3 of Conoerfton, or turning unto God. SE c evill in the world to provoke tears, had not finne been : This brought not onely Thorns and Thiftles on the ground , but on every thing else; why then Iball we not havemourning for that which is the fountain and root of all other fad things? Secondly, Thereforewe are to turn from fin to God with mourning ; Because there it a condeceiwy, andcongruity offufiice in it. Its the greareft reason and ¡office in theworld, that as thouhaft by delight and pleafures in fin offended and provo. ked God ; fo thouIhouldit bygriefand bitterneffe for fin manifeft thy love tohim: foal there be a time when linwas fweec and shat therenot bea timewhen it Thal al- fo bebitter ? Oh confider this all you who have found the (boreand momentaneous honey of fin, but not the fling of it; that have found it sweet in the mouth,but not like Ezekiel, Roll, bitter in thebellie. 3. Thirdly, Its neceffary there Ihould be bitter mourning in our Conversion; Be: castleof the manner ormethod Cod takes in bringingmen from fin ; which for the molt part isaccompanied with fuch strong convietions offn, such tremblings,and agonies offoul, that as thewoman by Godsappointment is to bring forth in pangs and travail; fodoth the heart of a man labour tillChrifl be formed in ir. Gods method is generally to convince of lin, the hainoufnefs of it, all the bloudy circum- flances that aggravate it, and that ina powerful, particular way; fo that he feeth and feelethhimfelf tobe this finder : Then Goddifcovereth the exaftneffe of the Law, the fpirituall extentof it, the innumerable curses that it threatens to every difobedientperson; and lailly,ir difcover an impotency, andan utter inability in a mans felt and inall the world to help him , fothat he is defpairing wholly of himfelf, and receiving a fentenceof condemnation upon his foul, onely thegrace of God comes in,before the foul beover-whelmed : That ftretcheth outthe hand, as Chrift did toPeter, before he fink in the waters. Now tell us, Canall thefe exercifes, fears, confli&s, and commotions of heart be without mourning and weeping ? It is true in fome Converts their pangs and conflictsare greater than in others; yet it being Gods ordinary way to bring about Converfon by Con- vielion out of the Law, here mull be needs great divihons and troubles of heart. ;. Fourthly, There will be mourning and weeping inour Converfion toGod, Be. cause of the fympathy and natural conjunilion offool andbody together; to that what the foul is exceffively affeeted with, there is anover-flowing and redundancy of this upon the body. Thus David isfooften in fenfible paflionate expreffions of tears and delires after God, because his foul and heart did fo affeftionately burn after God; Infomuch that notonely his heart, but hisvery flth (he faith) longeth after God,7'1al. 84.2. Vfe is, Severely to reprove that ftoninefieand hardneffeof heart upon many (inners : When did they ever turn toGod with bitter lamentations,andmourning, and weeping? When was their laughter and joy turned intoheavineffe ? Youhave inched fometimes feen themwring their hands, cry aloud they were undone, be- rank theireffaces are lolt,their friendsare dead,great pains andaches of bodyhave tormented them; but not a ugh, not a ?ear for their fn. Ohknow that inhell there will beweepingand wailing, and gnalhingof teeth; then thy fins will beappre- hended in a morehorridand ghastly manner thannow they are. A tear in theeye for fin, is more commendable than a jewel in the ear : and if thou canft not weep, yet ugh and mourn like theDove. O (mite upon the thighes, knock on the breafl; fay, Even Rocks ( Lord ) when thou haft fmote them have given us water; but thou halt smitten by thy Word, by thy Judgments upon myheart, andyet nomour- ningat all. The tearsof the hearers are the commendations of a Sermon: Did you hear aright, you would pour your hearts out like water, as the Scrip cure expreffion is. Neid.er doe thou chink it a childish weak thing toweep for finne: For David, who had more knowledgethan all his Teachers, yethowplen- cifull in thrift (bowers 1 Neither doe thou think it an Argument of an ignoble fpirit Vfe.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=