Many wicked men are shrewdly shaken by the preaching of the word for a while ; they are a little awakened out of their drowsy fits, and begin to fear and tremble ; yet they return to them again, and sleep the sleep of death, till in the day of judgment the books of conscience be opened, and then they everlastingly awake with terrors, and never sleep more. If they could as sweetly sleep in their sins in hell as they do now upon earth, wrath to come would not be so terrible and tor- menting a thing to them.
The differences between this sensible work and holy trembling at God's word are these —
1. Holy fear is a voluntary act, and excited in them by faith and love ; by faith, believing God's threatening ; by love, which is troubled at the offence done to God : 2 Chron. xxxiv. 27, ' Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord.' Josiah was active in this trembling and humiliation. But this is an involun- tary impression, arising from the spirit of bondage, and irresistible conviction, which for a while puts them in the stocks of conscience ; but they seek to enlarge themselves g.s soon as they can.
2. They differ in the ground or formal reason of this trouble, agony, and consternation of spirit. To be troubled for the offence done to God is a good sign, but to be troubled merely for the punisliment due to us is the guise of hypocrites. Esau was troubled, for he sought the blessing with tears when he had lost it, Heb. xii. 17. But how was he troubled ? Non quia vendiderat, sed quia perdiderat — because he had lost the l)irthright, which was his misery ; not because he had sold it, which was his sin. So all wicked men, saith Austin, non peccare metuunt, sed ardere ; they do not fear to sin ; their hearts are in secret love and
SERMON UPON ACTS XXIV. 25. 361
league with their lusts, but they are afraid to be damned ; it is not God's displeasure they care for, but their own safety : ' The young maa went away sad, and was grieved, for he had great possessions,' Mark x. 22 ; because he could not reconcile his covetous mind with Christ's institutes. So Felix trembled, being convinced of sins which he wa» loath to discontinue and break off.
3. Tliey differ in their effects. Many men tremble at the word of God coming in upon their hearts with power, but this awakening worketh diversely. Sometimes to a solicitous anxiousness about the way of salvation, and then it is good ; as those. Acts ii. 37, ' And when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ? ' That was a kindly work, to desire to be further instructed and directed into the way of life and peace. Sometimes to rage : Acts vii. 54, ' Whea they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and gnashed on him' with their teeth ; ' they were vexed at the galling truths which Stephen delivered, and the conviction that was upon them kindled their rage against him. Sometimes it produceth nothing but dilatory excuses, as here in Felix : ' Go thy way for this time ; when I have a more con- venient season, I will send for thee.'
II. The cause of this trouble and agony was the word ; wherein the matter and the manner is considerable.
1. The matter is to be considered both generally and particularly,
[1.] Generally, the word of God, or the doctrine of faith in Christ. It hath a convincing power. (1.) Partly because of its author ; the impress of God is upon it ; it partaketh of his properties : Heb. iv. 12, 13, ' For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart ; neither is there any creature that is not mani- fest in his sight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.' God searcheth the heart, and the word searcheth the heart God is powerful, and his word is powerful, in dis- covering a sinner to himself, and bringing a sinner out of his lurking holes, and taking off all disguises. (2.) Partly because of its clearness and evidence to a natural conscience, if it be not strangely stupefied and blinded by fleshly lusts : 2 Cor. iv. 2-4, * By manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost ; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.' This scripture showeth that the gospel ia light, which will discover itself if men do not shut their eyes ; and if men refuse the converting power, they cannot withstand the convinc- ing power of it ; for the work of bringing home souls to God lieth more with their lusts than with their consciences. (3.) And chiefly because of the concomitant blessing. God hath appointed the word to he the great instrument of convincing and converting the world, and doth accompany it with his grace and Spirit, sometimes to one effect, some- times to another. To convincing : John xvi. 8, the Spirit shall ' con- vince the world of sin, and of righteouness, and of judgment.' If it