in these cases spirituall joy is immoderate which I shall prove to you by two places of Scripture the first is in the 12. Acts 12,14,15 there were many gathered together praying in the house of Mary the Mother of John and as Peter knocked at the dore of the Gate a Damsell came to hearken named Rhoda and when she knew Peters voice she opened not the gate for gladness but ran in again and told how Peter stood without at the Gate the Damsell rejoyced so much that Peter was at the dore that she could not open the dore which was a sin in her and her joy was excessive because it made her inconsiderate noâ— to open the dore when Peter stood without knocking she opened not the dore for gladness that is one Text to prove your joy may be excessive Another we have in Luke 24.39 This was spoken here after Christs Resurrection from the dead When Christ came and stood in the middst of his Disciples where they were together and shewed them his hands and his feet which were pierced that they might believe it was he and that he was risen from the dead it is said they believed not for joy This was a spirituall joy when Christ had conquered death and hell and the grave and was risen again from the dead they rejoyced so much that they could not believe it one grace hindered and interrupted another and therefore their joy was excessive I speak this only in reference to young Converts they may have much sin mingled with their joy And thus I have done with these eight Conclusions I shall now proceed to the dispatching of the Queries which will be more usefull in the prosecution of this Doctrine That Christians must not only take heed of being excessive in their sorrow for worldly crosses but also of being excessive in their joy for worldly comforts SERM. VII 1 Cor. 7.30,31 And they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not I Shall at this time briefly speak to these two things First I shall shew you when your worldly joy is excessive And secondly I shall lay you down some Rules whereby to keep your joy within bounds Quest 1 Worldly joy when excessive in 8. particulars Q. 1. When is worldly joy excessive and inordinate and that I shall shew you in these 8. particulars Answ 1. Worldly joy is then excessive when it interrupts godly sorrow for sin when a man shall be of such a jolly and merry temper that he cries out hang sorrow and cast away care he will never be sorrowfull again â—or â—ver have any serious thoughts of sin such a joy as this is excessive and sinfull When one grace justles out another when worldly joy thrusts out sorrow for sin then it is inordinate Thus it was with Belshazzer in Dan. 5.2 He spent his dayes in mirth and jollity quaft and caroused in the Vessels of the Temple in one day he feasted a thousand of his Lords and was merry through wine but what was the issue of all you may see in the 20. verse his heart was lifted up and his mind hardned in pride his joy was excessive because it hardned his heart and hindred and interrupted him from mourning for sin Thus Saul called for Musick when he should have given himself to sorrow for sin 1 Sam. 16. Why now beloved look into your own bosoms though God allowes you to rejoyce moderately in his mercies yet if you be so taken up with joyes and pleasures that you are averse from sorrow and serious thoughts of heart in remembrance of your sins then your joy is excessive 2. Your rejoycing in worldly comforts is then excessive when it deprives and robs you of that fellow-feeling and compassionate affections which you should have toward the sorrows and afflictions of Gods Church and people This you have laid down as a mark of excessiveness of joy in Amos 6.4,5,6 They lie upon beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches and eat the Lambs out of the flock and the Calves out of the midst of the stall that chant to the sound of the violl and invent to themselves instruments of Musick that drink wine in Bowles and annoint themselves with chiefe ointments but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph Israel here was wanton and spent their time in pleasures and jollity but they were not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph what is that why by the afflictions of Joseph are to be understood the miseries of the Tribe of Manasseh because that Tribe came from Joseph as the 10. Tribes were called Ephraim because Jeroboam the first King of the 10. Tribes came of the posterity of Ephraim and that one Tribe enduring great afflictions as we may read 2 Kings 13.7 under King Joash the nine Tribes were not mourning for them that was their sin and therein their joy was excessive Now beloved all you whose hearts do suggest this to you that you live merrily in the world and so spend your time in mirth and jollity that it quite eats out all compassion and fellow-feeling in you towards the miseries and afflictions of the Church of God that let Religion and the cause of God sink or swim and let the people of God stand or fall it shall never trouble you in this case your joy is excessive 3. When your worldly joy doth damp and dull your delight in God and in spirituall duties then is your joy excessive when thy delight and relish in the Creature is as sweet as hony but yet canst take no more joy in communion with God in performing duties to him and receiving grace and spirituall mercies from him then there is tast in the white of an Egge this is a sign thy joy is excessive as in Job 21.11,12.13,14,15 Job speaks there of the wicked that they send forth their little ones like a flock and their Children dance they take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ they spend their dayes in mirth and in a moment go down into the grave here are jolly men indeed they spend their dayes merrily but what is the issue of all this therefore they say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Here you see their joy was excessive and immoderate because it did damp their love duty to God All recreation should be as a whetstone to sharpen us to duty as Physick to sharpen the stomack to relish food not to dog and dull our appetite to spiritual things 4. Your joy was excessive in that worldly comfort which you grieve too much in the losse and want of A man never grieves too much in the want of any mercy but he did rejoyce too much before in the enjoyment of it 5. Then your joy is excessive in outward comforts when it makes you insult and triumph over the
the Ministery of the Word for the good of your souls This is the first use to to those who have found the Ministery of the Word accompanied with the efficacy of the Spirit Vse 2 To those who have the efficacy and operation of the Spirit withheld from the Ministery they attend upon there are seven things I would have such to take notice of 1. That Gods Spirit is a free agent and is not to be tied to an outward Ministery but to be left at liberty to work how when and in what manner he pleases The winde bloweth where it listeth even so is every man which is born of the Spirit John 3.8 By the wind is meant the Spirit There is a Sovereignty and free agency in the Spirit of God to work when he pleases or to withhold working from whom he pleases And therefore the Spirit of God is called a free Spirit Psal 51.12 Vphold me with thy free Spirit and James 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth 2. Consider that God doth not withhold his Spirit from the outward Ministery meerly as an act of his Sovereignty but as an act of his Justice because of your sins whereby you have provoked him You provoke him to withhold the efficacy of his Spirit from his Ordinances by your sins and therefore are you hardened and receive not benefit by them you do some of those injuries to the Spirit as quenching grieving resisting vexing tempting and despising the Spirit which I mentioned before therefore do not think hardly of God but judge your selves Sinne was the cause which made the Lord withdraw his Spirit that it should not strive with the men of the old world it was their disobedience as you finde the Apostle Peter speaking Christ by his Spirit went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah 1 Pet 3.19.20 their disobedience made God withdraw the efficacy of his Spirit if therefore the Spirit do not work on you think not hardly on God but thank your selves he is provoked unto it Thus God departed from the Israelites because of their sinfull provocations Psalm 81.11,12 But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own wayes The Spirit in Scripture is compared to a Dove now a Dove will alwayes keep in the house where it is bred unlesse the Dove-house be nastily kept The Spirit of God in this may fitly be resembled by a Dove keep your hearts clean and the Spirit will abide with you keep them nasty and the Spirit will soone leave you sin is the cause why the Spirit withdraws it self from the Ordinances and why men are left unto themselves and God doth it as an act of his justice punishing of sin 3. If God do withhold his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word the fault is rather to be imputed to thy self then unto the Word Many like the woman in Seneca complaine the roome is dark when they themselves are blinde and the place wants no light but they want eyes Or to him that preaches the Word usually if men do not profit by the hearing of the word the blame is cast upon the Minister and truly we Ministers have our faults as well as others if we preach not plainly methodically and duly there is a fault in us but yet I say you are rather to blame your selves then either the Word or the Minister thereof If the seed grow not the fault is neither in the hand of the husbandman nor in the influence of the heavens but in the badnesse of the soile That you may know where the fault lies consider 1. If a Minister preaches plainly and impartially and yet thou gettest no good by him the fault is thy own not his It was the Herodians fault not Christs that those persons profited not by Christs preaching for they themselves give this testimony of Christ Matth. 22.16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth 2. If other men get good by his Ministery and not thou the fault is thine not his If at a feast others are fed thou famisht the fault is in thy stomach not meat 3. In case you have formerly got good by a Minister but now you get none formerly your affections were stirred up your desires were increased your love inflamed but now no such effect the fault is thine own It was the fault of the hearers of John Baptist the fault was not in John's Doctrine that they rejoyced onely for a season this also was the fault of the Galatians that they profited not by Pauls Ministery as before Gal. 4.16 Gal. 4.16 This cometh not from the seed it self but from the badnesse of the ground into which it is cast If thou profitest not by the Word thou hearest thou art to blame thine own naughty heart not the Word or the dispenser thereof 4. Though there is much dignity and excellency to be ascribed to the Word of God nakedly considered yet there is no efficacy in it to convert a soul without the Spirits ' concurrence As it was in the Pool of Bethesda not the water nor stepping into it healed but the Angels moving therein John 5.4 So also not the Word alone nor hearing of it 2 Cor. 3.6 but the Spirit healeth The letter kills but the Spirit gives life saies the Apostle that is the Word without the Spirit it is only the Spirit which can give life The Spirit without the Word will not ordinarily convert and the Word without the Spirit cannot I create the fruit of the lips peace peace Isa 57.19 by the fruit of the lips the Prophet understands a Gospel-Ministery but sayes God I must not create peace by the fruit of the lips it is the working of the Spirit with the Word which makes the Word to become effectual and therefore the Gospel is called the Ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8,9 5. It is a worse judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Word then to be without the Word and the reason is this because the Spirit can convert a man without the Word but the Word can never convert a man without the Spirit and therefore it is a worse judgement for thee to hear Sermons every day and to have the Spirits concurrent efficacy withheld from those Sermons then if thou shouldest never learn a Sermon in all thy life-time therefore pray unto God that his own Spirit may accompany his own Word and Ordinances to make them effectuall for the good of thy soul 6. The Spirit of God may be for a time withheld from Gods own people that it shall not attend an outward Ministery and this is a very sad judgement it may be withheld from Gods elect in a converting way As the man lay 38. yeers at
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
upon mens consciences Inference 4 Labour and pray the lesse the Spirit of God hath striven with you before the commission of sin that it may the more strive with you by convincing you after you have fallen into it It may be you have sinned ignorantly aptly eagerly or deliberately the more the Spirit hath bin withheld from thee before the commission of sinne pray to have it strive the more with thee afterwards and that in these three wayes 1. By working in thee a more clear conviction of sinne to shew thee not sin in the lump but thy particular sinne clothed with all its haynous and agravating circumstances to convince thee savingly that there may be as it were some compensation made of the Spirits being before whithheld from thee 2. In a more deep humiliation the more the Spirit hath been withheld from you before the commission of sinne desire that the more the Spirit may cast thee down after its commission This was typed out under the Law that man which did but touch an unclean thing was to be unclean till evening but if a man had carried an unclean thing about him then he was to cast off all his clothes So if you have but touched a sinne you are to be humbled but if you have fallen into a sinne which the Spirit hath not convinced you of then you are to labour for a greater measure of conviction and humiliation afterwards 3. Learn that the Spirit may work in thee a more dear affection to Jesus Christ It is observed of Peter the Spirit did more leave him to fall into sinne then he did all the other Apostles except Judas Now when Christ comes to aske Peter whether he loved himor not saies he Simon Peter doest thou love me more then these He doth not say onely doest thou love me Peter but lovest thou me more then these as if he should say Peter thou hast sinned against me more then all the other Apostles have and therefore thou shouldest love me more then they So Mary Magdalene she was a great sinner having seven Devils cast out of her but what is said of her Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her for she loved much that is the lesse love she had to Jesus Christ before the commission of sinne the more she had afterwards Many sinnes were forgiven her and therefore she loved much therefore in that place must not be understood as if her love was a cause of her being forgiven but a demonstration and an evidence of it SERMON V. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 17. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed now to handle to you the with-holdings of the Spirit in reference to good that it shall not stirre up holy motions in the heart unto duty But before I come particularly to speak of this I shall lay down a fourfold distinction about the Spirits motions to good 1. There are exciting acts of the Spirit in stirring up holy affections in the heart in blowing up those coales of affection and grace within them John 14.26 and this is that which was promised by Christ that the holy Ghost shall bring all things to rememberance 2. There is an assisting act of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit in Scripture is said to help our infirmities You reade not onely of an intercession of the Spirit in a way of acceptance but of an intercession of the Spirit by way of assistance As in a tree though there be a seminal vertue in the tree yet without the helping influence of heaven it beares no fruit So the Spirit of God helps us to work Col. 1.18 Psal 12.13 and Ephes 1.19 3. There is a corroborating act of the Spirit not onely bare assistance but strength and increase of grace by the Spirit of God to the souls of men and therefore you read of the supplies of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farther degrees and measures of the Spirit 4. There is a comforting and a testifying act of the Spirit when the Spirit of God shall back the testimony of thy conscience to evidence the sincerity of thy heart and thus you read of Paul that his conscience did beare him witnesse in the holy Ghost the Spirit of God did witnesse with his spirit the truth and sincerity of his heart Rom. 9.1 2 Cor. 1.12 Now though I might handle all these particulars and shew what a grievous judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in these regards Yet I shall onely speak of the Spirit and shew what a sad judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in its exciting acts that it shall not stir up holy motions in the heart to good in the handling of which I shall proceed after this method 1. Shew you wherein it appears to be a judgement to have the Spirit withheld in regard of holy motions to good 2. When the Spirit doth vouchsafe such motions how you may know them and difference them from those motions to good which the Devil may stir a man up unto 1. That man from whom the Spirit is withheld in its motions unto good there are these three miseries which will attend him 1. There will be a vacuity or emptinesse of holy thoughts in thy heart The Spirit of God is like unto the spring in the Clock if that lie still all lies still so if the Spirit of God lies still within thee Phil. 2.13 all thy affections which are the motions of thy soul they cannot stirre It is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure If the Spirit of God be withheld there cannot be so much as a will in thee to that which is truly good Mans heart it is like that house in the Parable Matth. 12.44 when the Spirit is withheld from him when the Devil came to possesse it it is said that he found it empty swept and garnished empty that is void of any holy thoughts and gracious motions and garnished that is not with the graces of Gods Spirit but with the Devils furniture and if you will see what that furniture is read Matth. 15.19,20 There will be an emptinesse in thy heart of good motions when God withdrawes his Spirit 2. Thy heart will he filled and pestered with evill motions from the Devill Mans heart it cannot lie long idle or empty if it be not filled withe the Spirits motions it will be by the Devils instigations The heart if it be not Christs garden it will be the Devils Seminary if not Christs store-house it will be the Devils work-house if it be not the Temple of the holy Ghost it will be the Devils Chappel Now this is that which makes the misery the greater when evill motions do pester and fill the heart the Sripture expresses it by the Devils filling of the heart If the gales
withdrawing it is but in some things not in all in some motions and in some asistance not in other some The Spirit is never totally witdrawn from godly men the presence of the Spirit is not withdrawn though the comfort and assurance of it may be Vse 2 It is with a soul in this case as it is with the herbs and trees in winter the whole sap is not gone but retired into the root Let this be thy comfort that the departures of the Spirit they are temporary not eternal the Spirit is onely gone for a season Isaiah 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thâ—e for a moment It is but in a little wrath and for a little while That which Christ said of his person to his Disciples I will go away but I will come again the same may be said of the Spirit though he may be withdrawn yet after a while he will returne again Vse 3 Thou sayest the Spirit is withdrawn but it may be it is a sensible not a real withdrawing My meaning is this it may be thou apprehendest it to be so when in relity it is not so for of all men the godly they are most apt to have suspitions of their own hearts and of their own estates Gen. 44.2 Thou mayest have as Benjamin a golden cup in thy sacks mouth a pledge of Joseph's love and thou mayest not know it Out of thy belly may flow a fountain of living water and yet thou mayest not know it even as Hagar when she was ready to die for thirst had a well of water by her and yet knew it not therefore it may be it is but a sensible not a real withdrawing It is with the soul in respect of the Spirit of Christ as it was with Mary Magdalen who when she was speaking with Christ knew it not but asked Christ whither they had carried him John 20.15 Vse 4 Consider that Jesus Christ may depart from you not out of hatred but out of trial to see whether thou wilt follow him As a Mother will sometimes run into a corner and hide her self from her childe but it is not to leave her child shiftless but to see its love whether it will seek after her or not So Jesus Christ he may sometimes leave you and withdraw his Spirit to see whether you will follow hard after him account the motions of his Spirit worth seeking after And thus I have briefly given you an account of the withdrawings of the Spirit of Christ from ordinances and from our souls I have shewed you both the cause and the cure of this miserable estate The Lord give you understanding in all things SERM. VIII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 1. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh HAving lately treated of the misery of those from whom the motions of Gods Spirit were withdrawn I am now to treat of the happinesse of others who walk after the motions and guidance of the Spirit which I shall do out of these words Walk in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Which words are an Apostical direction or caution being intire in themselves and therefore I shall handle them without reference to what goes before or what follows after The method I observe shall be this First I shall explaine the words Secondly divide them then deduce some observations and lastly make application of all 1. In the explanatory part there are four things to be unfolded 1. What is here to be meant by the Spirit 2. What is meant by walking in the Spirit 3. What by not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh 4. How can it be said that men shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Quest 1 What is meant by the Spirit Answ 1 In general it doth denote the whole divine essence distinguished into three persons God is a Spirit John 4.24 i. e. a spiritual Essence 2 Cor. 3.17 Answ 2 More particularly it notes the third person in the blessed Trinity 1 John 5.6 Answ 3 By Spirit is understood the gifts of the Spirit Luk. 1.15 Quest 2 What is meant here by walking in the Spirit Answ 1 For answer hereunto there is something must be paraphrased upon as conducible to the explaining of it As first Gal. 3.2 Verse 25. Gal. 5.18 there is mention made in Gal. 3.2 of receiving the Spirit Secondly of living in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 Thirdly of being led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 And fourthly of walking in the Spirit and that in the words of my text Now by receiving and living in the Spirit is set out to us the first implantation or work of Gods Spirit on us in our regeneration And by the other two phrases of being led by the Spirit and walking in the Spirit these two are one and the same and set out to us the progressive work of the Spirit upon the soul in the work of sanctification so that he that would walk in the Spirit must follow the motions and instructions of it Therefore if you would walk in the Spirit you must not follow the impulses of your own spirits Quicquid somniant Fanatici volunt esse Spiritum sanctum Melanchton they follow the instinct of their own spirits Of such Melanchton speaks that they think their own dreams as Canonical as Gods Word and thereby are so far from abolishing the lusts of the flesh that they gratifie the lusts of the flesh The genuine sense therefore of these words of walking in the Spirit is to walk after the Spirit and so it is an expression of the same importance with those words in Rom. 8.1 Rom. 8.1 There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit That is if we follow the motions and instructions of Gods Spirit then may we be said to walk in it Quest 3 But what benefit will accrue hereupon Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Answ Now before I answer this particular I must give you caution The Apostle doth not say you shall not have the lusts of the flesh for you know that he which doth most follow the motions and directions of the Spirit in his practice he finds in himselfe the workings of corrupt nature whilest you have this natural body you will have these lusts of the flesh in you But saith the Apostle Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Now by the lusts of the flesh you must not understand it in a limited sense of the sinne of incontinency or uncleannesse which elsewhere is truly called the lust of the flesh but you are to take it in a comprehensive sense for all those corrupt and irregular inclinations to sinne which are in the nature of man Now when the Apostle saith you shall not fulfil these lusts his meaning is not that you shall not
to Vse 1 Of comfort Consider in the general what cause of comfort we have in that the Lord hath promised to us more of his Spirit then he gave out under the law It shall come to passe in the last dayes Acts 2.17 saith God that I will power out my Spirit upon all flesh The Spirit it reveales things now more clearly and more abundantly In the last dayes the Spirit speaks expresly before they saw things darkly but now we see face to face that is more plainly there shall be a more full revelation of the Spirit Isaiah 30.26 When the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes Eph. 3 5. And hence is that promise that knowledge shall fill the earth as water filleth the sea In other ages the Mystery of Christ was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto us by the Spirit Blesse God then this is a general comfort that more of the Spirit was reserved under the New Testament then was dispensed under the Old In particular there are six comforts which I shall lay down for such who walk after the guidance and motions of Gods Spirit 1. The Spirit of God will be a sure guide to you to discover to you John 16.13 and to lead you in all truth so saith our Saviour He will guide you into all truth that is into all truth necessary to salvation A like place you have in the same Evangelist John 14.26 where it is said that the Spirit shall teach you all things that is all things needful for an elect man to know that he may be saved The Spirit of God reveales the Mysteries of salvation to his people 1 Cor. 2.9,10 and therefore you read that eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them which love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit The Spirit it makes known to us Gospel-truths and reveals Gospel-Mysteries 1 Cor. 2.15 The spiritual man judgeth all things yet he himselfe is judged of no man he hath the Spirit of God inabling him to discerne of Doctrines whether they be true or false and sayes the Apostle he himselfe is judged of no man that is he is so assured of the truth of his Doctrine Hildersam on Psalme 51. pag. 774. that other men cannot pervert him 2. The Spirit will not be only a guide to lead you but a seale to assure you of your Adoption Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God that is which walk after its motions and guidance they are the Sonnes of God And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 that is giving you a farther assurance and Seale of your Sonneship that you may with more boldnesse poure out your hearts into the bosome of your Father 3. The Spirit will be an evidence unto thee of thy union with Jesus Christ So saith the Apostle Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given to us And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 John 3.24 Chap. 4 13 Get therefore the Spirit into thy heart and follow its motions and guidance and hereby wilt thou be assured of thy union with Christ 4. Walk in the Spirit and it will be a sure pledge to thee that thou art exempted from damnation and brought into a state of salvation Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit It will be an evidence to you that you are past damnation 5. That you are free from the curse and power of the law If ye be led of the Spirit ye are not under the law Gal. 5.18 Liberati sumas per Christum à damnatione non à directione legis You must not understand it as if you were not under the moral law as a rule of life but only that you are freed from the curse of it so you are not under it 6. And lastly if ye have the Spirit of God and walk after its guidance here will be your comfort that ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh And this brings me to the second Doctrine to wit That walking after the Spirit is an especial help to Beleevers that they shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh though they may act the lusts of the flesh and commit those sinnes which the devil and their own hearts may move them to yet they shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh But more of this in the following Sermons SERMON XI At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 15. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 16. And ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh I Have hitherto treated on the duty Walk in the Spirit And am now to treat of the benefit annexed to this duty And ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh In the handling of which I shall first explaine it and then give you the Doctrine There are two things to be opened First what is meant by the lusts of the flesh Secondly what is meant by fulfilling these lusts Quest 1 What is meant by this phrase the lusts of the flesh Answ 1 By the lusts of the flesh if you take them for the natural desires of the body then this Text cannot be made true for we may and do fulfill the natural appetite of the body if it be hungry we give it meat if thirsty we give it drink if weary we give it rest So that the lusts of the flesh if you take them for the natural desires of the body these ye may lawfully fulfill therefore it cannot be so taken here 2. Neither is it to be confined to the sinne of incontinency but to be taken more comprehensively for the sinfulnesse of our corrupt nature the lusts and motions whereof you must not fulfill 3. These motions and lusts of corrupt nature must be considered two wayes First either as a power Or secondly as an act 1. As a power and so they nore that radical indisposition that is in mans nature to good and its proneness to evil Or 2. As an act and so it notes those sinful motions to sinne that come from corrupt nature and so I take the meaning of this place 1 Pet. 2.11 You shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh that is walk according to the dictates and motions of the Spirit and you shall not act those sinful motions which arise from corrupt nature Quest 2 But then a farther question is what is meant by not fulfilling these lusts of the flesh Answ To which I answer 1. Negatively we must not understand this as if so
deceit I shall say three things 1. It is a good rule of the Schoolmen that you must not neglect that which is good in it selfe and necessary to avoid a sin which may be by accident a sin for otherwise you should never perform duty If a man will avoid hearing lest he should be distracted therein and praying lest he should have wandring thoughts by this reason a man should never perform duty Now to hear and to pray it is good in it selfe but that thou art distracted in hearing or thy minde wandring in praying this is an accident and therefore thou must not upon a pretence of being guilty of lesse evill leave undone those duties which in themselves are good 2. Those men which make this a plea they will not performe duty because they sin in duty upon the same reason they may as well say they will not follow their callings in the world because they sin in them and therefore this plea though it be a plausible one and doubting Christians are many times intangled therewith yet by this plea you will not onely be taken off from religious but civil duties also 3. Consider that the avoiding of evil upon this pretence you do thereby run into a greater evill and the reason is because wilful neglects and total omissions are greater then spiritual defects in the manner of religious performances it is a lesser sin to be distracted in prayer then not to pray at all This plea therefore is but a lazy plea of corrupt nature to make us neglect religious performances 14. Another plea is a pretence of disability to perform as we ought The flesh will tell you if thou wert able to perform duty better thou shouldest be incouraged to do it often but alas thou art not able to perform duty when thou comest to hear thou wantest faith to believe the word and memory to treasure it up When tho◠comest to pray thou wantest a composed minde and thou wantest apt expressions and hence the flesh pleades that disability to duty should take a man off from duty This plea prevailes with many Christians troubled in conscience and in answer thereto consider 1. That many Christians which pretend disability it may be the reason is not disability but rather enmity against duty which is the cause of their neglect Nolle in causa est cùm non posse praetenditur Sen. Epist 116. Seneca hath a passage to this purpose in one of his Epistles Men sayes he pretend that they are not able to do good but the true cause is they are not willing not a disability in the nature but an enmity in the heart which is the cause It is worth your noting that where the Apostle mentions a disability to duty he there mentions also the enmity of a natural mans heart against duty The carnal minde Rom. 8.7 sayes he is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be So that those who plead a disability they have cause to look to their hearts whether their neglect of duty doth not rather proceed from a dislike in judgement rather then a disability in affection 2. Christians are apt to make disability a plea to neglect duty when indeed it is rather the danger that doth attend duty that keeps them off then disability You have a notable instance of this in Moses a good man you have the story at large in the fourth of Exodus God commands Moses that he should go into Egypt Exod. 4.10,13,19 and there to take the care and charge of his people but what sayes Moses Oh sayes he Wilt thou send me to conduct this people alas I am not able I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue this was a plausible pretence and therefore in the thirteenth verse sayes he Lord I pray send by the hand of him whom thou wilt send But now was Moses disability the real cause wherefore he would not go why no therefore in the nineteenth verse you have there the true reason discovered Return saith the Lord into Egypt for all the men are dead which sought thy life There the Lord hints the cause Moses had formerly killed an Egyptian and there was great search made after him And when God bid Moses go again into Egypt he was afraid Moses doth not tell God so but pretends disability then the Lord told him shat the men were dead which sought his life and then the Text saith that Moses took his wife and his children and went down into Egypt 15. Another plea is succeslessenesse in duty the flesh will suggest thus unto thee What needest thou continue in a godly course of life thou hast made many a prayer and heard many a Sermon and yet thou art never the better To this I answer 1. That thou owest duty to God as thou art his creature though he should never give thee successe in his service 2. Duty it selfe is successe the very performance is a recompence if God should never bring thee to heaven thou hast in part a recompence that God suffers thee to perform duty to him here You have your fruit unto holiness Rom. 6.20 as the Apostle tells you and in the end you shall have everlasting life holinesse and duty they are the reward of duty 3. Consider that there is a two-fold successe attendant on duty First a real successe Secondly a sensible successe Sometimes the successe is sensible and a mans affections are raised and his lusts subdued but though successe may not alwayes be sensible yet it is alwayes reall a godly man gets real good by all the duties he performes Ephes 6.8 Whatsoever good any man doth the same he shall receive whether he be bond or free No man shall open the dores of Gods house in vain Wicked Ahab that did God but temporal service God requited him with a temporal reward 1 Kings 21.29 there is alwayes a real successe which goes along with the performance of our duty And thus I have layed down the stratagems and deceits of the flesh whereby it labours to divert men from duty and have given you answers to them all that you might not be deceived by the sly subtility thereof Vse 1 The Use shall be unto those men whose consciences tell them they have been deceived by some of these pleas of corrupt nature so as to omit good duties Before such I would lay these five considerations 1. That a man may go to hell for the omissions of good duties as well as for the commissions of sin Natural conscience will tel a man that gross sinners shall not inherit the Kingdom of heaven but Scripture will tell you also that men shall go to hell for the omissions of good It is observable in the sentence which shall be pronounced at the last day by the Judge of all the world that the form of
are as a bulwark and fence to guard the heart against sinne The Spirit it is as the sluce of a pond if the flood-gate be down it keeps the water within its bounds but if you pull up the sluce what an inundation of water will there be 2. If thou wouldst have the Spirit to keep thee from evil thou must labour to keep thy selfe the Spirits keeping of a man doth not exclude his holy care to keep himselfe Psal 18.23 this was Davids practice He kept himselfe from his iniquity he would not make Gods care to keep him an occasion for him to be idle Remember and take this for a rule that if you do not take care to keep your selves from the occasions of sinne the Spirit will never keep you from the execution thereof and therefore you reade 1 Joh. 5.18 that he that is begotten of God he keepeth himselfe that the evil one toucheth him not and so speaks Jude Keep your selves in the love of God Jude 23. 3. What cause have regenerate men to blesse God both in reference to themselves and in reference to wicked men 1. In reference to themselves to what evil would not the flesh have drawn you had it not been for the contrary working of the Spirit in you I appeale to your own conscience how often have you resolved to do wickedly nay how farre have you gone in it insomuch that you have resolved on the time when on the place where and the manner how to bring your intended evil about and yet God hath kept you from your intended purpose so that ye could not do the evil ye would what cause have you to blesse God for positive grace and not only so but for preventing grace that you have been restrained from sin It was thus with David with a full resolution he did resolve to kill Nabal and all his family but the Spirit of God prevented it by setting home the counsell of a poor woman and therefore here upon see what cause you have to blesse God for preventing grace and that you may be provoked hereunto I would leave with you some considerations upon a twofold account 1. If you consider the universality of that corruption that is in your natures 2. If you consider the strength of it 1. If you consider the universality of corruption in the universality of persons all the children of Adam are infected with this common contagion all having sinned in him and so are guilty of the punishment so are they obnoxious to the contagion of Adams sinne Rom. 5.12 2. If you consider the universality of parts there is never a part of man but it is defiled with sinne even regenerate men as there is something in every part sanctified so there is something in each part unsanctified as there is grace in every part so there is sinne in every part 3. In regard of the object a mans nature it is averse to all good and prone to all evil Corruption of nature it is set out by Divines by comparing it to that rude Chaos which was before the creation in which rude heap there was vertualiy all creatures which afterwards the Lord created So it is with corruption of nature it hath vertually in it all the sinnes acted in the world 4. There is an universality in respect of the time this corruption of nature it was not only in one age of the world and not in another but in all ages of the world It reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 even over those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression Now put all these together that all persons and all parts of men are corrupted and that in all times and that this corruption prompts you to all sinne consider but all this and have you not great cause to admire that there is no more wickednesse committed in the world 2. Consider not only the universality of corruption but the strength of it If it were but a weak enemy it were not so much but there is great strength and potency in it and therefore it is called sometimes an enticing and sometimes a drawing enemy and if it cannot entice by policy it will draw by power 2. We are to magnifie Gods grace in reference to wicked men that are enemies to the Church of God if the restraining grace of Gods Spirit did not withhold wicked men from doing the evil they would there would be no living in the world if it were not thus every wicked man would murther every man that angred him and he would deceive every man that dealed with him we should have all humane societies overturned the Church of God rooted out from under Heaven did not God by the common workings of his Spirit restrain men Psalme 76.10 God he will turne the wrath of man to his praise and the remainder of wrath wilt thou restraine It is spoken of Gods enemies and God will restraine their wrath by the common workings of his Spirit and it shall evidentially turne to his praise and shall be conducible to the glory of God and the good of his people You have a famous instance in Laban and Jacob Laban came with a mischievous intent against Jacob but God meets with him Gen. 31.29 and gives him a charge that he should not meddle with Jacob no not so much as to speak against him God laid a mighty restraint upon Labans spirit so that he could not do the mischief he intended Gen. 33.4 So likewise in the case of Esau and Jacob Esau he pursued his brother with a deadly hatred insomuch as he resolved when the dayes of his fathers mourning were over to kill his brother but God did so alter his disposition and restrain his bloody intent that when he met with his brother he fell on his neck and kissed him To this purpose the Psalmist hath an expression that the Lord shall cut off the spirit of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.12 In other translations it is The Lord shall restraine the spirit of Princes and it was so in all ages and it is so in this age Men that hate religion though they have much power in their hands yet the power of their hands shall not come into act and because there is no wicked man in the world which shall do the evill he would therefore you have much cause to blesse God Pharaoh though he had much power in his hands yet God delivered his people out of his hands and thus the Lord would not suffer Balaam to curse his people Num. 23. Psal 105.14,15 he will suffer no man to do them harme as David speaks yea He reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harme Sermon XXVI At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 9. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the
be punished lesse then a drunken Christian 3. Consider that in keeping under sinne you will not so fearfully break the peace of your consciences open and grosse sinnes they lay the conscience open and fill it with terrour and amazement but the lesse thou actest sinne the lesse shall thy conscience be troubled 4. Hereby thou doest lesse scandal religion then otherwise thou wouldest have done lesser evils they give a scratch to the face of religion but open sinnes they give religion a stab at the heart religion receives not so much disreputation by close hypocrites as by open prophanenesse 5. Thou mightest do more hurt by thy sinnes example if God should leave thee then now thou doest Though thou art a bad man yet if God restraine sinne in thee thou doeâ—t not give so bad an example as otherwise thou wouldest do 6. Who knows but that these smal beginnings of restraining grace may be a forerunner of renuing grace thou which art restrained from evil though thou art at present wicked who knows but that God may turne restraining grace into râ—nâ—ing grace Vse 2 The next Use shall be of comfort to godly men and truly there are many gracious hearts which may upon what I have said raise to themselves many fears and doubts some such feare as this may be in the brests of many and they may say Object Sir you have been treating of the power of Gods Spirit even in its common workings by restraining grace to keep under sinne in wicked men and some may say that they fall short not only of godly but even of wicked men for a wicked man can refraine those sinnes which I cannot This objection may come from the heart of many a good man and to this I shall lay down three or foure words by way of answer and comfort and so conclude all Answer 1. Consider that to perceive the unbridled workings of sinne in your natures doth not argue the increase of sinne but your increase of light and tendernesse in conscience Paul while he was unconverted thought himself alive and in a very happy condition before he saw the spirituality of the Law Rom. 7.9 but when he was converted When the Commandment came sin revived and then he died that is the Law coming in power upon his conscience he then saw sin alive and yet then he was in a converted estate and in a happy condition As light breaking into a roome doth discover what wants and disorders are there which were unknown and unseen in the dark so doth light breaking into the understanding discover our spiritual wants 2. Do not judge your selves to be in a bad estate by the want of particular restraints under sinne but judge your selves by the powerful manifestations of habitual grace in your more ordinary and constant course and practice It may be one man can bridle his passion but thou canst not yet he may be a bad man and thou a good man A traveller perhaps may sometimes step into a wheel-tract but his ordinary course is in the beaten road so if thou fallest into sin and wantest restraining grace this may be thy falling into a wheele-tract Prov. 16.17 thy ordinary way is the beaten path It being the high way of the upright to depart from evil yet now then thou maist lose thy way You are not to judge of your selves by particular acts of restraint 3. Though thou art overtaken with a sin when other men are not who are worse then thy self yet consider thou hast more temptations unto sin then other men have It is true in some cases a godly mans sins they are more to be aggravated then a wicked mans yet in other cases a godly mans sin is not so to be aggravated The devil is more solicitous to tempt a godsy man to sin then he is a wicked man Job 1. Zeck 3.1,2 When the sons of God came together the devil came also in the midst of them He owes them a spite and therefore if they be now and then overtaken they should not judge themselves by those particular acts but by the constant course of their lives 4. Consider though thou doest yield to a sinful act Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet if sin be not a Tyrant nor a Lord over thee thou hast no cause to fear Thou yieldest to sin as to an Vsurper not as to thy Liege Lord though thou wantest the restraint of the Spirit in some particular acts to keep thee from evil yet if thou art kept by God from the reigning power of sin be not discouraged thou art in a happy condition 5. Let this be your comfort though now and then thou canst not restraine the acts of sin yet ere long thou shalt be a compleat conquerour over all thy sins God shall tread down Satan under thy feet shortly now thou fightest with the devil hand to hand but then thou shalt trample him under thy feet and let this be your comfort who have the Spirit lusting against the Flesh your combate is but short your victory is certaine your conquest is great and your reward and Crown everlasting FINIS An ALPHABETICAL TABLE TO the foregoing Treatise of the conflict between the Flesh and Spirit A SPirit of God works not alike in all Page 66 Attendance on Ordinances p. 103 Affections unruly p. 179 Aptnesse to fall into any sinne p. 194 Spiritual Abatements p. 214 Christian Religion not Austere p. 218 Arminian objections answered p. 249 B Blame of sin onely due to us p. 131 132 And not to God or devil p. 161 Business of the world hinders holy duties p. 210 C Conviction for sin long after the Commission of it p. 40 We must not go out of our Calling p. 49 We must follow our particular Calling p. 52 Constancy in duty p. 65 Customary sinning p. 117 Conflict of Flesh and Spirit p. 124 Of Corruption of our natures p. 141 Concupiscence a sinne p. 160 Conflict against sinne fourefold p. 165 Conscience Gods spie p. 182 Contrariety of Flesh and Spirit p. 186 187 Why God suffers this Contrariety of our Corrupt natures to good p. 198 No Confidence to be put in duties p. 256 D Despising Ordinances p. 10 Depending on Ordinances ibid. Deliberate sinners p. 33 34 Devil may move a man to that which is good p. 48 We must not Depend on that we do p 54 Spiritual desertions of three sorts p. 59 Duties spiritually done p. 63 64 Duties diligently done p. 64 Satanical delusions p. 86 87 Difference between the godly sinning and the wicked p. 112 113 114. Diabolical motions p. 156 Corruption in us to our dying day p. 192 Sin diverts from and disturbs in duty p. 207 Gods decrees abused p. 216 Defilement cleaves to duty p. 233 Desire to do is doing p. 258 E Our Flesh a malicious enemy p. 135 An universal enemy p. 136 Other properties of this enmity p. 137 138 We can never do good enough p. 220 False ends of doing
12. directions for the performance of this duty 1. If you would keep your sorrow within bounds use this help look upon those things for the want of which you do so excessively grieve as meer nothings You will say it is a childish thing for a man to cry for nothing why many such childish pranks do we play very often we do grieve and mourn and weep for meer nothings which if we did seriously consider when we do mourn for the losse of this or that comfort it would allay our sorrows seeing they are meer nothing Oh but you 'l say my Trade failes so much of my Estate is lost and do you call this nothing yes I do for so the Scripture calls them Prov. 23.5 saies Solomon wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is nothing for riches take unto them wings and fly away and if so why should we set our hearts so much upon them as to grieve for them in the want of them When King Agrippa came to passe judgement upon Paul Acts 25.23 It s said he came with great Pomp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in the Originall it is he came with a great fantasie Such fancies and nothings are all worldly Pomps and comforts in comparison of the great and waighty things of salvation there is but one thing necessary saies Christ and that is to get an interest in him Luk. 10 42 it is not necessary that you should have riches and honour in the world the only thing necessary is to get Christ and therefore why should we spend our time and take pains about that which is not bread and after that which will not profit us which are but meer nothings What a Childish part was it in Haman Esa 55.2 when he had so many priviledges and dignities as the favour of the King to sit at the Kings Table and ride upon his Horse c. that he should be so much grieved and troubled because Mordecai would not reverence him what a poor small matter was this to interrupt all his comforâ—s and Ahab c. he could not have Naboths Vineyard when he had so many of his own many men suffer themselves to be over-whelmed with sorrow for poor slight triviall things Seneca sets out such a man that hath a stately house fair Orchards and Gardens with much fruit yet should grieve because a few leaves fall off 2. If you would keep your sorrows within bounds then take heed you do not place an inordinate and immoderate love upon any comfort you enjoy here below If you love any thing too much in the enjoyment of it you will grieve too much for that thing in the losse of it and therefore let not your hearts be glewed to any comfort here below Let the comforts of the world be to you as Gloves to your hands and not as the skin to your flesh you cannot pull off the skin from your flesh without a great deal of pain and torment but you may pull of your Glove from your hand without any trouble If your hearts be glewed too much to the love of worldly things the losse of those things you did so immoderately love will provoke you to excessive sorrow and grief A man will never grieve for the losse of that which he hates but for that which he loves and you can never keep your sorrow within bounds if you do not keep your love within bounds As it is with a Picture if you put it into a frame and hang it up against the wall you may easily take it down again but if you glew or past it to the wall you cannot take it down without tearing it all to pieces So if your love to the World be like a Picture glewed to the wall you will not part with the things of the world but with a great deal of sorrow and trouble and vexation Gen. 37.3.35 It is said of Jacob when he heard his Son Joseph was dead that he wept and would not be comforted and the reason was because he loved Joseph exceedingly and more then all the rest his excessive love to Joseph did make him sorrow so much in the want of him 3. Look upon all comforts here below Scio me geunisse mortelem as loseable and uncertain God in his wisdom hath not joyned permanency to any comfort here below Look upon your comforts as mutable and perishing have you lost a Child why say I knew before that I had begotten a mortall Child there is an appointed time for us all once to die and the comforts we enjoy here below are not like the Anchor in the bottom of the Sea that holds fast in a storm but like the flag upon the top of the mast that turns with every wind and therefore seeing in your greatest comfort you are subject to an alteration every moment why should you immoderately sorrow in the losse of them and grieve so much for that which you may lose you know not how soon A man should sit loose from things loseable and never give way to certain sorrows for the losse of so uncertain comforts 4. If you would keep your sorrow within bounds consider that you have no cause of sorrow for the losse of worldly things if God leaves you enough for the necessities of your life though he doth not leave you a superfluity for the complacency and delight of your life having food and rayment let us therewith be content 1 Tim. 6.8 If thou hast bread though not junkets be contented with it if you have rayment though not Ornaments yet be contented If you have food and rayment though never so course being enough but meerly to maintain life you have no cause to complain but to be contented Jacob was a richer man then any of you that hear me this day yet saies he in Gen. 28.20 if so be thou wilt give me bread to eat and rayment to put on it shall suffice me If the Lord gives us meat and rayment though the meat be homely and the rayment course yet we should be content with it and say it shall suffice me though God doth not give us abundance for our delight and conveniency yet if he gives us enough to relieve our necessities we should be contented and therefore have no cause of excessive sorrow in that particular Help the 5th 5. Do nothing that may commemorate or call to minde your former or present afflictions so as to renew your sorrows thereby Beloved it is an ill course that many people take when they have lost a friend as a Husband or a Wife or a Parent or a Child they will be looking upon the Picture or Clothes or any thing else of their deceased friends which make their sorrow to renew and their wounds to bleed a fresh do nothing that may call to mind your sorrows It is a notable instance to this purpose and very observable that which you find in Gen. 35.17,18 It is said there of
in this particular I shall handle this case of conscience concerning it wherein appeares the difference between a man that hath only a naturall sensiblenesse of Gods hand upon him and one that mournes and grieves immoderately and excessively betwixt a kindly grieving and a passionate venation of spirit and this I shall doe in these six following particulars Answ 1. Where there is only a naturall sensiblenesse a kindely grieving for worldly crosses it will rather animate and quicken the soule to religious duties then any way indispose and interrupt them and therefore it is that you so often finde weeping joyned with prayer and supplication in Scripture thus it is said Iacob wept and made supplication and in Jer. 3.21 Hos 12.4 A voyce was heard upon the high places weeping and supplications of the children of Israel so in Ier. 31.9 They shall come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them So in Judg. 2.5,6 it is said the children of Israel at Bochim lift up their voyce and wept and sacrificed to the Lord. All which places shew that that sorrow which is onely a naturall sensiblenesse of Gods hand will quicken and encourage the soule to duty rather then indispose him but now on the other side excessive sorrow renders a man unfit for prayer reading hearing the word or any other holy duty As in Psal 77.4 Asaph was so overwhelmed with sorrow that he could not speak And Exod. 6.9 then is thy sorrow immoderate when it interrupts thee in the performance of holy duties 2. Where there is onely a kindly grieving and a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there is kindled in that mans heart a sympathizing and fellow-feeling of other mens troubles that man will carry compassionate bowels towards other men that are in trouble as well as themselves Job 30.25 saies Job did not I weep for him that was in trouble was not my soule grieved for the poor but now where sorrow is immoderate you will so think upon your own troubles that you will not pity any that are in the like condition with you 3. Where there is only a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there is retained in that soule a fence of those many mercies you doe enjoy as well as of the afflictions and sufferings you doe endure naturall sensiblenesse of afflictions does not take away the comfort and enjoyment of present mercies there is a sense of mercies enjoyed as well as of afflictions endured But now in immoderate sorrow the very sense of your trouble and crosses doth take away and imbitter all your former or present mercies As in Numb 16.12,13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us out of a Land that floweth with milk and honey to kill us in the wildernesse Pray marke for there is much of Gods mind in this place the Land that these men speak of here is the land of Aegypt where they were under bondage and slavery and yet when they met with afflictions in the wildernesse they forgot the bondage they were delivered from in Egypt but said it was a Land flowing with milke and honey immoderate sorrow for afflictions doth quite take away all sense of the mercies you doe enjoy 4. Where there is onely a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there prayer to God or a promise from God will quiet the heart This you may see verified in Hannah in 1 Sam. 1.18,19 she was grieved for a child but what then She prayed and said Let thine handmaid finde grace in thy sight so the woman went away and did eate and her countenance was no more sad After she had poured forth her heart in prayer to God she was comforted she went her way and was no more sad Then is your sorrow right when going to God upon your knees will quiet your heart Or 2. When a promise from God will comfort you thus it was with David in Psal 119.50 saies he This is my comfort in affliction for thy word hath quickned me that is the word of a promise So in Vers 92. Vnlesse thy law had been my delight I should then have perished in my affliction And in Verse 107. I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according to thy word Then is your sorrow moderate when either a prayer to God or a promise from God will quiet your hearts and then are your sorrows immoderate when under any affliction all the promises in the Bible cannot quiet you nor any prayer to God comfort you And thus it was with Job in Job 9.16 saies he If I had called and he had answered me yet would I not believe that he had hearkned unto my voyce And therefore beloved look to it you that have met with many worldly crosses and troubles and never a prayer could comfort you nor promise quiet you it is an argument that your sorrows were immoderate 5. Where there is only a naturall sensibleness of worldly crosses there that soule does notwithstanding all his afflictions justifie God and condemn himself acknowledging his own sin to be the cause of all crosses This you have an instance of in Lamen 1.18 In all the evill that is come upon us the Lord is righteous and in Dan. 9.14 the Lord is righteous in all that is come upon us for we have rebelled and done evill in his sight So David Psal 51.3 I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is ever before me then is your sorrow right when you can justifie God and take shame to your selves But now where sorrow is vexatious and excessive there a sinner flies out against God and rather justifies himself there the finner accounts God very severe and cruel in his dispensations and murmures against him thinks ill of him and of his wayes and in this condition was Job once Job 16.17 He breaketh me with a tempest and multiplieth my wounds without a cause he blamed God and justified himself which declared his sorrow to be immoderate and excessive You have a notable passage for this in Esay 8.21 it is said that when God shall bring afflictions and trouble upon the Land then they shall curse their King and their God and look upward they shall be so overcome with sorrow as that they shall curse God and justifie themselves so in Prov. 19.3 saies Solomon the foolishness of man perverteth his way and his heart fretieth against the Lord. 6. Where there is only a naturall sensibleness under the hand of God there will be an aptness to hearken to comfortable counsel from the word of God to bear up the heart under afflictions and therefore it is said Job 33. when God laid afflictions upon him he opened his ears to counsel when you are so tamed by afflictions that you will hear the voice of the rod and the voice of the word and hearken to any counsel that is tendered to you to bear up and support your spirits then is your sorrow regular and such as God allows of but now where sorrow