that God by his Spirit who onely can raise the dead in sinne would bestow this grace not belonging to the wicked upon these Thessalonians by which they putting off all the corrupt qualities of nature might by a new created quality in their hearts grow up in the image of God standing in knowledge true righteousnesse and holinesse And because they were already sanctified in part hee prayeth that they may goe on to through sanctification both here and hereafter for the present that they may attaine full holinesse in respect of all sinne which they must forsake and of the whole law and word which they must set before them in respect of all gifts principall and lesse principall and of all parts and faculties here expressed to be the spirit the soule and body that thus they may be blamelesse in respect of relation with Christ their head in respect of grosse crimes and reigning sinnes in respect of Christian inchoation of the Lords acceptation and of perfect consummation of whole sanctification at the comming of Iesus Christ. In that the Apostle prayeth for through sanctification and enumerateth the parts in which it is and desireth they may be kept blamelesse in every of them we learne that No Christian must content himselfe with the beginnings of holinesse but must proceede to full sanctification as vessells of honour to be full of goodnesse and knowledge Rom. 15.14 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and grow up unto full holinesse in the feare of God 2 Pet. 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ Eph. 4.13 In all things grow up into him which is the head All which places shew that the whole life of a Christian must be a continuall progresse in sanctification 1. Our Text sets downe the orderly proceeding in this worke It must begin in the spirit and minde and then change the heart and will and so come forth into the body and actions that the whole man consisting of these parts may be blamelesse And further this care must be nourished untill the comming of Iesus Christ either to the generall or particular judgement All which shewes that the highest and most noble parts in man are corrupt and unholy and as the Apostle saith even the minde and conscience is polluted till this new quality be created for whatsoever is borne of flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse And therefore our whole life is little enough for the renewing of all these parts so corrupted 2. Sanctification is but in part in this life for God would have sinne left in the best our best duties spotted and a pricke left in our flesh to bufâ—et and humble us who else through the abundance of grace would be proud and lifted up out of measure and that wee might goe out of our selves to the Lord and begge the increase of grace and sanctification from him Adde hereunto that the weake measure of grace present is often interrupted our daily lapses disturbe it sinne makes daily bâ—eaches in it Satan incessantly plants his great Ordnance against it experience shewes how easily we lose both many degrees of it and all sense of it and therefore we had neede still to be repairing our selves A beggars coate needes continuall patching We cannot be rid of our ragges wholly and therefore we must ever be mending Souldiers that keepe a fort or hold looke what batteries and breaches are made by skirmishes and assaulâ—s on the day they will repaire them in the night else could they not hold out no more could we against Satan and our owne corruptions without daily repaire And as our houses so our hearts they will grow dusty and nasty if they be not daily swept and cleansed 3. Sanctification is a continuall act and proceeding in grace so long as we live because it is nothing else but a returne to our first estate and image to which wee cannot possibly attaine till death And therefore if wee would proceede to the glory of the Saints we must proceed in sanctification to the full measure of it for glorification is nothing but the end and perfection of sanctification 4. God hath set apart many excellent and glorious meanes for the perfecting of this his owne worke by all which if we rise not to full holinesse we shall frustrate him of his end The holy Scripture is able to make the man of God perfect to every good worke 2 Tim. 3.15 the holy Ministery of the Word and Sacraments are able both to beget and strengthen faith which purifieth the heart holy meditations conference prayers with promises of blessing and successe if wee rightly use them all these witnesse to us that the Lord would have us to be still adding what is lacking to our graces and rise up to full assurance and holinesse and as those that are planted in the house of God to be more fruitfull and flourishing in our age 5. The necessity and utility of this practise imposeth it on all the godly 1. In respect of the wickednesse of their hearts and a number of beloved and darling sinnes against which all care watchfulnesse and strength is too little 2. In respect of the steine and soyle of sinne which is like a crimson dye hardly fetched out of those that are the Lords for when the sting of sinne is gone and the guilt of sinne is taken away and washed in the Kings bath even the fountaine of the blood of the Sonne of God opened to the house of Iudah and Ierusalem for sinne and uncleannesse yet is there a staine of sinne left which remaineth to be washed with the fountaine of water for Christ came by water and blood this fountaine of pure water is the grace of sanctification which is as the flood Iordan to wash the soules leprosie which stickes faster than Naamans so as we had neede wash seven times that is often yea continually and yet for all that it shall be with the faces of our soules as with the faces of our children the dyrt shall sticke till it be washed off and being washed soone growes foule and dyrtie againe 3. In respect of good duties wherunto we shal ever be unapt unready further than by profiting in sanctification wee are kept in a readinesse For as a man in fetters and irons cannot doe any service to his Prince till his fetters be knockt off so here our corruptions and lusts are heavier and presse us downe harder than a thousand chaines onely the grace of sanctification unties us and gives us liberty in good duties 4. In respect of finall perfection which is not attained in justification but by sanctification It is true that justification heales the wound but sanctification shuts the skarre justification brings pardon but sanctification brings peace neither was there ever any justified person who had received the first fruites but hee longed for
of illumination faith regeneration heavenly life sense and motion and for the most part they are never more comforted than when they are most afflicted which argueth a spirituall and inward Comforter whose joy the world cannot take away This puts beleevers in minde of their honourable and happy estate who are become temples of the holy Ghost who never comes but with a full horne and hand of blessing The Centurion thought himselfe unworthy that Christ in his base estate should come in his house How much more unworthy are wee that this spirit of glory should come into our hearts See hereby what account is to be made of a poore Christian let his outside be never so base yet he is so glorious within as God himselfe delights to dwell in him As we make much even of a wooden coffer that is filled with golde and pearles and precious things And if wee make so much of a man that beares about him a reasonable soule and because hee hath Gods image on him how much more should we make of a Christian because of Gods Spirit What a shame is it to thinke highly of a man for land in the field for oxen in his stall for money in his chest and not for graces yea the spirit of God in his heart what a heavy judgement hangs over them who account these the very offscouring of the world against whom the very Pagans and Heathens shall rise up in judgement who whensoever they spoyled Christians yet spared their Temples because of the honour of God but these destroy the temples of the holy Ghost and God will destroy them 1 Cor. 3.17 Againe this serves for the comfort of poore Christians Art thou contemned God hath more honoured thee than the world can disgrace thee Art thou in prison Behold thou hast the God of liberty with thee yea in thee Art thou in banishment What care where thou dwellest while God dwells in thee What comfort canst thou want while the Comforter dwells in thy heart Doest thou feare falling away Be not dismayed the spirit of God in thy heart will never shift his dwelling He shall dwell with you for ever Christ commands his Disciples where they finde intertainment not to shift their host much lesse will hee ever shift himselfe where once hee enters but thy heart shall be as the Temple was called Beth-gnolam an house of eternity Thirdly let this teach Christians to looke to their hearts that they may be pure and cleane for so pure a Spirit The uncleane spirit delights in spirituall sluttishnesse and many with the harlot provide their bed and all things deckt for sinne and Satan In one end he findes a gorge of drunkennesse in another a wardrobe of pride in another a stewes of uncleannesse and there he inhabiteth and solaceth himselfe But Gods spirit is most pure and although he will dwell in a poore and homely house yet it must be pure and cleanly Let us therefore honour this guest with the best roome and fit our hearts for him let us wash this roome with teares sweepe it with repentance beautifie it with holinesse perfume it with prayers decke it with vertues and hang it with sincerity feare not to make it too pure or holy care not for the scoffes of precisenesse When a great Embassadour is sent from a strange Country what care is taken to provide him a fit house and to decke it with fit stuffe beseeming so great a personage Now the holy Spirit is sent as an Embassadour from the great God to thee then prepare thy heart for him sweepe out carnall desires and lusts fill it with good cogitations that it may yeeld him fit entertainment and contentment Lastly this teacheth men to examine their sonneshippe by the presence of the Spirit with them For as the presence of the soule discovereth it selfe by the life so by the life of God and Christ is the presence of the Spirit discovered Many men while they trade in sinne wallow in lusts and become voluntaries to lusts of swearing railing drinking or any foule sinne under the reigne of which they are bondslaves will yet stoutly pleade for themselves Alas we are flesh and blood and what can we doe But know silly man know that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of God thou must be more than flesh and blood or thou art none of Gods For If any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Thou maist as well say thou art no childe of God For if yee be sonnes hee sends his Spirit into your hearts Gal. 4.6 If of Christs body you have Christs spirit deny thy selfe a Christian if sinne must reigne But to returne to the chiefe intent of this use none we see can be assured he is the child of God but by the presence of the Spirit Quest. How shal I know that God hath given mee the spirit of adoption Answ. This question is very necessary though some thinke they cannot know their sonneship others that they neede not and so neglect it For the possibility hereof As hee that hath life in him knoweth hee hath life because he can stirre feele move walke and goe so here also And as for the necessity of it marke what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Know yee not that Christ is in you namely by his Spirit unlesse ye be reprobates Now the markes of the Spirits dwelling with us are most of them inward not discerned by outward sence as the soule in the body is not seene or felt but discovered by the effects and operations The first is Conviction Ioh. 16.8 When the Spirit shall come hee will reproove the world of sinne And the Spirit of God rebukes sinne in us by working in us 1. sence 2. sorrow for sinne 3. an earnest desire of mercy 4. a loathing and leaving of sinne All which we may see in those converts Acts 2.37 when once the Spirit came They were pricked in their hearts and said Oh what shall we doe to be saved The second is Subjection for the Spirit dwells that is not onely abides but rules and commands and governes as the master of the house and notwithstanding the presence of the flesh still the Spirit hath the upper hand therefore wee must submit our selves to this great housholder here must be agreement in mindes and wills for if an house be divided against it selfe it cannot stand 2 Cor. 10.5 The worke of the Spirit is to cast downe high things exalted against grace and to bring every thought into the obedience of Christ by working selfe-deniall and a willingnesse to undertake whatsoever the word suggests and a constant delight in the law of God The third is Direction Ier. 31.31 the spirit of God writes the law in the hearts of beleevers and so brings in a new light and yet more Iohn 16.13 Hee shall leade you into all truth hee saith not onely This is the way
how necessary it is to begin and end our Ministery and Sermons with prayer to God who is all our sufficiency The Apostles begin and end their doctrine and Epistles with prayer and haue not wee more neede I know not what pride of selfe-sufficiency or whether profanesse shut the hearts and cover the mouthes of many Preachers who are almost ashamed to pray for this blessing nay reproach and scorne them which doe Sure I am whether he shall doe more good to others by his prayers or preaching I will not determine but hee shall certainely by his prayers reape more comfort to himselfe And he that neglects prayer with his preaching may well be suspected that he more aymes at his owne glory than Gods Let people also joyne willingly and conscionably in their Ministers prayers which strive for a blessing upon themselves and importune God who makes his Sunne shine upon the just and unjust to let the Sun of grace shine into their hearts saying O Lord if thou build not the house it shall never stand as those that waite for all successe from God It is recorded that Pope Adrian having built a stately Colledge at Lovaine did set in golden letters on the gate this poesie Trajectum plantavit ibi natus Lovanium rigavit ibi literas didicit Caesar dedit incrementum ex praeceptore Cardinalis factus One tooke a pen and wrote under Hic Deus nihil fecit Now to the prayer it selfe where we have to consider 1. To whom the Apostle prayeth The very God of peace 2. For what he prayeth in two particulars 1. For full sanctification 1. In generall sanctifie you throughout 2. In a speciall enumeration of parts spirit soule body 2. For finall sanctification untill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. First of the person to whom our Apostle prayeth the very God of peace Consider here three things 1. Why he useth this Attribute peace 2. What is the peace here meant 3. How he is the God of peace 1. This is not an idle epithite but well fitted to the matter in hand because our Apostle had in verse 13. exhorted them to peace among themselves and hath in all the precepts hitherto directed them how to uphold both outward peace vers 14 15. and inward peace from the 16. to this verse And he notably in this title confirmes their faith and strengthens their prayers that so long as they aske nothing but things pertaining to the peace of the Church and the peace of every mans conscience the God of peace will surely grant their requests See Rom. 15.13 14. Secondly What peace is meant Peace is threefold 1. Externall 2. Internall 3. Eternall 1. Externall which is nothing but an outward prosperity and tranquility in our outward estate and this is 1. In the Church when it hath rest from heresie schisme persecution and tyranny Acts 9.31 this is called the peace of Ierusalem which we must pray for Psal. 122.6 2. In the Common-wealth in the peace whereof we have peace when we are free from civill warre within and forreine enemies without Ier. 29.7 3. In the family and speciall places where we live which is a private agreement with all sorts of men good and bad so farre as may be Rom. 12.18 Have peace with all men 2. Internall and spirituall and this is the sweet quiet and comfort of conscience rising out of our assurance of our attonement with God through Iesus Christ and out of remission of sinnes by his blood which peace passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 and in which the Apostle placeth the kingdome of God Rom. 14.17 3. Eternall which is the perfect rest peace joy and glory that the Saints shall enjoy in heaven Esay 57.2 Peace shall come but it is when we sleepe in our beds called Rom. 8.6 life and peace Our Apostle here aymes especially at the second kinde of peace which is a steppe and degree to the third For the third why is he called the God of peace Answ. First because hee hath the fountaine of peace in himselfe peace in him is as in a fountaine Secondly as the Author and communicatour of all peace unto us in all kindes As 1. In Church the peace of Ierusalem must be begged of him he stills all warres and maketh all stirrs in the Common-wealth to be husht and gone And it is hee that makes men dwell together in one house 2. He is authour and the God of eternall peace for eternall life is the gift of God 3. After a speciall manner is he the God of internall peace the peace of conscience at which our Text aimeth which is a quietnesse of minde and conscience through our reconciliation with God First because hee sent his Sonne 1. To merit it for us when wee lay in the horrour of an accusing conscience who is therefore called in himselfe Esa. 9.6 the Prince of peace and in respect of us our peace And therefore Ambrose expounds here the God of peace to be Christ himselfe If it be asked how Christ merited our peace the Apostle answereth Ephes. 2.15 16. He made peace by slaying hatred on the crosse by his perfect obedience overcomming and abolishing whatsoever God might hate in us 2. To preach and publish this peace and invite men unto it And that first in his owne person Esay 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach good tidings to the poore to binde up the broken-hearted to preach liberty to the captives c. And how this Prophecie was accomplished see Luk. 4.18 Secondly in the person of his Ministers Christ preacheth peace Ephes. 2.17 Christ came and preached peace to you which were farre off Object Why Christ never preached to the Ephesians Answ. Yes hee did in the persons of the Apostles and so now in the Pastors and Ministers of his Church to the end of the world Secondly because hee sent his Spirit to apply and seale this peace onely in the hearts of his elect therefore it is called a fruite of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and the Spirit cryes in our hearts Abba Father chap. 4.6 He workes faith in the heart and so we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 and bold accesse to the throne of grace Eph. 3.12 This is that creating Spirit which creates the fruit of the lippes to be peace Esay 57.19 Thirdly because God doth not onely command and commend to us this peace but approoves and delights in it and no where else but there he sets up his throne and dwelling his Temple is in Ierusalem the vision of peace his Disciples must onely abide among the sonnes of peace Matth. 10. and much more doth himselfe How we are to looke upon God in our prayers First in all our prayers we are to behold him a God of peace labour to see him reconciled unto us And 1. this beholding of God reconciled gives us assurance of obtaining whatsoever is good for us 2. The sence of his infinite essence and power and
the day of Christ Neglect thy selfe for the present and give thy selfe lost for ever sowe now to the flesh and reape corruption 3. The order First the inside spirit and soule and then the body First wash the inside saith our Saviour get faith which is a purifier apprehending Christs righteousnesse for 1. Can wee draw a cleane thing from that which is uncleane Iob 14.4 or sweete fruite from a bitter roote 2. Satan lyeth closest here as a serpent in thickets 3. It is the most compendious way to damme a streame in the fountaine to quench the fire in the sparke else if it live within it will kindle and flame on tinder or tow where the disease begins there must begin the remedie 4. God lookes out of what treasurie good things come if not out of the good treasury of the heart if not from a pure heart if not from faith all is sinne hence the workes of unregenerate men as good in shew and beautifull are rejected because they flow not from a pure fountaine and mites with the heart put to them weigh downe many glorious workes 5. Distinguish thy selfe from the hypocrite he washeth the outside Pilate washeth his hands not his heart as if sinne stucke onely in the fingers ends the harlot wipes her mouth and it was not shee But wee are to know that the Lord is as well angry with intentions and inward impurity as with outward enormities And therefore let us labour to keepe first our spirits and soules and then our bodies unblameable Here we will somewhat largely consider certaine directions for each of them I. Directions for the Spirit First Labour to have a right spirit renewed within thee Psal. 51.10 Now to a right spirit there goe five things 1. Illumination even an heavenly light to discerne and judge aright of things that it may preferre heavenly things before things of earth and out of sound judgement forecast and provide for them first and principally David joynes it with creating a new heart for this is not in nature but a worke of new creating grace The Agent is God alone who gives light to the blinde who takes away the vaile and makes the scales fall from Paules eyes in his conversion The companion is sound conversion 2 Cor. 3.16 the turning of the heart to the Lord and the remooving of the vaile joyned and the signe of it is a base estimation of the world with the profits pleasures and preferments of it the pursuing of which makes most men so blame-worthy in the day of Christ. 2. Poverty of spirit which stands in the sense sorrow shame and hatred of sinne and cannot stand with selfe-wisdome or high-mindednesse or a proud spirit puft up with conceites whom God resists but a contrite spirit is acceptable and the poore in spirit are blessed and blamelesse Matth. 5.3 3. Purity of spirit which is attained by daily bringing in and increasing of the graces of the Spirit as faith love of God sincerity charity mercy meeknesse c. these fruites of the Spirit argue cleannesse of spirit though it were formerly never so foule and blame-worthy Col. 3.12 Decke the minde with graces 4. Spirituall worship Rom. 1.9 Whom I serve in my spirit not bodily formally hypocritically coldly but with my whole heart in sincerity and fervency This fervency is a motion of Gods Spirit inflaming the spirit of the beleever with great love of God and hatred of whatsoever hee hateth And where this spirituall worship stands up in the Spirit downe must Dagon goe and all the idols that men have set up in their hearts downe goes the externall and carnall worship of civill men who what ever they pretend respect not in their spirit the worship and service of God but their owne pleasures ends and praise and that in their most slightly duties 5. The testimony of the Spirit that thou art the child of God Rom. 8.16 This testimony is sure when the Spirit of God renewes our spirits and upon firme and unfailing grounds makes us able to call God Father working sound tranquillity in our conscience through our union with Christ boldnesse and confidence towards God fervent love of God constant obedience with other fruites not common or competent to hypocrites This testimony sealeth up our acceptance yea the inheritance of children The spirit that wants any of these is not a right or renewed spirit Secondly labour as Saint Paul did Acts 24.16 for a good conscience before God and before men To a good conscience are required foure things 1. Clearenesse 2. Clearing 3. Peace 4. Watchfulnesse 1. It must be a cleare or pure conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 This is when the conscience is cleared or purged from naturall impurities which the Apostle calls dead workes This purity is not native as it was in the first Adam but acquisite and obtained by the second Adam for the materiall and meritorious cause of the goodnesse of conscience is the blood of Iesus Christ who by the obedience of his death hath freed us from all guilt and punishment of sinne reconciled us to God and become our peace whereby this and all other faculties are purged through faith in his blood Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead workes The companions of this purity of conscience are two First a frameing of conscience to the rule of the word which is a torch-light for the direction of it for the conscience being the eye of the soule must be lightsome not erronious blinde or doubtfull Secondly a studie to preserve the purity and himselfe unspotted before God and man and no man hath purity of conscience that wanteth this care 2. It must be a clearing conscience taking the Masters part against all accusers It selfe is not blamelesse unlesse it can justly pronounce the Master blamelesse And this is First when it beares witnesse concerning our sinnes 1. That there is no sinne we have committed but we have repented the same 2. There is none committed but wee hate it wee purpose against it and keepe a watch that it be never committed any more Secondly when it witnesseth concerning our persons that we are now righteous and justified by faith in Iesus Christ of uncleane blackmores we are washed and made white in his blood and sonnes of God who of an enemy is become a friend and Father to us Thirdly when it witnesseth concerning our graces that as by the former wee are freed from the guilt of sinne so we are now freed from the power of sinne and are no more servants of unrighteousnesse but now our conscience tells us we are in part sanctified that the evill wee doe wee hate and love the good wee doe not and that in the inner man we delight in the Law of God Fourthly when it witnesseth concerning our course and actions that now they are wrought according to God by the warrant of his word and because he hath commanded so to
rejects that blossome that never comes to fruite as the husbandman cares not for that blade that comes not to ripenesse Nay never content thy selfe with a faire progresse in grace at any time to desist For if a righteous man at any time forsake his righteousnesse all his former righteousnesse shall never be remembred and he that loseth the last of his dayes loseth all the former What were a man the better if hee had all grace in the highest perfection of it and fall from it nay what careth Satan if a man had attained whole sanctification not onely in part but in degrees if it be not continued in Adam in Paradise the more holinesse he lost the greater was his sinne and unhappinesse Nay the Angels in heaven what better were they for their absolute Angelicall happinesse when they left their first habitation 3. Relapse into a sicknesse is farre more dangerous than the disease and to relapse into sinne is to relapse into the most dangerous sicknesse of all and farre lesse curable than any This incurable estate our Saviour aimes at Luke 9.62 no man that puts his hand to the plow c. from this relapse they fall into that sin that unpardonable sinne 4. The very season of our present times aggravates this sinne of falling from the grace of God that makes it most inexcusable What to fall away so willingly in dayes of peace of meanes of protection in dayes of the honour of the Gospell What to fly as a wicked man when none pursues in a land where truth and peace kisseth each other where is neither danger nor losse nor enemies neere so cowardly to part with truth and fall from it to Popery What defence what excuse is left for this sinne It were too much in times of persecution in Marian dayes in the midst of those light fires in the house of inquisition in France in Italy or in Spaine in Ierusalem where Manasseh makes the streetes runne with the blood of the Saints But in the time of peace in the Sunshine in the triumph of the Gospell to decline and depart this hath no excuse for the sinne 5. What a kind of creature is this an Apostate a Mermaid halfe a man halfe a fish a cake halfe baked halfe a Christian as good as no Christian an Agrippa almost a Christian almost sanctified almost saved a Christian in the morning of his life but his righteousnesse being but as a morning dew dried up and withered before his evening a diary Christian without all acceptation looke on the Text againe here is a sanctification till the comming of Christ shall this great Sunne of righteousnesse rising and comming in his strength and glory finde all our righteousnesse as a dew dried up and vanished then must all our salvation vanish with it 2. This may serve for instruction Whosoever would have assurance of true grace must labour to holde out seeing an hypocrite may begin well and runne well for a while as Paul tells the revolted Galathians Gal. 5.7 Ye did runne well but onely true grace ends well Here for our furtherance I will set downe two things First The meanes of perseverance Secondly the motives to excite us to the meanes The meanes are three I. Lay a good ground begin well Col. 1.23 Be grounded and stablished in the faith first be grounded then settled and stablished A good beginning promiseth a good ending Now to a good beginning are required three things 1. Humility of soule 2. stability of purpose 3. sincerity of heart First Humility layes a low and a deepe foundation in the exercise of sound mortification the most that fall off from their beginnings are such as have but sleighted the matter of mortification and would not be at the paines and cost of deepe digging their hearts by serious humiliation This our Saviour expresseth in the Parable Luke 6.48 The sound Christian is that wise builder who builded an house and digged deepe and laid the foundation of it on a rocke so as neither floods nor windes could shake it Secondly Stability of purpose is a settling of the heart to follow goodnesse and hath in it two things 1. for judgement 2. for practise 1. A resting in the knowne truth and not as reedes to be shaken and carried away with every puffe of false and vaine doctrines or strange opinions contrary to the truth received the sinne of this unstable and libertine age in which numbers specially of our youth leave the assemblies and creepe into corners to learne another doctrine from teachers in the twilight against the Sabboths of God against the law of God against the ordinances of God the word and Sacraments as now preached and administred I seldome have observed any such shuttle hearers but have in the end come to nought and even to open profanesse because they never laid a sound foundation but were alwayes busie questionists ready to turne all religion into â—trums which was the very losse of all sound Divinity among the Schoolemen 2. A resolution in practise whatsoever come of it never to be carried away with the errour of the wicked nor the sinnes of the age times calling nor the corruptions of his owne heart all which are violent streames which a resolved Christian must rowe hard against This was it which Paul and Barnabas require of the new converted Antiochians Acts 11.23 that with full purpose of heart they would cleave unto God both in judgement and doctrine and in life and conversation This was the settled resolution of David Psal. 119.112 I have inclined my heart to performe thy statutes alwayes even to the end Thirdly Sincerity of heart is necessary which 1. casts out all sinne by repentance sparing none never so gainefull 2. hath respect to all the commandements of God A deceitfull heart cannot hold out in good duplicity of heart suffers not a man to continue for hee is unconstant in all his wayes Iames 1.8 This is when men looke to have their joy in this world and with God in the world to come when the end of their whole course is not sincere but they embrace goodnesse so farre as may stand with their owne estate or the disposition of the times or constitution of the kingdome and no further Ayme at this entrance into grace know that hee onely hath begun well that hath begun in truth II. Wee must arme our selves against all hinderances of perseverance and such things as plucke men away from love of truth and holinesse As 1. Beware lest our hearts be hardened through deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 Sinne is a sly thing of the Serpents brood especially the sinne of our nature easily seduceth and deceiveth us Rom. 7.11 The Apostle complaines that it deceived him for the sinnes of heart and nature lull men asleepe in some actuall sinnes in which they lie securely and so grieve the Spirit weaken grace and hinder holinesse 2. Love not the world nor the profits honours and