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pleasant to you to be rid of your sin, than now it is to keep it; and you will then say, that you knew not what a comfortable life was till now, and that it was never well with you till God and holiness were your delight:

very wilfulness is become an impotency, and what they would not do, they say they cannot. The worldling is so taken up with earthly things that he hath neither heart, nor mind, nor time, for heavenly; but as in Pharoah's dream the lean kine did eat up the fat ones, so this lean and

Quest. But how comes it to pass, that men should be so unreasonable in the matters of sal-barren earth eats up all the thoughts of heaven. vation? They have wisdom enough in other matters; what makes them so loth to be converted, that there should need so many words in so plain a case, and all will not do, but the most will live and die unconverted?

5. Some are so carried away by the stream of evil company, that they are possessed with hard thoughts of a godly life, by hearing them speak against it: or at least they think they may venture to do as they see most do, and so they hold

Ans. To name them only in few words, the on in their sinful ways; and when one is cut off causes are these:

1. Men are naturally in love with earth and flesh, they are born sinners, and their nature hath an enmity to God and godliness, as the nature of a serpent hath to a man: and when all that we can say, goes against the habitual inclinations of their natures, no marvel if it little prevail.

2. They are in darkness, and know not the very things that they hear. Like a man that was born blind, and hears a high commendation of the light; but what will hearing do, unless he sees it? They know not what God is, nor what is the power of the cross of Christ, nor what the spirit of holiness is, nor what it is to live in love by faith: they know not the certainty, suitableness, and excellency of the heavenly inheritance. They know not what conversion, and a holy mind and conversation is, even when they hear of it. They are in a mist of ignorance, they are lost and bewildered in sin, like a man that hath lost himself in the night, and knows not where he is, nor how to come to himself again, till the day light recover him.

3. They are wilfully confident, that they need no conversion, but some partial amendment; that they are in the way to heaven already, and are converted, when they are not. If you meet a man that is quite out of his way, you may long enough call on him to turn back again, if he will not believe you that he is out of the way.

4. They are become slaves to their flesh, and drowned in the world to make provision for it. Their lusts, passions, and appetites, have distracted them, and got such an hand over them, that they cannot tell how to deny them, or how to mind any thing else: so that the drunkard saith, I love a cup of good drink and cannot forbear it; the glutton saith, I love good cheer and I cannot forbear; the fornicator saith, I love to have my lusts fulfilled, and I cannot forbear; and the gamester loves to have his sports, and he cannot forbear. So that they are even become captivated slaves to their flesh, and their

and cast into hell, and another snatched away from among them, to the same condemnation, it doth not much daunt them, because they see not whither they are gone. Poor sinners! They hold on in their ungodliness for all this; for they little know that their companions are now lamenting it in torments. In Luke xvi. the rich man in hell would willingly have had one to warn his five brethren, lest they should come to that place of torment. He knew their minds and lives, and knew that they were hastening thither, and little dreamed that he was there, yea, and little would have believed one that should have told him so. I remember a passage a gentleman told me he saw upon a bridge over Severn. A man was driving a flock of fat lambs, and something meeting them and hindering their passage, one of the lambs leaped upon the wall of the bridge, and his legs slipping from under him, he fell into the stream, and the rest seeing him, did one after another leap over the bridge into the stream, and were all, or almost all, drowned. Those that were behind, did little know what was become of them that were gone before, but thought that they might venture to follow their companions; but as soon as ever they were over the wall, and falling headlong, the case was altered. Even so it is with unconverted carnal men. One dies by them, and drops into hell, and another follows the same way; and yet they will go after them, because they think not whither they are going. Oh, but when death has once opened their eyes, and they see what is on the other side of the wall, even in another world, then what would they give to be where they were!

6. Moreover, they have a subtile, malicious enemy that is unseen of them, and plays his game in the dark; and it is his principal business to hinder their conversion; and therefore to keep them where they are, by persuading them not to believe the scriptures, or not to trouble their minds with these matters, or by persuading them to think ill of a godly life; or to think

that it is more ado than needs, and that they | condition you will but accept it, and return. He may be saved without conversion, and without hath on this reasonable condition offered you the all this stir; and that God is so merciful, that free pardon of all your sins: he hath written this he will not damn any such as they, or at least, in his word, and sealed it by his Spirit, and that they may stay a little longer, and take their sent it to you by his ministers; they have made pleasure, follow the world yet a little longer, the offer to you a hundred, and a hundred times, then let it go, and repent hereafter, and by and called you to accept it, and turn to God. such juggling, deluding cheats as these the They have in his name intreated you, readevil keeps most in his captivity, and leads them soned the case with you, and answered all to misery. your frivolous objections. He hath long waited on you, staid your leisure, and suffered you to abuse him to his face. He hath mercifully sustained you in the midst of your sins: he hath compassed you about with all sorts of He hath also intermixed afflictions, mercies. to mind you of your folly, and call you to reflection: his Spirit hath been often striving with your hearts, and saying there, Turn, sinner, turn to him that calleth thee: whither art thou going; what art thou doing; dost thou know what will be the end; how long wilt thou hate thy friends, and love thine enemies; when wilt thou let go all, and turn, and deliver up thyself to God, and give thy Redeemer the possession of thy soul; when shall it once be?'

These, and such like impediments as these, do keep so many thousands unconverted, when God hath done so much, Christ hath suffered so much, and ministers have said so much for their conversion; when their reasons are silenced, and they are not able to answer the Lord that calls after them, ' Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?' Yet all comes to nothing with the greatest part of them; and they leave us no more to do after all, but to sit down and lament their wilful misery. I have now showed you the reasonableness of God's commands, and the unreasonableness of wicked men's disobedience. If nothing will serve but men will yet refuse to turn, we are next to consider who is to blame if they be damned. And this brings me to the last doctrine; which is,

DOCT. VII. That if after all this, men will not turn, it is not owing to God that they are condemned, but of themselves, even their own wilfulness. They die because they will die, that is, because they will not turn.

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If you will go to hell, what remedy? God here acquits himself of your blood; it shall not lie on him if you be lost. A negligent minister may draw it upon him; and those that encourage you, or hinder you not in sin, may draw it upon them; but be sure of it, it shall not lie upon God. Saith the Lord concerning his unprofitable vineyard, ' Judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard; what could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it?" When he had planted it in a fruitful soil, and fenced it, and gathered out the stones, and planted it with the choicest vines,' what should he have done more to it? He hath made you men, and endued you with reason; he hath furnished you with external necessaries, all creatures are at your service: he hath given you a righteous perfect law; when you had broken it, and undone yourselves, he had pity on you, and sent his Son, by a miracle of condescending mercy, to die for you, and be a sacrifice for your sins, and he 'was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.' The Lord Jesus hath made you a free offer of himself, and eternal life with him, on the

These pleadings have been used with thee; when thou hast delayed, thou hast been urged to make haste, and God hath called to thee. To-day, while it is called to-day, harden not thy heart; why not now without any more delay? Life hath been set before you; the joys of heaven have been opened to you in the gospel: the certainty of them have been manifested; the certainty of the everlasting torments of the damned have been declared to you; unless you would have had a sight of heaven and hell, what Christ hath been, as could you desire more?

it were, set forth crucified before your eyes.
You have been a hundred times told, that you
are but lost men, till you come unto him; as
oft as you have been told of the evil of sin, of
the vanity of sin, the world, and all the pleasures
and wealth it can afford; of the shortness and
uncertainty of your lives, and the endless du-
ration of the joy or torment of the life to come.
been
All this, and more than this, have you
told, and told again; even till you were weary
of hearing it, till you could make the lighter of
it, because you had so often heard it; like the
smith's dog, that is brought by custom to sleep
under the noise of the hammers, when the sparks
do fly about his ears; and though all this have
not converted you, yet you are alive, and might
have mercy, to this day, if you had but hearts
Now let reason itself be judge,
to entertain it.
whether it be owing to God or you, if after all

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this you will be unconverted, and be damned? | for ever!-O that they were wise, that they If you die now it is because you will die. What understood this; and that they would consider should be said more to you? Or what course their latter end.' He would have been your should be taken, that is more likely to prevail? | God, and done all for you that your souls could Are you able to say and make it good, 'we would willingly have been converted and become new creatures, but we could not; we would have changed our company. our thoughts, and our discourse, but we could not.' Why could you not if you would? What hindered you but the wickedness of your hearts? Who forced you to sin; or who did hold you back from duty? Had you not the same teaching, and time and liberty to be godly as your godly neighbours had? Why then could you not have been godly as well as they? Were the church doors shut against you, or did you not keep away yourselves, or sit and sleep, or hear as if you did not hear? Did God put in any exceptions against you in his word, when he invited sinners to return, and when he promised mercy to those that do return? Did he say, 'I will pardon all that repent except thee? Did he shut you out from the liberty of his holy worship, or did he forbid you to pray to him any more than others? You know he did not. God did not drive you away from him, but you forsook him, and ran away yourselves. When he called you to him, you would not come. If God had excepted you out of the general promise and offer of mercy, or had said to you, 'Stand off, I will have nothing to do with such as you; pray not to me, for I will not hear you. If you repent never so much, and cry for mercy never so much, I will not regard you.' If God had left you nothing to trust to but desperation, then you had had a fair excuse. You might have said, To what end should I repent and turn, when it will do no good? But this was not your case. You might have had Christ to be your Lord and Saviour, your head and husband, as well as others, and you would not; because that ye felt not yourselves sick enough for the physician; and because you could not spare your disease; in your hearts ye said as those rebels, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.' Christ 'would have gathered you under the wings of his salvation, and you would not.'

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What desires of your welfare did the Lord express in his holy word? With what compassion did he stand over you and say, 'O that my people had hearkened unto me, and that they had walked in my way.-O that there were such a heart in this people, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children |

well desire; but you loved the world and your flesh above him; and therefore you would not hearken to him; though you complimented with him, and gave him high titles, yet when he came to the closing, you would have none of him. No marvel then if he give you up to your own heart's lusts, and you walked in your own counsels.' He condescends to reason, and pleads the case with you, and asks you what is there in me, or my service, that you should be so much against me? What harm have I done thee, sinner? Have I deserved this unkind dealing at thy hands? Many mercies have I showed thee; for which of them dost thou despise me? Is it I, or is it Satan, that is thy enemy? Is it I, or is it thy carnal self, that would undo thee? Is it a holy life, or a life of sin, that thou hast cause to fly from? If thou be undone, thou procurest this to thyself, by forsaking me the Lord that would have saved thee.-Doth not thine own wickedness correct thee, and thy sin reprove thee; thou mayest see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken me.— What iniquity have ye found in me, that ye have followed after vanity, and forsaken me.' He calls out, as it were, to the brutes to hear the controversy he hath against you. 'Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done to thee, and wherein have I wearied thee; testify against me, for I brought thee out of Egypt, and redeemed thee, &c. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider: ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers! &c.-Do you thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? Is not he thy Father that bought thee, made thee, and established thee?' When he saw that you forsook him even for nothing, and turned away from your Lord and life, to hunt after the chaff of the world, he told you of your folly, and called you to a more profitable employment, wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness

Incline your ear and come unto me; hear and | slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall deyour soul shall live, and I will make an everlas- stroy them but whoso hearkeneth to me, shall ting covenant with you, even the sure mercies dwell safely, and shall be quiet from the fear of of David.-Seek ye the Lord while he may be evil.' I thought best to recite the whole text found, call ye upon him, while he is near.-Let at large to you, because it doth show the cause the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous and destruction of the wicked. It is not beman his thoughts, and let him return unto the cause God would not teach them, but because Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to they would not learn. It is not because God our God, for he will abundantly pardon.' would not call them, but because they would not turn at his reproof. Their wilfulness is their ruin.

From what hath been said, you may farther learn these following things:

1. From hence you may see, not only what blasphemy and impiety it is, to lay the blame of men's destruction upon God; but also how unfit these wicked men are to bring in such a charge against their Maker. They cry out upon God, and say he gives them no grace, and his threatenings are severe, and God forbid that all should be damned that be not converted and sanctified, and they think it hard measure, that a short sin should have an endless suffering; and if they be damned, they say they cannot help it. When in the mean time they are busy about their own destruction, even working the overthrow of their own souls, and will not be persuaded to hold their hand. They think God were cruel if he should damn them, and yet they are cruel to them.

And when you would not hear, what complaints have you put him to, charging it on you, as your wilfulness and stubbornness! Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid: for my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters; and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Many a time hath Christ proclaimed that free invitation to you, 'let him that is athirst come: and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. But you put him to complain after all his offers; 'they will not come to me that they may have life. He hath invited you to feast with him in the kingdom of his grace; and you have had excuses from your grounds, your cattle, your worldly business, and when you would not come, you have said you could not, and provoked him to resolve that you should never taste of his supper,' and who is to blame but yourselves? And what can you say is the chief cause of your dam-selves, and they will run into the fire of hell, nation, but your own wills? You would be damned. The whole case is laid open by Jesus Christ himself in Prov. i. 20–23. Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets, she crieth in the chief place of the concourse, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and ye scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn ye at my reproof; behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hands, and no man regarded, but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would have none of my reproofs: I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsels, they despised all my reproof; therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall

when God hath told them it is a little before
them, and neither intreaties nor threatenings,
nor any thing that can be said, will stop them.
We see them almost undone; their careless,
worldly, fleshly lives do tell us, that they are in
the power of the devil; we know, if they die
before they are converted, all the world cannot
save them; and knowing the uncertainty of their
lives, we are afraid every day lest they drop into
the fire. And therefore we intreat them to pity
their own souls, and not to undo themselves when
mercy is at hand, and they will not hear us. We
intreat them to cast away their sin, and come to
Christ without delay, and to have some mercy
on themselves: but they will have none.
yet they think that God must be cruel if he con-
demn them. O wilful wretched sinners! It is
not God that is so cruel to you; it is you that
are cruel to yourselves. You are told you must
turn or burn, and yet you turn not.
You are
told, that if you will needs keep your sins, you
shall keep the curse of God with them; and yet
you will keep them. You are told, that there is
no way to happiness but by holiness, and yet you
will not be holy. What would you have God
say more to you; what would you have him do

And

with his mercy; he offered it to you, and you | they will not be persuaded. If we should die

will not have it. You are in the toils of sin and misery, and he would give you his hand to help you out, and you refuse his help; he would cleanse you of your sins, and you had rather keep them. You love your lusts, and love your gluttony, and sports, and drunkenness, and will not let them go; and would you have him bring you to heaven whether you will or not? Or would you have him to bring you and your sins to heaven together? Why, that is an impossibility; you may as well expect he should turn the sun into darkness. What! an unsanctified, fleshly heart be in heaven! It cannot be. There entereth nothing that is unclean.-For what communication hath light with darkness, or Christ with Belial ?—All the day long hath he stretched out his hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people.'

What will ye do now? Will you cry to God for mercy? Why, God calleth upon you to have mercy upon yourselves, and you will not; ministers see the poisoned cup in the drunkard's hand, and tell him there is poison in it, and desire him to have mercy on his soul, and forbear, and he will not hear us; drink it he must and will, he loves it, and therefore though hell comes next, he saith he cannot help it. What should one say to such men as these? We tell the ungodly, careless worldlings, 'it is not such a life that will serve the turn, or ever bring you to heaven. If a bear were at your back, you would mend your pace; and when the curse of God is at your back, and Satan and hell are at your back, you will not stir, but ask, what needs all this ado? Is an immortal soul of no more worth? O have mercy upon yourselves!' But they will have no mercy on themselves, nor once regard us. We tell them the end will be bitter. Who can dwell with the everlasting fire? Yet they will have no mercy upon themselves. Yet will these shameful transgressors say, that God is more merciful than to condemn them, when it is themselves that cruelly and unmercifully run upon condemnation? And if we should go to them and intreat them, we cannot stop them; if we should fall down on our knees to them, we cannot stop them; but to hell they will, and yet will not believe that they are going thither. If we beg of them for the sake of God that made them, and preserves them; for the sake of Christ that died for them; for the sake of their own poor soul, to pity themselves, and go no farther in the way to hell, but come to Christ while his arms are open, and enter into the state of life, while the door stands open, and now take mercy while mercy may be had,

for it, we cannot get them so much as now and then to consider with themselves of the matter and to turn. And yet they can say, 'I hope God will be merciful.' Did you never consider what he saith, 'it is a people of no understanding, therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them; and he that formed them will show them no favour.' If another man will not clothe you when you are naked, and feed you when you are hungry, you will say he is unmerciful; if he should cast you into prison, or beat or torment you, you would say he is unmerciful. And yet you would do a thousand times more against yourselves, even cast away both soul and body for ever, and never complain of your own unmercifulness. Yea, and God that waited upon you all the while with his mercy, must be taken to be unmerciful, if he punish you after all this. Unless the holy God of heaven will give these hardened men leave to trample upon his Son's blood, and with the Jews, as it were again to spit in his face, do despite to the Spirit of grace, make a jest of sin, a mock at holiness, and more disesteem saving mercy than the filth of their fleshly pleasure; and unless, after all this, he will save them by the mercy which they cast away, and would have none of, God himself must be called unmerciful by them; but he will be justified when he judgeth; and he will not stand or fall at the bar of a sinful

worm.

I know there are many particular cavils that are brought by them against the Lord, but I shall not here stay to answer them particularly, having done it already in my Treatise of Judgment, to which I shall refer them. Had the disputing part of the world been as careful to avoid sin and destruction, as they have been busy in searching after the cause of them, and forward indirectly to impute it to God, they might have exercised their judgment more profitably, and have less wronged God, and sped better themselves. When so vile a monster as sin is within us, and so heavy a thing as punishment is on us, and so dreadful a thing as hell is before us, one would think it should be an easy question who is in the fault, and whether God or man be the principal or culpable cause? Some men are such favourable judges of themselves, that they are more prone to accuse infinite perfection and goodness itself, than their own hearts; and imitate their first parents who said, 'the serpent tempted me, and the woman that thou gavest me, gave unto me, and I did eat,' secretly implying that God was the cause. So, say they, 'the un

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