Quest. 2. How do you carry yourselves as to the change of masters? That we were all once under the power of Satan is evident by what is said before. But how did we get out of it, or how do we stand affected towards our recovery ?
1. As to the offers of grace; if the god of this world do so blind our minds or harden our hearts that we despise the offered remedy : 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' Lest the light should shine unto them.' Impenitency and contempt of the grace of the gospel is Satan's great chain ; he is loath to let a soul go ; and therefore. Mat. xiii. 19, ' The wicked one cometh and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.' When they begin to be serious, he possesseth them with prejudices and false conceits against religion, and inveigleth and enticeth them by the pleasing baits of worldly glory and the delights of the flesh, and puts all anxious thoughts out of their minds about their everlasting con- dition, and discourageth them by the proposal of troubles, dislikes, and disgraces ; and when he is foiled by one weapon, he betaketh himself to another, tiiat he may hold the poor captive soul in fetters and bonds, and tiiey may never think of leaving their sins, but these thoughts may die away in their hearts ; and thus eveiy soul that is recovered to Christ is fetched out of the very paw and moutli of the lion. The heart of a sinner is his garrison and castle, wliicli is so blinded with prejudice and passion, and carnal interests and worldly allurements, that till Christ come and besiege it, partly with terrors and fears, and partly with the oflFers of mercy and ready help, yea, the poweiftd efficacy of his grace, the poor sinner will not yield. Now how is the strong man outed ? Luke xi. 21. Have you been sensible of your ca{)tivity, and iiave you yielded to the means of your recovery? Are you willing tiie cords of sin and vanity shall be loosened ? and do you give u[) younselves to be ruled by your Redeemer, and take upon you his blessed yoke ? Mat. xi. 29,
2. As to more close and pressing convictions, which is a nearer
48 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. X^.
approach than the former. When Christ presseth hard upon men's hearts, and would have entrance, many find a plain conflict within themselves. Christ haleth the soul one way, and the devil another, so that a man is as it were torn to pieces. They would repent and reform, but then they are off again ; the enemy of souls will not let them go ; pleasures, profits, pleasant company, and carnal acquaint- ance, are all brought out to persuade him that he should sit down and be quiet in his sins. But Christ calleth again, Why wilt thou die, sinner ? Now it is good to observe our carriage in these convictions. While you keep thus, you are ' double-minded, and unstable in all your ways,' James i. '8. Oh, let not Christ be kept out of his right any longer ; shall Satan be more powerful in drawing your hearts to vain delights than Christ is in working them to God and heaven? Can he maintain you, and make good your quarrel against the Almighty, and bear you out in rebellion against God ? He is already fallen under his displeasure : will you believe a murderer and a liar from the beginning, rather than all the threateniugs and promises of Christ? What is Satan's end but to destroy and devour, 1 Peter v. 8, and Christ's but to save ? Luke xix. 10, ' For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.' Are eternal life and death such trifles that they should move you no more ? You are now but as the lamb caught by the wolf and lion ; you are not yet killed by him. How much are you beholden to God for restraining the mali- cious so far ; especially for the offer of help by Christ, and will you refuse it ? I will add but this one motive, and that is the deference ^ which Satan hath over the unconverted in common and the obdurate. All natural men that are under the reign of sin are under the power of the devil. But those that are judicially hardened, he hath a peculiar power over them ; for these God hath forsaken, and delivered them up into Satan's hands; these are given over to believe a lie, 2 Thes. ii. 9-12. Who are they but the contemners of the gospel, and wilful refusers of his grace ?
Quest. 3. Do we behave ourselves as those that had a sense of their covenant vow and engagement when they entered into the service of Christ and have put on the armour of light ? Are we in a continual war and fight with Satan ? Certainly where there is a conscience of our baptismal vow, there sin cannot quietly reign. Now they that make conscience of their baptismal^ vow are such as do watch, and pray, and strive that they enter not into temptation : Mat. xxvi. 41, ' Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation : the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.' The godly are in a great part flesh, although renewed, and so easily ensnared. When the devil came to tempt Christ, he had nothing to work upon : John xiv. 30, ' The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.' But the best of God's children have too much of corruption in them, therefore they must watch, and pray, and strive, and use all Christ's means for their safety. You must not basely yield to temptations, nor lazily sit down, or foolishly imagine the field is won, or the fight is ended, as long as you are in the body. How far soever you have gone, how much soever you have done and suffered, yet there remaineth more danger ; the devil is yet alive^ and hath a spite at you, and would sift you as