you there is a clashing between Gods will and yours as if God did not so well know how to deal with you as you do with your selves else you would quietly submit to his will 3. Another evill cause from whence this immoderate sorrow ariseth is ignorance both of the vanity of temporall things and the reality of spirituall things we discover thereby that we think temporall things to have more worth in them then indeed they have and spirituall things lesse But 2dly As it proceeds from evill causes so it produceth evill effects there are these five evill effects that immoderate sorrow produceth as 1. It prejudiceth your naturall health 2 Cor. 7.10 godly sorrow worketh repentance never to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And Solomon tells us a sorrowfull spirit drieth up the bones Prov. 17.22 so saies David in Psal 31.10 my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my bones are consumed 2. It is a blemish to Religion for a Christian to be excessive in his sorrows for the joy of the Lord should be his strength A godly Christian hath alwayes cause of joy unspeakable and full of glory therefore it is a blemish to Christianity to see a godly man overpressed with worldly sorrow it is an aspersion upon Religion for a godly man to hang down his head for the losse of any outward things as if he had no greater concernments to look after no joy nor comfort nor happiness to look after but here in this life 3. It exceedingly indisposeth the heart to holy and spirituall duties it hinders and interrupts you in hearing the word and prayer Exod. 6.9 They hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and cruel bondage c. Psal 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak 4. Excessive sorrow imbitters those sweet and comfortable mercies you do injoy a thousand mercies are buried under the excessive sorrow for one affliction as in Gen. 37.35 the place before quoted Jacob did so extreamly mourn for Joseph his youngest Sonne which he supposed to be dead that though he had eleven Sonnes and many Daughters and all of them came to comfort him yet he could take no comfort in any of them but resolved that his gray hairs should go down to the grave in mourning for him this one excessive sorrow for Joseph did imbitter many mercies and comforts which he did injoy So Esther 5.13 though Haman was admitted to the greatest intimacy familiarity with the King yet all this availed him nothing so long as he saw Mordecai sitting at the Kings Gate in this regard many men discover a temper much like the Hedg-hog which as naturalists tell us hath this property it will gather a great many apples or such like fruit upon his bristles and then go to a Hedge and eat them but it is so mournfull a Creature that if it chance but to let fall one of his apples by the way it will so vex and trouble him that he will throw down all the rest So many men if they meet but with one cross or affliction it will make them throw away all the other mercies they enjoy and take no comfort in any of them 5. Excessive sorrow for worldly crosses provokes God many times to send heavier and greater afflictions then ever yet you suffered As I told you before a stubborn Child that blubbers and cries and murmurs under the Fathers corrections will fare the worse and have the more blowes for it so the more we repine and immoderately grieve for any worldly afflictions the more crosses and troubles we are like to have And thus I have done with the second question why Christians should take heed of immoderacie and excessiveness in worldly sorrows We come now to lay down some considerations whereby to allay your sorrows but I must leave that till the afternoon I shall onely for the present make a short application of what hath been said and so have done Vse Vse Is it so that Christians should not be excessive in worldly sorrows but weep as if they wept not then this reproves those that can mourn for every crosse that befalls them but yet cannot shed a teare for any sin they commit Many men complain of small inconsiderable troubles and affliction but yet never complain of their sins and corruptions these never trouble them nor come near their hearts they can mourn for that which can but at most prejudice the body and yet never grieve for that which can prejudice and destroy their soules 2. I beseech you beloved take heed of being lavish of your teares for worldly crosses or afflictions it is pitty to wash a foul Room with sweet water I must needs tell you teares are too pretious to shâ—d for every trifle it were a great deal better you would keep this pretious water to wash away your sins for though it is Christs blood alone that can wash away the guilt of sin yet your teares may much conduce to wash away the filth and power of sin When you mourn for worldly crosses then weep as if you wept not but when you mourn for sin mourn as much as you can Be like yee before the Sun that will soon melt and convert into water you that are the Children of God know that you have greater things and of higher concernment to bestow your teares upon then any outward troubles you have daily failings and many sins and corruptions unmortified and unsubdued and the losse of the light of Gods countenance to mourn for your sorrows never run aright but when they run in this Channel when your tears run into the Mill-pond to grind your lusts and corruptions to consume and weaken them then are your sorrows right and regular Lastly Let me intreat and advise you not to mistake in reference to your sorrows to think you do mourn and grieve for sin when it is only for outward afflictions Many men when their Neighbours aske them why they are so sad and mournfull and weep so much will be ready to say it is for their sins and failings and corruptions that are too strong for them or the like when indeed it is only for some crosse or outward trouble they have met with therefore do not mistake that sorrow to be for your sins which is onely or especially for some outward affliction you have met with SERMON 2. WEe come now to the third Question which I shall spend this whole Aftemoon upon and that is this to lay down to you 12 considerations whereby to allay and keep under immoderateness and excessive sorrow for any worldly crosses or afflictions and how to keep our selves in the frame and temper of spirit which the Apostle here enjoyns us namely to weep as if we wept not I told you in the morning God would not have us stupid and insensible of his hand in any affliction but yet as we should not be stoicall so neither must we be excessive in our sorrows I have
There may be five reasons laid down as the ground why God withholds his Spirit in its strivings with men 1. Because in times past you have refused to hearken to the frequent motions and perswasions of Gods Spirit the Spirit of God hath told you that if you walk in such wicked wayes the end of them will be death how often hath it suggested unto you that if you go on in such and such courses you will be undone for ever and yet you have gone on in sinne and would not hearken unto the Spirit thus God complaines of his people by the Psalmist Psal 81.11,12 My people would not hearken my voice and Israel would have none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels as if he should say they would not hearken unto me and therefore my Spirit shall disswade them no more I will leave them to themselves and let them take their own course 2. Because it may be you have fastened and fathered sinful affections that arise from the flesh upon the Spirits motions and this is such an injury to the Spirit that he will not bear as when men shall say their wrath kindled from hell is the zeale of the Spirit coming down from Heaven that their erroneous opinions are the Spirits teachings when he is the Spirit of truth and Satanical delusions divine inspirations And this is an indignity not inferiour then if some subject should lay his bastard at his Princes gate and this some think is understood by the vexing of the Spirit mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 63.10 this may be another cause why the Lord may withhold his Spirit 3. Because men do more easily listen to the suggestions of the evill Spirit then to the motions of the good Spirit it makes your friend deny to come to your house when you shall give entertainment to his enemy when the Devill shall come and easily prevaile with you when you shall either sinne upon no temptation or upon a smal temptation this is a high provocation to Gods Spirit and this is a reason why there is so severe a judgment annexed to the third Commandment that God will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name in vaine because there is lesse temptation to the sinne of swearing then to any other sinne in the world Other sinnes they are more consonant to flesh and blood but swearing of all sinnes men have the least temptation to it The swearer serves the Devill gratis and hath neither profit nor pleasure by his sinne and therefore God annexes so severe a punishment When thou shalt runne unto sinne upon an easie tâ—mptation and wilt not hearken to Gods Spirit upon an earnest motion this provokes the Lord to withhold the strivings of his Spirit from thee 4. Because in former time thou hast plotted and deliberated how to commit sinne therefore the Spirit will withdraw from thee for time to come There are many that do commit sinne with deliberation premeditation and consultation and that man which commits a sinne deliberately and contrivedly he doth greatly provoke the Spirit of God Pro. v 16.30 It is said of a wicked man that he shutteth his eyes to devise mischief shutting of the eye is a studying plotting and deliberating posture As it is with a friend if you shall give him a blow at peradventure though he may be angry at first yet when he shall understand that it was against your will he will be quickly pacified but if he sees that you plot and contrive his death this makes him that he will never come into your company more Thus it is with the Spirit of God when he sees thee fall into sinne inconsiderately and unadvisedly he will not withdraw from thee for this but when the Spirit shall see that we way-lay him and do deliberate and contrive how to commit sin this provokes him if not for ever yet for a long departure Such deliberate acts of the soul they are more directly against God 1 King 15.5 and to this purpose is observable what you reade concerning David that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter ofVriah the Hittite Now why doth not the text say rather that he was perfect or did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord save onely in the matter of Bathsheba for that was the foulest sinne There is this reason given hereof why the Spirit of God should say that he was a perfect man save onely in the matter of Vriah rather then in that of Bathsheba because his sinne in the matter of Bathsheba it was done rashly and inconsiderately he was suddenly surprized with a temptation but the matter of Vriah 2 Sam. ch 11. it was done more deliberately plottingly and contrivedly for first he sends for him home from the warres that so he might cloak his foul fact then he makes him drunk and after he makes him carry the contrivance of his own death in a letter to Joab so that it was a sinne so deliberately acted that the Spirit of God put a brand upon him for it take heed therefore of deliberate acts of sinne I censure none every one of you must stand or fall to your own Master but this I say that it is a sinne which gives an especial provocation to the Spirit of God It is the saying of a Modern Divine and a true one That a deliberate will to sinne without the act is more sinful then the act of sinne without a deliberate will and thus in the case of Peter that man does worse who purposes to deny Christ though he never doth it then Peter that did actually deny Christ and never intended it therefore look to your purposes and deliberations if you sinne deliberately it is the next step to the sinne of those against whom the Prophet prayes Lord be not merciful to those that sinne maliciously 5. The Spirit of God will withdraw from a man when men prostitute the holy Spirit to base lusts as all hypocrites do who do talk of the Spirit onely to commit sinne and enjoy their lusts more securely Thus Simon Magus he desired the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit that he might seeme some body and enrich himself this was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 2.5 a cloak for his covetousnesse Many grieve and provoke the Spirit to depart when they themselves do not serve God but rather serve themselves on God SERMON IV. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 10. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed now to answer another Quere or case of Conscience very usefull which is this Quest How farre the Spirit of God may be withheld or withdrawn even from a godly man both before and after the commission of sinnes First I shall shew you
how far the Spirit of God may be withheld before and then secondly after the commission of sin The Spirit of God in a fivefold respect may be said to be withdrawn from a godly man before the commission of sinne 1. That it shall not enlighten thee to make thee know it is a sinne thou art tempted unto and thus we read of the Patriarchs that married divers wives The Spirit of God in that dark age of the world the Patriarchs was so withheld that it did not enlighten them no not till their dying day that we read of that Poligamy was a sinne and therefore they lived and died in it 2. Though thou mayest be enlightened to know that it is a sinne thou art tempted unto yet thou mayest be so left of the Spirit that through the impetuousnesse of thy lust and the violence of the tempâ—…tion thou mayest be carried to commit that sin and thus we find plainin the case of David David he could not but know that Adultery was a sin and yet being left of the Spirit of God the strength of his lust and the violence of his temptation was such that he was carried to commit it 3. A godly man may be so farre left by the Spirit that when he is tempted to a sinne he may rather consult with flesh and blood then with the Spirit of God whether he should commit the sinne yea or no And thus a godly man when life liberty and estate lie at stake doth often consult his own safety rather then inward peace and this is very much 2. Sam. 11. and yet thus it was with David in the matter of Vriah 4. Godly men may be so left that they may contrive and deliberate how to commit a sinne before they commit it Divines do usually give it as a difference between godly and wicked men that the one sinnes deliberately the other not yet there are instances in Scripture that shew that godly men may contrive and deliberate how to commit a sinne now this as Divines shew is at the threshold of hell there is but a little between them and damnation and thus David it is true the sinne of adultery it was not so deliberate as the murther of Vriah for there David did contrive the meanes whereby he should be killed and the time when with the manner how and the instrument by whom now this was a very deliberate act of sinne yet thus farre may agodly man be left therefore what cause have they to blesse and magnifie the free grace of God that come so near hell and yet never come there you may have your garments smell of hell-fire yet you may never come into burning Deliberate acts of sinne tend unto that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost which is of malice therefore take heed of such sins 5. The Spirit of God may so leave thee though a godly man that thou mayest fall into those sinnes that are contrary to those graces wherein thou art most eminent For a man that is chaste to keep from those sinnes which are not so contrary to his native disposition is not so much but for a chaste man to be so left of God as to fall into adultery for a meek man to fall into passion this is a great evill I shall lay down severall instances hereof of godly men that have been thus left by the Spirit of God Abraham you finde him in Scripture recorded to be the father of the faithful Rom. 4. what a large encomium doth the Apostle make of Abrahams faith and God did so leave him that he fell into unbelief and distrust of God Gen. 12.11,12 by denying his own wife which was most contrary to that grace wherein he was so eminent You finde also of Noah that in the Scripture he is commended for a very sober man and that when all the world were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage it was a very drunken excessive and luxurious age and Noah he was commended by God for his sobriety Gen. 9.21 but yet through drunkennesse was the sinne most contrary to that excellent grace of sobriety he was so eminent in yet was he overtaken therewith Likewise Lot he is commended by the holy Ghost for disliking the filthy conversation of the Sodomites and it is strange that Lot himself should be overtaken with the sinne of uncleannesse and that he should fall into the abominable sinne of Incest for so you finde it related of him Gen. 19.33,35 he lay with his two daughters So also Moses the Scripture tells you of him that he was the meekest man upon the earth Num. 12.3 Now of all sinnes you would least suspect that he should fall into passion but yet you finde Moses his meeknesse turned into passionatenesse insomuch that he spake unadvisedly with his lips Psal 106.33 Num. 11.15 and thus speaks unto God If thou deale thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand David the book of Psalms tels you how eminent he was for patience 2 Sam. 16.10 how quietly he bore Gods afflicting hand how patient was he when Shimei did so curse and revile him And yet meeting but with a churlish carriage from Nabal his Spirit was all in a rage insomuch that he went with a purposed revenge to kill Nabal and all his family 1 Sam. 25.13 Job you know the Scripture tells of him that he was the most eminently and exemplarily patient would you think that ever he should fall into impatiency why yes he falls into that sinne which was most contrary to that grace wherein he was most eminent how doth he curse the day of his birth Job 3.3 Let the day perish saith he wherein I was borne and the night in which it was said There is a man-childe conceived and so he prayes earnestly for the day of his death Job 6.8,9 Oh saies he that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off Here you see the impatiency of Jobs spirit this I mention to you to let you see what a poor thing man is if Gods Spirit leave him that he shall not onely fall into those sinnes which are pleasing unto nature but into those sinnes which are most contrary to his nature thus you see how farre the Spirit may leave a man before the commission of sinne Quest 2 How farre may the Spirit of God leave a man after the commission of sinne Answ 1 The Spirit it may not convince thee that it is a sinne thou hast done after thou hast committed it and thus it was with the Patriarchs in the first age of the world they were given to marry many wives and it was as in doubtlesse because it did crosse the first institution of marriage which was between one man and one woman now the Spirit of God was
so withheld from them that after they fell into that sinne they were not convinced of it and therefore they lived and died in it Answ 2 The Spirit may be so farre from convincing a man of sinne and may so withdraw from a man that after he hath sinned he may go about to defend and justifie the sinne he hath committed and thus Jonah he sinned in not obeying Gods commandment of going to Nineveh and when God spared Nineveh Jonah was very angry and when God comes to reason with him asking him whether he did well to be angry why yes saies he I do well to be angry even unto death Jonah 4.9 Here was a good man in a pettish mood and to Gods face would justifie his own passion So Israel under the name of Ephraim they would justifie their own wickednesse Ephraim is a Merchant saith the Prophet Hosea 12.7,8 the balances of deceit are in his hand he loveth to oppresse But what said Ephraim yet saies he I am become rich I have found me out substance in all my labours they shall finde no iniquity in me that were sinne and yet God charges them with the balances of deceit Answ 3 A godly man he may for a long time yea many years lie under sinne and the Spirit of God may not work remorse of conscience in him for the sinne he hath committed and this is very sad thus the Spirit was withdrawn from David he commits adultery with Bathsheba and till the childe was borne and Nathan the Prophet came to him we never read that he was troubled for his sinne the Spirit did not work remorse of conscience in him which must be nine moneths after the manner of women Nay we read of Josephs brethren that they cast him into a pit and sold him unto the Ishmaelites and though they dealt thus unnaturally with their brother yet the Scripture tells us that it was about one and twenty years before they were troubled for this sin when they were in prison in Egypt then they said one to another Verily we are guilty of our brothers blood and therefore is this evill come upon us Gen. 42 21. Answ 4 The Spirit of God may so farre withdraw from a godly man after he hath committed sinne that he may rather commit more sinnes to hide that one sinne then to repent of it and this is a high step how near hell it is Yet thus David after he had fallen into adultery he doth not put his conscience on work to repent of this sinne but puts his wits on work how to cover this sinne and for that end sends for Vriah home to lie with his wife to cover his own sinfull fact and makes him drunk and when he could not bring that to passe then he contrives his death and makes him the messenger of death to himself So Peter a good man and yet Peter committed many sinnes to excuse one sinne nay he committed many sinnes sooner then he did repent of one sinne when he denied Christ First he denies him Then he denies him with an oath And thirdly he denies him with a curse whether he cursed Christ or himself or both it is not certaine Thus committed he many sinnes to excuse one This is a farre degree and yet thus farre may a godly man go Answ 5 A godly man after he hath committed sinne may be so farre from having power to mortifie that sinne that he may fall into it often and again Gen. 12.13 Gen. 20.2 We have many Scripture-instances hereof Abraham he fell twice into the sinne of lying in denying his own wife so Joseph Gen. 42.15,16 1 Kings 11.9 he fell twice into the sinne of swearing Solomon he sinned against the Lord after he had twice appeared to him And so the children of Israel Num. 14.22 they fell into the sinne of murmuring against God ten times together one after a-another 1 Kings 22.49 2 Chron. 18.2 Thus Jehosaphat sinned in sinfull compliance with wicked men twice as may be gathered I do not mention this to boulster any man in a ventrous way of sinning but only for the ease of afflicted consciences the Spirit may leave thee thus farre both before and after the commission of sin Before I come to handle the witholdings of the Spirit in reference to that which is good I shall give you the use of the former points If the Spirit of God do leave you thus farre then I inferre Inference 1 That you are not to impute it to God as an act of Sovereignty but as an act of Justice God is provoked to do it Why doth the Spirit of God say to thee as the Lord to Ephraâ—m He is given to Idols let him alone Hosea 4.17 why is it that Gods Spirit leaves thee some affront or other thou hast done to the Spirit either thou hast quenched the Spirits motions or grieved the Spirit or vexed the Spirit or resisted the Spirit in its operations and therefore thou shalt hear no more of the disswasions of the Spirit in thy heart Inference 2 Do not censure a man when thou seest him fall into sinne be not severe against him if Gods Spirit should be withdrawn from thee thou wouldest sinne a thousand times more then that man The Scripture commands that you should restore men fallen with the spirit of meeknesse considering your selves lest you also be tempted Gal. 6. i. Tu hodie Ego cras Aug. Doest thou see another man sinne do not judge him consider thy self if the Devill should tempt thee to a worse sinne and the Spirit withdraw from thee thou wouldest sinne worse then that man hath sinned Inference 3 What cause have you to blesse God that he hath given the strivings of his Spirit both to your selves and other men 1. Blesse God the Spirit is given to you The Spirit in the Word is the voice behinde thee saying This is the Way walk in it and by this meanes you are renced from many temptations and freed from many evils should a tempting Devill and thy corrupt heart meet and Gods Spirit but withdraw into what evill wouldest thou runne Even such a man in such a case would rush on in evill as the horse rushes on into the battle if the Spirit should not restraine him from sin Secondly blesse God for other men that by the common restraining power of the Spirit he laies a check and controll upon the spirits of men were it not for this there would be no living in the world Homo hominis Lupus how would humane socies be destroied every man would be savage and cruell each to other we should kill and murther every man that angered us deceive every man that dealt with us tell a lie to every man that speaks to us we should commit all sinne There is great wickednesse done in this last and worst age of the world but there would be more evill done did not the Spirit lay curbâ— and restraints
the Scripture which forbids that we should do evil Rom. 3.8 Job 13.7 that good may come thereon Will ye talk wickedly for God and deal deceitfully for him and if upon pretence of good we may commit evil by the same rule Judas his treason may be excused because of the great good coming by Christs death But let me tell you farther that if you sin that good may come thereby it is the way to lose the good you aime at It is very remarkable concerning Saul being to pursue the Philistines he gave out a very cruell and harsh command 1 Sam. 14.24 he commanded the people and bound them under an oath that they should not eat a bit of meat untill evening that he might be avenged of his enemies Sauls pretence was good but using an unlawful means the people became feeble and faint for food who otherwise might have obtained afar more glorious victory When men therefore shall use sinfull means for the obtaining of good it is just with God to disappoint them of the good they aime at 7. And lastly thy corrupt heart will tell thee though thou may'st not boldly act sin yet thou may'st safely venture on the occasion of sinne and yet be preserved Thus Peters heart deceived him he would go into the high Priests Hall venture upon the occasion of sin thinking that he should not be taken in it And thus the Israelites they would marry strange wives and this was an occasion whereby at last they fell to worship strange gods keep off therefore from the occasion of sin Solomon hath a good saying Can a man tread upon fire and not be burned his meaning is that a man cannot keep company with a harlot and be chast running upon the occasions of sinne brings to the acting of sin you will not venture upon ice or slippery places because of the occasion of falling and if you desire to be freed of the one be not bold to venter upon the other Vse 1 You that carry flesh and blood about with you and sinfull natures and do perceive the conflicts of the flesh against the Spirit weigh with your selves what it is the flesh conflicts with you for it is no lesse then for your immortall soules as the Apostle Peter tells you 1 Peter 2.11 I beseech you sayes he as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul The flesh aimes to damne the soul It is in this conflict as Cesar said in the battel he had once in Africa with the children and partakers of Pompey that in other battels he was wont to fight for glory but there and then he was faine to fight for his life remember thy precious soul lyes at stake in this combate therefore I beseech you take part with Gods Spirit against the flesh and not with the flesh against the Spirit Vse 2 When thou art overtaken with sinne blame none but thy own heart blame neither God nor the Devil 1. Not God for he made man upright Eccles 7.29 he gave a pure and unspotted soul to man but they have sought out many inventions therefore blame thy own self James 1.13,14 Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God for every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his owne lust and inticed 2. Blame not the Devil it is naturall to men to take off the blame from their own vicious natures when they fall into sin and to lay all upon the Devill but if you observe the Scripture you shall never finde that a godly man did ever lay the blame upon the Devil after he fell into sin It is true Adam and Eve did but there was some reason for that because they had no sinful nature to tempt them but after being fallen their sinful nature did tempt them not the Devil It is said of David that Satan stood up and provoked him to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 but David he doth not say so himself Vers 8. but sayes he I have sinned greatly and I have done very foolishly David he charges his own heart and the reason is because the heart of man hath a greater stroak in provoking a man to sin then the Devil hath alas what could the Devil do if we had not a sinful inclination within The Devil when he came to tempt Christ he found no matter in him to fasten upon him and therefore he could not prevaile The Prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in me said Christ But 't is otherwise with us temptations meet with corruptions that do suit them The Devil when he comes to thee thy heart it is as flax among fire or as gunpowder which having a spark of fire in it is suddenly blown up therefore blame not the Devil but thine own heart neither the Devil nor the world could hate thee were it not for thine own heart which like a false Trayter lodgeth within thy breast and betrayes the soul to the snares and temptations of the Devil Sermon XIII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 22. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to give you the properties of this enmity and of this conflict and there are nine or ten qualities of this enemy corrupt nature 1. The flesh it is a potent enemy against the Spirit it is no weak enemy but it 's strong and therefore sayes the Apostle Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reigne in your mortal bodies In the unregenerate the flesh is as a mighty Monarch which rules without controule the flesh the power or a Law over them And in the regenerate sin is an usurping tyrant which gets a great deal of the Beleevers soul into his hands Rom. 7.14 Paul complaines that he was sold under sin though after his regeneration he did not sell himself to work wickednesse yet he was taken captive by the flesh as by a powerful and prevailing adversary and as conquerors sell their prisoners so was Paul Divines do usually compare corrupt nature to great Goliah and grace to little David Goliah had more strength yet David gets the victory though corruption be potent yet grace in the end will get the victory The potency of the flesh may appear by these demonstrations 1. By the names which in Scripture are attributed to corrupt nature 2 Cor 10.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is called a strong hold a man may easily win an ordinary dwelling house but it is hard taking a strong hold Rom. 7.23 It is called a Law The Law of sin it hath that power over the soul as the Law hath over the subjects of a Kingdome it is said to reigne having the power that a Prince hath over his people 2. It appeares to be potent by that mighty power which must be
hinder the devil that he shall not joyn his suggestions to the sinful motions of your own hearts 2. If you do not resist motions while they are motions there will be a more eager vehement pronenesse to sin in your natures then was before acting of sin is not the way to cease and quell a sinful motion but to increase it it is as it were a casâ—ing oile into the fire to make it burn the more the way therefore to quell sinful motions is to withstand whilest they are so In Philosophy we say that acts do strengthen habits Habitus acquiritur actibus actus confirmant habitum if a man hath a habit of any grace acting of that grace makes the habit more strong thus it is in sin acting of sin begets a greater pronenesse thereunto and therefore it behoves you to keep under sins motions lest they lead you farther to sinful actions For sinful suggestions when they meet with our sinful inclinations the inclination begets consent consent acting acting continuance of act then delight then security and then scornful contempt of all reproof and means of amendment If you keep not under sin in its motion it will be more difficult for thee to suppresse corruption if a house be on fire and you can keep the fire within there is no danger of a great conflagration but if it break out into the aire and the winde take hold on it then it will burn exceedingly thus it will be with thee in regard of thy sin if thou keepest it not under in the motion it will be hard for thee to suppresse it afterwards We take physick by way of prevention health of body and soul too is more easily preserved then restored A sore neglected growes a gangrene one part being infected after another till there be no soundnesse in the flesh 2. Keep off from all external occasions of that sin which thou hast a motion to commit whatever thy sin be suppose it be pride wear not that apparel which may minister an occasion of pride suppose drunkennesse keep from bad company if it be uncleannesse Prov. 5.8 keep off from the dore of the harlot carefully avoid occasions of sin This is very imitable in Joseph Gen 39.10 it is said that as his Mistresse spake to him day by day that he hearkened not unto her to lie by her or to be with her he kept out of her company as much as might be And this is the counsel and command of the Lord Keep thee far from a false matter Exod. 23.7 the occasions of sin are as it were the awakening of corrupt nature what else should be the reason that a man not thinking of sin when he hath an occasion hath a motion to commit it therefore be not ventrous to run upon occasions of sin and whensoever thou art moved to any sin keep off from the external occasion thereof A Divine sets out men ventring upon occasions of sin to be like those who pray to God they may not be burned and yet will thrust their fingers into the fire thou which prayest against sins motions have a care also to keep from sinnes occasions 2 Thess 5.27 Gods children are bound to abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thess 5.17 and to hate the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 25. Jude 25. The Nazarite was not only to abstain from wine but also from touching the very husk of the grape Numb 6.3,4 Numb 6 3,4 3. Labour to unarm the flesh As the godly have armour and the peeces thereof are registred in the 6 Chap. to the Ephes So the flesh hath armour to fortify it self it is armed with power labour to conquer it with malice with an insatiable desire of thy ruine with manifold solicitations to sin Now labour to disarm it of all its pretences of all its policies You must do with sinne in this case as the Philistines with the Israelites they fearing that the Israelites would wage warre against them used this stratagem they would suffer no iron weapon to be found among them nor no Smith in Israel to make these weapons Do you as the Philistines did unarm sin take away any occasion which corrupt nature may have to act transgression in you you must do as the Rechabites did they were commanded not to drink wine and they would not yeeld to any temptation or solicitation to break that Commandment disarm sinne by taking away its occasions 4. Do not so much dispute with evil motions as resist them It is the folly of many that they will dispute with sins temptations whereas there is no man that hath ever consulted with flesh and blood but at last hath been overcome by it Count the flesh as thy enemy but never let it be thy Counsellor the flesh is a great dissembler it hath such subtile insinuations such slie evasions that it will cheat a man into sin and therefore do not dispute with it you will do with disputing with flesh as our first parents with the devil after disputing they fall to eating the flesh will tell thee this sin is profitable for thee and the other sin is pleasurable and suitable and therefore beware of sin and be more in resisting then in disputing with the flesh 5. Give thy selfe much to the exercises of mortification and the exercises of those duties which tend thereunto and this will be an especial means to preserve thee There are three duties I shall commend to you for this end Spiritual watchfulnesse prayer and fasting You have two of these duties prescribed by our Saviour together Mat. 26.41 Watch and pray sayes he that ye enter not into temptation The flesh will be still assaulting thee and Satan by thy flesh and therefore we had need to be still watching and praying the warre between the flesh and Spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be much in watchfulnesse against the occasions of sin Watch over the outward senses of thy body and over the inward faculties of thy minde be much in prayer that sinful motions may be suppressed and subdued Do not pray as Austin Metuebam nè me exaudiret Deus Aug. who confessed that before his conversion through the light of a natural conscience he prayed against the lust of incontinence and the sins of his youth but was afraid that God should hear his prayer do not you so pray And joyn fasting with the duty of prayer it was Pauls custom 1 Cor. 9.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vox à pugi ibus derivata qui propriè di cuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. cum pugnis aut coestibus An tagomstam obtundere sayes he I keep under my body and bring it into subjection that is corrupt nature By the body cannot be meant the body in a natural sense who hereupon do excruciate and torment their body by whippings fastings and pilgrimage but the body here is termed the body of death by fasting prayer and
rather then charge it upon our selves There are three things which men usually lay the blame upon Either upon God the devil or else upon other men 1. Upon God and so did Adam The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat Gen. 3.12 thus he layes the blame of his fall upon God himselfe if thou hadst not given me this woman she had not tempted me and I had not eaten 2. Others say the blame upon the devil and yet if there were no devil to tempt us weshould tempt ourown selves and indeed neither the one nor the other is to be blamed God is never to be blamed though the devil be sometimes to be blamed the Apostle James tells you that God tempts no man James 1.13 And the devil sometimes is not to be blamed James 1.14 because thy own nature is a tempter to thee so the same Apostle declares that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and entised Lust conceives sin the devill may be the Father to beget sin but the flesh is the mother which conceives nourisheth and bringeth forth sin and the reason is this because the devils suggestions could do no harm were it not for our vicious inclinations The devill came to Christ but he found nothing in him the devil shak't the bottle but it was a Crystal glasse of pure water there was no mud in it but thou though thou hast a fair appearance yet if the devil do but rake into thy heart the mud of thy corruption doth quickly appear 3. Again some there are who will lay the blame of their sinne upon men and thus did Aaron when Moses chode him for his Idolatry Exod. 32.22 Thou knowest the people sayes he that they are set on mischief he would fain shift off and excuse his own wickednesse by laying it upon the people yet this would not serve his turn for God charges the sin upon him Nothing is more natural then to excuse and hide our sin Job 31.33 and therefore it is said that men cover their transgression as Adam if thy heart were not in the fault examples of sin would rather provoke to detestation then imitation Others there are who will lay the blame upon the badnesse of the times whereas if thou hadst not a bad heart thou wouldest be good in bad times if thou hadst a good heart the worse the times were the better thou wouldest be and therefore lay the blame of thy sin where it ought to be upon the naughtinesse of thy evill heart Vse 3 Of exhortation doth the flesh lust against the Spirit oh then joyn with the motions of the Spirit against the flesh though thou art a godly man and sin shall not damne thy soul yet it may wound thy conscience and will eclipse thy comfort And though thy sirs cannot as to damnation huurt thee who art a childe of God yet they may hurt others As Tostatus oâ—seves upon the 1 Chron 21.1 where it is said That Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number the people Observe it is not said that Satan stood up against David but against Israel and the reason is this David was a publick person and the devil knew if he could provoke him to sinne Israel should smart for it and therefore the devil in tempting David stood up against Israel so that if thou art a publick man and the devill get thee to yield to sin others will be hurt by it Vse 4 Lastly you who are regenerate remember that you carry flesh and blood about with you you have the flesh lusting against the Spirit and there is a repugnancy in your spirits to the holy Spirit of God go home therefore and complain of the contrariety and naughtinesse of your hearts Gen. 25.22 and say as Rebecca when she had two babes strugling in her womb Why am I thus thou hast an Esau and a Jacob within thee nature and grace evill motions strugling against good motions go unto the Lord and say Rom. 7.24 Why am I thus and with Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Now proceed to the second part of the conflict the Spirits lusting against the flesh the flesh began the onset first because there was flesh in us before the Spirit but the Spirit doth undertake the war and as the flesh lusts against the Spirit so the Spirit against the flesh Before I draw out the point I shall clear one Scripture which seems to contradict this which is in Ephes 6.12 where it is said that we wrastle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the darknes of this world against spiritual wickednes in high places This place may be renonciled with the Text two wayes First when the Apostle sayes we wrastle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers the words may be understood not simply or absolutely but comparatively and if you take flesh and blood there for corrupt nature then the meaning is this that we do not only wrastle with flesh and blood corrupt nature within but we have also the devil without against whom we are to stirre But the more likely reconciliation of this place is this it is said in the Text that we do warre with the flesh and in the Ephesians that we do not warre with the flesh now though the same word be used in both places yet it is used in a different sense and that you may know how it is used in both places â—ake these three acceptations of the word 1. Flesh and blood is sometimes taken for corrupt nature and so is that saying of Christ to be understood Matth. 16.17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee 2. Flesh and blood is taken for the natural body of man so it is used in 1 Cor. 15.50 1 Cor 15.50 Flesh blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God that is as now we are living in the world as our bodies are now natural corruptible mortal bodies they are not capable of the glory and happines of Heaven 3. Flesh and blood it is taken for wicked men in Scripture and so it is taken in Ephes 6.12 Isay 66.16,23 Ier. 25.31 Zech. 2.13 Gal. 1.1 We wrastle not against flesh and blood that is not so much against wicked men as against the devil the ruser of the darknesse of this world and thus you have the reconciliation of these places The flesh lusts against the Spirit that is the motions and workings of Gods Spirit they do oppose the motions to sin of corrupt nature so that
fastened in the joints and intrals of the wall that till you pluck down the wall you cannot root up the the Ivy so it is with us till God pull down this wall of your body the root of your sin cannot be plucked up This was typified under the Levitical Law Lev. 14.41,45 in that house which was infected with a fretting Leprosie all their scraping and pouring out of the dust thereof could not make the house clean and therefore God commanded that the house should be pulled down and be removâ—d The corruption of our natures is like this Leprosy which nothing but the pulling down of the wall of the house would remedy so nothing but the death of the body will perfectly destroy the body of death This leprous house is a type of thy defiled body and the scraping thereof an embleme of thy indeavour to sweep thy heart of sin and yet for all this the house could not be cleansed till it was pulled down neither can the house of thy body be wholly purified and sin quite extirpated untill it be plucked down and laid in the dust I remember a learned Authour Luke 23.40 he makes the impenitent thief on the Crosse an embleme of the sin of our natures when he was nailed to the Crosse and as we say bound hand and foot he had onely one member untied and that was his tongue and with that he falls a reviling on Jesus Christ just so sayes this Authour are our natures when a man lies on his death-bed and cannot stirre hand nor foot even then hath he a nature kindled with fire from hell wherewith he sinnes against God Oh let this greatly humble us in the sight of God 5. Consider that this contrariety in thy nature against grace though it be repugnant to grace yet it is suitable to thy nature Corrupt nature will tempt men to those sins which are most suitable to flesh and blood as the devil when he tempted Christ in the wildernesse being an hungry Command sayes he Matth. 4.3 that these stones be made bread this was a very suitable temptation to Christs condition for he had fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights and was hungry the devil did suit him with a temptation and if the devil do suit temptations to our condition our natures will much more because a mans owne heart knowes what is more suitable to his inclination then the devil doth it is true the devil knowes what a mans inclination is by his actions otherwise he cannot know but our natures are so corrupted that they will propose temptations that are most pleasing to flesh and blood and to those sinnes which either by custome or inclination we are most inclined to And this the Apostle James speakes of as I have formerly noted Jam. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he sayes that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed It is a metaphor taken from fisher-men who will suit their bait to the fish which they desire to take and will not alwayes fish with the same bait thus it is here thy corrupt nature doth play the fisherman and layes such a bait which is most suitable to every mans inclination therefore on this consideration be humbled that sin is so suitable to thy corrupt nature 6. Be humbled on this ground that thy corrupt nature will carry thee to commit such sinnes which thou didst believe in thy heart thou shouldst never fall into an eminent example hereof we have in Hazael who when he was told by the Prophet Elisha what evil he should do unto the children of Israel That he should set their strong holds on fire and slay their young men with the sword dash their children against the stones and rip up women with childe Oh sayes he is thy servant a dog that he should do these things 2 Kings 8.12 he could not believe it and yet this he did and worse then there the Prophet had told him Here is cause therefore to be humbled there is that evil seminally in thy nature that will provoke to sinne which thou couldst not imagine to be there why else should Christ admonish his Disciples Luke 21.34 to take heed that their hearts were not overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse and worldly cares Alasâ— what danger was there for poor Disciples to be overtaken with these sins yet Christ knew that there was cause for them to take heed though they were eminent Apostles of Christ yet they had the seed of those evils in their natures It is an observation of Mr. Capel Capel of temptations that a godly man at one time or other before his death shall be tempted either by the devil or his own heart to break every Commandment of the Law and to doubt of every article in the Creed and therefore do not think thou art so well setled in thy judgement that thou shalt never fall into errour and thou which livest holily be not over-confident nor too secure thinking that thou shalt never fall as such a man fell remember thou hast as bad a heart and if God should suffer the devil thy own corrupt nature and an occasion to concurre together thou wouldest fall into as bad a sinne as ever any in the world fell into there is such a contrariety in thy nature against grace that it would carry thee to the most unnatural and grosse sinnes that are in the world Augustine had a good saying when he saw a man fall into sinne Tu hodie ego cras Thou fallest to day and I to morrow if God help me not 7. Consider that this contrariety in thee it is an universal contrariety if there were a contrariety against some grace and not against all it were somewhat excusable or if there were onely a contrariety in some parts not in all it were somewhat tolerable but when this contrariety is universal in every respect how intolerable is this though thou art a godly man not only the wicked but even thou who art a godly man all thy body and all thy soul is defiled it is true there is grace in every part of thy soul so there is sinne too There is ignorance in thy understanding forgetfulnesse in thy memory stubbornnesse in thy will disorder in thy affections hardnesse in thy heart searednesse in thy conscience now it is true though every faculty be infected yet also is every part regenerated too in those that are godly Corruption it is in the soule as the soul is in the body the whole soul is in the whole body and the whole soul is in every part of the body just so it is with original corruption it is whole in every man and it is whole in every part of a man One hath this note that corrupt nature it is more in the soule then the soule is in the body for though the whole soule be in the whole body and every part of it yet it is not in that
the mouth speaketh 4. A natural man he cannot savingly understand good He receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishâ—esse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 If a godly man be disabled in the performance of good duties then much more an unregenerate man Object But you will say Do not wicked men hear and pray and give almes and do many other duties and are not these good actions therefore how is a man disabled from doing good I answer that good works may be considered two wayes either formally or materially now indeed a wicked man he may do that which is materially good and so hearing and praying and giving of almes the matter of these duties is good he may do external good duties but to do good formally with all those requisites and concurrent circumstances required in a good work so no wicked man in this world is able to do good There are many concurring circumstances to a good action 1. The person must be in Christ which doth the action The same action which a wicked man doing shall go to hell for the same action a godly man performing in the doing thereof shall go to heaven so that the person must be interessed in Christ who doth good we must acknowledge every good thing which is in us in Jesus Christ Philem. 6. Joh. 15.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non dicit nil difficile potest sed nihil nec dicit nil potest perficere sed nil potest facere August as the Apostle speaks so that the person must be in Christ and therefore though wicked men may do that which is morally good yet they can never do any action which is theologically good Object 2. But if wicked men cannot do good works but if when they do them they sin in doing of them then to what end should a wicked man do any good duty he sins if he doth not pray and he sins if he doth pray therefore to what purpose is it for him to do any of these duties Sol. For answer I confesse that this is an objection very suitable to flesh and blood Job 9.29 and Job he makes it in the person of a wicked man If I be wicked sayes he why then labour I in vain as if he should say if when I pray and when I hear I sin then why do I labour in vain this was an objection boyling in Job's brest But to answer the Question 1. Though a wicked man doth sin in duty yet he must do duty he is bound to duty though not to sinne in that dury that which is good in it selfe is not to be forborn though an accidental evil follow It is good in it selfe that a man should hear and pray and do other duties but it is onely casual that a man sins in these if this should be admitted by the same reason the Sunne should not shine because it over-heats some bodies and puts them into a fever or because it parches and over-dries the ground 2. You sinne lesse in doing duty though you sinne in the doing of it then if you did totally neglect it Object 3 Object 3. But you will say xIf a wicked man be thus disabled to do duty then to what purpose are Gods commands This is the Pelagian objection Doth not God mock men say they God bids wicked men to pray and repent but they are no more able to do these duties acceptably then to move the world I answer hereunto that though the wicked are thus unable yet there is great reason why God should command 1. To let them see what once they were in innocency they being perfectly able to do the will of God 2. Deus jubet non quod possumus sed quod debemus Though God commands men to do what they cannot do yet it is useful to humble them that thereby they might bewaile their impotency 3. Though God commands men what they are not able to performe yet to all elect men though unregenerate God sometime or other will send forth his owne power with his own command and make it efficacious in their soules Thus there went a power with Gods command to dead Lazarus whereby he came out of the grave Verbum Dei non est declarativum modò sed effectivum God who commands a wicked man to repent can convey a power into his heart to make him repent therefore there is great reason and use of Gods commands though natural men are not able to obey them Inference 2 2. I inferre hence If the flesh be thus disabled to good then this shewes the folly of Pelaegian Popish and Arminian doctrines which doth advance the power and ability of nature and the free will of man to good supernatural now how doth this Scripture confute them the flesh hinders even godly men that they cannot do the good they would What enemies of Gods graces are these who advance the power of nature above Sub laudibus gratiae latent inimici gratiae Aug. Non liberum sed servum arbitrium non liberum sed liberatum and beyond its bounds and that too under pretence of advancing Gods grace It is true man hath not lost the faculty but the form man hath lost the rectitude of his will I may say of them that their mistake arises from the same ground as Sampsons when his wife had cut off his locks he awoke out of sleep and said I will go out as at other times but he wist not the Lord was departed from him So I may say of such men as these they would stirre up themselves as at other times but their locks are cut by their fall in Adam that is cut off wherein their strength lay and if they would but study the fall of man more they would not advance and admire the power of nature so much Inference 3 3. I inferre hence that it is the duty of every Christian to give glory to God for all those saving abilities which any hath to do good 2 Sam. 12.27,28 if you are inabled to do any good it is of Gods grace Do as Joab to David when he had taken the skirts and suburbs of the City he then sends for David that he might have the glory of the conquest he that did the work would yet give David the glory do thou thus to Jesus Christ It may be thou dischargest the duty well do as Joab to David and do not say I have done thus and thus 1 Cor. 15.10 but Christ hath done it in me as the Apostle speakes I luboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me and so the same Apostle in another place I live saith he Gal. 2.20 yet notâ— but Christ liveth in me He would arrogate nothing to himselfe It is Gods grace whereby we act and this that servant in the Parable acknowledgeth Lord saith he
sorrow consider that whatsoever losse or affliction God doth inflict upon you here in this life he doth really intend your advantage and gain by that losse and therefore why should any misfortune trouble you seeing God intends your good by them all so that you shall in conclusion be forc't to say Psal 119. it is good for me that I was afflicted and in very faithfulness he hath afflicted me 'T is the observation of Salmeron on John 3. Suppose a man should throw a rich Pearl or Diamond at you and hit you upon the hand so you might have the Diamond for it would you count that an injury why so God deals with us he turns our losses into gain and all our crosses into comforts Suppose a man that is very much in debt and hath great need of money even to buy bread to put in his mouth should go to a friend of his and make known his condition and beg some relief from him if this friend of his should go to his Chest and take out a great bag of money or gold and throw it at him bidding him take it though he should hurt him with the blow do you think he would take it unkindly no certainly why so every affliction that God laies upon us shall work for our good we may say as Joseph did to his Brethren though you intend all this for my hurt yet God intended turned it to my good So when any body do wrong or injure us we may say to them though you intend this to my hurt yet God will work benefit and advantage to me by it The Lord never intends us any harm but good by all the afflictions he laies upon us All afflictions like Jonathans rod have hony on the top and therefore let us bear them patiently You would be very angry if an enemy should draw blood from you but if a Doctor does take away a great deal more from you in reference to your health and for your good you will not take that amisse Be perswaded therefore to patience under all worldly crosses and troubles because God intends your good by them and to promote your spirituall advantage that as your afflictions do abound so your consolations in Christ may abound much more Consid 10 10. Consider that your betters have been in as bad or a worse condition then ever you have been and therefore let this allay your sorrows It is true indeed were we in so bad a condition that never any were in the like we might have some excuse for our immoderate sorrow but there are none of us that are afflicted alone those that are a great deal better then we have had as great crosses and afflictions as ever we have had 1 Pet. 5.9 there the Apostle exhorteth them to resist the Devill with stedfastness as knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in their brethren that are in the world there are none now in so miserable a condition but there are others that have been or are or shall be in as sad a condition as they there hath no temptation befallen you but such as is common to man for God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able 1 Cor. 10.13 Hast thou lost a great Estate why Job lost more then ever thou didst he lost seven thousand Sheep three thousand Camels five hundred yoke of Oxen five hundred shee Asses he lost all that he had not so much as any outward comfort left him and therefore seeing the same affliction hath befallen others why should not you be contented But it may be you will say I have lost my Children Why Job lost more Children then ever thou didst he lost ten Children in one day taken away by an untimely death but it may be though you have lost as many Children yet they went to their graves in peace and therefore that may comfort your heart others have been in a worse condition then you are in and yet have undergone it patiently Notwithstanding all the afflictions that lay upon Job he sinned not he did not open his mouth against God And so our Lord Jesus Christ he was a man of sorrows saith he the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head Jesus Christ though Heire of all things was yet as poor as ever thou hast been and therefore let these considerations stay your hearts in what ever afflictions may befall you here in this world for the Lord knowes what a Cloud of blood is yet hanging over our heads Consid 11 11. To keep down excessive sorrow for the losse of any Creature comfort consider that your sorrow is never fightly placed till it hath sin for its object your sorrow is misplaced and runs in a wrong Channel till it centers here If you sorrow for the things of the world you let it run in a wrong Channel and keep it from running there where it should run 't is pitty to use sweet water to wash a foul room sin ought to be the chief object of sorrow and our teares are diverted out of their proper Channel when we do not sorrow for sin either mediately or immediately God hath promised to bottle all those teares we shed for sin but no other those that we shed for the things of the world they are but. tears cast away they run over and not into Gods Bottles And indeed my Brethren there are no afflictions here that do deserve our sorrows or tears Would you not count him a mad man that should go and throw Pearls or Diamond at a Pear-tree and so lose them so it is pitty to throw away tears upon the things of this world to wast such pretious commodities upon every slight occasion Consid 12 12. Consider that excessive sorrow for the world will hinder and interrupt your mourning for sin as when a vein is opened in the arm and the blood runs out there it hinders and diverts it from running in its usuall Channel so when you are in a vein of sorrow and discontent for worldly losses or crosses this diverts and hinders the naturall course of your teares so that you cannot mourn for sin And thus I have done with these twelve Considerations and also with these three Queries I have shewed you when sorrow is inordinate and I have given you some reasons why Christians should not mourn immoderately for the things of this world and now I have laid you down twelve confideraions to keep you from excessive mourning for the losse of any outward comfort SERM. 3. Quest 4 Rule 3. How to moderate our sorrows for the loss of worldly comforts I Have now one Query more and that is in the fourth place to shew you what Rules or helps you are to use so as to keep your sorrows for worldly crosses within bounds to weep as if you wept not I shall here likewise give you 11. or
too much when he so blubbers and cries the tears trickling down his eyes that he cannot see his Letters nor read his Book so a Christian grieves too much for his corruptions when he cannot see nor blesse God for those graces he gives him 2. You grieve over-much for sin when it doth damne and darken your evidences for Heaven when a Christian does so pore upon his sins and discover such cause of grief and sorrow from them that he never looks into his own heart to see what cause of joy he hath there in having an assurance of his interest in Christ and a right and title unto glory Beloved God would not have one grace to justle out another sorrow for sin is a grace but yet God would not have this to justle out spirituall joy When a Christian does so grieve for sin that he casts away all hopes of Heaven then his forrow is excessive when he grieves and blubbers so that he cannot read his evidences for Heaven 3dly Sorrowing for sin is excessive when it laies discouragements upon the soul to come in to Christ for pardon and remission when a man shall so grieve for sin that he dares not venture to look up to Jesus Christ for mercy and to lay hold upon a promise for his comfort when a sinner does thus then he mourns excessively If the Children of Israel in the wilderness when they were stung of the fiery Serpents had not had the boldness to look up to the Brazen Serpent they could not have been healed and recovered so when sorrow for sin makes us that we cannot look up to Christ for pardon then it is excessive Sorrow and teares for sin are never right till they are like floods of water to drive us to Christ Fourthly sorrow for sin is then immoderate when it so overwhelms you that you can take no comfort in the outward blessings that God hath given you as Houses or Lands or Corne or Wine or the like When a Christians sorrow for sin doth so damp his spirits that he cannot take that outward joy and lawful complacency in worldly comforts that God allowes him then is your sorrow inordinate though many think that God allowes that sin should be so bitter to them yet it is no such matter you must be sorry for sin and yet take comfort in the outward blessings that God bestowes upon you Fifthly Sorrow for sin is inordinate when it puts a man into an incapacity to receive comforts from the Gospel when a Christian shall see his sin so great and his case so sad that if you tender the promises of the Gospel to him they are as things of no worth to him he thinks they do not belong to him and therefore can find no comfort nor savour in any of them When a man shall be obstinate and peremptorily stand out against the comforts of the Gospel because of his sin then is his sorrow inordinate Thus Asaph did in Psal 74.2 saies he I was in trouble and my soul refused to be comforted When a mans condition is sad and yet he refuseth to be comforted then is his sorrow excessive Sixthly Then is sorrow for sin immoderate when it disables or indisposeth a man to perform his duty either in his generall or particular calling when it doth indispose him to the duties of his generall calling as a Christian that he cannot pray nor read nor discourse nor hear the word of God but lies alone in a corner and will not admit of any body to comfort him or confer with him that sorrow that indisposeth a man to holy duties is an irregular sorrow Ps 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak to wit to God in prayer And so again that sorrow that indisposeth a man to the duties of his particular Calling as a man that he cannot work or study or trade and follow his particular imployments that sorrow is an inordinate sorrow God doth require us to work in our Callings as well as to work out our salvation and therefore that sorrow that hinders and indisposeth us to it is excessive and immoderate And thus I have shewed you when sorrow for sin is excessive and have onely given you the heads of things and have likewise done in resolving the third case of conscience Vse VVe come now to the application and if it be so that a Christian must not onely take heed of grieving overmuch for afflictions but for sin too then take heed you do not pervert this Doctrine take heed of being obstinate and perverse and hard-hearted in sin though I tell you that Christians should not be excessive in their sorrows for sin yet I do not say that wicked men should be obstinate and stout-hearted in sin and never mourn for sin at all No it were well for them that they could weep bitterly for their sins therefore you that are obstinate and presumptuous sinners take heed that you do not abuse this Doctrine and again you that count sin your greatest burthen that every mole-hill of sin is like a Mountain upon you take heed that ye be not so overwhelmed with sorrow that you can see no comfort at all in Christ and in the promises of Salvation through him but do you look to the Lord Jesus Christ and see that there is more in Christ to save you then there is in your selves to condemn you though there be abundance of corruption in you yet there is a fullnesse of satisfaction in Christ he is able to save to the uttermost all that shall come unto God by him All you that do belong to Christ do neither weep too much for your sins nor yet too little do not say I will not grieve nor shed tears at all for them for as Christs blood was shed for our sins so we should shed tears for them but yet we must not so grieve for them as to discourage us from going unto Christ and to darken our evidences for Heaven Use Exhor ∣ tation We have onely now a use of exhortation and then I have done If Christians must take heed that they weep as if they wept not for that is the scope of the Text then let me in the bowells of Christ perswade all you that are the people of God to labour to fulfill this Apostolike Rule that you would so carry your selves as those that have better hopes Several Considerations to keep men from excessive sorrow and better things to look after then any thing here below And as before I gave you twelve considerations to allay keep under excessive sorrow so now I shall give you 7 or 8 Considerations more to keep out excessive sorrow which if seriously laid to heart may be a great help to keep you from breaking out into immoderate sorrow whatever betides you Consid 1 1. Consider that excessive sorrow for worldly crosses argues either a totall want of grace or else an extream weakness of grace First it sometimes argues a totall want of
grace It is with a Christian in this case as it is with the rusty hinges of a door if you open or shut the door they will skreak make a noise but if you put some oyl upon them they do not so so Christians many times God cannot touch them with his rod of afflictions but they cry out and are immoderate in their sorrows and impatient under Gods hand and the reason of it is because they want the Oyl of grace or if it doth not argue a totall want of grace yet it is a sign of a great deal of weakness of grace I have observed often times in London streets that a pair of new Cart wheels will skreak and make a noyse as they go along but an old Cart goes away silently So if when God laies afflictions upon thee thou art like a new Cart that thou criest out and mournest immoderately under his hand it argues that thou art but a new and a weak Christian he that faints in the day of adversity saies Solomon his strength is small But now a Christian that hath been long used and experienced in troubles and afflictions you may lay a great and heavy burden upon him and he will make no noyse under it Consid 2 2. Another consideration to keep out excessive sorrow is this consider that whatsoever crosses befall you in the world they are but the manifestations and executions of Gods will which is the rule of order and justice his dispensations are good and just in themselves if Gods will be done though thy will be crost it is no matter This was that which kept David from excessive sorrow in 2 Sam. 12.21,22 Davids Servants wondred that he should fast and weep for his Child while it was alive but when the Child was dead he should rise up and eat bread and be no more sad And David said while the Child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the Child may live but now he is dead wherefore should I mourn can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me Now I see the will of God is accomplisht why should I grieve at it I will hold my tongue and not open my mouth because the Lord hath done it Psal 39.9 Consid 3 3. Consider that before conversion you did never grieve for the want of grace and want of spirituall mercies Why then after conversion should you weep for worldly things when you enjoy spirituall mercies Consider before conversion I was content with outward worldly comforts and never was troubled for want of grace and hopes of Heaven and want of reconciliation with God I did never grieve for these and seeing when I was without Christ I did not grieve for the want of him now when I have Christ shall I grieve because I want the ordinary and common blessings of worldly things A Christian with a holy indignation should take a revenge upon himself if before my conversion I could not grieve for the want of grace now I have grace I will not grieve for the want of outward comforts seeing there is infinitely more reason you should grieve for want of spirituall then temporall mercies 4. To keep out worldly sorrow consider that God never laies any outward crosse or affliction upon his people but it is for sin either for the punishment of sin or the prevention or purging of it out 1. For the punishment of thy sins and if it be for the punishment of thy sin then if thou mourn for any thing mourn for thy sins that was the cause rather then for affliction which is but the effect of thy sin accept the punishment of thine iniquity Levit. 26. with submission but look upon the sin with detestation we have no reason to complain of our afflictions Lamen 3.39 why doth the living man complain man for the punishment of his sin you should in this case rather grieve for your sins then for your punishments And 2dly If it be not for the punishment then it is for the prevention of sin to keep thee from sin and this was the end why God punished Job 33 Job 17. it was that he might drive man from his purpose and hide pride from him And therefore suppose God takes away an Estate or friends or any outward comfort from you as long as it is to prevent a sin to preserve you from Hell and damnation you have no cause of grief If a Doctor takes away your blood from you to prevent a pleurisie will you be angry with him surely no so God never takes away any outward comfort from his people but it is in mercy that he may prevent sin thereby Or 3dly If not for the punishment or prevention of sin then it is for the purging out of sin as in Esay 27.9 by this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit of it to take away his sin A man will not be grieved that Physick makes him sick and pains him in his bowels because it purgeth out noxious and hurtfull humours Beloved your crosses are but purging pills to purge out your corruptions All worldly afflictions are either for the punishment prevention or purging out of sin and therefore we have cause to bear them patiently Consid 6 6. Consider that God turns all worldly crosses and losses into spirituall advantages to his people thou shalt never be a loser by thy afflictions As when a poor man that is in debt and in very much want of money shall come to a rich man and make known his condition to him and beg relief from him the man goes presently to his Chest and fetches a bag of money and throwes it at him the poor man would not look upon this as any wrong or injury done to him but would rather be thankfull for it So God turns all our seeming crosses and afflictions into reall and spirituall advantages to us Phil. 1.19 I know said Paul that this shall turn to my salvation All things shall work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8 28. Though we cannot see how it should come to passe but are in this case like unto little Children who when they see a heap of beautifull and sweet Roses lying upon a Table and their Mother goes and puts them in a morter and pounds them all to peeces the Child cries and thinks the Mother spoyls them though she does it to make a conserve of them that they may be more usefull and durable So we think we have comforts like beds of Roses and when the Lord takes them from us and breaks them all to pieces we are apt to conceive they are all spoiled and destroyed and we undone by it whereas God intends it to work for our greater benefit and advantage Consid 7 7. Live in the meditation and contemplation of the joyes and glory of Heaven And this