Here is a sinner whom God hath awakened, hath set his fins in order before him. He that before could say, God is a merciful God, say these Preachers what they will, now he feels and finds God to be an angry God, and one that is as good as his word, one that will not endure iniquity, he will not clear the guilty; and this poor Creature seeth nothing but guilt and iniquity in himself, no Creature under ⟨image 23⟩heaven so miserable as himself; to abide here he cannot, the Law speaks nothing but death, and dye he must, if there be no other way to save him then what he can find in himself: Hearing of Christ and a Covenant of Grace revealed in the Gospel, for such poor sinners to run to; and hearing Christ calling of such to him, Matth. 11.28. the sinner answers gladly with them, Jer. 3.22. Behold, we come to thee, and now is hasting for Refuge. But one meets him in the way, and speaks to him; How now sleepy sinner, what are you now awake? what are those lusts of thine, wherewith thy soul was so delighted, become evil things in earnest to thee? Is thy sweet morsel, which thou didst hide so under thy tongue, Job 20 12. become bitter? Is hell real? do you believe wrath indeed is coming? do you think God is just, will be just, whatever you thought of him before? All this is very true, saith the sinner, I feel it all to my sorrow. Well, what would you have, a Christ? God reconciled? his Love? Yea, saith the soul, this it is, you have named it, this will quiet my soul indeed, and nothing else. But stay, saith he, Are you come to this, 1to be quiet with the will of God, in case you think you shall never partake of his Love; this you must come to, if you be rightly humbled and prepared for Christ, unto whom you are now flying. Grace you would have, and God to work Grace you desire; yea, carnestly, saith the Soul, I would fain have God manifest grace towards me. But stay, saith he, What if God will not work Grace, 2nor never manifest Grace to you, will you not by sinking discouragements, and secret quarrelling resist God? It may be you will be above Christ, not under him, and willing to be disposed of by him. O, I pray, Sir, what do you mean by this, willing to be disposed of by him? This Mr. Shepherd hath not so plainly expressed; but observe what went before, with the thread of his discourse and it is plain English, if he dispose thee to hell and damnation.
Here is a sinner whom God hath awakened, hath set his fins in order before him. He that before could say, God is a merciful God, say these Preachers what they will, now he feels and finds God to be an angry God, and one that is as good as his word, one that will not endure iniquity, he will not clear the guilty; and this poor Creature seeth nothing but guilt and iniquity in himself, no Creature under ⟨image 23⟩heaven so miserable as himself; to abide here he cannot, the Law speaks nothing but death, and dye he must, if there be no other way to save him then what he can find in himself: Hearing of Christ and a Covenant of Grace revealed in the Gospel, for such poor sinners to run to; and hearing Christ calling of such to him, Matth. 11.28. the sinner answers gladly with them, Jer. 3.22. Behold, we come to thee, and now is hasting for Refuge. But one meets him in the way, and speaks to him; How now sleepy sinner, what are you now awake? what are those lusts of thine, wherewith thy soul was so delighted, become evil things in earnest to thee? Is thy sweet morsel, which thou didst hide so under thy tongue, Job 20 12. become bitter? Is hell real? do you believe wrath indeed is coming? do you think God is just, will be just, whatever you thought of him before? All this is very true, saith the sinner, I feel it all to my sorrow. Well, what would you have, a Christ? God reconciled? his Love? Yea, saith the soul, this it is, you have named it, this will quiet my soul indeed, and nothing else. But stay, saith he, Are you come to this, 1to be quiet with the will of God, in case you think you shall never partake of his Love; this you must come to, if you be rightly humbled and prepared for Christ, unto whom you are now flying. Grace you would have, and God to work Grace you desire; yea, carnestly, saith the Soul, I would fain have God manifest grace towards me. But stay, saith he, What if God will not work Grace, 2nor never manifest Grace to you, will you not by sinking discouragements, and secret quarralling resist God? It may be you will be above Christ, not under him, and willing to be disposed of by him. O, I pray, Sir, what do you mean by this, willing to be disposed of by him? This Mr. Shepheard hath not so plainly expressed; but observe what went before, with the thread of his discourse and it is plain English, if he dispose thee to hell and damnation.
- 1Mr. Shepherd Sound Believer, p. 154. in that Impression 1645.
- 2Mr. Shep. p. 140. p. 143.
