1. He must not be contented in a natural estate; here he must learn not to be content. A sinner in his pure naturals in under the wrath of God*, and shall he be content when that dreadful Vial is going to be poured out? is it nothing to be under the scorchings of divine fury? Who can dwell with everlasting burnings? A sinner as a sinner is under the power of Satan*, and shall he in this estate be contented? who would be contented ⟨p. 207⟩to stay in the enemies quarters? while we sleep in the lap of sin, the Devil doth to us as the Philistines did to Samson, cut the lock of our strength, and put out our eyes*; be not content, O sinner, in this estate. For a man to be in debt body and soul, in fear every hour to be arrested and carried prisoner to hell, shall he now be content? here I preach against contentation, Oh get out of this condition, I would hasten you out of it, as the Angel hastened Lot out of Sodom*; there is the smell of the fire and brimstone upon you. The longer a man stays in his sin, the more sin doth strengthen*; 'tis hard to get out of sin when the heart as a garrison is victualled and fortified.6 A young plant is easily removed,7 but when the tree is once rooted, there is no stirring of it: thou ⟨p. 208⟩who art rooted in thy pride, unbelief, impenitency, it will cost thee many a sad pull ere thou art plucked out of thy natural estate*. 'Tis an hard thing to have a brazen face and a broken heart, He travelleth with iniquity *Psal. 7. 14. Be assured, the longer you travel with your sins, the more and the sharper pangs must you expect in the new birth. Oh be not contented with your natural estate. David saith, Why art thou disquieted, O my soul*? but a sinner should say to himself, Why art thou not disquieted, O my soul? why is it that thou layest afflictions so to heart, and canst not lay sin to heart? 'Tis a mercy when we are disquieted about sin; a man had better be at the trouble of setting a bone, then to be lame, and in pain all his life; blessed is that trouble that brings the soul to Christ. 'Tis one of the worst sights to see a bad conscience quiet; of the two, better is a fever, then a ⟨p. 209⟩lethargy. I wonder to see a man in his natural estate content; what, content to go to hell?
1. He must not be contented in a natural estate; here he must learne not to be content. A sinner in his pure naturals in under the wrath of God*, and shall he be content when that dreadfull Vial is going to be poured out? is it nothing to be under the scorchings of divine fury? Who can dwell with everlasting burnings? A sinner as a sinner is under the power of Satan*, and shall he in this estate bee contented? who would be contented ⟨p. 207⟩to stay in the enemies quarters? while we sleep in the lap of sinne, the Devill doth to us as the Philistines did to Samson, cut the lock of our strength, and put out our eyes*; be not content, O sinner, in this estate. For a man to bee in debt body and soul, in fear every hour to be arrested and carried prisoner to hell, shall he now be content? here I preach against contentation, Oh get out of this condition, I would hasten you out of it, as the Angel hastened Lot out of Sodom*; there is the smell of the fire and brimstone upon you. The longer a man staies in his sinne, the more sinne doth strengthen*; 'tis hard to get out of sinne when the heart as a garrison is victualled and fortified.6 A young plant is easily removed,7 but when the tree is once rooted, there is no stirring of it: thou ⟨p. 208⟩who art rooted in thy pride, unbelief, impenitency, it will cost thee many a sad pull ere thou art plucked out of thy naturall estate*. 'Tis an hard thing to have a brazen face and a broken heart, He travelleth with iniquity *Psal. 7. 14. Be assured, the longer you travell with your sinnes, the more and the sharper pangs must you expect in the new birth. Oh be not contented with your naturall estate. David saith, Why art thou disquieted, O my soul
- *Joh. 3. 16
- *Acts 26. 18.
- *2 Cor. 4. 4.
- *Gen. 19: 15.
- *Heb. 3. 13.
- 6Vincere consuctudinem est dur• pugna. Aug.
- 7[Greek or Hebrew]. Hippocr. l. 2. Aphor. 9.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Hippocr. l. 2. Aphor. 9.
- *Jer 6. 16
- *Ps. 7. 14.
- *Ps. 4. 53.
