ofRegeneration, 23 t they foon forgat God, who helped them. Oh (Beloved ) we have too many examplesof fnch troubles forfinne in our dayes I Take Come men in defperate fickneffes, when death the King ofterrors is ready to feize on them; or while they are under fomepublick miferieswhich dofo immediately burden them they knownot what to do. In there extremities, what confeiions, what refolutions have you ? Do they not teem tobe new creatures? You never heard them fpeak, purpofe, pray to God fo before ; you never faw them fo affefted and wrought Upon as they are for a feafon ; butupon recovery andeafe they prefently forget all and were they prophane, worldly, negligent, yea oppofite to God and his way ? the fame they prove again ? Do not thou thereforedeceive thyown foul; flying, I remember the time finemy fins have pained meatthe very heart, fine I roared on my bed becaufe of mine iniquities, I had no comfort in my life, finne madeevery thing fo bitter : grant all this, but ask the Queflion, How comet thou tobequiet again ? Howare thofe Winder and waves come to be appearedi Did Chrift rebukethem and bidthem be¡till, or bath time wore them out? or bath the removal ofthe judgement removed alto thy trouble ? Oh if this had been the true fpiritual travail of thy foul, no outward comfort could have appeafed thee 1 No freedom from external calamity could have pacified thee, till thou haditin a godly manner obtained the lightof Gods countenance, and be recon- ciledwith him. It was thus in David whenwounded in heart for finne, though Gods outward judgementswere over, yea though Nathan told him, His finne Wasforgiven, yet for all that his heart runsout like a fountain ofwater before God, Pfalm.5 r. And this, if rightly confidered, doth break thepillar of many mens hopes. 2. Menmaybe ingreat troubleofheart, and fefernsto others and to themfelves, a1 í. Whenme e if theywere in this newBirth, but allprovefalfe, becaufe they labour toquiet andcon- labour by ad tent themfelvesWithearthlyadvantages, andinacarnalmannerlabourtoextinguifb means to etc mateputout theforrow theyfeel. There differ from the former, becaufe theyare ti gut theyç like the Hartwounded, that labours to eat out thearrow ; fo thefe being troue feel: bledfor their inne are frettedand difcontented at it, and fo ufe all the Wayés they can to ltupifie their confcience, and they labour that their fuse may not alwayesbe before them. How great and terrible foever thefe mens effaces may be, yet itwill vanifh like fmoke. For where God doth gracioufly folien the heart, there is a tender melting, anda willing mourning for finne, as Zech.r2r likea mother for her only childe ; but in thefe men their hearts rage, and fret at thewounds, which Godmakes upon them, and fothey are like the devils and damnedin hell, whoarefull of horrourandgnawings of heart for their fin, but yetblalphemeGod, becaufèof their hatred againft him ; Such an one wasCain; who tried ftubbornly, My fins aregreater then l canbear; and therefore to eafe himfelf, buildeth Cities and ùfeth all means to divert his fears. Confider there- fore, How haft thou beenunder terribleapprehenfions of Gods Wrath for fin? Haft thou defiredthe fanétification ofthem, that Godwould make a thorow and perfefI change in thee? Or elfe haft thou defied topor out this fire, tobolt out thislight? Haft thou judged thofe happy thatlive jollily in their fins, and finde no pangsupon them ? All fuck tears are but like the watersof !landing pools that breed Toadsandother Vermine. Take heed therefore thatthy forrow be not a Cainsforrow. 3. Menmaybe in travel andbringforth nothing boot Winde, becaufe in thefe lrou= ;. Wheii etna bies theyapply them elves tofalfe Prophets and al eTeachers, Whoa peace When hearken to 1 PPy f P f f pply thofethatcuré there is nopeace. As it waswith the Ifraelitesoutward condition. The falfe Pro= woundst,t,. peetsfleightly curedherWound, andcried Peace, _owing pillows under their elbows; ly. Eeefea3.i8. Thus it is alto with falfeteachers about the inward ehate of their people, they footh up men in their evil wales ; Theybid them die comfortably; believe frongly; they bidthem, Goandprofiler; as he did to Ahab. This is dau- bing rr
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