Use 2. Conviction. It showeth the hardness of their hearts who have neither felt the law work nor the gospel work, but remain like the smith's anvil, softened neither with hammer nor with oil ; neither driven by the threatenings of the law, nor drawn with the glad tidings
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of salvation ; neither John nor Jesus worketh on them. Of such Christ speaketh, Mat. xi. 17, ' We have piped unto you, and you have not danced ; we have mourned unto you, and you have not himented.' A rude and stupid people, not affected with any kind of music. lu times of rejoicing the Jews had their ligliter notes fitted for mirth ; in times ot lamentation, they had their minstrels and mourning women, that liad venales lachrynias, beating their breasts, and crying, Alas, my brother ! and, Ah, Lord ! and, Ah, his glory ! Jer. ix. 17, ' Con- sider ye, and call for the mourning women.' Notable movers of passions they were. It was a thing so common among them, that the boys would imitate them in the streets. To these Christ likeneth a stupid people, that are moved with no kind of doctrine, neither with judgment nor sweet offers of grace. Alas ! they are far from the strong comfort here spoken of.
Use 3. To persuade you to this temper. Three sorts of people usually we speak to — (1.) The carnal secure ; (2.) Those that are affected with their condition ; (3.) Those that esteem Christ, and embrace him, that own him as ready and willing to save sinners.
1. For the carnally secure, that never made their peace with God, never fled for refuge, nor took sanctuary at the grace of Christ. Our work is to make them sensible of the avenger of blood that is at their heels. O poor wretches ! will you sleep when your damnation sleeps not ? Within a little while what will become of you ? In the ordinary course of nature, you have but a few years to pass over in this world, but for aught you know, the wrath of Grod, which makes inquisition for sinners, may seize upon you a great deal sooner ; you may not live out half your days, that is, so long as in an ordinary providence you might expect: Ps. Ixviii. 21, ' God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goetli on still in his trespasses.' God may take you by the hairy scalp while you are in your youthful freshness, before baldness and old age cometh on, and infirmities seize upon you. That which is measured by time will soon come about. Every day you are a step nearer to eternity. Oh ! what will become of you ? When you are at odds with God, death waylayeth you in every place ; it may take you sleeping, eating, drinking. Ah, poor man ! what refuge hast thou ? what buckler to catch the blow of God's angry indignation, and ward off the strokes of his vengeance ? Oh ! fly, sinners, for refuge ; the Lord knows how soon destruction may seize upon you, while you are yet in health and strength ; there is no other means but Christ. Surely this driving work would prosper more if men were not wanting to them- selves to improve the conviction of the word. When God shows you your natural face, and begins to startle and awaken you, oh ! let not conviction die ! No iron so hard as that which hath been often quenched and often heated ; so no heart so hard as when it hath worn out many convictions. Make use of remorses of conscience and your own trembling fears, lest you are given up to a spirit of slumber.
2. To those that are affected with their condition, to seek for salva- tion in Clirist alone. You which'are troubled about your eternal state, own Clirist as a city of refuge, his arms are always open to receive poor trembling sinners, that fly thither from the wrath of God. You do but go about while you seek elsewhere : Jer. xixi. 22, ' How long
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wilt thou go about, 0 thou backsliding daughter ? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth. A woman shall compass a man ; ' that is, when God hath sent forth Christ born of a woman, why will you weary yourselves to go about ? This city of refuge stands open for all comers ; own Christ as the only remedy. One who was long exercised with troubles of conscience, and at length came to some establishment, gave this advice : I will never look tor that in the law which is only to be found in the gospel ; and I will never look for that in myself which is only to be found in Christ ; and I will never look for that on earth which is only to be found in heaven. These three things are the causes why men are kept in trouble. You will get nothing but weariness and discomfort by running about, and looking to duties and legal qualifications ; and therefore, while you are affected with your con- dition, own Christ.