MEDITATIONS UPON OUR SAVIOUR'S PARABLE OF THE Prodigal Son.  
BEING Several SERMONS on the fifteenth Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel.  
By OBADIAH GREW D. D. late Minister of the Gospel in Coventry.  
PART I.  
LONDON, Printed by S. Roycroft for nevil Simmons at the princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1678.   

Imprimatur,  
Aug. 15. 1677. GUIL. skill.   

THE PREFACE.  
NO Man, I think, who shall consider the Allegorical Comments which some, especially of the Fathers, have given us upon several Parts of Scripture, and even St. Paul himself, and our Saviour also upon divers of his own Parables, but will say, I have been modest in the Doctrinal Inferences made from the Parable here before us.  
It cannot be denied, but that as a wise man may have more Reasons than One for what he saith, so may he design to teach more than one thing, or sort of persons thereby: How much more reasonable is it then, that we allow the same to that infinite wisdom, by which our Blessed Saviour always spake? Not only directing his Words to the Generation then in being, but also inspiring his Apostles to transmit them in writing to all Posterity. So that as they had their. Lessons to learn then, so have we ours now, from the self same words, so far as our Case may any way bear a proportion unto theirs. For it is not intelligible, to what end they should be left us in writing, if we were not concerned to learn something of Importance from them, as well as they.  
Something, I say, and that from every Word or Clause, so far, as without any vain and affencted straining may be soberly inferred, and the truth thereof confirmed by other parts of Scripture. For it were highly dishonourable to our Saviour, to think, That he, who was so much against Battologies in his Disciples, should himself have the Vanity, or be forced, for want of skill, to use any words only to fill up Vacuities in his Discourse. So that, although nothing should be strained, yet is there not a Clause in this whole Parable, which affords not some particular and important Instruction. Otherwise our Saviour could very easily, and would much rather have left it out.  
From the consideration of what hath been said, it seemeth plain, That this first part of the Parable of the Prodigal pointeth not only to the Scribes and Pharisees, but to every unconverted man, whose Nature and Condition are herein clearly and fully represented; as one that is wilful and heady, blind and desperately bent upon his Lusts, against the will of God, to the wounding, and greatest danger of undoing his own Soul. In a word, showing him to be nothing else but Decalogus inversus, the Ten Commandments turned upside down. The deformity of fallen Man being greater than even that of nabuchadnezzar, when from a mighty Monarch, he fell into a kind of Brutality, and was turned out to graze with the Beasts of the field. What saith the Spirit of God himself? Psal. 49.20. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the Beasts that perish.  
Nor doth this Character belong only to the Vicious and Debauched, but unto the Wisest and most Civilliz'd of Men, who do not what they do in a sound Faith of God Almighty's Word, a sincere Obedience to his Law, in dependence upon the help of his Holy Spirit, out of Love and Design for his Glory, and that through the merits of Jesus Christ they may be happy in the enjoyment of him in the end. Far greater Things than the most accomplished Morality( as we take the word from the latins, and they their Notions hereof from the Greeks) could ever pretend unto. So far, that I shall not do so great a dishonour to the Christian Religion, as to make it a Question, by going about to prove it.  
That wise man Cato, who was called Homo Virtuti similllimus, the very Picture of Virtue; yet( in the fourth Book of his Morals) scoffed at God's Institutions in the Ceremonial Law, which prefigured the death of our Lord Jesus Christ for lost Sinners. Stultitia est, morte alterius sperare salutem. And Plato, though styled Divine, yet did rather dream of God than know him distinctly, as was the judgement of Lactantius concerning him; Lib. de vanitate Philosophiae & Philosophorum.  
But however it may be to us a secret, what God, the Sovereign Lord of all, may do with any persons from amongst the Jews, and before the Gospel; yet as for those to whom it hath been preached, we are sure, That without Faith it is impossible to please God: And, that he that believeth not, so doth not all those things that are the demonstrations of a Gospel Faith, shall be damned.  
Let me therefore conclude with this Exhortation to every Reader: First try yourself by this Standard, whether you are weight, by the Character here before you, whether you be included in it, and that it expresseth your own heart, yea or no. If it doth, then be afraid of yourself, and tremble at the Condition you are in. If it doth not, then have compassion on those whom it doth include: And to Compassion add, you cannot choose but add, your Prayers; and to both your best and prudent endeavours to reclaim them; remembering, amongst many other encouragements, that great one which the Apostle James mentions, viz. That he who converts a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a Soul, and hid a a multitude of sins. And that this may be the blessed fruit, as of the ensuing Treatise, so of all other means to be used in order thereunto, is the most affectionate Prayer of the author  
O. G.   

THE CONTENTS.  

CHAP. I. SHeweth the Nature and Use of Parables; the Occasion of this following Parable; the different and further import hereof, above that of the two former; and its division into three general parts. p. 1.  
CHAP. II. Giveth the general Doctrine of the whole Parable; illustrating God's gracious Reception of returning Sinners, in several particulars. 9  
CHAP. III. Giveth the Reasons of the Doctrine in the foregoing Chapter, and the Demonstrations of its unquestionable Truth. 23  
CHAP. IV. Maketh Application of the foregoing Doctrine in two uses. 33  
CHAP. V. Proceedeth to the two general Doctrines resulting from the first part of the Parable; particularly showing the natural and lusting desire that is in man to forsake God; and the Reasons hereof. 42  
CHAP. VI. Maketh Application of the foregoing Doctrine in several Uses. 59  
CHAP. VII. Wherein follows the second general Doctrine resulting from the first part of the Parable; showing both the sinful and miserable consequences of mens forsaking of God. The gross mistake of most men herein; and the means to be used for prevention. 70  
CHAP. VIII. Sheweth, That God gives to every man a Portion to be improved: together with the Reasons for his so doing; from that particular Clause of the 12th Verse, And he divided unto them his Living. 85  
CHAP. IX. Maketh Application of the foregoing Doctrine; in showing how much it concerns every man to improve his Portion from God; and in giving Directions for the doing of it. 95  
CHAP. X. Representeth how quickly man forsakes God, when God leaves him to himself; with the Reasons whence it comes to pass; and the Uses we are to make hereof; from the first Clause of the 13th Verse, And not many days after, &c. 104  
CHAP. XI. Sheweth the worldliness of man's heart by nature; from the next Clause of the 13th Verse, The younger Son gathered all together. 113  
CHAP. XII. Sheweth how inclinable man is by nature to go farther and farther from God; from the following Clause of the same Verse, And took his journey into a far country. 117  
CHAP. XIII. Representeth, how natural men are driven further from God by all the good he doth for them; whence it is thus; and what Uses are to be made hereof; from the same Clause. 125  
CHAP. XIV. Sheweth, how unserviceable every man, in his natural estate, is to God; from the last Clause of the 13th Verse, And there wasted his Substance with riotous living. 133  
CHAP. XV. Sheweth, That a natural man is an unprofitable Creature to himself. The several Uses that are to be made hereof: And how the sins of self-will and self-seeking, the great Causes hereof, may be known; from the same Clause. 139  
CHAP. XVI. Sheweth, That when men forsake God, he gives them up to the height of sinning; from the same Clause. 150  
CHAP. XVII. In which is shewed, That great pain and sorrow do always follow the pleasures of sin; with Meditations hereupon by way of Use; from the 14th Verse, And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that Land, and he began to be in want. 154  
CHAP. XVIII. Manifesteth, That whenever men set their hearts upon the things of this world, God makes them all empty and unsatisfactory to them: The several ways God takes to bring this to pass; and what use we are to make hereof; from the same 14th Verse. 167  
CHAP. XIX. Sheweth, That troubles of Conscience are God's preparative to a sinner's Conversion; and the Reasons hereof. How God sometimes varies his method; and to what end. What degree of sorrow requisite; with the Application of the whole; from the last Clause of the 14th Verse, And he began to be in want. 177  
CHAP. XX. Representeth, How much it is in the nature of man, when convicted of sin, to have recourse to any thing, though never so vain, for ease, rather than unto God. Several Reasons or Causes from whence this comes to pass. The Application informing us, That Conviction is but a partial Conversion; and of what nature are all false Refuges: with divers considerations moving us to beware of them; from the first Clause of the 15th Verse, And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that country. 187  
CHAP. XXI. Sets forth the power that Satan hath over men in their natural estate. Together with a threefold Use to be made hereof; from the same Clause of the 15 Verse. 204  
CHAP. XXII. Sheweth, what care natural men take in making provision for the lusts of the flesh; with the Application; from the last Clause of the 15 Verse, And he sent him into his fields to feed Swine. 214  
CHAP. XXIII. In which is shewed, That the things of this world, which natural mens hearts, for the satisfaction of their lusts, would feed upon, are, in the judgement of our Saviour Christ, no better than Swines meat. In what respect they are so, exemplified in two particulars; from the first part of the 16th Verse, And he would fain have filled his belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat. 221  
CHAP. XXIV. Maketh Application of the foregoing Doctrine, in four Uses. 230  
CHAP. XXV. Sheweth, The Property of Natural men, in choosing to sit down with any base things in the world for ease, rather than they will go to God for it; from the same Clause of the 16th Verse. 235  
CHAP. XXVI. In which is observed, That when God hath a purpose to convert a Sinner, he suffers nothing to yield relief and comfort but himself: with the Reasons wherefore he doth thus; and the Use we are to make hereof; from the latter Clause of the 16th Verse, And no man gave unto him. 240  
CHAP. XXVII. Sheweth, That the lowest step of a Sinner's misery is, to see himself remediless by any carnal means whatsoever: Together with the Application hereof; from the whole sixteenth Verse. 249    

Meditations upon the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  

CHAP. I.  
Sheweth the nature and use of Parables: The occasion of this following Parable: The different and further Import hereof, above that of the two former: And its division into three general Parts.  LUKE XV. 11, 12, 13. &c. 
And he said, A certain man had two Sons: And the younger of them said to his Father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after, the younger Son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far Country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living, &c.  
THIS is one of the three remarkable Parables spoken by our blessed Saviour in this Chapter, the lost Sheep, the lost piece of Silver, and the lost Son, all three having one and the same Scope, viz. To show the care of God in seeking lost Sinners, and the comfort he takes in finding them; or his great readiness to receive a returning Sinner.  
Now the reason why Christ used Parables so much in his preaching, was in general, That the Scripture might be fulfilled: All these things spake Jesus unto the Multitude in Parables, and without a Parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in Parables, I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world, Matth. 13.34, 35. And more particularly he did it in mercy to some; 
Psal. 78.2.  Mark 4.33. And with many such Parables spake he the Word unto them, as they were able to hear it. And to others in judgement; Luke 8.10.— but to others in Parables; that seeing, they might not see; and hearing, they might not understand. For Parables are sometimes called in Scripture Dark sayings; 
Psal. 78.2.  I will incline mine ear to a Parable, I will open my dark saying upon the Harp, Psal. 49.4. So said the Disciples of them, John 16.29. Now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no Proverb, or Parable. A Parable is like a Candle in a dark lantern, there is light within, but darkness without. Indeed Parables are the extracts and spirits of Wisdom, and have usually come from the mouths of Rulers, or other wise men: Solomon spake three thousand Parables, 
1 Kings 4.32.  or Proverbs. Nor is a Parable becoming the mouth of a Fool, Prov. 26.7.  
Therefore the Hebrew Mashal, which signifieth to speak Parabolically, signifies also to bear Rule or Dominion: For Parables have influence upon all the Faculties of man, upon the Understanding, Joh. 3.12. They help the Memory, as a Thread keeps together loose Beads. They quicken the Affections: Where had this man this wisdom? 
Matth. 13.54.  said they of Jesus, when he had spoken so many Parables: 
Luke 4.22.  and they wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. Yea, Parables have power on the Conscience; so had Nathan's on David's, 2 Sam. 12.  
Yet I must commend this Rule to you in all Parables; you must not be over-curious to set in a frame, as it were, every thing or word in a Parable, lest you spoil the Analogy. For in Parables some Phrases are used for the decorum of them, as fitting Colours in a map or Picture, that are not of the Essence of it, but for Ornament. And this we see in Christ's expounding of his own Parables; in doing which he gives only the scope and main drift of them: which, if well considered, might have saved the Schoolmen the labour of their vain Curiosities and Disputes about them. In a word, Parables are Similitudes fetched from Earthly things which are in common use, to help the Understanding in Spiriritual and Heavenly things. So to parabolize in the Hebrew and Greek, signifies to liken or compare.  
Now for the occasion of this and the other two Parables in this Chapter, we have it in the beginning of it; There drew near unto him all the Publicans and Scribes to hear him: And the Scribes and Pharisees murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, &c. Whereupon he spake this Parable to them, saying, What man of you having one hundred Sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the Wilderness, and go after that which is lost, till he find it? and when he hath found it, he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. Here our Lord Jesus shows these men their error, in their repining at his conversing with those Heathen men, by showing God's care and readiness for, and his delight in the conversion of lost sinners. And Christ enlarges himself on this Subject by three Parables. And why so many to the same purpose? Surely to convince the murmuring Scribes and Pharisees, and to encourage the poor Publicans and Sinners that were now in the way of Conversion.  
Yet there is one thing of observation as to these three Parables, and that is the difference that seems to be in this last of the lost Son, and those of the lost Sheep and lost piece of Silver. The lost Sheep is sought for by the shepherd, and the lost piece of Silver is sought by the Woman; but the lost Son seems to seek his Father: and so it may seem to show, How a lost Sinner first seeketh God, and is first in motion to Conversion.  
But no such matter, nor is it here meant. In the two first Parables the contrary is plain, That God is first in seeking lost Sinners: As in the Prophet, I am sought of them that asked not for me; 
Isa. 65.2.  I am found of them that sought me not. The words sound somewhat harsh for want of the word[ now], which must be understood, I am now found of them that sought me not— I am now sought of them that asked not for me. The Apostle quoting this place of the Prophet saith thus, 
Rom. 10.2.  I was found of them that sought me not: I was made manifest to them that asked not after me. The expressions are like those in Isaiah, 
Isa. 65.24.  Before they call, I will answer. Both hold out the preventive Mercy and Grace of God; he is first in the Call and Conversion of Sinners. The Jews were in their blood, when the Lord called them, Ezek. 16. and the Gentiles doting upon Idols. Jerusalem was a City sought out, Isa. 62.12. and Christ was the Seeker; 
Luke 19.10.  The Son of man is come to seek, and to save that which was lost. Yea, God and Christ, Father and Son, seek and beseech the Sinner; As though God did beseech you by us, 
2 Cor. 5.2.  we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  
Where is that converted Sinner, that can or dare say, that he was before God in the work? 
Ezek. 16.6.  When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live; yea, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live. As the Eye-lids in the Looking-glass move not, but as the Eyes that look into the Glass move: so is it in a Sinner's Conversion to God; God is the first mover and the first worker; the Sinner's Motion is but the reflection of Gods. Who did strike the first stroke in Paul's Conversion? 
Acts 9.  He that struck him to the Earth, which was the Lord. 
John 11.  Lizarus rose up, and came forth of the Grave, but it was at Christ's loud Call; that is, by his Power.  
As therefore the two former Parables in their phrases show, That God first seeks a lost Sinner; so this third, of the lost Son, imports, That a Sinner must seek God; he must seek, though he be not first in seeking: Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Isa. 55.6, 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord. There are some things for a man to do about his Conversion, but nothing in it; that is God's work.  
Yet man hath ever made a great strife and controversy between his Will and God's. 
Note.  This was the reason of the fall of man: and ever since there hath been overmuch ascribed to the power of man's Will; as though little of it were lost by the fall. This hath been the pride of some men in most Ages, supposing man's Will to have lost little of its strength; as samson thought, when he wakened after his Locks were cut off; 
Judges 16.  I will go out as at other times before; not knowing that his strength was departed. But God hath still kept up Instruments, 
Aug.  to lay down these Mole-hills; not wronging Nature, but righting Grace; and causing men to cry Grace, Grace, to a Sinners Conversion, as they did to the Head-stone of the Temple, Zach. 3.  
Now of this Parable there are three parts; whereof, though the Similitude be of outward things, yet there is a Spiritual meaning, which we must search out: We must break the Bone for the Marrow therein contained; and the Marrow lies in these three things, or particulars, taught us in the three parts of the Parable.  
We have a Description of the state of a lost Sinner, and what manner of man he is in his Natural Condition; In the younger Son's requiring his Portion of his Father, and going from his Father's House into a far Country, and misspending it all there, and making any sorry shift rather than to return back to his Father's House, to the 17th verse.  
We have the Return of a lost Sinner, and how he comes into the state of Grace, described in the Prodigal's coming to himself, and coming back, and humbling himself to his Father, to the 22th verse.  
The willingness of God to receive returning Sinners, and the delight he takes in such, shewed in the Father's meeting his returning Son, and the joyful entertainment he gave him, from the 22th verse to the end of the Chapter.  
So that the first of these three Persons is God the Father; he is intended: The other two are Sons of God; the one a humble repenting Publican, the other a proud murmuring Pharisee.  
But how can these be called the Sons of God?  
God hath not only Sons by Adoption in Christ Jesus, as all the Saints are; 
Gal. 3. Job 1.6.  but he hath Sons by Creation; so Angels are the Sons of God: There was a day, when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. And all men are the Sons of God: He breathed into man the breath of life, Gen. 2.7. Man's Spirit is immediately from God, and therefore he is called the Father of Spirits. 
Heb. 12.9. Luke 3. ult.  And Adam is called the Son of God: which was the Son of Seth, which was the Son of Adam, which was the Son of God. And thus these Publicans and Sinners were the Sons of God.  
And there are Sons of God by Profession; so were the Jews in opposition to the Gentiles: When Israel was a Child, then I loved him, and called my Son out of Egypt, Hos. 11.1. And thus the Scribes and Pharisees were the Sons of God.  
It's true, there are divers Opinions of these two Sons, whom they should represent. Some make the Angels the elder Son, and Man the younger; but this cannot be: For the Angels murmur not at the tenderness of God to lost Man, as here the elder Son does, but rejoice at it, verse 7, 10. of this Chapter, and 14th of the second.  
Others think a Regenerate and Unregenerate man are here personated: But neither can this be; because Regenerate men do not grudge at God's receiving the greatest sinners into Grace and Favour, but are glad, Acts 11.23. There are other thoughts in the Case besides these.  
But the most rational and most appearing Sense and Interpretation is, That by the elder Son is meant the Scribes and Pharisees, and by the younger the Publicans and Sinners; for to these, and of these Jesus was now speaking. And as the elder Son grumbled that his Father so entertained his Prodigal Brother, that had spent all upon Harlots, verse 30. so the Pharisees and Scribes murmured that Jesus received Sinners, and did eat with them, verse 2. And this sense is held out by Christ himself in another Parable of two Sons: 
Matth. 21.28, 31.  Verily I say unto you( meaning the Priests) that the Publicans and the Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. Self-judging Sinners sooner get into a state of Grace than Self-justiciaries. 
Rom. 9.30, 31. & 10.3.  The greatest Sinners sooner come unto Christ, than self-conceited Moralists; Self-righteousness keeps men off from Christ: Such men settle on their own bottoms.   

CHAP. II.  
Giveth the General Doctrine of the whole Parable; illustrating God's gracious Reception of Returning Sinners, in several particulars.  
HAving shewed you the general import and parts of the Parable, I come now to the consideration of those several points of Doctrine therein contained. And first of that which seems to be the most conspicuous Doctrine from the whole Parable. Afterwards of those in their order, which result from the several Parts. The first I shall lay down, and illustrate in this Chapter; and it is this, 
The general Doctrine from the Parable. 2 Sam. 13.  That God doth very graciously receive returning sinners. You know the History of David's carriage to Absolom after he had murdered his brother; David was highly displeased with Absolom, so that he was forced out of his Fathers presence three years; yet after it is said, That the soul of King David longed to go forth unto Absolom. And when Absolom afterwards came into his presence, and bowed himself before the King, it's said, The King kissed Absolom, Chap. 14.  
Alas, this is nothing to the bowels of God towards a self-bemoaning sinner: 
Jer. 32.18, 19, 20.  I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him.  
God is irreconcilable to sinning Angels; 
Note.  he hath cast them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgement, 2 Pet. 2.4. but he sues to sinning men for reconciliation; 
2 Cor. 5.2.  As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. You know what mourning words he put into Ezekiel's mouth; 
Ezek. 33.11.  Say to the house of Israel, who say, If our transgressions and sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? Say unto them, As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? No man can be so serious in any Case, as God is in this; in his desires that sinners should repent, and return and live.  
There are some things that the Devil frequently gets into the thoughts of awakened sinners to dash them in this case.  
1. One is the thought of God's Decrees; but herein the Devil doth grossly abuse both God and the sinner: For let me tell you, That as the Decrees of God did not at all clash with mans power given him in Innocency, to have been happy for ever, so neither do they clash with God's affectionate inviting lost sinners to return to him since the fall, no more than his Prescience would do if there were no Decree: Fore events are as sure upon God's Prescience as upon his Decrees: And this made Socinus to deny the Prescience of God.  
2. And as the Decree was no cause at all of mans fall, but his own Will, he would harken to the Woman, and to the Serpent, rather than to God, and would eat; so God's Decree is no cause at all of man's damnation: The Decree of God damns no man, but his own Will: 
Ezek. 33.11.  Why will ye die O house of Israel? I would, and ye would not. 
Matth. 23.37.  Ye will not come to me that ye might have life. 
Joh. 5.40. Luke 19.14.  We will not have this man to reign over us. God's Decree of Reprobation, as it's called, does only, for ought appears to me, leave some men to be proceeded with in a way of Justice. And assuredly mens damnation will be found to be of themselves: O Israel, Thou hast destroyed thyself. 
Psal. 13.9.   
3. 
Note.  God's Decree is not the first thing that a sinner is to consider in his returning unto God, but God's Call, and Christ's Invitation. 
Matth. 11.28.  These are the first things which the sinner is to mind; Why will ye die? Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, 
John 6.37.  and I will give you rest: and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.  
Mens election is not a ground for their returning to God; 
Note.  but their return to God is a proof of their election. It's true, Election is the first in order in God's acting, but Conversion is the first in order of ours: we must be Called before we can know that we are Elected, 2 Pet. 1.10. O remember this, that a sinners business, that he is put upon in the Scriptures, is his return to God, and to believe in Christ: This is his Call.  
But then here the Tempter pusles again, and bids thee reason thus: If I knew that Christ died for me, I say for me, then I could set myself to believe, and that in hope. Poor Soul● look upon this as a Temptation also; and consider this well, That the Scripture hath given thee as much assurance, that Christ died for thee, as any sinner else that doth not yet believe, or as to any believer before he did believe: Thou knowest as much of Christ's dying for thee, as any Saint in the world did before he did believe in Christ.  
And again, why not Christ die for thee? because thou art a sinner? Why, he died for such: wert thou not a sinner, thou wouldest have no need of Christ; 
Matth. 9.  The whole need not the Physician. Christ had not died, if thou and I had not been sinners. Or is thy doubt whether Christ died for thee, because thou art so great a sinner? consider what Paul says in his own case, 
1 Tim. 1.15.  Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Many of the greatest sort of sinners were called by Christ when he was on earth, 
Matth. 21. John 4.  Publicans and Harlots; that woman of Samaria, that was an Idolater and an Harlot; and that notorious woman called a sinner, Luke 7. You cannot be ignorant how many Instances of this nature there are in Scripture; 
1 Tim. 1.14.  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy. So that well may the Scripture say, The grace of our Lord is exceeding abundant; hath abounded to flowing over: 
Rom. 5.20.  And where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.  
The matter is not what a sinner thou hast been, or art; but how thou standest affencted to thy sinful state, and how thy mind stands towards a better. If thou beest so far come to thyself, as to be upon thoughts of returning to God, as it's said of this Prodigal afterwards, now take heed of the Devil's Sophistry; now he will be pusling thee with doubtful disputations and reasonings, to hinder the main work, viz. the bewailing thy sinful state, and thyself in it, and looking out for relief.  
But I shall further clear this Point by several observables in the Parable; and indeed, amongst all the Parables of Christ, this is the fullest of affections, and set forth in the liveliest colours to humbled sinners; and you shall see it in six Particulars.  
First, you may observe how God exceeds the returning sinner in affections: here the old Father sees his Son a great way off; his eyes were not dim, as Isaac's were, who could not by his sight distinguish between Jacob and Esau, though close by him. God can distinguish betwixt serious Penitents and feignedly turning Judah, Jer. 3.10. He knows what is in man, John 2.25.  
And then he ran to meet his Son; he stood not still as a Father, an offended Father might have done, till his offending Son came to him: No, his bowels were moved towards him, as towards Ephraim, Jer. 31.20. Yea observe, the Son only goes to his Father, but the Father runs to meet the Son. There are greater affections in God towards a repenting sinner, than in such a sinner towards God; God sheeps him in affections.  
And then, when they meet, the Father does not take him by the hand, which had been much for a displeased Father, but falls on his neck and kisses him, as Joseph did on his Brethrens that had sold him into Egypt.  
O the riches of mercy in God towards repenting and returning sinners! 
2 Cor. 1.3.  to such he becomes the Father of Mercies, begetting mercy after mercy for them. Yea, once more observe, That though the repenting Prodigal Son said in himself, I will go unto my Father, and say, Father, I have sinned— yet he did it not, till his Father had fallen on his neck and embraced him. The kindliest repentings for sins are after the sinners sense and experience of the free mercy and grace of God.  
Secondly, you shall observe in the Parable, how God doth graciously take notice of small beginnings of Grace in a true Convert; he excepts of sparks before they flamme; he despiseth not the day of small things in a seriously returning sinner: when this Prodigal came to himself, and but said, I will arise, and go to my Father; though yet a great way off God saw him, and went towards him.  
When poor sinners begin to set their faces towards God, he is much pleased with it; he notes their secret sighings and hidden groanings. When the heart begins to melt, he makes much of such beginnings; he will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, Isa. 42.3. A Hen will give over sitting a rotten Egg, but while there is life in it she will not leave it: Why so God will at length cast off unsound hearts, feignedly turning sinners, as they are called Jer. 3.10. albeit he take some present notice of their external humblings, as of Ahab's, 1 Kings 21. but if the heart of a sinner be broken indeed, and indeed pointing to God, now he regards the offers of such a sinner; he will strengthen the bruised reed, and not break it; and he will blow up the sparks of smoking flax, and not put them out. O the riches of Grace, of the grace of God, who before we come to act, accepts of secret and serious purposes! I said, saith David, I will confess my transgression to the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquities of my sin, Psal. 32.5. God's ear was at David's heart, before David's Confession could be in his mouth; like that in Isaiah 68.24. Before they call I will answer—  
God takes notice of the preparations and first motions of the heart towards himself; 
2 Chron. 6.8.  Because it was in thine heart to build me an house, thou didst well; forasmuch as it was in thine heart. God's gracious and tender dealing with a sinner upon his first setting out towards him, is very observable.  
But here the lazy sinner must not think to ingratiate his dull acknowledgements of his sins, and to get acceptance with God at his could Lord have mercy upon me; as if God would be found of such as these. He accepts of the Prodigal's thoughts and resolves of returning, because he saw he was restless in himself, till he was returned; but the sluggard desireth and hath nothing, Prov. 13.4. God respects not the sparks of a slint, though he make much of those of smoking flax. The could forced Confession of hard hearted Pharaoh, I have sinned this time, Exod. 9. was not much to God: God rejects the humblings of a customary sinner, that afflicts his soul only for a day, Isa. 58.5. such Penitents may expect much from God, v. 3. but God regards them little.  
Jesus Christ was sent by his Father to bind up the broken hearted, Isa. 61.1. The outwardly flourishing Hypocrite and proud Justiciary may spread forth their hands, yet God will hid his eyes from them; and though they make many prayers, 
Isa. 1.15.  God will not hear: But for poor souls that are serious in setting their faces towards God, and wait humbly on free grace; God will answer them before they call, and hear before they ask; that is, his mercy and grace shall prevent them: He observes the humble motions of their hearts with content: God graciously takes notice of small beginnings of grace in a true Convert.  
Thirdly, God mercifully remits the remembrance of the former sins of a converting sinner. The elder Brother of this Prodigal upbraids him with his former loose life, but his Father does not mention it to him. The silemces of Scripture are Instructing; the Holy Ghost remembers us of Job's Patience, 
James 5.11.  but speaks not a word of his Passions.  
Take notice of it, thou poor relenting sinner; though the proud Pharisees of the world may throw thy former vileness, as dirt, in thy face, when thou art returning to God, yet God will not do so: If the wicked turn from all his sins, 
Ezek. 18.21.  his sins shall not be mentioned to him. A strange thing! he that remembers every thing, will forget such a mans sins.  
Indeed you must not forget them, though God will; 
Ezek. 16.11.  no, not when they are forgiven: You shall remember and be confounded— when I am pacified toward you. Yet God will not upbraid you with them, though you do yourselves.  
It is certain that God does, and will remember the sins of unhumbled and unchanged sinners; he hath sworn he will, Amos 8.7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, 
2 Sam. 15.2.  i.e. e. himself; surely I will never forget any of their works. I remember what Amalek did to Israel. This was four hundred years since: 
Psal. 8.13.  Now will he remember their iniquity. But to Souls humbled for sin, Thus saith the Lord, Isa. 43.25. I, even I am he that will not remember thy sins.  
Fourthly, as God will graciously remit the remembrance of former sins to a returning sinner, 
Zach. 3.  and so cause his iniquity to pass away; so he takes away his filthy garments, and clothes him with change of raiment, v. 22. The Father said unto his servants, bring forth the best rob, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. God will not let the ensigns of a sinner, his filthy Garments remain on him: when he is humbled for sin, when a sinner is changed, God gives him change of raiment; I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness, Ezek. 16.8. and thy beauty was perfect through my comeliness put upon thee, v. 14. These mean the righteousness of Christ imputed, and the graces of his Spirit imparted to a Convert: Christ's righteousness is his upper garment, and humility, 
2 Pet. 3.4. Chap. 5.5.  and a meek and quiet spirit, and other graces, are his inward garments. This is another eminent act of grace, which God shows to a returning sinner.  
Fifthly, God rejoiceth at the return of a sinner to him; bring hither the fatted Calf, and kill it, v. 23. and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive, v. 24. O what wonderful condescension is this in God, that he will be merry( to speak with reverence) with a repenting sinner! which is set out by Jesus his eating with Publicans and Sinners, v. 1, 2.  
We red Exod. 32.17. how God was refreshed with his works of Creation, he restend on the seventh day, and was refreshed; and therefore he must needs be refreshed at his new Creature, being a more excellent work than the former. There are more wonders in grace than in nature.  
Jacob was marvelously revived when he heard that Joseph was alive, who had been dead many years in his thoughts, 
Gen. 45.  It is enough, Joseph my son is alive: Thus saith the Father of the returning Prodigal, Let's be merry, for this my son was dead, and is alive.  
The Scripture also tells us how joyful Jesus Christ is at the sinners conversion, Isa. 53.10, 11. He shall see his seed, he shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied. Seest thou this woman, saith Jesus to Simon the Pharisee Luke 7.44. This Woman, Mary Magdalen( as some think) a great sinner, but a repenting sinner: The words of Christ are glorying words.  
And so the Holy Ghost is contented to speak after the manner of men, as the Scripture doth. I say the Comforter is comforted at the repenting and returning of a sinner to God: as he is grieved and vexed at the unbelief, stubbornness, and obstinacy of sinners, Isa. 63.10. so is he surely rejoiced at a poor Soul's repenting of sin, and returning from sin to God: and there is reason for it; because a sinners change is the great work of the Spirit; a man is born again of the spirit, John 3.  
And further, Angels rejoice at the repentance of sinners, v. 10. of this Chapter, There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 
Luke 2. Heb. 2.  The Angels bear good will to mankind, since Christ took on him the nature of man. The holy Angels have great affection for converted sinners: 
Gen. 3.24.  They were at a distance from man after the fall, and are still, while men keep at a distance from God; But when a man is come home to God, now the Angels love him, and delight in him, and to do good for him; 
Psal. 34.  The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tent round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. And are they not all ministering spirits, 
Neh. 1.14.  sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?  
And returning sinners themselves have their share in this joy, they take a part in the sweet Consort; the fatted Calf was killed for the returning Prodigal: It is now that the poor Sinner knows that Christ was his Sacrifice, and that Christ loved him, and gave himself for him. 
Gal. 2.20.  A converted Sinner knows the Spirit of God to be the Comforter, as well as the Sanctifier.  
God begins usually in Converts with great Sorrow, but ends with great Joy; as a Woman in travail hath first pain and sorrow, but then joy that aman is born into the World, John 16.21, 22. Converted Sinners have commonly at first strong Consolations; for they come into a new World, and into new Company and Acquaintance, such as they never had afore, with God himself, and Jesus Christ, and Saints; and all things are new to them, 2 Cor. 5.17. Yet these great Joys are not lasting, though in a state of Grace; the fatted Calf is not killed every day for them, but then especially when the Spirit of Adoption supersedes the Spirit of Bondage. It may be a Case, whether Paul presently after his Conversion had not greater Joy, than in his taking up into the third Heaven: this occasioned him great sorrow, that great joy: O! I was a blasphemer, 
1 Tim. 1.  and a persecutor, but I obtained mercy.  
Christ and Joy come into the Soul together. When Jesus came in Maries womb towards Elizabeth, John leaped for joy in Elizabeths womb, Luke 2. Thus you see how the returning Sinner to God is feasted; his water is turned into wine, as at the marriage Feast, John 2. There is joy and mirth at Feasts, and the Company at this Feast is such as much enlargeth the joy; not only Saints and Angels, but God himself; If any man open to me, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me, Rev. 3.20.  
And therefore certainly, that repentance for sin, that bringeth not forth spiritual joy and comfort, is repentance to be repented of. God puts not a converted Sinner to sorrow for sorrows sake, but for joy and comfort, to make way for these. God would not have a repenting Sinner lye down in sorrow; but it is the self-confident sinner, or that trusts to lying refuges, who shall do thus, Isa. 50.11.  
Sixthly and lastly, God justifieth his own actions in receiving and entertaining returning Prodigals so graciously, and with such loving kindness and mercy. The elder Son murmured, and was in a great pet, that his Father had received his Prodigal Brother into his house again, and with love of such remark, v. 30. of this Chapter; As soon as this thy son, not my brother( he disdained this) was come, that hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted Calf. But what saith his Father to him? he justifies what he had done, v. 32. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.  
In the beginning of the Chapter we see how the Scribes and Pharisees murmured that Jesus received Sinners, noted Sinners, and eat with them: Now Christ to convince them of their pride, and envy, and self-justifying, and self-weening thoughts, and that the Publicans and Sinners, being now in the way of Conversion, was in a better condition than themselves, he spake all these three Parables, which fill up this Chapter.  
God will have men to know, that he hath more kindness for self-judging and self-abasing Sinners, than for self-justifying and self-ascribing righteous men. These think they need no Repentance, v. 7. but those think they cannot repent enough. These trust in themselves that they are righteous, Luke 18.9. those see nothing but sin in themselves; God be merciful to me a Sinner, v. 13. and these were words more than mouth-deep; they came from a sad heart in the deep sense of Sin. Those despise others, v. 9. these themselves; I am not worthy to be called thy Son. Let men say what they will, or think what they will, 
Rom. 9.  God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens, and that justly. In these mysteries he exceeds not only the common Capacities of the world, but the purest Comprehension of the Saints; 
Rom. 11.  Brethren, I would not have you ignorant of this mystery; speaking of the Lord's severe way with the Jews, and gracious and favourable way with the Gentiles. St. Paul, Paul the learned, 
2 Cor. 12.2.  Paul that was taken up into the third Heaven, and that had abundance of revelations, 
1 Cor. 2.16.  and a man of great intimacy with Christ, yet he is in a maze at these dispensations, and cries out, 
Rom 11.23.  O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  
Now from what hath been said on this last Particular we may easily see, 
Note.  That it is an ill sign, when Professors of Religion carry it proudly and insultingly over poor Sinners, especially when they begin to look towards Christ. There was a great difference betwixt the carriage of Christ, and of the Pharisees and Scribes in this Case: they wonder thus, that Jesus would receive, and eat with Publicans and Sinners that followed him. And Simon the Pharisee, in Luke 7. was offended at Jesus, that he would let that woman, which had been noted for a Sinner, touch him; and the like we red of the woman in John 8.  
Thus you have seen it cleared of all controversy, That God doth graciously receive repenting and returning Sinners, how vile soever they have been, by these six Instances in this Parable; 1. God exceeds a returning Sinner in affection. 2. He takes notice of small beginnings of grace in a Convert. 3. He upbraids not a repenting Sinner with his former sins. 4. He takes away his filthy garments, and gives him change of raiment. 5. There is great joy in Heaven and earth at the conversion of a Sinner. 6. God justifies himself against the censures of men in all this.   

CHAP. III.  
Giveth the Reasons of the Doctrine in the foreging Chapter; and the Demonstrations of its unquestionable Truth.  
HAving thus cleared the Doctrine, viz. That God doth very graciously receive returning sinners: I shall now proceed to give you the grounds and reasons hereof. And the first  
Is from the Nature of God, which he calls his Name, Exod. 33.19. and his back parts, v. 19. by which expression he means his Relative Attributes, which are his Attributes that concern us sinners: For God hath two sorts of Attributes; some that describe him what he is in himself, as I am hath sent thee. His Infinity, Omnipotency, Eternity, there are his two parts or face, which he calls his glory; and so Moses called them, I beseech thee show me thy glory, v. 18. and of which the Lord  told him, No man can see my glory and live. 
John 16.12.  No man in the body could bear such a sight, as Christ said to his Disciples in another case.  
And then God hath Relative Attributes, which set him out what he is to us, as poor undone Sinners: these he calls his back parts; and these he shewed Moses, and made proclamation of them for all repenting Sinners to mind for their encouragement.  
And the Lord passed by before him, 
Exod. 34.6.  and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty: all but the last are to keep from despair; but that from presumption. All these Attributes but one, are encouraging to all sorts of sinners to repent and return to God, and that one is engaging and enforcing. When Benhadad's Servants had heard that the Kings of Israel were merciful Kings, they put Sackcloth on their Loins, and Ropes upon their Heads, 
1 Kings 20.  and say, Peradventure the King of Israel will save thy life. Why, there is no Sinner but hath heard that God is a merciful God to mournful Sinners; and the Sinner heareth not only one word of encouragement come from his mouth, but very many, and every one very inviting to a sinner to come in.  
The Hebrews say there are thirteen Titles in this Name of God, and but one of them vindicative; all the rest alluring to Sinners to repent, and come into God.  
The Lord, the Lord God, Jehovah, Jehovah, Ael. These three Attributes may import his Essence and Subsistence in three Persons, as in 2 John 5.7. Jehovah, Jehovah, the Lord doubles his Name for Moses his better notice, who it was that made this so solemn Proclamation. Jehovah, even Jehovah speaks, as in Isaiah 43.25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake. And he adds, The Lord, the Lord God. Ael, that is, strong and mighty, to make good all that follows in his Name he here proclaimed; as Moses says in Num. 14.17. And now I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, &c. Which shows plainly, that it was God himself that proclaimed his Name, and not Moses, as some have thought.  
And here we may take notice, That to pardon sin is an act of power as well as grace; so saith our Lord Jesus, Matth. 9.6.— That ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins. It follows,  
Merciful. This is suitable to a Sinners misery; every Sinner being by nature naked, 
Ezek. 16.  and in his blood, and cast out to the loathing of his person; and by nature the child of wrath: Now the Lord, 
Eph. 2.3.  the Lord God merciful, is a word indeed for a Sinner in misery to take hold on, as Benhadad's Servants did on the word Brother from the King of Israel's mouth: Yea, and God is not only merciful, but the Father of mercies, and he is so for ever; 
2 Cor. 1.3.  therefore it is said six and twenty times in one Psalm 136. For his mercy endureth for ever.  
Gracious. This the Sinner, the convinced Sinner is to oppose to his own unworthiness; 
Exod. 33. 1●  I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. A Sinners call would not be of Grace, if there were any thing of worth in him; therefore the objects of God's Call unto grace are commonly the foolish, and the weak, 
1 Cor. 1.26.  and the base, and the despised things of the world: Go and tell John, 
Matth. 11.5.  that the poor have the Gospel preached to them: and this was amongst the wonders that Jesus did, which might convince John's doubting Disciples that he was the Christ.  
Long-suffering. This may answer a repentant Sinners fears that arise from his long withstanding the offers of grace; 
Isa. 30.18. Isa. 57.18.  Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious.— He went on frowardly in the way of his heart; I have seen his ways, and will heal him. 
Jer. 3.1.  Thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me saith the Lord.  
Abundant in goodness. Therefore can he overcome all the evil of a Sinner: 
Rom. 12.  He enables his people to overcome evil with good; much more can, and will he do it himself.  
And abundant in truth. This may answer all thy doubts about God's promises to receive returning Sinners: He often eminently asserts his truth in his Promises; 
Psalm 100. — his truth endureth from generation to generation. There have been famous proofs of the truth of God's Promises to such Sinners in all Ages; the Lord may say to all converted Sinners, Ye are my witnesses— Isa. 43.10.  
Pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin. This is to prevent despair that might rise from the multitude of sins and magnitude of sins. 
Isa. 55.7.  Let the wicked turn to our God, for he will abundantly pardon; 
Isa. 1.  Hebr. he will multiply to pardon. Put away the evil of your doings, and then, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be read like crimson, they shall be as wool. Scarlet and Crimson are colours of a deep die, nothing can thoroughly wash them out; Yes, 
1 John 2.7.  but the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth from all sin; even sins that have the most hellish and devilish tincture. The wool of those Counries was exceeding white; 
Dan. 7.9.  Psalm 147.16. He giveth snow-like wool; pure wool, as it was said of the hair of the head of the Ancient of days, described there not in his Essence, but in his Presence. The expressions import, 
Ovid. Metam. lib. 15.  That God hath a white ston( an Emblem of Absolution or Pardon, a custom among the Heathens) to give to the chief of Sinners, when repenting and returning to him.  
Keeping mercy for thousands. God is an unexhausted fountain of mercy; 
James 2.13.  and therefore mercy rejoiceth or glorieth against judgement; as if there were a strife between Mercy and judgement about sinners, and Mercy gets the victory: says the Prophet Micah, He delighteth in mercy. 
Mic. 7.18.  Mercy is as pleasing to God as to the Sinner. As the motion, which the woman of Tekoa made to David for Absolom's return from banishment, was as pleasing to David as to Joab, who had a hand in it; it's said, 
2 Sam. 14.1.  Joab perceived that the King's heart was towards Absosolom.  
Lastly, And that will by no means clear the guilty: i.e. That shall be guilty of despising and abusing the former Attributes of God in this his Name, inviting Sinners to come in to him. When a Sinner comes to be contumacious and stubborn, and a presumptuous Sinner, then he is past mercy. As it is with some Felons, that are not allowed the Clergy: so it is with presumptuous Sinners, there was no Sacrifice in the Law for them.  
The Soul that doth ought presumptuously, 
Num. 15.30.  or with a high hand, the same reproacheth the Lord, and that Soul shall be cut off from among his people. So in Deuteronomy, If a man bless himself in his heart, 
Deut. 29.19, 20  saying, I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination or stubbornness of mine heart— The Lord will not spare him, his anger and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lye upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven.  
So that this last Clause of God's Name, And will by no means clear the guilty, is terrible indeed; but it's so only to the presumptuous and stubborn sinner; 
Jer. 20.3, 4.  and it's enough to make such a sinner Magormissabib, or fear round about, a terror to himself. But this part of God's Name takes not place, till all the former are rejected and despised. 
Hos. 5.15.  This, and by no means will clear the guilty, belongs not to those that aclowledge themselves to be guilty, and carry it accordingly. And this is the first Reason why God doth, and will so graciously receive self-humbling and repenting sinners, Because it is in his Nature to deal so with such.  
A second Ground or Reason of it is from the Son of God's espousing the nature of man, and that after the fall of man, on purpose to bring back lost man unto God. 
1 Pet. 3.18.  Christ hath once suffered for sins; i.e. in the sinners nature, that he might bring us to God, bring God and sinners together again, that he might reconcile and make them friends. When Jesus Christ took on him actually the Seed of Abraham, 
Luke 2.14.  then the Angels sung on earth peace, good will towards men.  
And indeed if God should not entertain returning sinners, and again take them into friendship, then did Christ take on him their nature in vain, and die in their nature in vain, and then is our preaching in vain, and your faith in vain, 2 Cor. 15.  
It is to no purpose for a sinner to think of addressing himself to an absolute God; there can be no intercourse between God and him without Christ: Christ is the middle person that persuades with both. This is Christ's office and great work, 
1 Pet. 3.18.  to bring God and sinners together.  
There are great differences between them, that cannot without him be taken up; but Christ can take up all: He brings Publicans and Harlots home to God; He preached peace to you that were afar off, as well as to them that were nigh, Eph. 2.17. Neither Moses, nor Samuel, nor Noah, nor Daniel, nor Job, might turn God's mind to the Jews, Jer. 15.1. Ezek. 14.14. I but Jesus Christ hath turned the mind of God towards the greatest of returning Sinners; Ye who were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled unto God, Col. 1.21.  
Now considering how the work of Redemption was wrought in our Nature, and God is manifested in the Flesh on purpose to be a Redeemer; that our Nature in him might be meritorious, and savable in us; that God was manifested in the flesh to satisfy God offended by us; God was offended, and God was satisfied by God in the offenders Nature: How that the Scripture saith, The Father hath sent forth his Son to be a propitiation for the remission of sins; and the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost, Luke 19.10. I say, these things considered, are a second Demonstration of the willingness of God to receive returning Sinners.  
The Covenant of Grace shows, that God doth verily intend to be gracious to sinners. Had God continued the old Covenant of Works, or made a new Covenant of Works, poor sinners had been where they were, because of their incapacity to perform the Conditions of such a Covenant: But the Covenant being altered into a Covenant of Grace, the terms are not, I will, if they will; but I will, and they shall; 
Ezek. 36.27.  I will put my spirit within you, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. God undertakes for himself and us.  
And it is notably evident in the Scripture, that the great design of God in the Covenant of Grace was, and is, to advance the glory of his grace, his free grace, and that upon objects unlikeliest to natural Reason. The Gospel is made up of acts of grace; 2 Cor. 2.26.— You see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confounded the wise— that no flesh should glory in his presence— The good pleasure of his will is his motive, and the praise of the glory of his grace is his end, in all his merciful actings towards sinners, Eph. 1.5, 6.  
God is gracious to repenting and returning sinners, because he will be true to his word, and make good his promises to this purpose. Isa. 1.16. Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings— Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow—  
The import of the Phrase is, That upon repentance they should have remission of sins, though they had been sinners of the greatest sort: And which is to be noted, God hath designed the Lord Jesus Christ to give repentance as well as remission of sins, Acts 5.32.  
The holy Scriptures are full of promises and offers to poor Sinners, highly engaging to repentance for sin, and from sin, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way— and turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and he will abundantly pardon him. That of the Apostle Rom. 5.20. answers this of the Prophet, Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. And Jer. 3.1. Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me, saith the Lord. And come unto me, saith Jesus to Sinners labouring under the sense of sin, Matth. 11.28. and I will give you rest. Come unto me, and I will not bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be born, as the Scribes and Pharisees do, Matth. 23.4. but i'll take off their burdens, and i'll give you a light burden; My yoke is easy, and my burden is light, v. 30. Come unto me, 
Joh. 6.37.  for him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Whom the Pharisees had cast out, Christ received, John 9. And it's to be observed, That Jesus Christ is said to have a Commission from his Father thus to treat sinners; as he said John 12.49. The Father gave me a commandment what I should say— And so the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians, That he and the other Apostles had Commission both from the Father and Son, to treat Sinners with the most winning offers, 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  
And now for a Sinner to question whether God can forgive such sins as his, it is almost to act over Cain's part, Mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven. 
Gen. 4.  And if a Sinner question whether God will forgive him, and receive him upon his return, this is to question truth itself, and his promises, for whom it is impossible to lye. 
Heb. 6.18.   
The last Ground I shall mention of the Doctrine, is the Presidents which are upon Record by the holy Ghost in the Case; as Adam that filled the World with sin; and Manasseth that filled Jerusalem with blood; yet these were pardonned Sinners upon their repentance and return to God.  
There is a great deal of mercy in setting down the patterns of mercy in great Sinners: St. Paul saith as much of himself, and his own Case: 1 Tim. 1.13, 16. Who was a blasphemer, and a persecuter, and injurious, but I obtained mercy: And for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe.  
It is true, Paul saith in v. 13. though he had been a blasphemer, and a persecuter, yet he obtained mercy, because he did it ignorantly in unbelief: But this he says to show that his blasphemy and persecution was not the sin against the holy Ghost, else he could not have obtained mercy: He acted out of his blind zeal, and not against knowledge, and of mere malice, as many of the Pharisees, and some of the Rulers did, Matth. 12.24. Some, not all; St. Peter clears some, Acts 3.17.— I wot that through ignorance ye did it, that is, put Christ to death, as did also your Rulers.   

CHAP. IV.  
Wherein Application is made of the foregoing Doctrine, in two Uses.  
HAving given you the Reasons of the Doctrine, and the Demonstrations of its undoubted truth, I shall next proceed to apply it.  
And it may serve for Exhortation to all manner of sinners upon return, or not upon return to God; O take heed of sin with impenitency and unbelief: If you die in your sins, it will lye upon yourselves; God will clear himself, that he removed blocks out of your way, and answered all your Objections.  
You say, you dare not come into God's sight, because you have been such vile sinners: But this is with Cain to go out of the presence of the Lord, Gen. 4. which was both his sin and judgement. It is at best sinful modesty for sinners to say so, or think so; but it is ordinarily rather the pride of their heart, than poverty of spirit. Despairing sinners are taught of the Devil to say and think their iniquity is greater then can, 
2 Cor. 2.11.  or that it may be forgiven. This is one of Satan's 〈◇〉, his Sophistical reasonings; he would have had the sorrowful incestuous person to have been swallowed up of overmuch sorrow, v. 7. Satan prevails upon many troubled Consciences, to think every one doth but flatter them, that seeks to take them off from their despairing reasonings.  
Some sinners are so critical in their coming to God, that God may say to them in this point, as he did to Ephraim and Judah in another, Hos. 6.4. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? Some would be humbled above God's measure, before they will come to him; and some under: Some would come to God with their sins, and some with hell in their souls: And thus who knows how many are damned by their own proud will, or wild humour. When a sinner is come to himself, and feels he is lost, and come out of himself, 
Heb. 7.25.  as to any succour there, now is the sinners time to come to God in Christ, or come unto God by Christ; and when he comes, God will fall on his neck, and kiss him, as the Father on his prodigal returning Son; he is sure of welcome, if he now return.  
It matters not out of what country thou comest; how far distant thou hast been from God; though thou hast kept Swine as the Prodigal did; been the Devil's drudge; been a drunkard, a swearer, a very vicious person; hast sinned such sins as the Devil himself sins not, yet hath tempted thee to sin, and thy base nature joined with him in the temptation; yet still I say, if thou returnest to God, he'll receive thee; yet remember his words to Israel, Psalm 95. To day if ye will hear his voice, 
Heb. 4.7.  harden not your heart: for as the Apostle to the Hebrews saith, he limiteth a certain day.  
O quash not motions, no not this days motions to return to God; the Devil may discourage thee from them, but God will not. When the Shepherd found his lost sheep, he did not throw his hook at it; but laid it on his shoulder, and brought it home: when God meets with a returning sinner, he doth not speak in passion and wrath to him, as Ahab did to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? but as tenderly as Jesus did to Peter the first time he met him after he denied him.  
And though a sinner have not legs of his own to return; yet if there be a mind to it, 
John 5.  as there was in the impotent man to go into the Pool, he shall go upon the legs of God's grace, 
Heb. 13.20.  as that impotent man did: God hath laid help on one that is mighty, even Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep. 
Luke 19.10.  He is come to seek and to save that which is lost.  
O then let the gracious dealing of God with this Prodigal invite thee, who art yet at a distance ftom God, now to return: This is much in God's mouth; Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? Ez. 33.11. 
Jer. 3.2.  Yet return again unto me, saith the Lord. Such mercy and pity as this should be a Loadstone to thy heart; thy heart should be broken or melted, 
Luke 7.  as that sinful womans was, in the thoughts of the possibility of being pardonned and accepted of God. No sinning Angels sure had such mercy as this; O despise not such mercy, neglect not so free salvation.  
But do you preach mercy to impenitent and hardened sinners? Answ. Yes, inviting mercy; Christ himself did so; he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: Indeed he calls them to mercy by the way of repentance; 
Matth. 11.28.  Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: the invitation is to the worst of sinners, sensible of sin as a burden. It is true, there is no mercy for any sinner without repentance, and there is mercy for great sinners with it. A sinner must come to himself before he come to God, as the Prodigal did before he came to his Father, v. 17.  
As for measures of conviction and humiliation, take heed of the Devil's trap and snare here: Now thou art off of the danger of presumption, he plays his game of despair; but let this over-rule the Case, when it comes to be thine, That he hath the happiest measure of conviction and humiliation for sin, whose conviction and humiliation brings him out of himself to Christ.  
But sense of sin, and sorrow for sin there must be: If the Prodigal had not come to himself, when pinched with want, and thought his Father's house, and any service there, a better condition than the far country; his Father had not had compassion on him. If any sinner will still be what he is, and do not repent, that he may return, he hath nothing to do with those parts of God's Name, Merciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; but that close of God's Name, And will by no means clear the guilty.  
For what would sinners have of God? to be saved in their sins? It's not possible; God sent his Son Jesus to save his people from their sins, 
Matth. 2.21.  and to turn them from their iniquity, Acts 3.26. If God should save a sinner in his sins, this is mercy that would overthrow his truth and justice: God will stand to his word, and receive thee graciously if thou repentest and returnest; but withal he must stand to his word, and save thee in a Scripture way, and in a way agreeable to all his Attributes, which is by the way of repentance and returning to him. When sinners cannot rest in a state of sin, nor in a state of self-righteousness, but they see they must come to Christ for rest, he will bid these sinners welcome.  
Quest. But is it in a convinced sinners power to return to God? The Scripture saith, 
Jer. 10.23.  The way of man is not in himself; nor is it in man that walketh to direct his own steps. I Answer, That though the act of a sinners returning be in God's power, and not his own; as it's said of times and seasons, Acts 1. yet the sinner may seek it of God; Turn thou me, O Lord, and I shall be turned, said Ephraim, Jer. 31.18. Though it be God's work, yet he works it in the way of means, which sinners may and must use.  
And that a sinner does not return to God, it lies not so much in his Cannot, as in his Will not: 
Jer. 8.5.  They refuse to return.  
Object. I but God hears not sinners; to what purpose is it then for such to pray that God will turn them? Answ. It's true for sinners that do, 
John 9.  and would live in sin, God regards not their prayers: But if thou comest to God affencted with thy sinful state, God will regard thy prayers, 
Psal. 66.18.  though thou art not yet in a state of grace: It was Manasseh his case, and is indeed the case of most Converts: There are some things in those that are not yet converted, that are in order to their Conversion. Thy sense of thy distance from God, and desire of a return, why this is a less grace that makes way for a greater. This in answer to that Objection.  
O then, if the power of returning to God be in God's hand, sit not still, but seek it there. When all the Corn in Egypt was in Joseph's Garners, should a poor Egyptian say, He had none, I have none, Joseph hath all at his disposing, so that I may sit still and starve? No; but therefore I'll go where it is to be had. This is thy case who wouldst return to God, but hast not power; Resolve, I'll go to him that has.  
Object. I, but I am not certain that God will part with power of returning to me; He hardens whom he will, Rom. 9.18. leaves to their hardness of heart, and so to their impotency and weakness. Answ. But this is one of the Devil's suggestions to poor sinners, who have but the thoughts of returning to God; and so let such look on it.  
Why will not you do in this case, as the Lepers did in theirs? 
2 Kings 7.  If we sit still we die, if we go in to the Syrians we shall but die, it may be they may save us alive: and dare not you venture your souls on God, as well as those Lepers their lives on the Syrians.  
Nineveh fell to prayer and fasting as well as they could, to prevent being destroyed, after sentence was pronounced upon them; 
Jonah 3.9.  And what was their encouragement? It may be, or who knoweth, or who can tell, if the Lord will turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?  
Now there is no sinner, that hath a mind to return to God, but he hath as much encouragement to beg grace of him to return.  
Suppose there were but a possibility of thy returning to God in the use of God's means for it, why this is a mercy that the Angels which sinned never had since they sinned; they have no possibility of making peace with God: I but thou hast more than a possibility; there is probability to encourage thee. A sinner is in a probable way, whilst he seeks grace in the means of grace, as the impotent man was of Cure, while he lay by the Pool, John 5. And above this, though God be free in dealing forth his grace; and hath mercy on whom he will have mercy; and is gracious to whom he will be gracious, Exod. 33.19. yet God hath left thee good assurance, if thou keep in the way of his instituted means for the conversion of sinners; Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you, Mark 7.7. I said not to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain, Isa. 49.19.  
So that although the sense of thy lost condition, which is coming to thyself, as this Prodigal did; and thy thoughts and mindfulness of thy return to God, like the Prodigal to his Father; I say, though these be not thy return, yet they are in order to it; this is, as I said, less grace, to make way for greater. They are those that like their distance from God in their state of sin, that are likely to perish in that state; This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, John 3.19.  
But if God have given thee the will to return to him, he will give thee to do it; and in thy return thou wilt be graciously received, as the repenting, returning Prodigal was by his Father; for he was the representation of sinners in the case.  
Secondly, If God will graciously receive a repenting and returning sinner, then surely he will do so by a returning Saint: Saints are subject to relapses and backslidings; the promise of Cure supposes the Distemper: I will heal their backslidings: 
Hos. 14.4.  the like in Jer. 3.12. Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee; for I am merciful saith the Lord, and will not keep anger for ever; only aclowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast scattered thy ways to strangers—  
Nay, above this, relapsing Saints have not only a promise of a gracious reception upon their return; but they have a promise, 
Jer. 57.17, 18.  that they shall return to their vigour in grace; He went on frowardly in the way of his heart; I have seen his ways, and will heal him. 
Luke 22.61.  Peter rose from his fall presently; at a look of Jesus he got up again. And it is notable what tender care our Lord Jesus took so soon as he was risen, that Peter should be comforted in his sorrow for his fall, lest he should be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow, which is a design of Satans in the case, 2 Cor. 2.11.  
And therefore Christ dispatched an Angel to Peter, 
Mark 16.  to acquaint him with his being risen again. And Jesus himself appeared to Peter first of all the Disciples, 
2 Cor. 15.5.  when he was risen from the dead.  
But my Brethren, I beseech you consider this, That it is better to prevent a disease, than to be healed of it: for the prevention of relapses prevents much pain and grief of Soul. O then let Christians be watchful to prevent distances between God and them; and you that have made such, in leaving your first Love, 
Rev. 2.4. Jer. 2.2.  and have receded from the kindness of your youth, and have abated of your former humble and close walking with God, your former delight and power in prayer— O bethink yourselves of coming to yourselves, and of your returning to God, in holy and humble converse with him.  
Till then your bones continue out of joint, as David's were, 
Psal. 22.14.  and the pain in setting them is to come; and though they be set, yet you may halt of them ever after, 
Gen. 32.  as Jacob did upon the blow the Angel gave him on his thigh; yet this is better than not to return to your former lively and active state in grace.  
O therefore, ye backsliding Christians, resolve as she did Hos. 2.7. I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me than now: and your returning must be with melting hearts; They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I led them. Backsliding Christians should grieve and trouble more at their parting with God, than Micah did, when his Idols were taken away; 
judge. 18.24.  Ye have taken away my Gods, and what have I more? take heed of parting with God. And thus much for the general Scope and Doctrine of the Parable, viz. That God doth very graciously receive returning sinners.   

CHAP. V.  
Proceedeth to the two general Doctrines resulting from the first part of the Parable: particularly showing, The natural and lusting desire that is in man to forsake God; and the Reasons hereof.  Verses the 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. 
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.  
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in the land, and he began to be in want.  
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.  
I Have done with the general Scope and Doctrine of this quick and lively Parable, as Luther calls those of this Chapter: I now come to speak particularly of the three Persons which act their distinct parts in this Parable, the Father and his two Sons.  
And our Saviour first holds forth to our view and consideration, the younger Son, a Prodigal; and the Picture of every natural man.  
And first, we have his proud and peremptory Request, or rather Demand, of his Father; Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me: He would have his Father make his Will, and be his own Executor in his life; yea presently.  
There are two things observable in this youngster. 1. He would have his Portion in his own hand, and be at his own finding; he would cast off his Father, and be independent: A strange thing! Fathers sometimes cast off their Sons; but here the Son casts off the Father, and will give no account of any thing he has or does: He gets his Portion into his own hand, and then goes into a far country, v. 12. and part of the 13th.  
2. This proud and heady Course of his was the cause of all his ensuing woes and misery: For hereupon followed, 1. His Luxury, v. 13. And there wasted his substance with riotous living. 2. His Calamity followed his Luxury at the heels, v. 14. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in the land, and he began to be in want. He satisfied his lusts, until he had nothing left to satisfy Nature.  
And these two literal things in the Parable yield us these two spiritual Points of Doctrine, intended by him who spake the Parable.  
That every man by nature hath a lusting desire to leave God, and live at his own hand; he would stand on his own legs and bottom, and be at his own dispose: Thus it is with every man by Nature.  
This leaving of God, and walking after their own lusts, is the reason of mens sad estate both for sin and sorrow.  
1. That every man by nature hath a lusting desire to leave God, and live at his own hand, and be at his own dispose: Thus it is with us all by nature; for this Prodigal Son is the picture of every natural man; and this is naturally mans proper inclination and tendency.  
Here man lost his state of innocency, he waved God and his innocency together; and which, 'tis possible, he kept but a few hours; I cannot say days, as some do.  
And this lust of his to leave God, and provide better for himself, as he thought, than did God, broken forth at a short temptation; Satan soon got his ear and heart to this cursed way, to cast off God, and to be as God himself; he sought to be an independent being; in plain terms, to be no more a Creature; 
Gen. 3.5. — Ye shall be as Gods: He took off his heart from God, to be a God himself. And man left God at first on a double account or reason.  
1. Upon a dislike of his estate, though a large and lovely one, a goodly heritage, 
Psal. 16.  as David said of his. He had hard thoughts of God, because he had put a restraint upon him from eating of the three of Knowledge of Good and Evil; 
Gen. 3.  he received a conceit that God kept him too much under, the Devil's own sin, who in dislike left his first estate, judas 6. out of an aspiring mind to a higher estate than an Angels. So that man's first conception of sin lay in high thoughts of himself, and hard thoughts of God; and the nature of man hath taken the infection, and is apt to have high conceits of self, and hard conceits of God, as that King had 2 Kings 6.33. This evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? 
Matth. 25.  And that Servant of his Lord, who entrusted him but with one talent, I knew thou wast a hard Man.  
2. Man at first left God upon point of fear; he puts God into an ill shape, and then durst not come near him. 
Gen. 3.8.  Adam hide himself from the presence of the Lord; and when he was asked why, I heard thy voice, says he, and was afraid. So that you plainly see how man cast off God betimes; gets himself, as he thought, from under God's government, and will have his own way: And this grievous distemper infects the whole blood; it is an hereditary and epidemical dyscrasy and disease of mankind; it is even in the godly themselves, so far as grace does not overpower it.  
Pharaoh was an eminent instance in the case, Exod. 5.2. Who is the Lord that I should obey him? High language that layeth God low: as Nabal said of David in a despising way, Who is David? 
1 Sam. 25.10.  and who is the son of Jesse? so said Pharaoh of God, Who is the Lord, that I— The like language we red of, Job 21.14. They say unto God depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways: and this is the voice of every natural man's heart, though it break not out at his lips; The fool hath said in his heart there is no God; 
Psal. 14.1.  so he would have it.  
It is God's restraining grace that keeps the world of natural men from this Atheism; as he said to Abimelech, 
Gen. 20.6.  I withheld thee from sinning against me. Restraining grace is an awe that God keeps upon mens Consciences, which makes them forbear some sins, 
Hos. 2.2.  though they do not hate the sins. Judea had an adulterous heart, though God hedged up her way with thorns.  
Man would be at liberty from God and his Will, to follow and fulfil his own; 
Job 11.12.  Man is born like a wild Asses Colt; vain man is so, saith Zophar. He hath a principium laesum, a devilish principle in his nature; an impulse to range about the earth, as Satan said of himself; 
Job 1.7.  his lust would know no bounds, and so indeed he would be a God to himself. Moses was instead of God to Aaron, Exod. 4.16. but that was to discover the mind of God to him; for Aaron had not that familiarity and intimacy with God as Moses had; 
Exod. 33.11.  The Lord spake to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend; that is, most familiarly, 
Deut. 34.10.  as he did to none of the Prophets after.  
But natural men would be as Gods to themselves; Our lips are our own, 
Psal. 14.4.  who is Lord over us. My Brethren, whilst we seek to please ourselves, and to be self-depending, what is this less then to seek to be as Gods? this was it that man sought for at the beginning; God knows ye shall be as Gods, 
Gen. 3.5.  saith the Serpent when he tempted Eve, and she soon nibbled at this bait.  
When men are and will be their own motives and ends, they are as Gods unto themselves. 
Ezek. 14.3.  Carnal men make many Gods, they set up Idols in their hearts; and as they make Gods to themselves, so they make themselves their chief God: as it was said of Antiochus Epiphanes, 
Dan. 11.36.  the notorious graecian Monarch, called by Divines a Type of Antichrist, and by a famous Historian Epimanes, 
Polybeus.  a mad man; of him it is said in the Prophet Daniel, That he would exalt himself, and magnify himself above every God.  
Indeed men cannot but own themselves Creatures, in asking and receiving, as the Prodigal here, Father give me my portion: but then they are, or would be Gods in using what they receive; for let them receive wealth, or beauty, or strength, or honor, or parts, they consume them upon their lusts. 
James 4.3.  And this way a man makes a God of himself, his own humour and lust is his end in all. Nay, and in some respects men would be as Gods in receiving; for they would have to the uttermost of their minds and fancies. Our first Parents would have had more than God gave them, though he gave them all this lower world, and much of the world above too; his own image and likeness, and near communion with himself, and power to have kept this blessed state; yet they thought not this enough, it sufficed them not, but they would be as Gods.  
And still men would live, and do live, 
Eph. 2.12.  as without God in the world, as the Apostle saith. And this is one Reason, and a chief one, why natural men refuse grace, because grace layeth man low, and raises God high: grace casts man out of himself, and prompts him to self-denial, 
Matth. 19.  which he cannot bear: That young, rich, great man, could not part with self for Christ.  

The Reasons of the Doctrine.  
The first is from man's instability and mutableness; 
Gen. 49.4.  he is, as Jacob said of Reuben, unstable as water: Man is a Creature given to change; why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? 
Jer. 2.36.  man would change every thing. 
Dan. 7.25.  That King, that came after the ten in Daniel, changed times and laws. The Lord complained of the Jews, 
Isa. 24.5. Ezek. 5.6.  that they had changed the Ordinance, and had changed his Judgments.  
Yea, 
Jer. 2.11.  they changed their God: Hath a Nation changed their Gods? but my people have changed their glory. 
Plin.  Man by nature is a Novatian, as the Philosopher said, Est natura hominum novitatis avida, man is for some new thing: He has an itch this way, 
Acts 17.21.  as it's said of the Athenians, that they spent their time in nothing, but either to tell or to hear some new thing: 
judge. 5.8.  And of Israel it is said, they choose new Gods.  
Man naturally loves change of states and conditions, as feverish palates do change of beer, and it may be none will please. This Prodigal liked not to live with his Father, nor near home; he must go into a far country. It may in some sort be said of every natural mans heart, 
Dan. 4.16.  as of Nebuchadnezzars, a beasts heart was given unto him. Man would have change of pasture, as some beasts will not stay where they are put, but break and leap Hedges to get into new grounds. Not only many of the Angels left their first estate, 
judas 6.  but all men in the first man left theirs; Man still wants something. Amnon, though a King's Son, yet was as if he wanted all, 
2 Sam. 13.  while he wanted his Lust of Tamar.  
And Haman, when he had the greatest favour, honour, and estate of a Subject, yet he wanted Mordecai's knee.  
Man is very much a dissatisfied and discontented Creature, till grace comes, and much grace: It was much grace that brought St. 
Phil. 2.  Paul to so contented a mind. And this is one Reason why naturally man would be loose from God, and left to himself, because he is so uncertain and unstable a Creature.  
A second Reason of the Doctrine is from the ignorance that is in all natural men; this makes them to leave God, and live on self.  
First, a natural man's ignorance of himself; he knows not, or considers not, what it is to be a Creature, so weak a Creature as himself is; for if he did, he would not trust so much, as its plain he doth, to his own strength; strength of parts, or strength of purposes, or strength of fancy: vain man would be wise, i.e. e. in his own thoughts, in contriving his own happiness, 
Job 11.12.  though man be born like a wild Asses colt, but little differing from a bruit; he is like the beast,— like the beasts that perish. 
Psal. 49.12, 20.  How could the hop stand without the pole, or the vine without the wall? And yet man thinks he could live without God, and in a sort does. 
Eph. 2.12.   
If holy men think themselves, at least sometimes, not to have the understanding of a man, as Hagur, Prov. 30.2. but foolish and ignorant as a beast, as Asaph, Psal. 73.22. What is the natural man's wisdom? the Apostle saith, Their wisdom makes them fools; 
Rom. 1.22.  professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. The wisest of mere natural men, and the learnedst, know not enough what it is to be Creatures, and through this ignorance would be as Gods.  
For what is it to be a Creature? not to be of ourselves, 
2 Cor. 6.  or to ourselves, not to be our own; Ye are not your own, saith St. Paul to the Corinthians; and so whatever ye do, 
2 Cor. 10.31.  do all to the glory of God. And therefore when men would live of themselves, and to themselves, they would live above the capacity of Creatures.  
Some great men, through this ignorance of themselves, have aspired to be Gods over other men: So did the Prince of Tyrus, 
Ezek. 28.2.  Thou hast said I am a God, I sit in the seat of God: And Herod was well pleased when the people cried him up for a God. 
Acts 12.22.  And Alexander the Great could scarce be content to be a man; and every man that hath not grace enough to make him the more humble and modest( for as grace is given to the humble, so grace maketh humble) every man would be as God to himself; he would please himself, and live to himself; he would be his own rule, and his own end, and serve his own turn on God as well as men.  
Now, I say, this is because men naturally are ignorant of what it is to be a Creature; what it is to be of another, and for another; even of God, and for God; 
Rom. 11.36.  of him, and through him, and to him are all things. 
Prov. 16.4.  The Lord hath made all things for himself. The wheel spins not for itself, but for him that made it, and him that bought it: and so the Ax cuts not for itself. By living of, or to ourselves, we do, as far as we can, overthrow our being Creatures: and men consider not the evil of offering to sit in the seat of God.  
Suppose other Creatures should be to themselves, should be proud towards us, as we are prove to be towards God, and should refuse to do our service and work, as we too often do by God, we would think it a strange ataxy, and the course of nature to be quiter inverted; we should say as ptolemy of the great and unexpected Eclipse at Christ's death, Deus naturae patitur; the God of Nature suffereth; this is the spirit of a man towards God, wherever there is not grace, and so much grace to teach us better. Though he made us, yet we have an itch to be our own, to serve our own turn, and not his; and in doing so, we seek so much as in us lieth, to alter ourselves from the condition of Creatures.  
Secondly, Our ignorance of God makes us to turn our back upon him; men see not a sufficiency of good in God, and so they look for it elsewhere. God is an unknown God to the most of men; and though they profess him, yet that may be written on their Profession, which was upon the Altar that St. Paul saw at Athens, To the unknown God: 
Acts 17.23. Psal. 50.21.  Many men fancy God to be like themselves. Through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord, Isa. 9.6. and every man is brutish in his knowledge, Jer. 10.14.  
What is the reason that the Saints depend on God, and dare not scatter their trust to Creatures? because they know him, and have acquaintance with him; 
Psal. 9.10. Jer. 24.7.  They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee: God gives them a heart to know him: and this was the reason why Pharaoh would be his own Lord, I know not the Lord, Exod. 5.7. Because men know not the Lord so, as to know that their happiness is bound up in him, as Judah said, that his fathers life was in the lads life, Gen. 44.30. Therefore men leave God, and rely on themselves, or some other Creature; She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, wherewith they made Baal; so these last words are in the Margin, Hos. 2.8.  
There is a natural instinct in all men to desire to be happy, but where this Golden vein lies, every man by nature is to seek; men are sceptics or seekers indeed in this; but miss as much, or more than they that make experiment of the Philosophers ston.  
The wisest men of this world have abounded in their conjectures of it; there have been fourscore, some say a hundred, of distinct opinions in the case, viz. wherein true happiness lieth, and all have been mistaken: For it is to be observed, they have all seated the Summum bonum, man's chief good, in the Creatures, and not in God.  
But grace teacheth us to find it in God, and in God alone, 
Psal. 73.25.  in the enjoyment of God himself; Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee.  
Solomon, who might better be called Nature's Secretary than Aristotle, ransacked the whole Creation, all things under the Sun for it, but found it not; only vanity and vexation of spirit instead of it.  
Every Creature answered Solomon, when he sought felicity in them, as the Depths and the Sea answer men who seek wisdom in them, 
Job 28.14.  It is not in me, nor it is not in me. Men set up false marks, when they aim at contentation and satisfaction in any creature excellency; so that if they do hit the mark they aim at, they hit a false mark. Suppose a man aim to be happy in riches, or honour, or pleasures, or moral virtues, or parts, or human learning, and suppose he hit the mark he aims at for happiness; why he hits a false mark, and so is as far from true happiness as before he took his aim.  
The enjoyment of all these, laid to the enjoyment of God himself, 
Isa. 55.2.  are but as Esau's Pottage to the Blessing or Birthright; Men lay out their strength for that which satisfieth not, and their money for that which is not bread, who hunt for happiness in the Creature: They are like a man sick of a Fever, O if he had but drink, how well should he be! but this is the cry of his Distemper; for give him drink to his mind, and it does but feed his Disease, not satisfy Nature, but disturb it more.  
It's considerable what the Lord saith in this case, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, 
Jer. 9.23.  nor the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, &c. Acquaintance with God is more to a man's peace and composure of mind than all the former; Acquaint now thyself with him, 
Job 12.21.  and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.  
It is true, we may seek comfort in the Creature, and find it; yet it's imperfect comfort; it's comfort but in part: As we know here but in part. We may look for light from the Moon, and have it; but we may not think to find the light of the Sun in the Moon. And as great a difference there is between the Joy we may have in the Creature, and that we may have in God; 
Psal. 104.34. Psal. 16.5, 6.  My meditation of him shall be sweet. When David said, The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance; he adds, the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places.  
What virtue God hath put into the Creature, we may seek it; but when we find it, it is to mind us of much more to be found in God: God intends not that the comfort we find in any of the Creatures should draw our hearts from him, but to him, and more to him than before: 
Josh. 15.19.  Caleb's daughter must have the upper springs with the neather in her blessing. In a word, we must seek God in the Creature, as Jacob saw God in Esau's face, and seek the Creature for God, as well as ourselves, or else we mistake the way to true comfort and content in both, which method no natural man observeth. And thus much for the second Reason of the point.  
A third Reason is the pride of man; man's pride makes him turn his back upon God, and think to stand by himself: Man is naturally a proud Creature, as the sinning Angels were; man is among the children of pride; 
Job 42.3 Psal. 10.4.  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God; God is not in all his thoughts.  
What is pride but an opinion of a man's self-sufficiency and self-excellency? as we see in that proud Pharisee, I am not as other men, 
Luke 18.  nor as this Publican: and in those proud superstitious Jews, who said to others, Stand by thyself, 
Isa. 65.5.  come not near to me, for I am holier than thou: This is the dialect and language of pride; it is the vent of towering thoughts of a man's self: You may more easily pull down the strongest Castle, than the proud heart of man. Pharaoh was long plagued before he would own God; Who is the Lord, 
Exod. 5.  that I should obey his Voice? This was the Leaven which first soured man's heart in his fall, We shall be as Gods, Gen. 3. and ever since natural man would be some great one, 
Acts 8.9.  as Simon Magus gave out himself to be.  
Man is not easily made nothing in his own thoughts; he very hardly owns his need and want in spirituals: I am rich, and want nothing, 
Rev. 3.17.  was the brag of the Laodiceans. Now as God beholds the proud afar of, Psal. 138. so the proud heart of men by nature keeps afar off from God; They say unto God, depart from us, 
Job 21.14.  for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.  
The pride of man's heart hath a hand in those two soul-undoing sins, that keep men off from God, Presumption and Despair. Presumers, 
Psal. 10.  through the pride of their countenance, will not seek after God: and Despairers will see some worth in themselves before they will go to God. It is not usually through the excess, but defect of humiliation, that souls in despair will not cast themselves on Christ, as they said Jer. 2.25. There is no hope; No: I have loved strangers, and after them will I go. Despair is a proud sin, as well as Presumption: It made Spira wish he were above God.  
The pride of man is a greater bar against the grace of God, 
Matth. 21.31.  than grosser sins; Verily I say unto you, that the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. mere civil men need more humbling, in some respects, than grosser sinners, because they have more to be proud of. It's self-liking and self-flattering that keeps a man upon his own bottom.  
And as a man is prove to like himself, so to seek himself is at the end of all his actions; whether he pray, or preach, or hear, or confer, or trade, or eat, &c. self is his bias: And as proud man seeks himself, so he is self-depending; he lays the stress of duties on his parts, and the stress of reforming any sin upon his own purposes and resolutions, and his successses upon his own worth or wisdom.  
To this the Lord saw the Children of Israel to be inclined, 
judge. 7.2. — lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. See the reasoning between Joshua and Israel in Josh. 24.19, 21. Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God, he is a jealous God. Nay, but we will serve the Lord. There is a tang of this in the spirits of godly persons; for alas, how seldom do they act grace, or in duty so, as considering that God must help the acts of grace, as well as give the habits? But for natural men, the Lord may say to them as to Edom, 
Isa. 49.16.  The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, thou hast cast of God, and relied on thine own strength.  
Fourthly, Passion and peevishness in the nature of man begets prejudices against God: As natural men cannot please God, so God cannot please them. There is something of this leaven in God's own people, and the most eminent of them: 
2 Sam. 6.8.  David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: 
Jonah 4.1.  and Jonas was exceedingly displeased that the Lord spared Nineveh.  
It cannot be said of God and his people, as it was of David and his, 2 Sam. 3. Whatsoever the King did, it pleased the people; nay too often, much of that that we vent in prayer, or under the name of prayer, is but passion, and the effect of a feverish distemper on our spirits. Observe what is written of Jonah in this case, It displeased Jonah exceedingly: And he was very angry, angry in prayer: he was very angry, and he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying when I was in my country— What was this praying, but the vent of human passion unto prejudice against God? Yea, and which was much, he justified himself in it to the face of God. Jonah, 
Jonah 4.9.  saith God, dost thou well to be angry? and he said, I do well to be angry unto death.  
Fifthly, The natural wilfulness and rebellion of man is the cause why he will leave God, and be at his own finding and dispose; man would not submit to God: 
Jer. 44.16, 17.  As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord, we will not harken to thee, but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth—  
There hath been a contest between God's Will and mans, from mans beginning, 
Gen. 3.  and so is to this day. God layeth all the wickedness of man upon his own rebellious will; 
Psal. 81.11. Joh. 5.40.  Israel would have none of me. And so did Christ the Jews unbelief; ye will not come to me that ye might have life: And how often would I, and ye would not? Matth. 23.27. O the rebellion of the day against the Potter! the Apostle hints it in the Ninth Chapter to the Romans. Many a man will damn himself, rather than he will submit himself to the will of God; 
Job 21.15.  What is the Almighty that we should serve him?  
How do men say in Prayer, Lord, thy will be done, and yet in their practise contend with God for their own? Those Jews were not alone in this, Jer. 18.12. We will walk after our own devices, and we will every man do the imagination of his own evil heart. The Prodigal Son would have his portion from his Father into his own hands, that he might have his own will.    

CHAP. VI.  
Wherein Application of the foregoing Doctrine is made in several Uses.  
WE have already seen the inclination and lusting desire that is in man to forsake God, and the Reasons of it: I shall now proceed to apply the consideration hereof in the following Uses. And  
This informs us of the sinfulness of man's nature, yea of the exceeding sinfulness of sin in man. For as the School-men say, Sin is a turning from God to the Creature, chiefly to a man's self, and his own Will.  
But the truth is, sin is more than this; it is a despising of God, it makes men speak against God; The people spake against God: 
Num. 21.5.  to turn their spirits against God; to multiply words against God; 
Job 15.13. Job 34.37.  to speak marvelous things against the God of Gods, Dan. 11.36. The Serpents words to the woman at first stick to us still, Ye shall be as Gods— And if God should let men have their own way and wishes, he would soon lose himself in the world: 
Psal. 10.4.  wicked men would turn God out of the world, as well as out of their thoughts. And wherefore? 
2 Cor. 4.4.  man would be God of this world, as well as the Devil. Men are naturally Polytheists, for many Gods. Some make their belly their God, Phil. 3.10. others make silver and gold their God; 
Dan. 5.23.  They praised the Gods of silver and gold; yea to make Devils their Gods, they sacrificed to Devils, Deut. 32.17. to make their own Lusts their Gods,— serving divers lusts— Man would have any Gods rather than the true God; 
Tit. 3.  but especially he is inclined to make a God of himself. That ye shall be as Gods, pleased our first Parents well. Man would have the disposing of his Estate in his own hand: he thinks he can do better for himself than God does.  
As Alphonso of Spain said, as story reports, That if he had been of God's Counsel at the Creation, some things should have been better contrived. Ah thinks many a man with himself, and in his heart, If I had but my life, and health, and strength, and whole condition in my own power, then I should be a happy man. Thus is man in the fall, fallen from God to himself, and would be what himself would. When God will have him poor, he would be rich; and when God will have him low, he would be high: If it were in his power, almost nothing should be with him as it is, or as it is in the world.  
Most men would be Rulers in the world; 
2 Sam. 15.  O that I were made Judge in the land, saith Absolom. Peter would live upon Mount Tabor, 
Luke. 9.33.  Master it is good for us to be here, let us make three Tabernacles— How many have dispatched Princes and Popes out of the world, that their selves might be in their places? Those that are called Fifth-Monarchy men had need take heed of this Leaven; two of Christ's own Disciples aspired to sit one at Christ's right hand, 
Matth. 20. Luke 22.24.  and the other on his left in his Kingdom; and all of them sought for the pre-eminence, and that in a Kingdom in this world, Acts 2.6. Some men would judge the World and Angels before the 
1 Cor. 6.  time. Oh how eager is our nature to be freed from God's will, and left to our own? then things should not only be altered in the World, but in the Word of God; the holy Scriptures themselves should come under an Index Expurgatorius, we see it at Rome; much of the Commandments, threatenings, and Decrees of God should be blotted out: Men would be without the Word of God, or above it, as the Pope and Church of Rome presume to be. Our Saviour  told the Pharisees and Scribes, That for the Commandments of God they had obtruded the Traditions of men, 
Mark 7.8, 13.  and that they made the word of God of none effect by their Traditions. Yea, 
Dan. 11.  there are more than Antiochus Epiphaues,, that would do what they will, and exalt themselves, and magnify themselves above every God. O how are men beholding to God for his restraining grace? It's a mercy to men, that they are not what they would be, and that he keeps many of their unruly inclinations dormant.  
This informs us of the power and excellency of Gospel grace, that hath begun to destroy this vileness of our corrupt nature, and will in time swallow it up into victory: Grace at length will be the destruction of this evil humour of leaving God, and cleaving to ourselves; the Conquest will be gradual, as Joshua's was over the Natives of Canaan.  
Believers would keep their station under God, they are much outed of themselves, 
Rom. 7.18.  and out of conceit with themselves; In me( that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. God is their all, and they are all for God: God is their hope, 
Psal. 39.  and God is the strength of their hearts, and their portion for ever; 
Psal. 73.26.  the desire of their soul is to him, Isa. 26.8.  
They hid not themselves from God, as Adam did, nor can they bear God's hiding himself from them; 
Psal. 16. Psal. 41.12.  they set the Lord always before them, as the Lord sets them alway before his face. They go not out of God's presence, 
Exod. 33.  as Cain did, but as earnestly desire it, 
Psal. 73.  as Moses did. They get and keep as near God as they can; It is good for me to draw near to God.  
Grace makes a man desirous to be in subjection to the Father of Spirits; to be at his disposing; to begin to speak like Jesus Christ; yet not my will, but thine be done: Grace hath always brought men to this spirit and temper, good is the word of the Lord, Isa. 
1 Sam. 3.18.  39. ult. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. 
2 Sam. 15.26.  If he say thus, I have no delight in thee; behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him. When God gave Aaron most heavy blows, 
Lev. 10.3.  Aaron held his peace. The Saints can do thus often, and they would always do thus; they pray, and strive to do so, and grieve when they cannot: They have indeed, they have great wrestlings with temptations to the contrary, yet their conflicts end in conquests.  
The Viper may stick a while on Paul's hand, 
Acts 28.  but he shakes it off again, and without any hurt. There is a great difference between a Saints temptations and his resolutions. The holy Psalmist was tempted to leave God and godliness; 
Psal. 73.13, 14, 15, 22, 28.  Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain;— here was his temptation, but what was his resolution? to the contrary; he abhorred the temptation, and himself too, where he indulged it in the least. If I say I will speak thus, behold I should offend against the generation of thy Children: so foolish was I, and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee; but it is good for me to draw near to God. And here is the power and excellency of the grace of God in men; it would have men at God's disposing, and not their own.  
This may exhort us to quicken this principle of grace into operation; else sin that dwelleth in us, 
judge. 16.  will make us weak as other men, as samson was, when he had lost his Nazrarites locks. If we take not heed, and great heed, there is a wisdom of the flesh that will beguile us, as the Serpent did Eve. Our lusts are deceitful lusts, Eph. 5.22. they are not dead, though they be dying; they are dead as to their dominion in all the Saints, but as to operation, in none; if we watch not, one or other of them will steal away our hearts from God, 
2 Sam. 15.  as Absolom did many of the peoples from David. 
Ezek. 14.3, 4, 5●  O take heed ye set not up any Idol in your hearts; we are inclined to it by nature, and these will estrange us from God.  
And let us take heed what we ask of God: this Prodigal Son would needs have his Portion out of his Fathers hand into his own: Yea, St. James and John asked unfitting things of Jesus, to sit one on his right hand, 
Mark 10.37.  and the other on his left in his Kingdom. And again, they asked of him power, 
Luke 9.54.  as Elias had, to command fire from Heaven upon the Village that slighted Jesus Christ; 
v. 55,  an evil spirit that Jesus rebuked in them, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. And in the same Chapter, Peter asked of Christ that he might dwell with him, and Moses, and Elias, in the Mount where he was transfigured. And all his Disciples had an itch to have ruled with him in the Kingdom of Israel, 
1 Pet. ●.  when he was risen from the dead.  
O my Brethren, it is good that God deny us what we sometimes ask; we ask things for our own turns, without reference to his. 
1 Kings 3.  Did we ask, as Solomon did, Wisdom, for God's sake more than his own, we should not be denied.  
The Lord knows what it is to give much into our hands, since he trusted Adam with his whole Portion in his; yet this is in our nature to seek, as we see in this Son, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. But the Lord knoweth that we cannot manage, or bear so much as we would have, as our Saviour said to his Disciples, 
John 16.12.  I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now; and therefore he hath taken another course with us, to take us off of self, and from standing on our own bottoms. He hath put all our Portion into other hands, into better and safer hands than our own, even into Christ's; 
Col. 1.19. John 3.35.  It pleased the Father, that all fullness should dwell in him; and the Father hath given all things into the Sons hands. So that now we must have all from Christ, and not all at once, but according to the measure of the gift of Christ, 
Eph. 4.7.  and as we are able to bear and use it.  
We must have all spiritual life from Christ, he is our life; 
Col. 3.4.  and we must have all our righteousness from Christ, 
Jer. 23.6.  inherent and imputed, he is the Lord our righteousness; and we must have all our spiritual strength from Christ, 
Phil. 4.13.  I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me.  
And we must have our temporals from Christ as well as spirituals; 
Matth. 28.  All power in heaven and earth is given unto him: we can have nothing from God, but through the hands of Christ; 
2 Cor. 4.6.  The light of the knowledge of the glory of God must shine into our hearts through the face of Jesus Christ. 
John 1.16.  It's from his fullness that we all have received, 
Eph. 1.6. and 3.12.  and grace for grace. Our access to God, and acceptance with him, is by him. The holy Scriptures dwell much on this point: God is resolved to take his Children off from self-depending and self-disposing, and thereby from self-ascribing: Not unto us, 
Psal. 11.1.  O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give glory: 
1 Chro. 29.14.  Of thine own have we given thee, saith David of his and his people's free-will Offerings.  
God will give all, and have all again; as the Sea feeds the Rivers, and the Rivers return again into the Sea. Lord, 
Eccles. 2. Isa. 26.12. 2 Phil. 1.3.  thou hast wrought all our works in us. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And truly it is needful that we be kept off from self-weening, and that we be kept low. What we have in Grace and Comfort, that we have it by little and little, as Israel had the possession of Canaan. A little at a time is fittest for us, as the Mother does by her little Children.  
God gives Grace to his own people with abatements as to their desires; and when he gives them any great things, useth to do it with repercussives, to draw back the humour of Pride they are in danger of. When he gave St. Paul abundance of revelations, 
2 Cor. 12.7.  he forthwith gave him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure. And therefore when God at any time shows you great things, expect a thorn in the flesh to hid Pride from you.  
God leaves his people sometimes to themselves to let them know of what ill consequence it is to be of themselves; 
2 Chron. 32.  so he did by good Hezekiah, who found the ill effect in the case. Oh let us be afraid to be left to ourselves, to our own will, or wisdom, or strength, or desires, especially to our own lusts.  
It was to Israel sorrow, that God gave them their requests; 
Psal. 106.15. Psal. 81.12.  and when he gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and to walk in their own counsels. If we should be at our own dispose, and have our own will of God, as this younger Son had of his Father, it would be our ruin; and what was said to Israel would be said to us, 
Mos. 13.9.  O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.  
Many Children, if they be let alone, will eat Coals and day, yea, and Ratsbane for Sugar; and so foolish and ignorant are God's own Children sometimes, 
Psal. 73.22.  in a time of temptation, as Asaph confessed of himself; 
Prov. 30.2.  and good Agur, Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.  
I cannot but take up a Lamentation for poor man, that he is such an altered Creature from his original. God made man a companion for himself, as he did the woman for the man; though he needed not man's society as Adam did Eves: Therefore he made man in his own Image, 
Gen. 1.26. 1 Cor. 11.7.  and after his own likeness, as he did the womans to the man's.  
But man hath lost his likeness and his love to God together: Man naturally cares not for God's company; he hides himself from God, or would if he could, as Adam did; and goes out of the presence of God, 
Jonah 1.3.  as Cain.  
Such a man as Jonah went out of the presence of the Lord. It is natural to man to go a whoring from God as Israel did; I have loved strangers, 
Hos. 4.12. Jer. 2.25, 31.  and after them will I go; and we will come no more unto thee.  
Man is not satisfied with one God, but makes many Gods to himself, and himself the chiefest; According to the number of thy Cities are thy Gods, 
v. 28.  O Judah. And so may it be said to every natural man, according to the number of thy Lusts so are thy Gods: An adulterous man is not satisfied with one woman, nor the adulterous woman with one man; so is not a natural heart satisfied with one God. O what a strange Creature is man since the fall.! Truly the Daughters of Israel did not more solemnly lament the Daughter of Jephta, than we should our natural disposition to cast off God, and to be as Gods ourselves; the whole Creation groans under this grievous Distemper of ours, and how little sense have we of it ourselves? This is for a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.  
Lastly, Let us all make observation of our own spirits in this point: There is a difference in the spirits of the godly themselves in the case. Some are more carnal, and walk as men, as it was with some of the Corinthians; others are more spiritual, 
1 Cor. 3.  and walk as Saints indeed. 
Rom. 1.28. Psal. 10.4.  Natural men like not to retain God in their knowledge, nor in their thoughts: They are weary of his presence, Job 21.14. and weary of his service; 
Mal. 1.13.  what a weariness is it? weary of those that are like to God, as the Sodomites were of Lot. 
Matth. 8.34.  The Gergesenes wished Jesus himself to depart out of their Coasts.  
But there is another spirit in the truly godly, their desire is to set the Lord always before them. 
Psal. 16.8. Psal. 42.1. Lam. 3.24. Psal. 27.7.  To live with him, to live upon him. They would not be at liberty from God's Commands, nor from his Government, nor from his Disposing. They are afraid to be left to themselves.  
Now observe your own spirits how like you are to these, and how unlike the other: If you have Grace, the tendency of your Soul is towards God, 
Isa. 26.9.  and not from him. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. The corruption of nature cries, Divide the heart between God and thy Lusts, and between God and other things, as that Harlot cried, 
2 Kings 3. Psal. 119.10.  Divide the Child: But Grace votes for God to have the whole heart; with my whole heart have I sought thee.  
When therefore any hard thoughts arise in thee of God, look upon the Flesh, and that unclean Spirit the Devil, 
Job 2.  to join in the evil motion. Satan would persuade others besides Job to curse God; he will insinuate and suggest to you after the manner of Absolom to Hushai, 
2 Sam. 16.17.  Is this thy kindness to thy friend? So will Satan seek to make thy heart secretly to reproach God when thou art under hard dispensations of Providence by himself, or by harsh and cruel men; Is this God's kindness to his friends, to let them be so harshly dealt with?  
I, but lay things together, and wisely consider of God's doings, 
Psal. 64.9. Psal. 73.1.  as the Psalmist said, and then you will say, Yet God is good to every one that is of a clean heart. O take heed of making any ill reflections on God, either on his Word, or Works, or Decrees, or Attributes; this is the way to be tempted to leave God, and stand upon your own bottoms, as this Prodigal did; Give me my portion of Goods, and I'll be gone. I, but what follows? This leads to the second Particular, Point or Doctrine,  
That mens leaving and casting off God's Government to live of themselves, and to be at their own dispose, is the cause of very much sin and sorrow in their lives. Of which in the following Chapter.   

CHAP. VII.  
Wherein follows the Second general Doctrine resulting from the First Part of the Parable: showing both the sinful and miserable consequences of mens forsaking of God. The gross mistake of most men herein; and the Means to be used for prevention.  
I Have finished the first general Doctrine from the first part of the Parable, viz. That every man by nature hath a lusting desire to leave God, to stand upon his own legs, and to be at his own disposal. Let us now see the sad effects hereof in the second general Doctrine, viz. That mens leaving and casting off God's Government, to live of themselves, and to be at their own dispose, is the cause of very much sin and sorrow in their lives.  
This was the younger Son's case in this Parable, he leaves his Father, and is lead by his own Lusts, and at last comes to great penury and drudgery; he kept Swine, and eat with them too; he fed them, and fed of the same meat with them, and at length could not get that; he would gladly have filled his belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat, but could not get them.  
It's to be observed, that his first step to happiness was his thoughts of returning to his Fathers house; and his first step to misery was his leaving his Father. And thus it is with every man that waves the will of God, as to his Rule, and follows his own. It is his undoing, he now becomes a man of sin and sorrow, as to leave father and mother, &c. for God, is the way to be a blessed man or woman; as it was said of Levi, who said to his Father and to his Mother, 
Deut. 33.9, 11.  I have not seen him— And what followeth? Bless Lord his substance, and accept the work of his hands, and strike through the loins of them that rise against him. So to leave God, and follow ourselves or men, it is the high way to sin and sorrow.  
If they forsake me, I will forsake them, 
Deut. 32.16, 17.  and many evils and troubles shall befall them. When those Jews in the 42. and 43. of Jeremiah rejected the Word of the Lord for their stay in their own Country, and would go down into Egypt, they there perished miserable.  
And when Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord, he met with a rough Sea, 
Jonah 2.2.  and was cast into it, and swallowed into the belly of hell. And what a deluge of sin and sorrow did Adam bring upon the World by casting off the will of God, 
Rom. 1.12. and 8.22.  and following his own? God said eat not; he would eat: this brought him and all the World under sin and misery, and the whole Creation into a groaning state.  
Quest. But doth any man cast off God?  
Answ. Though men do not so in formal expressions, 
Tit. 2.16.  yet really, and indeed many do. In words they profess they know God, but in works they deny him. Men may cast off God when they know not that they do so, 
Gen. 19.  as it is said of Lot, That he perceived not when his daughters lay down, nor when they arose. We know how strange the Jews made of it when the Lord charged them particularly and exprefly, 
Mal. 1.6. and 2.17.  O ye Priests that despise my Name: But they reply, Wherein have we despised thy Name? Ye have wearied the Lord: Wherein have we wearied him? Ye have robbed me: And they reply, Wherein have we robbed thee? Return unto me: but they say, wherein should we return? Your words have been stout against me, 
Mal. 3.7, 8, 13.  saith the Lord; yet you say, Wherein have we spoken so much against thee? So plain is it that men may cast off God, and not perceive it.  
Quest. But when do we cast off God?  
Answ. When we make to ourselves false Rules to walk by, or false Refuges to rely upon, now we cast off God: when we set the Creature in God's stead, and let our own wills take place of him, now we cast off God.  
When Ephraim saw his sickness, 
Hos. 5.13.  and Judah his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and not to God: 
Jer. 44.16.  And Judah refused the word of the Lord, and did after their own wills. And this is common with men to make the Creature their refuge, and their own wills their rule, and now they cast off God.  
Yea, in any sin that a man doth knowingly and deliberately, he casts off God: Thus did Saul when he spared Agag, &c. contrary to his express Commission, Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord: 
1 Sam. 15.  And when a man rejects his Word, he rejects the Lord himself. He that heareth you, heareth me, 
Luke 10.16.  and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. I say, where a man doth any thing he knoweth to be sin, or neglects to do any known duty, when he doth thus deliberately, and not through the transport of a temptation, he rejects the Lord, and gives him reason to reject him: 
Num. 3.3.  But God keeps his Covenant when we break it; our unfaithfulness makes not the faith or fidelity of God of none effect: His mercy endureth for ever: He taketh not the many advantages we give; 
Psal. 103.10.  He hath not dealt with us after our sins, saith David by experience. O how often do we cast off God, and yet he will be our God still! He keeps his Covenant when we break it; therefore is that Promise, I will heal their backslidings; 
Hos. 14.4.  I will love them freely.  
It is an accursed disposition in every man by nature to cast off God, and to do our own will; and he that knows not this by himself, knows not his own heart enough, but is a stranger there: Every heart by nature is poisoned with this, though it may be unseen to us, as Laban's Gods were to Jacob, though in his House.  
And the Reason why men thus cast of God, is the prejudice they have at his ordering their conditions; men usually like not God's way he taketh with them. When he brought Israel into the Wilderness, then they had rather have been in Egypt; we are too apt to be displeased at God's disposing of us, 
Gen. 48.17.  as Joseph was at the manner of his Father's blessing his two Sons; and the Reason is because we pass a judgement on God's disposals by sight, 
2 Cor. 5.7.  and not by faith: Now sight is a false Medium to take a view of Providence by, which is much more the object of faith, as the Creation is; By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. A Staff that is streight when looked on through the air, seems crooked if looked on in the water.  
But I come to speak to the two Branches of the Doctrine, That to cast off God, and follow self, leads men into abundance of sin and sorrow. Into abundance of sin: It's a notorious inlet to sin; it pulls up the sluices and floodgates of wickedness, and brings in a deluge of sin and ungodliness.  
For 1. it's certain that the knowledge of God, and acquaintance with him, is the only sufficient bar against sin. Joseph's acquaintance with God was his preservation against the importunate temptation of his Mistress; 
Gen. 39.9.  How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? The servants of former Governours bare rule over the people, that is, used their pleasure on them, but so did not I, saith Nehemiah, 
Neh. 5.15.  because of the fear of God. To have God much and aright in our thoughts, is a forcible Caveat against all sin: As it is a powerful bar, so it is an universal bar against sin; it keeps from all sorts of sin, because all sin is against God. When a man so knows God, as to reverence him in his thoughts, and to close with his will, this is both a powerful and universal bar to sin.  
A man's reason and parts, and his natural Conscience, may be a fence against some sins, but not all; there are sins that any of these Hedges will let in: Nothing is a sufficient fence against all sin, 
Psal. 4.4.  but a holy awe of God; Stand in awe, and sin not. The Devil cannot easily tempt to sin where the Word of God is hide in the heart; thus saith S. 
Psal. 119.11.  John to those young men 1 John 2.14. I writ unto you young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.  
They shall all know me, and I will cause them to walk in my statutes, are links in the Covenant of Grace; and therefore those that live in any known sin, may conclude they know not God with a New Covenant knowledge.  
And again, as a man's reason and parts, or natural Conscience may be curbs from some sins, so may shane from others, but these are only outside sins; for shane is no bar against sins within doors. Lusts may swarm there; there may be iniquity and hypocrisy to the full within, notwithstanding the thing we call shane.  
There are no bounds against sins within doors, but an holy awe of God, and his holy Word; a setting these always before us, as David did. 
Psal. 16.8. Psal. 10.4.  But when men put God from their thoughts and minds, as those Professors of wisdom among the Gentiles did, of whom the Apostle speaks in Rom. 1.22, 28. As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient— I say, when men cast God out from their minds, then they sin with the greatest freedom: Our lips are our own, 
Psal. 12.4.  who is Lord over us? There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imaginations of his evil heart. 
Jer. 18.12.  This is the first demonstration of men's leaving God to be the inlet to sin, because there is no powerful and universal bar to sin, but a reverend, hearty, and experimental knowledge of, and acquaintance with God.  
2. Because such as leave God are left of God to their own lusts: 
Psal. 81.11, 12.  My people would not harken to my voice, and Israel would none of me: so I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts. When men cast off the true God, he casts them under the power of a lying Spirit, 
1 Kings 22.  as he did Ahab's Prophets: The fool hath said in his heart there is no God. Observe what follows, 
Psal. 14.2.  They are corrupt, they have done abominable works. Thus for the Reasons of the first Branch.  
The Reasons of the second Branch of the Doctrine, That mens leaving God lets in upon them abundance of sorrow. When Cain went out of the presence of God, 
Jer. 20. Gen. 4.14.  he was a man of fears, and a terror to himself, as Pashur was; I shall be a fugitive, and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. The reason of this is,  
1. Because God will fill a man with his own ways, Prov. 1.30. They would none of my counsel, therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. The Prodigal had enough of his far country, and the Children of Israel of the Flesh they lusted after: He that soweth to the flesh, 
Gal. 6.8. Hos. 8.7.  shall of the flesh reap corruption: They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. That is a plain Text in the case in the Prophet Isaiah; 
Isa. 50.11.  Behold all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled: this shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lye down in sorrow.  
2. In this case God observes the Law of Retaliation; Eye for eye, 
Exod. 21.24.  tooth for tooth— Where men cast off God, he will cast off them; here is the Law of Retaliation. Thus said David on his Deathbed to his Son Solomon, If thou forsake him, 
1 Chron. 28.9.  he will cast thee off for ever. With the froward thou wilt show thyself froward, Psal. 18.26. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, Jer. 2.16. And what says Jonah by dear experience? 
Jonah 2.8.  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercies. Jonah thought to have found safety in going from the presence of the Lord, but this involved him in such dangers as he never knew before; he fell into the belly of hell. This was also the case of Saul when he rejected the Lord, in rejecting his word; 
1 Sam. 15.23. and 16.14.  The Lord rejected him from being King; yea, the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an Evil Spirit from the Lord terrified him. Yea, when Solomon sought happiness out of God, all his findings were vanity and vexation of spirit. Whenever we forsake the fountain of living water, we hue out Cisterns, broken Cisterns, that can hold no water, Jer. 2.13.  

Application.  
1. This shows us the gross and grievous mistake, I would I might not say of most men, to call that their happiness which is indeed their misery, that is to be loose from God and his Word, and to be tied to their own wills, and lead by their own lusts. O how many think it a fine World when they can say, Our lips are our own, 
Psal. 12.  who is Lord over us? Men think this a mercy, but the Lord deliver me from such mercy, said St. Bernard. That which men think their mercy, is their misery.  
It is better for us that God hedge up our way with thorns, i.e. e. with difficulties and distresses, than let us take our own way, and run wild, as we are by nature; 
Jer. 2.24.  for man is a wild Ass, used to the Wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure. If God did not hedge up mens way, they would be mostly upon the Devil's Commons: Forsake God, 
2 Tim. 2.26.  and the God of this World hath you in his paws, and at his will.  
Whilst a man is far from God, 
Psal. 119.115.  Salvation is far from him; yea, the further any man's thoughts and desires, and cares are from God, the nearer Satan is to that man to enter into him, as he did into Judas. For if Satan will get to a man's right hand when he stands before the Lord, 
Zach. 3.2.  as he did to Joshua the Jews High Priest, he will get into his heart when he is out of God's presence.  
We red in Job 1.6. 
Job 1.6.  how Satan got among the holy Angels when they presented themselves before the Lord;( not that Satan comes into Heaven; for God and his holy Angels may be there where Satan may also be; in the air, or upon the earth: It is a similitude from earthly Kings; 
1 Kings 22. ) how much more may Satan join himself to men that are at a distance from God? 
Psal. 10.4.  when their thoughts and minds are remote from God, than Satan is nigh them to influence them, and to be a lying Spirit to them, 
1 Kings 22.22.  and in them, as he was in Ahab's Prophets; he shows them happiness and pleasure in doing their own wills and lusts, which proves but a cheat, like jugglers tricks.  
That day wherein a man is a stranger to God, is a day of Errors, and a day of Terrors in the conception, if not in the birth: It's thought a fine thing for every man to do that which is right in his own eyes. If men might do what they would, 
Judges 17.6.  and have what they list, without check from God's Word and their own Conscience, O this would be a brave World with many men! but alas, this will be to them as abundance of flesh was to Israel, 
Psal. 116.15.  leanness to their Souls; 
Num. 11.33.  this sweet meat would be sauced with the wrath of God, as the Quails were; and the sweetness of their own lusts would be to them as abhorring as Tamar was to Amnon; 
2 Sam. 13.15.  and as meat on which a man surfeits.  
So that it's a thousand times better to have our judgments, reason, wills, and affections under God's command and power then our own: It's infinitely better to abide with God, than to be loose from him in any of our faculties or ways. God never did any man hurt that set his heart upon him; but all other things do; yea, they undo us when we set our hearts upon them; 
Isa. 55.2.  we now spend our money for that which is not bread; and our labour for that which sufficeth not.  
O then, if ever you will do yourselves good, acquaint yourselves much with God. 
Job 22.21.  A man acquainted with God, need not say as many do, Who will show us any good? 
Psal. 4.6. Exod. 33.19.  For God saith to him what he did to Moses, I will make all my goodness pass before thee. Remember Samuel's words to Israel, 1 Sam. 12.21. Turn ye not aside from the Lord, for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit, for they are vain.  
All your projects and contrivances for content out of God's way, 
Hos. 9.14.  will be but as miscarrying wombs, and dry breasts. You may sometimes conceit that God deals hardly with you, 
Psal. 73.12, 13.  worse then with wicked men, as Asaph under a temptation did, and as Job did, Job 10.3. but these good men eat their words, and recalled their error; So foolish was I, and ignorant, 
Job 42.3.  said the one; I have uttered that which I understood not, says the other. Doubtless God's worst is better than the World's best, or Satan's best, or the Flesh's best. God's worst will turn itself into good, 
Exod. 3.3, 4.  as the Serpent, Moses was afraid of, presently turned into a Rod in his hand.  
But the Devil's best turns to the greatest evil; Adam and Eve found it so: 
Gen. 3.  He pleased them when he  told them they should be as Gods, but they presently saw they were naked. And so the World's best, 
Eccles. 1, & 2.  when the heart is set upon the World, turns into vanity and vexation of spirit; so Solomon found it. And the best of self proves as bad. When Jonah would wave God's Call, and follow his own humour, he learnt by sad experience, and dear bought, that they that observe lying vanities, 
Jonah 2.8.  forsake their own mercies: He went from the presence of God to save himself, but he lost himself first in the Sea, and then in the belly of Hell.  
If to depart from God and his Government, to be at our own dispose, be the inlet to sin and misery, then take heed of such sins as cause your departing from God. And what sins are these?  
First, Ignorance of God, of his worth and excellency; ignorance of his all-sufficiency, when men profess an unknown God, as St. Paul saw in Athens an Altar to the unknown God: 
Acts 7.13. Ignoti nulla. cupido.  Now their spirits sit loose from God; they have no great affections for him, nor do they much stand in awe of him, but sin with liberty and liking; 
Jer. 9.3.  They proceed from evil to evil; for they know not me, saith the Lord.  
Mens ignorance of God's Attributes, and Word, and Works becomes sin to them, 
2 Kings 12.13.  as Jeroboam's Calves at Dan and Bethel did to Israel. And Ignorance of God becomes mens misery too, as is said of the people whom the King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria, that because they knew not the manner of the God of the Land, 
2 Kings 17.26.  therefore he sent Lions among them, and they slay them; because they knew not the manner of the God of the Land.  
2. Unbelief is a sin that makes men to depart from God. 
Hebr. 3.12.  Take heed Brethren, lest there be in any of you an heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. 
〈◇〉 & 〈◇〉 sunt cognata.  Unbelief is the ground of mens drawing back from God. Israels unbelief in the Wilderness made them change their God into a golden Calve; their unbelief caused a double casting off; they cast off God, and God casts off them; and the Land of Canaan would not receive them, So then they could not enter in because of unbelief. 
Heb. 3.19.  As Faith is the grace of union between God and Men, so Unbelief is the sin of separation.  
3. Spiritual Pride makes us leave God, and God us. 
Psal. 10.4. Psal. 138.6.  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God; God is not in all his thoughts: and so God beholds the proud afar off. God keeps at a distance from a proud heart; 
Psa. 57.15.  his abode is with the humble spirit, but the proud man dwells by himself: Self-depending, and self-seeking, and self-ascribing, are the Idols of a proud heart, and keep God out of that his Chair of State.  
O take heed then of the poison that corrupt nature extracts from good parts, from moral virtues, and from great privileges; these are very good and desirable in themselves, but through man's corrupt nature, there is a poison that follows them; as the Bee has a sting as well as honey: And this poison is our aptness to settle on our own bottoms, and to think of ourselves above what is meet, as Simon Magus gave out that himself was some great one. 
Ac● 2.9.   
St. 
2 Cor. 12.  Paul himself was in this danger, to be exalted through the abundance of revelations. They drive the heat inward, they draw a man's eye too much on himself, and so keep him at a distance from God, 
Judges 8.27.  which becomes a Snare to him, as Gideon's Ephod did to him, and to his House.  
As a man's Castle or Fort, well furnished with Ammunition and Provision, is a good defence against an Enemy; but if he keep it against his Prince, it may prove his ruin: Thus a mans parts and gifts and privileges, may render him useful many ways; but if once they draw his eye off from God to self, to self-esteem and self-applause, he'l depend little on God, and ascribe little to him; and so they are his undoing.  
It was self-righteousness that kept the Jews off from Christ, and the Scribes and Pharisees from sense of their sinfulness, and sorrow for it. Parts and moral virtues, and a fair outward Carriage do often prove as great an impediment to the receiving of Christ, and the free Grace of God, as gross sins, and sometimes greater. A man that is full of self has no room for God; as a Glass that is full of clear water will hinder the pouring Wine into it, as much as a Glass full of Water that is muddy.  
Lastly, If you would not leave God, and his Government, and disposal of you, get his New-Covenant-fear into your heart, and keep it there. I will put my fear into their hearts, 
Jer. 32.40.  that they shall not depart from me. This, I say this fear of God in the heart of man will link man to God faster than Ruth to Naomi, or Jonathan to David.  
Quest. But what is this New-Covenant-fear of God in a man's heart?  
Answ. It is such a reverend and high esteem of God, through inward acquaintance with him, and his Laws in our minds and hearts, as makes us, we will leave any thing rather than God: 
Gen. 12:  as Abrahams fear of God, such fear as is here spoken of, made him leave his native country and Kindred to follow God. O feel this fear of God in your hearts, and it will be impossible to part you and God: Be his present dispensations towards you never so sharp, you'l cling to him, as the Child does to the Mother when she chides it; 
Job 13.15.  Though he slay me, yet wil● I trust in him.  
And let your outward condition be never so low, yea, 
Cant. 7.10.  and your parts never so mean, that men see no form or comeliness in you, why they should desire you: yet Christ's desire will be towards you; and God's Soul is knit to yours so, 
Heb. 13.5.  that he will never never leave you nor forsake you. Be but poor within as well as without, and God will have your Company to choose; 
Isa. 66.2.  To this man will I look that is poor, and of a contrite spirit. 
Isa. 57.15.  I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. And so much for the second general Doctrine taught us in this first part of the Parable.    

CHAP. VIII.  
Wherein is shewed, That God gives to every man a Portion to be improved: together with the Reasons for his so doing, from that particular Clause of the 12th. Verse,  
And he divided his Living unto them.  
HAVING done with the two general Doctrines from this first part of the Parable, I shall now proceed to those which result from the several Clauses thereof; beginning with that in the end of the 12th. Verse, wherein the Father of these two Sons acts his first part, viz.  And he divided unto them his living. 
The Greek word 〈◇〉 signifies life; it is translated so in 1 Tim. 2.2. 
〈◇〉. — that we may led a quiet and peaceable life— Sometimes the word signifieth livelihood, or living or estate, Luke 8.43— which had spent all her living upon Physicians, or all her livelihood or estate: 
〈◇〉.  So that this Father divided his estate or goods to them; he gave them their portions. Now the Doctrine from the words is this:  
That God gives men, even natural and sinful men, a portion, and leaves them to improve it.  
The Father gave his younger Son a portion, and left him to husband it. The wicked and slothful servant had a Talent put into his hands by his Lord: 
Matth. 25.15. Eph. 4.  Christ giveth gifts to men to improve, even to the rebellious, Psal. 68.18.  
The Heathen have their Talents: First, They have the light of Nature within them; they have a natural Divinity, whereby they know God, and much good and evil: 
〈◇〉, Common parts. Rom. 2.14, 15. — having not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law: They have excusing and accusing Consciences.  
And Secondly, they have the light of the Creature without them, by which they may feel after God, Acts 17.27.— that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him. As we know the presence of the Soul in the Body by feeling the Pulse, so may, and so have the Heathens perceived God by their inspection into the Creation: 
Rom. 1.20.  So saith the Apostle, The invisible things of him( i.e. of God) from the Creation of the World are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. But now to Christians, who live in the Climate of the Gospel, God gives another greater light than those of Nature and the Creature, scil. the light of the holy Scriptures, and the offers of Christ and Salvation by him; the convictions also, and motions of the Spirit: The Spirit of God strives with men long, 
Gen. 6.  though not always. Besides, the Scripture holds forth to Christians the example of Christ, and of former Saints.  
And the Spirit also works in many men gifts and common grace, in some more, in some less. Judas had gifts as well as the rest of the Disciples; so had those that prophesied in Christ's Name, 
Matth. 7.22.  and in his Name cast out Devils—. 
Prov. 7.16.  Every man hath a price put into his hand, even the fool. God gives the worst of men among us a Portion to improve, and leaves them to husband their Talents.  
And first, men themselves would have it so, as we see in this younger Son: Men love to have it so, 
Jer. 5.31.  as the Lord said of the Jews: Natural men think they can shift sufficiently for themselves; they are full of self-projects, and self-confidence withal: I will pull down my barns and build bigger; 
Luke 12.16.  and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease— Such self-confident Creatures were those Is. 56.12. To morrow shall be as this day, and more abundant. 
Eph. 2.12.  Many men can live in the World without God; this is their conceit.  
Yea, better men than these mentioned have been prove to self-conceit, and self-confidence; not only Peter, but James and John: 
Matth. 20.22.  They asked Jesus to sit one at his right hand, and the other at his left— Jesus asked them, Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of? They say unto him, we are able. But alas, as they knew not what they asked, so they knew not what they answered; for when Jesus Christ was to drink the Cup, these two Disciples left him as well as the rest.  
We may see self-conceit in the very Nature of man, if we observe Children when they first find their feet, they fancy they can go of themselves, and venture, though they get falls.  
2. As men love to have it so, scil. that God should give them their Portions, and leave them to themselves to husband it; so God will have it so, and that for divers Reasons.  
1. To justify himself when he judgeth and condemneth men. God gives every man more than he useth well: We need not go to God's decree of Reprobation to justify his damning men; we do not find that God will judge man by his decrees; he will not say, Thou art damned, because I reprobated thee, but because thou hast not lived up to thy light, nor improved thy talent, thy knowledge, thy conscience, thy opportunities, and many helps.  
God reaps not where he sows not, 
Matth. 25.24.  as foolish man is apt to charge him. Men will be damned for misusing their Portion God hath given them: the light, the means, the mercies, the afflictions, the Ordinances, and the examples God hath given and set before them to improve.  
God will not need to condemn the Heathen for not believing in Christ, negative unbelief; i.e. e. unbelief for want of means damns not; but they will be damned for misusing the light of Nature, and the light of the Creature, that would have taught them more of God and themselves than they would learn: 
Rom. 1.20, 21.  They are without excuse, saith the Apostle, because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations.  
Indeed evil and slothful Christians will be damned for not coming home to Christ, and for not walking up to the Profession of Christ they have made, because they walk not in those Duties of Holiness the Gospel discovers to them: These men will be speechless at the Sentence of Damnation which the Lord Jesus will pass on them, as he was in Matthew 22.12. Their own Consciences cannot but concur with Sentence of judgement; 
Qui tacet, consentire videtur.  they will be speechless; they will be 〈◇〉, Tit. 3.11. self-judged and self-condemned. They will not chat at God then, as they often do now. 
Rom. 9.19, 20.  Who hath resisted his will? Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God, or answerest against, or chattest with God?  
2. God doth give all men, the worst of men, their Portion, or Talents to improve, to glorify his free Grace, and that two ways:  
1. In entertaining such as have abused their Stock put into their hands, as the Father did by his Prodigal Son, and as the householder did by those that came into his work but at the eleventh hour. Sins against light and goodness, when pardonned, are great illustrations of free Grace: That woman loved much when much was forgiven her. 
Luke 7.  O when a Saul obtains mercy, after he hath been a blasphemer and a persecutor, after he hath turned the edge of all his learning, parts, gifts, and interest against the Name of Jesus Christ, and so far vitiated and debauched his Conscience, as to do all this under pretence of Conscience; as he himself said, 
Acts 26.9.  I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth.  
I say, for such a man, after such base abuse of his Talents, to be received to Grace and Mercy, But I obtained mercy, 
1 Tim. 1.  this must needs exalt the free Grace of God in the hearts of such as have so abused his Grace: For God might have said to such a man as to the wicked and slothful Servant, Cast ye him into outer darkness: 
Matth. 25.30.  There is desert enough for it, but free Grace over-rules the Case.  
2. God does it, that he may glorify his free Grace in a free choice of the objects of his Grace; for all men in themselves are alike indisposed to honour God with their Portion he gives them. As we are all alike by Nature the children of wrath, 
Eph. 2.3. Tit. 3.3.  so we are all by Nature foolish, and disobedient, serving divers lusts. All by Nature refuse and resist Grace. Now God takes whom he pleaseth out of their own hands and power into his, to be under his Discipline: 
Psal. 51.  He made David to know wisdom in the hidden parts; but did not so by Saul,— Thou hast hide these things( saith our Lord Jesus to his Father, 
Matth. 11.75.  and that with thanks) from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 
Matth. 13.11.  And to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not.  
That Question of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 4.7. supposeth this, Who made thee to differ from another? Indeed if the Question be asked a Jesuit or Remonstrant, he will Answer, I myself made me to differ; but it's a proud Answer: For it is plain, the Apostle asked not this Question to puff up man, but to humble him, and to exalt God, as appeareth by the following Question; And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? and then, Why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? It's evident St. Paul's scope was that which is the scope of the Gospel, to exclude boasting: It is likely that Paul directed his Question to those Theologi gloriae, as Luther used to call the vain-glorious and self-ascribing Preachers at Corinth, 
Acts 8.  who would seem to be some great ones, as Simon did in Acts 8.  
In the Creation all was a confused Chaos till the Spirit moved on the face of the Waters, 
Gen. 1.  and then there was a distinction of Creatures: So all men by Nature are a confused mass, all in darkness, and disobedience, and abusers of our Portions, turning our Talents against God who gives them, 
Exod. 32.3, 4.  as the Children of Israel made an Idol of the golden Earrings of the Egyptians which God had given them.  
She did not know, saith the Lord, that I gave her Corn and Wine and oil, 
Hos. 2.8.  and multiplied her Silver and Gold which they prepared for Baal, or wherewith they made Baal. Such abusers are men of their Parts and Portions he gives them, until he changes their hearts, and giveth them another spirit. 
Philemon 11. Heins. & Sculto. in loc.  All are like Onesimus before his Conversion, unprofitable Servants, contrary to his Name, which signifieth useful or profitable; but when Onesimus was Converted, then he answered his Name to purpose; Now profitable to thee and to me, Philem. 11. vers. 
Colos. 4.9.  He became both a faithful Servant and a faithful Brother: So contrary are men in a state of Grace to what they were in their Natural state.  
Quest. But whence is this Change?  
Answ. Not of man himself, but of God: He that made the old Creature makes the new. It is not the spirit of man that produces Regeneration, but the Spirit of God; 
John 3.  Except a man be born again of the Spirit—. All Converts to a state of Grace, are begotten and born of God: He that is begotten of God, 
John 1.3.—  and born of God, are usual expressions with St. John.  
3. God gives men a Portion, and leaves them to husband it, that he may humble them in the sense and proof of their own weakness and impotency, and make them look for help from Grace: God will have men humbled, not only for sin, but also for their impotency to get Grace.  
There must be in men a double self-despair; one in regard of sin and guilt; 
Rom. 3.19.  All the world must become guilty before God: And another in regard of self-impotency to get Grace when they feel they need it. Sense of sin will make a man seek Grace; and sense of impotency will make him seek it of God: Many have the first self-despair, but want the second; for though they are out of hope in regard of their sins, yet not as to their own conceited self-sufficiency to repent and turn to God.  
Here lieth the reason of many mens not repenting and turning from sin to God, their thoughts of their Can when they will. 
Josh. 24.19, 21  Joshua  told the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is an holy God: The people reply, Nay, but we will serve the Lord. Men commonly cheat themselves with self-conceit and confidence in the power of their own wills.  
Alas, God must not only give men power to seek Grace, but power to accept of it when he gives it, and power to use it when they have it. 
Hos. 5.5.  Ephraim had been brisk enough in self-dependence; his pride did testify to his face: 
Jer. 31.18.  yet at length Ephraim crieth out, Turn thou me, O Lord, and I shall be turned. You that have Grace know, that not only the gift of Grace, but the use of Grace also is of God: Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 
Phil. 2.12, 13.  for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  
The Spirit of God must help godly mens infirmities in prayer, Rom. 8.26. teach them what to say when brought before Rulers for Christ his sake, Matth. 10.19, 20. Thou hast wrought all our works for us, Isa. 26.12. If God did not do thus for his own people, 
2 Chro. 32.31.  they would manage a state of of grace but ill. When Hezekiah was left to himself but in one point, he miscarried sadly: And therefore it is not ordinary for God to leave his people to themselves; he did Hezekiah, yet but in one single case, to find him matter of humbling in himself, as he had had matter of glorying in God. And  
We all may see our own insufficiency in him, 
2 Cor. 3.5.  even in common actions; yea, to a good thought, we are like young Writers who must have their Hand and Pen guided, else they make bad Letters. Had not Jesus Christ prayed for Peter's faith, 
Luke 22.32.  it had failed him; and it's thus with every Grace and all Duties: 
John 15.5.  And therefore little Grace acted with great dependence on Christ, will do more than a greater measure of Grace, but less dependence on Christ's assistance.  
St. Paul ascribes not only the dignity of his Apostleship to God, but all his actual service therein; By the grace of God I am what I am. 
1 Cor. 15.10.  I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me: Not to the Grace of God in me, but with me: He refers the honour of the Case, not to inherent, but assisting Grace.  
This is the reason why men receive not Grace, because they trust to their own purposes and endeavours above their allowance: And this is the reason why many, who have received Grace, do not increase and grow in Grace as some others do, because they live not dependingly enough on assisting Grace.   

CHAP. IX.  
In which Application is made of the foregoing Doctrine; in showing how much it concerns every man to improve his Portion from God; and in giving Directions for the doing of it.  
I Have already shewed, That God gives to every man a Portion to be improved; together with the Reasons for his so doing. I now proceed to the Uses we are to make hereof. And  
1. This exhorts us to consider ourselves as Children who must give an account of our Portion to God our Father, and as Servants to our Lord. We have all a Stock to husband; 
Matth. 25.  every one hath one Talent at least; There is a price even in the hand of a fool, Prov. 17.16.  
God gave Adam at first the whole World for his Portion, and his own Image, 
Gen. cap. 1, 2.  besides a special Commandment as his Talent to improve. 
Matth. 28.19.  And since Christ ascended, God hath given the World the offer of Christ as their Portion, besides the things of this life.  
But as Adam abused his Portion, 
Mark 16.16. John 3.16.  and was therefore thrust out of Paradise, and the Earth that was part of his Blessing, was cursed: so the World now abuseth their Talent, especially the offer of Christ; and this will be their condemnation, 
John 3.19.  that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light. And if this judgement pass not on the Heathen, yet they have the light of Nature, with the Book of the Creation, to point them to God, to fear, and love him, and to admire, and adore his power, and wisdom, and goodness: and their miscarriage in these will leave them without excuse. And Christians have another Book besides that of Nature, 
Rom. 1.20, 21.  and that of the Creature, the holy Scriptures, and there Christ offers himself, and grace and glory with him; and if you improve not these Talents well, the Scriptures will judge you: He that rejecteth me, 
John 12.48.  saith Christ, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.  
And men that have grace have more Talents than all others; they have all five Talents in respect of other men, though amongst themselves, one hath five, 
1 John 2.12.  another two, and another one; there are fathers, young men, and children among them.  
My Brethren, there is nothing that any man hath but it is part of his Portion, and he must be accountable for the management of it; his degree, his calling, his time, his strength, his weakness, his comforts, his crosses, his natural parts, his spiritual gifts, his grace, his means of grace, his estate, his privileges, his ways, his words, his thoughts, God takes notice of a man's thoughts, and how he improves them. Thou understandest my thoughts afar off, Psal. 139.2. 
Matth. 3.16.  And a Book of Remembrance was written before the Lord for them that thought upon his Name. 
Psal. 139.3, 4.  And there is not a word in my tongue, but, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether, and art acquainted with all my ways. I say unto you, saith Jesus, 
Matth. 12.36  that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgement: 
Rom. 14.10, 12 2 Cor. 5.10.  And we shall all stand before the judgement Seat of Christ; And every one of us shall give account of himself to God.  
But I cannot name all things Christians must be accountable for; it is certain for all their trust. 
1 Pet. 4.5.  Paul had his trust, 2 Tim. 1.11. and Timothy had his trust, 1 Tim. 6.20. and we have every one of us our trust.  
And by the way, Let the thoughts of this either prevent or prevail over your grudgings at the greater estates, larger parts and privileges which others have above you; they are but Trustees in all; as to men, they are Masters of their own in a manner; but as to God, they are all Stewards and Servants, even the greatest of men, of Lords and Ladies; give an account of thy stewardship. 
Luke 16.2. Num. 12.7. & 14.24. Psal. 116. Jer. 25.9.   
The Lord called Moses his Servant, and Caleb his Servant, and David his Servant, and Nebuchadnezzer his Servant, yea, Jesus Christ, as man, his Servant, Isaiah 42.1. It was the Reply of a great Lady to one that  told her, God had given her much; No, saith she, God hath lent me much to improve, and I must be accountable to him for all I have.  
O let all consider their Portions, and their improvements of them for God: 
Prov. 3.9.  Honour the Lord with thy substance; 
1 Cor. 10.31.  God expects you should eat, and drink, and rest, and work, and do all to his glory. Men must give an account how they have used the light of Nature, and the light of Grace; their honour, their parts, their time, their trades, their relations; they are entrusted with all to improve for God as well as themselves; as the Apostle saith of the gifts of the Spirit. 
1 Cor. 12.7.  But alas, how many spend their stock upon their lusts; The lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, or the pride of life? And of those that do not thus, how many let their gifts lye fallow, and do little or nothing for God with them? Others devote their Estates to their covetous hearts: This is for a Lamentation.  
Yea, where is the Christian that leaves all sin he might, and does all the good he might; that preys so much as he might, and walks by Faith as he might, and denieth himself so much as he might, and hath his conversation in Heaven so much as he might? We all need Christ to make up our Accounts to God, more than Onesimus did Paul to make up his to Philemon.  
Quest. But where lies the power of improvement? Not in us; 
2 Cor. 3.5, 6.  it lies in the hand of God: We are not sufficient of ourselves, as of ourselves to think any thing; 
John 3.35.  all our sufficiency is of God. And the Father hath given this power into the Son's hand; Without me, 
John 15.5.  said Jesus, ye can do nothing.  
Answ. It is true; but there is an open way for us to God by Christ; and an open way to Christ by his own offer; Come unto me— And St. James saith, Ye have not, 
James 4.2.  because ye ask not.  
But now to those that lay this block in their own way, and make this Objection, either they make it of experience and proof, or else of mere cavil. If the former, if you have willed it, and laboured for it, and bemoaned yourselves in the want of it, then you have but one step to it; for if you are come to self-despair, through sense of impotency, now is the time of that Promise, 
Zach. 12.8. Isa. 40.29.  The feeble shall be as David: and that, He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaseth strength. Do but now fix your eye on God, as the lame man did on Peter and John, 
Acts 3.  and he'll bid you rise and walk.  
When Saul went to seek his Father's Asses, and could not find them, he went to a Seer, 
1 Sam. 9.  to a Prophet, and had good speed: Why so when you cannot get grace, or ask grace, or do duty of yourselves, by your own strength, take hold on God, and welcome; Let him take hold on my strength. 
Isa. 27.5.   
But if you make this Objection of Cavil, be it known to you, you mistake yourselves; you'l miss of your excuse you fancy to yourselves. He that had but one Talent had his Cavils; his Master was a hard Master, &c. But did this excuse him? 
Matth. 25.24. &c.  No.  
It is one thing to know your own impotency to get grace, or improve grace, only by hear-say; and another to know it by experience and trial. If you object it, when you know it only by hear-say from the Minister and the Word of God, it is but a Cavil and a sorry Excuse: It is your knowledge of it by trial and proof that will make you look out of yourselves for your strength, and that will bring you in grace, with power to improve it. You should work out your own Salvation with no less pains, than if your own pains should procure it.  
It is true, God gives the success; this is all in his hand, 1 Cor. 3.7. But he gives success to him that labours for it. St. Paul makes not his inference thus; Because God hath all grace, and gives all, I'll do nothing; 
Phil. 2.12, 13.  but therefore do you work, because it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do. You must labour as much, as if to will and to do were in your own power: You must work that God may work.  
Many from their impotency father their sin and their condemnation for it on God; it is in way of Cavil, and not from their bewailed sad experience.  
Nay, the truth is, it is common with natural men to think themselves abler than they are, witness their frequent resolutions in good moods; O what they will do and be! 
Rom. 1.21.  As those Heathens professed themselves to be wise, so do natural men; they sometimes profess their ability, and sometimes their impotency, but have little practical knowledge of either.  
Some men again disable themselves beyond their natural disability; they weaken their natural power by their own wilfulness; and this is so far from an excuse, as it's an aggravation of their sin. If a Master sand his man to Market, and he is drunk, and so cannot do his business, will this disability excuse him? Surely no; it rather doubles his fault. This is the case of these Objectors of their impotency; their impotency is their own, they cannot charge it upon God; they may charge it in part upon Adam indeed; but when they come to declare their own will, they make it their own impotency.  
Ye will not come to me that ye might have life. 
John 5.40.  They are impotent, and they love to have it so, as the Lord said of the Jews. 
Jer. 5.31.  They would not come to Christ, as he would have them, if they could. Thus much for answer to the Objection, and also for the use of Exhortation.  
This Doctrine may also put us all upon enquiry after direction in this case of infinite moment.  
1. We must take an account of our Receipts from God, what our Talent and Trust amounts to. As those that take in work from others, observe what they take, that they may know what to return; we should consider, That God observes what he gives, and so should we what we receive, what estates, what education, what parts, what means of grace, what motions of the Spirit, what workings of Conscience, what temptations, what afflictions, what deliverances, what experiences, what encouragements in promises and providence.  
Remember, God himself takes an account of what stock he hath put into our hands, as he ordered Samuel to tell Saul, 
1 Sam. 15.17.  When thou wast little in thine own eyes, wast thou not made the head of the Tribes of Israel? and the Lord anointed thee King over Israel, &c.  
And this account God ordered Nathan to give to David; Thus saith the Lord, 
2 Sam. 12.  I anointed thee King over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hands of Saul, and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah, &c.  
Suppose thyself to be thus charged of God with an account of all he hath put into thine hands: for as he will set mens sins in order before them; 
Psal. 50.21.  so he will do their Talents and Trust.  
2. Be sensible, and knowing by experience, of your own inability to discharge your Trust, though you have but one Talent; be as sensible in the case as Moses was of his insufficiency to deliver Israel out Egypt; 
Exod. 3.11. Exod. 4.10.  Lord, who am I, that I should go in to Pharaoh, &c. I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.  
So sensible was Gideon of his weakness in himself to deliver Israel; 
Judges 6.  Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Thus sensible be you of your own impotency to improve your Trust from God, be it never so small.  
3. Look to the great assistance that is provided for you; 
Phil. 4.13.  I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me. 
1 Cor. 15.10.  I have laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 
Phil. 2.13.  It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do. O look with encouragement for help, for auxiliary grace in all your Trust: I will instruct thee, 
Psal. 32.8.  I will teach thee and guide thee: I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what to say. Thou shalt guide thine affairs with discretion. 
Exod. 4.12. Psal. 112.  The Spirit shall teach you all things, Job. 14.26. When our Lord Jesus Christ sent forth the Seventy upon special business, they did his work with his power, and so returned with a joyful account; 
Luke 10.17.  Lord, even the Devils are subject to us through thy Name, or Power.  
4. Look to your Undertaker, for your accounts, even your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As Paul was for Onesimus; 
Philem. v. 8.  If he hath wronged thee any thing, put it on my account; I will repay it. The same is our dear Lord Jesus to a Believer, 
Col. 2.10. Heb. 7.22.  and much more; Ye are complete in him: He is a surety to God for Believers; and what thou canst not make up of thy account, put it upon his.  
It hath been great relief to the Consciences of many poor sinners, that when Satan hath charged them, and they have owned the charge, but withal have seen their liberty to turn him over to Christ their Surety: Thus mayst thou humbly, and reverently, 
1 John 2.2.  and believingly do; Lord, I come short in my accounts of the portion which thou hast put into my hands, and committed to my trust; but Lord, be pleased to look on Christ's accounts, and there are mine made up to the full. Not that every man may make thus bold with our Lord Jesus Christ; but those that indeed believe in Christ, that have cast themselves upon Christ upon the terms of the Gospel; they that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, and live to him, as well as look for life by him, such may doubtless use this freedom. Christ pays the true Believers Debts, 
Col. 2.14.  and blots out all hand-writings that are against him. So much for the 12th Verse.   

CHAP. X.  
Representeth how quickly man forsakes God, when God leaves him to himself; with the Reasons whence it comes to pass; and the Uses we are to make hereof, from the first Clause of the following Verse,  
And not many days after, &c.  
THE younger Son having got his Portion into his own hand, begins to act his part; first in sin, in this verse; secondly in sorrow, in the 14, 15, 16th verses; thirdly in repentance, in the 17th, &c. In the two former he is the picture of all natural men; in the third but of some, yea of few. In acting his part in sin; first, he presently leaves his Father's house: secondly, he goes into a far country: thirdly, there he spends all his Portion in luxury and riot.  
Now in this Prodigal Son there are represented to us many things in natural men of sad Observation.  
1. Here we see how soon man leaves God, when God leaves man to himself; man makes hast to sin against God. Not many days after the younger Son took his journey into a far country, &c.  
This is the temper and inclination of the rational Creature, they sin so soon as they can; and herein they appear to be irrational: We see this both in the Angelical and Human Nature. The Angels that were left to themselves sinned presently, 
judas 6.  they forthwith left their first estate: 
John 8.44.  The Devil abode not in the truth, saith our Blessed Saviour in the Evangelist John. The Angels that fell from their pure and excellent state immediately, they left their own habitation, as St. judas expresseth it, i.e. e. their heavenly places. Hence it is said, 
Job 4.18.  that God charged his Angels with folly, because of their mutability and inconstancy in holiness and happiness.  
Some of the School-men hit right in this. A Creature, saith Aquinas, though never so excellent and holy, may and will sin, if not prevented and assisted by grace. And this was the Answer St. Augustine gave to the Question, How the Angels came to sin so soon, Quia non Deus sunt, because they are not God. God only is immutable in his being; With him there is no variableness, 
James 1.17.  neither shadow of turning. I am the Lord, I change not, Mal. 3.6.  
But many Angels changed their condition presently; The Devil sinneth from the beginning: 
1 John 3.8.  the Devil, that is, the Prince of the Angels that left their first estate. A space there was between their Creation and defection; First, that it might appear they came holy Angels out of God's hand: And secondly, that they might remember afterwards, and for ever, from whence they were fallen; as our Lord said to the Angel or Pastor of the Church of 
Rev. 2.5.  Ephesus. Yet 'tis likely it was but a little after their holy Creation before they sinned; it was before the sin of man, 
Gen. 3. 2 Cor. 11.3.  for man sinned by the instigation of the Devil.  
And as the Angels soon fell from glory, so did man from grace, from his innocent state, from his likeness to God after which he was made: 
Gen. 1.26.  Some think he fell the same day he was created; others think not so. 
Psal. 40.12.  The Scripture saith, Man being in honour, abideth not. He lodged not one night in his honour, as the Hebrew imports.  
It is the nature of man to make hast to sin, as the Lord said to Moses( when he was with him on the Mount) of the Children of Israel, 
Exod. 32.8.  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: and of the same people in the Judges, 
Judges 2.17.  They turned quickly out of the way their fathers walked in, which kept my Commandments. And the Psalmist speaking of man's disposition and complexion by nature, saith thus of him, That he is estranged from the womb, 
Psal. 58.3.  he goes astray as soon as he is born. Men are born with evil Dispositions, and act them so soon as their Faculties can sin, if grace prevent not.  
Young Nettles sting, and young Crabs go backward; and so man in his youth dedicates himself to sin, 
Eccles. 11.10. 2 Tim. 2.22. Gal. 1.6.  Youth and Childhood are vanity; and St. Paul speaks of youthful lusts. How soon were the Galatians removed, or transported as the Greek signifies, unto another Gospel. The Church of Corinth was presently corrupted; and so were the Seven Churches of Asia.  

Reasons of the Doctrine.  
1. Because the corrupted nature of man is greedy of sin, They work all uncleanness with greediness: 
Eph. 4.19.  They have a strong appetite to sin; the strength of appetite, as in the Hebrew, 
Isa. 56.1.  therefore called greedy dogs. Man sinned almost so soon as he was, and if he might, he would sin as long as he is, and would, 
Omnis peccator peccat in aeternum.  if he could, sin for ever, and be for ever that he might sin: How will men break through all restraints to sin? as Balaam would have rushed through all the checks and disappointments he met with in his way to curse Israel.  
Though the dumb Ass forbade his madness, 
2 Pet. 2.16.  and the Angel stood in his way with a drawn sword to stop him, 
Num. 22.23 to 30.  yet he was violently hurried on with the strong impulse of his own lusts.  
St. Ambrose speaks of one Theolimus, 
On Luke 4.  who being  told by his Physician, That unless he left his intemperance, he would lose his eyes: His heart was so desperately set on his lust, that he replied, 
Tunc vale lumen.  Then farewell eyes; I must drink, though I drink out my eyes.  
Thus do the hearts of many say, though not their mouths, Farewell God, farewell Christ, farewell Heaven, I must have my lust. Amnon's lusting after Tamar is an instance in the case. 
Psal. 14.2.  The fool hath said in his heart there is no God, i.e. O that there were no God! Look what trouble it is to Saints to part with God, such trouble it is to wicked men to part with sin. There is no hope, No; 
2 Jer. 25.  for I have loved strangers, and after them I will go. The immediate reason of mens sinning is their will: It was so in the fall, and so it is since.  
2. A second Reason why men make so much hast to sin is their weakness; no man by nature hath strength enough to hold out against temptations to sin: If God were not infinite in strength, he would not be immutable; 
1 Sam. 15.29.  The strength of Israel will not repent, or change. But the first temptation turned man upside down; and since the Devil had that success, he follows man close with temptations; and if he fails in one, 
Num. 22, & 23.  he presently tries another, as Balaam did experiments to curse Israel.  
Man is too weak a Creature to stand out a temptation to sin without the aid of grace, either preventing or assisting grace, besides inherent: It was seen in Hezekiah, and in Peter, when left to themselves. Grace itself, of itself, is not immutable. The godly know by experience that it is subject to ebbings and flowings; and the reason why the people of God do not quiter lose grace, is not from the nature of grace in itself, but because grace in the Saints is fed by grace from the fullness of Christ; 
John 1.16. Jer. 32.40.  and because the Covenant of grace hath undertaken they shall not totally and finally fall from grace.  
And again, grace is upheld in the godly by their communion with God, and therefore the more this communion is interrupted, the less grace, and the more sin Saints themselves have: Hence it is that when they come to live in the blessed vision of God in Heaven, they cease to sin, and there is no more capacity of sinning.  
This is the reason why the elect Angels, 
1 Tim. 5.21.  so called in Scripture, stood in their first estate; free grace preserved them in the beatifical vision, and still doth; And they always behold the face of my Father in Heaven, saith our blessed Saviour. 
Matth. 18.10.  O remember that man is by nature a weak Creature, and yet very wilful, and would be independent on God, 
2 Tim. 2.26.  and so the Devil leads him captive at his will.   

Application.  
1. This shows us the necessity and mercy of preventing and restraining grace; were it not for this, the World would be fuller of sin than it is, even like the old World; all places would be Sodoms, and the godly as Lots therein. 
Psal. 32.91.  But God makes wicked men chew upon the Bit; he seeth they have need of Bit and Bridle, as well as the hearse; 
Isa. 37.29.  I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, saith the Lord to Sennacherib.  
If God had not restrained Balaam, he would have cursed Israel; he made many attempts after disappointments. 
Gen. 20.6.  Had not the Lord withheld Abimelech, he had wronged Sarah: And when the Lord saw that nothing would be restrained from the builders of Babel which they had imagined to do, 
Gen. 11.6, 7.  he confounded their language.  
2. This may be of use to humble us all, that we were innocent, and without sin so little a while; we made hast to sin, we soon left God in Adam, as this younger Son did his Father; this I say should humble us, 
Hos. 6.4.  that our goodness was as the morning cloud, and passed away as the early due. Our first Parents were holy Creatures when they came out of the hand of a holy God; but they were like the Ephemera, their holiness was but holiness for a day; 
Jer. 2.32.  I but we have sinned days without number, as the Lord said to his people in Jeremiah. We begin betimes to sin, and hold on till God break us off from so sinning. This was the melting Confession of the Lord's people; 
Jer. 3.25.  We have sinned against the Lord our God, We have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers from our youth.  
And as this should humble us, that we begin so early to sin; so we have reason to be humbled, that usually we are so long before we are good: It is commonly many years before our Conversion to a state of grace: Some come not in to God till the sixth hour; 
Mark 20.  others not till the eleventh; O how should this humble late Converts, that they are good so little a space on earth? Some indeed give God the kindness of their youth; 
Jer. 2.  God hath their First-fruits; he sets them apart for himself from their infancy; 
Jer. 1.5.  Before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee, saith the Lord to Jeremiah. Samuel was good from his youth; 
1 Sam. 3.1. 1 Kings 18.12.  The Child Samuel ministered unto the Lord: I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth, said Obadiah to Elijah. And Timothy knew the holy Scriptures from a child, 2 Tim. 3.15. but these are rare Birds.  
There are some indeed that think themselves to have been Saints, but no such matter: as that young, rich, 
〈◇〉 ●●. 20.  great man, All these have I kept from my youth; but he was mistaken.  
And there are others make a show betimes, as if they would look towards God and Heaven, but retreat again; such as God spake of in Jer. 2.2. I remember thee, and the kindness of thy youth; and yet in the fifth Verse he complains that they were gone far from him, and become vain. Some have kindness, or rather seem to have kindness for God in their youth, but never after; They begin in the spirit, but end in the flesh. 
Gal. 3.3. Rev. 2.4.  The Angel of the Church of Ephesus left his first love.  
3. This may speak comfort to those that are Saints, and God's holy ones indeed▪ And wherein? Because they have a contrary disposition to this of natural men: Natural men make hast to sin; they make hast to do good; I made hast, 
Psal. 119.60.  and delayed not to keep thy Commandments. This gracious disposition was prophesied should be in Converts among the Gentiles: 
Psal. 68.31.  Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hand unto God: And the Inhabitants of one City shall go to another, saying, 
Zach. 8.21.  Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, I will go also.  
The will of a godly man is seldom behind to any holy duty; To will is present with me. 
Rom. 7.18.  And where this is, there is a badge of grace, and of a holy nature: The flesh indeed makes them linger sometimes, as Lot did in coming out of Sodom; 
Gen. 19.  but when the regenerate part sitteth in the chair, then the Soul calls, as the Lord did to Lot, hast thee, hast thee to Zoar. As other men hasted after their gods, 
Psal. 16.4.  so David hasted after his God; Awake up my glory, awake Psaltery and Harp, I myself will awake early. 
Psal. 57.8.  With my spirit will I seek thee early, Isaiah 26.9.  
Delays in Religion are dangerous; 
Heb. 3.7.  To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts. The foolish Virgins were too late to enter in to the Marriage with the Bridegroom. 
Mark 25.11.  Thus much for the Observation from the first words of the Verse ( And not many days after) viz. That so soon as God leaves man to himself, he soon goes away from God.    

CHAP. XI.  
Sheweth the worldliness of man's heart by nature; from the next Clause of the 13th. Verse,  
The younger Son gathered all together.  
HE bundled up his happiness, even his gods with his goods, as Rachel did Laban's. 
Gen. 31.  He said to his Soul, as that rich man did, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, 
Luke 12.19.  take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. This young man carried his gods in his goods; and herein he gives us to take notice,  
That it is a disposition in natural men to carry their gods in their goods; their hearts, which should be the seat and temple of God, is the habitation of these.  
This young man's Portion was his all, 
Phil. 3.19. Job 31.24.  even his Heaven and his God. St. Paul speaks of some whose belly was their god: And Job of those whose gold was their god, being their hope and their confidence. Many men have their Portion in this life; 
Psal. 17.14.  their Heaven and Earth together.  
Every thing is a mans god that feeds his lust, and his heart is set upon, as the Israelites golden Calf was to them; 
Exod. 32.4.  These are thy gods, O Israel— and as Micahs Mothers eleven hundred shekels of silver were turned into Gods. 
Judges 17.4.  And thus all natural men make gods of their lusts, or of their goods, on which they fix their hearts. They carry their gods in their goods, 
Gen. 31.34.  as Rachel hide her Father's Idols in the Stuff. It is natural to man to seek his felicity here. 
Psal. 17.14.  The Scripture calls them men of this world; here are their hearts, and here they would always be, if they might have their choice. They have a greater mind to be here, 
Luke 9.33.  than Peter had to be on Mount Tabor.  
Their inward thought is, 
Psal. 49.11.  saith the Psalmist, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.  
This shows that their hearts are wholly here; their minds are given up to earthly things. 
Phil. 3.19.  So they might be here on earth for ever, they could be content to be out of heaven; 
Gen. 25.31.  as Esau partend with his birthright for a mess of Pottage.  
Our blessed Saviour bad his Disciples rejoice rather that their names were written in heaven, 
Luke 10.20.  than that the Devils were subject to them. But these men would rejoice rather if their names might be written on Earth. Though the Scripture speaks of it as a judgement; 
Jer. 17.13.  They that depart from me shall be written in the earth: Yet earthly things lye nearest to a carnal man's heart; as it's said Queen Mary should say on her Death-bed, That if they saw her heart when dead, they should see Calice there. The Israelites appetite or fancy was more after the Leeks, 
Numb. 11.5, 6.  and Onions, and garlic of Egypt, than after Manna.  
Men are apt to set up Idols in their hearts, many places in Ezekiel show it; 
Ezek. 14.3. Judges 5.8.  the children of Israel choose new gods. The Devil would be the god of this World; this is his name by usurpation, 2 Cor. 4.4. Many mens hearts are devoted to him, and know it not; as it's said of Ephraim, that he had gray hairs and knew it not: yea, he made an essay for Christ's heart and devotion to him. And when he cannot get in himself into the hearts of men, as he wishes, then he gets into one Creature or other to be as god there. When Esau said to Jacob, I have enough; 
Gen. 33.9.  what was his enough? the fullness of his outward condition without God. Carnal men can be content with the World without God; 
Eph. 2.12.  they are without God in the world. The Creature, in some sort, satisfies them without God, as it does the Beast. 
Psal. 49.20.  Man makes himself in this like the Beast. Esau neither saw, nor sought God in Jacob's face, as Jacob did in his, Gen. 33.10. 
Rom. 1.25. Lam. 3.24.  Men naturally affect the Creature more than the Creator. Indeed, if a godly man have not God for his Portion, his all he hath is nothing: The Lord is my portion, saith my soul: 
Psal. 73.25.  and, whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee. The Lord knows indeed that his Saints on earth have need of earthly things, 
Matth. 6.32.  as our blessed Saviour said to his Disciples. And therefore gives them of these more or less, as he sees meet; yet whatever he gives them of the World, he so gives it, that they may see him in it, as Jacob did in Esau's face.  
O take heed of thinking you have enough, when you have the most of this world, except you have God with it, and see God in it. Take heed of this young man's spirit; when he had got his Portion, he now feels no want of his Father, but takes his journey into a far country. Take heed also of thinking that you have not enough of the worlds good things, when you have, or may have God himself with your little; for now your little is as much as All; 
2 Cor. 6.10.  and you may say with the holy Apostle, As having nothing, yet possessing all things.   

CHAP. XII.  
Wherein is shewed, How inclinable man is by nature to go farther and farther from God; from the following Clause,  
And took his journey into a far country.  
IN this course of the Prodigal, who herein is the Representative, as it were, of natural men, we may observe two Doctrines; the first( whereof in this Chapter) is this,  
That man by nature would go farther and farther from God; he would get to the utmost point of distance from him.  
This Prodigal did not only leave his Father's House, but went into a far country. 
Psal. 73.27.  Ungodly men love to be far from God, that they may sin their fill. As a godly man goes from grace to grace, so an ungodly man from sin to sin. As it is their judgement to do so; Add iniquity to their iniquity, 
Psal. 69.27. Jer. 9.3.  so it is their choice; They go from evil to evil. The Ephesians, before their Conversion, 
Eph. 2.  were afar of, and without God in the world. 
Gen. 3.  When Adam was fallen from his innocency, he got as far from God as he could. 
Psal. 10.4.  Natural men shove God out of their thoughts as much as they can.  
It is true, all natural men are not at an equal distance from God actually, though all are by nature inclined to be at the farthest point: There are degrees in a natural state, as there are in a spiritual. Our Lord Jesus  told him that answered him so discreetly, 
Mark 12.34.  That he was not far from the Kingdom of God. Some men are utter strangers to Christ; others are bordering on Conversion; yet still in their natural state; as the Israelites were at the borders of Canaan, when yet they entred not in.  
Quest. But what is the nearest or least point of distance from Christ, in a natural condition; and what is the farthest?  
Answ. When men like Christ, but not at his terms, yet are troubled the terms are so hard that they cannot yield to them: When Jesus  told that man in Mark 10.21. That he must sell all, and follow him, it is said the man was sad at that saying, and went away grieved— v. 22. This man was bordering upon Christ, but left him.  
So when men make a profession of Christ, 
John 2.23, 24.  and yet their hearts are not right towards him; they are near Christ, but not near enough, they are not in him: Many believed on his Name, but Jesus did not commit himself unto them, for he knew what was in man.  
Thou art near in their mouths, 
Jer. 12.2. Isa. 29.13.  and far from their reins, saith Jeremiah to the Lord. And again, natural men may be near God, as in profession, so in privileges: Judas was one of Christ's Disciples, one of the Twelve: And the people of Israel were a people near unto God. 
Psal. 148.14.  This is the nearest point of distance from God.  
But then secondly for the farthest point of distance; and this is, when men live as it were without God in the world; 
Eph. 2.12.  live in sin without sense of it, and sin with greediness; it is meat and drink to them to sin, 
John 4.34.  as it was to Jesus Christ to do his Father's will; They drink iniquity like water, Job 15.16. and who being past feeling; whose sense of feeling, as to any evil in sin, is gone; They give themselves over to work wickedness: 
1 Kings 22.20  Ahab sold himself, but some give themselves to sin. 
Eph. 4.19.  These are Candidates at least in Atheism. 
Psal. 94.5.  They say the Lord shall not see: 
Psal. 50.21. Psal. 36.2. Psal. 14.1.  And they think that God is such an one as themselves: and thus they flatter themselves in their own eyes; they half think there is no God, and altogether wish it. Few men indeed are always or altogether Atheists: The Devil can never be an Atheist, being always under the sense of God's wrath; but he tempts men to be Atheists, and prevails very far, yet not to the full.  
They lye, saith the Philosopher, 
Seneca.  that say they hold there is no God; for though they say so to others by day, yet they say otherwise to themselves by night: these are the men that keep at the farthest point of distance from God, which was this Prodigals case; he went from his Fathers House into a far country.  
Quest. But how can any man be far from God, since God is every where? 
Psal. 139 7.  Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence? And it's said in Job, 
Job 34.22.  There is no darkness where the workers of iniquity may hid themselves. And saith the Apostle, 
Acts 17.27.  God is not far from every one of us, either Christians or Gentiles.  
Answ. There is a three-fold distance.  
1. Of place; so no man can be at a distance from God; 
Psal. 139.8.  If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there.  
2. There is a distance of nature, which is where there are opposite natures and dispositions: and so many, if not most men, are at a great distance from God; there is nothing of the Divine nature in them, they have different minds and wills from God's. God wills this or that; and they will the contrary. Many men make God's affirmative Commands negative, and his negative Commands affirmative.  
Jeremiah  told those Jews in Jer. 44.16. that they should not go into Egypt; and they replied, As to the words of the Lord thou hast spoken to us, we will not harken to thee.  
3. There is a distance as to grace and favour; and so God may be said to be far from men in his special grace; as when men have not the grace of God in them, nor the love of God, nor acquaintance and communion with God; God may be said to be far from them.  
The presence of God with men must be measured by his grace and spirit in them; and not by his common favours, as riches, power, natural parts, means of grace, 
Psal. 17.17.  yea common grace: for heathens may have some of these, and hypocrites may have others, and yet both at a distance from God, as to saving grace; God cannot say of them as of Abraham, 
Isa. 41.8.  Abraham my friend, my familiar. A blind man may be near the Sun, and yet be said to be afar off, because he wants the light of it; so it is with many men who live in the light of the Gospel, and yet are far from God as to any saving knowledge of him in Christ. A man may be your next Neighbour, and yet be as far from kindred, as the farthest in the Town.  
The Lord judges men near to him, or afar off, by their hearts; 
Heb. 3.12.  Take heed lest there be in any of you an heart of unbelief to depart from the living God. An Hypocrite may be nearer God's people in outside similitude, than a Publican. As a painted Pot on the wall is nearer a Pot in outward similitude than a piece of day under your feet, and yet in fitness the day is nearer, because it is apt to be made a Pot; so an humble Publican and Sinner is nearer coming into the Kingdom of God than a proud Pharisee or Hypocrite, because his heart is more tender, and humbled under the sense of sin and wrath: 
Mark 21.31.  The Publicans and the Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you.  
Now the reason of mens going from God as far as they can, i.e. e. by nature, is the enmity that is in man's sinful nature to God; though God become nigh to our nature in his Sons assuming of it, yet naturally we keep at the greatest distance from his nature, i.e. e. from his holiness and purity: 
Rom. 8.7.  The carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.  
The Greek word signifies the best of a natural man is across to God; 
〈◇〉.  the more wisdom and wit a natural man hath, the more crossly he acts towards God. This enmity in man to God came in with his fall from God: Before Adam hide not himself from God, but was the friend of God by nature; his first nature, as Abraham was by grace; he could lean on God's bosom as the beloved Disciple did on Jesus; 
James 2.23.  
2 Pet. 1.4. Gen. 1.  he had the rays of the Divine nature in him, as men in a state of grace have; God made him to his own likeness, but when he fell from his innocency, his enmity against God came in.  
A natural man cannot subject himself to the will of God, nor does he love the likeness of God; he is a lover of his own lusts more than of God. 
● Tim. 3.4.  The Psalmist speaks of haters of God, Psal. 81.15. and so doth the Apostle, Rom. 1.30. They care not for acquaintance with God, verse 28. yea, there are men that could wish there were no God.  

Application.  
1. This is useful to examination, to try ourselves, whether we be near God, or gone far from him: And trial in this case is of great concernment to us; for we may be near to God outwardly, and in a profession of him, yet inwardly be at a distance from him; as those Jews were in Isa. 29.13. This people draw near me with their mouths, and with their lips honour me, but have removed their heart far from me. 
Heb. 3.12.  We must estimate our nearness to, or distance from God, by our hearts. Therefore  
1. Is God great or small, high or low, in our hearts account, in himself, and his word, and his works, especially as he is a holy God? If God be not much in our thoughts, 
Psal. 104.34.  and dear in our thoughts, as to David, it's a sign that we are far from God. Out of mind out of sight. What's the reason that the Stars seem so little to us, that are such great Bodies in themselves, but because they are at a great distance from us, and we from them? so God is a great God, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises; 
Exod. 15. Psal. 63.3.  his loving kindness better than life itself. And if he be not so in our thoughts, and to our hearts, it argues we are far from him; for were we nigh him, the pleasures, the profits, the honours of the world would be but trifles to us; these would be far from our hearts if God was near them. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much, 
Psal. 119.127.  and doubtless more, than in all riches: I love thy Commandments above gold, yea above fine gold.  
2. We may know our distance from God by the chillness and coldness of our minds and affections in his service and ways. As in Winter, when we are at a farther distance from the Sun, days art short, and nights long, we are could, and it is a dead season with all things: Why so when we are dull and deadhearted in holy employments, and walk dully as to acts of grace and comfort, it signifies that we are at a distance from God, and he from us, as to his gracious and quickening presence.  
3. Men may be known to be far from God by their secure sinning, and sinning without sense. The holy Apostle gives three signs of men that are greatly remote from God, and they are desperate signs. 
Eph. 4.18, 15.  1. Their gross ignorance of God: 2. Their sinning without feeling: 3. Their sinning with greediness: Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts, who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  
When men sin with greediness, it's a sign they are past feeling, and when they are past feeling, it's a sign they know not God, and this is a sign, they are alienated from the life of God, and so are at the greatest point of distance from him.  
O that men could bewail this cursed disposition, to be willing to be strangers to God, and to be as far from him as they can; they will go from God to the Devil as Saul did: 
1 Sam. 28.  Many men fly from God, as from a Lion, and fly to Satan, who is indeed a roaring Lion, 
1 Pet. 5.8.  seeking whom he may devour.    

CHAP. XIII.  
Representeth, how natural men are driven further from God by all the good he doth for them; whence it is thus; and what Uses are to be made hereof; from the same Clause,  
And took his Journey into a far country.  
I Have done with the first Doctrine from this Clause of the 13th. Verse: I now proceed to the second, which is this,  
That whatever good God bestows on natural men, it drives them the further from him.  
The more the Sun shines on the dunghill, the more it stinks. This baseness is in every man by nature; 
Isa. 1.2.  Hear O heavens, and give ear O earth, for the Lord hath spoken; I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The Lord calls heaven and earth to witness in this strange case; which, as it is an Apostrophe to Angels, and all the gentle world, 
Numb. 20.8. Psal. 105.31.  concerning the Jews; so may it also imply, that the whole Creation, even of senseless Creatures, are( as I may say) more obedient to God than natural men are.  
Moses in Deut. 32.15. charges Israel thus; Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: Thou art waxed fat &c. Then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation. This people were worse towards God after their wonderful deliverance from Egypt than before, and worse in Canaan than in the Wilderness. The Lord made no such complaints of Saul, as after he made him King; 
1 Sam. 15.11.  then Saul so miscarried, as It repented the Lord that he had made him King: And we may find many instances besides Saul.  
1. Look into the world, and you shall see many men of great parts and learning to imply them against God, rather than for him; their learning serves them to reason against God and Christ and the Spirit, and the Scriptures, and against the Lord's day, and the Saints; as the Lord said to Chaldea, Thy wisdom and thy knowledge hath perverted thee; 
Isa. 47.10.  and thou hast said in thy heart, I am, and none else besides me. And the Apostle to the Corinthians saith, 
1 Cor. 1.21:  The world by wisdom knew not God. Their great parts, natural and acquired, made them the more ignorant of God: 
2 Pet. 3.5.  Willingly ignorant, as St. Peter saith.  
2. As some use their sine naturals, so others their neat morals against God: Their morality makes them to reason against thorough convictions of sin, and against deep humiliation for sin; and they are loathe to leave their own righteousness to take sanctuary at Christs; their morals fill them with self-esteem, to think of themselves as that Pharisee said of himself, Luke 18.11. God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, or even as this Publican; I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  
Moral men are apt to dote upon self-righteousness like the Jews; of whom it's said, 
Rom. 10.3.  They being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. There is a Meiosis in the last sentence, a gentler word is used than might have been; for whereas he saith, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, he means they have zealously opposed it.  
3. There are many who abuse their health, and wealth, and strength, and beauty, and dignity, and turn all against God. 
Hos. 2.8.  When he gave Israel Corn and oil, and Wine, and multiplied their Silver and Gold, they prepared it for Baal; or made the Idol Baal of it. Natural men do usually make all the kindness which the Lord sheweth them, to be fuel for their lusts; they spend all upon their lusts, 
James 4.3.  as St. James saith.  
That goodness of God which should led them to repentance, keeps them from it, 
Rom. 2.4.  and hardens them against it.  
4. Natural men are too apt to turn God's Ordinances and means of grace against him; as the Scribes and Pharisees would neither go into the Kingdom of Heaven themselves, 
Matth. 23.13.  nor suffer those that were entering to go in. Christ's offers of himself to many men make them resist the more; All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a gainsaying people. 
Rom. 10.21.   
5. They turn his greatest deliverances God hath wrought for them against him; Jer. 7.10. Ye come and stand before me in this House, which is called by my Name, and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations.  
6. Many employ the power which God hath given them against his word, and ways, and people: this is plain, if we look upon many, if not most of the powers of the world; 
Rom. 13.  God gives them power to be a terror to evil works, and they make it a terror to good.  
Our blessed Saviour foretold this to his Disciples, 
Matth. 10.18.  Ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake; 
Mark 13.  and in the Synagogues ye shall be beaten. And thus we see that God's goodness to many men makes them the worse; they abuse his lovely attributes, as his mercy and patience, to more eagerness in sinning: 
Eccles. 8.11.  Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.  

Reasons of the Point  
1. Now this comes to pass from the exceeding sinfulness of sin in men, 
Rom. 7.13.  insomuch as sin by the Commandment becomes exceeding sinful; sin was more exasperated by the Commandment which was to restrain it. Some men are of such a strange constitution, that their physic works quiter contrary to the Physicians meaning; as it is a saying, That the Bee sucks honey, but the Spider poison out of sweet Herbs. O the vile and base nature of sin!  
Reas. 2. Because men are prove to ascribe to themselves the good things they receive from God: They said not, 
Jer. 2.6.  where is the Lord that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt. Men attribute that to their own power or parts, which belongs to God. This the Lord knew, when he would not let Gideon and Israel beat and conquer the Midianites with a great force; 
Judges 7.2.  Lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.  
And saith the Lord to the same people, Deut. 8.12, 14, 17. Beware lest when thou hast eaten, and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of Egypt, &c. And then say in thine heart, My power, and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.   

Application of the Point.  
1. This tells us how little reason there is to exalt and magnify the nature of man, and man's naturals in order to grace, as some men do. For man by nature is a most disingenuous Creature; he is prove to be worse towards God, by all the good that God does him. What the Lord said to Israel, he may say to all natural men very often, Do ye thus requited the Lord, 
Deut. 32.6.  O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? Observe the ill requital; God was their Lord, their Father, their Maker, their Redeemer, their Establisher: And Israel was foolish, unwise, corrupt, perverse, and crooked. So that there is more reason to debase, than exalt the nature of man, in his behaviour towards God and his grace. A disingenuous nature in man towards man sounds harsh; 
Isa. 5.4.  much more towards God. What could I have done more for my Vineyard that I have not done? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? They tempted God, 
Psal. 106.7.  and provoked him at the Sea, even at the read Sea; where he wonderfully delivered them.  
A natural man is an unthankful Creature to God; this is one of his black marks, 
2 Tim. 3.2.  unthankful. This is his manner from his youth; he treads in the steps of unkind Israel: 
1 Sam. 10.18, 19.  I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all Kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities, and your tribulations; yet ye have this day rejected your God.  
It is said of Amazia, 2 Chron. 25.14. That after God had given him a great victory over the Edomites, he brought their gods, and set them up to be his gods: A strange and sad requital of the strength which the Lord had lent him to conquer his enemies. And of Uzziah his Son it is said, That when God had marvelously helped him, till he was strong, 
2 Chron. 26.15, 16.  then his heart was lifted up, and he transgressed against the Lord his God.  
2. This bespeaks you all to observe and try your own spirits in this point. O if you, or any of you find upon observation, the goodness of God obliging to your hearts, and that you use to dedicate your Mercies to God, as Hannah did her Son; 
2 Sam. 3. Rom. 12.1.  and yourselves as well as your mercies, this is a good sign. Do you lay yourselves below your mercies, 
Gen. 32.10.  as Jacob did? I am less than the least of all thy mercies thou hast shewed unto thy servant: And do you set God above your mercies, and above yourselves also? Let him do unto me what seemeth good unto him, 2 Sam. 15.26. And do you use to admire God when you see how mindful he is of you? saying in your hearts as David did, 2 Sam. 7.18. Who am I, O Lord God? or what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? Now you may conclude that you have more than mere nature in you, that you have grace, which is of the Divine Nature, which begins to exert itself here, in the everlasting employment you shall have in heaven.  
3. Yet because you are not all spirit and grace here, but have sinful flesh, and the flesh lusting against the spirit; therefore beware of the leaven of natural men, in turning God's goodness to you against him. 
1 Cor. 3.1.  Spiritual men may be carnal in some things: So good a man as Hezekiah may pride it after famous deliverances: 
2 Chro. 32.25.  And so holy a man as Paul may, if not prevented, 
2 Cor. 12.  be exalted above measure, after the abundance of revelations. 
Psal. 30.  And David may wax wanton and secure, when God hath made his mountain strong.  
O take heed, Christians; if your Portion here make you proud, because it is great, or discontented because it is little, as you think it, be sure you shall come under Providences to humble you, and bring you to yourselves. O let grace watch the corruption of nature, 
James 4.6.  and use its power over it; for God giveth more grace, grace that is too strong for the corruption of nature; but if good days carry you from God, be sure that evil days shall bring you back.    

CHAP. XIV.  
Which sheweth, How unserviceable every man, in his natural estate, is to God; from the last Clause of the 13th. Verse, And there wasted his Substance with riotous living.  
WE are come now to the last Clause of the 13th. Verse, what this younger Son did, when he came into the far country; There he wasted his substance with riotous living: And the spiritual import of this will teach us many things.  
And first, we may observe how this younger Son was worse than that wicked and slothful Servant that hide his Talent, Matth. 25.25. Though he improved not his Masters goods, yet he did not waste them: But this youngster did; He wasted his substance with riotous living: From whence we may observe three several points of Doctrine; the first whereof shall be the subject of this Chapter, viz.  
That a natural man is an unprofitable and an unserviceable Creature to God.  
He spoils all that goes through his hands; he pollutes the holy things of God, as those Jews did Mal. 2.7. He ordinarily takes the name of God in vain by his carnal, careless, customary performances, 
Hos. 7.8.  and dough-baked duties; Ephraim is a Cake half-baked. And for the outward good things he hath of God; 
James 4.3. 1 John 2.16.  these he consumes upon his lusts; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 
Judges 10.6.  As the gentle Nations had their several gods, so have natural men their several lusts; one pleasure, another pride, another covetousness, another intemperance, &c. Corruption of nature in natural men breaks out several ways in several persons, as corruption of the blood and humours of the body, break forth in one disease in one man, and in another disease in another. All natural men have their particular lusts, on which they spend their Father's substance.  
They are all like Onesimus before his Conversion, 
Philem. 11. Rom. 3.12.  unprofitable; They are together become unprofitable, or rotten, as the Greek imports, and so good for nothing, as we say of a rotten Apple. It may be written on every natural man's grave, who lives and dies in that estate, Here lieth the man that never did God one days good service in all his life; 
Nahum 2.10. Zach. 7.5.  but empty, and voided, and waste: or if he did any good, it was to himself, and not to God.  
Other Creatures are more useful to man than natural men are to God: 
Isa. 1.3.  The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his Master's crib, but Israel doth not know— Balaam's Ass was more serviceable to God, than Balaam himself; 
Numb. 6.22.  what service he did, he did it by force, 
Exod. 9.27, 28  as Pharaoh was forced to desire Moses his prayers, and to confess he had sinned, and to let Israel go. 
Exod. 12.   
It is true, God may, and doth make use of natual men sometimes in some special service: As he made use of Cyrus to do his good pleasure, in releasing the Jews, 
Isa. 44.28.  and returning them into their own country, and in their laying the foundation of the Temple.  
So Nebuchadnezzer did the Lord a great piece of service against Tyrus, 
Ezek. 29.18, 19.20.  and he gave him Egypt for his hire: But alas, he intended no such thing as to do God service in the case, but satisfied his own ambition and lust.  
As the Assyrian was the rod of God's anger to punish his sinning people; 
Isa. 10.7.  Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy, to serve his own pride and cruelty, and not the will of God. Zenacherib indeed pretended the service of God, when he came up against Jerusalem, and the Cities of Judah; 
Isa. 36.10.  Am I come up without the Lord against this Land to destroy it? The Lord said unto me, go up and destroy it: But alas, his end was to destroy the Jews, and the God of the Jews also, as he had done the Idol gods of other Nations: 
Vers. 18, 19.  Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?  
All the actions of natural men are from selfprinciples, and to self-ends; and the service they do God, 
Zach. 7.5.  is for and to themselves, as the Jews fasting seventy years was.  
And the Reason why natural men are unserviceable and useless Creatures to God is, because they are branches without a root; they are separated from God; they are in a far country from God, as this Prodigal was from his Father: neither are they in Christ, branches in him. Now when branches are cut off from the three, they whither, and bear no fruit. Since the fall all men by nature are separated from God, which was signified by Adam's being thrust out of Paradise, Gen. 3. so that now men by nature are like the fruitless Fig-tree which Jesus cursed: 
Matth. 21.19.  or they are that wild Olive-tree spoken of in Rom. 11.17. If some natural men have the leaves of a Fig-tree, yet only leaves without fruit, as that Fig-tree was which our Lord Jesus cursed. Natural men may have moral virtues, and a profession of Religion; 
Job 19.  but the root of the matter is not in them, as Job's phrase is; that is, true grace, or the grace of sincerity.  
As when the earth lost its blessing it was under at first, 
2 & 3 Gen.  and came under a curse, in the second and third of Genesis, 
Gen. 3.18.  then it brought forth thorns and thistles; Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee. Thus is it with men since the fall, and still in a state of nature; they bring forth thorns and thistles to God, as the earth doth to man, whilst uncultivated.  
In the Prophet Jeremiah they are compared to fallow ground: 
Jer. 4.3.  The French call it Jash'res from the Latin Jacere, because it lieth idle, and brings not forth grain, but weeds, without the art of man. Thus is it with natural mens hearts till grace alter them; they are fallow or idle ground, and bring not forth fruit to God: They are voided and waste ground, as it's said of Nineveh, Nahum 2.10.  

Application.  
1. This informs us of the excellency of a state of grace; in this state men are useful to God, not in strictness of speech, for God needs no man: Can a man be profitable to God, 
Job 21.2. & 35.7.  as he that is wise may be to himself? If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? Yet God is pleased to accept of his people as a useful people to him, Vessels of honour sanctified, 
2 Tim. 2.21.  and meet for the master's use, and prepared to every good work.  
As itis said in Psal. 113.6. that the Lord humbled himself, to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth: so is the Lord pleased to humble himself in owning himself to have need of his people, as our Lord Jesus bad his Disciples( if any asked about their losing the Ass and the Colt) to say, 
Matth. 21.3.  The Lord hath need of them.  
It is true, all they do for him, or give to him, is of his own; Thou hast wrought all our works for us. 
Isa. 26.12. 1 Chro. 21.14. Psal. 116.16.  And of thine own have we given thee. Saints are useful Creatures to God. O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, says David. And as David said thus to God, so God said of David, I have found David a man after mine own heart, 
Acts 13.22.  which shall fulfil all my will. Godliness is profitable to all things, 1 Tim. 4.8. Godly men and women are like those that came to David to Ziklag; 
1 Chro. 12.2. Psal. 37.31.  they could use both the right hand and the left. When a man hath the Word of God in his heart, 
2 Tim. 3.17.  as every man in a state of grace hath, he is thoroughly furnished to every good work.  
The Saints are the Lord's Eden, they are his Garden, 
Cant. 4.16.  where he eats his pleasant fruit, and refresheth himself; we have the expression in Exod. 31.17. Take heed therefore, you that have grace, that you fail not in your usefulness to God.  
2. This should humble natural men, if they had any sense and feeling of their state, that they should be so unserviceable and useless Creatures to God. Many a godly man, though he do bear fruit unto God; yet not bearing so good, and so much as he would, 
Isa. 56.3.  and thinks he should, he calls himself a dry three; he cries out, O my leanness, my leanness.  
But natural men that are fallow ground, their soul is a wilderness, waste ground, an empty vine, or that bringeth forth fruit only to himself, 
Hos. 10.1.  as it's said of Israel: he is his own Alpha and Omega, beginning and end; and yet he hath no sense of his great sin and disingenuity herein.    

CHAP. XV.  
Sheweth, that a natural man is an unprofitable Creature to himself. The several Uses that are to be made hereof. And how the Sins of Self-will and Self-seeking, the great Causes hereof, may be known; from the same Clause of the 13th. Verse, And there wasted his Substance with riotous living.  
I Have done with the first Doctrine from this last Clause of the 13. Verse, viz. That a natural man is an unprofitable and unserviceable Creature to God. I proceed to a second from the same words, which is this, That a natural man is an unprofitable Creature to himself, as well as to God. He wasteth his Substance in a far country. No natural man is wise for himself; 
Prov. 9.12.  he may be wise in his time, as the World counts wisdom. Our Saviour saith, 
Luke 16.8.  The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light; i.e. in their contrivances for the things of this world.  
But this is wisdom from beneath, such as the Serpent is, and teacheth: For indeed no man is truly wise for himself, who is not wise and a forecaster for eternity; 
Mark 8.36.  What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and to lose his own soul? And as are his profits, 
Heb. 12.25.  such are his pleasures; the pleasures of sin for a season: 
2 Sam. 2.26.  They will be bitterness in the end, as Joab said of the Sword.  
Whatever natural men possess, health or wealth, or parts, or power, yea, or means of grace, they use them not to their true advantage in the end: When their accounts are cast up, it will be found that all is wasted, they have laid up nothing for their eternal comfort, but die infinitely in God's debt: and unless mercy and free grace forgive them and God put their debt on Christ's account, as Paul did Onesimus his, 
Philem.  on his own, they must lye in prison for ever. Every man that dies in his natural state, 
John 8.  death in his sins; he death poor, and miserable, 
Rev. 3.17.  and naked: as our first Parents when they had sinned, 
Gen. 3.  they saw themselves naked within as well as without; they saw a strange sight of themselves; they were afraid of themselves, as well as of God; they were Magor-missabib, 
Jer. 20.  as Pashur was, a terror to themselves; so will all natural men be, dying such.  
They labour in the fire; 
Mos. 12.1.  they sow folly, and reap misery; they feed upon the wind, and at length the Lord speaks to them out of the whirl-wind; They shall eat of the fruit of their own way, 
Prov. 1.31.  and be filled with their own devices.  
Those of them that make a fair show in the world, 
Numb. 11.20. Psal. 106.15.  their glut of these worldly things will prove a deadly furfeit to them, as Israels fill of flesh did to them. Death is in the pot of every natural man; and all their plenty and pleasure here will in the end be like that Manna which the Israelites kept till morning, 
Exod. 16.20.  which rotted and stank.  

Reason of the Doctrine.  
Now the Reason why natural men are unprofitable Creatures to themselves is, because their selves, and the satisfying of their lusts, is the beginning and end of all their seekings and gettings. What God gives them, they use not to him, but to themselves, to feed their pride, or covetousness, or intemperance, or revenge: Some lusts or other are fed with all they have.  
As whatever a man or woman eats that hath an Ulcer or Cancer in their bodies, feeds those sores; so does a natural man's estate, power, pleasure, yea his profession of Religion, all feed his lusts.  
Natural mens lusts are their rule and their end; they fashion themselves according to their lusts. 
1 Pet. 1.14. Judges 17.6.  It is natural to men to do that which is good in their own sight. Nothing will be restrained from them that they have imagined, 
Gen. 11.6.  as the Lord said of the builders of Babel, if they may have their own wills. They say as Pharaoh, Our lusts shall be satisfied, Exod. 15.9.  
Now when a man's own lusts are his rule and his end in all, God will curse and blast all his works and ways in the end; 
Isa. 42.8.  he will not give his glory to another, nor his will neither. Therefore did not the Lord make any account of the Jews their seventy years fasting in Captivity, 
Zach. 7.5.  because they fasted not to him, but to themselves. This Prodigal in the Text was all for himself, and his own lusts, nothing for his Father, or his Father's house; he was for a far country, and there he wasted and consumed all.  
At first man would have had a parity with God, ye shall be as gods— O this took much with them. 
Isa. 14.13.  This was Lucifer's language, I will be like the most high. It is spoken of the Babylonian Monarch; yea, man hath pride enough in his nature to prefer himself above God, to think himself wiser than God, 
Alphonsus.  and juster than God. As a King of Spain said, as History tells us, That if he had been at the Creation, he could have ordered some things better.  
How did Sennacharib exalt himself above the Lord! Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, 
Isa. 36.20.  that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? He thought himself of more might than the Almighty. Thus is man by nature great in his own eye, and his own way good, yea the best; and hereupon he is so good a friend to himself, as to undo himself; 
Jer. 4.18.  Thy way and thy doings have procured thee these things.   

Application.  
1. This shows us the sad Condition of mere natural men, in that their wit, and wealth, and honour, and all their contrivances dwindle away into vanity, as fire doth into smoke; as that rich fool's Barns did, when it was said unto him, Thou fool, 
Luke 12.20.  this night shall thy soul be required of thee. They find at the end, that their accounts fall altogether short of their expectations; their disappointments amaze them, like theirs Hag. 1.6. Ye have sown much, and brought in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled; ye cloth you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Poor natural man, he chooses his own ways, but to his own confusion: As Saul said to his son Jonathan, 
1 Sam. 20.30.  Thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion. At last, if his condition change not, he will say of all his possessions, and parts, and projects, and pleasures, as Haman did of all his, 
Esth. 5.13.  All this availeth me nothing. All falls into a little jelly, as Star-like Meteors in the Air do. So unprofitable a Creature is a natural man to himself; he is ignorant of the true riches, and so hath cheated himself with a mere phantasm of happiness, as the holy Ghost calls Agrippa's and his Queens great pomp in which they came into the Court, 
Acts 25.23.  they entred 〈◇〉, with great fancy.  
2. Learn we hence, what a destructive thing it is to men to walk in their own ways, to make themselves and their lusts the rule and end of their practise. This young man had much ruined himself this way. It was God's heavy judgement on the world of the Gentiles, 
Acts 14.16.  when he suffered them to walk in their own ways: and it was the like judgement on the Jews, 
Psal. 81.12.  when he gave them up to their own hearts lust, and they walked in their own counsels. This self-will and self-endednes is the plague of most mens hearts, even in these last days.— Men shall be lovers of their own selves, 
2 Tim. 3.2, 4.  and lovers of pleasure, or their own lust, more than of God. O this self in our actions natural, civil, or religious, consumes all our good: It is to mens most specious conversations and accomplishments, as the worm was to Jonah's Gourd, withers all.  
There may be leaves, but no fruit, when gathering time comes. This is the reason why many, when they come to die, have so little comfort, yea so much discouragement in the reflections they make on their lives.  
3. Therefore in the third place, this point serves to Instruction. If you would be wise for yourselves, and reap profit and comfort from your ways, keep corrupt self out of doors; else all the good you think you do for yourselves will be your death, as that part of Annanias his goods he kept back from the Church was his. 
Acts 5.5.  O learn and labour to have God in your eye, and to interest him above yourselves in all your ways and undertakings, and then you'l make something of them; you will be sure to have your share in the fruit. Nothing will be lost this way, no not that which may seem to be lost; He that loseth his life for my sake, 
Mark 10.39.  shall find it.  
We count what we lay out in Land is not wasted, we shall have comings in by it; but what men or women lay out in intemperance in Meat, and Drink, and Apparel, that vanisheth into nothing, or worse. Thus so much of our time, and gifts, and estate we lay out for, and to God, will be as Land and Substance to us; we shall have our comings in that will exceed our layings out: But all we lay out on our lusts, it is consumed; 
James 4.3.  and all we lay out merely for self-ends, is all waste. There may be the profits and pleasures of sin for a season, as Heb. 11. but in the end we shall meet with the sting of the Bee; and all, like Moses's Rod, will turn into a Serpent. And  
Condsider first, If yourselves be your rule and end in your ways, you are not for God's use, and so he'l lay you aside; he will esteem you as broken Vessels, wherein is no pleasure, as he did Coniah; 
Jer. 22.28.  The Lord sets apart the man that is godly for himself. The man that will eye God, 
Psal. 4.  and concern God in all he does, this is a man after God's heart, 
Acts 23.22.  as David was.  
If a Vessel into which you put Bear, source or distastes it, you'l lay it by till it be sweeter, and use another. Why did God repent that he had made Saul King? 
1 Sam. 15.  because he saw he was for himself in his ways and actions, and not for God. Yea,  
2. While men make themselves their rule and their ends in their actions, in their particular Callings, or Profession of Religion, they set themselves in God's room; and how will God take this? We see how God took our first Parents attempting to be as gods.  
God may make one man to be instead of God to another in some sense, 
Exod. 4.16.  as he made Moses to Aaron; but no man may be instead of God to himself, which he is, while his own will is his rule, and himself is the chief end of his works and ways.  
All God's own actions are for himself, because there is none above himself, 
Prov. 16.4.  or like himself. God's holiness and righteousness lies much in willing his own glory; for he should do himself wrong if he should give it to another, 
Isa. 42.8.  there being none besides himself capable of it. And so our holiness and righteousness lies much in improving all we are or have to and for God chiefly; none of our actions may terminate in any created being; they may not fall short of God and his glory, 
1 Cor. 10.31.  as their main scope. As Joab would have David, and not himself to have the honour of taking Rabbah: 
2 Sam. 12.  so should we do by God; He is all in all in heaven, and so he should be on earth.  
3. The meanest of actions that have God for their bias and mark, hereby become glorious actions; and as mean as they be to the eye of the world, if it be but the giving a cup of could water— Christ will have as great care such actions shall not be lost, as he had of the fragments of the miraculous bread and fish with which he fed many thousands; 
Matth. 14.  he would have all gathered up, and none lost. A reward in heaven is the fruit the meanest actions bear which are thus terminated: They are more glorious things in the eye of God than an angels tongue, 
1 Cor. 13.1.  or a faith of Miracles. These are actions that will follow their Agents to heaven; such actions and works as are wrought in God, and for God, will follow a man to God; 
Rev. 14.13.  his works shall follow him: They do not go before him, to make way for him; Christ's works alone have this honour: but they shall certainly follow him, and be to praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ; as St. 
1 Pet. 1.7.  Peter saith of the faith of Saints.  
The Reason why I am so large on this matter is, because a man's dedicating his ways and works to his own will and end, is the reason, as you have seen, why natural men are so unprofitable Creatures to themselves.  
Quest. But how shall we know whether God or ourselves be our main rule and end in all our ways and actions?  
Answ. 1. Observe what it is that puts you upon good actions, and that sweetens your labour and pains therein: If your own credit, or profit, or other outward self-advantages, then yourselves are your main end, and not God: But if the will of God, and glory of God, pleasing of God, and enjoying of God bear sway, and be the wings that carry you on; not yourselves, but God is your supreme end: As the pains that the people took in Psal. 84. in going from all parts of the Land to Jerusalem, was to meet God in Zion.  
2. Observe where you mostly look for reward in your religious and good works. If from men, you are your own ends: if from God, God is your end, especially if you look at God himself for your reward. 
Gen. 15.2.  The Nurse looks not for a reward of her care from the Child, but the Mother: And so when you look for your reward from God, and not men, you quit yourselves from the Spirit of an hypocritical Pharisee, and have an argument for your sincerity, and that God is your mark and motive.  
3. Observe what it is wherein thy heart resteth itself in thy passage through this world: If it be for that thou hast estate enough, or repute with men enough, or a sufficiency of other flesh-pleasing circumstances, it is a sign thou art thine own end; like that rich man in the Gospel, 
Luke 12.  who sang to himself, Soul, take thine ease, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: but if thou hast no hearts ease longer than thou hast God's presence, or restest upon him, and art laying out thyself in his service, and for his glory, thou mayst reckon upon it that God is thy great end. This was the great content of Christ's heart, That he did always the things that pleased his Father: 
John 8.29. John 17.4.  and, Father, I have glorified thee on earth.  
Our Lord Jesus, 
Heb. 1.4.  even as the Son of man, was much better than the Angels; yet not his own, but his Fathers will was his rule, John 6.39. and his Fathers glory his high end; 
Joh. 12.27, 28.  What shall I say? Save me from this hour. Father, glorify thy Name. This was the comfort of Jesus Christ, when he went out of this world; Father, I have glorified thee on earth.  
O my Brethren, this is one of the greatest points in religion, to look what is your great end in Religion, and in all your conversation in this World, yourselves or God: if yourselves, you will have a blast on all you do; do you never so much, you do but waste your Substance your Father hath given you, 
Isa. 55.2.  as this younger Son did; You labour for that which satisfieth not. But if God be your motive and your end, you may be sure you labour not in vain, nor spend your strength for nought, for your judgement is with the Lord, 
Isa. 49.4.  and your reward with your God.  
Here is the excellency of grace, that it lifts up your eyes much to God: as it's the excellency of man's body above that of other living Creatures, in being made erect; his own figure teaching him to lift his eyes and thoughts up to heaven. Look upon it as an evidence and excellency of grace in your souls, 
Psal. 25.1. Psal. 86.4. Psal. 143.8.  that they are thereby much carried up to God; Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul, was much in David's mouth. And it was the use of our Lord Jesus to lift up his eyes to heaven, Joh. 17.1. & 11.41.    

CHAP. XVI.  
Sheweth, that when men forsake God, he gives them up to the height of sinning; from the same Clause, And there wasted his Substance with riotous living.  
THERE is yet a third Doctrine from this last Clause of the Thirteenth Verse, viz. That when men depart from God, and cast off his fear and counsel, then he gives them up to the height of sinning. When this younger Brother got from under his Father's eye into a far country, there he lived in all excess of riot; he lived riotously. And what a life that is, 
1 Pet. 4 3, 4.  St. Peter tells us; a living in lasciviousness, lust, excess of wine, revellings, &c. This was the case of the Jews, when they harkened not to the Lord's voice, 
Psal. 81.11, 12.  and would have none of him, he then gave them up to their own hearts lust—  
We see the case also exemplified in the Gentiles, when they regarded not God, 
Rom. 1.24, 26, 28.  nor liked to retain him in their knowledge, he gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, and unto vile affections, and unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. As Ahab sold himself to work wickedness, 2 Kings 21. And others gave themselves over to lasciviousness, 
Eph. 4.19.  to work all uncleanness with greediness, being lead captive by the Devil at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 
2 Tim. 2.26.   
And such men are within a few steps of the state of the Devils, because they sin wilfully and greedily: There is not only their will in their sinning, but wilfulness and obstinacy. 
Jer. 44.16, 17.  As for the word thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord, we will not harken unto thee; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouths. It's true, that not only natural men, but such who have grace, do sin; but not such sins as these sin, nor any sins in such a manner. A godly man may sin a great and gross sin, 
Gal. 6.2.  but he is tempted to it, and overtaken with it. It was Satan that provoked David to number the people, 1 Chro. 21.1. And Satan sifted Peter when he fell so foully. 
Luke 22.   
And besides, they greatly afflict their souls for such sins: David watered his Couch with his tears, and writ many penitential Psalms; 
Mark 26.  and Peter wept bitterly. I, but natural men, especially those who are given up to their own lusts by the just judgement of God, they sin almost any sins with delight; 
Prov. 2.14.  They rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked, that will not endure any reproof; as many in these loose times rejoice to make men, and see men drunk. And the Apostle in the first to the Romans, v. 29, 30, 31. speaking of the most dreadful sins committed by men, speaks of men that not only do them, but take pleasure in them that do them. Now the more will and affection there is for sin, the more sinful it is. It is more the manner, than matter of sin, that shows the state of the heart. Sin considered simply is not the brand of a reprobate; for none of the Elect are without sin in this life. 
1 Joh. 2.8.  It's willing and wilful sinning that denotes a wicked man. If the greatest sinner be upon the returning point to God, sin will not damn him; Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 
Ezek. 18.30.   

Application.  
1. This may be for a lamentation, that in our times there are so many desperate sinners that waste their Substance, not only their wealth, but their health, their parts and places, and all the Lord hath entrusted them with, they waste all in riotous living. Do we see great men great sinners? we have no need to envy their greatness, but to pity their great sinfulness and folly. Such practical Atheists St. Paul speaks of to Titus 2.16. They profess they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. And because they profess to know God, and Christ, and the Scriptures, their sin is the greater, as Christ said to the Jews.  
2. This may much move you to admire and bless the Lord, whose will, and affections, and content, is taken off from all sin. It's as great a mercy, as that all your sins are forgiven you; for both are parts of the Covenant of grace. O look on it as mercy when God hedges up your way, 
Hos. 2.7.  when you are going out of his.  
Art thou fearful when thou sinnest? bless God for so much mercy. Doth thy heart smite thee when thou hast sinned? bless God that sense of sin is not taken from thee. Hath God took away pleasure from thy sinning? bless God thou art so far delivered from sin. How many sinners are past feeling, and given up to a reprobate mind in sinning?  
Quest. But may not such a sinner be converted?  
Answ. It is not impossible; the case is very dangerous, though not utterly desperate. Conversion hath been the happy lot of the worst of Heathens; and Publicans and Harlots were converted, 
Matth. 21.31.32.  and believed. But when men pretend to know God, and to believe in Christ, and yet are greedy sinners, and sin without feeling, their case is more hopeless, and they are very near that heavy sentence, 
Rev. 22.11.  He that is filthy, let him be filthy still. But when men come to feel a bitterness in sin, and their conscience cannot bear with it, there is now some hope. Thus much for the the thirteenth Verse.    

CHAP. XVII.  
Wherein is shewed, That great pain and sorrow do always follow the pleasures of sin. With Meditations hereupon by way of Use; from the fourteenth Verse, And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty Famine in that Land, and he began to be in want.  
IN the former Verse this younger Son, the Picture of every man by Nature, acted his part in sin; and in these Verses we see him acting his part in sorrow: there we saw his bravery, here his misery. And here let us consider,  
1. His misery itself in the fourteenth Verse; And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty Famine in that Land; and he began to be in want.  
2. The Course he took for his relief, in the fifteenth Verse; And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that country: and he sent him into his field to feed Swine.  
3. The Ineffectualness of that Course in order to his relief, in the sixteenth Verse; And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the Swine did eat, and no man gave unto him.  
First, Of his distress and misery we have here expressed a double occasion; 1. He had spent all; and 2. There arose a mighty Famine in that Land. He was distressed within and without: Within, for he had nothing of his own left; he had spent all his Substance, his whole Portion; all was gone: And without also; there was a Famine in the Land whither he was rambled from his Father's House; so that he was straitned on all hands. Though there had been a famine, if he had had something of his own, his case had been tolerable; or though he had nothing of his own, had there not been a Famine in the Land, he might have had hopes of supply: but he is every way distressed, as those Lepers were. If we say, we will go into the City, the Famine is there, 
2 Kings 7.  and there we shall die: and if we sit still, we die also. And observe, It is said, there arose, or began, a mighty Famine in the Land; and he began to be in want. All his straits were but the beginning of sorrow, as Christ said, when he had spoken of many sore evils that would befall Judea and Jerusalem; All these are the beginnings of sorrow: 
Matth. 24.8.  So was it with this man's straits; for like the flood, they increased, and prevailed mightily day after day, Gen. 7. The misery of graceless men hath a beginning, but no end, if free grace dispose not otherwise of it in their conversion, as it did in this Prodigal's Case. But we come to the spiritual things which this part of the Parable means and intends.  
1. This intimates to us, That great pain and sorrow follows the pleasures of sin: first he spent all his Substance upon his lust; and then he was in want, and hedged in with straits.  
2. It intimates to us, That when men leave God to shift for themselves in this evil World( which is a far country from God) they shall find a Famine therein; i.e. e. they shall find no satisfaction in the Creature: Let them have never so great a Portion, they shall have no satisfaction.  
The first of these shall be the subject of this Chapter, viz. That great pain and sorrow follows the pleasures of sin. The sweet of sin is but for a season, and ends in bitterness, 
Heb. 11.25.  as Joab said of the Sword. Sin's best will be soon spent, and then comes its worst; but this is not gone so quickly. The Bee hath a sting as well as honey: There is a core in the forbidden Fruit, that will stick in a man's throat when he has eaten it. The pleasures of sin are not immortal things, but very flashes, and they go out like a Candle, with a stinking snuff. Roses stay not always on the three, but are gathered, or whither, and  shed, and then they leave prickles behind them.  
The pleasantness of the fruit of the three of Knowledge was soon gone from Adam and Eve, 
Gen. 3.  and changed into nakedness, and fears, and amazement. When the affections have acted their part in sin, then sin acts its part on the Conscience: yea when the pleasing affections, love, desire, delight, have had their time in sin, then the bitter affections, grief, and sorrow, and vexation, have their season, and that for ever with many; Cain, and Amnon, and Judas are examples.  
While Belshazzar was drinking Wine in the golden Vessels of the Temple, 
Dan. 5.3, 4, 5, 6  he saw that handwriting on the wall, which made his countenance change, and his thoughts trouble him, and all his joints to tremble. Sin will punish and plague men when they have spent their love upon it; 
Jer. 2.19.  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee.  
And though a man have a long day of the pleasure of sin, yet that day will have a night; and if bitter repentance prevent not, that night will never have day more after it. 
Rev. 21.25. Matth. 8.12.  As the Saints in heaven have no night, so the damned in hell have no day, but utter darkness. The pains of sin have a longer season than the pleasures. rejoice, O young man, 
Eccles. 11.9.  in thy youth, or youthful lusts, saith the Preacher, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement.  
And Eccles. 8.11. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet it shall not be well with the wicked. And wo unto the wicked, it shall not be well with him; 
Isa. 3.11.  for the reward of his hands shall be given to him: that is, God's unavoidable doom, Rom. 2.9. Tribulation and auguish upon every soul of man that doth evil. The end of these things is death. 
Rom. 6.   
If men might have the pleasures of sin on earth, and after have the pleasures of God in heaven, the Scriptures would be disproved, and Christ should die in vain, and the Law curse sinners in vain, and upon the matter, God would be found a liar; he that believeth not God hath made him a liar. 
1 Joh. 5.10.  And what a heap of blasphemies would these suppositions rise to?  
Nay, if a righteous man should return to the pleasures of sin, 
Ezek. 18.24.  God hath professed that he should die, and not live. If a righteous man could do the one, God would do the other. If Angels sin, they must not stay in heaven, but be damned. All the world cannot forbid the banns between the pleasures of sin and eternal sorrow, unless Conversion alter the case.  
If David will have the pleasure of sin, he must have the pain of it too; 
Psal. 6.2, 3. Psal. 51.  his flesh must whither, and his bones be broken; and his soul must be vexed in him.  
It's true, that our dear Lord Jesus Christ hath taken off the sorrows of sin from the Saints so far, 
Rom. 8.1. Heb. 12.10.  as they are mortal; but not so far as they are medicinable. Though they are kept out of hell, yet they may be brought to the borders. Though the Canaanites shall not hinder Israels possessing of the good Land, yet they may give them great disturbance. It is convenient that sin should end in sorrow in the Elect in this life, that they may taste what sorrow Christ felt for their sins; and what sorrows the damned do, and shall feel there; that so they may learn to set a high price and value upon the pardon of their sins, and their escape from condemnation. O when a godly man's Conscience comes to feel the bitter that follows the sweet of any sin, this makes him a great admirer of the free grace of God.  

Application.  
1. Let this be for a lamentation, That the world, yea much of the Christian world, should be so sottish as to buy the pleasures of sin for a season at such an excessive dear rate, as the hazard of eternal pains. This is like Esau's selling his birth-right for a mess of Pottage. How can such men red or hear the Scripture in Job 21.13. if they believe it, without horror? They spend their days in mirth( so it is in the margin) and suddenly, or in a moment, go down into the grave; and it may be into hell one part, before into the grave the other.  
Satan is the Prince of this world, 
John 14.30. 2 Cor. 4.4.  and the god of this world by usurpation; and he rewards his Subjects with the pleasures of this world, and lusts of this world, to fit them to be tormented with himself in the next. As Abraham said to Dives, 
Luke 16.25.  Remember, that in thy life time thou hadst thy good things, the pleasures of this world; but now thou art tormented.  
The Devil could not tempt Christ with all the Kingdoms of the world; but he tempts thousands with the base lusts of the world: He puts many tricks and cheats upon poor sinners. He lessons and sweetens sin before, and in the act; but greatens and embitters it afterwards.  
He troubles not for sin before he have tempted men to it, and then he often falls on the Conscience, as he did on Cain's; 
Gen. 4.13.  Mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven; and the punishment of my sin is greater than I can bear. Sin may be sweet in the swallow, as some Vomits are; but then it torments when it is in the stomach, and brings up bitter stuff: But here is the misery of it, that men will not believe till they feel, 
John 20.  as Thomas his unbelief said; except I feel, and see, I will not believe. Those that tell men of these things, they seem to them as mockers, 
Gen. 19.14.  as Lot did to his Sons in Law, and say in their hearts as those scoffing Jews at the Prophets threatening their sins with judgments; Let him make speed, 
Isa. 5.19.  and hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the holy one of Israel draw nigh, and come, that we may know it.  
It hath been an old practise of sinners to flatter themselves in the fulfilling their lusts; 
Deut. 29.19.  I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine own heart. He flattereth himself in his own eyes, till his iniquity be found to be hateful, Psal. 
Matth. 24.  36.2. Our blessed Saviour saith, that in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, &c. and knew not till the flood came, and took them all away. And knew not! Did not Noah forewarn them many years? Yes, but they did not regard or believe him, 
Hos. 4.11.  till they saw it: whoredom, and wine, and new wine, took away their hearts, and reason, 
Hos. 11.12.  and senses. Thus men compass themselves about with lies, 
Isa. 50.11.  and with the sparks of their own fire; with their own fond reasonings and vain hopes. But what saith God to them? This ye shall have at my hands, ye shall lye down in sorrow.  
St. Paul reckons this amongst the sins of the last times or days; 
2 Tim. 3.4.  Men shall be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. They let their own lusts take place of God in their hearts. What is it to be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, but to follow a man's own lusts, rather than the will of God? When a man's pleasures take him off, or put him by any duty that God commands him, why now he loves his pleasure more than God: It's a plain conviction in the case.  
For as Faith works by love, Gal. 5.6. so love worketh by obedience. 
John 14.15.  If ye love me keep my Commandments. So that when men will break through a Command of God to take their own pleasure, now they are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. But, O ye simplo ones, 
Prov. 1.21.  how long will ye love simplicity? O turn ye at this days reproof; It's infinitely better to grieve and afflict your souls for sin, than to take pleasure in it. O sorrow for sin at present, that ye may not sorrow by it for ever; unless you do the former, you must do the latter; unless you do sorrow, you shall sorrow, as he said, Periissem, nisi pertissem, I had been undone, if I had not been undone. Seek then to sorrow for sin with sorrow that is to conversion, that ye may escape sorrow for sin that will be to your confusion.  
Let me put this Question to every such person that takes pleasure in their lusts that count it pleasure to riot in the day time; 
2 Thess. 2.12. 2 Pet. 2.13. Rom. 13. ult.  sporting themselves with their own deceivings; making provision for the flesh.  
Let me ask these that question which was asked those Oppressors in Isa. 10.3. What will ye do in the day of Visitation? Do ye think to escape the judgement of God? Rom. 2.3. You must feel the bitter of sin, as well as the sweet: If I have done so and so, saith Job; 
Job 31.  What shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? And if Job cannot, how canst thou? Thou wilt have nothing within or without to speak a good word for thee.  
Thy affections will loath the things that thou did so lust after, 
2 Sam. 13.  as Amnon did. And thy memory will be wormwood and gull to thee, as theirs was, Lam. 3.19. And thy Conscience will vex and trouble thee; it will be the Executioner of God's displeasure upon thee for thy pleasure taken, and sinful ways. 
John 12.48.  And that Word of God which thou despisedst and rejectedst, will judge thee. And thy Companions in evil, that were wont to encourage and drill thee on to evil, they'l say to thee, as the High Priest did to Judas in his agony of Conscience, 
Mark 27.  I have betrayed innocet blood; Caveat emptor; what's that to us? See thou to that.  
Yea, every thing that thou expectest relief from in the day of thy sorrow, and bitterness of thy soul, all will say to thee, as the King of Israel did to that Widow which cried out, 
2 Kings 6.  Help, O King: If the Lord do not help thee, whence should I help thee?  
And again, to take every man off from taking pleasure in sin, in sin that offers the most, let a man consider this, That there is more real evil in sin that appears most pleasing, than there is in all the sorrows and miseries of the world: therefore Moses choose rather to suffer afflictions, 
Heb. 11.25.  even the greatest tribulations with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin; And other Saints have chosen the greatest torments imaginable, rather than sin, or a sinful escape from them, verse 35, 36, 37.  
And our Lord Jesus Christ, who was willing to be a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, Isa. 53.1. yea, to be made a curse, and to suffer the wrath of God, which was hell to his soul, 
Mark 1.  so long as it lasted, and all to save his people from their sins: yet would he not have done the least sin himself, to have kept them from hell; Who did no sin, 2 Pet. 2.22. and knew no sin( i.e.) by experience in himself: The former text explains the latter. 
2 Cor. 5.21.  He was willing to bear all their sins upon him, 1 Pet. 2.24. but would not have the least of sin in him. The Prince of this world cometh, 
John 14.30.  and hath nothing in me.  
And so holy Paul groaned more under the weight of sin, than of all his sufferings; when in 2 Cor. 11.23.— he had numbered them to a great sum; In stripes above measure; in prisons more frequent; 
2 Cor. 12.11.  in death oft— yet he could glory in these, verse 30. and take pleasure in them, as brave Souldiers do in their scars, as badges of honour. But when he speaks of sin that dwelleth in him, he groans grievously; O wretched man that I am— 
Rom. 7.24.   
A Saint is not well pleased with any sin, nor does he at any time rejoice in sin, as he usually doth in his sufferings for well-doing; as Moses choose rather to suffer affliction, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin, Heb. 11.25. Sin of itself is misery; as God in himself is blessedness. There is bitterness in sin, as well as for sin. It is bitterness to the people of God, 
Psal. 38.  abstracted from its punishment; Mine iniquities are a burden too heavy to bear. And sin is bitter to God himself: That in Lam. 2.18. 
Lam. 2.18.  I have rebelled against his Commandment, may be red, I have made bitter his mouth. So in Deuteronomy, 
De●ut. 32.32.  Their grapes are grapes of gull, their clusters are bitter: Their Vine was their sinful nature; and their grapes their sinful works; and these were bitter to God, to speak, as himself doth, after the manner of men.  
There is more evil in sin, than in the punishment of it. Indeed sin itself is the greatest punishment that God inflicteth on sinners in this World: Because those Heathens sinned so greatly, therefore, as a punishment, 
Rom. 1.26, 28.  God gave them up to vile affections, and to a reprobate mind. Their latter sins were the punishment of their former, without any unrighteousness in God: And therefore when the Apostle had spoken of Gods punishment God inflicted on them for their sins, viz. his giving them over to sin, he saith of it, 〈◇〉, it was that which was meet; receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet, in the 27th. verse. O how great is the evil of sin, when God makes sin the highest punishment of sin out of hell? 
2 Thess. 2.12.  Because they received not the love of the truth; for this cause God shall sand them strong delusions, that they should believe a lye.  
Quest. But how can men take pleasure in sin, if sin be the greatest punishment of sin in this life?  
Answ. Because whilst they are under the power of sin, it is no burden to them, but pleasure: As a man that swims or dives under the water, feels it not a burden, but pleasure to him; whereas if he went out of the water, the tenth part of that water on his shoulders would make him groan, and sink him down. And so when a man is delivered from under the dominion of sin, as he is when he cometh into a state of grace, those sins which were easy and pleasant to him before grace, are now the greatest trouble and vexation.  
You see then how little reason men have to fancy pleasure in sin, or to reckon themselves happy when they may have their lusts; let not therefore our eyes dazzle at the men of this world, that have their fill of the pleasures of sin, and have liberty and opportunity to fulfil their lusts. 
Psal. 73.12, 13. Jer. 12.12.  It was Asaph's infirmity, and Jeremiah's too, to be troubled in their minds at such a sight.  
Alas, all their pomp is but a fantasy, as St. Paul saith of that of Agrippa and Berenice; 
Acts 25.28. Psal. 39.  so it is in the Greek: All is but a vain show; as is a Dream when one awaketh; So, O Lord, 
Psal. 73.20.  when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image. Dreams of honour, and pleasures, and riches, are not real, but imaginary things; men find it so when they awake out of their dreams.  
Thus doth God make all these mens delight and pleasure in their lusts, the lusts of the flesh, 
1 John 2.16.  the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life to be but imaginary delights in their own sense and experience, when he awakens to judgement, and awakens their Consciences unto judgement.  
We should therefore tremble at their courses, as well as their ends. So did holy Paul at their debaucheries he speaks of in Philip. 3.19. Many walk of whom I have  told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are enemies to the across of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shane, who mind earthly things.  
These men seem like to Leviathan, 
Job 41.33.  made without fear; they laugh at mens threatenings, and God's threatenings for sin, as Leviathan is said to do at the shaking of a Spear. 
Job 41.20.  These spend their days in sinful mirth, 
Job 21.  and in a moment go down to the grave, or to hell. They have pleasure and mirth no where but on earth; not in the grave, for that is darkness and silence; not in hell, there is nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and they are sure to have none in heaven, for no unclean thing comes there. O that these would remember what Father Abraham said to Dives; 
Luke 16.  Son, remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things, but now thou art tormented. Sins that have been sweet to the affections, will be bitter at length to the Conscience: As St. 
Rev. 10.  John's Book was sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his belly. 
Hos. 2.6, 7. Gen. 3.  O happy were men, if God did hedge up the way from the pleasures in sin, as he did the way of the three of Life from man by a flaming Sword.    

CHAP. XVIII.  
Manifesting, That whenever men set their hearts upon the things of this world, God makes them all empty and unsatisfactory to them: The several ways God takes to bring this to pass: And what use we are to make hereof; from the same fourteenth Verse, And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty Famine in that Land, and he began to be in want.  
I Have done with the first Doctrine from this Verse, scil. That great pain and sorrow do always follow the pleasures of sin. I next proceed to the second, which is this; That when mens hearts go a whoring from God to the world, and the lusts of it, they meet with a famine or emptiness therein. That Scripture, Psal. 73.27. is express for it, and it's full of terror; For so, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. Where God is not, there is a Famine This far country is this present evil World; and God and this World are at a great distance: 
Gal. 1.4.  Know ye not, that the friendship of this world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. And in another place, 
James 4.4.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him: for all that is in the world, the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but of the world. When earnal men court the vanities of the world, they bid defiance to God; and God will be avenged on them, in making the things of the world, which they so court, to be vanity and vexation of spirit to them. When mens minds go a whoring from God after the world, and the things of the world, they meet with a mighty Famine.  
But the men of this world have their Portion in this world, 
Psal. 17.14.  and God fills them with his hide treasure; it may may be with silver, and gold, and other precious things digged out of the earth: And they have more than heart could wish; 
Psal. 73.7.  more than they once imagined they should ever have had.  
Suppose this, and yet there may be a famine in the heart and mind; 
Job 20.22.  In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits. 
Esth. 5.11.  So it was with Haman, Esth. 5. when he had  told his wife and friends of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the Princes— yet says he, All this availeth me nothing— So when Esau said to Jacob, I have enough Brother, 
Gen. 33.9.  it was but a flourish; his heart said little enough.  
2. God disables the Creature from satisfying any man, when he sets it in his heart instead of God. Jonas was exceeding glad of his gourd, i.e. e. 
Jonah 4.  overmuch; and presently a worm is sent to whither it. 
Jer. 2.13.  When men forsake the fountain of living waters, they hue them out broken Cisterns that can hold no water. There is a lye in them: 
Prov. 23.3.  They are like salt meats, that increase a man's thirst. The more of the world, the more craving is the worldly heart: It is hydropical, still thirsting after something he hath not, or something more of what he hath.  
Solomon is a famous instance in the case, and may be instar omnium, one for all. It is said of him, that when he was old, 
1 Kings 11.4.  his wives turned away his heart after other gods: And now he left God, as this Son did his Father's house, he went into a far country; and setting his heart on the lusts of the world, he met with a mighty famine amongst all things under the Sun, or over all the face of the earth: He was King in Jerusalem, 
Gen. 41.5, 6.  and he gave his heart to seek and search out by wisdom( i.e. carnal or earthly wisdom) concerning all things that are done under the heavens; i.e. to find out happiness; but he found this to be fore travail: 
Eccles. 1.12.—  He tried all Creatures for satisfaction, but found it not; every Creature said, It is not in me. 
Job 28.14.  In all his fullness his heart was empty; he met a mighty famine over all the world. None in all the world like him for parts and knowledge; he was the wonder of the world for these: They came from all parts of the earth, 
1 Kings 4.34.  even from all Kings of the earth, to hear of his wisdom. Aristotle, who by many is called Natures Secretary, was but a Novice to Solomon.  
And beside his high and extraordinary parts, his riches were so vast, 
2 Chro. 9.27.  as that silver was plentiful as stones in Jerusalem. And he had sumptuous buildings, Eccles. 2. and he kept a sumptuous Court, 1 Kings 4. His Dominions were large and extensive; and his Kingdom exceeding great: And he gave his heart to mirth and pleasure; 
Eccles. 2.1.  and whatsoever his eyes desired, he kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, v. 10. And yet this was the summa totalis, the sum of all, v. 11. Behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.  
Wherever Solomon looked for satisfaction and happiness out of God, he was failed in his expectation. As when Eve brought forth Cain, she thought she had born the promised Seed, Gen. 3. but she found herself utterly mistaken; and therefore names her next Son Abel, and. vanity. But Solomon doubles it, after his enquiry for content in all things under the Sun; 
Eccles. 1.2.  Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.  
And herein God was merciful to Solomon, in that he would let him find no rest to his Soul out of God; as God said to Israel when their hearts went a whoring from him; 
Deut. 28.65.  Thou shalt find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot find rest amongst those Nations where the Lord shall scatter thee.  
If a wounded man find a weed in the field that will give him ease, he'l not go to the chirurgeon: And so if a natural man's heart can find satisfaction in any thing of this world, he will not go to God. Whilst the Prodigal could make any shift, he had no thoughts on his Fathers house.  
1. Now the Lord disables the whole Creation from giving satisfaction to men, sometimes by removing them from their place. 
Isa. 38.8.  As he made the Sun go back ten degrees by the shadow on Ahaz his Dial: So does he by mens Creature enjoyments on which their hearts are set; 
Psal. 18.  Lovers and friends hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. God often cuts down the three, 
Lam. 4.20.  under whose shade a man reckons upon it to find refreshing. This was Job's case, Job 19. from the thirteenth Verse to the twentieth; He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.— My breath is strange to my wife.— And it was David's case at Ziklag; 
1 Sam. 30.6.  his followers, who had stood by him in that distress, talked of stoning him.  
2. Sometimes, though the Lord lets a man's Creature comforts remain with him, yet he locks up their virtue; so that though he have their presence, yet he hath not their influence; as he shut the heavens in Elias his time, 
James 5.17.  that it rained not for the space of three years and six months. As the Lord doth sometimes shut up the nocent and destructive power of the Creature from his servants; as he did that of the fire from the three young men, 
Dan. 3. Dan 6. Acts 28.  and of the Lions from Daniel, and of the Viper from Paul: So he often shuts up the cheering and gladding power of the Creatures from men that have them in abundance. Manna may seem but light and loathsome meat to Israel.  
3. God doth often disable the faculties in men for taking any comfort in whatsoever they possess. Man's faculties are frequently vitiated, like the mouth and palate in a Fever, that cannot relish the best drink. The light of the Sun hurts a weak eye. 
Gen. 21.19.  Hagar saw not the Well of water when her Son was ready to die for thirst, till God opened her eyes. And the Preacher speaks his own experience in this case; 
Eccles. 6.1, 2.  There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun, and it is common among men: A man to whom God hath given riches and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof. What's the most pleasant Instrument, where there is not Art to use it? No man hath the Key of the Creatures influence, that opens and shuts at pleasure, but God, himself.  

Application.  
1. This Doctrine serves for Caution to all: Take heed you leave not your Father's house, to go into this far country: if you do, you are sure to meet with a mighty famine; 
Isa. 44.20.  you'l find you feed on Ashes. God will let a man find no content in any thing, that finds it not in him, or seeks it not there. God hath made the whole Creation too narrow for the soul of man, much more for the hearts of Saints. If your heart settle and fix on any Creature, you will find it will pinch you, as a narrow show doth the foot.  
The soul of man is from God; 
Gen. 2.7.  God breathed into man the breath of life, and he became a living soul. And so the soul that came from God, 
Eccles. 12.7. Hos. 3.3.  is for God, and not for another. God is for the soul, and the soul for God. 
Lam. 3.24. Prov. 23.26.  The Lord is my portion, saith my soul. And saith the Lord, My son, give me thy heart. Man was made in the image of God, that nothing but God should satisfy man. God was satisfied with himself, when there was nothing else besides himself; and man should be satisfied with God alone; I am God all-sufficient.  
It's said God restend not till he had made man; nor should man rest till he enjoy God; nay, man cannot. A man may say, as he did Luke 12. Soul, take thine ease, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: I, but God will call him fool for it.  
When David had a Kingdom, or a promise of it, this would not satisfy him without God. 
Psal. 42.1.  As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. It is God alone that can give a man his hearts desire: 
Psal. 37.4.  Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee thy hearts desire. O Israel, open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. 
Psal. 81.10. Isa. 65.13.  Behold, my servants shall eat; but ye shall be hungry. This is the difference betwixt those that enjoy God, and other men.  
Nature in man must have bread, but grace in man must have God. Give a gracious soul all the world, and take away God, and you give him stones for bread. He says as Micha, Judges 18.24. Ye have taken away my gods, and what have I more? In thee are all my springs, saith the holy Psalmist. 
Psal. 87. ult.  A godly man can no more live without God, as many do, Eph. 2.12. than a fish can live out of the water.  
Quest. But hath not godliness the promise of the life that now is? 1 Tim. 4.8. And he tells the Saints, 
1 Cor. 3.21—  that all things are theirs; even the world, and things present—  
Answ. I; but not to set their hearts on. These things must keep in the Suburbs of your heart, 
Prov. 23.26. Eph. 3.16.  but not come into them. The heart is God's place, and Christ's place. 
1 Cor. 7.31.  Saints may use this world, but not abuse it; which they do, when they set their hearts on it. You may desire the things of this world, but not lust after them, as Israel did after flesh. Your lustings after them will make you lean or thin from day to day, 
2 Sam. 13.4.  as Amnon's lusting after Tamar did; and make you surfeit of them when you have them, as the people did of their flesh. 
Num. 6.11.   
While the humours of the body keep within their measure, the body hath an increase or good temperament; but if they get into the excess, some sickness commonly follows: So is it with the soul, while affections keep their stint to these outward things, what you have you'l enjoy comfortably; God adds no sorrow with them; 
Prov. 10.22. Eccles. 2.24.  but gives you power to eat— and to see good in your labour and portion here. And as you'l have comfort in what you have; so what you have not, you will feel no need of it.  
But if affections run out, and exceed their bounds, instead of satisfaction, and enough, you'l find a famine and dearth in yourselves. And therefore when your hearts are settling here, say to them, 
Mich. 2.10.  Arise, this is not your rest. When men seek for rest in a country far from God, they will be like the unclean spirit, which walketh through dry places, 
Matth. 12.43.  seeking rest, and findeth none.  
Quest. But are godly persons in danger of this, to let their minds go astray to these outward things?  
Answ. Yes; they may enter into this temptation. Christ's Disciples hanker'd after great things in this world; their thoughts were busied about an earthly Kingdom, both before Christ's death, and after his resurrection. 
Mark 10.33, 35—  James and John made their requests for the greatest places there, even when he had been telling them of his sufferings at hand. And after his Resurrection, all his Disciples jointly asked the question, Lord, 
Acts 1.6.  wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel.  
The world may steal away a godly man's heart from God; 
2 Sam. 15.  as Absolom did the peoples from David. 
Gen. 34.  When Dinah went to see the daughters of the Land, she was defiled by Shechem: and so if Christians do not over-see their hearts, they will be gadding to change their way, 
Jer. 2.36.  like the Jews; and now it's ten to one the world defiles and deflowrs their hearts. Our blessed Saviour saw it needful to Caution his Disciples to take heed lest their hearts be overcharged with the cares of this world. 
Luke 21.34.  They had in them that 〈◇〉, that common poison of nature, which, when abetted by Satan's temptations, may draw our hearts, as well as theirs, to court the world and the lusts of it; The lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life. 
1 John 2.16.   
We know how righteous Noah was thus overtaken after the flood; 
Gen. 9. Gen. 19.  and Lot, when out of Sodom. And it was after he had spoken of these days of Noah, that Christ gave that Caution to his Disciples. So much for this Doctrine from the fourteenth Verse, viz. That when mens hearts go a whoring from God to the world, and the lusts of it, they meet with a famine or emptiness therein.    

CHAP. XIX.  
Sheweth, That troubles of Conscience are God's preparative to a Sinner's Conversion: And the Reasons hereof. How God sometimes varies his Method: And to what end. What degree of sorrow requisite: With the Application of the whole; from the last Clause of the fourteenth Verse, And he began to be in want.  
I HAVE done with the two former Doctrines from the fourteenth Verse. I come to the third from the last Clause, viz. That God brings a sinner into Soul or Conscience straits in order to his Conversion. The Prodigal's Case tells us this; There arose a mighty famine in that Land, that far country, and he began to be in want. This fell out before his return to his Father. The spiritual meaning and signification whereof is, That troubles of Conscience or Soul straits, are God's preparative to a sinner's returning to him. 
Mark 3.  They are the sick that need the Physician. There is indeed sorrow and trouble for sin after Conversion, 
2 Cor. 7.  which is called godly sorrow; and this sorrow for sin is grace, for it is sorrow for sin, as sin is an unkindness to God: But this I am not speaking to now. There is a sorrow for sin before Conversion, and in order to it, which is not grace, but a preparation to it.  
Indeed this sorrow for sin, and trouble of Conscience in the sinners apprehension of wrath, may be dangerous, and an hindrance to grace, if not rightly ballas'd; It may bring to despair, as it did Cain, and Saul, and Judas: But rightly improved, it is a happy preparative to a natural man's return to God, as we see in this Prodigal. I say it is a happy preparative: because, though this trouble of Conscience begin in self-love, which God doth allow a sinner; yet he knoweth it will end in love to Jesus Christ; 
Luke 75.  as that womans, called 〈◇〉, a noted sinner, when she knew that much was forgiven her, she loved much.  
This conviction of sin and pain of Conscience, through feeling or fear of Divine wrath, driveth a sinner to cast about for ease, and a better state than now he is in.  
Quest. But how is a man prepared for Conversion by his sense of sin and misery?  
Answ. 1. This removes the bars to a man's Conversion; scil. his ignorance, wilfulness, security, pride, self-flattery and presumption: These vanish away, when the true sense of sin and misery come into to the Soul. When the Earthquake had set open the Prison doors, and put the gaoler into a trembling in his body and soul, 
Acts 16.  he then cries out to those men he had used so severely, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  
But yet if Christ carry not on this work farther by giving in converting grace, it will be but a false Conception, or a miscarrying Womb. For the Law in its humbling and terrifying work gives not grace, but helps in fitting the heart to receive it. These sorrows of Conscience by the work of the Law level the hills and strong holds of pride and presumption that hinder grace. John must prepare the way of the Lord.  
There are two things required in a sinners Conversion; the removal of impediments, and the influence of grace into the heart. The one is the work of the Law, i.e. e. conviction of sin and labourings in the Conscience; and the other is Christ and his Gospel. If a room have light, there must be openings of the shuts, and shining of light of the Sun. If the shuts be not withdrawn, the Sun cannot shine into the room, nor the light come in; and if the Sun be not up, there can come no light, though the shuts be open. So impediments to Conversion must be removed by conviction of sin, and then God shines into the heart with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 
2 Cor. 4.6.   
2. Sense of sin, and straits of Conscience for it, make the sinner feel a need of Christ, as the Disciples did when the winds and storms were ready to sink the Ship or Vessel; Lord save us, we perish. 
Matth. 8.24.  Thus when storms arise in the Conscience of a sinner, now if the work be not hindered, it comes to this, 
Acts 2.37.  Men and brethren what shall we do? and Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 
Acts 16.30.  And now Christ is likely to be received on his own terms, i.e. e. with his Yoke and across: For no sorrows or sufferings for Christ are so bitter, as sorrow and sufferings in Conscience for sin before a man come unto Christ.  
Quest. But doth God need this preparation-work in the conversion of sinners? Can he not give grace without thus shattering the Consciences of poor sinners?  
Answ. The Question is not so properly what God can do, as what he will do in the case. This hath been God's path that he hath usually trodden in the work of Conversion, in the Conversion of adulti, such as have the use of Reason. Christ Jesus gave not grace to stocks or stones( though God is able to raise up Children to Abraham of stones;) 
Matth. 3.9.  but Jesus gave grace to men and women prepared to it by the ministry of John the Baptist, who preached first Repentance for sin, 
Matth. 3.2.  and then Faith in Christ. He can, and doubtless doth give grace to Children, as to those he took up in his arms and blessed: 
Mark 10.  But he gives grace in another way to such; the same grace, but in a different way.  
And this also must be yielded, That every sinners Conscience is not wounded alike in order to Conversion. The Smith makes not every Nail with his great Hammer; nor doth God smite every man's Conscience with the like terror of the Law, that he brings to grace. 
2 Chro. 33.12.  Manasseh was greatly humbled; and who knoweth how greatly? But if the Lord deal more favourably with some others, why should any man complain that his bones are set with a little pain? The Physician knoweth best how to use his Patient. God has pity on many a poor soul under the sense of sin, and drops of his wrath, lest Satan should get an advantage; 
2 Cor. 2.8, 11  which was the reason why St. Paul willed the Corinthians to carry it gently towards the repenting and grieving incestuous person.  
O then bless God, if in thy Conversion he hath abated thee any thing of those terrible and most severe shakings of Conscience, that some other sinners have had in theirs.  
It's true, that there are amazing Convulsions of Conscience in some men, who never reach Conversion, or saving Humiliation for sin; 
Gen. 4.13. 1 Kings 21.  as in Cain and in Ahab: Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself? So in Judas, Matth. 27.  
And there is in some a silent sorrowing for sin, which though it make no great noise in the Conscience, yet it kindly melts the heart, and makes a man loath both his sins and himself, and fall into dear love with his Saviour. This was the Case of that woman in Luke 7. And for ought we red, most that the Lord Jesus himself called, he called in this way. He converted many Publicans and Sinners with a still voice: The bruised reed he did not break, 
Mark 12.20.  nor quench the smoking flax. He opened many sinners hearts without any terrifying-alarms of Conscience, as he did Lydia's. 
Acts 16.14.   
God can humble a sinner as well by the sense of mercy and free grace, as by the sense of his wrath. This is certain, that the Lord doth change his way in the Conversion of sinners: He hath, as St. judas saith, compassion on some, putting a difference; 
judas 22, 23.  and others he pulls out of the fire. A yielding block needs not so great and hard a wedge, as a hard knotty piece of wood doth.  
And God lets some endure the greater pangs and throws in their Conversion, that they may be the better Midwives to those that may need them in the like condition. God useth the same matter and method in every sinner's Conversion; first conviction of sin, and then conviction of righteousness— yet he uses not the same degrees: Some men have the sight of sin and of Christ almost together.  
Quest. But what is the measure or required degree of humiliation or trouble of Conscience for sin in order to conversion?  
Answ. When there hath been so much as brings the sinner out of himself, and off from all other Sanctuaries to Jesus Christ; and so to Christ, as that his mind would know him as the Gospel holds him forth to sinners; and the will would choose him, and the affections incline to embrace him, and upon his own terms; then there hath been sufficient trouble of Conscience for sin in order to a sinner's Conversion. This was Mary Magdalens Case in Luke 7. for she is probably thought to be that woman, a noted sinner.  
The end of the terror of the Law is to bring men to Christ, Gal. 3.24. Indeed if trouble of Conscience drive sinners to Christ, only to prevent and save from damnation, this is not enough: For a thoroughly humbled sinner would have Christ, to escape the dominion, as well as the damnation of sin. He doth not divide Christ, but takes him in the whole; with his sceptre to rule in and over him and his sins, as well as with his Censer to offer Sacrifice for them. Sufficient sorrow for sin takes a man not only off of his shifts, but off of his lusts also. He is weary of sin as well as sorrow. 
Mark 11.28.  Christ sanctifying is welcome to him, as well as Christ saving; and Christ purging, as well as Christ pardoning. A sinner is not sufficiently terrified with sin and wrath, till he come to say to Jesus Christ, as Saul did at his Conversion, Lord, 
Acts 9.6.  what wilt thou have me to do?  

Application.  
1. Let every man see to it, that his sorrow for sin have been sufficient; that it hath shew'd him his lost condition; turned him from all refuges but Jesus Christ; made him willing to give as well as to take; willing that he be Christs, as Christ his. Sorrow for sin that hath not these effects, is not sufficient.  
Many sinners look on sin through false Glasses: as 1. They measure sin by their own fancies, and so look upon it as a dead Serpent without a sting, or as a painted Lion, and so without fear of danger. Few men see sin with God's curse as it's sting; 
1 Cor. 15.56.  The strength of sin is the Law. How? As it curses the sinner; as it is Mount Ebal to the sinner.  
2. Men commonly judge of sin by God's patience towards sinners, and not by God's word. Because God lets sinners alone at present, and holds his peace; and because sentence is not speedily executed against an evil work; 
Psal. 50.21.  
Eccles. 8.11.  therefore the heart of man is fully set in them to do evil.  
But what saith God, to undeceive such men, in the quoted Psalm? These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; and thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set thy sins in order before thee.  
God's patience should greaten sin in our eyes, and not lessen it; 
Rom. 2.4, 5.  because sin multiplies under patience. Though God have long patience, yet there will be a day of reckoning betwixt him and the sinner: His transgression is sealed up in a bag; and God sews up his iniquity; 
Job 14.17.  as Job's expressions are. Yea, God himself saith as much Deut. 32.34. Is not this laid up instore with me, and sealed up among my treasure? O then let men judge of sin, not by God's patience, but by his Law. Look on every sin as a debt in God's Book, that must be answered for. Christ would have us so to estimate sin, 
Matth. 6.12.  so that all our sins must be answered for, as having brought us into debt to Gods Law and Justice; and we, or Christ for us, must pay the debt: We cannot; and Christ will not pay any sinners debt, that knows not his debt and his own inability to satisfy it. Christ  shed not his blood for presuming sinners. There was no Sacrifice allowed in the Law for sins of presumption. 
Numb. 15.30.   
Therefore it's the safest way for sinners to be Nathans to themselves, to discover their own sins to their souls, to load their prayers with confessions of them, and to give full audience to the Lectures of Conscience that will speak home to the sinner first or last. Sin lies at the door, ready to go into the Conscience when God saith Go. 
Gen. 4.7.   
The Hebrews put sin for its punishment, as Gen. 19.15. Take thy wife and thy daughters, saith the Angel to Lot, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the City, i.e. the punishment of it. Every man's sin will find him out, if he find not out it. Be sure your sin shall find you out, Numb. 32.23. i. e. to confess it, and be humbled for it.  
Jesus Christ escaped not the punishment of sin, when he undertook for their sins who came to him; and therefore let not any sinner think to escape the punishment of sin in his Conscience, who cometh not to Christ.  
O spare not thine own soul in sorrow for sin, so far as thou findest it thy way to Christ. If remorse of Conscience for sin be not come, it will come: And the sinner may look upon himself within gun-shot, that is at ease, and in peace at present.  
Think not that God hath forgotten those sins that thou thyself hast. Thou sinnedst so and so, and thoughtest I was like thyself; 
Psal. 50.21.  but I will set thy sins in order before thee. A man may be questioned by men for a murder done long since; how much more will a sinner be questioned for his sins, he sinned in Adam, so many thousand years ago; and especially for those of his whole life, if he have not sued out his pardon by Christ? Remember, and forget not, 
Deut. 9.7.  how thou provokedst God in the wilderness, from the day that thou didst depart from egypt. This was forty years since, yet Israel must remember this, and be humbled for it, or else there is no pardon for it. Men that live in sin, with easy thoughts of pardon, it's just with God to give them up to despair of pardon, when their Conscience comes to sense of their sins.  
But yet take heed, when sense of sin and wrath does come, of settling yourselves in the valley of anchor; 
Hos. 2.15.  but see it to be a door of hope. God dislikes despair in sinners, as much as presumption. God would have sinners magnify his mercy, as well as his justice: He is Almighty to pardon, as well as to revenge. Your sins may be mighty, but not Almighty: But God is Almighty to pardon; 
Numb. 14.17.  Let the power of my Lord be great, saith Moses, to pardon this peoples sin. And the humbled sinner hath this great power of God to pardon sin in promise; 
Isa. 55.7.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and he will abundantly pardon: and may glory in it, as they did Mich. 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage; because he delighteth in mercy? And so much for the third and last Doctrine from the fourteenth Verse.    

CHAP. XX.  
Representeth, How much it is in the nature of man, when convicted of sin, to have recourse to any thing, though never so vain, for ease, rather than unto God. Several Reasons or Causes from whence this comes to pass. The Application informing us, That Conviction is but a partial Conversion; and of what nature are all false Refuges. With divers Considerations moving us to beware of them; from the first Clause of the fifteenth Verse, And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that country.  
HAVING Considered the sinners misery, let us next see the course he takes for his relief, in the fifteenth Verse; And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed Swine.  
And here we have two things to be considered: 1. The project of this Prodigal for his relief in his great straight, He went and joined himself to a Citizen of that country. 
1 Cor. 6.17. 〈◇〉 in the Text 〈◇〉.  The Greek word signifieth to glue together; so that he did, as it were, put himself as an Apprentice to him; the same word as is used to express our union with Christ. He that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit.  
2. There is the employment the Citizen set him to, He sent him into his fields to feed Swine: mean and base service.  
As to the first, you'l say, Who is meant by this Citizen?  
It may be the Devil, 
Stella in luke. James 3.15.  or carnal Reason, which is from the Devil. So St. James speaks of wisdom that is sensual and devilish. The Devil is called the Prince of this world, 
John 4.30. 2 Cor. 4.4.  and the God of this world. He is the Chief of this far country; and to his service carnal and wicked men devote themselves: 
John 8.44.  Ye are of your Father the Devil, and his lusts ye will do. The Devil hath wicked men at his beck; 
2 Tim. 2.26.  They are taken captive by him at his will.  
2. 
Rom. 8.7.  The carnal mind, which is enmity against God, sensual wisdom, which is of the Devil, James 3.15. This sent him not home to make his peace with his Father, but kept him in this far country, though labouring under Famine. As Israel had rather return to Egypt, 
Numb. 14.4.  that had been to them a house of Bondage, than go forward to Canaan, the good Land of Promise.  
2. As to his employment this Citizen set him about, it was base, He sent him into his fields to feed Swine; which was intolerable to a Jew, 
Lev. 11.7.  to whom Swine were an abomination. It imports the drudgery that Satan puts natural men upon; they are his Vassals; he employs them in very base work, 
2 Tim. 2. ●●.  to do his lusts. As Turks do Christians who are their slaves, but with this difference; these are drudges against their will, those very willingly, 
Isa. 10.7.  though they think not so; as it's said in another case of the Assyrians.  
The scope and spiritual meaning of this part of the Parable is this; It sets forth 1. the sorry shifts that men under Conviction and pangs of Conscience, as to their sinful state, do commonly make to get any peace, and prevent their returning to God; any quiet from a brawling Conscience keeps them off from seeking peace with God. So that this is the first Doctrine, That when natural men come under troublesone Convictions of sin, and sense of wrath, their way is to fly to any vain and sorry shifts for ease, and not to God. It's the use of such to make lies their refuge: It runs in the heart-veins of natural men: We have made lies our refuge; 
Isa. 28.15.  and under falsehood have we hide ourselves. Like a man that is fallen into the water, he'l catch at any thing that is next to help him, though it do him no good.  
If a mere Moralist fall under these Convictions at any time, 
Matth. 19.  his sanctuary is, All these have I kept from my youth. If a Pharisee's Conscience check him, 
Luke 18.  as it seldom does, his refuge is, I thank God I am not as other men, or as this Publican. If an ignorant Creature's conscience grumble, he betakes himself to his good meanings, 
1 Sam. 6.  as the Philistines did, when they sent away the Ark that plagued them upon a new Cart. If the Conscience of a profane man sly in his face, he slies to hereafter Repentance; or God is merciful; or Jesus Christ died for sinners in the lump. And thus natural men, when against their will they are convinced of their woeful condition, think thus to skin over the sore for present.  
And this is the reason why we have many convinced sinners, but few converted, because their convictions sand them to false refuges, and not to God. This Prodigal, when he was in want, and met with a mighty famine in a far country, he speaks not a word as yet of his returning home to his Father; but he hires himself to a Citizen of that far country. So long as a sinner can make any shift to be quiet in his sinful state, he thinks not of his return to God. As it's said of Ephraim, when he saw his sickness, 
Hos. 5.13.  he went to the Assyrian, not to God, though he missed there of healing for his wound.  
We have much experience how apt men are to ward off the blows of the Word from their Consciences: And if a blow do light there, and hurt, their plaster is some worldly diversion; some deceitful lust in their heart asks them, as Jonadab did Amnon, Why art thou so lean from day to day? 
2 Sam. 13.4.  or they think to wear it out in time, as some hardy men do by bodily distempers.  
It's the practise of men in their sins to keep off their doom, as long as they can, by Apologies for themselves, having been taught it from the beginning; The Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 
Gen. 3.  The woman which thou gavest me, gave me, and I did eat. When John terrified the Pharisees and Sadduces with, O generation of Vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? They immediately sly to their imaginary City of Refuge; We have Abraham to our Father. 
Matth. 3.   
What a Catalogue of Pleas had Paul for himself before his Conversion? He had his birth, 
Phil. 3.4, 5, 6.  and his sect, and his unblameable life, and his zeal in his way: but when he had obtained mercy and grace to be a Convert, he was ashamed of all those plausible shifts he had made to keep and nussle himself in his natural, sinful estate; he cast them all off as dross and dung, 
Phil. 3.7, 8, 7.  when he came to know the necessity and excellency of Jesus Christ by experience; here he saw was a convicted sinners City of Refuge indeed.  
Poor sinners have their bushes to stand under when a shower comes, till there come a storm indeed, that forceth them out to seek a safer place. When a sinner is ready to fall, then Satan puts a Reed in the shape of a Staff into his hand; he represents to him an imaginary mercy of God, such as cannot be found in the holy Scripture; such a mercy as would destroy God's Justice, and Truth, and Holiness; such mercy as encourageth in sin, 
Rom. 6.1.  to sin that grace may abound. And if he be beaten off from this mercy, then he catches at hereafter Repentance, or at some negative goodness: He thinks in himself, he is not guilty of such and such sins as many are, and some of the godly in Scripture. I am the fuller in this case, because men are so full of shifts, when under convictions of sin, to hold them off from through Conversion to God.  

Reasons of the Doctrine.  
The Reasons why men, when under Convictions of Conscience have recourse to false Refuges, are  
1. From their ignorance: when they feel their wound, they are ignorant of a certain remedy, and therefore make many experiments: They are as men affrighted out of their sleep, that know not on the sudden where they are, or what to do. Mens Ignorance of the Covenant of Works, and Grace, and of the state of nature and grace; or of the nature of sin and grace; this ignorance makes them so foully mistake in their Sanctuaries, when their sin finds them out, and the curse of the Law pursues their souls: 
Hos. 4.6.  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. A blind man could not hit the way to any of the Cities of Refuge among the Jews: So poor ignorant souls, when they fall under terror of Conscience, through their blindness they cannot hit their way to Christ, the appointed remedy. Satan drives on a great design in blinding the minds of them that believe not, 
2 Cor. 4.4.  lest they should believe, and be healed: As the Philistines carried on their design to destroy samson by putting out his eyes.  
2. A second Reason is mens unwillingness to venture on Christ upon Scripture terms: Sinners would have Christ, but on their own terms; his are too high for them; to forsake all, 
Matth. 10.37, 38— Luke 14.26. Gen. 12.11. Heb. 8. Matth. 19.21.  even their sweetest lusts, take up his across and follow him, not knowing whether they go, as Abraham did his own Kindred and country; therefore they take up with cheaper stuff. Others, besides that rich man, think Christ's terms too hard. Jesus Christ is a City of Refuge to none that would have him and their lusts too: Indeed they may bring their sins to him, when they come themselves, but as their sores, of which they would be healed. But it's as hard for a natural man to leave his lusts, to follow Christ, as it was for that rich man to leave his great estate.  
But doth not God offer Christ, and Christ himself freely, and without terms? 
Isa. 55.1. — buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Yes; but this invitation is to such as thirst; Ho every one that thirsteth come— And this thirst of the sinner comes through the Consciences labouring under the burden of sin, and sense of Divine wrath: 
Matth. 11.28.  Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  
And yet Christ's terms, he propounds to a sinner, hinder not the terms of the gift. It is but as if a man should bid you cast the stones out of your hand, that you may take an handful of silver or gold; for so the sinner is bid to cast his lusts out of his heart, that there may be room for Christ; 
Ezek. 18.31.  Cast away from you all your transgressions— Now rather than a natural man will do this, he will close with any sorry shift to get his Conscience quiet.  
3. A third Reason is, because it is ease, and not grace, or Christ himself, that the sinner troubled in Conscience first desires and seeks. The troubled sinner does not naturally look out after grace, but ease; the soul is as eager of ease as the body. When the body is in great pain, a country man will take any slip-sawce, as they say, for some ease, rather than he will go to the Physician; this is costly; he is for any thing that will stupefy the part grieved, and minds not to take away the cause of the grief.  
Thus doth the soul of a natural man, when he is in pain; there any thing that will give him present ease is welcome: He'l stop Cerberus his mouth with a Crust. David must play away Saul his Evil Spirit with his Harp. Yea, there is many a man, when in Soul-trouble for sin, and sense or fear of wrath, will fall to prayer and reading, and resolving, &c. to get some quiet within; but so soon as it is got, his Devotion is laid aside, as a man plucks off the plaster when he thinks the sore is well. When the Lord slay Israel, then they sought him, and inquired early after God; 
Psal. 78.34, 36, 41.  yet they did but flatter him; they turned back. A man in a storm will into his Neighbours house, not to dwell there, but for shelter, till the storm be over. So is it with natural men, when Conscience is affrighted, they are for good prayers, and good books, and good company; but when the pain is past, they are as they were afore.   

Application.  
1. This informs us, that a sinner, who is convinced of his sinful and miserable estate, is but half converted: Indeed this is but the least part of his conversion; to drive him out of his secret places, to keep him off from false refuges and self-shiftings, and to get him to Christ upon Christ's terms, and to stick there, is the better part of the work. To convince of sin is the Spirit's first work; 
John 16.8, 9.  but to convince of righteousness is the harder: What to keep him from false Sanctuaries on the one hand, and from despairing reasonings on the other, this is the more difficult business. Either a man is sullen, and will not harken to a remedy for the wound, as Cain was; 
Gen. 4.6, 7.  Why is thy countenance fallen? saith God to him: If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted? or else he betakes himself to the next hedge he meets with for shelter, and there he thinks himself as safe as the Jebusites in their strong hold, when they sent this message to David; 
2 Sam. 5.6.  Except ye take away the blind and the lame, ye shall not come in hither. The strong man in the sinner, that is Satan, will not be disarmed, 
Luk. 11.21, 2●.  till a stronger than himself do the work, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul's confidence in his stock, 
Acts 9.  and sect, and legal righteousness, were a great prejudice to his conversion, so that he was converted in a miracle.  
2. This may put us upon examination of ourselves in the case; and  
1. Observe your aptness or averseness to apologize for sin, or for yourselves in sin. Men hard to be convinced of sin, will easily take up with false Refuges when they are convinced: Most natural men withstand conviction as long as they can; 
John 9.  Are we also blind? And when they are convinced, and come under the lash of Conscience, they will shark any where for present ease: 
Gen 4.  as Cain, when he was driven out of the presence of the Lord, full of terror in his Conscience for his sin, he striven to make diversions, in seeking a pleasant situation, and building a City for his safety, thinking( it may be) to drown the howlings of his Conscience; as the Italians of old were wont to do by Thunder, in ringing their great Bells, and shooting off their great Canon.  
2. Observe whether the Sanctuary you hast to upon conviction of sin, be a Scripture Refuge, or some forged apprehension of your own fancy. It is the Word rightly understood, and so applied, that is an easing plaster for a disturbed Conscience at sin. What saith the Scripture? 
Rom. 4.3.  It is the word of Christ that cures the sores of Conscience: 
Matth. 9.2.  Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee. It's the office of the Word to wound, and search the sinners Conscience, Heb. 4.12. How did the Word make Felix tremble? 
Acts 24.25.  God smites the Earth with the rod of his mouth; 
Isa. 11.4. Hos. 6.5.  I have hewed them by the Prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth.  
And it is also the office of the Word to heal a wounded Spirit; 
Isa. 50.4.  The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season to him that is weary. 
Luke 4.18.  And, The Lord hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the Captives. O when convinced and grieved sinners put their own wits to it for ease, it's a poor Medicine! Medicina est morbo imbecillior; the Potion is too weak for the Disease. A sinner must follow the Word for his guide in all Soul-straits, as the Israelites did the Cloud in the Wilderness; and look up to Jesus Christ for healing their stung Consciences, 
John 3.14, 15.  as they did to the brazen Serpent for their stung Bodies.  
3. If the Sanctuary that a troubled Conscience takes to, leave or keep him in his sinful state, and loathe to come out of it, as Lot's wife out of Sodom, this man makes lies his Refuge; he believes a lye; 
2 Thess. 2.11.  a judgement on the followers of the man of sin. The true Sanctuary of a grieved sinner is the free and rich grace of God in the Gospel, which is a great enemy to sin, Tit. 2.11. yea, though a man be willing to part with some particular sins, if he be not willing to part with his sinful state, he leans but on a broken Reed if he charm his troubled mind with this.  
4. If a sinners Refuge in trouble of Conscience be injurious to the Attributes of God, his Mercy, his Justice, his Holiness, &c. this man deceives himself. How many, how many Conscience-galled sinners lick themselves whole with an imaginary mercy and grace in God? such a mercy as God hath not declared in his Word?  
David supposeth in that prayer of his, Psal. 49.5, that there are sinners to whom God will not be merciful. 
Numb. 15.30.  There was no SAcrifice in the Law for presumptuous sinners. As the Jews fancy to themselves a strange messiah, which the Scripture knows not; so do many sinners, yea convinced sinners, fancy to themselves a strange mercy in God; such a mercy as is injurious to his justice and holiness; such mercy as separates between the pardoning and purging of the sinner; whereas it's plain in the Word of Truth, that sin is nauseous, when the sinner obtaineth mercy and grace: grace and sin are greater contraries than fire and water; because the Divine Nature is infinitely opposite to natural corruption. It is infinitely so in God, and everlastingly so in his Saints.  
3. This Doctrine is useful to exhortation to all that have, or may have trouble of Conscience for sin. Take heed of false Sanctuaries, they will fail you at last, 
Psalm.  as Achitophel did David, who seemed to be his bosom friend.  
It's not enough for you to know your lost condition, but you must seek the way to be found, as this Prodigal at length did: You must know your Cure, as well as your Disease. And your only cure is Jesus Christ. The brazen Serpent in Numb. 21. was a famous Type of this. John 3.14, 15. Let the sense of sin, and sorrow for it, sand you to Christ; and you wrong him much, if you say or think he cannot, or will not help you.  
He that cometh unto me, 
John 6.37.  I will in no wise cast out. You'l find all other things Physicians of no value: and as Job said of his friends, 
Job.  miserable comforters. O then come to Christ, and stick not in the way, but come home to him, 
Matth. 11.28.  and he'l ease your Conscience of it's burden; come to Christ on his own terms, and you are made for ever.  
Take heed of carnal reasonings, when you would have ease in your Consciences. As John said to the Pharisees, 
Matth. 3.  Think not to say in yourselves we have Abraham to our Father: So think not to say within yourselves, God is merciful, and Christ died for sinners, merely to quiet Conscience, that you may sin with ease. This is the way of the wisdom of the flesh to befool you. The wisdom of the flesh bids you apply your own plasters, and take your own Receipts, and not go to the chirurgeon or Physician, and so many convinced sinners perish in their carnal reasonings about the way of peace; 
Rom. 3.17.  The way of peace they have not known.  
Alas, what can imaginary shelters advantage you in real dangers? Will the shadow of a House keep you from wet in a storm? This is the case of many troubled sinners. Be jealous of Sanctuaries. Better to endure your pain, than to accept of false ease: Though there be danger in despair, yet there is more in presuming. 
1 Sam.  That it may be hath killed its thousands, but the other its ten thousands; as the woman said of Saul and David.  
To take you off from carnal reasonings in this case; Consider  
1. 
1 Cor. 2.14.  That carnal reason is blind in the ways of God with lost sinners. This is seen in natural men of the greatest parts and attainments, as in Nicodemus a Doctor in Israel; 
John 3.  yet how simply did he reason and discourse Jesus Christ in the point of Regeneration?  
2. The wisdom of the flesh is deceitful as well as blind: It hath of the Serpent in it, 
2 Cor. 11.3.  which beguiled Eve through his subtlety. The wisdom of the flesh presents spiritual and eternal things to a man as they are not indeed: It puts a fair gloss of pleasure and profit on sin; but represents the ways of God unlovely, as it did by Christ; 
Isa. 53.  There is no comeliness in him, why we should desire him. It makes the way to Heaven wider than the Scripture doth; and the way to Hell narrower; else how could any man say in his heart, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart? 
Deut. 29.19.   
3. Carnal reason, or the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, 
Rom. 8.7.  and against his holy will: It maintains argument stiffly against many duties God requireth; and it vitiates the mind and judgement about spiritual things, as a foul stomach doth the palate.  
4. All carnal reasonings do but skin over the sores of Conscience, they will break out again: They may muzzle Conscience for a while; but it will awake, though at present it may be in a dead sleep, and like samson, will break all Cords and Wyths, and lay about it at the sinner, as samson did at the Philistines. O consider how the holy Scriptures speak enough, and enough again, against mens deluding confidences: 
Jer. 2. ult.  The Lord hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them. 
Isa. 28.17.  The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies. And, Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with the sparks, 
Isa. 50.11.  walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled: This shall ye have at mine hand, ye shall lye down in sorrow.  
All carnal reasonings about your estate towards God are but foundations of Sand, that a shower or storm will wash away; and like that building with untempered mortar, 
Ezek. 13.10, 11.  which the Hail-stones did rend. God will at length so shake and shatter the Consciences of such sinners, that all their leaning-stocks for ease shall fall, and they with them.  
5. While a man is under the sense of sin and wrath, there is some hopes; there are some hopes of his conversion, for he is in God's way to it: But when he betakes himself to consult with flesh and blood, the case is more desperate. It's a harder thing to overcome Souldiers in a garrison, than in the open Field; so is it harder to convert a sinner to God, when he hath fortified himself with opinionative shifts and bulwarks, than when his conviction of sin lays him open to the fear of God's wrath. The Pharisee's own righteousness kept them from Jesus Christ; so do a sinners own carnal reasonings.  
6. It is Satan's way, when he sees a sinner wearied with Conscience-conflicts, 
Judges 4.  to 'allure him into his tents, as Jael did Sisera, and there soothes him with carnal reasonings for some ease and quiet, till the opportunity come, and then slays him.  
Quest. But what kind of reasonings have men to get loose from disquieting Consciences?  
Answ. Very many: I'll speak of some.  
1. The heart reasons thus; There are thousands, yea millions, that walk and live as I do. But to this men should reply; 
Exod. 23.2.  Follow not a multitude to do evil: we know the whole world lieth in wickedness, 1 John 5.19. 
Matth. 7.14.  & few there be who find the way to life.  
2. Some times men may reason thus; Very many of the great and learned men of the world, the Christian world, tread the paths that I do, and if they be not saved, who can? As they said, 
Matth. 19.23, 24, 25.  when Jesus said a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of heaven, who then can be saved? say his Disciples. This is like their reasoning in John 7.58. Have any of the Rulers of the Pharisees believed on him? But to this reply that of the Apostle to the Corinthians, 
1 Cor. 1.26.  Brethren, ye see your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.  
3. Some argue thus in themselves; This is an easy way I am in; my Conscience would let me have no quiet before, and I see there is nothing but trouble and melancholy in a stricter and preciser course; Why should I travail forty years through a wearisome Wilderness to Canaan, as some do? I, but to this reply; This carnal ease and pleasure is the Devil's Paradise: And what comfort is it to the Bee to be drowned in honey? Remember Father Abraham's words to that Dives, 
Luke 16.25.  Remember, that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, but now thou art tormented.  
O for Moses his faith, 
Heb. 11.  who choose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. And for David's mind, 
Psal. 84.  who esteemed a day in Gods Courts better than a thousand elsewhere.  
In a word, when any of you come under rebukes and terrors of Conscience for sin, make use of the weapon that hath wounded, for healing, i.e. the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God; and then to Jesus Christ, he is the only City of Refuge for a sinner to fly to from the Pursuer of blood. So much for the first Doctrine from the first Clause of the fifteenth Verse.    

CHAP. XXI.  
Sets forth the Power that Satan hath over men whilst in their Natural Estate. Together with a threefold Use to be made hereof; from the same Clause of the fifteenth Verse, And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that country.  
WE Are to consider this Citizen, 
John. 14.30. 2. Cor. 4.4.  as meaning Satan, who is the Prince and God of this World, which is this far country; and who seeks to make a prey of men when under Conscience-straits for sin. As St. 
1 Cor. 4.5. 2 Cor. 2.6, 11.  knew he did by the incestuous person, who was, by his order, delivered over unto Satan. So that the second Doctrine is, That Satan hath great power over men, whilst in their natural estate, both in their sinning, and in their trouble of Conscience for sin after Conviction.  
Satan hath power over them, not only as he had with Adam in innocency to tempt him; 
Matth. 4.  and with the Son of God to tempt him, though he prevailed not as he did with Adam; and with Saints to tempt them, as he did David, 2 Chron. 21. but he hath power to take them captive at his will; 
2 Tim. 2. ult.  to make them his Vassals.  
Satan had power to enter into Judas, 
Luke 22.3.  to influence him to the betraying of Jesus. Haply Judas might not intend the death of Christ, as the Jews did; but might conceive he would slip out of the midst of them, as he had often done, 
Luke 4.29, 30. John 8.59.  when they sought to lay hands on him. Satan might help him to this conceit, that Jesus would save himself, and he get money; which pleased his humour at present, but brought him at last into despair.  
God delivers more over to Satan than the Church doth: He is the Spirit that now worketh, 
〈◇〉 Eph. 2.2.  that worketh effectually in the children of disobedience. And therefore sinners in their conversion are said to be turned from the power of Satan unto God. 
Acts 26.18.   
Quest. Whence hath Satan this power?  
Answ. God lets it be so in his just judgement upon the fall of man. In the fall man forsook God, and cleaved to the Devil: so that it was first their sin to put themselves into the power of Satan; and now it is God's judgement upon men. 
Dan. 5.  Those Scriptures may be red with trembling, as Belshazzar red the hand-writing on the wall, Psalm 78.49. The Lord cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending evil Angels among them. 
Psal. 109.6.  And that Prophetical Prayer of David concerning Judas, Let Satan stand at his right hand.  
Quest. How doth Satan exercise this power?  
1. In tempting men to as much sin as he can, to such sins as himself cannot act. He tempts them to Atheism, though he himself cannot be one; the Devils believe that there is a God, 
James 2.19.  and tremble. He tempts them to Drunkenness and Adultery, sins that he cannot properly act. He provoked our first Parents to eat, 
Gen. 3.  but he himself could not eat. Yea, Satan hath influence on them in their best actions and works, in their callings, in their holy performances: 
Zach. 3.1.  He stood at Joshua's right hand to resist him, when he stood before the Lord for the people. But he hath power on carnal mens hearts, when they come before the Lord. He matters not how much of Religion they do, so he can poison their manner and ends. He may carry men to Church in a design, 
Matth. 4.  as he did Jesus to a pinnacle of the Temple. The Devil had power over their souls, 
mat. 7.22, 23.  who had power to cast him out of other mens bodies. Satan can tempt no Creature but man to sin; and so he bestirs himself among them.  
2. He puts them on to presume on the goodness of their present and final estate, however they live in this World. He teacheth them to say, We shall have peace, 
Deut. 29.19.  though we walk in the imagination of our own hearts. The unbelieving Jews could not be moved from their confidence, that they were Abraham's Children; 
John 8.44.  though our blessed Saviour proved it to them, that they were of their Father the Devil. A lying Spirit deludes them, as he did Zedekiah that arch false Prophet, in making him confident that he had the Spirit of the Lord, and by that gave counsel to Ahab, 1 Kings 22.  
3. In presenting to their minds lying Refuges, when they are under painful convictions of Conscience for sin: 
2 Cor. 11.14.  Satan transformeth himself into an Angel of light to the sinner: He can turn himself into any shape or appearance, 
Proteus by the Paynims called the god of the Sea.  as the Poets feign of Proteus. As Satan helps the man of sin to do lying wonders, 2 Thes. 2.9. so he helps many troubled sinners to lying Sanctuaries. It is likely he set Cain on building a City, to charm the evil Spirit that vexed him.  
4. If this way fail, then he aggravates the sinners trouble of Conscience for sin, to get him into despair: not that he affects mens being troubled for their sins; but when they are sorrowful this way, he would have them swallowed up of over-much sorrow. 
2 Cor. 2.7, 11.  This is one of Satan his devices to get an advantage of the sinner, to bring about his damnation.  
Satan makes many a soul pine away in their sins, 
Ezek. 33.10— Job 2.9.  as those Jews said of themselves, and persuades them to curse God, and die, as he would have done Job. And as he prompted his Friends to esteem him a Hypocrite: so he prompts many a Conscience-wounded-sinner to look upon himself as a Reprobate, as having out-sinned mercy, and he must be damned.  
Quest. But how cometh it to pass that natural men are no more sensible of this power of Satan over them?  
Answ. Because he blinds their minds, 
2 Cor. 4.4.  as the Philistines put out Sampson's eyes, and did with him what they list: He deadens their sense of feeling. The holy Apostle Paul speaks of sinners that are past feeling. Satan is a Juggler, 
Eph. 4.19.  and an Impostor, 
2 Cor. 11.3.  or Deceiver, from the beginning.  
Quest. Have natural men no power to resist the Devil?  
Answ. 
Matth. 4.  They have lost it very much. Adam had power, if he had used it; and Jesus Christ had power, and did use it; and men in a state of grace have power to resist the Devil, 
James 4.7. 1 John 2.14. 1 John 5.18.  and to overcome the wicked One, and to keep themselves that the wicked One touch them not, i.e. with a destructive touch; such a touch as he moved the Lord to touch Job with.  
Satan indeed hath power to tempt the Saints, and in part to get advantage of them. He provoked David to number the people, 
2 Chro. 21.1. Luke 22.31. Jo. ch. 1. & 2. Zach. 3.7.  and he did it; and he winnowed Peter; and he assailed Job very hard; and he stood at Joshua the High Priests hand, to resist him, when he stood before the Lord. Our blessed Saviour hath taught us to pray daily, 
Matth. 6.13.  that we be not lead into tempiation. Yet Satan hath not that power over the Saints, as over other men; yea, as over man in the state of innocency, i.e. e. to seduce them from God, and from a state of grace. It's true, man in innocency in one respect had the advantage against Satan, which men in a state of grace have not now; in that he had no sin to join with Satan: 
John 14.13.  In this point he might say, as our Lord Jesus did; The Prince of this World cometh, and hath nothing in me. Yet the Saints now have that power against and over Satan in other cases, that men in innocency had not; 
Luke 22.32.  power to resist him, power to overcome him: 
Rom. 16.20.  Christ prayeth for their faith; and they have a promise that Satan shall be bruised under their feet.  
I, but natural mens power to resist the Devil is but small; some they have, i.e. e. when he tempts to sins against the light of nature, 
Rom. 2.14, 15.  and a natural Conscience, in these they may resist temptation. There are many sins that natural men sin, which they falsely charge upon Satan, they would sin if Satan were dead and butted; they are as willing to some sins as the Devil would have them; as the Pharisees and Jewish Rulers were to be rid of Jesus.  
It's to be observed in Scripture, that the people of God charge not the Devil in the confession of sin, as Eve did with hers; I have sinned, 
2 Sam. 24.17.  and I have done foolishly, saith David. He pleads not that Satan provoked him, as Eve did, that the Serpent gave her, and she did eat. But many wicked men charge their sins upon the Devil, when they tempt him to tempt them, 
1 Sam. 28.  as Saul sought to the Devil.  

Application.  
1. Let no man be too fearless of the Devil; he hath great power in the world, 
2 Cor. 4.4.  especially over this men of this world; he is called the god of this world; he would be so, 
Eph. 2.2.  and the Lord lets him be so to some men, in some things. He is the Prince of the power of the Air, that worketh in the children of disobedience. Yea, he may have power over the people of God, to tempt them, 
Matth. 26.41.  if they watch and pray not against temptation, to which the Lord Jesus cautioned his Disciples.  
He put on Peter to dissuade Christ from his sufferings, 
Matth. 16.  for which he had this check, Get thee behind me Satan. He winnowed all the Disciples, and thereupon they all left him when apprehended. And Paul himself, after he had been in the third Heaven, 
2 Cor. 12.7.  was buffeted by a messenger of Satan. Yea, he was permitted to tempt our Lord Jesus to a most horrid sin; 
Matth. 4.4, 8.  and to carry his body to a pinnacle of the Temple, and after into a high Mountain.  
Yea, and Satan may be in possession of souls, and not be known; the Devil often works in men incognito. Of all Creatures he would possess men; and though he acted by the Serpent's head, yet his aim was at Eve, 
Sen. 3.1.  and Adam's heart. He got leave to go into the Swine, yet his design was at their owners, to make them disgust Jesus the more; and so they did, 
Matth. 8. ult.  They besought him to depart out of their Coasts.  
The Devil knows that men only, of all Creatures in this world, are capable of sin and hell; and therefore he lays his contrivances against men, to bring as many as he can into his own Condemnation: And he had rather possess their souls than their bodies; he would have the best room in the house for himself, and that's the heart; He entred into Judas his heart, and into Ananias his heart: Why hath Satan filled thy heart? Yet Satan's spiritual possessions may be known, and how? why, when men will do the lusts of the Devil; 
John 8.44. 〈◇〉. Gal. 5.19.  Ye delight to do his lusts. The lusts of the flesh in carnal men, are so many unclean spirits: Not that the Devil does all these works of the flesh, but he tempts men to all. He did not dance about the golden Calf, 
Exod. 32.  but he made Israel to do so.  
Let no man therefore be too fearless of Satan. Paul was jealous over the believing Corinthians, 
2 Cor. 11.3.  Lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve, their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  
2. Yet let not any sinner, under the power of conviction of sin, despair of Conversion, because of the power that Satan improves to hinder it. For consider, 
Rom. 1.16. 1 Cor. 1. Acts 26.18.  that the word of reconciliation which is preached to you, is the power of God to the salvation of the greatest of sinners. St. Paul's ministry turned men from the power of Satan unto God. Therefore let such wait on the ministry of the Gospel, and do it in hope, as the infirm people did for the Angels troubling of the waters of that healing Pool, John 5.  
And be advised also to be in the company of the godly; Satan hath not that power to vend his wears there, as among other Company. The Spirit of Divination knew this in that possessed damsel he made use of to disturb Paul and his holy Company in their meeting to pray; their prayers, 
Acts 16.  
v. 18.  and Paul's authority from the Lord Jesus, cast him out.  
In thy trouble of Conscience for sin be not overmuch alone. In this case I may use the words of the Preacher, Eccles. 4.10. Wo to him that is alone. Solitariness in this season is Satan's house of temptation; he assaults where there is no help in resisting him, as he did by Eve. The evil Spirit used that man to solitariness Luke 8.27. God is much for the society of his people; he appears with his power and glory in the Assemblies of the Saints. Frequent solitariness is useful indeed for men of grace; 
Mark 1.35.  Jesus Christ went oft aside into a solitary place: but poor souls afflicted in their spirits for sin, should be afraid of it, as Children are to be alone.  
And be further advised to follow faithfully the affairs of your Calling: 
Matth. 13.25.  Idleness is the Devil's working time. While men slept, the Enemy came and sowed his tares. 
2 Sam. 11.  When David was lazing and gazing on his House-top, the Devil presented an Object to stir up his lust.  
Again, 
Eph. 4.26, 27.  take heed of an angry passionate spirit; this gives place to the Devil: And take heed of an envious spirit; Satan is the envious one; he filled Cain with envy at his brothers good works, because his own were evil: And beware of a discontented spirit; this was one of the Devil's first sins, and the sin of our first parents: And above all, seek to Jesus Christ for deliverance from Satan's bondage. 
John 8.36. Luke 4.18.  If the Son make you free, ye are free indeed. He was anointed to preach deliverance to the captives. He loosed the daughter of Abraham, 
Luke 13.16.  whom Satan had bound eighteen years; and it is observable how affectionately Jesus both spake and did in her case.  
3. Here is comfort to God's people, that Satan's power is exceedingly broken as to them; he hath no interest in them, 
Eph. 6.12. to the 18th. John 14.17.  and they have armor of proof, both defensive and offensive against him. You have the Spirit in you to guide and assist you; and he that is in you, 
1 John 4.4. Heb. 1. ult.  is greater than he that is in the world: And you have the ministry of the holy Angels, who are stronger than Devils: And you have the continual prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ for you, that your faith fail not: And you have a promise, that God will bruise Satan under your feet shortly; 
Rom. 16.20. Matth. 16.  and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.  
In a word, let all poor sinners, that have any sense of the sad estate of their souls, come from under the shadow of this Bramble, the Devil, unto the shadow of Jesus Christ, the true Vine. The Devil writes all his Laws in Blood, as Draco did; O but Jesus Christ came meek into the World to save sinners; and he came into his ministry with a beseeching Spirit to sinners; and left such a spirit in his Ministers, that were to treat sinners in his Name, when he was gone to the Father: As though God did beseech you by us, 
2 Cor. 5.20.  we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. Jesus Christ is the sinners near Kinsman; he hath took part of flesh and blood, that he might have the right to redeem them. Poor Conscience-afflicted sinners may have gentle usage of Christ; He will not break the bruised reed, 
Mark 12.20.  nor quench the smoking flax. His Laws are not written in the sinners blood, but in his own. And thus much for the first Clause of the sifteenth Verse.    

CHAP. XXII.  
Sheweth, what care natural men take in making provision for the lusts of the flesh: with the Application; from the last Clause of the Fifteenth Verse, And he sent him into his fields to feed Swine.  
NOW we come to the second thing in the fifteenth Verse, viz. the Prodigal's employment; He sent him into his field to feed Swine; a course and base employment. He sent him not into the City to traffic and converse with men, but to feed Swine, and at last to feed with them, as in the next Verse.  
This passage of the Parable may the better be understood by considering the Jews, to whom it was spoken, 
Lev. 11.7, 10, 11.  in their great dis-affection to Swine: Swine were an abomination to them; It was one of their unclean Beasts.  
And here is the marrow of this Bone: This signifies what a monstrous miserable man this younger Son became, by leaving his Fathers House to follow his own Lusts; he fell from the Son of a rich Father to be a Swineherd: And  
The Scripture sets forth natural men by Swine for their uncleanness and filthy lusts wherein they wallow and bemire themselves, 
Matth. 7.6. 2 Pet. 2.22.  and prefer before Grace.  
The Devil possessed Swine; 
Matth. 8.32.  and those that are of the Devil, and in his power, feed Swine; they feed themselves with their own lusts. 
Psal. 14.3.  The Psalmist saith of natural men, They are altogether become filthy. And St. judas calls some natural men filthy dreamers, v. 8. The Observation we may make from hence is this, That carnal men make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. This is implied in that of St. Paul to the Romans, c. 13. v. 14. Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof; i.e. as carnal and fleshly men do.  
The lusts of the flesh are the things that such men take most care for. The lusts of the flesh, 
1 John 2.16.  the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life, are by some Divines called, The Worlds Trinity.  
Natural men are very drudges to their lusts; 
Isa. 57.10.  Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way, in pursuing thine own lusts. The soul of man, since the fall, is chiefly made up of desires, like a sponge which is still sucking in. The most vigorous bent of the soul lies in this faculty of desire, which in the fall of man was, and still is in natural men, corrupted into lusts.  
So that it is natural to men to walk after their own lusts, either of pleasure, or profit, or honour: These are the three sorts of lusts that are in the World, 
1 John 2.16.  as St. John enumerates them. St. Paul makes himself an instance in the case, 
Tit. 3.3.  as well as others in the state of nature; We ourselves were sometimes foolish and disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures. Lust is a natural man's Master; he serveth divers lusts. It's possible that a godly man may be an unwilling slave for a time to a lust, but he cannot be a willing servant to it; 
Rom. 7.23, 24.  O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! He may suffer a rape by his lust, but he cannot prostitute himself to them. It is the natural man that indulgeth his lusts; they are his sweetmeats, 
Prov. 9.17. & 20.17.  as Solomon saith of stolen waters, and the bread of deceit.  
He is fond of his lusts, as David was of Adonijah, never chides them: It is the very tenor of a natural mans life to do his lusts: 
Rom. 13.14.  Ye are of your Father the Devil, and his lusts ye will do. 
John 8.44.  They are not estranged from their lusts, nor can be; Psal. 78.30. Jer. 13.23. 
James 1.14.  A natural man is drawn away of his own lusts, or enticed: His lusts have the command of the whole man, as the primum mobile has of the motion of all the other Spheres.  
Sin laps and rolls up itself in sugar to natural mens lust, 
2 Cor. 7.1.  though it be filthiness in itself. The mire and dunghill are filthy and stinking things, 
2 Pet. 2.22.  and yet it's pleasure to Swine to wallow in it.  

Application.  
This shows us, That to serve sin and lusts is a base service; it is the Devil's drudgery he sets carnal men about: As such are slaves to Satan, 
2 Tim. 2.26.  who leads them at his pleasure so are they slaves to their own lusts, yet willingly so; so they love to have it. 
Jer. 5.31.  As Ephraim walked willingly after the commandment of their idolatrous Princes, 
Hos. 5.11.  so carnal men walk willingly after the command of their own lusts, their corrupt and worldly desires: As they said to Jeremiah, 
Jer. 18.12.  We will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.  
O that men would consider it, that the service of sin is a base service, it makes men Swineherds. It may be pleasure to them, as mire is to Swine; but to sanctified souls it's base and fulsome: Carnal men are unclean Creatures. As in the Law there were clean and unclean Creatures, so are there such under the Gospel; regenerate and spiritual men are the one, and natural carnal men are the other. Spiritual men are so ashamed of the filthiness and uncleanness of their natural state they are got out of, 
Ezek. 6.9. c. 16.63. c. 20.43. c. 36.31.  that they loathe themselves at the thoughts of it: But natural men glory in their shane, Phil. 3.19.  
God made man an honourable Creature, 
Gen. 1.26.  in his Image, 
Psal. 49.12, 20.  and after his Likeness: but man hath made himself like a Beast; else it would be a strange thing, that men, who are Creatures capable of the highest enjoyments, even of glory, and of the God of glory himself, should take up with so low and base things, as any sinful sensual pleasures. And whereas God put all things under his feet, 
Psal. 8.6.  he now puts himself under foot, under the basest of things, the vilest lusts. This man does by nature and custom in sin.  
Some men make their bellies their gods; 
Phil. 3.19.  St. Paul speaks of such with tears. Israels golden Calf was their god. 
Exod. 32. Isa. 36. Dan. 11.  Some men make themselves gods; as Sennacherib, Antiochus Epiphanes, and many more. As it was said to Judah, Jer. 2.28. According to the number of thy Cities, so are thy gods, O Judah; so may it be said to a natural, carnal man, according to the number of thy lusts, so are thy gods.  
And you who are now spiritual, you yourselves were as these in your natural state, as the Prodigal was before his conversion; you fed Swine, and fed with them while you were unconverted; 
Tit. 3.3.  We ourselves were sometimes foolish and disobedient, serving divers lusts. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, 
Eph. 3.3.  and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, as well as others. There is no difference among men, till effectual Calling make it. Election leaves men equally vile and wretched, till Conversion come and distinguish. It's true, Election makes a difference in God's purpose, but not in the quality of the persons, till grace doth it. There is no difference in the day whilst in the lump, but only in the Potter's intention, and hands afterward.  
And so we are all alike in sin, 
1 Pet. 2.9.  and under wrath, till effectually called by God out of darkness into his marvelous light.  
God suffers his Elect to be born in sin, and live in sinful lusts till the time of their Conversion, and then he makes them visibly to differ from other men: and therefore a judgement of the final state of natural men, even the greatest sinners, cannot be made by their present state; for though they are now in a natural condition, they may be elect vessels, and if so, shall be called to grace in their time. Indeed, such a mans state may be judged what it is at present; but his final estate is a secret.  
And for such as are effectually called to grace, you should often look back to what you were by nature; Such were some of you, saith St. 
1 Cor. 6.11.  Paul to the converted Corinthians, fornicators, idolaters, &c. And to the believing Romans, 
Rom. 6.17.  Ye were the servants of sin; and to the Ephesians, 
Eph. 2.3.  We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others.  
And hereupon admire free grace in your change, that when you were in your blood, I say, 
Ezek. 16.6.  when you were in your blood, the Lord said unto you live. This my Son was dead, and is alive. And now you have this privilege, that you are out of that base service and drudgery to sin and lusts, which carnal men are in. And let this endear the love and free grace of God and Christ to you, and of the Spirit in you, That you can say, and say truly and feelingly, as he did in the Ninth of John, I was blind, but now I see: I was an unclean Creature, but now am washed: I fed Swine, and did feed with them; but now at my Father's Table. Thus much for the fifteenth Verse.    

CHAP. XXIII.  
Wherein is shewed, That the things of this World, which natural men's hearts, for the satisfaction of their lusts, would feed upon, are, in the judgement of our Saviour Christ, no better than Husks and Swinesmeat. In what respect they are so, exemplified in two Particulars; from the first part of the Sixteenth Verse, And he would fain have filled his belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat.  
I HAVE already represented to you  
1. The Prodigal's Misery, from Verse the fourteenth; And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that Land, and he began to be in want.  
2. The Course he took for his Relief, from Verse the fifteenth; And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed Swine.  
3. I come now, in the last place, to show the Ineffectualness of that Course in order to his Relief, from the sixteenth Verse; And he would fain have filled his belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat, and no man gave unto him.  
In the former Verse the Prodigal found employment in his straight, such as it was, he was sent into the field to feed Swine; but yet he got not a subsistence by it. He had work, but no wages; not so much as bread to eat. His work was to feed Swine, and he would have been content to feed with them, if he might have had it. He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the Swine did eat, but no man gave unto him.  
So that this Verse sets forth the insufficiency and ineffectualness of the Prodigal's course he steered to supply and relieve himself in his extreme straits. He was content with worse employment than the Gibeonites, 
Josh. 9.5, 21.  who were made hewers of wood, and drawers of water to all the Congregation of Israel. This was a worthy service towards the Prodigal's feeding Swine: And their moldy bread, old garments, and old shoes and clotted, were brave clothes and diet towards the Prodigal's feeding on Swines-meat, the husks that they did eat and feed on, and glad too.  
Quest. But what were these husks?  
Answ. It's plain they were Swines-meat. And these 〈◇〉, here called husks, as some of the Learned observe, were Egyptian figs; a course unwholesome fruit, not fit for man's meat, but Swines. And Pliny saith, the rind of them was that which was eaten, and therefore they are called husks. They were a little sweet, but very hard of concoction, and the juice very unwholesome. Yet this Prodigal wished for these Egyptian figs, these husks that were Swines meat, as the Israelites did for the Leeks, and garlic, and Onions of Egypt; But no man gave unto him,( i.e.) he could not get enough to fill his belly: He still missed of content and satisfaction.  
For the spiritual meaning, it shows us, as I before hinted, the ineffectualness of this mans course, who is the Representative of all natural mens seeking relief in Conscience-straits and troubles, when they come to be convinced sinners. And the words hold forth four things.  
1. That the things of this World, which natural mens hearts would feed on for content, and satisfaction of their lusts, are but Husks and Swines meat without God. As Swine in the fifteenth Verse signify worldly and sensual men, that live upon their lusts; so these Husks, or Swines meat, signify the things of the World, the lusts of the flesh, 
1 John 2.16.  the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, which carnal mens souls seeks after.  
2. Whereas it is said, that he would fain have filled his belly with the Husks that the Swine did eat; it shows the property of natural men in Conscience-straits, viz. That they would sit down with the basest things of this World with ease, rather than return to God.  
3. Whereas it's said, and no man gave him; it shows, that nothing shall be able to give a sinners troubled Conscience relief and comfort, nothing of this World, when God means to bring him home to himself.  
4. That the lowest step of a sinners misery is not to see and feel himself in a sinful and dangerous state; but to see himself without remedy, and to find all refuges to fail him. Of these in their Order.  
That the things of this World, on which a natural man's heart would feed without God, and in which he would satisfy himself, if he could, are but trash, or, as here they are called, Husks and Swines meat.  
What the World counted the Apostles of Jesus Christ, 
〈◇〉 and 〈◇〉 signify the filth of filth.  filth and refuse, 1 Cor. 4.13. and the Chaldeans the Jews in their Captivity, Lam. 3.45. offscouring and refuse: why thus the Holy Ghost makes no more of the things of this World, when the heart is set on them instead of God, but Husks or Swines meat. Look upon the best of this World, and it is no better to a sinner of a troubled Conscience, being in fear of Gods wrath.  
Power, parts, riches, honour, pleasure, all these in conjunction availed not Haman, 
Esth. 5.  when his spirit was perplexed; nor Ahitophel, nor Saul, nor Judas, nor Cain, when an evil Spirit vexed them. Samuel calls them vain things that cannot profit, 
1 Sam. 12.21.  because they are vain. God calls them so, and men who have made trial of them, have found them so. Let Solomon speak for all; he found all vanity of vanities, yea, and vexation of spirit; nothing, and worse than nothing, Eccles. 1.2.  
And the Devil himself thinks them so; and therefore he would have given all the Kingdoms of the World, had it been in his power, 
Matth. 4.  for one bow of Jesus his knee. And though he use honour, and pleasure, and silver, and gold, as baits to tempt men to sin, yet he valves them not himself.  
A House full of silver and gold, 
Num. 22.18.  as Balaam said to the Servants of Balak, are but trifles to the Devil, saving as they are bait and temptation to men to sin. What is a fly or a worm to a man, but as they are his baits to catch fish?  
And at last the men of this world find the things of this world lighter than vanity, as the Psalmist saith of men of high degree; 
Psal. 62.9. Prov. 11.4. Zeph. 1.18.  Riches profit not in the day of wrath. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath.  
And the things of the world, to which men gripped in Conscience for sin, and with fear of wrath, are wont to go for ease, are but husks and trash in this Case, in a double comparison.  
1. In comparison of the Soul of man. And  
2. In comparison of the Grace of God.  
1. In comparison of the Soul of every man, and that in a double respect.  
1. As to the great disproportion between the Soul of man and the things of this world. Man's Soul is of divine extraction; it is the off-spring of God; 
Acts 17.28. Gen. 2.7.  God breathed into man the breath of life, and he became a living Soul. And therefore something Divine must sustain the Soul.  
But all the things of this world are of an earthly original, all came out of the Chaos, as man's body did, which was formed of the dust of the ground: So that that which feeds the Body will not feed the Soul. And however the more choice things of the world, as honours, riches, pleasures, make a fair show, and a goodly appearance; yet it is but to the fancy or sensual faculties: As it was said of King Agrippa and Berenice, 
Acts 25.23. 〈◇〉.  came into the place of Judicature with great pomp; or as it is in the Greek, with great phantasy. Now if the greatest of these outward things cannot satisfy the Soul of man, much less can they satisfy the troubled Conscience of a convinced sinner.  
2. And again it is considerable, That the greatest things of this world, and the greatest share of them, have been, and are bestowed on Reprobates, and such as God hates; 
Mal. 1.3.  as he said of Esau, I hated Esau; I rejected him, 
Acts 14.16.  left him to himself, and his own lusts and ways, as he did the Nations or Gentiles in times past; 
Heb. 12.  he left Esau to be profane Esau.  
Yet God gave to Esau large earthly possessions: Behold, 
Gen. 27.39.  thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the due of heaven from above; and thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. So he did within an hundred and twenty years, 2 Kings 8.20. and so continued for Eight hundred years and above; yet Esau was hated of God.  
Now things that are given even to Reprobates as their Portion in this life, 
Psal. 17.  they can have no relieving and refreshing influence on afflicted Consciences, and poor Souls under the sense of God's wrath. That which gives any ease or true lasting rest to a sinners perplexed Conscience, must be that which can bring a sinner near to God, and into his saving favour again; and nothing but the blood of Jesus Christ can do this: But now in Christ Jesus, 
Eph. 2.13.  Ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh, through the blood of Christ.  
The union of the Body and Soul of a man is by his own blood; but that which unites a man to God again, is the Blood of Jesus Christ.  
Though straw and hay nourish a Beast, yet it will not nourish a man, unless God give a man the heart of a Beast, as he did nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.  
So the things of this world may nourish the lusts of worldly men, but they cannot relieve a Soul that hungers and thirsts after the pardon of sin, and peace of Conscience; they are altogether useless to a sinner in his spiritual misery; they can neither ease the pains, nor supply the needs of such a Soul. For that pain is from the sense of the displeasure and wrath of God; And what can worldly things do in the assuaging of this pain?  
If a perplexed sinner go for ease to any thing of this world, he does as Saul, 
1 Sam. 28.  when he went to the Witch to resolve him in his present straits; or as Israel, when in their sickness, they sent to the Assyrian; and as Judah, when they felt their wound, 
Hos. 5.13.  sent to King Jareb: These could not heal them.  
Quest. But have not some men ease in ther gripes of Conscience by their recourse to the things of this world? 
Gen. 4.17.  As it may be Cain had by building a City; so some by Dogs, and Hawks, and Horses, and other sensual pleasures, as Lewes Cardinal of Aquitan: Some in taking up their minds and thoughts on their riches and grandeur in this world, as that man our Saviour spake of, who said to his Soul, Soul, 
Luke 12.19.  thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  
Answ. I answer, such men may have some ease for the present, as an aching tooth by the use of some Medicines, but no Cure. These things may cast a sinners Conscience into a sleep or stumber, as rocking does a Child that cries; I but Conscience will waken again, and in greater pain. The wrath of God felt in a sinners Conscience, is too great a wound for so weak a plaster as the world to cure. The things of this world may svit well with worldly mens lusts, and evil concupiscence; as some women find pleasure sometimes in eating trash, and children in eating coals and dirt; but it puts them to pain afterwards. As Eve did in eating the forbidden fruit; it agreed well with her Lust, but it did not so with her Conscience. Those things that please mens Lusts, do after grieve and trouble their Consciences.  
2. The things of this world are but trash to a troubled Conscience for sin, in respect of Grace: Its Grace that relieves the Conscience in trouble; the free Grace of God in Christ towards lost sinners. O when the wounded spirit comes to see, that where sin abounds, 
Rom. 5.20.  grace doth much more abound; this is a healing plaster for a sinners sore within.  
And men may take notice of the vast difference betwixt the things of this world and grace, not only towards, but in a man.  
1. The best things of this world are but of short continuance; 
1 Cor. 7.31.  the fashion of the world passeth away: But Grace is of an eternal nature, it is glory begun; and Conscience in man is an immortal faculty, it never death. And so Conscience must have ease and peace by that which is immortal like itself; and the best of this world is not so.  
2. 
Eccles. 9.1.  None of the things of this world can evidence God's love to a man, or a man's conversion to God. No man's Election or Calling can be evidenced to him by any thing of this world. The Apostle cautions rich men, 
1 Tim. 6.17.  that they trust not in uncertain riches; some render it, to the unevidence of riches. They can give no certain evidence of a man's state towards God. When a rich man falls into trouble of Conscience, his silver and gold, and lordships, are miserable Comforters; these cannot scatter his fears, nor answer his doubts, nor give any ease to his perplexed Soul.   

CHAP. XXIV.  
Containeth the Application of the foregoing Doctrine, in four Uses.  
1. AND First, This may rectify our opinion of the things of this world; when we set them in God's stead, they are but Swines meat, and they are swinish that set their hearts upon them, and seek happiness in them. 
Psal. 73.22.  The Psalmist calls himself a Beast, for his conceit of mens being happy in having this world at will.  
Would any of you think a man the richer for having his Garner full of husks or chaff? yet comparatively these worldly things are such, they are no more to an afflicted Conscience, and prove so at last to all that have confidence in them. 
Rom. 1.28. 〈◇〉.  And yet how generally are men given over to an injudicous mind in this Case?  
Yet the spiritual man, who alone can give a right judgement of things, 1 Cor. 2.15. he is of Solomon's mind, when returned to his right mind, That whoever seeks satisfaction in the best of this world, 
Eccles. 1.2.  shall increase and multiply his vexation of spirit.  
Worldly men look on worldly things through a magnifying Glass, a vitiated fancy; but a man of another world as well as this, looks on them through the Glass of God's Word, and his own Experience, and so escapes an error in the Case. The more spiritual a man is, the less he'l mistake in his thoughts of the things of this world.  
2. This point is useful to rectify our desires of the things of this world. We may desire them, but not lust after them, as the Children of Israel did after flesh. Since the fall of man, man is composed and made up much of desires; his Soul runs out this way in desire after forbidden fruit; 
2 Sam. 15.4.  O that I was made Judge in the Land. So saith the carnal man's Soul, O that I had this, and that, without end.  
And since the fall, man's desires do commonly corrupt into lust, as Amnon's did to Tamar. Natural men are taken with the outward appearance of things, as Samuel was with Eliab's goodly person, 
1 Sam. 16.  and for that he thought him to be the Lord's anointed. 
Gen. 25.  Esau fancied a mess of Pottage better than the birth-right.  
Well therefore said the Apostle, 
Rom. 8.5.  They that are after the flesh, savour the things of the flesh; and they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. The honours, profits, and pleasures of this world relish, and go down better with the one; and the love and grace of God, interest in Christ, pardon and purging away of sin with the other. Many say, 
Psal. 4.6.  who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me. 
Psal. 73.25.  Whom have I in heaven but thee? Take what you will of the world from this man, and if you can give him God in the room, he is well. The Lord is my portion, saith my Soul. 
Lam. 3.24.  But if you can take away God from him, and give him what you will, yet he complains; as he did concerning his Idols, in Judges 18.24. Ye have taken away my gods; and what is this that ye say unto me What aileth thee?  
3. This discovers the great difference that is between mere natural men, and men that have grace. The one looks at present things; Demas hath forsaken me, 
2 Tim. 4.10.  and embraced this present world; such men are blind, and see not afar off, 2 Pet. 2.9. Heaven is a country out of sight to such men; 
Pope Zachary condemned Virgilius a Bishop, for holding there be Antipodes.  and a world to come is as uncouth to them as a world in the Moon, and as the Antipodes are to some. But men who have grace look more at things which are not seen, and eternal, 2 Cor. 4.18. They see and enjoy Promises that are afar off. 
Heb. 11.13.  Grace sees as far as glory. And when the men of this world are full of the things of this world, and they empty; these see, and satisfy themselves with some better things that God hath provided for them. 
Heb. 11.40.   
4. Let the people of God receive the word of Exhortation: Take heed that you degenerate not from the nature and temper of Saints; be not like natural men in your fondness of the things of this world. If God find your hearts going to and fro in the earth, as Satan said of himself, or like the hearts of carnal men; he will rebuk you for it some way or other, as he did Elias, when he said to him in the Wilderness, 
1 Kings 19.13.  What dost thou here Elias? Desires after the things of this world you may have, but gauged and bounded, as the waves of the Sea are.  
Take heed your desires corrupt not into lust; and one of your great works, as Christians, is done.  
Indeed, if there should be no desire, a Saints earthly enjoyments would have no sweet in them; where desire fails, 
Eccles. 12.5.  the sweet of Creature comfort fails. What is bread to a man that hath no appetite? or drink, if he have not thirst?  
Yet desire to these outward things corrupted into lust, is worse than no desire: So was Israel's lusting after flesh, and Amnon's lusting after Tamar, and Gehazi's lusting after a reward at such a season as that was wherein he did it. Corrupt desires will corrupt the things desired. Thus they shall be hurtful to you, as Saul was to Israel, or Delilah to samson.  
If a man have a distempered thirst, the more he drinks, the more his distemper grows upon him; though he drink much, it satisfies little: the way is to get his preternatural thirst cured, for it cannot be satisfied.  
Thus, the stronger desires are after the things of the world, the less content there is in them. The eye is not satisfied with seeing; 
Eccles. 2.8. & 5.10.  and he that loveth abundance shall not be satisfied with increase.  
Therefore if you feel a thirst in your hearts after the things of this world, get the Distemper healed; never expect to have your thirst satisfied.  
Quest. But how may I cure it?  
Answ. Why, exchange your carnal lustings into spiritual: Covet earnestly the best things. 
1 Cor. 12.31.  The better you taste the waters that Christ gives you, that is the grace and comfort of his spirit, 
John 4.14.  the less thirsty you will be after the things of this world.  
It is one of Solomon's sayings, Eccles. 10.19. That money answers all things, i.e. all outward things: and this is as true a saying, That the Spirit answers all things, all good things. Compare Matth. 7.11. with Luke 11.13. In the first place our Lord Jesus saith— how much more shall your Father in heaven give good things to them that ask him? In the other, How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? Christ makes the holy Spirit to answer all good things. And thus much for the first Doctrine in the sixteenth Verse, That the things of this world are comparatively but Husks or Swines meat, when separated from the enjoyment of God himself.   

CHAP. XXV.  
Sheweth, The Property of Natural men, in choosing to sit down with any base things in the world for ease, rather than they will go to God for it. From the same part of the sixteenth Verse, And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the Swine did eat.  
THERE is a second Doctrine contained in this first part of the sixteenth Verse. For, whereas it is said, that he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the Swine did eat, this shows us, the property of Natural men, when troubled in Conscience for sin, is, That they would sit down with any base things in the world for ease, rather than go to God for it.  
Something of this was spoken on the fifteenth Verse; I shall not add much.  
When Cain's Conscience vexed him, he humbled not himself to God, but quarell'd with him; Behold, 
Gen. 4.14.  thou hast driven me this day from the face of the earth— and every one that findeth me shall slay me. And when God put him besides this fear, in v. 15. Whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him; yet he applied not himself humbly to God, but went out from the presence of the Lord, v. 16. And what went he out for? for rest: 
Matth. 12.  He traversed the world for it, as that unclean Spirit did; and he seats himself in the most pleasant place he could find on earth, on the East of Eden. Eden was called The Garden of God. 
Gen. 4.16. Ezek. 28.  There he built a City, and called it after the name of his son Enoch; and all this to charm his vexed spirit.  
Thus when the evil Spirit was upon Saul, he sought not to God, 
1 Sam. 16.23.  but for sweet music; and indeed the requisiteness of the pain puts them upon any thing next for present ease. The terrors of God on the Conscience of a sinner, are worse than the sits of the ston, or any other tormenting Disease: They are sparkles of hell fire.  
But yet the main Reason, why men in pains of Conscience for sin make any diversions from God for quiet and ease, is, because men naturally are unwilling to come to God; they are unacquainted with him, 
Eph. 2.12.  being, as it were, without God in the world. They know the world better than God. And  
Again, their estrangedness from God makes them afraid of him; 
Gen. 3.10.  as Adam when he had sinned was. As stout as many sinners seem to be for a time; yet the time will come, that it will be with such sinners as with the sinners of Zion, Isa. 33.14. The sinners of Zion are afraid; who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Kings, and great men, and rich men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, will hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the Mountains, and say to them, fall on us, 
Rev. 6.15, 16.  and hid us— It is, or shall be with guilty Consciences, as it is with the Devils, 
James 2.19.  who believe and tremble.  

Uses.  
1. This shows us what enemies Conscience-smitten sinners are to their own Conversion; they had rather stay in a far country, than return to their Father's House. The Elect themselves, if they might have their own way, would be content to remain in a state of Nature with any peace they could get; the practise of this Prodigal, as the Representative of sinners, shows it  
2. Let no man troubled in Conscience for sin, think of getting any peace that will be to any purpose, but what they get from God, and his Word. The grieved Conscience, that has peace any other way, is but as a broken bone ill set, the pains must be repeated in setting again. Your peace is not right, till your trouble sand you to God, and his Gospel grace in Christ.  
Observe what the Lord said in Ephraim's Case, Hos. 13.13. He is an unwise son, for he should not have stayed long in the place of the breaking forth of children. Such is the folly of poor convinced sinners, as to check their repentance towards God, when God is as it were in travail of their new birth. But happy are broken sinners, when they come to that in Hos. 14.3. Ashur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses( i.e.) into Egypt for help;— for in thee, O God, the fatherless findeth mercy. Such poor souls City of Refuge is that glorious and gracious Name of God, which he proclaimed before Moses; 
Exod. 34.6.  The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. Men and Angels cannot imagine a better course for sinners troubled in Conscience to take, than to resolve as those Lepers did; 
2 Kings 7.4.  Why sit we here till we die? If we say, we will enter into the City, the famine is there, and we shall die there; if we sit still here, we die also: Now therefore come, and let us fall into the host of the Syrians; if they save us alive, we shall live, and if they kill us, we shall but die.  
Why thus do you reason, and resolve when under the apprehension of your lost condition; if we fly to any Refuge but to God, we shall die; and if we sit still in our sinful state, we shall assuredly die; Therefore I will go to God, 
2 Sam. 24.  I'll fall into his hands, as David said in his great straight; if he save me, I shall live; if not, I shall but die. O poor sinner, venture on God in Christ: Thou hast heard he is a merciful God, as Benhadad's Captains said to him of the Kings of Israel; We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings, let us put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the King of Israel, peradventure he will save thy life.  
Why so let the self-convinced and condemned sinner go with such self-abasing and self-judging to God, and cast himself upon his mercy and free grace in in Jesus Christ: O resolve on this way; and say as Esther, I will go to God, and if I perish, 
Psal. 3. ult. Jonah 2.9.  I perish: Salvation is of the Lord. So much for the second Doctrine from the first part of the sixteenth Verse.    

CHAP. XXVI.  
Wherein is observed, That when God hath a purpose to convert a sinner, he suffers nothing to yield relief and comfort but himself. With the Reasons wherefore he doth thus. And the Uses we are to make hereof; from the latter part of the sixteenth Verse, And no man gave unto him.  
FROM these words we may learn, That when God hath a purpose to bring a convinced sinner to conversion, he will stop all ways of relief and comfort but from himself: He will disable all other Refuges.  
So that such a man may traverse the world over for peace, as Solomon did for happiness, and for certain receive disappointment. Every Refuge besides God will say as the Sea and the Depth did, 
Job 28.14. Isa. 23.12.  It is not in me. Pass over to Chittim, there also shalt thou have no rest. Sin and Conscience will find out the convinced sinner every where, till Christ hath said to him, as he did to that man, Be of good cheer, 
Matth. 9.2. Luke 7.  thy sins are forgiven; and as he said to that woman, Thy sins are forgiven, go in peace.  
For sinners troubled in Conscience to think they shall find ease and rest in any other Refuge, it is but a cheat upon the Conscience, a present charm. It's like Sampson's sleeping on Delila's lap, a snare and forerunner of mischief to his soul.  
It is a sad sign that God intends not such a kindness to a sinner in bringing him home to himself, when he sees him running to Self-refuges, and says, Let him alone; as he said of Ephraim, 
Hos. 4.17.  Ephraim is joined to Idols, let him alone.  
O! it's a much better sign, when the Lord hedges up such a sinners way to false Sanctuaries, as he did theirs Hos. 2.6. when God charges all other Sanctuaries but himself not to succour such a sad sinner; help him not, ease him not, supply him not, satisfy him not, this is a mercy to a sinner; and a good sign, when the Lord brings a sinners thoughts of relief into so narrow a compass, as to seek it in himself, and no where else; and makes all other Refuges say to him, as the King of Israel did to the woman that cried to him for help in a time of famine; 
2 Kings 6.  How should I help thee, if God help thee not?  
When God will save a sinner, he will trouble his Conscience, and let it sting, and the wound bleed, till he indeed draw in his eyes and thoughts to relief by Christ. When a man places a Net in the water to catch fish, or on the land to get fowl, he'l stop all hopes of escape: And so will God, when he purposes to save a man; he'l stop all inlets of peace and comfort, but what is from himself.  
It was happy for that diseased woman, 
Matth. 9.  that she found no help from any of her Physicians; for by this means she became acquainted with Jesus Christ, and was fully cured by him. God will beat a sinner from every bush, under which he thinks to shelter himself on this side Christ, and Christ as offered by the Gospel, when he intends his conversion and salvation.  

Reasons of the Doctrine.  
If God did not thus by those he means to save his Election would be frustrate, and the Scripture would fail, 
Rom. 11.7.  which saith, The election hath obtained it. For the Elect would persist in opposition to their Conversion, as well as other men; there is no difference between them and others, till their Calling make it. There is a difference in Gods purpose, not in theirs; the Elect are as willing as other men to stay in their natural state. 
Gen. 19.  As Lot was loth to leave Sodom, as well as his sons in law; but God being merciful to him, the Angel brought him forth, that he should not perish in the City.  
No man by nature hath any desire to a state of grace, 
John 6.44.  but the very Elect resist, till the Father draw them; as Reuben and Gad had no mind to go over Jordan into Canaan. Therefore when the Spirit does his office in convincing such of sin, he lets them not find rest at any Sanctuary on this side God himself.  
If a convinced sinner, a sinner troubled within, should meet with any ease and rest in other Refuges, he would love these more than God. If a wounded man find a weed in the field that gives him ease, he'l love that weed more than the best and sweetest flowers in a Garden. Men will commend most the Medicine that helps their distemper, and assuages their pain.  
So that if God did not make a sinners Refuge bitter to him, as well as his sins, he would love such things better than God. As the Israelites straits in the wilderness made them like Egypt better than Canaan, because of the flesh-pots and onions, &c. they had there their fill of. And therefore God will break, or empty Cisterns, that men may have more mind to the Spring.  
When God brings the sinner out of trouble of Conscience, he does it in such a way, as a man may see that he is beholding to God only for quenching the sparks of Hell in his Conscience.  
Hereby God magnifies his own Free-grace, in that after a sinners trial elsewhere for ease to no purpose, he will cure the wound himself. God does not do or say in the like case as men do; as he said in Terence, Cum nemini obtrudi potest, itur ad me. I am thy last Refuge; if thou couldst have had peace any where else, thou hadst not come to me.  
But God is free in the case, that he may thereby honour his Free-grace; as he said of Ephraim, Isa. 57.17, 18. I hide me, and was wrath. Ephraim has a taste of the wrath of God in his soul; and what then, does he humble himself to God? No; but he went on frowardly in the way of his heart; he shirk'd and shifted up and down to get off the trouble, but could not: And what then? did God leave him thus? No; I have seen his ways, and will heal him. O how greatly does God here commend his Free-grace to sinners! He useth to say to poor undone sinners as he did to Israel, 
Hos. 13.9, 10.  O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. There is none other that can save thee.  
The Lord doth thus to make such a sinner, when converted, a way-mark to other conscience-smitten sinners after him. 
Psal 51.13.  After David's recovery from his fall by his great sin, he taught other sinners the way to God: And experience made Luther a Soul-affecting preacher to distressed Consciences. When Ministers speak to sinners more from bowels than from brains, this is likely to affect and effect most.   

Application.  
1. This informs us, That God hath a secret work on the hearts of sinners, whom he will convert, towards their conversion, while they themselves are hindering it. When the sinner labours under convictions, which God intends shall be to conversion, God keeps him from despair on the one hand, and from presuming on Self-refuges on the other, that he may neither wilfully refuse relief, nor lean upon broken Reeds; that he neither perish on the Rocks or Sands, but fly to God, betake himself to the Lord as the only sufficient Sanctuary: 
Is●. 45.21, 22.  There is no God besides me, a just God, and a Saviour; look unto me, and be ye saved.  
2. This shows, that a man's estate is never the worse liking, when he can settle his Conscience, his unquiet Conscience, with nothing on this side God himself, and his Free-grace in Christ. Art thou troubled in Conscience for sin, and canst find no satisfaction or ease, though thou hast tried twenty ways? why, all this may be; because God intends to do the Cure himself, and make thee to know it; that so when thy Conscience is settled, thou maiest say as the Psalmist said, This is the Lord's doing, 
Psal. 118.23.  and it is marvelous in mine eyes. When the man that had an infirmity thirty eight years, 
John 5.  could not be healed by the Pool of Bethesda, because he could not get in of himself, Christ himself healed him.  
That troubled sinner is in a dangerous condition, whose trouble of Conscience meets with peace on this side the Free-grace of God in Jesus Christ; it's a sign God leaves that man to his deceitful Refuges and Sanctuaries, where he sculks at present from the sense of sin and wrath: As he did by Ephraim, when he took up with Idols, Let him alone, 
Hos. 4.17.  says God; let him see what will come on't.  
And on the other hand, if in thy Consciencetrouble and distress thou hast been beaten from bush to bush, where thou thoughtest to have had comfort, but still hast met with disappointments, live in some hope that God means thee good, that he has in his own thoughts name thee Ruamah, 
Hos. 2.1.  having obtained mercy.  
O let no convinced sinner think himself the better, because he hath company to divert his troubled thoughts, or worldly business to take up his thoughts, or the thoughts of some good thing in himself to please and stroke himself with, or some good purposes to be better hereafter; alas, these are but charms to get a little ease for present: They do but hinder thy thorough humiliation for sin, and thy sinful state, which is previously needful to thy thorough conversion to God.  
It were a better sign that all Refuges should fail thee on this side thy looking after God himself for peace with him, and from him.  
And if God should not do thus with men, they would never get beyond the first step of humiliation in their sinful state: For so soon as they have a sense of sin, and are afraid of wrath, they begin to look about them for a hedge, or a house, to get from the storm, in hopes it will be over; therefore God disables their shifts, and beats them from one to another, till from all, that when they find no footing on dry ground, they may, like the Dove, sly to the Ark. God allures sinners, whom he will convert and save, 
Hos. 2.14.  into the Wilderness, and there speaks to their hearts.  
When you are brought to this failure of expectations, 
Jer. 14.19.  We looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, but behold trouble; now you will fall upon plain dealing with your own souls, and with God, and cast yourselves upon mercy and Free-grace: So it follows, Jer. 14.20. We aclowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, for we have sinned against thee; do not abhor us for thy Name sake.  
I have been the larger in the Application of this point, because of the error and mistake of poor souls on both hands: Some in betaking themselves to false Refuges in their gripes of Conscience. For though there were many Cities of Refuge in the Law, yet there is but one in the Gospel, that is Christ, and the Free-grace of God through him.  
Others again, disquieted in Conscience by, and for sin, and seek, and can find no rest for their souls under Heaven, they think themselves quiter lost, and that they shall perish for ever; whereas it is a better sign to them than they are ware of, viz. That Christ means to bring them from all other Sanctuaries to himself; 
Matth. 11.28.  Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  
3. This may inform us, What a mercy it is to God's people to be disappointed in many things their hearts gad after, thinking of content and self-pleasing in them. God may, and often doth disappoint them for their good; he knows that if they should have them, and content in them, they would be a snare to them, 
Judges 8.27.  as Gideon's Ephod was to his house. When things prosper not in your hands that would draw your hearts off from God, it is a mercy to you.  
They shall follow after their lovers, 
Hos. 2.6, 7.  but shall not overtake them; and by this means they resolved on a return unto God, and there fixed their hearts.  
O look upon it as a kindness from God, when he crosses you thus, 
Psal. 141.5.  as David did the reproofs of the Righteous; Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindness. The Lord did David a good turn in taking away his child, though he begged so hard for the life of it.  
Let us therefore learn to look on't as a kindness, when God will not let us be at hearts ease in Creature enjoyments. Peter did not wish his own happiness so much as he thought, when he said on Mount Tabor to Jesus, 
Luke 9.33.  Master, it is good for us to be here. The Lord's end in giving check to our satisfaction in the Creature things, or persons, or places, may be, that we may seek it in himself, and to bring us to say by proof, 
Psal. 87. ult.  All my springs are in thee.    

CHAP. XXVII.  
Sheweth, That the lowest step of a sinner's misery is, to see himself remediless by any carnal means whatsoever: Together with the Application hereof; from the whole sixteenth Verse, And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the Swine did eat; and no man gave unto him.  
I Come now to the fourth and last Doctrine from the sixteenth Verse, That when a man feels himself in a lost condition, and withal sees no way of relief, this is the lowest step of his misery to his own sense; yet in Gods method and meaning may be a fair step to mercy in his Conversion.  
When the Prodigal was in such want, that he would have eaten what men gave to Swine, and none gave unto him, this, to his own apprehension, was the very depth of misery, and yet it proved the inlet of mercy: As the valley of anchor, or the valley of trouble, was given by God to Israel for a door of hope. 
Hos. 2.15.  Bare conviction of sin leaves a man as far from God as before, till he be beaten out of all his creeping holes. It's true, the first work of the Spirit in order to Conversion is conviction of sin, that this man is a sinner. I but, saith this man, so are others, so are all men. Therefore the Spirit goes further, and convinces this man that he has no grace, but is in a state of sin. Otherwise, though men be convinced that they are sinners, yet they think they have some grace; and so their opinion of grace keeps out grace. It's a step towards a state of grace, for a man to be thoroughly convinced that he has no grace.  
A man is never the poorer for casting away counterfeit grace; that which he thought to be grace, but is not. He that wakens out of a rich Dream, and finds it not with him as he dreamed, is never the poorer, because he never had the riches he dreamed of.  

Application.  
Labour than for a double conviction in order to Conversion; a conviction of sin, and a conviction of the vanity of all Sanctuaries but God himself, against whom men have sinned. Sight and sense of sin and wrath, will sand men to a Citizen of a far country, to something of this World for relief; but experience of the unprofitableness of this way sends them to their Father's house, where is help in dead.  
The more a man is emptied of himself, and the Creature, the nearer he is to God. It is darkest a little afore day break. When a convinced sinner is at worst for relief in his own thoughts, he is fair for it.  
Quest. But are there not some sinners troubled in Conscience by sin, that find no relief in the World, and yet look not after it in God; as Cain and Saul, and the men that were scorched with great heat, 
Rev. 16.9.  and yet blasphemed God?  
Answ. There is no preparative to a sinner's Conversion that works further in a sinner than God leads it on: Converts are born of the will of God, 
John 1.13.  and not their own. The Plow is not the cause of the earths bearing fruit, but the Seed that is cast into it: though there be ploughing and harrowing, and the first and latter rain; yet there can be no fruit, if there be no seed.  
It's true, that God ordinarily brings about a sinners Conversion by preparatives; which although we should say they work Physically, yet can they go no further than their own nature, as preparatives, and so can never finish the work.  
It was not the water of Jordan that cured Naaman's leprosy so much as the will of God put forth in it, and the word of God that commanded it. 
2 Kings 5.  Though the wax be melted, yet it's the owners hand that sets on the Seal, and makes the impression. A man may be convinced of his sinful state, and helpless state, and yet not be converted, except the will and power of God work-up conviction so far. It was not the whirl-wind, 
Job 38.2.  but the powerful voice of God in it, that humbled Job to silence and self-abhorrence. And therefore men should give God the glory of the effectual working of all their preparatives to Conversion: 
Psal. 115.1.  Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the glory, for thy mercy and for thy truths sake. When God hath a will to save a sinner, he puts powerful and effectual influences into the preparatives of his Conversion.  
Object. But then a convinced and conscience-afflicted sinner is still at an uncertainty for his Conversion; when beaten off of all his Refuges, his Conversion still depends on God's will and power.  
Answ. I answer that such a man is not at that uncertainty as before: For first, he is at a certainty for God's power, that that cannot fail him, though all his other helps have failed. And secondly, if the turning of the Scales hang upon God's will, his solemn invitations and promises may encourage him as to the will of God in the case; 
Ezek. — why will ye die, O ye house of Israel? It's mens own wills, and not God's, that damns them. Though there may be ground of a sinner's despair in himself, yet there is none in God. God hath so set forth himself to a sinner, both as to his power and will, as to leave no cause of despair. God hates and abhors the despair of a sinner more than all his other sins.  
The Devil cannot revenge himself more on God, than to bring reproach on him by a sinner's despair; for herein the Devil makes the sinner likest to himself: He is himself a desperate sinner, and he would have other sinners to be so. This is one of the chiefest sins that Satan aims at in his temptations to sin; his tempting to other sins is to dispose men to this; as wool hath first a tincture of a lighter colour, that it may receive a deeper die.  
And let convinced and self-judged sinners consider, that despair puts them actually under the punishment of Hell in part, when as other sins only bind them over to condemnation; even the greatest of Gospel sins, which is unbelief: 
John 16.9. Mark 16.16. John 3.18.  He shall convince the world of sin, because they believe not in me; and he that believeth not shall be damned. He is condemned already, Sentence is passed upon him, but it is not executed; but in a sinner's despair, execution is begun.  
O then let not sinners in trouble of Conscience for sin consult with reason disordered and mated by temptation in the case: This reason is low of stature, like Zacheus, and cannot see mercy and free grace in the throng and press of his sins; but standing on the Promise, as Zacheus did on the three, on that Promise in Isa. 55.7. or of the like nature, he will be in sight of hope.  
A man may have mighty sins, but not almighty; 
Amos 5.12.  but the mercy of God is almighty mercy. The mercy of God is unlimited to those that do not limit it; that is, who seek for cleansing and purging mercy, as well as pardoning. And therefore for sinners that would be penitent, as well as pardonned sinners, for such to say in their hearts, Can God forgive my sins? is as great a sin, as it was to Israel to say in their straits, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?  
Remember and consider what the Lord saith in this case, My thoughts are not your thoughts; 
Isa. 55.7.  he can pardon abundantly.  
The very holiness of God inclines him to mercy, as man's wickedness inclines him to cruelty: The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. 
Prov. 12.10.  The Devil, who is the greatest of sinners, is disposed to the greatest revenge and cruelty: he would revenge himself on God if he could; and therefore he belies God to man, as well as he does man to God: As he charged Job with hypocrisy to God, so he charged God with cruelty to Job. 
Job 2.9.  dost thou still retain thy integrity? Curse God and die. There is no such thing in the Devil, as the least pity towards any sinner. But God's holiness disposes him to pity poor sinners, when their Souls are in trouble for sin. Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose Name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, 
Isa. 57.15.  with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite one.  
The holy God can be righteous in pardoning sinners, 
1 John 1.9.  as well as in damning them for sin; If we confess our sins, he is just and faithful to forgive us our sins— Oh therefore, if there be any one that the Spirit of God hath convinced of their dangerous and damnable state in sin, and set their Consciences on the rack by the spirit of bondage, and withal beatten them from all false refuge, let such come to God, and try him.  
Obj. But is it likely that God will harbour such a wretched sinner as I, who make him my last refuge, when all others have failed me, and now I come to him on mere necessity?  
Answ. Yes, mere necessity may turn a sinner's eye to God at first. 
Luke 14.23.  At first God compels men to come into the feast. Sinners are constrained upon necessity to betake themselves to God for sanctuary. God allows men to come to him out of self-love at first, though after love to God must keep them with him. It's well that mens sense of their own misery will force them to seek after mercy in God. The Father will suffer those things in a child, which he will not do after. 
Joh. 4.39, 41.  The Samaritans believed Jesus at first for the womans words; but after because of his own word.  
That woman which had a bloody Issue was driven to Christ for healing on necessity, 
Matth. 9.20.  for she had spent all on the Physician, and to no purpose; and when all would do nothing, she applied her self to Jesus Christ for cure, and he heals her; and it redounded to his honour, that he could do, and had done that which no other means could do.  
And therefore it is good for poor sinners in their Soul-straits to look at the power and freeness of God's grace, which can and will help them, when other refuges have failed them, that they may magnify God's grace above all.  
God's time of giving grace, is when he may have the honour of it: 
James 4.6.  Therefore he gives grace to the humble, because he knows the humble will give him the glory of his grace.  
But then, though a sinner may go to God of pure necessity, and self-love at first; yet when he is come to God, 
Psal. 73.28.  he must and will abide with God in love to God himself; he will now say, It is good for me to draw near to God.  
And now let the presuming sinner live in sin, and the convinced troubled sinner despair of mercy from God, at their own eternal peril. For the first, 
Deut. 29.19, 20.  God will assuredly curse that sinner, who blesseth himself in his sins.  
And for the convinced and conscience-pricked sinner, who hath mercy offered him by the Gospel, and yet despairs of mercy from God by Christ, it argues a defect in that sinners humiliation for sin: For it is not so much the greatness of sin, as the greatness of the sinners spirit, that is the cause of his despair. To those Jews who said, 
Jer. 2. ●5. Ezck. 33.10.  There is no hope, we shall pine away in our sins, God hath said, Your words have been stout against me. 
Mal. 3.13, 14.  Wherein say they: Ye have said, It is in vain to serve God, and so to seek him.  
I may not doubt to say, that there was never any sinner outed of his sins and himself, who missed of mercy, if he sought it of God. Thus much for the sixteenth verse, with which endeth the first part of the Parable.    
FINIS.