercy and kindness? oh let it never be for the Lord jesus sake. Thus the father or the master seethe his child or his servant going away from his evil courses which he had formerly taken up, the father feels which way the child is going, and he follows after him amain, and labours to pluck away this cord with another, and therefore thus he answereth; It is true indeed, there is a great deal of mercy, endless, boundless mercy with the Lord, therefore let us make use of this mercy, son; and let us take this goodness, servant: in this case, the Lord will not only provide for the good of our souls, but for the good of our bodies also: as the Lord requireth that we should perform service to him, so he requireth also that we should have a care of our own estates, and therefore take heed of growing into too nice a course; be not too extreme this way, for the Lord doth not require such exactness of you, that thereby you should impoverish your estate: beware therefore of too much preciseness I say, lest you bring thereby disgrace to yourself, and damage to your estate, and hazard to your life: the Lord promiseth to prosper whatsoever we take in hand, and therefore this nice course is not that which God requireth, and by this means the poor child or servant is daunted and deluded, and so falls off from his good purposes and resolutions. Thus those two cords are broken: the Lord hath yet a third cord, and that is the cord of conscience, which he lays upon a man, and that commands him to take heed of his corruptions, and tells him, he was wont to be gibing at God's servants, but take heed of these things, all at the last day must be brought to light; now this makes the soul at a stand: and then the man saith, the word of God came home to my conscience, for I have been a drunkard, and an adulterer, and a swearer; oh I saw the fearful estate of those men; the Minister came effectually home to my conscience, and told me what a miserable wretched condition I should be in, if I continued in my former wicked courses. Now mark the cord that they lay to draw this away, they lay a disgrace and contempt upon conscience; when (say they) did you take notice of your conscience? will you be one of our tender conscienced people? what your conscience troubled you, did it? what will you be so simple? will you be such a fool to shake at the word of a teacher? alas, alas, it is not conscience, it is but conceit in this case: and so at last the poor sinner falls off again by the enticements of Satan, and carnal counsels of wicked men, and at last the Lord lets in horror, and anguish, and vexation into the conscience, and sets the very flashes of hell fire upon his face, and now scoffs and scorns will not serve the turn, for the poor soul saith, Now I find that it was not conceit that troubled me, for the flashes of hell have been in my face; and all the opposition against God and his truth, all the taunts and scoffs against God and his servants, and all my abominations that ever I committed, I tell you, I saw them all set before me, and I saw hell open in conclusion, and God executing judgement upon me for my sins. Now when his companions see him in this humour, they think a scoff will not chase away this horror, for he tells them, it is not your scoffs that will do it now; no, no, I am going to hell, and you will follow after me as fast as may be, you haled me to drunkenness, and adultery, and other base courses; you drew me to ungodly practices, and therefore you shall to hell as well as I, do you think that I shall go to hell, and you not make haste after me? do you think that I shall be damned, and you not be plagued? when his companions see this, than they leave scoffing and gibing of him, and dare not appear themselves, but the devil he transforms himself into an angel of light; a drunkard will not now come unto him in the coat of a drunkard, but he takes the coat of some seeming grave man upon him, and he must set upon him, and tell him how the case stands: and this carnal man doth three things to draw away the heart from God, in this kind first he deludes conscience, and tells him there is such a thing in fear, but nothing in deed, thou, saith he, art sinful, and God is merciful, thou hast been an adulterer, so was David, and he did nothing, but say, I have sinned, and he was forgiven: oh but saith the poor soul, David was a broken hearted man, and this broke his very bones. Well, when he seethe this will not do, than secondly, he must get him to cards, and to dice, to sports and to plays, until his conscience be benumed and seared, and then thirdly all goodness must be kept from him in these cases; especially they will be sure that he doth not look upon a Bible, lest by that means he might be drawn away again. Now the Lord be merciful unto us; the poor man by counsel on one side, and allurements on the other; whereas before his soul was a little enlightened and his conscience awakened, now he gins to turn a devil, he flies about as though hell were broken lose, he cares not what he doth for the dishonouring of God, and damning of his own soul, so that by this time you see the subtlety of men in this kind: Will you now know the condition of these men, I tell you, if there be any wretched, miserable, woeful, accursed, damned people in the world, I cannot tell who they be, unless these be they, and therefore observe the woefulness of their condition in three respects; first, they are most like the devil; secondly, they are most opposite to God; thirdly, they are the greatest enemies to men's salvation: first, they that oppose this work o● conversion and salvation, are as like the devil as can be, Acts 13.8. the Text saith, when Paul was to deal with Sergius Paulus the Deputy Lieutenant of the country, the Deputy called for Paul and Barnabas, and desired to hear the word of God, now Elymas the sorcerer, who was with the Deputy, seeing the wind in that door; Paul he would have drawn the Deputy to the faith, but Elymas he withstood him, seeking to turn him away from the faith; now mark what Paul says unto him, I would not say so, may I durst not speak it, but that the Scripture is plain; then, saith the Text, Paul being full of the holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, oh full of all subtlety and mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy to all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the way of God? as if he had said, here is the very claw and paw of the devil, he is not only naught himself, but hinders others from doing good. Gen. 3.17. when the Lord had committed that threatening unto Adam and Eve; that in that day that they eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they should surely perish; so long as the woman could believe that threatening, she was well enough; now Satan perceiving this, comes and takes away the life of the threatening, and the power of the command, and gainsaid the word of God; what saith he, hath God said that ye shall not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and in that day ye eat thereof ye shall die? no, no, saith he, you shall not surely die at all, for God doth know, that in that day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil; first he takes away the edge of the command: and causes the woman to slight the threatening▪ what did God say, you should die? you shall not die at all, but be as Gods, knowing good and evil; as who should say, God doth this for his own ends, for he knows when you do this, you shall be like unto Gods; thus the devil did in the beginning, and look what he did, that his children do now: They that oppose this work of God, they have the tricks of their father up and down; they are as like the devil, as if he had spewed them out of his mouth; the Lord saith, he that killeth, shall surely die the death; this the truth saith, and Ministers say, but they say, there is no such matter; God is gracious and merciful, God did this to fear men, not to vex men; and they slight that commandment of God also, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, as thy life, and as thy soul; but they say, though the word say so, yet it is no matter whether men obey that commandment or no; the devil did so from the beginning, and they do so now; what saith the devil, did God say that you should not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and in the day ye eat thereof ye should die; why you shall not die at all; what say they, did the Minister say, that your consciences must be awakened, and your hearts must be humbled, or else you should perish; you shall not die, your conversation is holy enough, and you need not take so strict a course in this kind; thus the devil did in the beginning, and thus his children, his brokers and factors do in the end of the world, these are the two sons of Satan, the chiefest scholars in his school, they are able to bring many to destruction and confusion, Rev. 12.4. there the Text saith, that the Dragon stood before the woman that was to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it should be borne; the woman is the Church, the Dragon is the devil, the child to be borne is the soul that is to be converted: when the Church doth bring a soul to life, why then the Dragon watcheth when the child is borne that he may devour it: if there be any that look to heaven, if there be any whose hearts are humbled, whose minds are enlightened, and consciences awakened, the devil watcheth when this soul is borne, that he may devour it; so it is with wicked persons that bear the image and exercise the practice of the devil, if there be any that God is pleased to work upon, why wicked men they court them at all times and occasions that can be, all is too good for them in this kind; niceness, and exactness, and preciseness, and madness, and all is cast upon them to devour poor sinners, and hinder poor Saints, to hinder the birth of the child, that the Church traveleth withal; why wouldst thou devour a poor creature that God in mercy would deliver from sin here, and bring to salvation hereafter? Dost thou envy him, dost thou by cursed persuasions and wicked devices endeavour to pluck from God to sin; I tell thee, if there were ever a devil in a man, there is one in thee; if there were ever a child of the devil, that was wicked here, and shall be damned hereafter, thou art surely one: and this is the first thing wherein the miserable condition of these men is discovered; they are the children of the devil, the Lord of heaven open your eyes, and awaken your consciences, and reveal these things to your souls, that you may forsake these base courses; secondly, as they are most like to the devil, so also their wretched estate appears in this, that they are the greatest and deadliest enemies to God, that place formerly named will serve for the opening of this, Acts 13.10. there saith the Text, thou child of the devil, and enemy to all righteousness, Paul calls Elymas the sorcerer, because he withstood him, and resisted the work of God, not only the child of the devil, but an enemy to all righteousness; mark that, as who should say, he that withholds a Saint of God, he that would pluck a soul from walking uprightly before God, he is an enemy to all righteousness, and this is a most fearful thing; for other kind of sins are of a less nature, for a drankard is an enemy to sobriety, an unjust person is an enemy to justice, a liar is an enemy to truth, an adulterer is an enemy to chastity, and a malicious man is an enemy to charity; but he that is an enemy to the saving work of God's grace in the soul of a man, he that withstands and resists the work of conversion, he is an enemy to all righteousness; for how shall a man walk holily before God, or righteously before his brethren, how shall he love God above all things, and his neighbour as himself, unless grace be wrought in the soul of a man, and unless the word of God be placed in the heart of a man: men ought to keep God's Commandments that they may receive comfort from God; now unless God bestow faith, and grace, and his spirit upon a man, how shall he do this; but when thou sayest, I would not have such a man converted, I would not have the spirit work effectually in his heart; when thou hinderest the work of God in this kind, than thou hinderest a man from performing obedience to God's Commandments, and therefore thou art an enemy to God; Gods Sabbaths can never be sanctified, the life of thy neighbour can never be tendered, the chastity of thy neighbour can never be preserved; thou art a drunkard, thou art an adulterer, thou are a murderer, he that murthereth a man, is an enemy to the life of a man, but he that will not suffer the word of God to take plane in the soul of a sinner, he is the murderer of the soul of a man, he is an enemy to all righteousness, he cannot perform, any service unto God; there is no duty to be performed, no sin to be omitted, but thou art an enemy to all, for when thou dost hinder a sinner from receiving of grace, and from being made partaker thereof, thou dost hinder a sinner from honouring of God here, and receiving of comfort hereafter, and what a woeful wretched condition is this to be an enemy to all righteousness, and not only so, but full of all mischief, for so saith the Text aforenamed; thou enemy of all righteousness, and full of all mischief, mark the opening of the words; full, that is, brim full, top full, ready to run over with wickedness, and the cause is this; it's naught for a man to be wicked, and to resolve to be no better, is worse; but for a man not only to be wicked, and resolve to be no better, but to hinder others also from being good, this is the very height of all impiety, this is to be an enemy to all righteousness, and to be full of mischief. Thirdly, as they are the children of the devil, and enemies to all righteousness, so also they are the greatest enemies to the salvation of men's souls; they compass sea and land to make a Proselyte: I beseech you take notice of it, thou art a drunkard and a blasphemer, and a wretched lewd person, thou art not only bad thyself, but such a man hath had his mind enlightened and his conscience awakened, but thou by thy wicked counsels and carnal reasons, and sinful arguments catchest him, and with, drawest him again into his former wicked courses and base practices, and then the end of that man is worse than the beginning, and he becomes twice a child of the devil; well, he shall perish, and so shalt thou, he shall be damned, but the Lord shall require his blood at thy hands; and this is the main cause why men perish and go down to hell: namely, the wicked counsels and cursed persuasions which sinful damned persons use to hurry poor souls down into destruction, as though they could not go fast enough of themselves to hell, but they must lay these base sinful cords upon them, to draw them headlong into the bottomless pit of confusion. Well, the time will come, when these poor creatures shall call for vengeance at the hand of God to be executed against you; they will accuse you at the last day, and curse you, and call for vengeance to be poured down upon your heads; you that are guilty of this, whensoever you meet with the day of death here, or with the day of judgement hereafter, than it will go marvellous heavily with you; you have hindered the work of conversion for being wrought in them, and you have drawn them into wicked courses; they shall go to hell, they shall perish poor souls, but I tell you, their blood will God require at your hands, at that day they will appear before the Lord of glory, and call for vengeance against you; when the heavens shall melt with fire, and when the Lord shall have ten thousand thousand of Angel's ministering unto him; when all flesh at the dreadful day of judgement shall appear before the judgement seat of God, and render an account of that they have done here upon earth, than here you shall see a cursed drunkard, there a wretched adulterer, and there a profane swearer; and they shall come and accuse those that have drawn them into the commission of these sins, and they shall say, I confess Lord I was enlightened, my eyes were opened, and my heart was touched, and my conscience was awakened, and I was resolved to walk in a good course; but Lord here is the man, behold here is the woman, that by wicked devises and cursed persuasions never left until I fell off from this good resolution, and turned to my former wicked ways; this is the man Lord that did this, and therefore I beseech thee though I perish, yet let not my blood go unrevenged at this man's hands that hath been the cause of my destruction; and then this will lie heavy upon your score, at the day of death, or the day of judgement; when these poor souls shall appear before God; I will tell you what complaints they will make to his Majesty, they will say, Lord I was in a good way, my eyes were opened, and my heart was humbled, my heart did earn towards God's truth and holy men, I would have turned over a new leaf, and led a new life, but it was this Landlord of mine that feared bernard and terrified me, and plucked me aside from this good course; good Lord revenge my blood at my Landlords hand, the servant he will say; Lord, there was a gracious fellow servant lived in the house with me, and did me much good, I loved to hear thy word, and pray, and read, and perform good duties, but good Lord, it was the sharp reproofs and bitter taunts of my master that discouraged me, and made me forsake my former course; and therefore now I must go to hell, but Lord though I perish, yet I beseech thee revenge my blood at my master's hands. Many of you have wives that lie in your bosoms, in whose hearts the word of God hath begun to take place, and they have resolved to walk uprightly before God; they have gone and mourned in secret, and sighed to heaven, but it is you that are their husbands which have hindered this gracious disposition, and you thought yourselves undone because your wives took this course, and therefore you never left brawling, and baiting, and railing, until your poor wives left all, left praying, and left reading, and left all goodness; I tell you, those wives that now lie in your bosoms, though they love you now, the time will come when they will curse the day that ever they saw or knew you; what a woeful case will it be at the day of judgement, when the wife shall come before the Lord and say, I confess Lord, I enjoyed thy word, and it was brought home to my soul, and it wrought upon my conscience, and I had a full purpose to become a new creature, and take a new course; I was coming Lord, I was coming, but it was this husband of mine that drew me from myself and thy service, from a good course, and from a good way, and therefore require my blood at his hands; though I perish, yet good Lord, let not my damnation be unrevenged at my husband's hands; and many of you wives if your husbands have been enlightened and wrought upon by the word, insomuch that they come home and say, wife, we must reform our families, and we must pray with them, and we must be careful that both we and they keep God's Commandments; than you wives are untoward, and unreasonable, and the house is not able to hold you, and your husbands live in a miserable condition, until they have altered their former purpose: why these husbands of yours will go down to hell, but their blood will lie heavy upon your heads, and will be required at your hands; they will say, Lord I was once in the right way, I was coming, I was almost persuaded to be a Christian; I do think verily if I had had another wife, I should have led a good life upon the earth, and have been saved hereafter, but this wife of mine, Lord, never left baiting and hayning at me, until I turned out of the right way; they will curse the day that ever they saw you, or that ever you met together, and they will entreat God not to suffer them to go to hell without revenging of their blood upon your heads: you that are such, I beseech you think of these things, you that have heard these things, the Lord of heaven persuade your hearts to take heed of drawing away poor sinners from God; if it were in my power, I would not only persuade you, but overcome you in this kind; if it were in my power to save you, I would give salvation unto you; but alas, it is not in my power, and indeed it is pity it should; it is the Lord that must do it; you that have heard this word, I beseech you let it not fall to the ground; but all you scorners and mockers at God's Saints, you that have drawn men out of the right way, and out of a good course, for the Lords sake, and for mercy's sake, and for your own poor soul's sake, be resolved never again to draw away poor sinners from that course wherein they walk; but when you see them going on well, why then go you along with them, and if you see any lay cords upon them to draw them away, help them, you in this kind, and labour to draw them back again.  
The fourth use, is an use of comfort and consolation to all poor souls, mark it for the Lord jesus sake, it is a ground of unspeakable comfort, to all poor creatures, partly unconverted, and partly converted all from the former truth; they may observe marvellous refreshment of heart, if they will but attend thereunto, and be ruled thereby; you that are in the gall of bitterness, and in a carnal condition; you that live in base gross courses, you who are known to all the world that you live in common ordinary sins; you that are locked up under infidelity, under a proud stubborn heart; here is a ground of admirable joy and consolation to sustain the hearts of all such poor creatures, in the expectation of mercy and comfort, when the floods of iniquity beset a man on every side, when the weight of his sins lies heavy upon his heart, and the soul complains as David did, my sins are gone over my head, they are to heavy for me, I am not able to bear them, these mighty corruptions I shall never be able to master them, these sins that hang upon me, and these distempers that cleave unto me, oh I cannot be rid of them, I see my sins more than ever I did, and yet they follow me, and still they pursue after me, I shall never be freed from them, I shall never get dominion over them; why there is admirable comfort: from the former point, for such a poor soul that is thus oppressed by, and overwhelmed with corruptions; the doctrine is this, God by a holy kind of violence doth pluck men from sin and draw them to himself; though thy sins will not part from thee, yet the Lord will pluck those corruptions from thy soul, he will awaken thy conscience, and humble thy heart, he will bring down thy sturdy heart; be thy sins therefore never so great, and thy corruptions never so mighty, yet take consolation hereby: the main trouble of a poor soul lieth in three respects; partly in regard of the temptations of Satan, partly in regard of corruptions, partly in regard of the opposition a man finds in a good course; these are marvellous hindrances to a Christian, and here is marvellous comfort from the former truth against all those; first, for temptations, when the Lord letteth Satan lose upon a poor sinner, and the devil gins to domineer over a sinner, and trample upon a sinner, and tells a sinner that to hell he must go, and away he must with him; it is in vain to strive, for his sins are so strong that they shall never be removed, his corruptions will never part from him, and therefore he wisheth a sinner to put an end to his days, and so to his sinning, for he shall never be recovered, he shall never be freed from the guilt of his sins, and the dominion of them: this is Satan's power, and this is like the wind that blew down jobs house, that great and mighty tempest which came from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of his house, and made it fall upon his sons; so I conceive the violent whurries of temptation, and the fierce assaults of Satan, come East and West, North and South, upon the heart of a sinner; insomuch that the heart begins to sink, and conceives itself almost in hell, it thinks it shall never overcome those assaults, it thinks it shall never get out of these temptations; you that find these now, or may find these hereafter, let it please God to speak peace unto you; you may observe marvellous comfort from the former doctrine, the Text saith, if Satan will not come out, the Lord jesus will bind the strong man, and overcome him, and take his weapons away from him, and free the house of him, and then he himself will go in and take possession: Rom. 16.20. there saith the Text, The Lord of heaven shall shortly beat down Satan and trample hith under ●●eet: however haply Satan will not down, but be proud and malicious towards you, though you cannot conquer him, and quiet him, though you cannot command the churlish cur, yet the master can; if there be a bandog or a mastiff in the way, the passenger must seek by all fair means to appease him, and yet haply he will not be quiet, but if though muster comes he can command him, and still him presently; so it is with this cur devil, he is nothing else but God's bandog, God's mastiff, whereby he whurrieth poor sinners to make them run to heaven for comfort; though you cannot quiet him, yet God can command him and make him fall under your feet; and though he will not go out yet, God will by strong hand cast him out whether he will or no, nay though there were a legion of devils in thee, yet the Lord will force them out, Luke 8.30. Christ met with a man which had devils a long time; and when bee saw jesus he fell down before him, and cried with a loud vayce, what have we to do with thee jesus than son of the living God; and jesus asked him what is thy name, and they said, legion, because many devils were entered into him; I command thee thou unclean spirit to come out of him, saith Christ, and so Satan was forced out whether he would or no, and therefore cheer thou thy soul, and comfort thou thy heart, which findest troubles in this kind, and the temptations of Satan, if he be violent in tempting, God will be as strong in conquering and binding of him, and he will cast him out; and this is the first thing which hinders a man in a christian course, namely, the temptations of Satan; and if thy heart be still manuring and perplexed, and saith, the temptations of Satan are fierce. But secondly, these corruptions of mine; oh they are extreme; so that my sins are like a main flood which passeth over my head, one wave cometh after another, wickedness after wickedness, and iniquity after iniquity, now proud, now sturdy, now covetous, now lose, now profane, now unfaithful: oh these secret sins of mine, and these bosom abominations of mine, by which my heart hath so long been swayed, in which my soul hath so long continued: I shall never be freed from these, I shall never get the mastery over these, especially these beloved darlings lusts of mine; God must break my bones before they will out, for my soul is still pursuing these distempers, so that the poor sinner concludes as he did, 2 King. 7.2. when there was a great famine in Samaria the Prophet Elisha came and prophesied saying, to morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flower be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gates of Samaria, than a ruler or a noble man upon whom the King leaned, saith the text, answered the man of God and said, behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven might this thing be? as who should say, is it possible there should be such plenty on the sudden? no, though God make windows in heaven it cannot be. So the soul saith, is it possible these sweet lusts, these darling abominations, so long committed, so long continued, so long practised, can they ever be pardoned; if the Lord should make windows of comfort and consolation, is it possible that my soul should ever be refreshed? why yet for all this, behold a great deal of comfort from the former point, though thy sins be never so violent to pursue thee, though thy corruptions be never so strong to set upon thee, yet God is more strong to conquer those sins, and more strong to subdue those corruptions, be the union between sin and thy soul never so near, God will break that bond, and snap those cords in sunder be the dominion that sin hath over thy soul never so great, yet the power which Christ hath over those sins is much more forcible, though thy sturdy heart will not come off, though thou hast no desire to leave thy corruptions, though thou hast not put off the will of sinning, yet God can take it away, and make way for the power of his spirit to take place in thy heart, Acts 16.24. we shall observe this in the jailor, he was a proud, sturdy dogged, cruel hearted man, when the Magistrates commanded him to put Paul and Silas into prison, he went further than his commission, and put them into the inner Prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks: oh thought he, now I have gotten these nice factions fellows into my hands, I will punish them sound: Now at midnight Paul and Silas sang praises unto God, and then suddenly there was an exceeding great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed; the doors flew open, the prison shaken, and the earth shaken, God exercised his power upon the creatures and made them shake, and yet the jailor stood still all this while and stirred not; though he were a jailor now to the Apostles, yet the Devil was a jailor to him also, he was under the jail of his sins, his sturdy heart would not awaken all this while, but at last the jailor he shaken also, and seeing the prison doors open, pulled out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled; but Paul cried with a loud voice saying, do thyself no harm, for we are all here; and then he called for a light and sprang in, saith the text, and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas: he now saw all that pride and stubbornness of his, whereby he handled the Apostles so basely, and now he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? he now bathed their wounds, and set bread before them, and dealt kindly with them: and thus we see when the Lord cometh for a sinner, he maketh the prison shake, and the earth shake, & the doors shake, & the iron bolts shake, and at last he makes the heart shake also; it is not the door that I care for, nor the prison that I care for, nor the earth only that I will make to shake, but it is the jailor that I will shake also, it is the jailor that I come for, & the jailor I will have, and so he had indeed in conclusion; thy corruptions are not so powerful, but the Lord will be more powerful to pluck thy heart from them unto himself. The third thing that hinders a poor sinner in this case is in respect of disgrace & other opposition that he shall meet withal in a Christian course; I could be content, saith he, to take a better course and lead a new life, and become a Christian, but I see how disgrace will be cast upon me and opposition be made against me, and this knocks me off, I am not able to suffer it, and to bear it; are you not so? the Lord will make you able to bear it before he hath done with you; you fear wildfire do you? God will make you feel hell fire before he hath done; you will go against conscience, & you will displease God, before you will displease man, will you? well, you fear man now, & the face of man, this is but wildfire, but God will send hell fire into your hearts one day, he will send the horror of conscience into your souls, & then you will say, rather disgrace here, than damnation for ever hereafter, I will rather go to hell than to sin, I will rather offend all the world than God; gather up yourselves therefore, if God at any time hath opened your eyes; though Satan pursue you, and though corruptions press upon you, yet cheer yourselves, God in mercy will look upon you. Esa. 43.6. there when the Lord cometh to gather his people together, he saith, that he will bring them from the East, and gather them from the West, he will call to the North, give up, and to the South, keep not back, bring my sons from fare, and my daughters from the end of the earth; he saith, the earth shall give account, and yield up her dead, the sea, that also shall yield up her dead; why God can make the devil yield up a wretched man, as well as the earth give up a dead man; God will say, I must have a sinner devil, and therefore deliver up thy prisoner; God will draw thy heart out of the power of sin and dominion of Satan, though thou canst not tell how, yet God is able to give thee a will of yielding unto him, and so much for the comfort of those that are unconverted, there is hope that God will do you good, be your sins what they will be: now those that are converted, and those that are in the state of grace; this is a ground of strong comfort unto them, that they shall prevail against all sins for after times, by the power of that God that hath given them victory over their sins in former times; they may say, did the Lord give me power over my sins when I loved them, and will he not give me power to resist them now when I have desire to forsake them? it cannot be, he that offered favour to thee when thou didst refuse it, he cannot but give favour to thee when thou beggest it at his hands, and this shall suffice for that matter.  
Use 5 The fifth use is an use of exhortation to all God's people: is this the cord that God taketh to pluck a soul from corruption to himself, namely, by a holy kind of violence? why, what will you do then you that profess yourselves to fear God, and that say you are the children of God, must not children imitate their father? doth God deal thus with poor sinners? then do you so likewise, this is the course that God takes, and this aught to be a copy and pattern to you in the mean time, as you are the Elect people of God to put on the bowels of mercy and compassion towards your brethren, if ever mercy, here it ought to be expressed and discovered, if ever God shown mercy to thy soul, show thou the like mercy to thy brethren, did the Lord ever show compassion unto thee, show thou the like compassion unto them, did the Lord ever awaken thy eyes or humble thy heart, did the Lord offer his favours to thee, still calling, still exhorting and persuading of you▪ you that are the Elect people of God, if ever God shown any goodness unto you, show the same goodness, mercy, and compassion to your fellow brethren; and therefore as God hath dealt with you, and as he doth deal with sinners, let it be your honours and your resolutions to deal answerably to God, so saith the Prophet David, I will reveal thy way to the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee; oh blessed spirit, when the Lord had showed mercy to him, then saith he, I will teach thy way to the wicked, and sinners shall be converted, as if he should say, I will have no nay at the hands of sinners in this kind, the proud heart shall be humbled, and the sturdy heart shall be softened; I will exhort all sinners to come unto thee, that art a God hearing sinners, and showing mercy unto sinners; if God be urgent, so be you, also labour you with a holy kind of violence to draw sinners unto heaven, and to help on this exhortation, for your help herein, labour to draw them these two ways; labour yourselves to do whatsoever in your power lieth; secondly, labour to help them by the supply of others that may do that which you cannot; first in regard of yourselves, four things are remarkable; first, set upon the sinner with a holy kind of heavenly resolution of soul, and labour every way to express your love towards him, for the good and benefit of him, by sweet counsel, loving exhortations, gentle admonitions, and sharp reproofs; do to your utmost power work upon poor sinners, Heb. 3.13. Exhort one another, saith the Text, daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; but above all, that place is remarkable for this purpose, that we should advise, and comfort, and quicken, and every way do that which may be most advantageous for our brethren, 1. Thess. 5.14. We exhort you brethren, saith the Apostle, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patiented toward all men, see that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men; the Apostle doth not say, that it is in one man's power to do this, but all aught to do it; men, brethren, and fathers, aught to do it; every son and daughter of Adam: if there be any weak, strengthen them; if there be any down; raise them; deal patiently and lovingly with all, deal answerably to the necessities of all sinners, whom you have to do withal; but you will say, am I my brother's keeper? aye that you are your brethren's keepers, or else you are their murderers; wouldst thou not defend thy brother from murdering, if thou shouldst see a company of thiefs set upon him & go about to slay him, wouldst thou not labour by all means possibly to secure him? and hath God care of Oxen and Asses; wilt thou preserve thy brother from a bodily death, and wilt thou not do much more for the soul of thy brother, for the saving of him from eternal death and damnation? dost thou set a sinner whurried and teared by Satan, dost thou see the devil robbing him of all his graces, and hearest him crying murder, murder, and wilt thou not help him and relieve him? if you should lie in your beds and hear one cry murder, murder, would you not rise & rescue him? why every sinner, every proud man, every covetous man, every malicious man, every drunkard, adulterer, blasphemer, the devil and those sins do prey upon them, and worry their souls; oh help them mercifully, and persuade them lovingly, rescue your child or your husband, or your friend out of the jaws of Satan, and work every way for their good; in the 17. of Ind remember that, build up one another, saith the Text, on your most holy faith, labour to save some, and pluck them out of the fire, and though they do not call to thee for help, yet offer thy helping hand unto them; if thy neighbour's house be on a fire, thou wilt not stay till thou be'st called, but if they that be within be dead in sleep, than thou wilt break open the door upon them, and awake them and rouse them up; so deal with the souls of poor sinners, there is one man, his soul is set on fire with hell, it is all on a flame with devilish lust dost thou see the soul of thy neighbour all on a flame in this kind, why then break in upon him, haply he will not entreat thy help, but that's no matter, stand not upon compliments, but with a holy kind of violence pluck him out of the fire; you that are wise, pluck the drunkard off the Alebench, hale poor creatures out of hell and corruption; did the Lord deal so with you, why then deal you so with your fellow brethren; and if you be not able to prevail yourselves, if your own counsel be too weak, then take two or three with thee; it is Christ's counsel, Mat. 18.16. If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone, if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother: but if he will not hear thee, than secondly, take to thee two or three more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established; that is, take several neighbours wise and holy, and so double reproofs & admonitions; do not only persuade him, but overpower him; not only reprove him, but convince him; let thy neighbour exhort, and thou also; let thy neighbour admonish and thou too; let thy neighbour reprove, and thou too; double your exhortations, and admonitions, and reproofs, that at last you may prevail with him. But you will say, if the soul still stayeth in his distempers, what must we then do? why if he return to sin again, than thirdly, return you to reproofs and exhortations again, and never leave him; when thou goest to his house, and meetest him in the way, and seest him in the fields, than still in all places, upon all occasions, reprove and exhort him, and hale him from his ungodly courses, and if the sinner yet will not hearken to thy exhortations, but scorneth thee, than the Lord doth free thee from thy counselling of him; do not cast pearls before swine, but yet though thou needst not counsel him publicly, yet go into thy chamber and mourn for him secretly, as jeremy did for the people of jerusalem, Lam. 1.17. for these things, saith he, I weep, mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul, is fare from me; and my children are desolate: do thou so for the soul of a poor sinner, and pluck hard to get help from heaven for him, and entreat God never to give quiet to his soul, until his eyes be opened, and his heart humbled; lastly, when yourselves have done what you can, and when you have used the help of others, if after this he returns to his former course, and then when thou fallest to reprove him and exhort him again, he than becomes a scorner, then labour to bring him to receive what succour he may from others, and that two ways; first, by what means you may bring him to the public means, it was so with Cornelius, after that by God's Commandment he had sent for Peter, and Peter was to come, he drew all his friends and acquaintance together, saith the Text, and then he saith to Peter, we are all here present-before thee, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God; and it was that passage, Ezech. 33.3. there the people speak one to another, saying, Come let us go up to the house of the Lord, and hear what is the word that cometh from the Lord; mark how they call one another together, and rap at one another's door; thus do you counsel men to come unto the Lord and hear his word, they will never come under the power of the hammer else, that they may be stricken, hale them, and draw them to the ministry of the word, that so what you cannot do privately, that the word may do in public, joh. 5.4. there was an Angel went down at a curtain time into the pool of Bethesda, and troubled the waters, than whosoever first stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had; now there lay a poor lame man at the brink of the waters, and because he was not able to step in, every one stepped in before him, and no man would help him; mark how he complaineth in the seventh verse, I have no man, saith he, when the water is troubled to put me into the pool, but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me; he would fain have got in b● could not: the word of God is like this pool of Bethesda, when the word of God is opened, and plainly and familiarly discovered, when the spirit moveth upon the waters; why put a poor soul into the water, fling the soul of your child, or your servant, or your friend into the pool; persuade what you may, and compel those that are under you to come unto the word of God, when the word of God is sound revealed & delivered; why, put a poor soul into the waters, such a man hath a lame heart, he is lame in his practice, and lame in his praying, and lame in the performance of holy duties, he is a cripple from his cradle; why bring such of your neighbours and put them into the water, and entreat the Lord to work upon them, that the Angel may move from heaven and work conversion and salvation to the souls of them: secondly, as you must labour to bring them under the power of the word, so secondly, when God hath made known his word to the hearts of them, follow you the blow as much as in you lieth; if there be any exhortation, settle it; if there be any admonition, press it; if there be any reproof, apply it home unto their souls; strike thou while the iron is hot; if thy child were touched and enlightened by the word, when the Lord hath strucken his heart, follow thou the blow, when the Lord is pleased to smite his soul, bring thou the blow home unto the heart of him; remember that, Deut. 6.7. there saith the Text, these words which I command thee shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children; the word in the original is, thou shalt sharpen them, thou shalt teach them, that is, thou shalt sharpen them upon the souls of thy children, and upon the souls of thy servants; the Ministers do what they can, and you hear reproofs and exhortations, and when you go out of the Church, leave them in your stools behind you; but you should sharpen them and bring them home to the hearts of your wives, and your children, and servants, and they that belong unto you; you should follow the blow home; when the Lord is pleased to exhort, exhort you; when the Lord is pleased to reprove, reprove you; it is no great matter haply, to bring your children or servants under the word, but when they are here, they play and sport, and talk, and run about, as though there were no God here; and therefore you should tell your children and servants, it is the word of the Lord child, and it is the word of the Lord servant, it is not the word of man as you may think, but it is the word of the Lord by which you shall one day be judged; the Minister told you that God hateth a proud man, and and a drunkard, and an adulterer, and a swearer, why this was the word of the Lord; thus bring the word home unto their souls, and this is the way to bring them home unto God here, that they may receive salvation hereafter; we should use all the cords of mercy, and love, and anger, and indignationn; that so if it were possible we might hale the souls of poor sinners to God; oh blessed spirit of Saint Paul in this kind, I wonder what is become of that love & zeal that was in him, as we may see in the 19 of the Acts, he travels from place to place, from country to country, he goes from house to house, and raps at every man's door, persuading men with all patience to be reconciled to God; he dealeth as the nurse doth with her child, the child cries, and shrieks, and wrawles, and yet the nurse bears all, so doth the Apostle Paul, he met with much opposition here, mocked there, imprisoned there, set in the stocks and scourged, and yet he bears all with patience, and persuades, and beseeches men to be reconciled; I say this power, this zeal, this love is gone; if we had hearts and hands and endeavours, much more might be done in this case, and God might work more mercifully with us, & powerfully by us, for the conversion of poor sinners; and this doth not lie only in the Ministers hands, but, Masters, in yours; and, Officers, in yours: and so much shall serve for this point. The next thing considerable in the Text, is from the order, first drawing, then coming; you cannot come unto me except my father draweth you, the point is, that God must first pluck us from sin, before we will fasten our souls upon the Lord jesus; it is evident, Mat. 12.29. no man cometh into a strong man's house, saith the Text, unless he first bind the strong man, first there must be binding and casting out, before there can be taking of possession▪ the house is the heart, and the strong man is Satan; the Lord must bind the one, before he can take possession of the other; the soul must be drawn before it will come to God; however for the manner of this drawing, it be diverse, God dealeth with some one way, and some another; some he draws with the cords of his mercy, and some with the hooks of conscience; yet this is certain there must be a drawing, before there can or will be a coming, Gal. 3.22. it is said that all men are shut up under sin, etc. joh. 1.12. As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God; now before the Lord jesus can be received, the bonds of sin must be removed, and the lock must be opened, before the Lord jesus can come in and be entertained; but God doth lose these locks diverse ways, as sometimes we may see a man open some easy lock with some trifle, he slips it haply, or opens it with a picklock; but if he come to a strong one, especially if it be old and rusty, than he breaks it in pieces, and that with much violence before he can open it; so deals the Lord with the souls of sinners, he slips every lock before he comes in, but sometimes if he meet with a proud sturdy sinner that is riveted to his corruptions, and screwed into wickedness, an old drunkard, or an old blasphemer, if the lock be rusty, than he knocks off all, he breaks the lock and lifts the door off the hinges; this is true, that all the means of God generally, partly mercy alluring, and conscience rending the heart, both these make the soul see the vileness of his sins, and the necessity of parting with them; and thus God doth draw before a sinner will come: there must be a kind of violence offered to the soul before any coming can proceed from the creature, the reasons are these; I will only touch them: first, because every man by nature is a despiser of Christ, and rebellious to Christ, Mat. 21.38. when God sent his Son Christ among them, they said, this is the heir, come let us kill him; when Christ came to preach the word they did professely labour to slay the Lord jesus, and in the end they did so, this is the stone which the builders refused, saith the Scripture: the stone was Christ, they refused Christ, and would not build upon him, so that thus I reason; he that is enemy to the Lord jesus, will never of himself come unto him and believe in him; but all are enemies to the Lord jesus by nature, therefore they will not come unto him, and believe in him. Secondly, every man by nature runneth from God, and therefore will not come to God, Pro. 1.30. there saith the text, they would none of my counsel, they desvised my reproof; nay, jer. 2.5. the text saith, they are fare from God, there saith the text, what iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone fare from me: now if a wicked man hates the word of God, and goes post haste in the ways of wickedness, and runs fare from God, he is like never to come at him, unless God draw him by a holy kind of violence, he goeth from God and therefore of himself will never come to God.  

First Use.  The first use is an use of examination; is it so, that drawing is before coming, and that God worketh upon the soul to pluck it from sin before it will depend upon the Lord jesus? then hereby examine your souls, whether you ever went to the Lord jesus or no, and you shall know by this ground, that will never ●ayle you: namely, observe how the Lord hath wrought upon your souls in this kind; have the cords of truth convinced you? have the cords of mercy persuaded you? have the cords of conscience terrified you? have these cords prevailed with you? if you never found this, then know, you never set foot forward to salvation; dost thou think to come to Christ without drawing? no no: I speak this for two ends, to check the folly of some men, and reproove the madness of other; it checks the idle dream and sottish conceit of those that think they may have Christ at half an hour's warning, that they can cast themselves upon the Lord jesus when they list; they make it a matter of nothing to believe in Christ, if they can but have a little time upon their deathbeds to consider of their sins and repent for them, than they will rest upon Christ, and cast a good heart upon Christ in this case; this is a common and an ordinary delusion; but people are deceived, that are of this opinion; what, you come unto the Lord jesus, and fling your hearts upon him without drawing? it is all one as if we should conceive some great tree, some mighty oak to pluck itself up by the roots from the place where it groweth, and transplant itself in another place; if this be unconceivable, the other is as impossible; a tree cannot be plucked up from ground without a great deal of digging and cutting, so it is with thy soul, thou art rooted into sin, loving of them and living in them, and continuing in them; and therefore there must be digging and hewing, and breaking and cutting off that proud sturdy heart of thine; before that day come, it will cost thee hot water; the Lord must come down from heaven, the master of the vineyard must come down and hue down those trees, and cut you off from the rebellions of Adam, before you can be implanted into Christ; never think of coming to God before you have been drawn by God: beside, as this checks the folly of those men, so it overthrows the madness of some men, that content themselves, because they never were in this condition, they were never drawn, they count this a matter of comfort, they were never no changelings, this horror of conscience they never saw it, and they bless the Lord that they never saw that day; oh poor fools, is this the credit you have, and the comfort you take, that you were never humbled and drawn unto God; it is as though a prodigal child should bless himself, that his father loved him, because his father never cared for him, but cast him off; you would think that that man were quite void of all reason and understanding that would bless himself because of this condition; if thou never hadst thy eyes opened, nor thy conscience awakened, thy soul never loosened from corruptions, I tell thee, it is the sorest argument in the world against thee; he that walketh is his evil ways and is not troubled and disquieted, take heed of it, for the Lord jesus sake; it is one of the heaviest arguments against thee; for the Lord saith to jerusalem, I will not punish your daughters for committing of adultery: mark that, as if he had said, commit adultery if thou wilt, and take up thy course if thou wilt, I will not plague thee here, but I will punish thee for all hereafter; and it is observable, Hos. 4.17. Ephraim is joined to Idols, let him alone: as who should say, let him take up his own way, & walk in the imaginations of his heart, and let him not be disturbed; it is a sore suspicion that God never purposeth to work upon thee, when he letteth thee lie in ungodly courses without any contradiction; thou art proud, and thou mayest be so; thou art a drunkard, and thou mayest continue so still; thy conscience gives thee way, it never troubles thee; when God never terrifieth thee and draweth thee, it is an argument that God never meaneth to offer any more good unto thee; and dost thou content thyself in the greatest curse that ever befell any man under the Sun? you would think it were a mad frantic thing if a man were in a deep pit where he could not help himself, but must needs perish; if he should glory in this case and say, I am here in this pit, and if I get not out I shall perish, yet this is my comfort, no body looks after me, no body will vouchsafe to help me; this is thy condition, thou art funke down into thy sins, and let down into the bottom of hell, thou stickest there and art like to perish there, and yet for all this thou gloriest, and boastest, and sayest, the Lord will not open my eyes, the Lord will not draw, the Lord will not persuade me, and work upon me, and therefore thou art like to continue there and be confounded there; is this thy glory? it is the greatest curse that ever befell any man, and therefore if there be any whose eyes God hath opened, hath the Lord let in the cord of conscience into thy soul, and let in the flashes of hell fire and brought thee almost to despair, then blessed be the name of God, thou art drawing, go home, be comforted, thou goest in the right way, be not disquieted in this condition, the Lord is now drawing of thee, he will anon bring thee to himself.  

Second Use.  Secondly, it is a word of direction, if there must be drawing before there can be coming, then what are we to be advised of but this, to bless God for his work, when we see it in ourselves or others; wheresoever your see this work wrought in yourselves, or those that belong unto you, bless God for that mercy; it is a good ground that God intendeth good to a man when he beginneth the right way; and observe this to check that conceit, and overthrow that cursed opinion; it is the ordinary practice of carn●ll men in the world if any that belong to them be awakened and humbled, they count it the heaviest curse that ever befell them, the greatest cross that ever came to their houses, the wife, & the child, is undone; they complain the wife is so holy, and the servants so devout, that if there be any spare time, they then go to reading and praying; I wonder whither they will go next I trow; I tell thee, whither they will go next, they are going now to Christ, and the next journey they take they will go to heaven, this is the worst news, and art not thou ashamed to complain of this: if there be any soul present that is guilty of this crime, take notice of it; art thou content thy wife should take up her lose adulterous courses and go to the devil, and not take up a good course and go to the Lord jesus Christ? when God is working upon men he is drawing of them to himself, that they may go to the Lord jesus, and receive mercy from the Lord jesus, and therefore I beseech the Lord to show men this sottish conceit, and reform the same: when thou seest God work upon a poor soul, then bless God for the same; is thy wife that was an Adulteress before, now humbled, doth she now see her sins? then go into a corner and bless God for the same and say, I have had an untoward wife, but now the Lord (blessed be his Name) hath humbled her; I had a lose servant that was given to drunkenness, profaneness, but now the Lord hath opened his eyes and awakened his conscience, and humbled his soul, and is drawing of him to himself, why bless God for this his glorious comfort, be comforted herein, and encouraged hereby, and bless God for the same.  
FINIS.   

The Table.  JOHN 6.44. 
No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.  

Doctrine I. THat every man in his natural condition is fastened and settled in the state of sin and corruption, Page 3. This appeareth in the dominion that sin and Satan hath over the soul p. 4. And secondly, in the amity that the soul hath to sin. p. 6  
Use I. Instruction to inform our minds of the woeful servitude and daily slavery that all men are in by nature. p. 7  
Use II. It is a word of Exhortation to all the Saints of God, to pity poor natural creatures. p. 11  
Doctrine II. The Lord by a holy kind of violence doth pluck the hearts of sinners from sin unto himself. p. 18  
What is meant here by drawing. vid. p. 20  
The means whereby God draws the heart of a poor sinner unto himself are four,  
Means I. The Lord letteth in a light into the mind of a poor sinner, and discovereth unto him that he is in a wrong way. p. 26  
Means II. The Lord doth draw poor sinners unto himself with the cord of his mercy. p. 30  
This cable rope of God's mercy is made up of four Cords.  
The first Cord is this, The Lord reveals himself to be ready to receive poor sinners. p. 31  
The second Cord is this, The Lord doth call and command sinners for to come. p. 32  
The third Cord is this, The Lord entreats and beseecheth poor sinners to come to receive mercy. p. 34  
The fourth Cord is this, The Lord doth wait and stay in long patience and suffering, to see if at any time a sinner will turn unto him. p. 38  
Means III. The Lord draweth poor sinners unto himself by the iron cords of conscience. p. 40  
These iron cords of conscience have three main h●●kes to pull sinners to the Lord, that is, there are three great works of conscience, which God useth to work upon men to draw them from sin to himself. p. 41.  
The first Hook of conscience is this, Conscience is a warner to the soul, and admonisheth it of sin, and to come from sin upon pain of damnation. p. 41  
The second Hook is this, Conscience accuseth the creature before God, and witnesseth against him. p. 47  
The third Hook is this, Conscience at the last condemns the soul. p. 13  
Means iv The Lord draweth poor sinners unto himself by the Cord of his Spirit. p. 61  
The Reasons why the Lord doth thus draw a sinner from sin to himself are three. p. 62.  
Reason I. Because the strong man must first be cast out. p. 63  
Reason II. Because of that natural union between the soul and corruption. p. 64  
Reason III. Because of that sovereign kind of power that sin hath over the soul, and prevaileth within the soul. p. 67.  
Use I. It is a ground of Instruction to teach all people to admire the inconceiveable goodness of the Lord to poor, miserable, damned creatures. p. 70  
Use II. It is a word of terror to discover the woeful estate of all those that do set themselves against the work of preparation. p. 74  
Use III. It is a use of comfort and consolation to all poor souls that are oppressed with their sins. p. 95  
Use IU. It is a use of Exhortation to all God's people to endeavour to pluche others from sin; this is the course God takes. p. 103  
Use V Of Examination to try yourselves, how you have been drawn to God. p. 114    
FINIS