portrait of John Shower 
Mr: John Shower    

Of The Day of Grace: OR, A DISCOURSE Concerning The Possibility, and Fear of its being Past, before Death.  
SHOWING The groundless Doubts, and mistaken Apprehensions of Some, as to their being finally Forsaken, and left of God. With the Dangerous Symptoms and Approaches of Others to such a sad State.  
In Four SERMONS From Psalm LXXXI. 11, 12.  
By JOHN SHOWER.  
London, Printed for Abraham Chandler, and to be Sold by John Butler in Worcester. 1694.   

TO THE READER.  
THe following Sermons were preachtat the Earnest Desire of an unknown Person sent me in a Letter, expressing a more than ordinary Concern and Fear, lest the day of Grace should be passed, and the Holy Spirit finally departed, so as to Return and Strive no more. Many Upright Christians after aggravated Backslidings, or under Great Temptations, or in deep Melancholy are apt to conclude thus hardly of themselves. Such as these I have endeavoured to Convince, that this is not the state of their Case, or ever like to be.  
I have also shown, who have reason to Apprehend themselves in Danger of this Judgement in the Text. For 'tis possible, and more than possible, that after long Resistance and Obstinacy, God may Judicially let Men Alone, and give 'em over. Though their Lives be prolonged, they may be sealed up to Wrath, and reserved to Judgement. Four Generations filled the Measure of the Amorites Sin, though five past before they were destroyed. And though Pharoah's time expired, 'tis thought, at the Sixth Plague, God upheld and hardened him, (principally by suffering him to harden himself) till the Tenth was passed. The sins of Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation were full at the Murder of the Messiah, but they were not destroyed till forty years after.  
I must Confess, that we cannot tell positively when this is true concerning any particular Person: Nor is any man bound to believe it concerning Himself; but is always obliged to believe, that if he do truly Repent, he shall find Mercy. For though God may prescribe Limits to his own Grace, we ought not to bond it. Shall any man say, Divine Patience hath waited on me, (or on such a one so long,) it can wait no longer. Such Despair ●f Grace, while in the use of God's Appointed Means, is very Insolent Presumption. You are obliged, (as a Thing highly grateful to him) to Hope in his Mercy.  
In short, whatever your Doubts and Fears are, if you firmly purpose to go on in the Way which leads to Life: if you will not turn a side from following the Lord; if you Resolve, Come what will of it, I will never give over praying, seeking, striving, wrestling, etc. Let him do what he will with me, I'll not desist; I'll run after him, I'll fly to him, I'll call upon him, as long as I live, etc. A Blessing from the Author and Purchaser of all Grace may be undoubtedly expected by such a one. Prov 8.34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my Gates, waiting at the Posts of my Doors. For whoso findeth me, findeth Life.  
If you hear him, and wait, 
* Dr. O. Meditations and Discourses of the Glory of Christ, applied to unconverted Sinners, 8ᵒ p. 18.  (saith Dr. O) though you have not yet Admission, but are kept at the Gates and Posts of the Doors, yet in the Issue you shall be Blessed. The rule in this Case is, Hos. 6.3. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know. Are you in the way of knowing Christ in the use of means, hearing the Word, and Sincere Endeavours in Holy Duties; though you cannot yet attain unto any Evidence, that you have received him, have closed with him, (nay though you question whether ever he will Receive you,) Nothing can R●ine you but giving over the way wherein you are; for than shall you know, if you follow on to know the Lord.  
These Discourses are printed almost verbatim as preached; which I hope will rather promote, than lessen their usefulness unto Such, who are most like to read 'em, and to whose Case they are most suited. The Day of Reckoning is near; Death and Judgement are at hand: May I then find mercy of the Lord! Give an Account of my Stewardship with Comfort! And be found in Christ to the Glory of God. Beg it for me; as I do and shall thy profiting by this, and all the many other Helps to further thy Salvation.  
J. S.   

Four SERMONS ON Psalm LXXXI. 11, 12.  

The First Sermon.  Psal. LXXXI. 11, 12. 
But my People would not hearken to my Voice, and Israel would none of me, so I gave them up to their own Hearts lusts: and they walked in their own Counsels.  
THE Jews have a Tradition, that at stated times of the year God doth lament and complain over their ruined Temple at Jerusalem; that Temple that was once the Seat of his Glory, and the Place of his special Residence for so long a time. Their own Value, and affection for it, made them fond imagine, that God himself could not behold its Ashes and Dissolution without Resentment: Not considering that the Wickedness of the People called by his Name, and entrusted with the Privileges of his House, had provoked his most righteous severity to lay it waste. This was a weak and groundless Fancy of the carnal Jews: We have other Measures whereby to Judge of the blessed God. We are fully assured that his Thoughts are not as ours in such matters; That it is a far sadder spectacle in his Eye, to behold the Hypocrisy and Carnality of those that worship in his Temple, than to see it laid in Ruins; a far more dismal sight, to behold the offers of his Grace refused, and slighted; to have the Invitations of the Gospel, and the glad Tidings of Peace rejected, by those who can be saved no other Way; and who must perish if they neglect this great Salvation: To see Multitudes of such continue under the Power of sin, wilfully choosing the way of Destruction, and hardening their own Hearts against all the gracious Methods of their Recovery; This in the Judgement of God, who Judgeth Righteous Judgement, is by far the more astonishing, and deplorable Object.  
For we never read of God's complaining of any Thing so much as of this. And how often, and in what passionate Expressions doth he complain of the Obstinacy, Unteachableness, and Wilfulness of the Jews, his ancient People, Oh that they were wise! O that they would consider! how long will you not be purged? when shall it once be? why will ye die▪ etc. And the Prophet Isaiah introduceth Christ, and his Apostles, complaining to the like Purpose, Who hath believed our Report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed? 
Isa. 53.1.  This was that which our compassionate Redeemer resented even unto Tears, concerning Jerusalem in the Days of his Flesh, when he beheld the City and wept over it saying. O that thou hadst known, even thou, in this thy day, the Things that belong to thy Peace, etc. And in the verse following the Text, 
Luk. 19.41.  O that my People had harkened to my Voice, and walked in my Ways. This is the Subject Matter of the complaint of these Words, which is attended with a Threatening, of one of the heaviest Judgements that can be inflicted: My People would not hearken to my Voice, and Israel would none of me: So I gave them up, etc.  
Here is, First, A most Reproaching Complaint. Secondly, A most Terrible Threatening. The Complaint is in the 11th verse, My People would not hearken to my Voice, etc.  
The most significant Words are used to awaken Shame, and Indignation in the guilty Persons against themselves, for refusing to hearken to the Voice of God.  
First, Their Fault is aggravated from their near Relation to God, My People. Israel, the beloved Nation, my peculiar People, favoured above the Rest of the World with many special advantages, They did not hearken to me.  
Secondly, From their Wilfulness, They would not hearken to me. They would none of me. For though the first Expression in the Hebrew, be only thus, My People did not hearken to me, yet the latter Words, They would none of me, doth lay the Blame upon their own Wilfulness, and does sufficiently Justify our Translation of it.  
It is aggravated, Thirdly, From what their not harkening to God's Voice did imply, and carry in it, That they would none of God; they refused to have God for their God. They cared not for any Relation to him, or Acquaintance with him, or Instruction from him, or Happiness by him; They would none of me.  
Secondly, unto this Complaint in the 11th verse is Subjoined a terrible Threatening, ver. 12th, So I gave them up to their Heart's Lusts, to walk in their own Counsels.  
In the Hebrew both Expressions are in the Future, that for their former Provocations God would do so, and the latter is the Consequence of the former. The walking in their own Counsels, is the Fruit of their being given up to their own Hearts Lusts.  
There are two Things may be collected as the Sum of both Verses, to be discoursed of from them.  
First, That it is Matter of Just Complaint and Reproach, when a People, or Person, will not hearken to the Voice of God.  
Secondly, That for such wilful Persons to be given up to their own Hearts Lusts, so as to be left of God to walk in their own Counsels, is one of the most fearful Judgements that can be threatened, or inflicted in this World.  
Something I would speak to the former though in order to the latter, which is principally designed. And what Subject more seasonable, or more likely to be useful, unto those who have the Voice of God repeated to them Week after Week, with such Frequency, and Variety, as you have it in this City.  
First, That it is Matter of Just Complaint, and Reproach, for any People, or Person not to hearken to the Voice of God. And here it will be proper to show, 1. What it is, not to hearken to the Voice of God 2. How this appears to be such Just Matter of Complaint from God, and Reproach unto us, who are guilty of it.  
First, What it is not to hearken to the Voice of God. By the Voice of God here, we are to Understand, that of his Word; as is manifest from Jer. 7.23, 28. Verses. This thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my Voice, and I will be your God. But they harkened not, ●or inclined their Ear, but walked in the Counsels and Imaginations of their own evil Hearts; therefore shalt thou say unto them, this is a Nation that Obeyeth not the Voice of the Lord their God. His instructing and informing Voice, is here meant, That which discovers the Nature of God, and our Duty, the wretched state of our Case by the first Apostasy, and the Method of our Recovery to the Image and Life of God, and Communion with him. It is also his commanding Voice, unto the Authority whereof, we all own utmost Obedience and subjection. It is that Voice of God which warns us of our Danger; invites us to Terms of Peace and Reconciliation; directs us what we ought to do, that we may be saved, etc. And have we not all the Obligation in the World, to hearken to this Voice? carefully to attend to it? to consider its Authority? to make a Judgement about its Necessity, and Importance, about the Reasonableness and advantages of our Obedience? etc.  
Now there be many that Openly, and Expressly refuse to hearken to thi● Voice. But the Number is greater of such, who do it Virtually, and in Effect: either by their groundless Cavils and Objections against the Word of God; or by their frivolous Excuses, and toolish Delays of complying with it; or by Obeying the contrary Dictates of the Flesh and the World, and harkening to the Voice of Satan; by all which they manifest their Unwillingness to hearken to the Voice of God.  
But, Secondly, How does this appear to be such a Matter of Just Complaint and Reproach? To this Purpose we may consider, 1. Whose Voice it is you● refuse to hearken to: 
Heb. 1.2.  the Voice of God by his Son, Whom he hath appointed Heir of all Things, and by whom he made the World, the Brightness of his Father's Glory, the Express Image of nis Person. 
Heb. 2.2.  If Disobedience to the Word spoken by Angels, received a Just Recompense of Reward, How shall we escape, if we neglect, and slight, and will not hearken to that Word of Salvation which began to be spoken by our Lord himself. See therefore (says the Apostle) that you refuse not him that speaketh; 
Heb 12.25. ver.  for if they Escaped not who refused him that spoke on Earth, Much more shall not we Escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven. I might amplify this by Considering the Authority, the Veracity, the Wisdom, the Kindness and Condescension, of him that speaketh; and to whom we are called, and Obliged to hearken.  
I might aggravate it, by Considering how all our Senses, and our Reason, our Power of Hearing, and Understanding are all from Him: And how often he hath heard our Voice when we have cried to him in our Distress. And how ready he is to hear us in every time of need, when none else can help or save us: And how severely he can punish our Refusal: For in his hand is our Life and Breath, and all our Ways. It is he who hath Power to save or to Destroy and shall we refuse to hearken to his Voice? Yea further, he designs our Good, and intends our Happiness, by what he speaks. He can have no Accession to his own by our Felicity, but might glorify himself in our Ruin, if we decline the Invitations of his Mercy, and refuse to hearken to his Voice.  
Secondly, Consider, not only who it is that speaks, but what kind of Voice it is. How gentle, how obliging, how beneficent, and condescending. He doth not now speak to us with Majestic Terror, in Thunder and Lightning, with such an amazing Voice as upon Mount Sinai, to the People of the Jews: When he made the Mountain shake, and the People Tremble, 
Heb. 12.26.  and even Moses himself exceedingly to do so. But employs Messengers like ourselves, to speak in his Name. He considers our weakness, and the Necessity of our Case, and promises to accompany the ordinary Preaching of the Gospel, with the Power of his Spirit. That the great and necessary truths published, explained, and pressed, by a serious Ministry, shall be the Power of God unto Salvation. He requires those that are entrusted with this work, to instruct, to exhort, to warn and reprove, to beseech and entreat you in the Name of Christ, with Earnestness and Importunity, that you would not receive the Grace of God in vain; that you would be reconciled to God, praying you in Christ's stead that you would be so, lest the Things that concern your Peace should be for Ever hid from your Eyes.  
Thirdly, Consider, Who They are, that are said to refuse to hearken to the Voice of God. My People Israel. My First born, more nearly related to me, more peculiarly favoured and privileged by me than the rest of the World. We Christians succeed in their Privileges, not only as Domestic Servants, but as Children, visibly related to God, as our Father, by the Covenant of Baptism. And shall not Children receive the Instruction of a Parent? 
Deut. 21.18.  a stubborn Son that refused to hearken to the Voice of his natural Parent, was under the Law, to be stoned to Death: and all the Men in the City, were to have a Hand in bringing such a Monster to that deserved Punishment.  
Fourthly, That the Complaint and Reproach is Just, will appear by considering, what is Connected with it, in the Words that immediately follow, Israel would none of me, that is, if they will not hearken to my Voice, they declare they will have none of me. God offers himself to enter into a Covenant, and to be your God; only obey my Voice and I will be so But they inquire not after him. There is none that saith, where is God my Maker? They will none of me, i e they will not have me to be their Lord and Ruler, they will not have me to be their Portion and Chief Good. It is plain they will not, because they refuse my Teachings, and Guidance; they will not hearken to my Voice.  
Now this being duly attended to, will sufficiently Justify the Divine Severity, v. 12. towards such who will not hearken to the Voice of God. For thereby they do in Effect bid him departed from them, they tell him, we desire not the Knowledge of thy Ways. And if hereafter he should bid them departed from him into Everlasting Fire, with the Workers of Iniquity, the Sentence would not be more dreadful than Righteous. If he say, Depart from me, you unthankful despisers of my Grace; I would have instructed, and sanctified, and saved you, but you would not; I called, but you refused, and turned the deaf Ear; I exhorted, and beseeched, and entreated you to have Pity on yourselves in Time, but you would not hearken to my Voice. I faithfully warned you of your danger, but you made light of it. I offered to be your God, and to make you happy and blessed for Ever, if you would but accept my offer; but you would none of me. Therefore if he should speak to them hereafter in his Wrath, and vex them in his sore Displeasure: if he then be Deaf to their Cries, who now refuse to hearken to his Voice, their Sentence will be Just.  
And no less would it be if God should inflict the heavy Doom mentioned in this Text: which is the Beginning of Hell, where it continues without Remedy, and timely Relief is not admitted. Such as will not hearken to the Voice of God; the Language of whose Heart is thereby manifest, that they will none of him, Such as these, God may Justly give up to their own Hearts Lusts; and leave them to walk in their own destructive Counsels. And this brings me to consider the Second Proposition.  
That for wilful Sinners to be given up to their own Hearts Lusts, and to be left of God to walk in their own Counsels, is one of the most tremendous Judgements that can be threatened, or inflicted in this World.  
First, What is it for God to give up any to their own Hearts Lusts.  
Secondly, What is his usual Method of inflicting such a Judgement.  
Thirdly, Wherein does the Terror and Dread of such a Judgement appear? or what Considerations will manifest this to be such a dismal Judgement? What I shall speak under these Three Heads will make way for the practical Application.  
I must grant that there is an unsearchable Depth in the divine Judgements; especially in his Methods of Severity towards the Souls of Men: And therefore when we have gone as far as Scripture and Experience will direct and lead us, we must yet cry out, O the bottomless Depths of the Divine Counsels: how unsearchable are his Judgements, 
Rom. 11.33: Deut. 32.4.  and his ways past finding out? However, we must hold to this, that all his Works are perfect: ●nd that he is a God of Truth, and without Iniquity; his Ways are Judgement, 
Deut. 29.3, 4.  and Just and Right is he. And it is remarkable that this is spoken after a terrible Expression a little before concerning the Jews, that after having seen the Signs and Wonders and Miracles that God wrought among them, yet hath he not given you a Heart to perceive, and Eyes to see, and Ears to hear, unto this Day.  
But whatever Obscurity there may be in the Manner, yet such a Thing as Gods leaving Men to themselves must be acknowledged; yea, 
Isa. 10.29. Mar. 4.12.  his pouring out a spirit of slumber and deep sleep upon Men, closing their Eyes in righteous Judgement, after they have wilfully shut them.  
Never was any People so punished in this Manner, as the Nation of the Jews. After having long resisted the Spirit, neither Word, nor Rod could awaken them, but the Things of their Peace, were hid from their Eyes. But we must not conceive of this, as an Act merely of Will and Pleasure in God; without Respect to their former sin. But consider it as an act of Righteous Judgement, upon great Provocation. This Doom never goes before the Fault; when they will not be purged, they are left to be filthy still. After long striving and Resistance God lets 'em Alone. We must view it as something Judicial toward those who had highly deserved it, by former Refusals of his Grace, and disobeying his Voice: And therefore when God is said in the 4th of Exodus to harden Pharaoh, let us consider who he was, and what he had done: Was he not guilty of the most profane contempt of God, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his Voice? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go, Exod. 5.2. And was he not guilty of the most barbarous Injustice, and Cruelty against the People of God? Had he not for many years oppressed, and enslaved them? were not He and his Subjects resolved to destroy those whom God resolved to preserve? etc. He is three times said to have hardened his own heart. Exod. 8.15, 32. And chap. 9.34. Tho ●e had sufficient means of Conviction, ●y Aaron's Rod swallowing up those of ●e Magicians, 7 Exod. 1.2. And by the Magicians being nonplussed in their Art; concerning the Judgement of Lice, Exod. ●. 18. And they themselves were smitten with Boils, Chap. 9.11, 12. And now and then Pharaoh had some Relent, chap. 9.27, 10. chap. 16.17.  
So the Jews in our Saviour's Time, concerning whom the like Expressions are used, John 12.40. They were such as hated the Light, as would not accept of Christ, or his Forerunner the Baptist, but said of both, that they were possessed of a Devil. In this Case we may use the Apostles Expression, Is God unrighteous, who taketh Vengeance? 
Rom. 3.5.  God forbidden. Here indeed is very dismal Severity, but there is no shadow of unrighteousness.  
This being premised, we may consider, First, What these Lusts of men's Hearts are? Secondly, What it is to be given up Judicially to them.  
The Lusts of our Hearts unto which some are given up by God, may Comprehend the false Imaginations, and undue Conceptions of Things that are framed in the Soul, concerning God, and ourselves, Sin and Duty, Happiness and Misery, etc. And our Irregular Desires, and Inclinations; with all the wicked Projects, and Contrivances of the Soul, concerning the gratifying and fulfilling the Lusts of the Flesh, the Lusts of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life.  
Now for God to give up any Men to these Lusts, so as not to hinder them from walking in their own Counsels, is not to be supposed as if he gave his approving Consent, that they should obey these Lusts: Not that he gave them leave to sin, or approved what they did, in serving divers Lusts, but that which is chief comprehended in it is,  
First, That such Persons are cast out of God's special Protection and Care, and so are exposed to wander and go astray: 
Hos. 4.16.  To walk as a Lamb in alarge Place, and so are more easily assaulted, and Overcome by the Devil, who seeketh whom he may destroy.  
Secondly, That they are left of God under the Dominion, and Power, and Tyranny of their own Lusts; He that 〈◊〉 filthy let him be filthy still. Rom. 22. ●1. He that heareth let him hear; and he ●●at forbeareth let him forbear, for ●hey are a Rebellious House. 
Ezek. 3.27.  So ●hat the Restraints and Checks ●hat they were formerly under, by the Motions of his Spirit; or by External Providence, should no ●onger hinder them in the Prosecution of their Lusts. 
Mar. 4.11. Joh. 12.34. Eze. 24, 13.16, 4. Hos 4.14.  They shall not be smitten any more, nor their way hedged up with Thorns. The Spirit of God shall not strive with them any more; at least not to such a Degree as formerly.  
Nay further, we read of men's being given up, after sins against Light, unto a 
* Rom. 1.28, 29, 30, 31.  Reprobate unteachable Mind, to vile affecti●ons, to unnatural Lusts. Yea, delivered up to 
* 2 Thes. 2.11.  strong Delusions of Satan, that they may believe Lies, that they may be damned. But remember this is an Act of Justice and Righteousness in God; for the Persons thus given up are described to be such as would not receive the Truth in the Love of it.  
That there is such a Judgement as this, besides the Express Testimony of Scripture, is manifest by sad Experience. For what tolerable account can be otherwise given of the Generality of professing Christians, with whom the sense of Duty, the Honour 〈◊〉 Christ, the Interest of his Kingdom have so little Influence, to a conscientious governing their Heart's an● Lives? Yea how else is it? That notwithstanding Mercies and Judgements notwithstanding providential warning and gracious Calls, notwithstanding many Convictions and Resolutions and good Beginnings, notwithstanding many severe Rebukes for pas● Backslidings, and some Experience how evil and bitter a Thing it is● and hath been, to forsake God that yet in Despite of God, and Conscience, and all these Obstacles in their way, many have forsaken the Way of Righteousness, and wallowed again in the Pollutions of the World, after they had escaped it. And whatever Hazard they run by it, whatever Difficulties they meet in their way, whatever Methods have been used to recover and save them, yet on they will go: and from a seeming Zeal for God and Godliness, and constant day●● Exercise of the principal Duties of Religion in their Families, and Closets, ●hey come at last to live without any ●f these; in the total Neglect of such Duties, and in allowed Practices of Drunkeness, Uncleaness, and Unrighteousness, with the Contempt of the Means of their Conversion, and a secret Enmity against the true Interest of Christ in the World, and against the serious Profession and Power of Godliness.  
My Friends, The Case of such Apostates, and the more common Degeneracy of many Others, after good and hopeful Beginnings, who have sinned themselves into a quiet peaceful Conscience, or rather into stupidity and Hardness of Heart, notwithstanding the Daily Commission of great Abominations; the deplorable Case, I say, of such Persons, and the Frequency of such Cases, makes it manifest that there is such a Thing as men's being left of God, and given up to their own Hearts Lusts.  
But remember, I call it a deplorable Case, not an irrecoverable one. For I do not think, as to all such Persons, that their Day of Grace is past; that the Things of their Peace are so hid from their Eyes, that it is impossible for them to be renewed to Repentance. There are Degrees of Gods forsaking Men; there is a total and there is a partial Obduracy and Hardness of Heart But I shall speak more of this afterwards.  
We should Secondly, Consider by what Method God does for the most part proceed, to inflict and Execute such a Judgement as this. But  
Thirdly, For the present let us briefly consider the Severity and Terror of this Judgement. According to the Degrees of this Punishment inflicted on any, so is the Wretchedness of their Case in Proportion to be estimated. For a Man to be totally left to the Hardness and Obduracy of his own Heart, there is no Judgement in this World so severe: and therefore says 
* Owen's Dominion of Sin, Page 73.  Dr. Owen, it is never Executed, but towards those that are habitually and obstinately wicked, and do out of choice harden themselves in their sins.  
You may Consider the Dread and Horror of such a Judgement by reading Prov. 1.23. Heb. 10.26, etc. Very much may be gathered from Luke 19.41, 42. Where we have 〈◊〉 most significant Representation of such a dismal Case, in our Lords affectionate Bewailing of the Misery of Jerusalem, as forsaken and left of God. He beheld the City, and mingled his Lamentations over it with his Tears. Saying, O! Jerusalem, Jerusalem, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least, in this thy Day, the Things which belong unto thy Peace! but now they are hid from thine Eyes. He knew how deplorable the Condition of such Persons must needs be, and what was due to so great a Calamity, or he would not have lamented it with Tears. He knew the aggravation of their Gild, and the Severity of the Divine Justice, and the Value of Immortal Souls, and the Depth of Misery, into which such guilty sinners are sinking; he perfectly knew these Things, or he would not have bestowed Tears upon this Occasion.  
And which yet is most 
* See Mr. How's Redeemers Tears. Pag. 149.  Dreadful to consider, when Persons are become incurably Obstinate, and Impenitent unto Perdition, the Redeemers Tea● may Express his Compassion, but wil● not abate their Misery, or assuage their Torment. They that have rejected and despised his Mercy, and trampled upon his Blood, shall ye● have his Tears of Compassion. Th● former would have saved them, bu● the latter only bewails their Folly, and their Misery, what they have los● because they would not be saved. They neglected God's season and he departed, Hosea 5.6. They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord: But they shall not find him: He hath withdrawn himself from them. So John 8.21. The● said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: Wither I go, ye cannot come.  
It is impossible for me to describe the Horror of their Case, with whom Matters are come to this Issue: That God resolves to let them alone, to give them up into the Hands of their own Counsels, to leave them to their own Hearts Lusts, to the Dominion and Tyranny of their vile Affections and Inclinations, that they shall be holden in the Cords of their own Iniquity, and without further Instruction, or Restraint, 
Prov. 5.22, 23.  in the midst of their Folly, be left of God to go astray. When because they would not be purged, they shall not be purged, till the Divine Fury be made to rest upon them. God will let them Alone, and say, if they will go on to treasure up Wrath against a Day of Wrath, e'en let them do it; If they will harden their Hearts, if they will die, if they are so intent upon their own Ruin, as that they refuse my counsel, and slight my Reproofs, and resist my Spirit, and hate to be Reformed; let them take their Course, let them walk in the Ways of their own Heart, and in the Sight of their Eyes, let them prosecute their own foolish Choice; I will do nothing to hinder it: My Gospel shall not instruct and heal them; My Spirit shall not to any good purpose longer strive with them; that which is the Savour of Life, and the Power of God unto salvation unto Others, shall have a deadly Savour unto them.  
No words can express the Horror of such a Case. And such a Case is possible, but we have no certain Rule given us whereby to determine our Judgement concerning any particular Person, so as to enable us to say positively, This is the sad condition of such a Man, or such a Woman: But because many fear it is their own Case, and the Person, who by a Letter desired me to preach on this Subject, is afraid lest Things may already be come to this Issue, I will not now close without some Application.  
And Passing over several Uses that may be made of this, I shall hence take Occasion to Exhort to three Things.  
First, To take heed not to pass a definitive Sentence against yourselves, concerning the state of your own Souls, as to this Judgement. Secondly, However to apprehend the Danger of approaching to it, if you are under any ill Symptoms of that kind, and beware of those Things that have a Tendency to so sad a Doom Thirdly, Diligently to improve the Means you are yet under, by the Warnings of the Word, convictions of Conscience, and the Motions of the Divine Spirit, that you may Effectually prevent it. That as it is not your Case for the present, it never may be so.  
First, Take heed of passing a definitive Sentence against yourselves in this matter. There is a Time even with the Impenitent and Unconverted, when God may move their Hearts more strongly unto Conversion, than afterwards. And when such a Time is over with thee, thou mayest be apt to think that God hath utterly Abandoned, and Forsaken thee; and be ready to conclude Thy Day of Grace is past. In this Sense it may be passed with many long before their Death, and yet their state not be irrecoverable. This is like enough to be the Case of many of you present; but you need not thereupon question but you shall be accepted of God, if you are now willing to return to him. You have no ground to question whether Christ will receive you, if you are willing to come to him; or whether pardoning Mercy may be had if you penitently forsake your wicked ways, and turn to the Lord with all your heart.  
Men that formerly had some Motions and Helps to Repentance, which they neglected and misimproved, and obstinately resisted, may be so given up to their Obstinacy, as never to have such Motions more; and so on that Account the Day of Grace may be passed with divers. But such Persons are hardened in Sin, and hate an Holy Life, oppose serious Godliness, and the Means of their Recovery, etc. But the Day of Grace is never so past in this Life with any Man, as that he shall not be accepted and pardoned, if he do truly repent. Therefore for a penitent returning Sinner to fear his Day of Grace is utterly passed, or that his Repentance, if it be true, does now come too late; This is to contradict the whole Tenor and Scope of the Gospel. Your Case may be more dangerous than that of most others, and yet not Irrecoverable. Be sure it is not, if you have not sinned that Sin which can't be pardoned; which in the general, I firmly believe no man is guilty of, who is afraid lest he hath been, or is so guilty.  
Our Obstinate continued forsaking of God, is the great sign of our being forsaken of him: And where that is not the Case, you should not Judge so concerning yourselves, or others. And even where it is so, for the present, the Grace of God may be rejected for many years; and yet we may hope that some Persons may afterwards be converted by that Grace, which before they rejected. So that we cannot tell what God will do as to particular Persons. Neither would it be any advantage for us to know if such and such, be so far forsaken of God, as that they shall never be recovered, but continue in their Obstinacy and Impentiency to the End of their Days. God hath 
* Mr. How's Redeemers Tears, pag. 82.  not made it any Man's Duty to believe this concerning himself, nor to believe it concerning any other particular Person.  
Some of those whose Hearts were once as hard as yours, who slighted Christ as much, and as long, as you have done, who despised many awakening Warnings, who refused and turned their Backs upon many Invitations and Calls of the Gospel, and resisted the Spirit of Grace for a long Time, have afterwards been made the Triumph of the Power, Love and Grace of God. Therefore don't pass a definitive Sentence against yourselves.  
To pass a Judgement upon our State, and to believe it concerning ourselves, is to nullity the Gospel, and to make it impossible for us to Repent and Believe, which God hath made to be our Duty. It is a sinful prescribing limits to the Grace of God, to say, It hath waited on me so long, it will, it can wait no longer.  
Secondly, However Apprehend the Danger of the present Case, if you are under any such Symptoms as have a Tendency to so severe a Judgement as this is. It may be you have sinned yourselves into hardness of Heart; that you are not affected with the Word Preached as formerly; that you do not find such Impressions by it; that the Operations of the Spirit, with the Word, that were formerly strong, do now seem to cease. You are not so affected with the Evil of Sin, with such hearty Sorrow, and bitter Repentance as formerly, though thy sins be most highly aggravated; And are little affected with the sins of others; you are more senseless, stupid, and secure under the Gild of great Provocations, than formerly: And this, notwithstanding some Tokens of God's Displeasure by afflictive Rebukes of Providence. It may be you have taken up with a fruitless, barren, empty Profession of Religion, for a long Time; joined with the Neglect of the inward Spiritual Part of Godliness, Mortification of Sin, Watchfulness over your Hearts, Government of your Thoughts, Passions, and Senses, etc. And have gone on in a formal Course and Round, of some external Duties; without Heart, or Life, or Quickening; and this contrary to your Convictions, Resolutions, and repeated Promises, etc. This case is exceeding sad, and sinful, and God only knows where it will Issue, if deep and timely Repentance do not awaken you. You ought to apprehend it to be indeed a very provoking, and dangerous Case, but not quite desperate.  
Nay, let me go further, Secret Prayer, it may be, hath been neglected for a Time, or performed with so much coldness, that you now Tremble to think how low you are sunk: Or which is much worse, it may be you do not Tremble. The Power of Conscience is in a great measure lost, both in restraining from Sin, and in checking for it. You can now more easily stifle Convictions, rebel against Light, and venture upon a known sin, indulge a secret Lust, and allow yourselves those Things from day to day, which formerly you could not without sharp Rebukes of Conscience: And such Preaching, and such Helps as did once startle, awaken, and quicken you, have now little or no such Effect; This is indeed unspeakably dismal. O! how low are such fallen? how difficult, how sorrowful must be the awakening and Recovery of such Backsliders? What can be said to such Persons? and why should they not fear the Judgement of this Text? lest God give them up to their own Hearts Lusts. I am so far from discouraging such a Fear, that I would by all Means awaken it. Therefore I say it would be Just with God, to cast thee off, and God would be Righteous, if he reject thee utterly, if he forsake thee for Ever, if he never strive with thy Heart more, if Never Providence or Sermon do thee good more. This would be Just. But at the same Time let Hope be intermingled with Fear; there is much Cause to Fear, but there is none to Despair, the one is a Duty, and the other a Sin: And if the Consideration of your sin and Danger, begin to melt and mollify your Heart, then know that Christ came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners, to Repentance; and mercy may yet be had; he takes pleasure in them that hope in his Mercy; it is by hope we are saved. Therefore aggravate your sins, and the grounds of your Fear, and the Danger of your perishing to Eternity: But done't sit down in Despondency; don't yield yourselves to perish, without striving to prevent it. Fall down before his Mercy-Seat, study the Nature, and Promises of the Covenant of Grace, and fly to Christ, according to the general Invitation, and Call of the Gospel to that End.  
Thirdly, if your Hearts begin to melt, and move within you, who have apprehended yourselves in Danger of this Judgement, if you are yet under the strive of the Spirit, (as your very Solicitude and Fear about it, and Desire of Assistance, doth Imply,) than I would beseech you to set presently to work out your Salvation with all Diligence. Let not the Dictates of an awakened Conscience be hushed, and silenced: Cherish and obey the holy Motions of the Spirit: Let not your present Convictions and Resolutions become abortive, for want of Meditation, and Prayer, and advising with your Ministers, and Judicious, Faithful Friends. Especially take heed of extinguishing the Sentiments of an awakened Conscience by new Gild, and fresh Transgressions. While Conscience is thus at Work, your Conversion is more probable, and hopeful now than formerly: If you quench not the Motions of the Spirit, and provoke him to leave you. If you will but hearken to his Voice and follow his Counsel, and not again harden your Hearts: If you would now earnestly implore, and thankfully entertain, and carefully improve his holy Influences.  
Is it not of highest Importance, that you do so without Delay? When your Breath is in your Nostrils, and the Day of your Life, and your Day of Grace, may both be ended before to morrow Morning. Should not the Kindness of God overcome you? That Mercy is offered ●o such returning Backsliders? should 〈◊〉 not be a melting, transporting Thought, for such as you to consider, ●hat Christ invites you to come to him, ●f you are weary and heavy laden, and promises Rest. Read Judges, 10th the ●atter End, for your Encouragement, where God having delivered his People, and they yet forsook him, it is said, ●hat he would deliver them no more, but ●id them go to the Gods they had choose: But they cried to him, and ●urned from their evil Ways, and his ●oul was grieved for them, and he did ●eliver them. They cried hearty, Lord, ●o unto us what seemeth thee good, only de●ver us, so do you in like Manner, and ●here is yet Hope; Go in secret, and ●ell him, that it is the Desire of your Souls, now to return to him, beg his sanctifying Spirit with utmost importunity, plead the Virtue of the Blood of Christ, say unto him, Lord do with ●ne what thou wilt; afflict me how thou pleasest, strip me of all my pleasant Things, if that may serve the Ends of thy Glory; only let not thy holy Spirit forsake me; only deliver me out of ●he hands of my Lusts; break these my Chains, knock off these Fetters; save me from my sins, and from th● Wrath; accept me for thy Covenant servant, writ thy Law upon my Heart, that I may walk in thy Ways. And whatever thou give me, or whatever thou deny me, Lord, for Jesu● Christ's sake, never give me up to my ow● Hearts Lusts, that I should be left to wa●● in my own Counsels. Amen.   

The Second Sermon.  Psalm LXXXI. 12. 
I gave them up to their own Hearts lusts: and they walked in their own Counsels.  
WE can never look back to our primitive state, considering how richly and plentifully the Bounty of our Maker ●ad provided for us, without admiring Thoughts of his Beneficence and Kindness: And yet, if we view the Divine Compassion unto guilty and rebellious Man since the Fall, and ●ow many obstacles his Grace over●ame; This latter will be Judged to surpass his former Bounty to Innocent Man. For before the Entrance of sin, the Current of Divine Love met with nothing to obstruct its passage, the● was nothing to discourage its Exercise towards an Innocent and Obedient Creature: But now sin hath made a great gulf betwixt God and us; We are in a state of Enmity, and Hostility against Him; which sets a value upon the Power, and Freeness of the Grace employed to Recover and save us.  
And yet, after all this display of th● unsearchable Riches of Grace, and Love in the Work of our Redemption, it is a question whether our wilful, provoking Obstinacy against God be not more astonishing, than his undeserved Compassion and Love to us that in contradiction to all the Principles of Reason, and Interest, we should slight his Kindness, and despise his glorious Love, and refuse his Grace, the only Remedy that can save us. That when he offers to be Reconciled to us, and Entreats us to be Reconcile● to him, we will not hearken to his Voice: That we should persist in our chosen Distance, and Estrangment, and say, We will have none of him; Let him departed from us, we desire not the Knowledge of his ways; We care for ●o Reconciliation to him, or Communion with him, or any share in the Happiness he offers to confer upon ●s. Were not this very highly provoking, the Blessed God would not Complain of it, as he doth▪ and Repreach ●s with it, as he also doth, in many places, and particularly in this, My People would not hearken to my Voice, and ●srael would none of me; so I gave them ●p, etc. Both Expressions are in the ●uture, though we translate them as already inflicted: The Original signifies that God would deal so severely ●ith them. The Aggravations of his Complaint of God concerning Israel have been already mentioned. What I propose now to discourse of ●s this.  
First, That it is matter of most Just Complaint, and most heavy Reproach, when any People or Person will not hearken to the Voice of God.  
Secondly, That for any wilful sinners to be given up by God to their own Hearts Lusts, and left to walk in their own Counsels, is one of the most fearful Judgements that can be threatened, or inflicted.  
In speaking to the Second General, I proposed to show, First, What it is fo● God to give Men up to their ow● Hearts Lusts. And that such a thing there may be, and is, as Gods giving men over to their false Imaginations and Conceptions of things; their inordinate Desires and irregular Passions▪ their wicked Projects and Contrivances for the fulfilling of their various Lusts, etc. When he gives them up to these Lusts, he casts them out of hi● special Care and Protection, so as they become an easy prey to the Devi● And the Hebrew word which we translate give up, is often used for th● casting out a People out of their Country, as in 44. Psal. 2. Such Persons a● also left of God under the Tyranny and Dominion of their Lusts, without those Restraints of Providence an● Grace which before they had. Wha● more may be intended in such an Expression, will appear in speaking to the Second Head, viz.  
To show by what steps and Degrees, God doth execute, and inflict such a Judgement upon them. And then, Thirdly, I shall speak something further of the Dreadfulness of this Judgement, and so Apply the whole.  
II. By What steps or Degrees the Blessed God doth usually proceed in inflicting such a Judgement as this. For the better understanding of this, I must premise by way of Caution.  
1. That Whatever Method is taken in the Execution of so severe a Doom, we must remember there is a great depth of Obscurity in these Judgements of God; There is so in all his works of Judgement, but especially in such as do more immediately relate to the Souls of Men. We know very little of the manner of God's Influence upon men's Spirits, and therefore should be very humble and wary, modest and cautions in our Expressions about it. And yet from what we observe of such spiritual Judgements, we may cry out with the Apostle, Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God How unsearchable are his Judgements, and his Ways past finding out! We know very little of the manner of the Holy Spirit's Influence, in forming the Image of God upon the Soul; and much less concerning the manner of this Punishment in the Text; whereby men are hardened in sin through the righteous Judgement of God, to their Eternal Ruin. However,  
2. Remember, This is a Judicial Act in God, not an arbitrary thing, that depends upon mere Will and Pleasure, without any respect to the Aggravations of men's wilful Rebellion, and sinning against Light. It is such a Judgement as supposes very heinous Provocations to precede it. The Instance of the Jews doth abundantly prove this; with whom the Patience of God did long bear, and his Spirit strive; But they always resisted the Holy Ghost, Acts 7.51. From generation to generation, maintaining the war against the Divine Spirit, till he turned to be their Enemy, and fought against them. Isa. 63.9, 10. And then their Doom is pronounced in a most solemn manner, with terrible and astonishing Preparations for it, Isa. 6. By a glorious Apparition of the great God in the Temple, which made the Prophet cry out, I am undone, etc. The fearful message he was to deliver, to that People, was that 9, 10. v. Hear ye indeed, but understand not; see ye indeed, but perceive not; make the Heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their Eyes, lest they see with their Eyes, and hear with their Ears, and understand with their Heart, and convert, and be healed. This Doom we find with great Awfulness repeated in the new Testament by our Saviour, Mat. 13.14. Luk. 8.10.12. John 40. And afterward by the Apostle Paul when he was testifying against the obstinate Infidelity of the Jews at Rome, Rom. 11.8. We may therefore clear the Righteousness of God in this matter, by considering the true Account and Character of Those, whom we find in Scripture, or believe by Experience, to have been given up to their own Hearts Lusts. The Wickedness of Pharaoh was risen to a very provoking height, before God is said to harden him, which was not till after the sixth Plague. The impenitent Canaanites had 430 Years, before God gave them over, and their measure was full, Josh. 11.19. This therefore, as it is one of the severest Judgements, so it is one of the last.  
This also may admit of Degrees with reference to several Persons. For there is a partial, as well as a total forsaking of God, and being forsaken of him. There are some who sin against their Light, and refuse the Grace of the Gospel, and may for a time be forsaken and left of God, and yet his Spirit afterwards strive again; Whereas with others he may never strive more. However in all these Cases there is great Provocation that does precede, so that we may say with the Apostle, Is God unrighteous, that he taketh Vengeance? Rom. 3.5.  
3. I would also premise, That the Holiness of God must be cleared, as well as his Justice. Though he give them up to their own Hearts Lusts, it is not by a consenting, approving Act, with reference to the sins they afterwards commit; much less that God inclines their Hearts to sin, or infuses, or suggests evil to them. It is not that He gives them Indulgence and Leave, with his Consent and Approbation, to serve and fulfil any of those Lusts. The spotless unchangeable Purity of the Divine Nature, which hates every sin, cannot consist with this. He cannot be tempted with Evil, neither tempteth any man to evil.  
Therefore such Expressions as Ezek. 20.39. As for you, O House of Israel, thus saith the Lord, go you now every one and serve his Idols. Such Expressions must be taken in an Ironical sense. That is, Go see whether the Objects of your Trust, and Confidence can save you in a time of Calamity: Go to the Gods that you have served, and see whether they will help you, for I will not. It is like the Expression, Matth. 26.46. Sleep on now, and take your Rest, for behold he cometh, by whom the Son of man is to be betrayed. I desired you to watch with me, but you would not; and that season is now past, Sleep on now, if you can. When Satan blinds the Minds of men, he doth it by strengthening of their sin, he doth it by sinful suggestions, and the like: But the Blessed God doth not thus give men up to sin: No such Darkness can come from the Fountain of Light.  
These things being premised, let us Consider some of those steps, by which God precedes in this matter, as Scripture, Reason, and Experience may direct us; Though after all, there is a Depth in these Judgements of God, which none are able fully to Explain.  
1. When God forbears to Afflict, and to restrain men from sin, by the Rod of Correction, and the Rebukes of his Providence: Or doth not sanctify such Rebukes for their Reformation. We little think whither we should wander, if God did not hedge up our ways with Thorns, Hos. 2.6, 7. If he did not by his Providence make a Wall that we should not be able to find our sinful Paths; that we should not be able to make Provision for our Lusts at an easy rate, or have so much fuel for them as we desire. My People Israel, says God by the Prophet, was resolved to go after her Lovers; but God says I will make her return back in confusion. She shall find an impassable hedge of Thorns in her way; I will stop her Course, I will make a Wall, and a Wall, as in the Original, and she shall not find her Paths. Tho she follow after her Lovers, she shall not overtake them, she shall seek them but shall not find them.  
The like Expression you have 3. Lament. 7, 9 He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out, he hath enclosed me with ●ewen stone. Some by the Fetters of Education, as they call it, and are glad when they can shake them off; Some by the want of Money, or Interest, or Power, to accomplish their wicked Purposes, have their Way hedged up. Sometimes by bodily Pains, and sickness, God opens the Ears of men, and seals Instruction to them, that he may withdraw Man from his Purpose, and hid Pride from Man, Job 33.17, 18. God is herein very merciful to many. Young Persons especially should consider it, to whom it is a Kindness to have sin made difficult to them: For if they had so much Liberty as they would desire, and so much Money at command as they could wish, and were let alone by their Superiors to do as they please, and live as they list, without any check, or fear of losing the favour of those on whom they depend, or from whom they have their Expectation▪ If things were thus with them, they know not unto what Excess and Height of sin they should run. So for Health, and Bodily strength, the abating of these may be a merciful Restraint from some sort of sins. The very weakness of our Constitutions, may be a means to save us from some kind of Temptations, which others in vigorous Health do struggle with, and are overcome by. So for disappointments in the World, Discountenance and Disgrace, and other such things, that are apt to humble and afflict the Mind. The more of these Restraints God is pleased to take from us, it may so fall out, that the more Angry he therein appears to be. Especially if former afflictive Rebukes of Providence, have been misimproved: There being hardly a more terrible place in the whole Bible, than that threatening of God, Hos. 4.13, 14. Your Daughters shall commit Whoredom, and your Spouses shall commit Adultery; And I will not punish your Daughters when they commit Whoredom, nor your Spouses when they commit Adultery. O quanta Paena, nulla Paena! It is the greatest Judgement, or the fore runner of that which is so, when God abstains from punishing, when by timely Chastisement he does not awaken to Repentance, and stop sinners in their career; when the way to Hell is plain, and easy to them; when there is no Thorn, no Obstacle in the way, but they may smoothly go on, and walk after their own Counsels, in the Paths that lead to the Chambers of Death.  
How many Young Persons hath God been kind to, by those Restraints of Providence, which he takes off from others? How hath he hedged and walled up your Way? He hath made it more difficult for you to sin: you cannot do as others, without suffering more than they; either in your Reputation, or your temporal Interest, or your Health, etc. And yet we find, notwithstanding all this, many such will not be divorced from their beloved Lusts. As one of the Ancients speaks concerning Philotimus, who had weakened his Constitution, and impaired his Health, as the Effect of his Intemperance and Riot: And being told by the Physicians, that if he would not forbear, and presently break off his licentious Course, that he must certainly lose his Eye sight: There was no help for him, but in a little time he would be Blind: He presently answers the Physician thus, Valeat lumen amicum, Farewell, O pleasant and desirable Light, rather than not sin on, as I have done, I am content never to behold the Light of the Sun more. Will the Blessed God, think you, be unrighteous, if he condemn such resolved sinners to everlasting Darkness? Or to give them up now to those Lusts, that they are so madly set upon?  
But where he hath Designs of Mercy to any, he will not leave them to go on without Correction. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. If you will not be reclaimed by one Rod, you shall have another, and a third and a fourth. If you will not for all this turn to the Lord, I will yet punish you seven times more for your Iniquities, Levit. 26.18. In these Cases, God doth not spare that he may spare; he doth not seem to have Mercy, that he may have Mercy; He doth not forbear his Rod, that we may forbear our sins; He will not let us alone, that he may not be forced utterly to abandon us: He will rebuke and chasten, that we may not harden ourselves unto our Eternal Ruin.  
Whenever you behold a wicked Person thrive and flourish in the World, when you see him prosper in his Trade, and boasting of his Riches, priding himself in his Power; when you see him strong and healthful, surrounded with all that is desirable to flesh and blood, flourishing with all variety of outward Blessings, personal and family Advantages, etc. And ●et neglect God, and wallow in all ●●anner of carnal Impurities, restrain Prayer from the Almighty, in his Family, and in his Closet, and live like a Beast, without God in the World; When you behold such spectacles, think of the Accomplishment of such like Scriptures, where God threatens in Anger to forbear to punish such and such men. This is the first Method, his forbearing to afflict.  
2. By taking away the External Means of Knowledge and Grace, or otherwise disposing of Persons so as they cannot enjoy such seasons. Acts 19.9. When divers were hardened, and believed not, but spoke evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them. God continues not the outward means in such places, or the persons remove into remote parts of the world, where the Gospel of Christ is not known. Thus when lewd and disobedient Youths have sinned against God and their Parents, to that degree, that they know not what to do with them, they either go of themselves, or are sent into the Fleet, or Army, or to the Indies, to such Places, where the Gospel is not preached. And by this means men are left to walk in their own Counsels; The Public Ministry of the Word being the ordinary Means of Sanctification. And so 'tis no wonder if they greedily fulfil their brutish Lusts. Therefore if God withdraw such a Ministry from the Place where you reside, or you run madly and without a call, or warrant, to dwell in such places where it cannot be had, (I mean such a Ministry as is proper to enlighten and awaken, and strive with you in order to your Conversion and your salvation;) it is one step to your being given over, and left of God, and to have the things of your Peace hid from your Eyes. I wish Merchants, and Traders, and Parents that have undutiful Children, and some Others, who are resolved They will be Rich, would consider this.  
But if you have sat under a convincing lively Ministry, but you begin to dislike it; in that case it looks very ill. Especially the more you were affected with it formerly, and now disrelish it, or despise it. In such Cases, the means of holy Knowledge and Sanctification not being continued, or improved, it looks fearful as to such Persons: More especially if They be unaffected, and unconcerned it their own Danger in these Circumstances.  
3. God is said to pour upon men a Spirit of Slumber, and deep Sleep, to suffer them to harden their Hearts, and stupify their own Consciences the more, by every thing they enjoy; so that though the external Means be continued, yet none of the divine Messages will be received, nor the most useful Ministry do them any good: nor the Providential goodness of God lead them to Repentance. All their earthly possessions, and temporal Blessings shall become snares, and stumbling blocks, Jer. 6.21. Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this People, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them: The neighbour and his friend shall perish. But this is after they have wilfully hardened themselves. So it was with Pharaoh when he had obstinately hardened his own Heart, Exod. 7.14.8. chap. 19, 32. ver. After that, upon his continued Obstinacy, God declares that he hardened him, 9 chap. 12. and 16. ver. And caused him to stand up, or raised him up, that is, kept him alive, when he deserved to be cut off by a quick and sudden Destruction; for this very end, that he might show in him his Power. So provoking was his former Obstinacy, and Incorrigibleness. Thus are men the faulty Cause, by chosen wilful Blindness and Hardness, before they are forsaken, and left of God under such a Judgement.  
4. Another step is God's righteous Refusal to continue that Influence of the divine Spirit, with the external Means of Grace, which men have abused and forfeited. Without this Influence there cannot be a Day of Light and Power under the Gospel Dispensation: Both which are necessary to make our day of Grace. But when any People or Person have rebelled against God, and vexed his holy Spirit, he may cease to strive with their Hearts by any gracious Influence: When he hath knocked often, and they would not open; such inward Motions of the Spirit, as they formerly had, they may have no more; and so they are forsaken of God. But whether totally and finally, so as not to return again, is more than we can say of particular Persons, till the Event show it. But it is that which Men have reason to fear, according to the ordinary Methods of Gods proceeding, who now disobey the Voice of his Word and Spirit. He might Justly withdraw the Influence of his Spirit from them, and seal them up to Destruction; and so it is possible their Day of Grace may be ended before they die; and their not believing or being converted, will certainly follow, John 12.39, 40.  
5. Another step is, when God sends strong Delusions, whereby men believe Lies, that they may be damned, 2 Thess. 2.11. This is severe indeed, but being after obstinate Refusal of his Grace, it is righteous severity. For this is threatened as the Punishment of backsliding Christian Churches, against such who would not receive the Truth in the Love of it. The Deceived and the Deceiver are his, Job 12.16.  
Now God may do this two ways: First, By permitting Deceivers, and false Teachers, to speak and act at that rate of Cunning, and colour of Truth, that it is very difficult to resist or withstand the snare. And therefore we read of the coming of the Man of sin with all signs, and lying Wonders, or with Wonders to confirm those Lies. This God foretold and warned the Jews of before hand.  
2. God may give Men up to strong Delusions, by taking away the Assistance of Reason and a clear Judgement, to distinguish between things that differ. Thus Men wrist the holy Scriptures to their own Destruction, 2 Pet. 3.16. Which they could not do without his Providence, and Permission. And when the Gentiles had sinned highly against the Light of Nature, God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind, Rom. 1.26. or to a mind uncapable of Judging, as the word imports; a blind unjudicious Mind, that could not examine, or distinguish between Truth and Falsehood. This is as consistent with the Justice of God (considering it as the Punishment of former Gild,) as the depriving us of any of our senses would be.  
And without some such thing as this, it will be impossible to give an Account of the Growth, and Prevalency of the many ridiculous, absurd Doctrines, and Practices of Popery. It cannot otherwise be accounted for, that such Fooleries as are to be found in their Opinions and Worship, should ever be received, believed, complied, with, and pleaded for, by Men otherwise of Judgement and Learning; But it is to be feared that they are given over to strong Delusions to believe Lies.  
There are many others that are no Papists, whom this may concern, who, after a great Profession, have fallen back into secret Wickedness, and at last into more open Crimes, against Convictions and Resolutions, Promises and former Experience. Many such in the last Age, and some in this, have been thus left of God, to run into strange Enthusiasm, and real Fanaticism, to receive the most extravagant, and sometimes blasphemous Opinions; to espouse and plead for them, against the plainest Reason, and the most express Scripture that can be. But usually it may be observed, the Doctrines they receive, and the new Lights they follow, are such as tend to Licentiousness, to encourage the Gratification of their Lusts, that they can sin on by the help of these Opinions, with greater Security and Peace. This is another step, whereby men are given up to their own Hearts Lusts.  
LASTLY, When God gives special Permission to the Devil, the great Enemy of Souls, to exert his Power, and Malice in blinding and destroying Sinners.  
We do not sufficiently consider what we own to God's Restraint of Satan, that we are not more successfully tempted to deny the Faith, and cast off the yoke of Christ When the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, an Evil Spirit from the Lord is sent to trouble and punish him, and Satan filled his heart with Rage and Cruelty, 1 Sam. 16.14. Some evil Spirit had leave from God to seduce Ahab, 1 Kings 22.21, 22. Who acted his part successfully to deceive and destroy. If our Gospel be hid, says our Apostle, it is hid to them that are lost, 2 Cor. 3.4. Whose eyes are blinded by the God of this World.  
HE is ready to do us all the mischief he can, if God restrain him not. What a Power had he over the Bodies of some Men, in the days of our Saviour! He would manifest as much over their Souls too, if God did but give him leave. The Red Dragon went out to deceive the Nations, we read in the Apocalypse. As to those who are judicially left of God, and given up to their own Hearts Lusts, it may come to this, and sometimes doth so; that God leaves them to the Power of Satan to deceive and ruin them, and they are led captive by him at his will. How dismal must the Case of such Persons be! Which brings me to consider.  
III. THE Severity of this Judgement. Besides what has been said concerning it already, let me add a few Particulars.  
1. The Severity of this Judgement will appear, if we consider that it is never inflicted but after many preceding Provocations, upon habitual and obstinate sinners. For sins against Light and Knowledge, presumptuous and repeated Transgressions, such for which there was no sacrifice appointed under the Law, Numb. 15.30.  
2. The Severity of this Judgement may be argued from the Subject of it, it falls upon the Soul, it doth especially respect that, as its immediate Subject. The dismal Effects of it reach to the Soul: The Beauty and Comeliness of the Soul is hereby spoiled: For what more dismal Spectacle can there be, than such a man thus left of God? The Honour and Dignity of the Soul is hereby debased; for men given up to their own Hearts Lusts are almost transformed into Beasts.  
3. Because the most dishonourable Slavery follows upon it. They are left under the Power and Rage of their own Lusts; and did you know what a Slavery that is, you would rather beg of God that you might fall into the Hands of the most barbarous and cruel Tyrant in the World, than to be left under the Dominion of your own Lusts.  
4. Because they are left to walk in their own Counsels, as the fruit of their being given up to their own Lusts. And these are, First, The most foolish blind Guides that can be, that fill men with vain Projects and Designs. As the rich Fool in the Gospel, Luke. 16. He would pull down his Barns, and build greater, and say, Soul take thine ease, etc.  
Secondly, They are false and treacherous Guides. They promise Peace and Happiness, but procure nothing like it; Promise Ease and Rest, but can by no means perform what they promise; but leave a man to wander and go astray unto his own Destruction, Prov. 5.31.  
Thirdly, They are cruel and pernicious Guides, as well as deceitful ones. Such Persons will walk in the way that leads to Destruction: He that walketh after his own Counsel, will find the End of that way to be Death.  
Lastly, The Severity of this Judgement will appear, in that it can never be inflicted but in Anger. This is the Fruit of divine Wrath. All other Calamities and Afflictions may be the Fruit of Love, may be sanctified for our good, may turn to our Advantage: But this Calamity has no such Original, and no such Effect. A man may be given up to Satan for the Destruction of the Flesh, that the Soul may be saved; But to be given up to sin is a thousand times worse, because that is the Fruit of Divine Anger, in order to the Damnation of the Soul. Here God wounds like an Enemy, and like a cruel one: And we may boldly say, God never punished any Man or Woman, with this Spiritual Judgement, in Kindness and Love.   

The Third Sermon.  Psalm LXXXI. 12. 
So I gave them up to their own Hearts lusts: and they walked in their own Counsels.  
UPON the Rehearsal of some terrible Threatening, when Judgement is denounced, or signified to be approaching, but the particular Persons are not named, who are to be the Subjects of it, we may use the Words of the Prophet Daniel, chap. 4.29. Before he opened to the King the Import and sense of his ominous Dream; The Dream be to them that hate thee, O King! and the Interpretation thereof unto thine. Enemies. But such is the Severity and Horror of this threatened Judgement in the Text, that we should not, we ought not to wish so much Evil to our worst Enemies; but do what we can to prevent it. For of all Calamities that can be threatened, or inflicted in this World, what can be worse than for a Man to be given up to his own Lusts, and left to walk in his own Counsels? Two or three things we may observe by way of general Inference, before I speak to some particular Cases and Questions that relate hereto.  
1. HOW Much to be pitied is the Ignorance and Folly of sinners, that are afraid of any other Calamity more than this. I gave 'em up to their own Hearts Lusts, is a thousand times worse than if God had given 'em up to the Syrians to spoil 'em, or to their most enraged Adversaries to oppress 'em. Men are ready to quake and tremble, and their Hearts to be moved, as the Trees of the Wood are moved with the Wind, if a thick or dark Cloud hover over them, as to public or private Affairs. If their Health and Ease, their Liberties and Estates, their outward Privileges and Advantages are threatened and endangered, they presently apprehend themselves concerned to look about them, and do their utmost to prevent it. But if sin be the greatest Enemy, to be given up to sin is the greatest Judgement, and should be more feared than Plague, or Pestilence, or Famine, or War, or any of those Calamities that Nations and Persons do commonly dread as most Formidable Evils.  
2. Is it the greatest Judgement to be given up to our own Hearts Lusts? How unreasonable is the Displeasure and Anger of Men at the sharpest Methods of Divine Grace, that would bring them to Repentance, and thereby prevent this sad Catastrophe? The most smart Reproofs of the Word; the most close Exhortations, and Admonitions of Ministers, that are now accounted troublesome, the most pungent and uneasy Convictions of Conscience, and the most afflictive Rebukes of Providence too, that have this merciful Design and Tendency, they are the real Effects of Kindness, as preventive of a greater Mischief, even this, of being left of God, and given up to our own Hearts Lusts.  
What Enemies therefore are they to their own Interest, who use such Language as that of the Stubborn Jews, Isa. 30.10. saying to the Prophets, Prophesy not unto us Right things, speak unto us smooth things, and prophesy Deceits. Till God in righteous Judgement resolve, and say, as he did afterwards, Ezek 3.26. Thou shalt no longer be unto them a Reprover, Thou shalt be dumb, and thy Tongue cleave to the Roof of thy mouth, for they are a rebellious House. When such as would convince and awaken Men by necessary Reproofs, are disliked, and their Preaching reckoned a Burden, because the Earth is tormented with their Words, Revel. 11.10.  
3. HOW wretched and dangerous is their Mistake, who think their Case good, because their Consciences now trouble them no more. They have sinned themselves into such hardness of Heart, and searedness of Conscience, under such Judicial Blindness and stupidity, that the sin, which was formerly burdensome as a Mountain, they now feel not; they bewail it not. Conscience, that did rebuke them, is now silent and fast asleep. All things are at peace with them, they say, and they are glad of it, and so is the Devil too.  
God lets them prosper in the World, they have no rub in their way, to Hell. But in the mean time he hath given them over, that they shall not be smitten any more: that they shall not be troubled with the strive of his Spirit any more. Neither Word nor Rod shall do them good more. They applaud themselves in this, and rejoice in it: But if to be given up to our own Hearts Lusts be the greatest Judgement, there is no storm more dismal than such a Calm, or more to be dreaded. No Trouble but is better than such Peace: No Sickness but is preferable to such Health: No Sorrow but is rather to be chosen than such mad Joy.  
Doubt. 1. BUT because I would not break the bruised Reed, or quench the smoking Flax, or sadden the Hearts of those whom God would not have saddened; but rather awaken the Joy, and assist the Consolation, and promote the spiritual Peace of those unto whom it doth of right belong: I shall therefore consider some of the Doubts, and Objections of several weak, or melancholy, dejected Christians, who on all Occasions argue against themselves, and conclude hardly of their own State, from every word of Threatening and Terror against the Ungodly: As melancholy People can hardly hear any Disease talked of or described, but they presently imagine they have some of the Symptoms of it in their Case.  
WHAT I have said of the Nature and Terror of this Judgement, and of the Methods o● Divine Justice in the Execution of it, may make some ready to say.  
I fear lest God hath given me up, for I have resisted many of the strive of the Spirit of Grace, and now I think he doth not strive with me any more. I have been under the Rod, and not bettered by it, the Spirit of slumber and of a deep sleep seems to possess me. I have outstood many Calls to Repentance, and stifled many Convictions of Conscience, and contradicted many good Resolutions, and broken many Vows and Promises; I have backsliden and revolted from God after very hopeful Beginnings: Therefore the Punishment of Apostates may Justly be inflected on me. I, that have casted the good Word of God, and of the Powers of the World to come, may well fear being left of God, so as it should be impossible for me to be renewed by Repentance, Heb. 6.7.  
My Day of Grace is over, saith Another, my accepted Time past, there is nothing so bad but I may Justly fear it: For I find I grow worse and worse, instead of making progress in Holiness: whereas if my Grace were true it would be growing. But I find my Corruptions exceeding strong, my heart very dead and hard, etc.  
Doubtless God has withdrawn his Spirit from me, will Another say, I have not the Covenant Blessing of a soft Heart, a Heart of Flesh; I cannot weep a Tear for my sins, as once I could: I am good for nothing, unfit for any spiritual Duty; None in the World have such a treacherous vile abominable Heart as I have, I am afraid God has given me over; I do not know but I may have sinned the sin unto Death, the unpardonable sin, the sin against the Holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven.  
Answ. THIS being a complicated Case, comprehending the objections of several People, wherein are some things that deserve Pity, and others that need Reproof; there being somewhat very sad in it, and somewhat very faulty too; It is manifest that my Reply must be mixed: It must in part be monitory and reprehensive, and in part consolatory. For Reproof and Counsel are necessary, as well as Encouragement and Comfort. I shall endeavour to intermix both; in the following particulars, by way of Answer.  
1. CONSIDER, That to be under very great Darkness, Doubts, and Fears, so as to create much Trouble and Torment to yourselves, will not of itself conclude your Case desperate, and your Souls finally forsaken. There are many Reasons for Soul trouble, the Children of Light may walk in Darkness. You may Judge and condemn yourselves for Unbelievers and Reprobates, and yet unjustly do so. You may refuse to be comforted, and say all that the Devil speaks against you to be true, and that it is impossible for such a one, as you, to find Mercy: And yet all this may be false and faulty, and those Clouds may afterwards vanish, Light appear, and Joy return. The Examples in Scripture, and the Experience of every Age will testify this.  
It may be your mistake about the Nature of Faith, and make it to consist in Assurance, not distinguishing between the direct and the reflex Act of Faith. Whereas if true Faith consist in Assurance, and without Faith there is no salvation; A Man must be assured of his Salvation, or else he must necessarily be damned. And this is to suppose that a Man must First be sure of Heaven, before he can be capable of it. But you may be in Christ, and have the Image of Christ, and the Characters of his Children, and shall be kept by the Power of God unto Salvation; though for a time you may distrust, and despair of it, walk mournfully, and refuse to be comforted. Your own Doubts and Fears will not prove that you are given over, but rather the Contrary. For,  
II. If you are given up to your own Hearts Lusts, how is it that you thus mourn, and grieve at the Apprehension and Fear of it? Do you not value his Favour more than Life? And dread his Displeasure more than Death? and fear nothing more than that God should forsake you? And is it likely that Such are left of God, who hereby discover that they love him in Sincerity? Your very Solicitude, and Fear, and Disquiet, lest God should finally reject you, and cast you off, is an Argument that he hath not; and, if you continue of this Mind, that he never will.  
Believe it, O doubting Christian, if thou art from thy Soul unwilling to leave God, and of all things in the World dost dread and deprecate his leaving thee, He hath not left thee, or given thee over. For be assured of this, God never did, or will forsake any, but those who first forsake him, and are unwilling to Return. Where do you ever find, or how can it possibly be, that such a Man's Day of Grace is past, and the time of his Visitation over, that God hath Judicially left him, and given him up, who values the Presence of God, and fears nothing more than to Sin against him, or to provoke him to cast him off? Is such a Man lost, and given over, who thirsteth after God, and can be satisfied with nothing short of him? Where do you ever find, that God did ever finally leave a Man, and leave any such Grace behind him?  
Is such a Man lost, and given up by God? Who prefers the Light of his Countenance before Corn, and Wine, and Oil, and all the Riches, Treasures, and Honours of the World; Who had rather live in the most mean miserable afflictive Condition on Earth, with the Love and Favour of God, than enjoy the greatest Abundance of all things without it. I shall amplify this more presently under the sixth Head.  
III. LET me ask you, Are you not resolved to hold on your Fight and Warfare against sin? To continue and maintain your Conflict, notwithstanding all your Doubts, and all your Complaints? You may sometimes take being tempted for being overcome. But though Temptations have been too prevalent, and many of your Resolutions and Purposes against sin have been broken; Are you resolved to struggle no more, to resist no longer? Dare you say upon serious Deliberation, Well, now I see my Case is hopeless, I will use no more Means against the Devil and sin, I will pray to God no more, I will hear, and read his Word no more, I will attend upon the Ordinances of the Gospel no longer, it is all to no purpose? I know you durst not say this, nor talk at this rate.  
Besides, when you have fallen into sin through the Prevalency of a Temptation, do you not make haste to rise again by bitter Repentance? Do you not freely confess, and aggravate your sins in the Presence of God, and not palliate, cover, or excuse them? Are you not uneasy, and restless under your Declensions? Desirous to make your Peace with God, and to be reconciled through Christ? Do you not double your Guard, and Watch afterwards? Do you not still love Holiness, and the Image of God, wherever you see it? Do you not check, and chide, and find fault with yourselves, for your ungrateful Carriage to the God of Love? Are you not displeased with yourselves? And ashamed of yourselves? And glad of any Help and Assistance that leads to your Recovery? If this be your Case, be assured your Day of Grace is not past, you are not left of God.  
iv YOU say, you cannot weep, and mourn, and express your Repentance, as formerly, and as some others you know do; Yet consider that it is the hatred of sin and watchfulness against it, that is the truest sign of Repentance and godly sorrow. For to use the words of Mr. B. He that will be at the greatest Cost and Pains to be rid of sin, or that he had not sinned, or that he might sin no more, though he have not such command of Tears as Others, is the truest Penitent. You cannot weep for sin as Others, but you would give all the World to be rid of sin; you could wish that when you had dishonoured God by Sin, you had spent that time in Suffering, and if it were to do again, upon the same Reasons and Inducements, you would not do it. And if you might but please and obey God more than formerly, and be kept from disobeying him, you would be content with any thing Judge yourselves by this.  
Besides 
* See Dr: Collings Cordial for a Fainting Soul, part 1. Serm. 2.  God hath not told us just what degree and measure of Humiliation and Sorrow for sin is absolutely needful. Some have more, and others less even of true Penitents.  
TAKE heed of mistaking the Case concerning the Day of Grace being over, and sinners being finally left of God. For it is never true in this Life, that any are so left of God, and their Day of Grace so over, as that if they truly repent, and turn to him, he will not accept them. This would be against the whole tenor of the Gospel Covenant: For whosoever turns to God by true Repentance, and Faith in Jesus Christ, shall not perish but have eternal Life.  
But there is another sense of such Ex●ressions, that is, when men have so ●●ng resisted the Spirit, and refused the offers of God's Grace, and rejected the Yoke and Government of Christ, that God resolves to let them alone, never ●o give them the prevailing Grace of his Spirit, but in righteous Judgement ●o abandon them to their own Hearts Lusts, to walk in their own Counsels.  
Because they would not turn at my Reproof, they shall call, but I will not answer, seek me earnestly, but not find me, Prov. 1.28. If men harden their Hearts, and will not hear and obey the voice of God, He may swore in his Wrath, that they shall not enter into his Rest. Heb. 3.11.15, 18. Num. 12.22. Ezek. 24.13. It may be this very day, or hour while now thou art called by God to Turn and Live, if thou refuse now, thy Day may be over, and past for ever. To morrow God may say, Let him Alone, he shall not be purged, he shall die in his sins. Isa. 42.14. Hos. 4.17. This is a possible Case, but who can tell when it is thus? How can this be known of particular Persons when it is so, though some Approach nearer to it than Others? How can it positively be said of any, that God will never give such Persons Repentance unto Life? You may be sure, that if you find your Hearts Penitent, and willing to return to him, that it doth not reach you: It is not your Case. Therefore,  
VI YOU that thus complain and fear, have you not many of the Fruits of the Spirit visible, and manifest in you? Therefore the Spirit of Christ hath not left you; God hath not given you over. Do you not esteem and prise the GRACE of the Gospel? Do you not cry to Heaven for the Spirit of Grace? Are you not earnest in the seeking the Spirit of Holiness from day to day? Whence is it, but from Grace, that you have an Heart to prize and seek it? They that have outstood the Day of Grace, they despise it; they are sunk into Carnality, and Forgetfulness of God; they are insensible, and stupid, and unconcerned about his Grace. But for you that value it, and seek it, your Day of Grace cannot be over: For it is from Common Grace, at least, which has a tendency to Special, and shows your Case not to be like those, who are given up of God.  
But with most that thus complain, there is more than common Grace: There are Fruits of special Grace visible. You do unfeignedly Repent, and mourn for Sin; and desire to give up yourselves to Christ. Now what but Grace hath made you to see the evil of sin, and hate it? What but Grace hath made you willing to Accept of Christ, for your Lord and Saviour? What but Grace has made you value the Favour of God, and a holy Heart and Life, above all the World? How is it that you are brought to love God, and delight in him, to seek after him, and desire to please him, and to be troubled that you can do so no more, no better? For such as you to say your Day of Grace is over, is as absurd, as one expresseth it, as for a Man to come into our Assemblies, and hear the Sermon, and then go away lamenting that the Sermon was done before he came. You have received that Grace, which you complain you want.  
You know 'tis otherwise with Many. Were you like them; Did you find your Lusts and Passions lead you captive at their pleasure; had you no Affections stirring after God, and Holiness; did you despise Christ, and all Regard and Duty to him; and could not persuade yourselves to hear, or read, or pray, or think of another World, or do any thing to provide for it, you might then fear indeed what the issue of your Case would be.  
But that is not the Case I am now speaking of; nor of any, I hope, that now hear me, your Appearance in these Assemblies is some sign of the contrary: And though as yet you may be unconverted, and unsanctified, if you are so far Awake as to look after Reconciliation to God; if you are touched with a sense of your sin and Danger, so as to desire to be assisted, and enabled to Repent, and turn to the Lord; how bad soever your present Case be, it is not Desperate, and Remediless: For you are in the way of Mercy, and nothing but your own wilful, impenitent refusal of Mercy, can deprive you of it.  
VII. As to the Complaint of an Hard Heart, Remember it is the Impenitent, and the Vnperswadable Heart that is the only hard Heart you need to fear. They that are obstinate, and disobedient, intractable and incorrigible; as the People of the Jews were, that neither regarded the divine Threaten or Promises, or minded his Precepts; These are they that are under Hardness of Heart. This is the Judgement you ought to fear, to be left under such a Temper. But you find it otherwise with you, that the voice of God doth awe and command you: Your Wills are bowed unto Subjection to him; you are willing to take upon you the Yoke of Christ, or have taken it; and renouncing all Competitors, you desire to choose Christ for your Lord and Saviour, and that God in Christ should be your Ruler, and your Felicity. If it be thus, you may be sure you are not left of God.  
VIII. THAT Sight of sin, and sense of the Burden of Corruption, which you complain of, as the Ground of your fear, will argue the direct contrary to what you allege it for. For sin has always the greatest strength where the sinner is the least Apprehensive and Sensible of it. There is more hope of a sensible Patient, that feels his sickness, and complains of it, than of one that feels nothing, but is confident all is well. Is not their Case much worse, who feel nothing of the Evil of sin, to whom the Power of it is not troublesome, nor the Pollution of it loathsome, nor the Gild of it butthenfom? While it is otherwise with you, you may be assured you are not given over, and left of God, and your Day of Grace past: it is yet Day with you or else how came you by so much Light to see the evil of sin more than formerly and to see so many things to be sin, which before you did not?  
Though there may and will be a Conflict between Flesh and Spirit, Corruption and Grace, in the best, while in this World; yet which Party dost thou side with? Which has thy most willing Consent? Which way is thy prevailing Desire, Love, and Choice? Dost thou not bewail the Body of sin and Death? And wish to be delivered from Corruption more perfectly? To gain a more entire Victory? Dost thou not watch, and wrestle, and strive, and pray against it from day to day? Is this the true state of thy Case? Then never think thou art left of God.  
As to Some of you, I may go further; and desire you to look back upon your former Humiliations for sin, when First you turned to God. Though all have not the same sensible Degree of Humiliation; yet hath not the Spirit of Grace convinced you of the Holiness and Equity of the Law of God? And of your own wretched, accursed Condition under the Gild of sin? Have you not been brought, to tremble at the thoughts of his righteous Vengeance? So as to disrelish all the Pleasures of this World, by reason of the sense of sin; seeing no way out of this Perplexity, but by the free, and unconceivable Mercy of God in Christ; and therefore Renouncing all things that might separate between Christ and thee, ready to part with all thy Lusts, and Pleasures, and Profits, and Honours, Thou wert made willing to accept of his Mercy on his own Terms; crying earnestly for pardoning, and sanctifying Grace, acknowledging thy Unworthiness of the least Favour; owning the righteousness of God, if he should condemn thee; and yet, upon the Invitation and Call of the Gospel, looking up to his Mercy-seat with Hope, Resolving there to anchor and take no Denial.  
Now after all this, and the Covenant Dedication of yourselves to God in Christ, that followed upon it, and some Calmness and stability of Soul consequent thereto, will you question all again? Because Corruption is not quite mortified, nor Sin quite destroyed? Even that sense of remaining Sin that you make the matter of your Objection against yourselves, is an Argument for you, and will conclude the Contrary to what you allege it for.  
IX. THOUGH You cannot say so much, as to present sense, of your Hatred of sin and Loathing of it, as you desire; yet examine yourselves as to the Sins of Others, and what sense you have of the Dishonour of God by them. We may sometimes gather matter of Comfort this way, concerning our own Sincerity, and Love to God, when we cannot so well have it nearer home. As bad as thou art, or thinkest thyself to be: Art thou not tender of the Honour of God? Art thou not concerned for his Interest and Glory? Doth not thy soul tremble, and thine Heart ache when the Being of God is denied, or his Sacred Name blasphemed, or the Glory of the Mediator Struck at, and the Authority of his Gospel questioned, by the Atheists, and Saduces, and Infidels of the Age? Or the Progress of it obstracted?  
Doth not thy Heart rise within thee, if thou happen into wicked Company, where the Word of God, his Institutions, his Ministers, and Servants are vilified and reproached, and bold Impieties vented, and vile Impurities boasted of? etc.  
X. BUT I do not Grow, I rather wax worse, will some say. As to that, Consider, that though there be Precepts, Promises, and Examples of growing in Grace, that show what is God's usual way, and the Proper Tendency of the Spiritual Life; yet those Promises are not so Absolute, without any Condition, as that there is no true Believer who doth not always grow in Grace: For Experience shows, that some decline and lose their first Fervour, and need to be awakened to Repentance. The Promises of Growth and Faithfulness are not absolute, but depend on the Improvement of Grace received, and the Performance of many Duties, with great watchfulness and Diligence in our whole Christian Course. And many Christians, live not up to the Condition of the Accomplishment of such Promises, as concern the Growth and thriving of Spiritual Life. They decay, and decline through their own Carlesness, and Negligence.  
Sensible Affections be sure, and vigorous Increase in that respect, is not the true Measure, whereby to Judge of growth in Grace. For different Ages, and Tempers, and Circumstances of our condition in the world will make a great Difference in sensible Affections.  
You may grow in Grace, by a more Judicious Esteem, and value of God and Holiness, Love to Christ and his Grace, and Glory, so as it may be harder for the Devil to draw you off from God, than before; even when you think you do not grow, you may be more stable and resolved, though not so lively and affectionate. And the decay of natural strength, and vigour of parts by old age or sickness, may make a Difference with some. Your Humility, yourself denial, and Patience may increase, when you think otherwise. And he who grows more humble thrives in every other Grace, whether he believe it, and take notice of it or no. But if you are declined, the Remedy must be to Awake, and to use Gods appointed Means to make you, grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You cannot thereupon conclude that you have no Grace, much less that you are left of God, and given over. Such as inquire not whether they grow or decay, who have little or no Concern about their own Case as to these things, have most reason to fear it of themselves, whilst such as do really grow, for a time, may not discern it. And sometimes others may observe it, when they themselves disown it, or perceive it not.  
But if you are under some declension, Remember the cause, that it is from sloth and negligence in the use of God's appointed means for Increase; from the want of daily Mortification of sin, and Watchfulness against it; from countenacing some Lust, so that its power is increased, suffering the Love of the World to steal upon you, and conforming to it; giving way to Formality, and carelessness in divine Worship, and the Duties of Religion; and Apply the Remedy by Repentance, Mortification, and doing your first works, Rev. 3.1,2. But make not hasty, unjust Conclusions concerning your final state.  
XI. MOREOVER Consider, there may be much more of Blame and Faultiness, of Gild and sin, in your unbelieving Objections, and Despondency, than you are ware of. Therefore while you complain of sin, take heed you do not increase, and add to your sin by disobeying the command of God to Believe and Hope. God hath made Hope a positive Duty, and Gods Command were enough, if there were nothing else in your Case. Your Despair, as if your Case were desperate, and your Condition hopeless, that God had finally given you over, is a plain sin: And will you justify it? He obliges you to hope; he hath not bid the Devil or the damned to hope, as he hath commanded you. It is by hope we are saved; and he takes Pleasure in them that hope in his Mercy.  
But to convince you of this sin, consider what a Representation of the blessed God your Objection makes, as if he were not a God of Grace, pardoning Inquity, Transgression and Sin, upon Repentance, which is what he hath declared concerning himself. Now is it not a sin to believe God to be such an one, as is directly contrary to the Character he has given of himself? That though I never so much desire his Favour, and value it as my Life; though I desire to my utmost to comport with his Mind and Will, so far as he hath, or shall reveal it to me; to believe that yet he hath cast me off, or will cast me off: What a sad Account of God does this give? What a Reproach upon him would this bring? Is not this to take the Devil's Representation of him to be truer than his own?  
There is likewise further sin in your Objection, and Doubt, by misrepresenting the Tenor of the Gospel Covenant. Whereas that says, Take God in Christ for your God, and give up yourselves to be his, and he is, and will be yours; you add something more out of your own Head as necessary, and so alter the Terms of Life and Death. And what is this but to make a new Gospel? The Blessed God hath said, on such Terms Souls shall be saved, you add others as necessary: And say, I shall never be saved, unless it be thus and thus with me; which God hath never said. Though I do accept God for my God, and Christ for my Saviour, and consent to be his, and endeavour to please him, yet he will not save me. This is to give God the Lie, and there is more Gild in it than we think. Therefore.  
XII. LAY this as a Foundation Truth, and keep it, That you can never be more willing to Come to Christ, than he is to Receive you. If you think otherwise, your seeming Humility in Doubting hath much of Pride in it. If you are willing to have Christ and his Grace on his Terms, He is yours. If you are willing to have Christ for your Saviour, and your King, to receive him as Christ Jesus the Lord; and the blessed Spirit as your Sanctifier; and had rather have his Favour, and Love, and his holy Image, than all the riches of this World; you are then His: If your Willingness be prevailing, and more than your Unwillingness.  
For Christ, be assured, is Willing; He hath first shown his Willingness, He died to manifest it, and hath drawn up, procured, and published a Covenant of Grace, wherein he declares his Consent, and calls for yours. Therefore if there be not a Covenant Union unto Eternal Life between him and you, it is through your Refusal, not his.  
Now if you are not willing to Accept his offered Grace, to be sanctified by him, and blessed in him; why do you complain, for the want of that which you would not have, and are not willing of? For I tell you again, He is willing to Receive, and Accept you, and to be Yours in an Everlasting Covenant never to be broken, if you are sincerely Willing to be His Covenant Servants. Moreover,  
XII. AS to the Doubt concerning the sin against the Holy Ghost, I think such as make that Objection do not well understand wherein it lies. Read the 12th of Matthew throughout, and Mark 3.28, 29, 30. And you will find that the Sin against the Holy Ghost never to be forgiven, was to this purpose; That when, notwithstanding the Miracles of Christ, which confirmed his divine Commission, and proved him to be the Messiah, They who saw those Miracles of Christ, and could not deny them to be true; yet did not believe him to be the Son of God, or his Doctrine to be true, though attested by those Miracles. But rather than own him to be the Christ, they blasphemously ascribed his Miracles unto the Agency ' of the Devil, the unclean Spirit; That were wrought by the Power of the Holy Ghost.  
They therefore who own Christ to be the Messiah, and his Gospel to be true; who do not take him for a Deceiver, but acknowledge him as their Lord, and honour and worship him as the Christ of God; they are not Guilty of the sin there mentioned, called The sin against the Holy Ghost.  
I deny not but some may be guilty in our days of such Sins, as make Approaches unto this, and are somewhat like it; As when, notwithstanding clear Evidence of the Truth of the Gospel, Men resist the Light, and rebel against it, and turn open Apostates, and Persecutors, if not down right professed Infidels. But the sin against the Holy Ghost, there described by the Evangelist, seems to imply a Man's taking Christ for a Deceiver. Be sure none who own the Gospel to be true, and Christ to be the Saviour of fallen sinners, are guilty of that Sin, though they may make dangerous Approaches to it.  
Much less are they Guilty of it, who fear the guilt of this sin: But such doubting fearful Persons, who make this Question concerning themselves, because of some blasphemous Suggestions of Satan, etc. They would have been afraid of the Gild of any other sin as well as of this, if they had ever heard, or read such dreadful things declared against any Other sin, as against This: But they seem not to understand the Nature of it.  

* See Mr. how's Append. to Redeemer's Tears.  I do not deny but there may also be an equivalent Evidence of the Divinity of Christ, and of the Truth of the Gospel, that the Infidels of our Age may sin against; Equivalent, I say, to what the Scribes and Pharisees who where guilty of this sin, did sin against. And therefore our modern Deists, who reproach the blessed Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit of God, had need look to it, lest they approach unto the unpardonable sin, and God should give them over to their own Hearts Lusts. But as to poor doubting Christians, that fear they are guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost, mentioned in the Gospel, It is plain enough, that they fearing the Gild of it are not in danger of it for the present, or like to be so.  
LASTLY, To bring the whole matter to a short Issue, and to put it out of question, that your day of Grace is not over, and that God hath not left you, or given you over to your own Hearts Lusts; I do now tender you the Grace and Salvation purchased by Christ in his Name. If now you are hearty willing to accept it, the Case is determined: and determined in the best manner that can be. Therefore to put all out of doubt, Accept the present offer of God's Grace, which is this day made you. Oppose not the greatness of your sins past, or the Aggravations of your present Unworthiness, but penitently, and humbly, and thankfully accept the Pardon that is offered you in the Name of Christ.  
Do you think, in contradiction to the whole Gospel, that your sins are so many, or so great, that Christ did not, could not satisfy for them, and that he will not forgive them, if you Repent, and turn to God, and Believe on the Name of his Son? You are condemned by the Law; Christ came to save sinners, and such as were lost; and he requires no Worthiness, or Price in your Hands, but that you unfeignedly Consent to be his, to accept an offered Saviour, and his Salvation according to the Ends and Uses of the Covenant of Grace: That he may illuminate and teach you, sanctify and guide you, govern and rule you, by his Word and Spirit. This is the Condition of your Title to the Blessings of the Covenant, and consequently must be the Evidence of your Title, and should be a satisfactory one.  
But if you are Unwilling to forsake sin, and return to God by Jesus Christ; if you are unwilling to receive him as your Teacher, Sanctifier, Saviour and Lord; you have reason to doubt your state indeed, or rather the matter is past doubt, you are unsanctified, and as yet unreconciled to God.  
Whoever theresore, upon the account of their former Resistance of the Spirit, stifling Convictions, violating their good Resolutions, etc. Do question their State, whether God hath not given them over; yet let them Consider they are now invited, and entreated to put it out of question that their Day of Grace is not past, by letting this be Their Accepted time, the Day of their Salvation; by now hearty accepting an offered Saviour, and giving up themselves unto him. And then, notwithstanding all your former Refusals of his Mercy and Grace, if now at last you will return and submit, and take his yoke upon you; there is Ease, and Rest, and Pardon, and Comfort, and Life, Eternal Life to be had.  
To conclude, Instead of Doubting, and Complaining, and questioning any longer, Reduce all that which is Doubtful with you, to that which is Plain and Certain. It is certain that God hath sent his Son into the World to save sinners; It is certain that you are some of those lost, miserable, guilty Creatures that need this Salvation; It is certain that he has published the glad Tidings of the Gospel to such, that whoever believeth shall be saved; Is is certain that God cannot lie, it is therefore inconsistent with his Nature, that such as come to him in the Exercise of Repentance towards God, and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, should not be Accepted with him.  
Therefore dispute, and question, and complain no longer how matters have been, or how they are with you, but come in upon the Call and Invitation of the Gospel Grace: Remember the Covenant thou hast made with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in Baptism; Resign, yield and give up thyself with all thy Heart and Soul to be his, resolving that thou wilt throw thyself into the Arms of his Love, and Mercy, because it is the Command of God that you believe on his Son; Resolve that through his Mercy and Grace, by the help of his Spirit of Grace, you will now do so, whatever come of it.  
Do not perplex yourselves about the Question, whether you did it not formerly, four, or five, or ten years ago? But do it again; Blessing God that you may now do it; that he has not repealed his Gospel, and that he never will repeal it to the end of the World. I may Accept of his Son now, as well as so many years ago. Blessed be God, the Invitation, the Command, the Promise is the same now as it was then; And to as many as Receive him, he will give the Privilege to become the Sons of God, even to as many as believe on his Name. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ, and the Covenant of Grace.   

The Fourth Sermon.  Psalm LXXXI. 12. 
So I gave them up to their own Hearts lufts: and they walked in their own Counsels.  
I Come now, in the last place, to consider the Case of such, who make dangerous Approaches towards such a Judgement; Who have provoked God to that degree, that it would be no wonder if he should give them up; yea, concerning whom, there is Reason to fear it, if speedy Repentance do not prevent.  
HAVING therefore, spoken 1. To the Nature of this Judgement, And Secondly, considered the steps and Methods, whereby God does ordinarily inflict it, And Thirdly, the dreadful Severity of it, in Comparison of any other Judgement in this World; I proceeded to the Case of those who Fear they are thus left and given up by God: Several Things I named which they allege as the ground of their Fear, which yet will not prove that God hath forsaken 'em: At the same time there are many other Things that will evidence the Contrary.  
It remains therefore, that I may faithfully give every one his portion, Comfort to whom Comfort, and Terror to whom Terror is due; That I also speak to the Case of Such whose Gild may quickly infer this Terrible Judgement, or concerning whom we may fear, whether they be not already under it, or left of God. There are several things with relation to this Case, which ought to be Considered.  
I. THE First dangerous Symptom is Security, or a False, ungrounded Peace of Conscience. This is frequently the Prologue, and Forerunner of Judicial hardening. It is often a part of it, and an Evidence of it Their Case therefore is exceeding dangerous, with whom Conscience is a Asleep, or Feared. When that sin which formerly thy Conscience would reprove thee for, thou canst now commit without Remorse, or Difficulty: When such, or such a Lust can be freely indulged, and thy Heart not reproach thee, thy Conscience not fly in thy Face, or speak with any smartness, and Authority against it, as formerly it was wont to do: When the Neglect of such or such Duties, was a daily Trouble to thee heretofore, but now thou canst let Them alone, and thy Conscience will let Thee alone, without rebuking thee, or calling thee to Repentance, as it was wont to do. Or if Conscience do speak, it is with much Faintness, without any such Impressions of Fear, and shame, and sorrow, as were wont to be produced by it. This speaks as if God had already given thee up in some degree, or thou art very near what is worse, in very great danger of this dreadful Judgement.  
This Security and Quiet, notwithstanding the neglect of known Duty, and the Commission of sin, I grant has its Degrees. There are some Degrees of it, into which a good Man, through the Prevalency of sin and Temptation, for a time may fall. Particularly as to the Duty of Prayer, and the spiritual Performance of it. But then such Persons, supposing them Upright in the main, who are under such Backslidings are far from approving themselves in this Case, or from having any settled Peace. They have many an unpleasing Thought about their own Case, many Resolutions of Repentance, that they may be Recovered. They often say within themselves, We will go and return to our first Husband, for than it was better with us than now; And every Providence of God, whether of Mercy or Affliction, they regard, as a Call from Heaven to awaken them. And if the Word preached come home to their particular Case, they receive the Warning, and do not reject it, or oppose it.  
But the Persons I speak of, as in danger of this Judgement, are such, especially who are Secure, and Quiet under the Gild of great Transgressions unrepented of, and under the continued Omission of plain Duties. They are lost as to any sense of Sin, and they approve themselves so far in their wretched Course, as to speak Peace to themselves notwithstanding the repeated and loud Calls, and Warnings of God to repentance.  
Conscience did formerly speak, but they have so long checked, and stifled, and discouraged, and silenced the Voice of Conscience, as to have lost one of the greatest Blessings in the World, viz. Tenderness of Conscience. They have either silenced their Conscience by main Force, or they have disheartened it by a slighting, disobedient Carriage; or bribed it by a Form of Godliness, an empty barren Profession: And so it gives way to a delusive destructive Peace, either to flatter them in the way to Hell, or not truly to inform them of their danger of it.  
Such persons little Apprehend the danger they are in. For it is much better to have an Awakened Conscience, that roats against thee, than a Sleepy, silent Conscience, that doth not reprove thee. It is better thy Conscience should not speak a good word to thee; than, how great cause soever there be, that it should speak nothing but good. That Conscience should speak Peace, when God by his Word speaks Terror, is dreadful in itself, and more so, as to what it signifies, and has a tendency to.  
Neither is such a Spirit of Slum ber and Security only dangerous, as to the Persons themselves, in regard of the State or their own Souls; But these spiritual Judgements, where they prevail as to great numbers of Professing Christians, (as it is observed by many,) are usually followed with some terrible strokes of Temporal Judgement too. For as the first and greatest part of the Deliverance of the Church is Spiritual, by the pouring out of the Divine spirit; and the Recovery of the Life and Power of serious Religion, and the more plentiful success of the Gospel Ministrations; and this makes way for public National Blessings, even those of another kind, and is usually attended with them: So the first Entrance into public National Judgements, as to Temporals, is by spiritual Judgements, on the Body of the People. The abounding of such spiritual Judgements, as we are now speaking of, opens the Door to temporal Calamities, and is the usual Forerunner of the most terrible ones, even of that kind.  
So it was with the old World, so with the Jewish Nation before their Destruction by the Romans; And so, says Salvian, was it with the African Churches before the Inundation of the Goths and Vandals; And the like in later Instances, I believe; among our Neighbours. I wish there be no moral Prognostications of a Day of Evil on this Nation upon the same Account. We ought to apprehend the danger of such a thing, We may on these moral grounds very well fear it.  
But it is the Case of Particular Persons I have now before me: And the more Security and false Peace of Conscience any have under great Gild unrepented of, or known Duty continually neglected, the nearer do any such approach to the danger of being given up of God to their own Hearts Lusts: If they are not already entered into that dismal State. And yet how many such bless themselves in their Hearts, and please themselves, that they are now free from the Fears of Hell. They do not trouble themselves about the State of their Souls, as others do, and as they formerly did: They have few or no sad, and serious Thoughts, what shall become of them in the Everlasting World. Of all Others, these are nearest to such a Judgement as that in the Text: For when they say Peace and Safety, sudden Destruction shall overtake them as Travel on a Woman with Child, 1. Thess. 5.3. They now speak Peace to themselves, but the next Day or Hour, they may know and feel the Truth of the divine Threatening. That there is no Peace to the wicked. There are an hundred threaten in the Book of God against such, and not one Promise of safety for one Hour. And yet they can lie down, and rise, and go up and down Securely. They are not afraid when they lie down to sleep, that they shall awake in Hell before the next Morning. They are not afraid when they arise and go abroad in the Morning, lest the Wrath of God should overtake them before Night. Read the description of their sin and Danger in that terrible passage, Deut. 29.18, 20.  
II. ANOTHER Symptom of this Judgement, or dangerous Approach unto it, is when the Ministry of the Word, and Gospel of Christ becomes a tasteless, insipid, ineffectual thing; not attended with any such spiritual Impressions as formerly. Heretofore you hardly heard a Sermon without some Convictions of sin, and Resolutions against it; the Word was quick and powerful, to give an humbling sense of sin, and to excite your Resolutions to set upon neglected Duties; but now there is no such thing. Yea, further, it may be the very external Worship of the Gospel, the Ordinances and Institutions of it, the Dispensers' of them, and they that value and Mind these things, are now scorned and reviled by you; For this is the Case of some Backsliders, after great Pretences, and an high Profession.  
In such a Case you will find your spiritual Appetite to the Food of your Souls, (which consists in Desires after the sincere Milk of the word that you may grow thereby,) to be much abated and lost; and that Spiritual Savour and Relish in the Food of your Souls, which followed those Desires, is lost too. Your Preparations, Desires, and Designs in coming to such Institutions, are otherwise than formerly. Though upon some Considerations you have not thought fit to abandon the public Worship, yet you have no such Appetite or Taste, no such Desires, and no such Relish, as to these things, as formerly you had. Neither do you of late experience any of those excellent Effects, which the Dispensation of the Gospel is designed to produce upon the Minds, and Consciences, and Lives of Men. Though there is difference in the degree of these Declensions, yet this is the high Road to Obduration, Hardness of Heart and final Impenitence. And therefore, to use the Words of a learned Person concerning such Apostates, 
* Dr. Owen, Dominion of sin and Grace, p. 89.  The Calls of God unto such Backsliders in heart, for a return by Repentance, are multiplied, and the Reasons of it are innumerable; and without it, it is certain, that they shall perish Eternally, and they know not how soon they may be overtaken with that Destruction, Prov. 29.1. He that being often reproved, hardens his Heart, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without Remedy.  
If Men once come to this, that, under the most searching, lively Sermons, they can continue secure, and wilful in known sins; they may fear lest they be left to go further; even to the hating of Godliness, and good Men; Or at least to be so far stupefied, as not to feel any thing of the force of God's Terrors, or the sweetness of his Promises; but to make a Jest of sin, and think a Life of Godliness a needless thing. Such Persons, when it comes to this, especially if they grow old in this Course, have Cause to fear lest they be forsaken of God, and given over to their own Hearts Lusts, sealed up under Judicial Blindness, and Hardness of Heart.  
III. WHEN The Spirit of Grace gives over striving with the Souls of Men. This is a most dangerous Case: For except He return, they are irrecoverably lost. There is an absolute necessity of the Influence of the Divine Spirit to the Beginning, Progress, and Continuance of the Spiritual Life; and there is no Opposition in the Soul, but this Spirit of Life and Power can overcome. But when he gives over striving with men how deplorable must their Case be! And this he doth with many, after they have resisted the Spirit, and rebelled against the Spirit, and vexed the Holy Spirit of God, as we read of some that did, Acts 7.51. Now if this blessed Spirit move not upon the Soul of a Backslider, he can never be recovered. And when he hath often been repulsed and grieved, and quenched, he may withdraw in Anger; and God may justly resolve, as concerning the old World, that his Spirit shall strive no more, no longer with them.  
Especially when after a great Profession of Christianity, men turn Apostates, and despise Preaching, and the other Institutions of the Gospel; having done despite to the Spirit of Grace, Heb. 10.29. Which, though spoken of open, final Apostates, should make Others that approach thereto to tremble. And of how much soever Punishment shall such be thought guilty, that do thus Despite to the Spirit of Christ, who bears Witness to his Person and Doctrine! Who can tell the Dreadfulness and Horror of their Punishment? The Constitution of the Law of Moses reached but to a temporal Death without mercy: But besides temporal. Judgements, such a Gild will expose them to Eternal Wrath; For the greatest sin will have the greatest Punishment.  
No wonder then if the Holy Spirit strive no more with Persons that come under this tremendous Gild; that sin against the Holy Spirit, even as a Spirit of Grace; doing Despite to the Spirit of Grace, who did invite, and woo, and draw them unto Christ, to bring them under the Bond of the Covenant. My Spirit shall not always strive with men, Gen. 6.3. Heb. 3.13. Luke 13 7. When the Spirit of Grace, and Love, and Benignity, hath shone in upon their Minds, and often touched their Consciences; and secretly whispered, Sinner, Wilt thou not yet turn? What, hast thou no Inclinations to return to me? O do not go on and perish, etc. Now to despite this very Spirit of Grace, must needs be attended with great Aggravations of Gild, because it is after some Experience of his Influence and Power. This must be one of the most dangerous Symptoms of a perishing lost Condition: The Gospel must needs be hid unto such, because, without the Light and Influence of the Holy Spirit, it can have no saving Effect. If our Gospel be hid, says our Apostle, it is hid to them that are lost, 2 Cor. 4.3. Whose Minds are blinded by Satan, lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into their Hearts.  
Though I must here add, that no Man, I believe, can determine, what Degree of this Gild as to particular Persons, doth distinguish those who are Irrecoverably lost, from such as are Recoverable, and may be called to Repentance.  
iv THOUGH The Spirit have not done striving; yet when the preaching of the Word, though you cannot resist the Light of divine Truth, but somewhat of it shines into the Mind and Conscience; if yet your Hearts stand out, and will not yield, this is a dangerous Case. For men may be convinced by the Word, of the sinfulness and Danger of their Condition; they may come to determine and to pronounce Judgement upon themselves, that what God requires of them is but Just and equal, and that hitherto they have not complied with his Call. One thing or other, from day to day, hath hindered them from coming up to the terms of the Gospel, from a covenant Closure with the Son of God upon the Gospel Call: They may say, and own it before God and Men, That they are deeply convinced such a thing ought to be done; But I have not yet found the time, or the Leisure, or the Heart, to retire into a Closet, and consider it, and set about it in good earnest, and give up my Soul to him; I am convinced I must do it, or I cannot enter into Heaven; I am convinced I must turn, or I shall die; I am satisfied this my present Course must issue in my Ruin, my Eternal Ruin; that if I go on and die in this Case, I am lost for ever. But yet, notwithstanding such Convictions, with many, still the Heart holds out against all that can be said.  
The highest and the most important matters that can be named, though propounded with the clearest Evidence, and represented as of the nearest Concern to them, yet do not effectually prevail with them. Though we propose, in the Name of God, the Encouragement of that Blessedness, and Privilege, which no man, that understands and believes, but must desire; Though we flash the Fire of Hell before them, and endeavour by the Terrors of the Lord to persuade them; yet they have heard of these things so often, that they are not moved by them to yield themselves to the Lord. All that we speak in the Name of Christ is as a Tale that is told, they have heard it so often it makes little Impression: Things are come to that sad pass with them, and they are Scrmon-proof to that Degree, that (to use the words of a Great man,) unless we could speak of greater things than Heaven and Hell, we cannot move them. And though their Minds are enlightened, and some Convictions begun; yet their Lusts carry the Day against their Convictions: Conscience is baffled, or kept under by the Power of vicious Inclinations.  
And while men go on at this rate, who can tell but God may say, Let them alone? but that he may give them up to those Lusts they have chosen, and so their Condition be desperate: Though they themselves do not apprehend it to be so? And as to individual Persons we cannot distinctly tell when it is so; but so it may be, and God be clear in his Righteousness herein: because it is penal, and after great Provocations, and it was lately otherwise with them: But they sinned away their Mercy, and outstood their Day. There was a time when he would have been found of them, but now he will not. O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong unto thy Peace! Now they are hid from thine Eyes: A little while ago they were not.  
But to prevent mistake, Remember, that though the Spirit retiring from such, does infer their Day of Grace to be past, if he return not; and for ought you can tell, he never may; yet he doth not Darken their Minds by putting any ill thoughts into them, or any ill Disposition of Mind. God retires, and the Spirit leaves you, after you have provoked him, and so you are lost. He only says, This wretched Creature will not be prevailed with, he persists in a careless Neglect of me, and my Son and Spirit; we will leave him, and let him alone to his own Lusts, to walk in his own Counsels. O dreadful Doom! how should the Danger of it startle us!  
V THERE are Others, whose Case is exceeding dangerous, who, after some trial in the ways of God, for want of that sensible Joy and Comfort which they expected, grow weary of them, and leave them off. They were formerly diligent, and constant in the outward performance of such and such Duties of Worship, in public and private; but now have laid them aside. Some of these, I believe, have now and then a sentence of Condemnation within themselves, but Others are hardened past feeling. They tried a while, and began hopefully, and made a little Progress; But their Convictions did not presently end in peace of Conscience, they did not presently meet with that comfortable settlement, and Establishment which they hoped for; either through their own Ignorance, or want of Advice, and Counsel concerning the state of their Souls, or from the Power of Temptation, etc. But not finding such Peace and Joy as they expected, or so soon, they give over, and go back to their wont Course of sin, and Neglect of God.  
This is the Case of many convinced in their Youth. They follow the Tendency of that for some time, they hope for a good Issue, and that their Trouble of Soul will be quickly over: They pray and read, and confess sin, and mourn for it, etc. But find not presently the Peace they expected, they find their Lusts to strive and stir still, and sin and Satan not to be overcome, and it may be some Corruptions are more strong than formerly, or they are more sensible of their strength, and Acting: Hereupon the Devil suggests to them matter of Discouragement, and their own Hearts are ready to make them say, in a timorous Despondency of Spirit, I see I am entered into a melancholy course of Life; I see no end of these Troubles, I fear I shall never attain to Peace as long as I harken to my Conscience: If I thus let every sin trouble me, I shall never have a days Quiet: If I am thus nice, and scrupulous, and tender about sin and Duty, I shall never while I live get out of these Perplexities. Therefore I will even cast all off, I will give myself more Liberty, and hearken to my Conscience no longer; I will take my Pleasure as I see others do, and not wait any longer for those Pleasures of another kind, which I was told of, but despair of attaining. I give up all for lost, as to any of these things, I shall never reach them; therefore I will do as well as I can for the present; I will drive away my melancholy Thoughts by Company, and Wine, and Mirth, etc.  
Hereupon such Persons come in a little while to dislike all such Books, and Preaching as would revive their Convictions, and to avoid the very Company of those who knew any thing of the state of their Souls, while under Conviction, and are like to speak to them about it. That Ministry that will not let them alone, and suffer them to be quiet in the Enjoyment of their Lusts, they cannot relish; and in a little while they care for none at all; unless their Credit, and Reputation, or Temporal Interest, or some such Motive, engage them to attend it. Or else they cure themselves by some false Doctrines, that put an end to their Convictions, and make them easily persuade themselves that they are Elected, and that Christ is theirs, and their Sins are pardoned, or were so from all Eternity, etc. But this is a hazardous and dreadful Case, when Persons arrive to this pitch, they had need look about them, and Return quickly, lest God should give them over.  
VI WHEN men continue in sin, and put off their Repentance and Turning to God, with this Thought and Intention, that they will some time or other Repent, and turn to God, but not yet. One can hardly tell, whether the provoking Gild, and Danger of such a Case, be greater than the horrid Absurdity of it. And yet this is a Delusion that has ruined Thousands, and made ample Harvests for the Devil. They have some Tremble under the Word, as Felix when the Apostle discoursed of Righteousness, and Temperance, and Judgement to come; But the convenient time for their complying with their Convictions, and performing their good Resolutions, is not come, but they intent it, they resolve it.  
I would fain ask such Persons, that now continue in known sin, unreconciled to God, who yet intent to Repent; whether they indeed think that God will Accept, and forgive them when they do Repent, or that he will not? If they say, as doubtless they will, We think and hope he will forgive us, and whenever we truly Repent, he has promised to receive us. Yet,  
1. IS it not then the basest, and the most horrid Ingratitude that can be, to continue longer to abuse the Grace of God, to assront him, and rebel against him, and delay your Return to him, with this Thought? Dare you say to the God of all Grace, who has born with you so long, Lord, I have dishonoured thy Name for so many years, I have slighted thy Authority, I have disobeyed thy Calls, I have refused thy Grace, I have exposed myself to thy righteous Anger all my Life hitherto; O let me alone to do so thus much longer, and then I will Repent, than I will ask thee forgiveness. How ungrateful, how absurd is such a Speech!  
2. WILL Not the same Argument that keeps thee from Repenting now, be as strong hereafter? For after all the little objections against Repenting, and Reforming at present; the only one at the bottom is, because it is Present; and that will still hold: So that your Turning to God will be as improbable at any time hereafter, as now.  
It ought to be very well considered in this Case, That whoever continues in sin with this Thought, and Design of Repenting hereafter; the Devil is sure to prosper in any Attempt against that Man. For when that time comes to be present, unto which he has adjourned his intended Repentance, the Argument will be as strong against repenting then, as it is for delaying now. He will then adjourn it to some distance season.  
3. DO You know what Repentance is, that you will venture upon sin with a Design to Repent? That is, that you will continue to do that, which you● resolve and intent, to wish you had never done; to be hearty sorry that you were such Fools as to do it. You resolve to do that, which you resolve to be ashamed of, and to loathe yourselves for, and would give all the World, if it were in your Power that you had not done it: For this is implied in Repentance. Now is it becoming the Wisdom, and Reason of a Man, thus to act?  
4. ART Thou sure to live to that time, unto which thou delayest thy Repentance, and Turning to God? With how many every week is that the Case, who intent to Repent, some time or other, but die before the time comes?  
VI WHAT If God should give thee over to thine own Hearts Lusts? May he not justly leave thee to the hardness of thine impenitent Heart? Doth not such a Carriage of thine deserve it? If thou wilt go on from Month to Month, from year to year, in the neglect of known Duties, under the Convictions of Conscience, that thou art not yet turned to God, or reconciled to him; thou wilt, I say, yet go on, and continue as thou art, though thy Heart tell thee, if thou die in this Condition thou must perish; and thou hast nothing to relieve thee in this sad Case, but only an Intention to Repent some time hereafter: O how Justly may God deny that Grace to Thee, which thou hast so long abused, and forfeited, and wilt not now Accept! How righteously mayst thou be sealed up to Destruction, by Gods forsaking of thee!  
VII. THERE is another sort, whose Case is exceeding dangerous, viz. Who often fall into the same sins, which they Repent of, and are sorry for. After they have sinned, they Repent of those sins again; and after some Repentance, they commit the same sins again; and so have the Aggravations of sinning against Knowledge. Now to him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not; that knoweth what is evil, and forbears it not, to him it is sin with a Witness, Jam. 4.7. He that knew his Master's Will, and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, Luk. 12.49.  
It is a dreadful passage, though spoken of Apostates from the Profession of Christianity unto Judaisme or Heathenism, Heb. 10 26, 27, 28, 29. That such as sin after the Knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more sacrifice for such sins. For what further Gild may not such sins against Knowledge bring them to, and issue in? Doubtless the more you know, and have considered the Issue and Consequence of such sins, (as by renewing your Repentance is implied, that something of this kind has been done;) the more aggravated is your Sin afterward, and the more dangerous your Case. And the more struggle and striving there has been of Conscience against Corruption; and yet thy Lusts have carried the day and got the victory over Conscience; The more Vows and Promises of Amendment that you have made, and broken, and sinned against; repenting of your Repentance, as Pharaoh did; the greater is your sin and Danger: The more Warnings you have had of God by his Providence, and the more awakening Calls of his Word, ●nd yet you continue this Course of ●●●ning, and repenting, of repenting, and sinning still; the more dangerous is your Case. Especially under a professon of Religion. For in a little time Conscience thus affronted is like enough to be hardened, and to be seared as with an hot Iron, 2 Thess. 2.12. And God may give you up to an impenitent Heart, leaving you to commit the grossest Abominations, without shame or Remorse, as he did the Gentiles, Rom 1.21, 24, 26, 28.  
If such be ever awakened to Repentance in this World, this very Consideration will pierce them to the Heart; this will make them ready to despair; That, as the Apostle said of himself, I did it ignorantly, therefore I obtained Mercy; They will be ready to cry out against themselves, I did so and so, but it was against Knowledge, therefore there is no Mercy for me. There remains for such, without Repentance a most fearful Punishment, And a fearful looking for, and Expectation of such Punishment, in the Consciences of those who have sinned at this rate. And there be very Few of those who have lived long under the preaching of the Word, and continued to sin thus against Knowledge, and Conscience till they were old; very few such are recovered to Repentance. Certainly the greater the Knowledge is you sin against the more you provoke God to give you up to a reprobate Mind, and to leave you to hardness of Heart.  
VIII. WHEN, Notwithstanding the Profession of Religion, and outward Attendance on the Duties of it, yet sin has the Dominion and Mastery in the Soul; and sensual Inclinations are indulged without restraint, even as to gross and notorious sins. There are some Backsliders, who would formerly have started back at such or such a Temptation, who can now boldly enter into it, readily yield, and are easily overcome, without Concern or struggle. Sin has the Mastery and Dominion in the Soul, they go on to commit it without Check or Fear. They consent to its Rule, they are willing subjects: For to whom you yield your Servants to obey, his Servants ye are, Rom. 6.6. And that victory which Sin hath got by your own Consent, may justly, as it commonly doth in the swent, bring that Bondage and Slavery under sin, which is Judicial, and Penal. That slavery to sin which at first was voluntary, afterwards becomes unavoidable. You are held in the Chains of your own sins, you are captivated and ourecome by your own lusts. While they promise themselves Liberty, says the Apostle, they are the Servants of Corruption: for of whom a Man is overcome, of the same is he brought into Bondage, 2. Pet. 2.19.  
There is less hope of such Men that are grown lose and sensual, after they have been forward Professors: And they are harder to be recovered than any others. For they are more likely to be left of God. Some have unwarily said, that an open profligate debauched Person is nearer the Grace of God and salvation by Christ, than a moral honest Man, that is kept from the grosser Pollutions of the World. But such Expressions should not make us think, that God will invite and woo us the more earnestly, the further our sins have divorced us from him. 
* Dr. Hammonds Sermons, p. 275.  It is true, the Holy Ghost can cleanse and adorn, and prepare himself a room in any Heart, and soften it, and not be repulsed by the most habituate sin, or Devil. And some have been thus snatched like firebrands out of the Fire, and changed from incarnate Devils to incarnate Saints. Yet those extraordinary and rare Examples must not be thought a Rule. Therefore in ordinary charitable Reason, we ought to Judge more hopefully of those Men, who have not run into the grossest sensualities, and Corruptions of the World; of such especially, who by any common Influence of the Spirit, with the Word, have been kept back from great Transgressions; so that by the Knowledge of Christ, they have escaped the Pollutions of the World; and by the Advantage of their Education, and common Grace, and Providence, have been restrained from foul Miscarriages. If such as these do afterwards become profane, and lose, and sensual, and grossly carnal; it is said of them, their latter End is like to be worse than their Beginning. And it had been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness, than, after having known it, to turn from the holy Commandments.  
That some Men may sin themselves into a state of Incurable Impenitence, is very plain from Scripture. Your neglect and Provocations may put Christ to his Irreversible Oath, and make him swear as he once did, that you shall not enter into his Rest, Heb. 3.11. And that this is of force in the times of the Gospel, is more than intimated, v. 12. Exhorting professing Christians at that time, to beware of an Evil heart of Unbelief, from the Example of the Israelites. That Terrible place. Isa. 6.9. Is quoted no less than six times in the New Testament, as if it belonged to them, who sit under Gospel Light.  
As to that difficult passage, Heb. 6.4, 5. Concerning those who had been made Partakers of the Holy Ghost, and tasted of the good Word of God, and of the Powers of the World to come, and yet did fall away; it is said, it is impossible to renew them again. In the ordinary way it is not to be expected. Though that Passage do especially respect such Apostates as openly renounced Christianity, crucifying the Son of God afresh: Yet such as, after a plausible Profession, turn to a lose and notoriously wicked Life, whether they keep that Profession still, or abandon it, they are greatly in danger of the like Judgement. For the Earth that drinks in the Rain that often comes upon it, and yet brings forth nothing but Briars, is rejected, and is nigh unto Cursing, whose end is to be burned, as it there follows, 7, 8. V. Their Case is next to hopeless and desperate. And what reason have all Backsliders to fear, lest they sin themselves into such a dismal state.  
Use. 1. And let that be the first Improvement I would make of this Discourse, To awaken Apostates, and Backsliders to Consider their Danger. It may be you have gratified your Lusts, notwithstanding the Light of Conscience, and the Motions of the Spirit; Now, it may be, you can sin with less Regret, and done't feel the Wounds you give yourselves by your Transgressions? Can you say but that the Blessed Spirit is retired in great measure already? And is it any Wonder, after so many struggles and Conflicts, if he should for ever Retire, and leave you to the full  Dominion of your own Lusts? If he should say, he that is filthy, let him be ●●thy still; because you would not bepurged, you shall not be purged, till I make my Fury to rest upon you.  
Awake therefore, and consider your Danger. You that find any of these things agree to your own Case beware lest you be in the Number of those that draw back unto Perdition, in whom God says his Soul can take no Pleasure, Heb. 10.38. Take no Pleasure, that is, whom he loathes, and detests. Were we not under some great Declension, some sad degree of Hardness of Heart ourselves; how should we pity the Case of all such Persons who are near this Judgement? With what hearty Concern for them, should we endeavour their Recovery, did we know better, and believingly consider more, what it is to be left of God, and given over! With what hearty Grief should I mourn over such Persons! With what Groans, and Tears of Compassion should I warn them, and try to awaken them, if my own Heart were not under somewhat of this Hardness, which they are like to be totally given up unto!  
I confess, at first, I was loath to preach, or publish these things, lest I should drive some to Despair. But upon more serious Consideration, I do not think that the Generality of People are so very apt to Despair. They have ten thousand ways to flatter themselves, and they will hope for the most part, in despite of all Arguments to the Contrary. In all the Scripture there is but one Example of a despairing Man, and that was Judas; Who did not despair by reason of any terrible Doctrine which was preached to him, but because of the Load of his own foul sin and the Weakness and Pusillanimity of his own Spirit. But for one who despairs, O what Multitudes are there who live in sin, and yet Sibi suaviter benedicunt, think themselves in a good Condition, and that all is well; Though the Scriptures say, that the Righteous shall scarcely be saved, and that the Gate is strait that leads to Life; yet every Body almost hopes to be saved, in the Course they are in, though it be the broad way.  
YOU that are under any of these dangerous Symptoms that approach to such a Judgement, take heed of Encouraging yourselves in a false Hope of ovation. Bethink yourselves, ap●nd your Da●ger, and awake to prevent the dismal Issue. Make haste, and escape for your Life, if yet there be Hope of your Recovery. It must be speedy Repentance, now, while it is called to day, before the Master of the House be gone, and the Door shut: For then many shall seek to enter, and shall not be able. For so we read, Luk. 13.24, 25, Verses connected, without a full stop between them, as in our Translation.  
If you are not yet sealed up, and given over, (as the Motions of the Spirit yet striving with you, and some Concernedness about your own Case, is a good Argument that you are not) O awake, and call upon God Remembering whence you are fallen, and repent presently: For if you resist, and refuse this Call of God, you may never have Another, or never have Grace to hearken to another, and then the Issue will be the same.  
I would hope, that none of those to whom I now speak are so Lost but they may be Recovered (And I cannot think that any who reads this, is in so hopeless a Case, but he may find Me●cy, if yet he will seek it.) He has 〈◊〉 sinned the sin unto Death, who is afraid left he be guilty of it You are not absolutely given over and forsaken of God, or sure that you shall finally be so, that this Spirit will no more return, though in some Degree you are forsaken; If you are brought to consider your Danger, and to resolve to use Means to prevent the fatal Issue: You are not finally left of God, whatever dangerous Approaches you have made to such a Judgement. In the Consideration therefore of your Danger, awake to use Gods appointed Means. And here,  
1. I might advise, that you Watch carefully lest you enter into Temptation. 2. That you take heed of slight Thoughts of sin. 3. That you labour to have right Apprehensions concerning the Attributes of God, and the tenor of the New Covenant by Christ Jesus. 4. That you attend the Ministry of the Word, with a Desire and Design of some spiritual Advantage, suitable to your own Case. Take heed of being slight and careless in the use of those Means, that must cure a hard Heart, if ever it be cured. 5. In the 〈◊〉 of all Means, look up to God for 〈◊〉 Influence of the divine Spirit. Apprehend the Necessity of it, for the Cure of a hard or backsliding Heart. 6. Call yourselves often to an Account how matters stand between God and you. 7. Engage more hearty, seriously, and constantly in the use of secret Prayer. 8. Improve the sickness and Death of others, as Warnings to awaken the Thoughts of your own. 9 In any Doubt and Difficulty of Conscience, (especially under Temptations to Despair,) do not scruple to open your Case to some faithful Minister of Christ, that may enlighten and and guide you. 10. Labour to understand distinctly what that Repentance towards God is, and that Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which are the stated Terms of Life, and the Condition of the new Covenant. And never give over the use of Means, till you are brought to Repent of all your sins against God, and truly to believe in Jesus Christ with all your Heart; evidencing your unfeigned Faith by new Obedience. Therefore take heed by what Marks and Signs you Judge yourselves, lest all your Soul Trouble should end in a false Peace.  
I cannot conclude without repeating the Admonition against that false Peace, which one great Work of our Ministry is to destroy. For there are Multitdes of People who pretend to love God, and to love good Men, and to trust in Christ that he died for them, and to rely on Christ, and to cast themselves on Christ, and think they believe on him, and that they shall be saved. Who will tell you that as for Obedience, they mind it as they can, though they be not as good as others; their Hearts are good, and they mean well, and they know their own Hearts better than Ministers do: they are sure they believe in Christ; and they will conclude that all is well, etc. Tho 'tis notorious of Many such, that they are Ignorant of God, and strangers to Christ, and live in the common allowed practice of great sins. Yet they will thus Hope well of themselves, and speak Peace to themselves.  
NO Wonder if they do so now, when even at the Day of Judgement some are brought in disputing with Christ, till the Heart of their Hope's 〈◊〉 broken by his condemning Sen●ce. Not as if those that now die 〈…〉 penitence and Unbelief, should not know, or believe that they shall perish for ever, till after the general Judgement. But matters seem there to be represented, as applied to the Persons of those who shall be found alive at the End of this World, or whose Eternal State in the next World is concluded, by what their Case is when they leave this state of salvation.  
SEE Therefore that your Hopes be of a right Kind, grounded on Scripture Evidence, purifying the Heart, conquering the World, exciting thy Desires after Christ and Heaven, making thee to sin less, and to please and glorify God more. Such an Hope you may hold fast, it will not make you ashamed. But of all things fear a false Hope. Dread it as you would the sin of Despair; yea as the most dangerous of the two, because more common. I mean not a Despair of the sufficiency and Willingness of Christ to pardon and save thee, if thou repent, and believe, and obey him; Nor a Despair of finding Mercy, if thou hearty seek it. But despair thou must of ever seeing God without Holiness. Despair that Christ will ever be the Author of eternal Salvation to any, but such as believe and obey him: Despair of escaping Eternal Death if thou live after the Flesh: Despair of entering into Heaven if thou wilt not seek it in the first place: Despair of escaping the Doom of perishing with the Ungodly, except you sound Repent, except you turn to God, and Holiness, from sin and the World; except you penitently and thankfully accept of Christ, obey and follow him as your Lord and Saviour. Despair therefore of ever being saved in the state thou art in, with whom it is not thus.  
GOD will ere long deal plainly with thee, and let thee know the Truth. And what will it avail thy perishing Soul, for Ministers to deceive, and flatter thee with vain Hopes; when, without Repentance and turning to God in Christ, there is none? Nay if any thing keep thee out of Heaven, (I speak of the Case of most ordinary Hearers, and Professors,) If any ●hing keep thee out of Heaven, it is a ●se and groundless Hope of coming thi●●er.  
CHRISTIANS, We must 〈…〉 speak plain. Would you have us be unfaithful to God and you: We must be accountable to God ere long, as well as you: We must stand before his Judgement seat as well as you. Why should we give you Hopes, if God do give you none? I therefore say it again, that, without speedy and sincere Repentance towards God, and Faith in Jesus Christ, evidenced by cordial faithful Obedience to him, there is no Hope, for any one of you. And they that hear often of these things, and will yet go on in sin; it is Just with God to leave them, and give them up to their own Heart's Lust. Therefore 〈…〉 away your Transgressions, return to the Lord with all your Hearts, and yield yourselves to the Claim, and Call of Christ without Delay, while Mercy invites you, and Grace may be had, for why will you Dye, O House of Israel?   
FINIS.   

Books Printed for Abraham Chandler.  
THe Mourners Companion, or Funeral Discourses from several Texts, 8● price bound 1 s. 6 d.  
Death a Deliverance, in a Funeral Discourse from 2 Cor. 5.4. fit to bind with the Mourners Companion.  
Sacramental Discourses on several Texts before and after the Lord's Supper, together with a Para●●●n the Lords Prayer, 12º, 1 s.  
Practical Relfection 〈…〉 are Earthquakes in Jamaica 〈…〉 Malta, etc. With a Particular 〈◊〉 Account of those, and Divers other Earthquakes, 8º, price bound 1 s. 6 d.  
Serious Reflections on Time and Eternity, with some other Subjects Moral and Divine, to which is Annexed an Appendix concerning the first Day of the year, how observed by the Jews, and may best be employed by a serious Christian.  
All five by Mr. John Shewer.