Fourthly, If there have been abundance of sweet affections and sweet refreshings, thereby rising up within the soul, without the death, and killing, and removal of the contrary lusts and sins; it is certain this soul was never truly filled nor satisfied with the Spirit of Gods grace; for as it is with vessels, while they be filled ⟨p. 85⟩with lime or chaff, they cannot be filled with wheat or with water; so while the heart is filled with some noisome distempers, it cannot be filled or satisfied with the Lord; look but abroad in the Churches; how many be there that say and think they •ate their sin as the only evil, they close with the Lord Jesus, they love the people of God all of them, they seek the glory of God, and yet they do but think so! for though they hate sin, yet it is unsoundly, because they see not how closely their hands are knit to their sin; they never did believe, because they never felt their unwilling heart to close with Christ; they never loved the Saints, because they never felt their contempt of Saints; never sought Gods glory, because they never mourned under that which did stain it; they never make work with their own hearts; the stony and thorny ground withered because their soil was naught; a heart filled with sweet affections, which never felt the strength of contrary corruptions lying underneath, it is an ill soil, and where those affections will never prosper, nor prove right; and hence, 2 Tim. 2. 20, 21. he that purgeth himself from these things shall be a vessel of honour, ever preserved, never broken. Do not put it to a venture, it may be I may have grace, and so put your salvation on the hazard of such hopes; but the Lord that hath come to thee knocking, open the door that he may come in and feast; cry for infinite creating power and mercy to make haste and come and help thee; what have you to do else but to get your old lusts purged away? what do you labour for else? if you have children to bring up, if you have any love to them, nay if swine or cattle, meat you will have to feed them, and satisfy them if possible; and yet behold thy soul perishing for want of true spiritual refreshings!
Fourthly, If there have been abundance of sweet affections and sweet refreshings, thereby rising up within the soul, without the death, and killing, and removal of the contrary lusts and sins; it is certain this soul was never truly filled nor satisfied with the Spirit of Gods grace; for as it is with vessels, while they be filled ⟨p. 85⟩with lime or chaff, they cannot be filled with wheat or with water; so while the heart is filled with some noisom distempers, it cannot be filled or satisfied with the Lord; look but abroad in the Churches; how many be there that say and think they •ate their sin as the only evil, they close with the Lord Jesus, they love the people of God all of them, they seek the glory of God, and yet they do but think so! for though they hate sin, yet it is unsoundly, because they see not how closely their hands are knit to their sin; they never did believe, because they never felt their unwilling heart to close with Christ; they never loved the Saints, because they never felt their contempt of Saints; never sought Gods glory, because they never mourned under that which did stain it; they never make work with their own hearts; the stony and thorny ground withered because their soil was naught; a heart filled with sweet affections, which never felt the strength of contrary corruptions lying underneath, it is an ill soil, and where those affections will never prosper, nor prove right; and hence, 2 Tim. 2. 20, 21. he that purgeth himself from these things shall be a vessell of honor, ever preserved, never broken. Do not put it to a venture, it may be I may have grace, and so put your salvation on the hazard of such hopes; but the Lord that hath come to thee knocking, open the door that he may come in and feast; cry for infinite creating power and mercy to make haste and come and help thee; what have you to do else but to get your old lusts purged away? what do you labor for else? if you have children to bring up, if you have any love to them, nay if swine or cattel, meat you will have to feed them, and satisfie them if possible; and yet behold thy soul perishing for want of true spiritual refreshings!
