*- L -r. /■' ^^m^v LIBEARY OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. Case, ^^~^J^> Shelf, f O I VSeotio r, . . Book, N«>..., A GOSPEL GLASS: REPRESENTING €fje ®9imtimz$ OF English professors, &* /' / fcf^ k-$r***M~*-& OF ENGLISH PROFESSORS.' " * ■ ■ ■ - - ~ OR," A CALL FROM HEAVEN TO SINNERS AND SAINTS BY Repentance snD Reformation TO PREPARE TO MEET GOD: BY LEWIS STUCKLEY. * -> Thoic shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart : Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy ?ieighbour, and not svlfer sin upon him. Lev. xix. 27. Yet thou sayest, because lam innocent sicrely his anger Qh all turn from tnc : Behold I will -plead with thee, because thou sayest I have not sinned. Jer.ii.35. A NEW EDITION, RECOMMENDED BY DR. RYLAND. •> ■% > V «_ ~0 * t - \ M » l I- +\ ^ - LONDON : Printed by R. Edwards, Crane Court, Fleet Street ; TOR W. SUTTABr, MAXWELL AND WILSON, WILLIAMS ANB SMITH, AND BYFIELD AND SON. 1809. LETTER FROM DR. RYLAND TO THE PUBLISHERS. tr OR many years past, I have been accustomed to set a high value upon Mr. Stuckley's Gospel- Glass. I find by notes in the margin of my copy, that my dear and honoured father began to read it, with much attention, in the year 1 745, and gave it to me in 1771. In my youth, I have often employed it in private, as a very valuable assistant in the duty of self-examination, and frequently read parts of it to my friends, or re- commended it to their perusal. Of late years, my numerous avocations have prevented my looking into it so often. However, I have no suspicion that my general idea of the work would be at all altered, by the most careful examina- tion ; though I daresay, a few expressions would, in the present day, appear rather low and ludi- crous. Candour, indeed, would make an allow- ance for the change of language and taste in a hundred and fifty years ; but I well remember wishing, that in case of its re-publication, two or three of the coarsest phrases might be changed*, as liable to just exception, and likely to be quite • This has been done in a few instances, and is the only liberty ihe Editors have taken with the work. VI LETTER, &C. offensive to a fastidious reader. The practice of sin, and the devices of Satan, cannot be too fully exposed; but sometimes a milder phrase may take faster hold of the conscience than one more severe ; and though they are fools that laugh at sin, yet a wise reprover must take care not to give them a handle, who had much rather laugh at a quaint reproof than weep for themselves. Nothing could be more remote from the object of the writer, than to excite any thing like levity in the minds of his readers ; though he lived twenty years after he wrote this book, he was very ill at the time it was written, and to his own apprehension, under sentence of death. A sketch of his life may be given from Mr. Palmer's Non- conformist's Memorial, which I fear could not now be enlarged from any other source of infor- mation; 1 pray that a divine blessing may attend the re-publication of this excellent, pungent, and heart-searching work, and may the profes- sors of evangelical religion be careful to depart from all iniquity, and adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. John Rylanj> Bristol, March 12, I8O9. THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. Wi HEN it is a day of darkness and of gloom- iness, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, then (saith the prophet) blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain : let all the inhabitants of the land tremble. How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger ? He hath violently taken away his taber- nacle, as if it were of a garden ; he hath des- troyed the places of the assembly : the Lord hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the in- dignation of his anger, his priests. Yea, the Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, the law is no more, her prophets also find no vision from the Lord. O that now mine eyes could fail with tears, and my bowels were more troubled within me! O that my liver were poured out upon the earth for the destruction of the daughter of my people, because the chil- dren and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city ! We %pe not our signs, there is no more any prophet, neither is there among us an»y that knoweth how long. ▼Ill PREFACE. When we, like David, were restoring the aTk of God, I mean the presence of Christ, in his worship and ordinances, what stumblings of the oxen have we seen ? What miserable disappoint- ments have we met with ? And what sad breaches have there been made ? How hath God stopped our way, and branded our enterprises with won- derful remarks of his sore displeasure ? Hear therefore the word of the Lord, ye chil- dren of Israel, for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. We poor mi- nisters have pleaded with you, till we can plead no more : the Lord hath bid us stand by, whilst he himself takes up the controversy. O, is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God? Are you not sensible what arrows God hath begun to shoot amongst us ? How many thousands and ten thousands hath he taken away as with a whirlwind, by the pestilence t For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. How hath God shaken our heavens, and our earth ; the sea as well as dry land ? How doth he contend still by the sword I And how much precious blood hath the earth and sea drunk up ? For all this his an- ger is not turned away, but his hand ia stretched out still. O ! come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. Every providence of God (especially his more notable acts) hath a reason written upon it, could man's eye read it. When the church complained that God was as a stranger in the land, and as a way- faring man, that turneth aside to tarry for a night: the Lord replies to them, Thus have they loved to wander, &c. The controversy be- gan on their side : they may see their sin in their punishment^ as in a glass. Do they wonder I grow strange to them ? The estrangement began PREFACE. IX on their part. Nothing appears more our instant duty, than to enter a serious scrutiny, What have we done ? wherein have we offended ? Let us search and try our ways, (saith the afflicted church of Judah, upon this very occasion, of the Lord's discovering himself with a cloud, that their prayers could not pass through) and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart, with our hands, unto God in the heavens. O ! consider your ways: The Lord doublet/t it s Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. I find men will easily subscribe to this, that sin is the procuring cause of all misery ; but I find an aptness to transfer the guilt from one to another, from one parly to another ; and though people do even sell themselves to work wicked- ness, yet so predominant is self-love, that it sees no spots in itself. Ahab is not the troubler of Israel, but Elijah : Nay, a good man, Aaron ex- cuseth himself, and lays the blame on others. The sin is theirs, not mine. Men have a natural desire to justify themselves, and their desire is so strong, that they care not whom they bespat- ter or burden, so they may but ease and acquit themselves. And indeed, sin is such an ugly monster, that no man will own it, if he can choose ; but had rather lay this child of darkness at any man's door, yea at God's than father it himself. My design in this enterprise, is, to obviate ibis distemper, and to bring you, all of you, to own your iniquity ; that you may say (resolve upon it) that you will confess your iniquity, that so God may forgive the iniquity of your sin. My place, and duty, as a minister (though wholly unworthy of that relation to God and a 5 X PHEFACE. you) binds me to cause Jerusalem to know her abominations ; and therefore L have descended to particulars, that, if it be the will of God, 1 might hit the humour, and shew to every man the plague of his own heart. The Lord knoweth, I take no pleasure to rake in these dunghills : I dread the ill uses that the sons of Belial may make of this enterprise : 1 expect various censures from them, who should be otherwise minded ; but my record is on high, that the great design of this publication is, to reduce professors to a more awful, humble, seri- ous repentance towards God, and singular con- versation before men. I thank God for the freedom that a reverend brother hath taken with the ejected ministers : and I must profess, that since the perusal of that most seasonable piece, I have had no quiet in my conscience, till I entered upon this labour. Though my bodily distempers pleaded loud for my silence: though 1 was told, the prudent shoulcl hold their peace in an evil day ; though i know it is an unthankful office to admonish and reprove, &c. yet 1 have laid by all impedi- ments and objections that self was obtruding ; and wish I had such gifts, and such affections, and such a discerning of the hearts and lives of professors, as might render me some way useful, to put you upon self- reflection, upon self-trial in order to a full repentance: 1 pray God, I may so far at least succeed, as to obstruct that cursed exclaiming against the sins of governors ; and the sins of divided parties ; as at length to make you cry out, What have I done r O ! how have I provoked God ? Out of pity to your souls have I undertaken this subject: our pangs, like those of a travail- ing woman, are hastening : the clouds are sweU PREFACE. XI ling, I am loath they should fall on you in a se- cure and impenitent condition : I am not asham ed to tell you, that I foresee foul weather; and I would you should be in readiness for boister- ous seas. I know nothing, save guilt, will then sink your hearts : the load of affliction will be so heavy and hard upon you, that I would have nothing else (not the load of millions of unre- dented sins) at the same time to press down. Sins unrepented of, will soon, as poison, drink up your spirits. If sin be confessed, and repent- ed of, if God hath forgiven, no matter what loads lie upon the back, seeing no guilt lies upon the conscience. Having given you an account of my design, and the reason of it, I shall only add, 1. That it may not be expected I should give you a full catalogue of all your sins, which are provocations in the eyes of the Lord this day. Who can understand his errors ? Cleanse thou me (and the land) from all our secret, as well as known faults. 2. God forbid 1 should be so censorious, as to judge all professors guilt}' of these sins, in all the particularities, or in all the aggravations of them. Some are be charged one way, some another : few can wash their hands in innocency, that they are no ways principals or accessories. 3. Far be it from me to be partial in my charge, to advance any faction of men upon the ruins of their brethren. 4. I desire you would take this catalogue into your closets with you, and as you read, set a special mark of observation on those sins, which are chiefly your's in order to repentance, and amendment, and then give the Lord no rest, till he hath taken his pen, and dipped it in the blood of his Son, and blotted them out of his diary, and remembrance. Xll PREFACE, 5. And lastly, let me beseech the reader, to be very importunate with the Lord, for an hum- ble, tender spirit ; that prejudice, unbelief, and hardness of heart, may not accompany him in the perusal of the following lines, and thereby, both his, and my own endeavours, become abor- tive. L.S. [ xiU 4 3 BRIEF ACCOUNT OFTH AUTHOR. JL HE Rev. Lewis Stuckley, author of the ensuing treatise, descended from an honourable family in the county of Devon. The family seat was at Afton, in West Worlington ; and is said to have had thirteen manors depending upon it, within sight of the gate-house. One of his ancestors was standard-bearer to queen Eli- zabeth ; his elder brother was Sir Thomas Stuck- ley. The circumstances attending his birth, education, and early life, are involved in obli- vion, which is the more to be lamented, as the treatise now offered to the public discovers him to have been a man of considerable abilities. As Mr. Stuckley is not mentioned by Anthony Wood in his account of the Oxford writers, it is highly probable that he pursued his academ- ical studies in the university of Cambridge. The XIV BRIEF ACCOUNT first mention we find made of him in public, is in 1646, in the July of which year, the standing committee of Devon, ordered him into the living of Newton-Ferrers, near Plymouth ; but whe- ther he ever took possession of it seems uncertain. In the same year he was appointed to the living of Great Torrington, as appears from Dr. Wal- ker, who says, ft Mr. Theophilus Powel was turned out of Great Torrington, about the year 1646, and was then succeeded by the famous independent, Mr. Lewis Stuckley." It appears from the same author, that previous to this he was in the living of Tiverton, in the same county, where he succeeded a Mr. George Pierce; and that he succeeded Mr. Richard Newte, in the sequestered livings of Tidcomb, and Clare. "Mr. Newte (says that author) had one Mr. Stuckley thrust upon him, to supply half the cure, when the godly compelled him to live at the rate of one hundred pounds a year." It seems, also, that he was some time at St. Sidwell's ; for the same writer says, " Mr. William Banks was res- tored to Heavitree, by the then growing interest of Mr. Stuckley, the afterwards famous indepen- dent, on condition that Stuckley should be placed in St. Sidwell's, a daughter church, be- longing to that vicarage, out of which the Pres- byterians iiad with might and main laboured to keep him. It is greatly to be lamented that we have no authentic documents to explain the na- ture and principle of these several appointments, OF THE AUTHOR. XV the relation of which comes to us only through the suspicious hands of Mr. Stuckley's enemies. From Great Torrington, our author removed to Exeter, where he preached in the body of the cathedral, as Mr. Ford did in the choir ; but it appears from a book published by Mr. Tobie Allein, in 1658, entitled "Truth Manifest," that about the year 160O, Mr. Stuckley began to ga- ther a church in Exeter, according to the con- gregational method. Soon after the restoration, he was obliged to quit the cathedral, and on' Bartholomew-day, 1662, was silenced with the rest of his brethren. Had he chosen to conform, his opportunities for preferment were very con- siderable; for he was a kinsman of General Monk, whom every one knows to have had a preponderating influence at court. But Mr. Stuckley was a man of great integrity, and never sacrificed his conscience to his secular interest. His conduct in this particular is a sufficient re- futation of all the calumnies retailed by the poor libellous author of the " Attempt/' After his ejectment, Mr. Stuckley did not re- main idle, but continued preaching to his people in private, and was very laborious in his minis- terial work. In the latter part of his life he went to reside at Biddeford, where he continued his delightful work of preaching, till disabled by a painful sickness, which issued in his death, in the month of July, 1687. XVI BRIEF ACCOUNT, &C. His " Gospel-glass, representing the miscar- riages of English Professors/' first published in I667. he wrote under great bodily weakness. Besides this, he also published in 1658, a book entitled, " Manifest Truth/' against Mr. Tobie Allein. [ xvii ] SUMMARY VIEW OF CONTENTS. By a Friend to the Author and Reader. JTROFESSOR, in this necessary and season- able Gospel-glass, there are many sad, but use- ful, sights for thee. First, Wouldst thou know what may be seen ? I will tell thee ; herein the Miscarriages of Pro- fessors (and therefore of thine own self) are enu- merated and aggravated. The sins enumerated are either against the Law and Gospel jointly, or against the Gospel and Law severally. Professors' sins against the Law and Gospel jointly, are -hinted in the first chapter, which shews their regardlessness of their own and others' souls. Their sins against the gospel more particularly, are spoken to in the seven next chapters. The 2d. shews their want of saving conviction and compunction : the 3d. their want of despair in self : the 4th. their miscarriages about soul-trou- bles, the four following chapters, their miscar- riages about believing in Christ : the 5th. their ignorance of Christ, temporizing with Christ, making base capitulations with him : the 6th. their delays to close with Christ: the 7th. their taking Christ partially, without conjugal affec- tions, and without considering the cost they may be at: the 8th. their shuffling together false signs of closing with Christ. XVlll SUMMARY VIEW OF Their sins against the law more peculiarly, are either against the first or second table. Their sins against the first table under the head of ungodliness) are discovered in the eleven fol- lowing chapters. The 9th. shews their igno- rance and errors: the 10th. their want of love to God : the 11th. their evil surmises of God : the 12th. their unthankfulness : the 13th. their neglect of prayer, especially of secret, both eja- culatory and closet prayer : the 14th. their mis- carriages about their prayers : the 15th. their slightingthe written Word of God, especially in not reading and meditating on it asthev ought: the ]6Yn. their miscarriages about the promises: the 17th. their abuse of providence : the 18th. -their hypocrisy : the 19th. their sabbath-sins. Their sins against the second table, arc either personal or relative. Their personal sins are evinced in the four next chapters. The 20th shews their miscarri- ages about self-trial : the 21st. their pride : the 22d. their gluttony : the 23d. their idleness. Their relative sins are spoken to in the four- teen following chapters. The 24th. shews their unmercifulness : the 25th. their unrighteous- ness, or unfaithfulness in trading : the 26th. their covetousness : the 27th. their envy : the £8th. their sins as superiors : the 29th. as husbands and wives : the 30th. as parents or children : the 31st. as masters or servants : the 32d. their mis- carriages towards ministers, before their silenc- ing : the 33d. since their silencing : the 34th. their miscarriages towards sinners. The aggravations of their miscarriages, that arc here enumerated, thou hast in the two next chapters. The 37th. shews their disingenuity and scandalousness : the 38th. their sinning against knowledge, and impenitently, notwith- CONTENTS. XIX standing all means to bring them unto repent- ance. Secondly, Wouldest thou know, and that ex- perimentally, how useful such sights may be unto thy soul ? Read diligently the two last chapters. The 39th. shews, what use thou should- est make of this Glass ; and the 40th. What rea- son there is thou shouldest make such use there- of. And now, Conscientious Reader, (so I stile thee, because I hope thou resolvest so to be) having given thee this brief account of what thou mayest expect in the following excellent trea- tise, I cannot but assure thee, that if thou bring- est hither with thee a serious and teachable spi- rit, desirous to have thy soul searched to the quick, and the sores thereof lanced, and tho- roughly cured, thou wilt not lose thy cost and pains : the closeness and pithiness of the com- pliment, will not only please ; but the materials, so full of spiritual vigour, and scriptural experi- ence, will wonderfully advantage thy soul, and give thee cause, all the days of thy life, yea to eternity, to bless God for putting it into the heart of the reverend author (after he hath sacri- ficed his spirits and strength, in a public way of service to God, and his church, with more than ordinary activity and self-denial), under many bodily weaknesses, yea under a sentence of death, thus to employ his pen, when he cannot his tongue, for the good of thy soul. Every parti- cular chapter, will, if God add his blessing, prove a complete soul-saving treatise. I shall add no more, to persuade thee to come and see, but this ; — that nothing but unwillingness to see what is here to be seen, and unpersuadableness to make such improvement of such sights, can make thy case desperate. Be sure only, before, XX SUMMARY VIEW, &C. in, and after, thy serious perusal of these chap- ters, of so much worth, that thou beg earnestly of God, that he would be pleased, with some of his Son's eye-salve, to open thine eyes, that thou mayest see : and by his Spirit move so upon thy spirit, that thine eye may suitably affect thine heart, with what so much tends to the pro- moting of thine eternal welfare. » GOSPEL GLASS, &c. THE SINS OF PROFESSORS. CHAP. I. Their Regardlessnets of Souls. i. Hj -OW careless are we of our own souls !— 1. Ohow few do believe they are men, having bodies that must die, but souls that will never die ! — How few do believe that their bodies were given them to be serviceable to their souls ! Their heads, their hearts, their eyes, their ears, their bands, their feet, &c. were all to attend upon their souls, and to help them to heaven ; but this is n^t believed by many. As they are ignorant of the blessed God who made them, and of Jesus Christ, who came to redeem them, and know not whtthtr there be an Holy Ghost or no ■: so they are ignorant of the preciousness of their souls. Christ hath net given them eyes to read and un- derstand that a man is not, cannot be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his owi soul. Christ's questions, What zvifl it profit a man, §c. ? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? put it out of all question. Alas, many who carry the name of Christians, deserve B 2 SINS OF PROFESSORS. not the name of ijign. . When you begin to value your souls you begin to be men. O that men would value that, which once they shall, they must value ! The damned spi rits know now the worth of their souls ! How many will not ! 2. How few consider the worth and preci- eusness of their souls?— When do such thoughts • as these possess you ? — " Here in this earthly tabernacle, in this house of booths, dwells a thing, that I never saw, that is worth a world : though here I crawl up and down, like a worm of two or three cubits long, and am iu danger of being thrown into an hole every day ; yet I carry with me a jewel, the loss whereof, the whole world cannot repair/' How seldom do nominal professors consider sadly and seri- ously, what will become of their souls, when their excellency, which is in them, shall go (or journey) away, as Eliphaz speaks? Examine your thoughts all the day long, from morning to evening, and few are laid out for the soul. S. Are not all the thoughts and cares laid out upon the body ; though the body be but clay, and the soul is a spirit, the body must die ; but thesoul shall never die: — How frequently do we think of our bodies, what their wants, burden9,%eces- sitiesare? but not so of our souls. How much of every day is spent in providing for thy body, but how little for thy soul ? The body should be but the soul's servant : yet men feed the slave, and starve the child. The body must be fed every day, clad.every day, yea, adorned everyday, and physicked if distempered ; but the soul needs food, raiment, physic continually, yet lieth un- regarded : is left miserable, naked, starved, Sec. A "servant hath two talents to keep, the child, and the child's clothes: will the master thank the servant, if he plead, I have kept the clothes, but i have neglected the life of the child ? Thy body Their Regardkssness of Souls. 3 is but thy soul's outward garment. How often have your ministers told you, that the soul was better than the body, and that your souls needed daily care more than your bodies ? And yet you look after the one, with the neglect of the other. A day is coming, when thou wilt wish thou hadst been bred in the field among the beasts and worms, for that thou regardest thy soul no more than if thou hadst the life of a beast : thou wilt wish thou hadst been made a toad, a serpent, a worm, a dog, a swine, &c. ; for then thou shouldest not have suffered to eternity, as now thou wilt, unless the eyes of thy understanding be opened to see, consider, and make provision for thy precious, but perishing soul. Thy body is perishing every day, and thy soul is upon the borders of eternity : it must live for ever: and yet all thy care is for the body, which likely will not live threescore years and ten ; but the soul is neglected, that must live threescore millions of years in hell, without repentance ; and then, when that date is over, thou art as far from the end of thy misery as thou wast the first day thou wast thrown among the damned. 4* How many will not speak with theirsouls; they are greater strangers to them than the Lon- doners are to their next neighbours. Didst thou ever ask thy soul such questions as these ? " O my soul, how is it, how will it be with thee ? O ray soul, in what a state art thou ? O my soul, what will become of thee? O what will become of thee in the next world V 5. At what cost were we at any time for our jeo- parded souls. The physician is consulted, if there be an ache upon the body : we will, with the wo- man, part with all, beggar ourselves, to recover health of body. When did you know a man starve himself, if he could have bread and water, what- ever it cost? We will be atanyexpence oftime^la- 4 SINS OF PROFESSORS. bour and charges, to keep our bodies from starv- ing ; but how are the ordinances of God> the word and sacraments (the spiritual food of the soul) neglected ? The flesh must be satisfied : as for the soul, there is little regard to its well-being. We cannot endure to see a cat, a dog, a beast want meat ; but how easily do many digest the want of that milk, whereby they should be main- tained and grow ? God, saith one, gives to these their requests, he gives them quails, but sends leanness into their souls. 6. How fearless are many of soul-losses ?— How common is it for people to draw back from the service of Christ ? O ! what is the matter r I shall lose my estate, liberty, pay such a fine, &c. They little consider what their souls will lose if they do not persevere, if they live not up to their light. Professors (par- don me that I miscal you), though you are blind and mad, and see not the worth of your souls ; yet know that your souls are the most consider- able jewels you stand possessed of. J 11 the zcorld will not weigh with one soul. Thy money may ransom thy body ; nothing, save Christ's blood, thy soul. Pause awhile, reader, and reflect on all thy sinful neglects of thy immortal soul, lest on thy death-bed thou shriek and cry, O my soul, whither art thou going ? II. How little are the souls of others valued and cared for ? — How many masters are there that care no more for their servants' souls than for the dogs ? nay, not so much f Perhaps some of you are careful that the bodies of your families be clothed, be fed, &c. but the souls lie unpro- vided for : more care is taken for the pigs than for the souls. 1. How do we justly censure them as worthy of capital punishments, that murder the bodies of men ? but not so others, who poison and destroy thousands of souls. Their llegardlessness of Souls. 5 How do you hate to have an hand in murder- ing the bodies of any ; to lay poison for the de- struction of any ? and yet how commonly do men lay the poison of ill counsel, and ill example be- fore others to cause them to fall into the pit of hell, and are not affected with this great evil ? 2. How troubled are we at any that kill bodies, or that murder others ; but not so at the millions that destroy their own and others' souls, that have an hand in ruining and damning themselves and others? 3. If any neglect means that might have conti- nued the life of their husbands, children, &c. how are they dejected ? How do they wring their hands and beat their breasts? Whereas, if by carelessness, if by the neglect of their duties, if by evil example they have destroyed their souls, they are not troubled about these matters. 4* How do you account meanly of all that take pains for their souls ? that wait at the pool of Bethesda, that consult ministers and books, and attend on the ordinances for their souls, whilst you account it your wisdom to lay out the most, if not all, of your time for your bodies ? Hast thou the name of a Christian ? I pray God to let one word sink into thine heart ; thou hast not Christ, thou hast not the Spirit of Christ in thee ; he knows how to value souls, and therefore shed blood for them, and sends his Spirit in the Gos- pel to be importunate for their salvation. CHAP. II. The want of saving Conviction and Compunction in Professors. JTlOW many Professors like Paul, are alive without the Law J How many iike Sardis, have a name to live ; imagine they are aiive, when they O SINS OF PROFESSORf. are dead % How man}* are alive in their own con- ceit, and perhaps in the conceit of others, and yet are void of true supernatural life? How many are contented with their being baptized ? They see no need of Christ, they were born of Chris- tian parents, they are of the stock of Abraham : We have Abraham to oar father. They do not consider how many baptized persons are deadly enemies to Christ, and to their souls : and averse to the ways of holiness ; they will not consider that swearers, drunkards, adulterers have as good claims to Christ and heaven as these have. How many also please themselves with the Religion of Education ? God hath not moulded their hearts, though parents their lives: their parents have taught them some principles of religion, but they are strangers to the wonderful operations and teachings of the Holy Ghost : they have not the tuiction from above, they know not what it is, that teacheth all things ; and yet such as these are alive, i.e. merry, jocund, jovial ; confi- dent if any go to heaven, they shall be of the number. But to speak more particularly. I. How many are there that were never convinc- ed oforiginal sin, imputed, or imparted ? — 1. How few are convinced that Adam was a common per- son, and that we sinned in his Joins, that if he had stood we had stood ; and that it is just with God, that, he shipwrecking himself, we should be counted sinners in him ? We did eat of the forbidden fruit in Adam, we in Adam believed the Devil rather than God ; we in Adam broke with God for toys and trifles ; we were ungrate- ful, disobedient in him ; we apostatized in him, and broke covenant with God in him ; hence by one man's offence sin entered into the world, and death by sin, for that (as Levi paid tithes in Abraham, so) we became rebels against the Ma- jesty of Heaven in our first parents. When did Their Regardlessness of Souls. 7 you shed a^tear for Adam's suvibr your and his grand provocation ? 2. How few see Adam's sinful nature imparted to them ? — They see not their inward part is very zcickedness, nothing but wickedness. Few see what a sad apostacy from the perfection of man's nature sin hath brought into the world,, and how black an image of Satan it hath drawn upon the soul ; they never saw what filthy, dirty, loath- some things they are in the eyes of God : they never saw their noisomeness and venom, the garbage and malignity of their hearts. How few see a general defect of all righteousness and holiness, wherein at first they were created ? How few are convinced of an antipathy to all that is good ? That they are haters of God by na- ture ; that they are dead in trespasses and sins, a more dreadful state than if they were rotting in their graves ; that they have an ocean of cor- ruption within them, that will never be dried up in this life ; that they have a worse leprosy than that amongst the Jews, which got into the walls, and would never out till the house was demolish- ed ; who (almost) thinks so sadly of themselves? They bless God their hearts are good, though they be the worst of men, pray not, slight ordi- nances, closet duties, and family worship lie neg- lected ; yet the Devil persuades them all is well, their hearts are good : though the heart of man by nature be like hell itself, whose fire of lust is unquenchable ; though it be like Peter's great sheet which he saw in the vision, full of all un- clean things. Though it be a receptacle of all impiety, yet how few turn their eyes inward to see their natural deformities? Alas ! all the venom the snake sends forth, is nothing to the poison that lies in its nature : and all those monstrous impieties which the lives of S SINS OF PROFESSORS. men are tainted with, are not to be compared with the venom that lurks in the heart of every man by nature. Men would not glory in their blood and descent, did they but believe how sin descended and was conveyed. Men could not content themselves to walk heavily under some actual misdemeanors, were they convinced of the body of sin within them, their greatest sor- rows would be for their sinful propensities-: nei- ther would you wonder at any impieties and enor- mities in the earth, but would admire at the re-* straints of Heaven, that they are no greater. Alas ! if the reader, were left to himself, he would presently lay hands on his nearest rela- tions, and on himself. Certainly the reason why we turn not canibals, why every man is not a Sodomite, a murderer, an oppressor, 8cc. is, be- cause God hath a rein on the heart, and curbs it for the continuation of mankind, that other- wise would soon be destroyed. The great boun- dary of the seas, and of the ocean of corruption,, j the Sovereign above. But O ! how do we com- inend nature ! Such a man hath a good nature : such a man you may trust him, he wrll never commit such abominations. You may as well believe a toad will not poison, or the sea will not overflow the earth, if God leave it to itself. But to descend to particulars. I. How few see the corruption of their mind ? — How few are convinced, that the carnal mind is enmity against God, and is not subject to the /aw of God, neither indeed can be ? How few are sensible, that they are as foolish and in ad as anv Bedlams, in that they please them- selves with that which should be their greatest burden* namely, sin ? They are worse than the bee or ant, for these prepare for a severe hard winter : these provide for hereafter, whilst most Their want of saving Conviction. \) people mind present things, present pleasure, present profit, &c. with the neglect of heaven and future glory : they mind more what to eat and drink, what to have at present for this life, than what to lay up for eternity. They busy themselves to know what is of no consequence, but careless of momentous and eternal matters. How few employ their minds to know God, and how be is to be worshipped and pleased ; but employ themselves in needless and unprofitable speculations, in this, like fools and children, who prefer painted glass before jewels of value ;, they more set by a little mirth and pleasure, than the matters of their salvation ? How are our minds enslaved to our affections : to the more brutish, inferior, and igtioble parts of the soul ; and we love to have it so ? Through this corruption of our minds how do we justify sin, excuse it, and plead for it ? Hence also, there are swarms of idle > confused, impertinent, foolish, ridiculous thoughts, that fill our souls and duties :. seldom in the day, week, or year, any conceptions of God, suitable to his majesty and holiness. How unstable are our minds and judgments, so that we are as reeds shaken with every wind ; now for duty, then soon wheeled off again ; now for re- penting and humbling work, then tired and soon diverted? And if we know the outside of truths, yet how often is that a bar to our closing with Christ, and walking in him ? And yet, though these poor, blind, deluded Bartimeuses fill all our ways and paths, so that wherever we go we meet with them: yet how seldom are any con- vinced of this, how seldom do any cry for eye-salve that they may see? 2. And though not only the mind but the conscience is defiled ; though there be a b5 10 SINS OP PROFESSORS. blindness upon it, whereby it mis-judgeth, and calleth darkness light, and although it be sense- less as a stone, yet few do believe this corruption ; hence they take sanctuary in their consciences, their consciences bear them witness ; though it be bribed and corrupted ; and they have a good conscience, though they know not what conscience is. 3. How few are convinced of the corruption of their will ? — How do they wish that drunken- ness, uncleanness, fee. were no sins ? How do they choose to live a merry, rather than a holy life ; to be the servants of the Devil rather than of God ; to commit sin, and thereby hazard their damnation, rather than to suffer, and through many tribulations to enter into the kingdom of Godi And how gladly would most professors enter and take up their rest in somewhat below God, if they could but enjoy the world according to their will ? 4. Few are convinced of the pollution of their affections.— Though they hate what they should love, and love what they should hate ; they love sin, which they should hate, and hate and slight God, to whom they should give the precedency of their love; though all he in dis- order, all be misplaced ; though God be de- throned, and sin, Satan, and the world beset up above all that is called God j yet few do really believe that such a miserable chaos is upon them. 5. How few are sensible of the corrup- tion of their memories ? Though they are espe- cially charged to remember God, and how to get a possession of him ; and to remember duty, and how to practise; and to remember sin, and how to shun it : yet how soon do they forget such truths, and lodge in their memories injuries, that they may avenge them : and vanities, fool- ish jests, unprofitable toys and tales, to please Their want of saving Conviction. 11 themselves therewith ? You can remember how merry you were such a time, how vain, how your sensualities were abounding ; but you soon forget a sermon ; or, if you remember any thing deli- vered by the preacher, it is that which either concerns others' conditions, rather than your own, or which yields you the least advantages hea- venward, We can remember the fall of Peter much easier than the repentance of Peter, than his bitter weepings : we can remember David's adultery, but not his repentance, and how it broke his bones, and made his bed to swim. II. How few have been convinced that sin is the greatest evil ? — How few have seen it in its perfect odiousness, in its naked face, as that which makes men devils, fighting against God ? How are most strangers to its pedigree, and consider hot the devil to be its father ? We would be thought to have nothing to do with the devil, nor that he hath any thing lo do with us ; we can live in sin, and yet (hypocritically enough) defy the devil and all his works. We can make more moderate constructions, of our sins, and call them the frailties of our flesh ; but he that commits sin is of the devil, i.e. the devil's drudge ; Satan works ki him and by him. If men were convinced of this they would not roll sin under the tongue as it were a sweet morsel: yet bow few see sin to be contrary to the works of God ? Although God had no sooner perfected the goodly fabric of hea- ven and earth, but sin gave a shrewd shake to all, it shook and disjointed all, and had it not been for Christ the great mediator, ii had ruined the whole frame of nature. How lew see sin to be contrary to the will of God ? God saith, I will have this done : I will not do it, saith bin : I will have this suffered, saith God : I will not suffer it, saith sin ; nay, so great is the contest betwixt 12 SINS OF PROFESSORS. sin and God, that if it could, it would un-be God. How few take notice of its contrariety to the very nature of God ? God is good, sin is evil; God is pure, sin is impure. How few believe sin to be universally evil, that there is no good in it ? We cannot persuade men that there is good in poverty, good in disgrace, good in re- proaches with the tongue, and persecutions unto death ; but easily are men persuaded that there is some good in sin. How few are convinced of the miserable effects and consequences of sin t 1 i:e wrath of God is not revealed against their unrighteousness and ungodliness, so as to make their knees to tremble. The hand-writing on the wall is not observed. They are still alive. We cannot for our hearts persuade men to go up to heaven, to see what spoils it made there ; could we herein prevail, then would they infer, that there is more evil in the least sin, than there is good in all the angels of heaven; for that one sin conquered them, and spoiled them of all their beauty, and made them of glorious crea- tures, to become such loathsome and hideous spectacles. Neither can we prevail with any (almost) to take a journey to paradise, to see its venom there ; or to go to the garden, or to Mount Calvary, to sec what work it did there; or to go to hell- gate, to hear the doleful shrieks and cries which it bath caused there. Though God hath said, God shall wound the head qj his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on Still in his trespasses ; — though there is no peace, with my God, to the wicked ; — though sin be the sole object of God's hatred (for God loved the whole creation, till its beauty was blasted and stained by sin) ; — though sin only se- parates between God and souls; — though in the belly of it be found ail miseries, deaths and- Their want' of saving Compunction. 13 hells ; — though it be the founder of all graves, and of Tophet -, — though it fill the conscience with terrors, and hell with fire and brimstone ; — yet few are affected with the evils of it, but they drink in iniquity as zcater ! III. How few professors are sensible that they are cast by an holy and righteous law ; that they are condemned creatures ? that the wrath of God abideth on them ? — Few have seen the' black cloud full of woes, hrimfull of wrath, ready to empty itself upon their souls : they take no notice, that though the sentence be not executed speedily, yet it is given forth, and there may be but a little breath, and they are gone to perish for ever. How many senseless souls are there in our parishes, whose consciences were never shaken, whose spirits were never wounded, who never received the spirit of bondage to fear, who never knew what a. fearful expectation of judg- ment meant, who go dancing to hell in the devil's chains ; and yet count themselves the noble and gallant spirits, and flatter themselves in their own eyes, and say, zee shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our hearts ? These are (Laodicean-like) rich, and full, and needing nothing, when God is about to s/>we'them out of his mouth, as we discharge our stomachs of some loathsome surfeits. These are wiser in their own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. Though one minister after another en- deavour with scripture upon scripture to con- vince them of, and to prick them to the heart for, their sin and danger ; yet they are boisterously confident a?id presumptuous, that they shall get to heaven as soon as any precise ones in the country. Never did man break one night's Meep upon their sinful and lust condition by na- ture J— -never did they loathe their ordinary food, or feel the smart of broken bones, as David 14 SINS OF PROFESSORS. did, though they have sinned at a greater rate ; — never did they know what a wounded spirit meant, what anguish of soul was ; — never did they feel God's wrath, or sin a burden insupport- able ; — they were never pricked at the heart, so as to cry out, What shall I do to be saved? What shall I do to have my sins pardoned ? Would you know the reason of all this security ? Alas ! they are dead in sins and trespasses. A dead condi- tion is an insensible condition : death deprives of sense as well as life ; the dead are not frighted with the swords and pistols at their breasts ; the dead fear not, though threatened with fire and brimstone ; the dead hear not, though God be upon Mount Ebal thundering curses upon curses : the dead see not, though sin be so ugly a mon- ster, and hell so frightful a place ; the dead smell not, though sin si inks worse than the vomit of dogs, than rotten sepulchres, or than the cor- rupted matter of the most loathsome disease : it offends not the dead to have this stinking car- rion always in their bosoms. The dead feel not, though that which is heavier than mountains of lead be lying on their backs ; they groan not, neither do they complain so much as Cain did ; they do not go softly in the bitterness of their souls by reason of their sins. Many cannot say with Hannah, that ever they were ol fa sorrowful spirit. Though there be so many curses upon the heads of all natural persons, though there be an entail of wrath upon the heads of the very sins they live in : though their sins, are or may be circumstantiated, to a greater degree than any of the Scripture-offenders that we read of, as being committee! under the open sun of the Gospel ; — though hell be open to receive them every moment, whilst impenitent, whilst hard- ened ; — though the valley of Ilinnom is making room for them, to entertain them with the ven- Their want of saving Humiliation. 15 geance of a justly provoked God ; — yet few fear, few work out their salvation with weeping eyes, and trembling hearts: they are still alive zvithout the law ; they never walked softly with Anab, or were under soul-trouble with Judas ; they fall short of the pangs and sense of hypocrites ; Alas ! I pity these secure souls : how short they will fall of their hopes, and how far short of hea- ven ! IV. How few are sensible that all this while the devil works in them, as in his workhouse ? That he possesseth the heart of every unregenerate man ? The strong man keeps the house ; and so all is quiet. It Mas a sad day when the abomination of desolation should be seen standing in the holy place ; but what are abominable men to abomi- nable devils ? They did but exercise their cruel- ties on the bodies of the Jews, but how many devils have their walks in the hearts of natural men and women ? If thou ait in thy blood, the devil hath entered into thee as sure as ever he entered into the herd of swine, and so hurrieth thee into base lusts, as he carried them headlong into the sea. CHAP. UT. The want of saving Humiliation in Professors. XF men are sensible of their sin and misery, yet how many are going about to establish their own righteousness "t Though some are convinced of the ugliness of sin ; of the misery by sin ; yet they are not fully convinced that the covenant of works requires personal, and constant obedi- ence, that it admits not of repentance, that it accepts not of tiie will for the deed ; but l6* SINS OF PROFESSORS. curseth every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law to do them ; so that, it" there be a failure by a vain thought, the conditions of that covenant are broken, and nothing, save J earful expecta- tions, should seize on such a soul. Few, I say, believe this: but though they are bankrupt chil- dren of Adam, yet they hope by their peddling. wares to set up again, and maintain themselves, without being beholden to any other for procur- ing salvation : hence they pray who were pray* erless before ; hear, and perhaps with much di- ligence, who were wont to play away the sabbath and sermon-time ; and reform in many things ; and now, Soul, fake thine ease, thou hast goods laid up in store for many years, yea, for etei nity ; thou art converted sure, and so think all the neighbourhood: O! what a change is here! The man was a drunkard, not so now ; an adul- terer, a profane Belial ; but now civilized, yea, a devout man ; serious, that was flashy before; and touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Now he is alive indeed ; his consci- ence is pacified, which before tioui^ed him ; he can hear the word gladly, which before was bur- thensome to him ; he can pray with affection, and with some delight, when before all the ordi- nances of heaven were tedious and intolerable burthens to him. Now he thinks, sure I have life within me, lam not dead. He sees not all this while, that he must have life from without, and ability from without: he doth not vet say, mine iniquities are gone over mine head, as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am notable to look up. No no, he can look up with confidence, and cull God Father ; and though sometimes he provokes God, yet he is secure.. Their want of saving Humiliation, 17 He doth not see that he is dead, i. e. damned, and insufficient of himself to think any thing as of himself but all Wis sufficiency is of God. He thinks he is not utterly unable to make amends for his sins, nor quite dead, for he can pray, &,c. He sees not that it is as easy to make new worlds, as to put up one acceptable prayer to God. He sees not that he needs an almighty power to ena- ble him to perform his duties, and infinite satis- faction to discharge him of his debts. He is somewhat sensible of his danger by sin, but he eyes not him that is mighty to save. He looks for help within, but not without. He sees no absolute necessity for Christ all this while. He sees not that all his righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight, and that all his duties fill up the catalogue of his sins, He sees not that there is no salvation in any other, save Jesus Christ, because there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. He hopes to go to heaven through- doors of his own : the door of repentance, the door of reformation, the door of good works, &c. Hence he takes hold of the mercy of God, and the promises of par- don, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un- righteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, yea, he will abundantly pardon. " Thus have I done, (saith this awakened person) and now my case is good. O ! I would not be in my old mires for a world ! O what a change is here ! I was a careless wretch, careless of God, and my soul, careless of praying, reading, hearing, &c. not so now." And now that the house out of which- the unclean spirit is gone, is swept and garnished, he carrieth it high, and little thinks he, that seven worst spirits are entering in. This is the case of jttultitudes of professors, whom Christ will never 18 SINS OF PROFESSORS. see nor save, for that they are not lost, they arc not succourless and helpless, they think they may save themselves from the wrath to come. They see not that there is a satisfaction to be made to Divine Justice, which the} 7 cannot make ; where- fore their hopes are from their reformations, not from Christ ; their peace is from their perform- ances, not from Christ's blood of atonement ; All these have I kept from my youth up. Hence he is confident; not from Christ's com- ing under the law : hence he is diligent in prayer, &c. but careless of the way of Faith ; hence he blesseth himself in his own performance, and is no way taken up with what Christ hath done and suffered for him. Moses is magnified and Christ is slighted : Duties are set up and Faith neg- lected : Works advanced and cried up, and Faith is little heeded or looked after. How few are there who count, themselves wholly destitute of every good thing, that should make them accept- able unto God ? They lay not the weight of sal- vation upon the grace of God by Jesus Christ., but upon somewh'ii that comes from themselves : they will have a bridge of duties, that shall carry them over the <',iu might as well have drawn water out of the flint, as tears from them ; but the case is altered : " 1 was blind, but now 1 see the deserts of sin, which 1 saw not before; I see it is a fearful thing to sin against God, and now I bewail my sins, and am sorry at heart for them; sure my condition is mended, I thank God L am not as other men, nor as once I was myself, I hope by my tears to wash away m} 7 sinb." All the while Christ lieth without doors, the soul is a stranger to faith in Christ, he se.es not his insuf- ficiencies, he sees not his unworthiness to go to Their zcant of saving Humiliation. 19 heaven and glory ; he sees not his inability to think a good thought ; he hopes without Christ he can do something. If he did judge his con- dition hopeless ; he would tremble, and have no rest in himself till God hath delivered him; he would see an absolute necessity of obtaining Christ and his righteousness, and he would be put off with nothing else. But O ! how hard a work do ministers find it, first to take off men from their sins, and then from confidence in their duties ? We tell men, Christ will have no sharer in the glory of saving lost man ; but people will at least have their works and Christ to divide the spoils, to share in the glory of bringing back lost souls to God. We advise men to lay no weight on their duties, but to lean alone on Christ's merits ; but in vain. Christ saith, If ye seek me, let these go their way, these duties as well as these sins ; but the deaf ear is turned, and we find it much easier [^persuade men their sins will damn them than their duties, whilst Christ is thereby neglected. CHAP. IV. The Miscarriage of Professors about their Soul- troubles. J.F the Spirit of the Lord have convinced men of their danger by their sins, and their own right- eousness ; that they shall see God angry with them, and if their souls remain under trouble and disquiet ; yet, are they not guilty of some, if not all of the following miscarriages ? 1. How few are there that justify God? — Few accept of the punishment of their 20 SINS OF PROFESSORS. iniquities, they do not clear God, as they should, from all unrighteousness. Commonly proud hearts swell and fume against these me- thods of God. Though the filth iness of their hearts be laid open before them, yet they fall not down upon their faces in the acknowledg- ment of theirunworthiness of mercy : few charge themselves and acquit God. They cannot be brought to give God the glory of his righteous- ness, if he should condemn them to the pit of hell ; they do not willingly and uprightly own the desert of damnation, and charge themselves with it as their due portion, and most just inhe- ritance. Few give their cheeks to him that smit- eth, as the Church did ; they do not say, / will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, or with Ezra, thou hast pun- ished us less than our iniquities have deserved, or with Daniel, O Lord! Righteousness belongeth unto thee ; but unto us canWtsioji of face. How seldom do you hear professors with this confes- sion in their mouths, " Lord, I am thy ereature> and thou may est do with thy creature what pleaseth thee ; it pleased thee to put thine image on me, to create me upright, but I have sought out many inventions, I have sold myself for nought, I have preferred the devil's work before thine, and therefore thou mayest abhor me, and give me my portion among the damned crew, and if I i'eei some sparks of hell-fire, in thy wrathful present frowns, it is of thy rich patience and mercy, that they are but sparks ; if thou cast me oft' for ever, it is but what 1 have deserved long ago; it is of the Lord's mercy I was not hurled from the womb or. cradle to hell, because of my native sinfulness, but woe is me, 1 have provoked the pure eyes of thy glorious Majesty days without number, I have been a rebel of Tfieir Miscarriages about Soul-troubles. 21 long standing against thee, my will hath been justling and quarrelling with thine these many years, and therefore it I be sent to hell, thou art righteous and clear when thoujudgest. I can. blame none save myself* if I perish everlastingly, though I have many fears and sorrows on me ; yet blessed be God, they are not the sorrows of hell, thanks be unto the Lord, that I am not yet among the damned ones, roaring in the pit of hell. Few believe they deserve damnation ; hence souls are murmuring at any affliction, at the loss of an husband, child, estate, &c. as if God had dealt hardly with them, in depriving them thus. 2. How few professors when under soul-troubles are willingly under them? — They see not the ad- vantage of having their way hedged up with these thorns. They do not receive the spirit of bondage. They do not accept this punishment ; they take it not kindly at God's hands. Their troubles are involuntary, few kindly works that 1 meet with among awakened and startled professors ; they are held in the chains against their will. How many are afraid of sorrow for sinf Some think it will spoil good faces, and their beauty may be lost through their troubles ; but others think it will bring them to despair, and therefore fare- well to such a preacher ; he is too terrible for their souls. Hence the soul must have his harp to divert him ; the cards must be taken up again ; — some merry books, some romances must be read; — perhaps a play may be seen; — jovial frothy company must be called in ; and all this to divert the soul from minding its danger, lest it be swallowed up of grief, or some unskilful and unfaithful empyrics shall be sent for, to sew pillows under him that he may sleep the quieter. Few, David-like, when their cogitations much trouble them, so that their countenances are 22 SINS OF PROFESSORS. changed in them, keep notwithstanding their mat- ter in their hearts. How few arc active in their soul-troubles ? Retire, and go alone that they may search the Scriptures, and ransack their hearts in order to contrition and humiliation of their hearts ? How few are gladdened by any por- tion of God's word, that brings their sinfulness and self-fulness to remembrance, and causeth any meltings of heart and humblings of soul un- der it? How do some professors quarrel with their ministers, and snarl at the books that give them trouble of spirit? 3. How few mourn for sin upon spiritual ac- counts ? That their God is dishonoured, their good and gracious God who hath done so much for them, &c. doth not chiefly cut their hearts ; against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight ; but perhaps they are trou- bled for wronging themselves, endangering themselves, 8cc. They cry as dogs ; when they have done a fault, they fear the whip and so they howl. 4 How many professors mourn for their sins, yet live in the continual practice of them ? — Not- withstanding their fears ; vet their hearts are in league with their lusts: Thus, like the scolds at Billingsgate, they are soonout and soon in again with their lusts ; but few, whilst mourning for their sins, are solicitous and careful which way God may have satisfaction for the injuries that have been done unto him : Tlie mourning of many professors lasts uo longer than the trouble of conscience : as soon as the guilt of sin is re- moved, as they hope, their mourning ceaseth, though the strength of sin be as great as ever. 5. Among the multitudes professing religion, how many seek for grace, in order to their com- fort ? Joy, peace, comfort, being their great end, but how few seek for comfort in order to grace ? Their Ignorance of Christ. Q$ G. How few mourn for the slightings of Christ ? —It is more natural and so more easy to mourn for sins against the law, than those against Christ and his Gospel ; therefore if there be many tears shed for neglect of prayer, theft, perjury, &c. yet how few are found mourn- ing for undervaluing and rejecting Christ and his tenders? Whose soul cries out, "O! how unkind have I been to Christ ? O ! that he should come out of his Father's bosom for me, come under the law, yea die for me ; and yet I should keep him out of doors: that the Son .of God, that the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of his person, the up- liolckr of all things by the zcord of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, and sat down on the right hand oj the Majesty on high, should stoop so low as to stand at the door and knock, and yet that I should not let him in ! Break, heart ! break into smali dust; be trembling all over for thy un kindnesses to so great, so rich, so good a friend ! O wretch that I have been ! What more kindness co my dog, my cat, &c. ? If my dog be whining at the door, he hath ad- mittance, and yet thou shut out; O, I abhor myself in dust before thee ! / meet with few of these mourners. $4 SINS OF PROFESSORS. CHAP. V. Professors ignorant of Christ : their temporizing : their making base Capitulations zcith Christ. H, OW many are ignorant of Christ, and of what use he is to perishing souls ? — They know no more the gift of God, than the Samaritan woman did ; they know not what an excellent gift Christ is, that he is the fountain of living water, and therefore ask nothing of him. It is one thing to hear of a Christ, and another thing to know Christ. How few know Christ to be their only life ? If you did believe, that he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life ; and that zchoso jindeth me (Christ) jindeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord : but he that sinneth against me (Christ) wrongeth his own soul ; all they that hate ?ne (Christ) love death. Upon such a conviction, what would you not give for life? Esau will part with his birthright to preserve his life. The woman will part with her whole estate to recover health, and to secure herself from the grave. Of all blessings we value life mostly, but few have such esteems of Christ. Few can say as Paul, What things zcere gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ : yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knozv- (edge of Christ Jesus my Lord ;for whom 1 have suffered the loss oj all things, and do count them but dung that I may zcin Christ ; and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the lazv, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness zchich is of God by Their Ignorance of Christ, 25 &ith. I determined not to knozv any thing save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Or with David, Whom have 1 in heaven but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee. Few- look on Christ as the original of their life, that they must live, move, and have their being in Christ, and from Christ alone ; that they are dead without him ; and hence their desires are not after him. If you knew that you want Christ more than bread and water, then would you cry out, Lord, give me Christ ! None but Christ, none but Christ ; in him is my help, in him is my salvation. He is the author of all our good affections, and of all our gracious abili- ties ; but alas '.blind man sees him not in his use- fulness. What is thy beloved more than another beloved ? He Imth no form nor comeliness ; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that zee should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men. Men must die and be damned, without a Christ ; but they know it not, they know no good that Christ is, and no good that Christ brings. II. How many serve their turns of Christ, close with Christ for their own ends ? When men have served their turns one of another, away they go : so these troubles they have ; and ease they would have ; they have stayed off from Christ as long as they could ; they have tried worldly comforts, they will not do ; they have tried du- ties, they will give no rest ; and therefore in the terror of their spirits, they must have Christ, so much of him as may give them quiet and rest. Men are weary of the bands and fetters wherein they are held under the law ; they would fain be delivered from Satan that torments them, and from the sins that now stare them in the face : 26 . SINS OF PROFESSORS. they groan under the weight of the wrath of God, but not under the body of sin ; Satan as a tor- menter is unwelcome, but as a tempter is still liked well enough. "0 ! lam afraid I shall go to Hell. O ! if there be no other way to escape, but through Christ, O ! then for a Christ ; then sermons and ministers are welcome, in hopes of bringing in (not so much a Christ as) peace, and comfort to the troubled spirit." So that men use Christ as sick men take meat, not for love of it, or liking to it, for their stomachs rise against it, but for fear of death, which makes them force themselves to eat. Though many come to Christ, it is by con- straint, not willingly, not with delight, not as an healthy man comes to a full table, to feed with pleasure. Many to avoid a greater mischief, to avoid damnation, to avoid eternal torments,will go to Christ in their sore extremities: they will then make large concessions, take up great reso- lutions against their sins, pray to God, and with vehemencv and constancy, so as they never prayed before ; but upon case to the imposthum- ed matter, upon recoveries out of their troubles, they become if not profane, yet worldly and neg- ligent of Christ, his person, his laws, his con- cernments. They have of Christ what they came for : They come to Christ, as some come to shops, not to have all in the shop, but what they immediately want ; they want comfort, and therefore they venture as the lepers to the camp of the Syrians, they had no love to them, they counted them their enemies ; but if zee stay here we perish, or as ladies use litters to carry them over the dirt ; or as we use a pent-house during the storm, and then farewell ; or as passengers the boat, they cry vehemently a boat ! a boat ! and as soon as they are ferried over the deep, farewel to the boat, they think no more of it. Their serving their Tarns of Christ. 27 When he slew them, then they sought him : and they returned and inquired early after God. Then, never before, and never after. Undoubt- edly multitudes have .been affrighted to Christ, who were never truly and thoroughly converted to him, and have left their sins from compulsion of their judgment, not from the propension of their will : not from any love they have born to Christ : they love to be safe, but still hate to be holy. O ! O ! how many are herein deluded, who have pretended a great deal of love to Christ, whilst base self, the love of pleasure and ease, and to be exempted from horrors and fears, hath been the bias that hath drawn them to Christ ! 1 appeal to thy -conscience, whether Christ be valued, be looked after, save in a strait ? When trouble is upon tbee, then the physician is sent for ; but when the pang is over, the physician's company is too chargeable, is no way desirable ; the sooner he turns his back the better. When women are great with child, and when men and women both hear it thunder, and see it lighten, when the arrows of the Lord fly thick, and a great mortality is sweeping many to the grave, O ! then, how shall I get Christ r then books are read, sermons heard and valued, prayers not neg- lected ; but when the fears of death are over, O ! then who will shew us any good ? Then redeem lost time, not for God and souls, but for the world ; then head and ears in the world again, then secret prayer is neglected ; then the bible lies in a dusty corner, not viewed till the next storm arise ; and then Christ must be awakened with Master, carest thou not that we perish t I will tell you what your ministers have told you before, Sin and the world were your companions in the days of health, ease, and peace ; and Christ your desire in cloudy days, h is not so ? C 2 * 23 SIKS OR PROFESSORS. If Christ in the day as well as in the night, lie* chief between thy breasts, thou hast cause to say Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. But 1 fear most pitch on Christ for themselves, and not for Christ. Christ in the time of contagion shall go for some- thing, but Christ in the days of health and ease shall be valued no more than a mere chimera, a cipher, a nothing. It is one thing to take Christ to pacify the conscience, and another to take him to purify the heart. An unquiet conscience is to most a greater burden than an insensible, seared, and polluted conscience, than an impure heart. O repent of thy jugglings with Christ. They did fatter him with their mouths, and they lied unto him with their tongues. They pretend to come to Christ in order to service and obedi- ence, when all the while they serve themselves on Christ. 111. How many have base capitulations with Christ ; Many come running to Christand ask him, ;is the man in the Gospel, Good master, what shall I do, that I may i?ihe? it eternal life? Christ tells him and them Go thy way, sell whatever thou hast a?id give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, take up the cross, and follow me. But as he, so they are discontented. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved for he had great possessions. Undoubtedly many hypocrites iiave some glimpse of Christ's glory, and they run to Christ, whilst others deride him; they like not the price that Christ sets ; they would have Christ on their own terms. Christ's terms are to have the heart ; My son, give me thy heart ; do not lend it only, but give ; give it cheerfully, give it presently, give me it now : now, that it is called to-day, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the Base Capitulations with Christ. £9 provocation. Give me thy heart, to be framed and fashioned by me, to be stamped and sealed by me ; be no longer thine own : I will not be content that thou lend me thy heart for a sab- bath, or for a day of prayer, and then thou call for thine heart again, and bestow it upon thy lusts ; give me thine heart, and do not sell it for base ends, for base respects : give me thine heart, do not keep it to thyself; lay up and leave thine heart in my hand, for me to keep it for thee. But alas I how shamefully do we break with Christ f We would live as we list, and do as we list. We are content to give Christ the body, the outward man, the ear, the tongue, the head, &c. but we reserve our hearts for the service of the world and of sin ; or if we are per- suaded to give the heart ; yet it is but a divided heart, not the whole heart, but a piece of it. Thou shah love the Lord thy Godzvith all thine heart, saith Christ; but pride, covetousness, and voluptuousness would fain have a share ; hence no full closings between Christ and many profes- sors ; Christ and they part. They, as some cus- tomers, seem to commend the wares, but they like their money better. Few see themselves so miserable without a Christ, as to come up to the price. Their cursed leagues with base lusts bind them so fast in chains, that they cannot, they will not come up to Christ's proposals, to Christ's demands ; they will treat with Christ on no other terms, unless they may have the pleasures of sin, and may fulfil the lusts of the rlesh ; but if conscience be disquieted and troublesome, then they make new offers ; they will leave many sins, they will except but one ; there is but one ex- ception they have, and if that may be accepted, then they are Christ's ; they have but one reserve. These swine are contented to escape the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord SO SINS OF PROFESSORS. and Saviour Jesus Christ, so they may have one mire to return to, and wallow in. If Christ will stoop to these terms, then welcome Christ ; if one sin and Christ may share the heart betwixt them the man is contented ; but few are con- tented that every knee should bow, that every sin be parted from. Tht Lord be merciful to me if I bow in the house of Rimmo?i. No, saith Christ, all or none. If the conscience be not quiet upon this ; then, as mariners throw over- board their goods, their jewels, their bales of silk, and other pleasant wares in a tempest, to ease the vessel, which they wish for in a calm, and labour to fetch up again, if it be possible, when the storm is over ; so many professors will part from all the practice of sin, throw all over- board, as the mariners did Jonah, though much against their will, in hopes of riding out the storm, and then wish for their lasts again, yea, with the dog, return unto the vomit, and with the sow to zzallow in the mire. Doubtless many, like him, who had a mind to his kinsman's land, and would have paid the purchase money., but liked not the terms of marrying Ruth. They would have Christ by the purchase of their duties : they hope by the stock of prayers, tears, and obedi- ence to purchase Christ, but will not march with Christ, and have the inheritance by that way of conveyance. That man liked Ruth's means but not Ruth's person, and many like somewhat of Christ, but not his person, not all of Christ ; they like Christ's pleasant summers, but not his pinch- ing winters ; love and like his heaven, but not his severe commandments ; they like his sacri- fice, but not his service. Many peddling cus- tomers Christ hath, but few, very few, who will come roundly up to Christ's offers, and take all off his hands. They would take ofr his mercy, his peace, his righteousness ; but not his Spirit* Base Capitulations with Christ. 31 Ills grace, his holiness, &c. What saith Christ ? " If you will have my comforts, you must have me too ; if my pardons, my person too ; you must take me as well as mine ; you must have me as well as my heaven." This makes many go away sorrowful again, " If you will have me, saith Christ, you must be at some cost, at some pains and trouble to enjoy me; nothing of me or mine is got without difficulty and industry; your cold prayers must not suffice, your lazy hearings are not enough ; you must watch your hearts all the day long, you must make a cove- nant with your eyes, and keep your lips as with a bridle. Are ye so contented ? " "Oh! 'no,, saith the slothful professor, I would go to heaven on a feather-bed., I would be contented to pray now and then, morning and evening, so I may be at my own disposal all the following hours." "Hearken, O daughter, and consider and incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people and thy father's house. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty ;for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him. "Three alls I expect you part with, saith Christ. .1. All your sinful lusts, all" the ways of the old Adam ; our father's house. Ever since Adam's apostacy, God and man have parted houses. Ever since, our father's house is an house of ill manners, an house of sin and wickedness. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him retain unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 2. All your worldly advantages. By faith, Moses when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the trea- sures in Egypt ; for he had respect unto the re- 32 STNS OF PROFESSORS. compence of the reward. If any man come unto me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. He that hath all these must be re*ady to part with all ; they are joined not disjunctively but copu- latively. 3. Ail self, self-will, self-righteousness, self-sufficiencies, self- confidences ; and self-seek- ings. But Oh ! how do many pretenders to Christ hate these proposals ? I can tell you what many of your terms are, I will have a Christ if I may live as I list, and love as I list ; I'll indent with Christ to make much of him when my con- science gnaws and troubles me, so I may but dismiss him when I have sung lullaby to con- CHAP. VI. The delays of Professors in closing with Christ. IV.JLXOW many do delay in'their coming to Christ ! And O ! what indignities are herein put upon Christ ! How long ddth he stand at the doors of sinners ere they let him in. My head, saith Christ, is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. Though he limit sinners to a day, To-day if ye will hear his voice, &c. Though our life be even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away, ready every moment to expire ; — though we must needs perish and be damned, if we believe not in him before we die ; He that btlitveth not shall be damned : — though nozv is the accepted time ; — though the Spirit may never invite more : My Spirit shall not always strive with man ; — though we are not sure of one day of grace more ; — yet Their Delays in believing Christ. 33 how do many hazard their eternity rather than they will }^et be beholden to Christ for life and salvation ? Though they may have his righteous- ness, his redemption, his spirit, his image, his heaven, his glory, his love, his honour, his inhe- ritance by coming to him, yet what trifling de- lays are men's hearts filled with ! Though they are actually condemned by the law for their ca- pital offences, for high treason against the ma- jesty of heaven, and pardons be offered freely by Jesus Christ unto them, if they will but accept of hi in and them, yet so is Christ fallen in the account of them, who vet are nominal Christians, that they will hazard their souls, rather than they will yet be so much beholden to Christ. This desperate enmity against Christ and his of- fers is the condemning sin. This is the condem- nation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. All other sins were nothing to this ! What ! when God hath limited thee to a day, wilt thou, darest thou carelessly mis- pend that one day, when thou art not sure of another ? Believe it, your trifling delays are more hideous sins, do more stain your souls and pro- voke God, than drunkenness and natural lusts in such as never had one of your calls. How darest thou, having so many ways transgressed against this God, having provoked him to wrath by so frequent breaches of his holy law, to add to all these iniquities thy trifling delays of coming unto Christ that thou may est be pardoned ? How darest thou, when lying under the wrath of a just- ly incensed God, send away Christ, as Felix did Paul, with Go thy way for this time y zvhen I have a convenient season I will call for thee : when, wretch, is that convenient season ? Is it then when thou hast served the devil some weeks, c 34 SINS OF PROFESSORS. months or years longer? when thou hast spent all the flower of thy time and strength in the service of hell ? Must then Christ have the dregs of thy time ? Must he have nothing but Satan's leavings ? ! doubtless, for these delays is Christ's wrath ready to be poured out upon this nation to the uttermost. The Lord Jesus shall be re- vealed jrom heaven, in flaming fire, taking ven- geance on them that obey not the Gospel of oar Lord Jesus Christ ! By delaying to hearken to Christ's calls and invitations thou tellest Christ to his face, that he is not altogether lovely, that he is not the fairest of ten thousand, that there is somewhat in sin's service and the Devil's that is more desirable than can be had in Christ's. And canst thou imagine such blasphemy, (viz. To tell Christ to his face that thou valuest thy lusts above the enjoyment of himj is not provoking ? ! if these come over fully to Christ, if Christ's patience be extended yet longer, and they be at length won to him, how will they befool them- selves that they came into Christ's service no sooner? Nimis sero teamavi. " O ! I have loved thee too late. Oh the joy, the unspeakable joy 1 have lost ! Oh ! the peace that I might have had ! Oh the assurance of God's love that my soul might have been filled with ! Oh the experi- ences of the grace of God, that f might have had, if 1 had come in to Christ on Christ's first call and entreaty! Oh the opportunities of service that I might have had, when the marrow was in my bones, when I was young and fresh for duty ! Oh ! how good it had been if [ had borne Christ's yoke (sooner) in my youth ? O the many sins that I have been guilty of ! Oh ! how long with- stood J the grace of God, and grieved the Spirit of God ! Oh! what a burden was I to Christ's ministers, and much more to Christ himself?" — > But God alone knows, how soon his Spirit shall Their Delays in believing Christ* 5* cease striving with these poor souls, and how Jong they shall be within a capacity of obeying the heavenly call. The Jews have a rule, that if a man vows any service to God before he dies, he must do it presently, because he may die pre- sently. Death and Hell are described coming on horseback in full speed. Ask thyself there- fore Jeremiah's question, Can 1 outrun or escape these horsemen? However, through the great and wonderful averseness there is in men's hearts from Christ, they stay and linger fake Lot in So- dom, that if God do not work a miracle upon them and for them, they will perish in the flames. They know what the foolish virgins lost by their delays ; all is one, no coming to Christ, as long as possibly they can make any shift to live with- out him, and until an Almighty power exert it- self on their souls, to make them willing of a Christ. One hath a wife, another a yoke of oxen, all of them some business or other to de- tain them for the present from Christ. Tney do not utterly deny to come, but at present they have such employments, as that they have no present freedom to wait upon him. The Son of God must dance attendance on them, they must be banqueting with the devil within, and Christ must stand without, yea, wait their leisure, till they receive him in. There are several sorts of these delaying professors. 1. Some (and they the worst sort) from their great love to their lusts, and to the comforts and sensualities of this life, which they fear, when they are under Christ's yoke they shall be be- reaved of, delay coming to Christ. Sin hath so rooted itfelf in their hearts and affections, that they areloath to takea final faie\vell thereof, loath to mortify their earthly members . sin is so pre- valent with them, that they had rather part from their right eye, hand, and foot, than part from" $6 SINS OF PROFESSORS. their sins ; hence they choke their convictions what they can, admit of any pleasures and di- versions, to wear out the impressions made on their consciences, that they may still lodge sin in their bosoms, and not come to Christ ; hence they labour to quench the Spirit of God, and through the prevails of spiritual sloth, will not use the means, whereby they may be fully con- verted to Christ. They pretend they are fully desirous of Christ, only they doubt whether Christ is willing to receive them ; but that which lieth at the bottom is this, they are loath to leave their darling lusts, and loath to pray and search their hearts, and to do what God desires and expectsat their hands, in order toconversion. You may imagine God is highly provoked here- hy : for God to send his Son unto you, the best jewel that ever lay in his bosom, and for you to neglect and undervalue him, and prefer swinish lusts before him, — this is a plain argument that you never saw sin aright in its nature and effects, and that you do not credit God in his discove- ries of the glory of his Son. You do not believe you are so miserable with- out a Christ as indeed you are ; you slight the greatest gift that ever God conferred upon the children of men ; you make void the great coun- sels of God, all the thoughts of his wisdom and grace in contriving such a way, as by Jesus Christ to save you from wrath to come ,• you also frustrate the expectations of God, lor surely (saith God) they will reverence my Son ; whereas, by your trifling delays, you tell God and men, that you believe not any advantage you shall have by the Son of God ! you think it will be to your loss to receive in the Lord of glory. He tells you, Ye shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house , and ye shall drink of the riven of his pleasures. He tells you, he hath Their Delays in believing Christ. 57 gathered his myrrh with his spices; he hath wine, milk, and homy. You cry out, I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on, &c. A little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to sleep. You are told of joys unspeakable and full of glory ; of peace that passeth alt understanding ; of eternal life by knowing Christ. You are told, you can never be reconciled unto God, but by Christ; that he must end all controversies be- tween Christ, and your souls ; that he is able: to save to the uttermost, all that come unto God by him ; that his word is more desirable than gold ; yea, than much Jine gold. But all this prevails not with you. When I have a convenient season, &c. Yet 1 cannot, I pray have me excused. He tells you, If ye believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins ; and that he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, yet delays still. He tells you. Blessed is the man that heareth me, and whoso jindeth mefindeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come to him,, and will sup with him, and he with me. I am the word of life, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believetli on me shall never thirst. He tells you, of strangers and enemies you shall become children, and yet this seems a light matter, to be so near related to the King of kings. Is not this England's great provocation, to refuse so great an honour and dignity ? He assures you, there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ. And shall he not condemn wretches, that slight the pardons that are offered to them ? These must expect a double wrath. Of how much sorer pu- nishment shall they be thought worthy, &c. 2. Others, in imitation of the old Adam, be- lieve the Devil before God, credit his suggestions 8$ SINS OF PROFESSORS. beyond all God's discoveries. O! what a black grained sin is this ? Saith the Devil, You have sin- ned against light, and therefore Christ will not fa- vour voc: Saith God, Let the nicked forsake his hay and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and I Wilt abundantly pa rrfow. Saiili the Devil, You have sinned m6re than others, you have provoked God exceedingly, and therefore never hope tor saving benefit by Christ's death . Saith God, Cease i<> do evil, learn to do well. Come now and let us reason together, though your sins he as scarlet they shall be as white as snow. Saith the Devil, You have sinned not only against the law, but against the gospel, you have neglected Christ : Saith God, Every sin against the Son oj man shall be forgiven, Saith the Devil, You have no right to Christ.it is in vain to come : Saith God, Whosoever belieieth shall not perisit. Saith the Devil, Your day of grace is past : Saith God, To day, whilst it is called to-day. hear his voice. Saith the Devil, God never intended you good, you are a vessel of dishonour : Saith God, As I live 1 desire not the death of a sitorier, hut that he turn and live* Now I pray consider, whether God takes it kindly at your hands, that you should lay more weight on the father of lies than on the faithful God > who hath promised and cannot lie; who mast cease to be Go i in that very moment wherein he ceaseth to be true. You perhaps deceive your- selves with the Pharisees' comforts. You are not cs these harlots, f s these publicans, no drunkards, &c. but little think thai you put the he upon- God. You believe the enemy more than the friend. O ! v hat a provocation is this ! 3. Others through th*> pride of their hearts, will not come as yet unto Christ. They have no n.ind to submit to the righteousness of faith. He is judged a proud man (without a jury sitting on him) who when condemned will not submit, will Their Delays in believing in Christ. 39 not stoop so low as to accept of a pardon. I must indeed correct myself, men are willing to be justified ; but they would have their duties to purchase their peace and the favour of God : they scorn to be beholden to Christ. Thousands will die and be damned rather than they will have a pardon upon the sole account of Christ's merits and obedience. O the cursed pride of the heart ! When will men cease to be wiser than God ? To limit God ? When will men be con- tented with God's way and method of saving them by the blood of the everlasting covenant ? How dare men thus to prescribe to the infinitely wise God ? Is it not enough for thee that thy de- struction is of thyself? But must thy salvation be of thyself too ? Is it not enough that thou hast wounded thyself? But wilt die for ever, rather than be beholden to a plaister of free grace ? Wilt be damned unless thou mayest be thine own sa- viour ? God is willing (so God loved the world that he gave his Son) : Art thou so proud as that thou wilt not be beholden to God ? Thou wilt deserve, or have nothing. What shall I say ? Poor thou art, and yet proud, thou hast nothing but wretchedness and misery, and yet thou art talking of a purchase. This is a provocation. God resisteth the proud, especially the spiritually proud. He that is proud of his clothes and pa- rentage, is not so contemptible in God's eyes, as he that is proud of his abilities, and so scorns to submit to God's methods for his salvation by Christ, and his righteousness alone. 4. Others, through their ignorance and weakness stay off from Christ, in hopes of work- ing that which cannot be wrought without a Christ. Were their hearts so humbled and melt- ed, as such and such are, could they see all their sins subdued, were their hearts more fitted and prepared for to lodge so great a friend, they 40 SINS OF FllOFESSOES. would then close with the promises, with Christ ; whereas they should come to Christ ; as soon as they apprehend they are poor, blind, and naked,- for them he calls and invites. But alas ! a sight of their wants is a bar to their coming. They would have the fruits first, and then the tree ; have their hearts purified, and then come to Christ (who is appoint td by God to be sanctifica- tion to than). God comes by his Spirit to con- vince them of their sinful nature and weakness, on purpose that they, seeing their necessity of Christ, might fly to him, as their city of refuge, and they are driven farther off by the sight of their sins and unworthiness. Whereas they should come to Christ as to a magazine and store- house, and wait on him, in the use of means, for the broken heart, the pure heart, and all other spiritual mercies, which their' souls are yet des- titute of, but they will not. Q faithless genera- tion ! How long shall I be with yon f how long shall I suffer you? Christ is put to the utmost of his patience to bear out with unbelief. 5. Others through some kind of seeming modesty and tenderness, delay in their coming to Christ. They are afraid of abusing the holi- ness and justice of God, if they should hope for any privilege in the blood of Christ, and mercies of God. " What mercy ! mercy for me ? me a proud wretch, an unclean wretch, an enemy to God, a slighter of his Spirit ! I deserve nothing but hell. What! heaven for me? 1 have af- fronted the majesty of the great God. And what ! — This God bestow a Christ on me ? Who can believe, that the just God, who turned down the glorious angels to hell for one transgression, will save me, who have committed more sins in num- ber than the hairs on my head, than the sands on the sea shore? And what mercy for me r Shall I have a Christ I Will Christ accept of me, who Their Delays in believing in Christ. 4 1 have wronged his Father and him for so many years together ? O ! how long doth many an awakened soul hang in doubts and fears, ere it will venture upon Christ's graciousness alone ; and then when the soul hath long stood out, the fears increase. " I have refused Christ so long ; to all my former transgressions I have added this, my putting off Christ and salvation when freely tendered, and therefore sure I may not now come." And now if Christ offers them mercy, still they are fearful, they cannot believe that Christ is serious and real. O ! by these jealousies of Christ you provoke him not a little. You are ready to say, this is too good news to be true : What is this but to say, the gospel is false, it is no true and faithful word, it is not to be received with all ac- ceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save the greatest of sinners, blasphemers and persecutors of Christ ? This is the great sin that made Christ weep. You seldom find Christ weeping over the idolators of the world : I find him not weeping over Sodom and Gomorrah ; but if Jerusalem refuse Christ, this makes him weep indeed, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, O if thou hadst known even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that concern thy peace ! Christ became a man of sorrows, was acquainted with griefs, &c. in hopes he should see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. It troubles Christ to see thee to go about to make God a liar in his Son, and to be denied thy loves and affections, for whose sake he submitted to his Father's frowns. O ! this sin of unbelief hath great unkindness in it, and therefore no wonder if Christ upbraids for it. A man is properly upbraided, when as the kindness that hath been done to him, is re- pealed to him, together with his ungratefulness. 42 SINS OF PROFESSORS. But what shall I say ? So far are souls from com- ing to Christ, that they do seldom bewail this sin, and seldom seek to God for power against it, and though men pretend they eonnot come to Christ, yet the truth is, they will not (so Mr. Fenner, in his " Wilful f mpenitency" hath abun- dantly proved). The immediate cause of your not coming is not a natural deficiency, but a moral opposition of spirit against Christ. CHAP. vir. Professors receive Christ partially,; — without con- jugal affections ; — and without considering the cost they may be at, V. J F at length men are persuaded to come to Christ, yet they take him partially, both as a king, prophet, and priest. — As their king. They are contented he shall rule in many things, but not in all. Their drudgery to one or two lusts must be preferred before Christ's sceptre and government; some part of Christ's yoke of commandments they will submit to ; but are not pleased that Christ shall impose what he will ; they pick and choose : here they will obey, in another thing, I pray have me excused : few are brought to say, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? Anything Lord, 1 am called to thy feet, as the man of the East was, ready to trudge after thee to the ends of the earth. — As their Pro- phet. Here they divide too ; many things they will learn of Christ, but they must partly lean to their ozc?> understandings, and be taught for doc- trines the traditions of men. They are also par- tial in their closing with Christ as their Priest, They hope to be saved partly by his mediation^ Their partial Reception of Christ, 43 and partly by their own. As the Papists, so many Protestant professors are for a divided Christ ; few are for exalting Christ alone, so as to renounce all other lords, who have had domi- nion over them, and to count all other teachers besides Christ as vain, absurd, unsound, and weak. Few renounce all their own righteousness, to put the crown on Christ's head alone, to make Christ their only mediator, their only intercessor. No, they must have cisterns of their own to keep their water in, and sands of their own to build upon, and so Christ, the elect precious stone is refused by the builders. How many hope to be pardoned partly by Christ, and partly by their civility and new obedience ? They lay their title to God, heaven, and glory, partly from Christ's merits, and partly from their own deserts ; few whose hopes are founded on Christ's satisfaction alone : but their hopes rise or fall according to what they do for him, rather than according to what he hath done and suffered for them : their hopes of acceptance with God are more from their reformations, than from Christ's entering within the vail. If they have peace of conscience they ascribe it to their prayers, rather than to Christ's intercession, and if they pray in secret in their closet, and in their family too, when both before were neglected, they hope to pass by this bridge to heaven; but if it be too short, they will set Christ to patch up what is wanting, that they may land on the other shore. Hence it is that many professors are much more conscientious in their obedience to the moral law, than they are to the law of faith, for that they hope their obedience will stead them as much, if not more than Jesus Christ ; but if they understand that without faith there is no pleasing God, then they will labour for a faith that may justify them, rather as an act of theirs, 44 SINS OF PROFESSOIlb than in respect of the object Christ. Christ is still used only upon necessity, and to make up the want or* somewhat else; but very few dare rest on the merits of Christ alone, so as to see all their righteousness to be as filthy rags. To few is Christ made of God wisdom , righteousness, sanctificatioti and rtdemption. Let me ring a peal in your ears ; u You must receive Christ en- tirely, all Christ, and all of Christ, or you are not Christians, though you have a name to live. Christ is coming to distinguish names from things, and then you will curse the day you had the name, or heard of the name ; you will have your portion with hypocrites. These are indis- pensable terms on which Christ will insist ; all, or none : Christ as a refiner as well as a Saviour ; Christ as a Lord as well as a sacrifice." VI. If men are persuaded in the horror of their spirits to take Christ as priest, prophet and king, as a mere shift, to shift off their troubles and sorrows, and their sins (the occasions of them), yet their hearts stand off from Christ as an hus- band, they have not conjugal affections to him, their hearts are not brought over to him, they receive him not into their bosoms, into their choicest affections all this while. There is still some secret lust more precious than Christ ; he is not the chief corner stone, whereas to them that believe he is precious, exceeding precious. Few, like Paul, determine to know nothing else save Christ and him crucified. One Christ was enough to take up Paul's thoughts to eternity ; he did not care what he was ignorant of, so he knew Christ. Though he was brought up at Gamaliel's feet, he laid down all his knowledge at Christ's feet. ! 1. .Are your hearts so drawn to Christ, as to account him the most necessary good in all the world ? and all other things to be but adjuncts^ Their partial Reception of Christ. 45 so that you are able to live^without them, but not without Christ i Liberty is sweet to a be- liever ; but he can live in a prison, yea, and live merrily too, he can sing there if Christ be within the grate : Bread is sweet, but he can live in a wilderness (a desolate howling desart) and sing there too, as Moses did, if Christ be there, yea and prefer it before Canaan. If thy presence go not with us, carry us not hence. A wilderness with Christ is more precious than a Canaan with- out him. If ye were thorough believers ; the world would not be accounted among the ne- cessaries. One thing is necessary, one, not many. Other things may divert, or may a little refresh, but Christ is the necessary. 2. Is he in a sense the only good to your souls ? Is nothing else good separated from Christ? Give a believer what you will without Christ it weighs nothing ; he droops as the mari- gold when the sun withdraws. What is all this whilst I am Christless ? There is none good but Christ. Iliches are miscalled goods; they are not good save in their reference as they relate to Christ, as they come from Christ, from that bo- som of love, and as they advance Christ, and bring Christ and the soul in nearer communion. If the world in its glory, splendor and fulness, hinder communion with Christ, by deadening, flattening, and distracting the heart, it becomes a burthen : he is burthened with friends, relations^ enjoyments of all sorts, that rob him of Christ, that eclipse the face of the Sun of Righteousness, through their unhappy interposals. What was gain is counted loss. As he enjoyeth much or little of Christ, thereafter he laughs or weeps, he riseth or falleth. In Christ are riches, ho- nours and friends : yea prayers, sermons, sacra- ments, &c. The Lord is the temple; he is all in all : he is all things, and in all things ; not 46 SINS OF PROCESSORS. only by way of merij;, whatever they have or ex- pect, is on Christ's account ; not only by way of conveyance, through him wc have all good com- municated ; not only by way of casualty, as lie workcth all in all, but he is all virtually, he is instead of all things to them, he makes up the defect of all things. If no estate, no friends, no liberty, no health, no comfort, &c. yet the be- liever wanteth nothing; as having nothing and yet possessing all things. Thus the woman told the persecutor, when he threatened her, to de- prive her of her husband, Christ is my husband. Professors look to your hearts, to your affections, and then you will have cause to cry, my leanness, my leanness, zi-oe unto me, I am a dry tree. VI I. How few Christians have in their closing with Christ, considered the cost they may be at? They were told of the cross, but the cross was at a great distance, and things when remote seem little. How many little studied the import of that word cross? What a shameful, painful, tedious death it imports? Something of trouble they would undergo for Christ, but really they never thought of dying for Christ, of spilling their heart's blood for Christ: So that they did not close with Christ understandingly, either they were ignorant of Christ's person, or of the consequents of closing with him ; that they shall be put out of the synagogues, and that the time conieth, that whosoever killeth them, will think that he doth God service. Hence when unexpectedly the ruin descends, the Jloods come , and the winds blozc and beat upon their houses, (the stately spiritual buildings, which they have been erecting) they do not only totter, but fall, and greet is their fall. Even cedars are taken up by their roots. How many in such times put away a good conscience, and concerning faith have made shipwreck ? How many are trees. Their partial Reception of Christ. 47 whose fruit withfti w\ hout fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots t They see not ihe riches of Christ will make them amends for ail these losses and perils: they cannot balance the trou- bles of the flesh with the comforts of the spirit ; the present evil things, with the future inheri- tance in heaven : the temptations they meet with are unexpected. They are hke some ladies that put forth to sea for pleasure; they launch forth towards Christ, but as the king of Navarre, who said, he would not venture further, than he could quickly retreat in case of danger. The storm makes them return to their harbour ; yea, with the dog to the vomit, and the sow to the mire. These poor souls (O that my heart could bleed for them) were willing to come up to some of Christ's terms, to lose a little, nay, to suffer many things, but they could not endure to lose life. O my soul ! weep hi secret for them, when thou considerest that the children of the kingdom (church members) shall be cast out into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnash- ing of teeth. God will not abate a tittle of what he requires, he expects that we take up the cross daily, that we hate life itself, as well as whatso- ever else is near and dear unto us. The condi- tions imposed on his fallen creatures are irrever- sible, he will never stoop lower. O! this makes many a man to go away sorrowful. I beseech the reader to go over the work of conversion again, now that the cross is in sight, now that tribulation ariseth ; now let him see whether Christ is better tha'n name, liberty, friends, rela- tions livelihood, and life itself; and whether he can believe, that he thai will save his life shall lose it, and he that will lose his life for Christ's sake, shall find it, and that with advantage. 48 SINS OF PROFESSORS. f~ CHAP. VIII. i Professors deceive themselves by false Signs of closing with Christ, VIII. JrXOW do many professors shuffle to- gether a company of false signs of closing with Christ? How do they count them trueand infalli- ble, which are but questionable ; yea, which have been found in unsound hypocritical hearts : and so deceive themselves, as if they had a Christ and real grace within them ? How do they live upon these signs comfortably all their days with- out a Christ ? Excuse me, if 1 bring in their pleas and answer them briefly. 1. I am changed from what I was, nay, changed inwardly. So was Saul, And it was so, -that uhen he had turned his hack to go from Sa- muel, God gave him another heart. Thou mayest have another heart, and yet not a new heart. 2. 1 have extraordinary gifts : I was dull, unable to speak of God, tongue-tied among the saints : but L can now hold a discourse with them, and manage some of the highest services as well as they. Might not Saul say so much for himself? had not he the spirit of prophecy to admiration ? When a company of prophets met him, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them : Then the people said one to another, What is this that is come to the so?iofKish? Is Saul also among the prophets? The Spirit of God. uas upon him also at another time, and he went on and prophesied, until he ramc to Naioth in Ramah, and he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in False Views of their Interest in Christ. 4$ like manner, and lay down naked all that day, and all that night. He was^o great a profici- ent, that (as one observes) as soon as he was ad- mitted into the society he commenced doctor, and prophesied with the best of them : they stood and prophesied, he went on, he could run and prophesy ; yea, he was so full of the spirit of prophecy, that he neither eat nor drank, nor slept, nor rose ; but lay down naked all the day, and all the night ; he was as in a trance all that while, and wanted neither meat, nor drink, nor clothes, nor sleep. 3. I was full of revenge, but now I am come to such a pitch of religion, that I can pass by offences ; yea, pass them by, when I have an opportunity of punishing them that affront me. Had not Saul so much religion ? The children of Belial said, how shall this man save us? and they despised him, and brought him no presents ; but he held his peace. He bears much that can bear being derided. 4. Though T am meek in mine own cause, yet when the name of God, and the church of God suffer, 1 can be very much inflamed. So was hypocritical Saul, when Nahash the Am- monite, told the men of Jabesh, On this condition zci/l I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel, the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. 5. I am merciful to men ; to mine enemies, because God hath shewed me mercy. So was Saul, And Saul said, there shall not a man be put to death this day, for this day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel. Though he was in- cited to revenge, yet he would not. 6. When I have any mercy from God. I ?ee • D 50 S»INS OF PROFESSORS. God in the mercy, and is not this a good sign ? Truly no better than Saul had ; to-day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel. ^ 7.1 engage God with me, before I set upon any considerable undertakings. Did not Saul so much ? Then said I, the Philistines will come dozen now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord; I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Saul said unto Ahiah, bring hither the ark of God, 6)C. And Saul asked counsel of God, shall J go down after the Philistines ? 8. When I pray, I look what becomes of m} r prayer, and I suspend many of my motions, till I have an answer. Saul the hypocrite Went so far ; he looked after his prayer, and would not go down after the Philistines, because God answered him not that day. 9. If I have no answer to prayer, I examine the reason, and I am sure this is more than most ofessors do. But not more than Saul did, When God answered him not that day, Saul said, draw ye nigh hither all the chief of the people, and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day, 10. I am troubled for other men's sins, and cannot but reprove sinners ; Is not this a sign of sincerity ? I answer, no, unless Saul were sin- cere. When he was told the people eat the blood, he was troubled, and reproved them too ; he said, ye have transgressed. M. My zeal against sin is such, that I pu- nish it wherever J find it : I am impartial in my rebukes of sin ; my children, as well as my servants are corrected, if they trespass against the Lord. Hence I conclude mine estate is «>ood. And so might Saul. As the Lord liveth who saveth Israel, though it (the sin) be in Jona- than my son, he shall surely die. I False Views of their Interest in Christ. 51 1£. I conclude God loves rne from a con- stant series of smiling providences, that follow* eth all that I take in hand : I find that the Lord blesseth me in my goings out and comings in ; whatsoever I do doth prosper. And had not Saul strange successes and victories ? When Is- rael was so low, that they had no weapons for war, nor smiths to make any, Saul took the king- j dom over Israel, and fought against all his ene- mies on every side, $c. and whithersoever he turn- ed himself y he vexed them. 13. 1 find a readiness to confess others better thon myself; so did Saul with tears in his eyes. And Saul said, is this thy voice my son David ? And Saul lift up his voice and zcept, and he said to David, thou art more righteous than I. J4. I continuemy duties when I fear God hath rejected me, even in desertion I keep on wor- shipping. So did Saul, when Samuel told him, God hath rejected thee, he desired Samuel to turn again with him, that he might zcorship the Lord, and he prevailed with Samuel to turn again, and Saul worshipped the Loid. >^ 15. I see a beauty in the church and people of God. So did Balaam. Hozv goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel I As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the rivers sides, as the trees, #c. which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees besides the waters. If). I cannot for the greatest advantage be brought to sin against God. Neither could Balaam. If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the com- mandment of the Lord, fyc. 17- I live up to the dictates of conscience, though I hazard the displeasure of great men thereby. So did that sorcerer, though Balak' s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together. D2 52 SINS OF PROFESSORS. 18. 1 have some sights of another world, and I desire to spend an eternity with the saints. So had Balaam, and did not he desire so much ? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end he like his. 19. When I think of the day of judgment, I am affected with it, whereas before i was sottish and secure. So was Felix. As he (Paul) rea- soned of righteousness, temperance arid judgment to come, Felix trembled. 20. I am an orthodox protestant ; so thou mayest be a teacher too, thou mayest not only k)iozv God's will, and approve the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the laze, but confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the lazv ; and yet fall short of Christ, and of hea- ven, yea, the name of God may be blasphemed among the Gentiles through thee. CI. I am free from the scandalous evils of the times. So were they in Peter, They had escaped the pollutions of the world, yea, and that through the knozcledge oj ( Christ (which is more than the moral heathens ever had) and yet vveie dogs and swine still. £2. I live inoffensively, none can lay any thing to my charge. But was not Paul whilst Christ less, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless'* At the same time he was per- secuting the church of God. y^QS. I have obeyed the commandments of God /for a long time. J. am not like a mushroom, f soon up, and soon vanishing; I am a constant / servant to the commandments of' God. So was the young man in the Gospel ; lie said unto ^ Christ, All these things have I kept from my youth V up ; what lack I yet ? False Views of their Interest in Christ. 53 24. I have enlargements in duties, and satisfy not myself with ordinary duties, but make con- science of extraordinary duties, I fast, and that oft. And did not the Pharisees make long pray- ers, and fast oft ? / fast twice in the week. 25. I have joys in ordinances, the word of the Lord is sweet and precious, I know the time when it was not so. But did not Herod hear the word of God gladly ? Did he not see an excellency in John? Had he not his virtues and graces in great esteem r" Had he not a reve- rend behaviour towards him ? Did not he ob- serve him, and care to please him ? He heard him, and that gladly : he was much delighted in John's preaching. 26. Nay, but I go farther, for I stir up others to frequent sermons. So did the elders of Is- rael, Come I pray you, and hear what is the word, that comes Jorth from the Lord, Sec. 27* I obey as well as hear ; I hear in order to practise. And was not Herod conformable to John's doctrine ? though John preached not pleasing things, he was a rough preacher, a burning as well, as a shining light, yet the text tells us, he did many things. 28. When I hear the word I am strangely taken with it. So were the people when they heard Christ, they were astonished at, his doctrine. 29. Many a time under a sermon my knees and heart ache. So it was with Felix As he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, fyc. Felix trembled. 30. But I pray, and pray oft as well as hearl and therefore is it not well ? It may be il, enough, if thou hast no better evidence. When you make many prayers (when you multiply prayer, when you add prayer to prayer,) yet I will not hear. 54 SINS OF PROFESSORS, / 31. There was a time when 1 felt sin no more, than a dead man feels a mountain upon him ; but now it is heavy ; it is burthensome. And was it not so to Cain? And Cain said unto the Lord, my punishment (or, mine iniquity) is greater thati I can bear. Was it not so to Judas, when Htrepented himself, and restored the thirty pieces of silver, saying I have sinned, in that I have be- trayed the innocent blood, and went and hanged himself? 32. 1 have desires after grace, and am willing to beat cost for it. So the foolish virgins. And the foolish (being awakened out of their security in their form of godliness) said unto the wise, give us of your oil; yea, they went to buy. They were willing to be at cost for the power of god- liness. 33. 1 associate only with God's people,yea, with the purest and holiest. So did the foolish virgins, they associated not only with virgins, but with the wi?e virgins. Both wise and foolish zvent out together to meet the bridegroom. 34. I consult ministers for my soul, and have high attainments. But wherein dost thou go beyond those, of whom it is said, They seek me daily, and delight to know my ways ; as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God; they ask of me the ordi- nances of justice ; they take delight in approach- ing to God? Wherein dost thou go beyond those in the Hebrews, who were once enlightened, and had tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and had tasted the good word of God, and the poicers of the zvorld to come. If thou hast not better things than these, thou hast not savingly closed with Jesus Christ, for as yet thou hast nothing that accompanieth salvation, from which salvation cannot be sepa- rated. False Views of their I titer est in Christ. 65 f Oh ! I cannot but pity these poor hearts, these Almost-Chri9tians. — Almost Christians and al- most saved, I may say they are not far from the kingdom of God, and yet in a sense they are far- ther than any others. Our greatest difficulty hath been to undeceive these, to unchrist these, I mean to take off these fig-leaves, with whicj| they have covered themselves, that they may , come to Christ for clothing, and so prevent the appearing of their nakedness. O ! It is hard t e wgh work to persuade a proud Pharisee, that all his righteousness will not assist him, that he must fling away all, that he must have something else to show for heaven and glory. f O ! How have men fled in our faces, when we have told them, that yet they have nothing that is essen- tial to a Christian, or which makes a Chris- tian a Christian, no more than a picture hath of the essence of a man ? You may imagine a man, that hath bestowed twenty or thirty years in building, how loath is he to pull down all again ? Though he fears the foundation is but on the sands, he will rather venture, than begin all anew. He is even ashamed to unravel all the clue of his ungrounded confidences. What be- gin upon a new bottom ? No, not he ; and so Christ and he paru He takes his supposed grace tobea~Christ, or at least, that there must be Christ where such changes are, and so crys out, Soul, take thine ease, thou hast goods laid tip for many years, yea, for eternity. 56 SINS or PROFESSORS. CHAP. XL The Ungodliness, Ignorance, and Errors, £t. oj Professors. * I. XJ.AVE not many professors been ungodly men, men without worship? If to den} 7 or with- hold any part of that respect or honour, that is due unto God, be ungodliness ; how much un- godliness hath there been, and is there still amongst us ? Which of us hath not been guilty of not giving God his right or due honour r Have we not sucked in "many ungodly princi- ples? As that it is vain to worship God, there is no happiness (comparable to that which the world doth afford) in communion with God ; religion is but a notion and fancy ; — policy is the only piety ; — this world must be looked after whatever becomes of conscience, &c. Have not we been guilty of ungodly thoughts ? Have not we thought that God is not so harsh, but we may take liberty in sinning; that he taketh no notice of what we think, speak, and do, yea, that there is no God ? Have not we spoken ungodly words ? Have not we uttered those very hard speeches, which ungodly sinners speak ? Have not we spoken against God's servants ? yea, have we been afraid to speak against his servant Moses ? And have not many of our deeds been ungodly, yea, though we have not ungodly committed them? God hath always been sorely provoked by ungodliness ; The flood swept away the world of the ungodly : but yetwe might have been un- godly under the law, at a cheaper rate, than un- der the gospel ; because the gospel gives us more clear, and certain notions of God's excel** Their Ungodliness and Errors. 51 lency and glory, and lays more obligations upon us to respect God, and therefore is called a doc- trine according to godliness. The ungodly shall not stand in judgment, neither in the world to come, nor in this world. The day of judgment is appointed on purpose to take vengeance of an- godly persons. If. Have not some professors been, and still are, altogether ignorant of God ? Some have not the knowledge of God ; / speak this (saith the apostle) to your shame. May it not be Said of many of us, Ye worship ye knozv not what 1 * Do not many professors worship God upon no other account than the Romans did their Jupiter, or the Ephesians their Diana, viz. because he is the god of the nation wherein they were born ; because he was their forefather's god, because his worship is in credit, and because the magis- Irate commands that god be worshipped ? Have not we worshipped God by tradition, more than out of conviction of judgment? Hath notour worship been to the unknown God ? God is truly, in a scripture sense unknown to all, that do not know him experimentally and practi- cally. Now, have we tasted and seen that the Lord is gracious % Have not we said, we knew God, and yet kept not his commandments ? He that saith so is a liar, and the truth is not in him : Hereby know we that we know him, if we keep his commandments. If we do not thus know God, we are none Of his children, he hath no child so little, but he knoweth his Faiher : They shall all knozv me from the least to the greatest. Our being the people of God in profession, will not secure us from ruin. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The Lord Jesus mil come in flaming fire, to render vengeance on us, for he will so deal with ail that knozv not God. d5 w SIK.v OF PROFESSORS. III. How erroneous have been professors ! None can be such a stranger to our Israel, as to be ignorant that a spirit of delusion hath been let loose abroad, from Dan to Beersheba : so that the pillars of religion are shaken, the most con- cerning truths questioned, if not exploded with scorn and contempt. " Have not some made God the author of sin ? Have not others forgot that they were creatures; and have assumed the liberty, or rather highest impudence, to say, that they were godded, and that the fulness of the God-head doth dwell bodily in every saint, in the same measure as it did in Christ Jesus, whilst he dwelt upon the earth ? Nay, have not others affirmed Jesus Christ to be a bastard ? Have not others said, They were Christ, and would in the pride of their hearts, have others to worship them ? Have not some denied Christ's deity, affirming, That he was not God essenti ally, but only nominally ; yea, that his pure na- ture was stained with sin ? How many have de- nied the trinity of persons ? How many, under pretence that the law of works binds not, have abrogated all the laws of Christ, and turned cursed libertines ? How many have, under pre- tence of advancing the Spirit's testimony, main- tained sanctification to be a dirty qualification, and cried down all marks and signs ? How many have held, that the doctrine of repentance, fast- ing, and humiliation, are too legal for the spirit of a Christian ? How many have denied Christ's sitting in a body, attherighthand of God ? How many have denied his satisfaction and purchase? Have not some held that there is no heaven, no hell, no resurrection from the dead, and that the beast and man have one common end ? How many have been altogether for inspiration, and pro- fessed themselves above the sphere of all ordi- nances ? How many have denied water baptism, Their Errors. 59 the supper, the ministry, yea, the Scriptures of God ? How many have accounted it their high- est perfection, to sin away all tenderness of con- science, and looked upon themselves the more holy, by how much villainy they could be guilty of beyo'i d others ? How can we refrain from weeping out our eyes ; how should our ears tingle to see and hear these abominations ? How hath the God of truth been provoked by these cursed miscreants ? What horrible affronts have been offered to the dreadful majesty of God thereby ? How many thousand souls have perished by these delusions ? And what a dishonour hath come to the Chris- tian religion by reason thereof, 1 cannot express. Certainly (saith Bp. Hall) there is more deadly mischief, and higher offence to God in them, than in those practical evils, which honest hearts profess to abhor : These, as they are immediate fruit of our spiritual part, so they do more im- mediately strike at the God of Spirits in his truth anJ holiness : and as religion is the highest concernment of the soul, so the depravation of religion must needs be the most dangerous and damnable. When Hezekiah heard the blasphe- mies of Rabshekah, it is said, He rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and zvent into the house of the Lord, and said, This is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy. If an Assyrian blasphemer was so great a troubler, what troublersare nominal Christians, thus abus- ing their profession, and the God they pretend to serve. But alas ! How little have we been affected with the flood cast out of the serpent's mouth after the woman '? Though the trumpet hath sounded, Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of spiritual plagues ; We have CO SINS OI- l'ROFESSOIIS. been puffed up, and have not mourned. We have spoken laughingly of those sins ; we have- not considered this judgment, as coming from the Lord, as a token of his wrath (in giving up so many of our countrymen to strong delu- sions, to believe lies). We have shewed little zeal for God's glory, that hath been blemished by these detestable things : neither have we pitied the many that followed these pernicious ways. How little have we mourned for them, though the apostle saith, their damnation slum- bereth not. How few means have we used for their re- duccment ? hardly put up a prayer for them r not admonished them, but let them alone to pe- rish in their delusions ? Not so much as request- ed an able. minister to have recourse to these poor deluded souls in order to the turning of them from the idols of their own brains ? How little have we endeavoured to strengthen ourselves : to prepare antidotes against this in- fection ? We have not studied the scriptures, that we might warn the unruly, and resist gain- sayers, and be established in the present truths * but, though we have seen so many shipwreck their faith and consciences, yet we have been high-minded, and have not feared. Have we not been guilty of not expressing our dislike of the ways of heretics as we should ? We have not shunned them as we ought. To maintain a party to strengthen a faction, how have we too much countenanced them ? their fellowship hath not been enough avoided. How little have we regarded those apostolical injunc- tions r Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them, which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctiine which ye have learned, and avoid them ; for they that are such, strve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their ozvn bellies ; and by good Their not contending for the Faith. 6j words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple. And if any man obey not our word, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. We have shunned the house where one affected with the plague dwells, but we have not withdrawn from them that cause to err from the words of knowledge. What shall I say ? We have not so heartily and vigorously contended for the faith, which zvas once, and but once > delivered to the saints, as we ought. The Lord humble us for our luke- warmness. We have cried up moderation, and counted him a scourge of the saints, that hath appeared against the abominations of the head. Sure we have not been valiant for the truth upon the earth. We have not sparkled so much the more in an holy zeal, because others have per- verted the right ways of the Lord. Because fools have not been answered, they have grown wise in their own conceit. We have been afraid to meddle with some, because they have (unrea- sonably) shrouded themselves under the name of saints, but Paul withstood Peter to the face, when truth was Jike to suffer. I do not in all this go about to justify undue rigors. God knows how for base respects, interests, names of our own, we have been too severe against some things of less moment, some circumstances of church government, &c. too much zeal about mint and annise : we have been too imposing of what lies dark and obscure in the book of God : and this while the enemies' tares are suffered to grow, and the fundamentals of our religion have been (at least) endangered. But that which hath been England's sin, is too much permitting and countenancing of damnable doctrines What shall I say ? When God hath said, Who is on my side ? who I We have hardly answered for ourselves. We have been doubtful in the J ait h, 62 SINS OF PROFESSORS. wavering and reeilng, not quite on, nor quite off, but staggering and tottering: Our religion hath been rather opinion, than forth, so that we have stood looking on as neuters, whilst heretics have made merchandise of souls with feigned words. The great truths of God 'nave "lain loose upon our hearts, they have not been fast- ened by the master of the assemblies, as nails in a sure place : and having little experience of what we profess to know, hence lukc-war.nness folio weth on course, or blind zeal for our ances- tors' religion. O ! how by reason cf the srreat defection amongst us hath the zouy of truth been evil spo- ken of? Thy common enemy fasreneth all upon religion. They will not distinguish between truth and error, yea beUveen truth and heresy, and never would put a difference between the ortho- dox and the heterodox ; but if any one that had been called a Christian, fell into any dam- nable errors or practices, all Christians suffered thereby $ which forced the primitive fathers to pen remonstrances, confessions of faith, and apo- logies, that they might clear Christ and his church from being mother or nurse to such a cursed progeny. And though some amongst us have by confessions of faith, and otherwise, borne witness against errors, yet doubtless our consciences will tell us, that we have not by fastings prayers, studies, and all endeavours im- proved ail our time and spirits for the suppres- sing and drying up the flood of the serpent, the soul-destroying flood, as we should; but if we ha^e had any acrimony of spirit, we have let it forth upon them, that have crossed us about modes of government ; rather than against them, who have shaken the foundation of our religion. When I consider the multitudes of sects that have been and are still amongst us, I wonder not Their not contending for the Faith. 63 that the gospel hath had a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts. In all times Christianity hath suffered hereby. Sozomen saith, that " many would have followed Christ, but they were dis- couraged by the divers doctrines amongst his followers." Chrysostom professeth that an hea- then told him, "He would become a Christian, but he knew not to what party of them to join, there are so many opinions and contentions among Christians." When the multitude of Christians were one-souled, then fear, and awe,, and reverence upon all the people ; But now that onesaith I am of Paul, &c. Now religion is had in derision, and Atheism grows exceed- ingly. O that mine head were as waters, &c* CHAP X. Their want of Love to God* IV. VV ANT of love to God is another great branch of ungodliness abounding amongst pro- fessors. This is so great a branch of ungodli- ness, that Jesus Christ hath reduced all the com- mandments of the first table concerning the worship of God to this great one, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy hearty and with all thy soul, and all thy might. Indeed every one pretends to love God : I hardly ever met with a person but said, he loved God : He that hateth, dissembleth with his lips. God may say truly, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me ? God is loved, but not for himself; but for what he brings. God is used, and the world is embraced. II God comes empty handed, or with his hands full of trouble, misery, &c. Farewell. God is loved, but with a 64 SINS OF PROFliSSORS. secondary love ; professors are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. God must stand by, and give place to sensuality, therefore they say unto God, Depart, Sec. They likeGod whilst they may enjoy their pleasures too, whilst they may not be infringed. Let but a few things be con- sidered, and we will see how much want there is of love to God in Christ. 1. Whom we love, we are not ashamed of. The mother's is such to her child, and God's to us, he is not auhamed to be called our God. But do not we conceal our title to God in some com- panies that hate him ? How do we throw oft" our livery, and dare not be known to have zcalked with God. Remember he that is ashamed of me, &c. 2. Parents are troubled when their children are dishonoured, and so children when their fa- thers ; but are our souls vexed, racked with the filthy conversation of Sodomites % Where are the rivers of waters'! Where is thy horror because men keep not God's commandments! 3. Those we love, their enemies are ours ; parent's enemies are the children's enemies. But do we hate them that hate God, yea, with a perfect hatred ? 4. True lovers of God hate themselves for not loving God enough. How oft do they thus sigh ? " Wretch that 1 am, thus to grieve God, to estrange myself from God, so seldom to be with God, to stay with him no longer ! How can I content myself with these transient glances, with these sudden casts of mine eye ; and to be instantly wheeled off from my God again ? O this fleeting mind of mine! when will it fix on God and abide with him ? O this gadding heart of mine ! when will it centre in its true and per- fect happiness? When 1 turn mine eye from earthly objects, either L am displeased with r/uir want of Love to God. f)5 them, or there is some better thing that draws off my mind and heart: but dare I say so of God ? that he is unlovely ? and yet 1 have been weary of him." 5. Did we love God we would trust him, we dare trust our very lives in a friend's hands : but we dare not so trust God, What would a car- nal man give that he had but his life and health at his own disposal ? When he is poor he had rather it were in his own hands to support his wants, than in God's; for he thinks it would go better with him. We trust God for little. We think ourselves quite undone, when we have no- thing save a God and a promise to trust to. 6. How little do we joy in the presence .of God and Christ, and grieve for their absence ? Is God all in the want of all, and is God the all in the enjoyment of all ? Can we say, shew us the Father and it sufficeth us. When we have no fig-tree left, can we rtjoice in the God of our salvation % Can we say, Take all Ziba, nozv that my Lord is come, now that the Lord stoops to dwell in houses of clay. O worldlings ! take your riches, and make the best of them, I envy you not, I have enough in God. Do we so grieve for the absence of God and Christ, that nothing but God and Christ can make amends ? O that our happiness, life, comforts, were folded up in God and Christ; Can we live no more without God and Christ, than a beam without the sun ? 7. True lovers are thoughtful to please the be- loved. But is there any thing that we think less of than pleasing of God ? A true lover of God is always proving what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God, Proving is hat is ac- ceptable unto the Lord. He is still searching that he may know more wherein he may please God, as willing always to be more useful for God: 66 SINS OF PROFESSORS. what have I to do more r but how seldom do we ask our hearts, what way may we walk in all well pleating 'i How seldom do we design for the glory of~God ? 8. Ti ue lovers are open-handed, and bountiful to God: they bestow readily and freely any thing they have on him : they will part with their Isaac's, their dearest things, with limbs, &c. Rutherford, that man of God, wished every limb a man, every bone a man, yea, every hair a man to set forth the praises of God. When God calls for limbs, can we say, farewell to them ? Are there not some things so dear to us that we cannot spare them to Christ r Are we so taken with Christ, that our hearts are disengaged from the love of other things ? Is every thing vile, but Christ ? Is all you part from instantly supplied in the loves and smiles of Christ ? i). True lovers of God are contented with no- thing by way of return from God, save only love from him : returns of love they must have. They do not pray save for love, they go not in before God for corn, wine, oil, &c. but for love, for God to open his heart, to take off his mask from his love- ly face, and shew them the light of his counten- ance. They are not like the raven, that came to Noah, more for necessity than delight. Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy ?iame i and to the remembrance of thee : With my soul have I desired thee ; in the night, yea, with my spirit within me, will I seek thee early, 10. True lovers are wont to praise each other : but how seldom do we set forth the praises of Christ ? Love is witty, full of eloqueuce, witness the Spouse, My beloved is white and ruddy, the chief eU among ten thousand, his head is as the rnostjine gold, his locks are bushy, black as a ra- ven, his eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers Their want of Love to God. 67 •f waters, washed zvith milk and fitly set,)iis cheeks art as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers, his lips like lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrh : his hands are like gold rings set with the beryl, his belly is as bright ivory overlaid zvith sap- phires, his legs are as pillar i of marble set upon sockets ojfine gold, his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars, his mouth is most sweet, yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, fyc. I zoill praise thee with uprightness : I will praise thee seven times a day. Yea., David thought seven times a day too little, and therefore he called in all the creatures of heaven and earth, air and sea, to praise God, the dragons in the deep must not be silent. True lovers praise God as much as they can, they exalt God to the utmost of their power : and then, from a sense that God is above all their praise, they would have every thing that hath breath to praise the Lord, yea, and inanimates also, to join in the choir. Doth praise wait for God ? 1 1. Did you love God, you would love every thing of God: Do you love his omnipresence, his justice, his holiness? True love to Christ is not merely confined to the person of Christ, but reacheth to all who have an union with him. Do we love Christ mistical, as well as personal ? Are we of catholic spirits ? The apostle is per- emptory, and brandeth them all as liars, that pretend to love God and Christ, and do not love saints. 12. True lovers of God thirst after nearer communion with God, My soul followeth hard after thee. The soul still encroacheth upon God. Let me see thy glory, saith Moses, though he saw more than mortals were (commonly) per- mitted to behold, yet Semper avarus eget, Much would have more. As the hart panteth after 68 SINS OF PROFESSC^ the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after trn< God : my soul thirsteth for God, for the liv- ing God, zohen shall I come and appear befoit God f A true lover of Qod is under an holy im- patience, till he ceaseth to see darkly in a glass : He would fain see with open face. O ! (saith such a soul) the distance between Christ and rue is too great ; O ! I cannot but groan earnestly, when 1 consider I am absent from the Lord, zchilst present in the body, " Lord, (said Austin) 1 will die, that 1 may enjoy thee; I will not live, but 1 will die : I desire to die, that I may see Christ ; and refuse to live, that I may live with Christ." The broken rings, contracts, and espousals, content not the true lover ; but he longs for the marriage-day. Here are clouds that oft pass between God and my soul, O that I were above them ! Heie, if I see and enjoy, the fear of losing so sweet a sight, abates the comfort of fruition ; but then welcome an eter- nal day, tliat shall never have a night,. 13. If 3'ou loved God, his commandments would not be grievous to you. Love cannot be easy posed : love hath a kind of almightiness in it, so that heavy burdens are made light, and al- most impossible things become feasible. But of how many things do we say, What a weariness is it ? [low are you haled by governors, by con- science, and by the terrors of the law unto du- ties ? how like slaves chained to galleys, you must work, though sore against your wills? Did you love God, you would count nothing tedi- ous, save riulness, in his service. Sin would only be the YAei.n.i. O the burden of formality, pride, See. ! But O the pleasures of the ways of God ! His yoke is easy, his burden light. 14. Did you love God, you would be jealous, les 4 it should go ill with God's affairs. The lov- ing mother trembleth lest the child should sutf. Their zvant of Love to God. 60 Fer, when she is away from it. But alas ! how tew Elis are there, whose hearts tremble because of the ark c t Do you really fear lest formality should eat out the power of godliness, lest tradi- tions should make void the commandments of God, lest your trades should spoil your commu- nion with God. You may easily imagine, the want of love to God must necessarily be a great provocation. O to pretend love, and yet Judas-like, betray Christ with a kiss ; to say, Hail Master, an I yet prefer a base lust before him ? What an indig- nity is it to the husband, that the wife loves the slave before him ? The world should be your slave, but it hath got the heart, the bosom, and Christ must stand without doors till his locks are wet. O that God should stoop so low, ns to love you, as to make you the birth of his everlasting counsels of love ; that he should carry you long in the womb of his eternal purpose : This goodly fabric of heaven and earth hath not been erected, but as a stage, whereon he would show his love to you. And did he not, in the fulness of time, purchase you by the blood of his first-born, yea of his only begotten Son ; and for this very end, that he might gain your love, as well as reveal his own love ? And yet. that your love should not be like an echo, which returneth what it re- ceiveth ? Sure you should cast back God's beams of love upon himself. This is all he expects, My son, give me thine heart. All the command he lays upon you, is, in one word, to love him. God might have commanded our children to be sa- crificed, to pass through the fire. O ! what a fa- vour is it to love the Lord ? That God will ho- nour us so far, as to suffer us to love him ? And yet we love any thing, any sordid base lust, ra- ther than God. 70 SlNS OF PROFESSORS. We would count it a favour, if a prince would give us a private key, to come to him when we please : here is more honour, we may have re- course to the bosom of God when we will. God would have us love him with all the heart, with all the soul. The Lord would not lose one grain of our love. O that we should deny him that "which he (with reverence be it spoken, and (thought on) is so fond of. And now Israel, what doth the Lord require of thee, but to love him, and to serve the Lmd thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. God requires not now cattle upon a thousand hills, or rivers of oil ; only love me, love me, love me heartily, constantly, chiefly ; and yet we deny him our loves. O ! I hate myself whilst writing this, that I love the Lord so little, so seldom : Jt was he that made me, and not 1 myself: he hath wonderfully formed me, and wonderfully pre- served me, and shewed many wonders in the deeps to me. O! what shall I do to love the Lord with a superlative love? O I am ready to say, Let me love nothing, if 1 love not thee : nay, love nothing till I love thee! O that you •would grieve abundantly for want of love to God ! Yon have past as through the Red Sea, you have been as the flaming bush, God hath looked after you, as if he minded none but you, you have been as the signet on his right hand ; nay more, you have been engraven on his palms, and what, not love the Lord ? Shame upon you, that you can doat upon the dark, filthy, dirty world, and neglect the Lord of Glory. All the affections you have, God gave them, (when he gave thee a reasonable soul) but for this end, that you should place them on himself, and not on his enemy. Js it not hard measure that God should be denied love, when he gave you power to love? If a friend sends you bottles of wine, Their want of Love to God, f\ it it hard, that when he comes to you, you should deny him a taste of his hounty. Believe it, sirs, whatever you do for the Lord, unless you. love him, yea, unless you love him more than any thing else, it is not accepted. Though you give your body to be burned, and hive not cha- rity, it projiteth you nothing. Though you bring forth fruit yet you are empty vines, be- cause you eye self, not God Your most ex- quisite services will not be acojpied, unless they be seasoned with the salt of love. This people draw nigh with their lips, but I abhor them, and their duties, because the silly dove is without an heart. Whatever a man gives me, if his heart be not in it, I slight it : God much more. What shall I say ? The holy apostle counts him wor- thy of a curse, that loves not Jesus Christ. If any man love, not the Lord Jesus, let him be Anathema Maranatha. And is it not sad to be cursed to the coming of Christ ? He deserves it that loves not Christ, and he must and shall be forced to own the lighteousness of God in sen- tencing him to eternal flames, who might have been secured against them, had he but loved Christ more than a base dunghill lust. CHAP. XI. Professors entertain evil Surmises of God. V. JCjVJL surmises of God is another piece of ungodliness found too frequently among some of the more raised professors, even such as have the root of the matter in them. I shall the ra- ther insist on this sin, because right thoughts of God are the fuel which maintains the fire of re- 7« SINS OF F-ROFESSOfcS. ligion : without which it soon decayeth and ti extinguished. 1. Do not we miscal God's love-tokens? IJatli not God sent thee many love-tokens by his Spirit to assure thee that he owns thee and delights in thee, as his spouse? For thee to question thy relation to him upon every turn must necessarily be grievous to him ; bow griev- ous then is it for thee to deny all his tokens of grace and love to thy soul, and to count them bur delusions, but the works of the infernal spi- iit,t'c: - rnung himself into an angel of light? To ca.l 1 ■•. •• k less: good, evil ; sweet, bitter; the work of I • ;st the devil's work, is ill resented by the Lord, it goeth unto his heart. You that are husbands, wives, parents, children, cannot endure to have your love and fidelity suspected upon every base suggestion and whisper. Be- lieve it, God takes notice, and lays to heart all your jealousies of him, all your base unworthy censures of him. 2. How ill are God's providences resented ? Although God hath told you there is a beauty in their contexture, that things present and things toeome are yours, that all shall zcork to- gether jor good, that your providential losses, as well as you; providential enjoyments, that your changes, as well as your settlings, your wants, as well as your abundance shall all be sanctified to you : yet how few, with that blessed man, bless the Lord when taking away $ And with Paul, rejoice, yea, glory in tribulations? God rssures you, that your sicknesses, reproaches, wants, shall do you good, yea death shall do you good, all shall be good, or do you good, all shall be food or physic ; out of the eater shall come forth siecetness ; even from God's desertions you shall have advantages, your very thorns shall drop honey, shall bear grapes ; yet, notwith- Evil Surmises of God. 73 standing, what bard thoughts have you of God under such dispensations ? Didst thou only ac- cuse thyself, judge thyself, abhor thyself, it were well ; but in speaking against thyself, thou fall- est foul upon God himself by questioning his love from these providences. Deny thyself what thou wilt, but beware of a denial of God's love, and of the Spirit of grace, that hath taken up his abode within thee : O that all melan- choly doubting Christians would consider of this (too seldom suspected) provocation and unkind- ness of theirs towards God ! O take up, and keep up better thoughts of God, whatever his carriage be towards you. Though he stay you, yet trust in him. When will you be as David, who though surrounded by enemies, yet kept up good thoughts of God, he doubted not of God's pity, of God's favour, and protection, and there- fore I will not he afraid of ten thousands of peo- ple, that have set themselves agaitist me round about. Though an host should encamp against . me, my heart shall not fear, &c. in this will I be confident. In what ? Why, that the Lord is my light and my sahation, and the strength of my life. £}od hath not spent all his stores, he hath enough for me, he will not suffer me to be tempted above what 1 shall be able to bear, but will with the temptation make a way for my escape. And hath not God told thee, that the mountains shall depait, and the hills be removed ; yet his loving- kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of his peace be removed? But alas i Thou canst entertain good thoughts of God in fair weather, but let them fall in a storm : then it is, Master, car est thou not that we perish* Thou canst trust in God when he carrieth himself as a friend, and answereth all thy re- quests, and granteth all thy desires, but not so, e" 74 9TNS OF PROFESSORS. when he seemeth an enemy. Canst thou with Paul say, 1 am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities', ?ior powers, nor things preset it, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of G od ', which is in Christ Jesus our Lord % While the candle of the Lord shines on thy tabernacle, whilst thy bones are full of marrow, while thou washest thy feet in butter, while every Mordecai boweth in the gates, while thou hast dews on thy heart, melt- ings and enlargements in ordinances ; so long thou canst keep up good though is of God and his love j but let the scene be altered, let the sun wrap up itself in a cloud of darkness, let the rod be on the back, and the arrows of the Almighty pierce the heart ; and then not onl) grace within is questioned, but the love of God without, i am cast out from before thine eyes, his mercy is clean gone. Then all men are liars, even Samuel himself. But alas ! how ignorant art thou of the methods of God ? Doth not he chasten every son that he receiveth % Should not he have liberty to use what rod he pleased), whilst all are for thy profit, that thou may est partake of his holiness $ Might not Christ have had ill surmises of his Father upon higher grounds, than any thou canst name? Who art thou, to hope for milder usage from God, than he shewed to his own na- tural son ? If thou nit predestinated to be conform- able to Christ, to be partaker of his sufferings, to drink of his cup, wilt thou doubt thy filiation from thy filling up the sufferings of Christ ? 3. How do some draw sad conclusions from God's providential dispensations concerning his intentions for the future ? When they lose dear relations, an husband, or the wife of the bosom gone, a sweet child snatched away, and perhaps Uy inadvertency ; O then no sooner can we eji- Evil Su rmises of G od. ?£ ter uito the house of mourning, but we hear cries from you, O my hypocrisy ! O my forma- lity ! O this is one or God's arrows of vengeance ! O ! God is beginning his controversy, which will never end, till it lays me as low as hell ! Whereas you should entertain other thoughts of God, viz. " That now he is removing the idols of jealousy, now he is weaning your hearts from creatures, that he may have ail your love ; he knew how much spiritual communion you have lost by the company of your relations, and now he himself would have more of your company ; now he would have } T ou to delight yourselves more in himself; now he hath but dried the stream (a weak, unsatisfying stream) that you may drink, and drink abundantly of the purest crystal waters, that drop from the blessed foun- tain immediately ; noiv God halh a blessed de- sign of grace to prepare you for glory ; he is now making the earth an howling wilderness, that you may long for Canaan, he is now leaving you to naked walls, that he himself may fill 'hem; he is now turning all out of doors, that von may have the more liberty to treat with his majesty, with the less disturbance, without in- terruption. Alas ! you know not how unkind and burdensome, yea treacherous, your friend, your relation might have been, if continued longer to you i you know not what dishonour to God and to yourselves, he might have been, if longer continued in the land of the living, and therefore to preserve him from scandal, and yourselves from heart-breakings thereby, God hath in mercy, pity, and faithfulness, removed him, taking him away (it may be) from the evil to come." Few put these comments upon God's providences towards them ; but com- monly take all in the worst sense thev can 7*6 SINS OF PROFESSORS. 4. How do some instantly call in question God's love, if evidences be not seen, if they be not fajrly writ, so as the soul can read them ? But may not the money be in the sack's mouth, though the brethren see it not for a while ? Yea, though the soul hath had a welcome from God, yea, many a welcome, yet how soon is the soul so cast down that it is afraid to go into God's presence . ? and through the power oi Satan and melancholy, duty, yea, many duties have here- by been intermitted ? This provokes God ex- ceedingly: What! When you have had his staff, and his bracelets, when you have had such admirable proofs of his love, in sending his Son, and Holy Spirit after you, to work so great and glorious a change in you, coming in the still voice, and whispering love unto you, welcoming you again and again to the throne of grace, often rilling your empty bottles, answering your thousand doubts, sealing the covenant of grace, and granting and confirming to you all the pa- tents of love : and yet at every turn have you doubted, whether God love you or no ? God chides Zion, for this, Let not Zion say, the Lord hath forsaken, &c. 5. Are there not some good souls (though their goodness lies not in this) that are apt to question the love of God to them, from the blasphemous thoughts and injections that they are harassed with . ? But what, because Satan is your adversary, must God therefore not be your friend? Because Satan doth tempt you, will it therefore follow, that God doth not love you ? Were we not wonderfully prone to evil surmises and distrusts of God, we would not make Satan's malice a ground sufficient to doubt of the love of God. Doth the husband love his wife the less, for that she is tempted, while she defies tke Evil Surmises of God. 77 tempter, and is burthened with his foul and dar- ing solicitations ? O how is Satan gratified hereby ? He is the great accuser, the great tale-bearer, that sepa- rated choice friends : he goeth betwixt God and saints, as a mediator of differences, to accuse saints to God, and God to saints, and will you any longer be tale-bearers against God . ? Believe it, the false witness which he brings, is against him, who hath given you wonderful proofs of his everlasting love towards you. When, O ! when will you complain of Satan, in the words of the Psalmist ? The enemy hath persecuted my soul, he hath made me to dzvell in darkness, like those that have been long dead. It is the enemy that vails and obscures the work of the Spirit what he can, that you shall see it no more than a dead man can behold any company that is in the room, vault or grave with him. When Sa- tan tells you, your graces are counterfeit, your faith but that which a temporary may have, your graces but moral virtues ; O ! how soon is your enemy credited r how much more believed than God, his ministers, and all the testimonies of God's love, that are brought you ? Hence you are one day jealous of the kindness of Christ, another day of the fulness of Christ, then of the intentions of Christ, he means no good to me : Hence also you doubt of the acceptance of your persons and duties ; " There is a cloud hangs over my prayers, that they cannot pass up : if I come to Christ he will not look on such a wretch as 1 am/' Many such hard thoughts of Christ are suggested by Satan, and too soon entertained by us : In this state, you can never thank God for any mercy ; for you doubt whether it be a mercy to you. " Can you bless him for life, health, and length of days, while you have this suggestion, that your ac- 78 SINS OF PROFESSORS. count swells with jour time ? Can you bless God for estates, honours, friends, &c. when you have this jealousy, that God is fattening you as sheep for the slaughter ? ,Can you bless God for ordinances, whilst you suspect that there is a commission given forth, that though you have eyes, yet you shall not see, &c. And that the sun is to harden you, whilst it softens others ? Yea, how can you bless God for Christ, when you imagine he is set for your fall ? By giving way to these jealousies, you dam up the springs of praise, that should flow from your lips day and night. Hereby you will also be hindered from waiting on the Lord, with that free and cheerful spirit as ye ought. I cannot wait on an enemy, as on a friend. If I have cursed jealousies of any man, I find no pleasure to be in his company ; and if he employs me about any thing, I go grudgingly about it. The truth is, " So long as you entertain suspicions of God's willingness to make you happy, and to af- ford you sufficient means to make you happy, all your religion will degenerate into a spurious and base-born devotion. Instead of that free and friendly converse that ought to be main- tained between God and your souls, you will only flatter him in a servile manner, and bribe him not to be your enemy. Worship God you must, for fear of incurring his displeasure, and lest your neglects of him should rouse up his anger against you ; but you cannot entertain any cheerful and friendly society with a Being which appears in a dress so horrible to your souls. Mow between this necessity of coming to him, and that tearfulness to approach him, what can there he begotten, but a forced and constrained devotion, Which because you do not love, yon would willingly leave, did not the dread and hor- ror you have in your souls of him, drag you to Evil Surmises of God. 79 aars ? And what are you wont to do there ? Truly nothing but cry, and look as if you were going to execution, till you can flatter your- selves into some hopes that he is moved by your cries, and forced submissions, to lay aside his frowns, and cast a better aspect upon you ; But your hard thoughts of God returning, you are constrained to renew your slavish devotions^ that you may purchase another gracious look from him. In this circle do your poor souls spend many days, and advance not one step to- wards the New Jerusalem." No wonder therefore if God be so provoked at this sin of evil surmises. This is what I have observed very common among the Lord's people, they will pray with some earnestness, and per- haps have some confidence that God is gracious^ and will answer their prayers,, and grant all their desires : but no sooner off from their knees, (but if they think of God, yet) they lay down their expectations of receiving any tiling from God, and fall to distrusting and to renew their jealousies of God as soon as they have done praying. What ! Is God yea and nay ? Is he kind when thou art on thy knees, and unkind as soon as off? Will God take it well from thee, that in thy duties thou shalt put to thy seal that God is true, and loving, and minds thy good ? And presently take off the seal, yea, rather seal to a parchment of the devil's draw- ing -, that God is false, churlish, and one that seeks thy ruin ? O ! whilst there is a devil, and a melancholy humour to be wrought upon, I do even despair to see this cursed God-dishonour- ing and debasing sin, to be quite rooted out of the hearts of Christians ; but yet it is a provoca- tion, and let it be for a lamentation. $0 SJNS OF PROFESSOK9. CHAP. XII. The Unthankfulness of Professors. v. Unthankfulness is another piece o/ ungodliness of which professors are very guilty, praise, or thankfulness is as the penny or pepper-corns which God expects as acknowleg- ment, as high rent, to be paid him for all we hold of him. But how hath this been denied ? And thereby how justly have we forfeited all into the hands of God ? Though the paying of this rent- penny be the only heavenly work that can be done on earth ; the only joyful employment, that shall last to all eternity in another life ; a work that should ever wait for God in Zion, and therefore Zion is called Israel my glory ; not only because Godglorieth in Zion, but because Zion should continually glorify God : yet how unthankful are most professors? The very hea- thens will rise up in judgment against unthank- ful Christians ; they had their hymns to their Gods. Plato when ready to die, gave God thanks for three things; — that he was made a man ; that he was born in Greece; and that he lived in the time of Socrates. How much more should our lips shew forth the high praises of God, who hath made us not only men, but new men ; That we are born of God, adopted the children of the Most High, and regenerated by the Spirit ? That we have breathed not in Greece, but in England, in Ariel, a place of vi- sions, in the Valley of Vision ? O the riches of free-grace ! that our mothers conceived with us in this place of light, and at such a time when the nation was most enriched with the light of Their Unthankfulness. &1 the gospel, when it was full of gracious minis- ters, the best that ever the world saw since the apostles' days. Why had not God brought thee out of the womb when this land was overrun with Pagan- ism ? with Popery ? Why had not the Lord shut thee up and imprisoned thee with the rest of the world in darkness, and in the shadows of death ? O that, when the gospel shines but upon a little spot of ground, which God hath enclosed for himself, and stiles it his pleasant place, his gar- den, that thou shouldst be the man born there ! That when the rest of the world is like the bar- ren mountains, on which no rain falls, and brings forth nothing but briars, that God should bring thee forth in the place of his tabernacle ! And yet thou, ungrateful wretch, wilt hardly confess, that the lines are fallen happily* and that thou hast a goodly heritage. How seldom is such language as this heard from thee ? " Blessed be the Lord that my lot is fallen in so fair's ground : blessed be God that I was born in England, and not in the wastes of Arabia, or America 5 thanks be to the Lord, that I have had more than the light of the sun, moon, and stars to conduct me to Jesus, that so many wells of salvation have been opened unto me, which have been shut unto the most of the world." But to return to Plato : If he thanked God for living in the days of Socrates, we may say, that greater than Socrates have been amongst us. We have had those, with whom we have taken sweet counsel, with whom together we have gone to the house of God, who have been burning as well as shining lights ; many examples of close-walk- ing heavenly Christians have we enjoyed, such a* have had the wisdom from above, and more pure learning, than ever Socrates or Plato could e5 82 SINS OF PROFESSORS. pretend to. The society of how many heavenly, grave, serious, active, fruitful Christians have we been blest with, such as have been faithful admonishers, such as would not sutler sin to rest upon us, such as have daily told us, here is the 7eay, walk herein ? O the helps we have had ! But O the cursed unthankfulnessof our hearts towards God, notwithstanding his bestowing upon us so many lights to guide us, so many fires to warm us, ana so much salt to season us ! 1. Instead of giving God the glory of all, how have we sacrificed to our own nets, and to other instruments h We have praised ourselves, rather than God for what we have. We have not ascribed the glory to God, but to instru- ments : like that cardinal who writ down how much such a prince honoured him, what such a lord did for him, and what such a pope confer- red on him : whereupon another infers, This man remembered his friends, but forgot God. Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands; but God hath little or no share in the triumph. 2. How sensible are we of our wants and straits? But O ! how unaffected with the goodness of God toward us ? How full of complaints are we ? But empty of acknowledgments ? Hath not the want of some one thiDg robbed us *f the comfort of all our enjoyments, and God of the praise that was due to his name r We have been (such is our wayward nature) more trou- bled for the want of some one thing, than thank- ful for many mercies : Like Hainan, one Mor- decai not bowing to our desires, hath made us heavy and senseless under all our honours, and* God's vouchsafements : Like Ahab, we have been more dejected for want of Maboth's vine- Their Unthankfuiness. S3 yard, than we have blessed God for a king- dom. 3. Are not we oftener, longest, and heartiest in the petitionary part of prayer ? We are still craving the supply of wants ; but seldom, very seldom, too too seldom blessing of God for what we are stored with : Our petitions are long, but praises are short ; to whom be praise, honour, and glory, serves for a sufficient doxology : Yea, how earnest, how fervent, how importunate are we in the petitionary part, but how dull and heartless are we in the gratalatory part of prayer. 4. Do not we set up our rest in being glad of mercies and deliverances ? Whereas it is one thing to be glad of a mercy or deliverance, but another thing to be thankful for it. Then are they glad : but that will not serve the turn ; it is a return of a higher nature, which God looks for : O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness ! 5. Are not we unmindful of the gracious deal- ings of God with us ? Have not we forgotten the God of our salvation, and been unmindful of the rock of our strength ? " He is an unthank- ful man (saith Seneca) that denies a benefit re- ceived ; so is he that dissembles it, together with him that requires it not : but of all* the' rest, he is most unthankful, that hath forgotten, it." 6. Have not we neglected to make catalogues of the mercies we have received, to help our me- mories ? How can we that have not, and will not submit to this divine ordinance, look upon ourselves as some of God's Israel ! This God hath ordained for a law and a statute for Israel: What was this ordinance ? That they should write it (what God had done for them), and so provide, that the generations to come mLht 84 SINS OF PROFESSORS. know what God had done. But alas ! how little care have we, that whatsoever God does, may be for ever to his glory ? How unjust are we unto our children, and the generations to come, in de- priving them of a faithful record of God's mer- cies to us, in which God speaks to them, as well as unto us ? What God spake to Jacob at Bethel, he spake to Israel, that lived in Hosea's time, above a thousand years after it : There he spake with us. How injurious to them ? By such a faithful record, they might read the right way in sailing heaven-ward ; by our falls they might know where lie the rocks and quicksands ; and by our deliverances, where outgates are to be found 7. Have not we been too silent concerning the goodness of God towards us ? How seldom do we with David say, Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul ? How unlike saints are we ? Thy saints shall bless thee-, they shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power to make known to the sons of men thy mighty acts, I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that he hath bestowed on me, 8cc. So sings Zion. 8. Have not we neglected to call on others to join with us in the blessing of God ? When did we make a collection of praises from our friends, that would gladly have been in the choir ? A thankful heart is filled with enlarged desires, that others, that all, would join in the work of praising God. A gracious heart doth not think it enough to praise God alone ; though it would be praising God, were there none in heaven or earth to bear it company. But I shall speak more particularly, and in- stance in some of those choice personal mercies Their Unthankfulness, 85 (to wave national ones) for which the best of us are too unthankful. How have we forgot the hole, and deep pit, and miry clay, out of which we were digged? Have not we been unmindful of the blessed ju- bilee, when the prisoners were let out of the prison-house ? Paul remembereth many circum- stances of his conversion, the place wherein, in a journey nigh to Damascus : the time when, about noon : the manner how, suddenly there did shine from heaven a great light round about me, and I fell to the ground, and heard a voice, &c. He remembered also what he was before conversion : / was a persecutor, a blasphemer, and injurious. What saith God ? Remember this day ; What day ? The day wherein you were delivered from the house of bondage under sin, the world, and satan, O ! how have we forgot- ten, that the Lord, by a strong and irresistible work of his blessed Spirit, translated us out of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of his dear Son ? It was he that made Jordan to give back., and delivered us from Egypt and the Wilderness, that we might inherit the good land. O ! what enemies were we, studying to be damned, gal- lopping to hell, till God met us ? How seldom do we look back to the spring from whence all our mercy flows? How unthank- ful have we been for that original fountain- mercy, eternal election ? Why should God single us out a people for himself? Why did grace blossom from eternity ? Why did God plot and study my happiness before I had a being f What was there, that Jacob is smiled upon, and Esau not so ? Goo 1 might have had his revenues of glory out of my ruin. O that he should glorify the riches of his mercy in my salvation ! And yet how little is God magnified for this ? 86 SINS OF PROFESSORS. How little do we bless God for Christ? Though he be tht stream that alone refreshcth the city of God, yet how seldom is his love, his stoops and condescentions for us, his bleeding and dying for us, remembered by us with hearty praises and thanksgivings ? How little do we bless God for the covenant of grace, which Mr. Allen excellently calls, "The bow in the cloud, after a deluge of sin and misery, the forfeited lease of eternity re- newed, the Magna Charta of the city of God, the hopes of sinners, and the riches of saints?" And in particular for the promise or the Spirit, in all his offices and operations, for the applica- tion of the purchased possession ? J will put my Spirit within you. How little do we remember to bless the Lord for outward salvations ? You began, perhaps, svith a little, as Jacob, and now behold you have two bands, a troop of children, friends,