and heart But if thou canst know thy self you need not enquire any further If thy duty be performed you may be secure of all that is on Gods part 5. When ever repentance begins know that from thence-forward the sinner begins to live but then never let that repentance die Doe not at any time say I have repented of such a sin and am at peace for that for a man ought never to be at peace with sin nor think that any thing we can doe is too much Our repentance for sin is never to be at an end till faith it self shall be no more for Faith and Repentance are but the same Covenant and so long as the just does live by faith in the Son of God so long he lives by repentance for by that faith in him our sins are pardoned that is by becoming his Disciples we enter into the Covenant of Repentance And he undervalues his sin and overvalues his sorrow who at any time fears he shall doe too much or make his pardon too secure and therefore sets him down and sayes Now I have repented 6. Let no man ever say he hath committed the sin against the Holy Ghost or the unpardonable sin for there are but few that doe that and he can best confute himself if he can but tell that he is sorrowful for it and begs for pardon and hopes for it and desires to make amends this man hath already obtained some degrees of pardon and S. Pauls argument in this case also is a demonstration If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life That is if God to enemies gives the first grace much more will he give the second if they make use of the first For from none to a little is an infinite distance but from a little to a great deal is not so much And therefore since God hath given us means of pardon and the grace of Repentance we may certainly expect the fruit of pardon for it is a greater thing to give repentance to a sinner then to give pardon to the penitent Whoever repents hath not committed the great sin the Unpardonable For it is long of the man not of the sin that any sin is unpardonable 7. Let every man be careful of entring into any great states of sin lest he be unawares guilty of the great offence Every resisting of a holy motion calling us from sin every act against a clear reason or revelation every confident progression in sin every resolution to commit a sin in despite of conscience is an access towards the great sin or state of evil Therefore concerning such a man let others fear since he will not and save him with fear plucking him out of the fire but when he begins to return that great fear is over in many degrees for even in Moses law there were expiations appointed not onely for errour but for presumptuous sins The PRAYER I. OEternal God gracious and merciful I adore the immensity and deepest abysse of thy Mercy and Wisdome that thou doest pity our infirmities instruct our ignorances pass by thousands of our follies invitest us to repentance and doest offer pardon because we are miserable and because we need it and because thou art good and delightest in shewing mercy Blessed be thy holy Name and blessed be that infinite Mercy which issues forth from the fountains of our Saviour to refresh our weariness and to water our stony hearts and to cleanse our polluted souls O cause that these thy mercies may not run in vain but may redeem my lost soul and recover thy own inheritance and sanctifie thy portion the heart of thy servant and all my faculties II. BLessed Jesus thou becamest a little lower then the Angels but thou didst make us greater doing that for us which thou didst not doe for them Thou didst not pay for them one drop of bloud nor endure one stripe to recover the fallen stars nor give one groan to snatch the accursed spirits from their fearful prisons but thou didst empty all thy veins for me and gavest thy heart to redeem me from innumerable sins and an intolerable calamity O my God let all this heap of excellencies and glorious mercies be effective upon thy servant and work in me a sorrow for my sins and a perfect hatred of them a watchfulness against temptations severe and holy resolutions active and effective of my duty O let me never fall from sin to sin nor persevere in any nor love any thing which thou hatest but give me thy holy Spirit to conduct and rule me for ever and make me obedient to thy good Spirit never to grieve him never to resist him never to quench him Keep me O Lord with thy mighty power from falling into presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion over me so shall I be innocent from the great offence Let me never despair of thy mercies by reason of my sins nor neglect my repentance by reason of thy insinite loving kindness but let thy goodness bring me and all sinners to repentance and thy mercies give us pardon and thy holy Spirit give us perseverance and thy infinite favour bring us to glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHAP. IX Of Ecclesiasticall Penance or The fruits of Repentance §. 1. THe fruits of Repentance are the actions of spiritual life and signifie properly all that piety and obedience which we pay to God in the dayes of our return after we have begun to follow sober counsels For since all the duty of a Christian is a state of Repentance that is of contention against sin and the parts and proper periods of victory and Repentance which includes the faith of a Christian is but another word to express the same grace or mercies of the Evangelical Covenant it follows that whatsoever is the duty of a Christian and a means to possess that grace is in some sense or other a Repentance or the fruits of Gods mercy and our endevours And in this sense S. John the Baptist means it saying Bring forth therefore fruits meet for Repentance that is since now the great expectation of the world is to be satisfied and the Lords Christ will open the gates of mercy and give Repentance to the world see that ye live accordingly in the faith and obedience of God through Jesus Christ That did in the event of things prove to be the effect of that Sermon But although all the parts of holy life are fruits of Repentance when it is taken for the state of favor published by the Gospel yet when Repentance is a particular duty or vertue the integral parts of holy life are also constituent parts of Repentance and then by the fruits of Repentance must be meant the less necessary but very useful effects and ministeries of Repentance which are significations and exercises of the main duty And these are sorrow for sins
the memory of the shame which began when the sin was acted and abode but as a handmaid of the guilt and goes away with it Confession of sins opens them to man but draws a vail before them that God will the less behold them And it is a material consideration that if a man be impatient of the shame here when it is revealed but to one man who is also by all the ties of Religion by common Honesty oblig'd to conceal them or if he account it intolerable that a sin publick in the scandal and the infamy should be made publick by solemnity to punish and to extinguish it the man will be no gainer by refusing to confess when he shall remember that sins unconfessed are most commonly unpardon'd and unpardon'd sins will be made publick before all Angels and all the wise and good men of the world when their shame shall have nothing to make it tolerable 19. When a penitent confesses his sin the holy man that ministers to his Repentance and hears his Confession must not without great cause lessen the shame of the repenting man he must directly encourage the duty but not adde confidence to the sinner For whatsoever directly lessens the shame lessens also the hatred of sin and his future caution and the reward of his repentance and takes off that which was an excellent defensative against the sin But with the shame the Minister of Religion is to doe as he is to doe with the mans sorrow so long as it is a good instrument of repentance so long it is to be permitted and assisted but when it becomes irregular or dispos'd to evil events it is to be taken off And so must the shame of the penitent man when there is danger lest the man be swallowed up by too much sorrow and shame or when it is perceiv'd that the shame alone is a hinderance to the duty In these cases if the penitent man can be perswaded directly and by choice for ends of piety and religion to suffer the shame then let his spirit be supported by other means but if he cannot let there be such a confidence wrought in him which is deriv'd from the circumstances of the person or the universal calamity and iniquity of man or the example of great sinners like himself that have willingly undergone the yoke of the Lord or from consideration of the divine mercies or from the easiness and advantages of the duty but let nothing be offer'd to lessen the hatred or the greatness of the sin lest a temptation to sin hereafter be sowed in the furrows of the present Repentance 20. He that confesseth his sins to the Minister of Religion must be sure to express all the great lines of his folly and calamity that is all that by which he may make a competent judgement of the state of his soul Now if the man be of a good life and yet in his tendency to perfection is willing to pass under the method and discipline of greater sinners there is no advice to be given to him but that he doe not curiously tell those lesser irregularities which vex his peace rather then discompose his conscience but what is most remarkable in his infirmities or the whole state and the greatest marks and instances and returns of them he ought to signifie for else he can serve no prudent end in his confession But secondly if the man have committed a great sin it is a high prudence and an excellent instance of his repentance that he confess it declaring the kinde of it if it be of that nature that the spiritual man may conceal it But if upon any other account he be bound to reveal every notice of the fact let him transact that affair wholly between God and his own soul And this of declaring a single action as it is of great use in the repentance of every man so it puts on some degrees of necessity if the man be of a sad amazed and an afflicted conscience For there are some unfortunate persons who have committed some secret facts of shame and horror at the remembrance of which they are amazed of the pardon of which they have no signe for the expiation of which they use no instrument and they walk up and down like distracted persons to whom reason is useless and company is unpleasant and their sorrow is not holy but very great and they know not what to doe because they wil not ask I have observed some such and the onely remedy that was fit to be prescribed to such persons was to reveal their sin to a spiritual man and by him to be put into such a state of remedy and comfort as is proper for their condition It is certain that many persons have perished for want of counsel and comfort which were ready for them if they would have confessed their sin for he that concealeth his sin non dirigetur saith Solomon he shall not be counselled or directed And it is a very great fault amongst a very great part of Christians that in their inquiries of Religion even the best of them ordinarily ask but these two questions Is it lawful Is it necessary If they finde it lawful they will do it without scruple or restraint and then they suffer imperfection or receive the reward of folly For it may be lawful and yet not fit to be done It may be it is not expedient And he that will doe all that he can doe lawfully would if he durst do something that is not lawful And as great an error is on the other hand in the other question He that too strictly inquires of an action whether it be necessary or no would do well to ask also whether it be good whether it be of advantage to the interest of his soul For if a Christian man or woman that is a redeemed blessed obliged person a great beneficiary endeared to God beyond all the comprehensions of a mans imagination one that is less then the least of all Gods mercies and yet hath received many great ones and hopes for more if he should doe nothing but what is necessary that is nothing but what he is compell'd to then he hath the obligations of a son and the affections of a slave which is the greatest undecency of the world in the accounts of Christianity If a Christian will doe no more then what is necessary he will quickly be tempted to omit something of that also And it is highly considerable that in the matter of souls Necessity is a divisible word and that which in disputation is not necessary may be necessary in practise it may be but charity to one and duty to another that is when it is not a necessary duty it may be a necessary charity And therefore it were much the better if every man without further inquiry would in the accounts of his soul consult a spiritual Guide and whether it be necessary or no yet let him doe it because
that is amend your fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in both places used for a salutary repentance And on the other side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to signifie in the evil sense a state of misery without remedy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Septuagint read that of Solomon Prov. 14. The wicked man cometh to repentance that is to misery and sorrow So that there is nothing of usefulness which can be drawn from the Grammatical sense of these words They both signify a change of minde and they both signify a sorrow and they both are used for the same thing and indeed that will be the best use of them No man can be truly said to repent but he who being sorrowful for doing evil betakes himself to wiser courses So Phavorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repentance is a sense and compunction of the soul for those things which were done foolishly Sum Deaquae facti Auson Epigr. non factÃque exigo poenas Nempe ut poeniteat sic Metanoea * Malè Metanoea usus est verbum purum Graecum est nec tamen eo sensu definitione à Graecis usurpatum Rectè igitur facetè fassus est idem Ausonius in epigrammate de abusu hujus verbi parum Latini vocor Repentance does exact punishment for evils done and good undone but besides this it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conversion to that which is better Sum Dea cui nomen nec Cicero ipse dedit So Aretas defines it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same with the former an eschewing evil and doing good And thus the Holy Scriptures understand this word and this duty It is a whole change of state and life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Heb. 6.1 1 Kings 8.35 Isai 59.20 2 Chron. 7.14 Jer. 18.7 8 9. 31.19 2 Tim. 2.19 a turning from sin and it is emphatically called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a repentance from dead works that is a forsaking them with sorrow that ever we committed them And it is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conversion to God b 2 Sam. 12.5 13. Deut. 30.2 Jer. 3.7 Act. 26.18 Eph. 5.14 Ezek. 33.12 Luke 19.8 9 10. from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a returning to sobriety the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Justin Martin all signifying a departing from our follies and a changing to a better life And though sometimes to Repent is in Scripture taken for sorrow onely or a being troubled that the fact is done yet it is called Repentance no otherwise then as alms is called Charity that is it is an effect of it a part or action or adjunct of the duty and state of Repentance which ought to be observed lest as it is too commonly one act be mistaken for the whole state and we account our selves perfect penitents if we have onely wept a penitential shower which is also to be observed in the definitions which the Doctors give of it Tertullian a De poenit in princip cals it a passion of the minde or grief for the offence of our former acts S. Austin b Lib. de ver fals poenit c. 8. cals it a revenge always punishing in it self that which it grieves to have committed These doe onely describe that part of repentance which is sometimes signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is nothing else but a godly sorrow the porch or beginnings of Repentance On the other side Lactantius c Lib. 6. Divin instit c. 13. describing Repentance gives onely the Grammatical sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agere autem poenitentiam nihil aliud est quà m profiteri affirmare se ulteriùs non peccaturum To repent saith he is nothing else but a profession and affirmation that he will sin no more which descriptions of Repentance are just as if we should say A man is a creature that speaks or laughs or that can learn to reade These are effects of his nature but not the ingredients of a proper definition Sorrow and Revenge and holy purposes and protestations are but single acts of a returning and penitent man whereas Repentance is a whole state of a new life an intire change of the sinner with all its appendages and instruments of ministery As the Greeks have so have the Latins also two words to signify this duty Poenitentia and Resipiscentia and these have almost the same fate and the same usages with the other Poenitentia is used by the old Latin translation and is most tenaciously retained by all them who make the very life of Repentance to run into corporal austerities like the juice of luxuriant trees into irregular suckers and excrescencies which therefore by way of eminency they call Penances for they suppose the word in its very nature and institution to signify something that is punitive and afflictive So Hugo Lib. 3. de mysteâ— Eccles Poenitentia quasi punientia quòd per eam homo in se puniat quod malè admisit Much like that of Scotus poenitentia quasi poenae tenentia which they both learned from S. Austin poenitere est idem quod rei commissae aliquem pudere ac pigere Solil cap. 19. ita ut poenitet sit idem quod poena tenet This sense of the word prevailed long and therefore some that would speake exactly observing that the duty of Repentance did principally consist in the amendment of our lives were forc'd to use the word Resipiscentia which better renders the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 6. c. 24. So Lactantius expresly Graeci meliùs significantiùs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicunt quam Latinè possumus resipiscentiam dicere Resipiscit enim ac mentem suam quasi ab insaniâ recipit quem errare piget castigátque seipsum dementiae confirmat animum suum ad rectiùs vivendum He truly repents who recovers his minde from folly and chastising his error and grieving for his madness strengthens his purposes to better living Either of the words will serve the turn Poenitentia or Penance is the old Latine word Resipiscentia is the new one but very expressive and significant and it is indifferent which be used if men had not a design upon one which cannot prudently be effected by it But such is the force of words especially when men choose and affect one particularly and studiously reject another which is apt to signify the same thing that in the Greek Church because their words for Repentance did imply onely or principally a change of life they usually describe Repentance in that formality but the later Latins practise and discourse to other purposes and the College of Rhemes render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word for word after their vulgar Latin agite poenitentiam doe penance which is so absurd a reddition that their interest and design is more apparent then their skill in Grammar
our diligence by greatning our evil necessity For death and sin were both born from Adam but we have nurs'd them up to an ugly bulk and deformity But I must now proceed to other practical rules 2. It is necessary that we understand that our natural state is not a state in which we can hope for heaven Natural agents can effect but natural ends by natural instruments and now supposing the former doctrine that we lost not the Divine favour by our guilt of what we never did consent to yet we were born in pure naturals and they some of them worsted by our forefathers yet we were at the best born but in pure naturals and we must be born again that as by our first birth we are heirs of death so by our new birth we may be adopted into the inheritance of life and salvation 3. It is our duty to be humbled in the consideration of our selves and of our natural condition That by distrusting our own strengths we may take sanctuary in God through Jesus Christ praying for his grace entertaining and caressing of his holy Spirit with purities and devotions with charity and humility infinitely fearing to grieve him lest he leaving us we be left as Adam left us in pure naturals but in some degrees worsted by the nature of sin in some instances and the anger of God in all that is in the state of flesh and blood which shall never inherit the Kingdome of heaven 4. Whatsoever good work we do let us not impute it to our selves or our own choice For God is the best estimator of that he knows best what portion of the work we did and what influence our will had into the action and leave it to him to judge and recompense But let us attribute all the glory to God and to Gods grace for without him we can do nothing But by him that strengthens us that works in us to will and to do of his good pleasure by him alone we are saved Giving all glory to God will take nothing of the reward from us 5. Let no man so undervalue his sin or over-value himself as to lessen that and to put the fault any where but where it ought to be If a man accuses himself with too great a rigour it is no more then if he holds his horse too hard when he is running down a hill It may be a less force would stop his running but the greater does so too and manifests his fear which in this case of his sin and danger is of it self rewardable 6. Let no man when he is tempted say that he is tempted of God Not onely because as S. James affirms most wisely every man is tempted Jam. 1â—â— 14. when he is led away by his own concupiscence but because he is a very evil speaker that speaks evil things of God Think it not therefore in thy thought that God hath made many necessities of sinning He that hath forbidden sin so earnestly threatned it so deeply hates it so essentially prevents it so cautiously disswades us from it so passionately punishes it so severely arms us against it so strongly and sent his Son so piously and charitably to root out sin so far as may be from the face of the earth certainly it cannot be thought that he hath made necessities of sinning For whatsoever he hath made necessary is as innocent as what he hath commanded it is his own work and he hateth nothing that he hath made and therefore he hath not made sin And no man shall dare to say at Doomsday unto God that he made him to sin or made it unavoidable There are no two cases of Conscience no two duties in any case so seemingly contradictory that which soever a man chooses he must sin and therefore much less is any one state a state of necessary unavoidable enmity against God 7. Use thy self to holy company and pious imployment in thy early dayes follow no evil example live by rule and despise the world relieve the usual necessities of thy life but be not sensual in thy appetite accustome thy self to Religion and spiritual things and then much of that evil nature thou complainest of will pass into vertuous habits It was the saying of Xenocrates in Aristotle Arist 2. Topic. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Happy is he that hath a diligent studious soul for that is every mans good Angel and the principle of his felicity 8. Educate thy children and charges strictly and severely Let them not be suffered to swear before they can pray nor taught little revenges in the Cradle nor pride at School nor fightings in company nor drinkings in all their entertainments nor lusts in private Let them be drawn from evil company and do thou give them holy example and provide for them severe and wise Tutors and what Alexander of Ales said of Bonaventure Adam non peccavit in Bonaventurâ will be as truly said of yong men and maidens Impiety will not peep out so soon Lib. 1. c. 2. It was wisely observed by Quintilian who was an excellent Tutor for yong Gentlemen that our selves with ill breeding our children are the Authors of their evil nature Antè palatum eorum quà m os instituimus Gaudemus si quid licentiùs dixerint Verba ne Alexandrinis quidem permittenda deliciis risu osculo excipimus We teach their palate before we instruct the tongue And when the tongue begins first to prattle they can efform wantonness before words and we kiss them for speaking filthy things Fit ex his consuetudo deinde natura Discunt haec miseri antequam sciunt vitia esse The poor wretches sin before they know what it is and by these actions a custome is made up and this custome becomes a nature §. 8. Rules and measures of deportment when a curse doth descend upon Children for their Parents fault or when it is feared 1. IF we fear a curse upon our selves or family for our fathers sin let us do all actions of piety or religion justice or charity which are contrary to that crime which is suspected to be the enemy in all things being careful that we do not inherit the sin Si quis paterni vitii nascitur haeres nascitur poenae The heir of the Crime must possess the revenue of punishment 2. Let the children be careful not to commend not to justifie not to glory in their fathers sin but be diligent to represent themselves the more pious by how much their fathers were impious for by such a contrariety and visible distance they will avoid their fathers shame Isocrat ep ad Tim. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For most men love not to honour and praise the sons of good men so much as the sons of wicked men when they study to represent themselves better and unlike their wicked parents Therefore 3. Let no childe of a wicked father be dejected and confounded in his spirit because his fathers were impious
Minde but because he hath also relishes and gusts in the flesh and they also seem sapid and delightful he desires them also So that this man fain would and he would not and he does sin willingly and unwillingly at the same time We see by a sad experience some men all their life time stand at gaze and dare not enter upon that course of life which themselves by a constant sentence judge to be the best and of the most considerable advantage But as the boy in the Apologue listned to the disputes of Labour and Idleness the one perswading him to rise the other to lie in bed but while he considered what to doe he still lay in bed and considered so these men dispute and argue for vertue and the service of God and stand beholding and admiring it but they stand on the other side while they behold it There is a strife between the law of the minde and the law of the members But this prevails over that For the case is thus There are in men three laws 1. The law of the members 2. The law of the minde 3. The law of the spirit 1. The law of the members that is the habit and proneness to sin the dominion of sin giving a law to the lower man reigning there as in its proper seat Col. 2.18 Rom. 8.7 This law is also called by S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde of the flesh * Ab Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anima sensitiva the wisdome the relish the gust and savour of the flesh that is that deliciousness and comport that inticing and correspondencies to the appetite by which it tempts and prevails all its own principles and propositions which minister to sin and folly This subjects the man to the law of sin or is that principle of evil by which sin does give us laws 2. To this law of the flesh the law of the minde * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graec. Hebraeis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oppos'd and is in the regenerate and unregenerate indifferently and it is nothing else but the conscience of good and evil subject to the law of God which the other cannot be This accuses and convinces the unregenerate it calls upon him to doe his duty it makes him unquiet when he does not but this alone is so invalidated by the infirmity of the flesh by the Oeconomy of the law by the disadvantages of the world that it cannot prevail or free him from the captivity of sin But 3. The law of the Spirit is the grace of Jesus Christ and this frees the man from the law of the members Rom. 8.2 from the captivity of sin from the tenure of death Here then are three Combatants the Flesh the Conscience the Spirit The flesh endevours to subject the man to the law of sin the other two endevour to subject him to the law of God The flesh and the conscience or minde contend but this contention is no signe of being regenerate because the Flesh prevails most commonly against the Minde where there is nothing else to help it the man is still a captive to the law of sin But the Minde being worsted God sends in the auxiliaries of the Spirit and when that enters and possesses that overcomes the flesh it rules and gives laws But as in the unregenerate the Minde did strive though it was overpower'd yet still it contended but ineffectively for the most part so now when the Spirit rules the flesh strives but it prevails but seldome it is overpowered by the Spirit Now this contention is a signe of regeneration when the flesh lusteth against the Spirit not when the flesh lusteth against the minde or conscience For the difference is very great and highly to be remark'd And it is represented in two places of S. Rom. 7.22 23. Pauls Epistles The one is that which I have already explicated in this Chapter I consent to the law of God according to the inner man But I see another law in my members fighting against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin that is in my members where there is a redundancy in the words but the Apostle plainly signifies that the law of sin which is in his members prevails that is sin rules the man in despite of all the contention and reluctancy of his conscience or the law of his minde So that this strife of flesh and conscience is no signe of the regenerate because the minde of a man is in subordination to the flesh of the man sometimes willingly and perfectly sometimes unwillingly and imperfectly I deny not but the minde is sometimes called Spirit and by consequence improperly it may be said that even in these men their spirit lusteth against the flesh That is the more rational faculties contend against the brute parts reason against passion law against sin Thus the word Spirit is taken for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inner man the whole minde together with its affections Mat. 26.4 and Acts 19.21 But in this Question the word * Rom. 7.22 23 8.5 7 9. Spirit is distinguished from Minde and is taken for the minde renewed by the Spirit of God and as these words are distinguished so must their several contentions be remark'd For when the minde or conscience and the flesh fight the flesh prevails but when the Spirit and the flesh fight the Spirit prevails And by that we shall best know who are the litigants that like the two sons of Rebecca strive within us If the flesh prevails then there was in us nothing but the law of the minde nothing but the conscience of an unregenerate person I mean if the flesh prevails frequently or habitually But if the Spirit of God did rule us if that principle had possession of us then the flesh is crucified it is mortified it is killed and prevails not at all but when we will not use the force and arms of the Spirit but it does not prevail habitually not frequently or regularly or by observation This is clearly taught by those excellent words of S. Paul which as many other periods of his Epistles have had the ill luck to be very much misunderstood This I say then Gal. 5.16 17 18. walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot that ye doe not or may not doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that ye would But if ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the law The word in the Greek may either signifie duty or event Walk in the Spirit and fulfil not or ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh If we understand it in the Imperative sense then it is exegetical of the former words He that walks in the Spirit hoc ipso does not fulfil
that hath none is dead 13. Let no man think that the proper evil of his age or state or of his Nation is in the latitude and nature of it a sin of a pardonable infirmity The lusts of youth and the covetousness or pride of old age and the peevishness of the afflicted are states of evil not sins of infirmity For it is highly considerable that sins of infirmity are but single ones There is no such thing as a state of a pardonable infirmity If by distemper of the body or the vanity of years or the evil customes of a Nation a vice does creep upon and seise on the man it is that against which the man ought to watch and pray and labour it is a state of danger and temptation But that must not be called infirmity which corrupts Nations and states of life but that onely which in single instances surprises even a watchful person when his guards are most remiss 14. Whatsoever sin comes regularly or by observation is not to be excused upon the pretence of infirmity but is the indication of an evil habit Therefore never admit a sin upon hopes of excuse for it is certain no evil that a man chooses is excusable cusable No man sins with a pardon about his neck But if the sin comes at a certain time it comes from a certain cause and then it cannot be infirmity for all sins of infirmity are sins of chance irregular and accidental 15. Be curious to avoid all proverbs and propositions or odde sayings by which evil life is incouraged and the hands of the spirit weakned It is strange to consider what a prejudice to a mans understanding of things is a contrary proverb Can any good thing come out of Galilee And when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence he is Two or three proverbs did in despight of all the miracles and holy doctrines and rare example of Christ hinder many of the Jews from beleeving in him The words of S. Paul misunderstood and worse applied have been so often abused to evil purposes that they have almost passed into a proverbial excuse The evil that I would not that I doe Such sayings as these are to be tried by the severest measures and all such senses of them which are enemies to holiness of life are to be rejected because they are against the whole Oeconomy and design of the Gospel of the life and death of Christ But a proverb being used by every man is supposed to contain the opinion and belief or experience of mankinde and then that evil sense that we are pleased to put to them will be thought to be of the same authority I have heard of divers persons who have been strangely intic'd on to finish their revellings and drunken conventicles by a catch or a piece of a song by a humor and a word by a bold saying or a common proverb and whoever take any measures of good evil but the severest discourses of reason and religion will be like a ship turned every way by a little piece of wood by chance and by half a sentence because they dwell upon the water and a wave of the Sea is their foundation 16. Let every man take heed of a servile will and a commanding lust for he that is so miserable is in a state of infirmity and death and will have a perpetual need of something to hide his folly or to excuse it but shall finde nothing He shall be forc'd to break his resolution to sin against his conscience to doe after the manner of fools who promise and pay not who resolve and doe not who speak and remember not who are fierce in their pretences and designs but act them as dead men do their own wils They make their will but die and doe nothing themselves 17. Endevour to doe what can never be done that is to cure all thy infirmities For this is thy victory for ever to contend and although God will leave a remnant of Canaanites in the land to be thy daily exercise and endearment of care and of devotion yet you must not let them alone or entertain a treaty of peace with them But when you have done something goe on to finish it It is infinite pity that any good thing should be spent or thrown away upon a lust But if we sincerely endevour to be masters of every action we shall be of most of them and for the rest they shall trouble thee but do thee no other mischief We must keep the banks that the Sea break not in upon us but no man can be secure against the drops of rain that fall upon the heads of all mankinde but yet every man must get as good shelter as he can The PRAYER I. O Almighty God the Father of Mercy and Holiness thou art the fountain of grace and strength and thou blessest the sons of men by turning them from their iniquities shew the mightiness of thy power and the glories of thy grace by giving me strength against all my enemies and victory in all temptations and watchfulness against all dangers and caution in all difficulties and hope in all my fears and recollection of minde in all distractions of spirit and fancy that I may not be a servant of chance or violence of interest or passion of fear or desire but that my will may rule the lower man and my understanding may guide my will and thy holy Spirit may conduct my understanding that in all contentions thy Spirit may prevail and in all doubts I may choose the better part and in the midst of all contradictions and temptations and infelicities I may be thy servant infallibly and unalterably Amen II. BLessed Jesu thou art our High-priest and incompassed with infirmities but always without sin relieve and pity me O my gracious Lord who am encompassed with infirmities but seldome or never without sin O my God my ignorances are many my passions violent my temptations ensnaring and deceitful my observation little my inadvertencies innumerable my resolutions weak my dangers round about me my duty and obligations full of variety and the instances very numerous O be thou unto me wisdome and righteousness sanctification and redemption Thou hast promised thy holy Spirit to them that ask him let thy Spirit help my infirmities give to me his strengths instruct me with his notices encourage me with his promises affright me with his terrors confirm me with his courage that I being readily prepared and furnished for every good work may grow with the increase of God to the full measure of the stature and fulness of thee my Saviour that though my outward man decay and decrease yet my inner man may be renewed day by day that my infirmities may be weaker and thy grace stronger and at last may triumph over the decayes of the old man O be thou pleased to pity my infirmities and pardon all those actions which proceed from weak principles that when I doe what I can I may
Races never look behinde but contend forwards And from hence S. Paul gives the rule I have now described Brethren Phil. 3.13 14. I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling Let therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded That is no man can do the duty of a Christian no man can in any sense be perfect but he that addes vertue to vertue and one degree of grace unto another NÃlque putans actum dum quid superesset agendum Nothing is finish'd as long as any thing is undone For our perfection is alwayes growing it stands not till it arrive at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the crowning of him that runs For the enforcing of which the more I onely use S. Chrysostoms argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If S. Paul who had done so much and suffered so much was not very confident but that if he did look back he might also fall back what shall we say whose perfection is so little so infant and imperfect that we are come forwards but a little and have great spaces still to measure 11. Let every man that is or desires to be perfect endevour to make up the imperfection or meanness of his services by a great a prompt an obedient a loving and a friendly minde For in the Parable our blessed Lord hath taught us Luk. 17.7 that the servant who was bidden to plow the field or feed the cattel is still called an unprofitable servant because he hath done onely what was commanded him that is they had done the work utcunque some way or other the thing was finish'd though with a servile spirit for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies to do the outward work and the works of the Law are those which consisted in outward obedience and by which a man could not be justified But our blessed Saviour teaching us the righteousness of the Kingdome hath also brought the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the internal also a mixture of faith and operation John 6.28 29. For to the Jews enquiring What shall we do to work the works of God Jesus answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent and since this to do in the Christian sense is to do bona benè good Works with a good minde For since the works are not onely in themselves inconsiderable but we also do them most imperfectly and with often failings a good minde and the spirit of a friend or a son will not onely heighten the excellency of the work but make amends for the defect too The doing what we are commanded that is in the usual sense of doing still leaves us unprofitable for we are servants of God he hath a perfect and supreme right over us and when this is done still can demand more when we have plowed he will call upon us to wait at supper and for all this we are to expect onely impunity and our daily provisions And upon this account if we should have performed the Covenant of Works we could not have been justified But then there is a sort of working and there are some such servants which our Lord uses magis ex aequo bono quà m ex Imperio Luke 12.37 with the usages of sons not of slaves or servants He will gird himself and serve them Luke 12. he will call them friends and not servants these are such as serve animo liberali such which Seneca calls humiles amicos humble friends serving as S. Paul expresses it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the simplicity of their heart not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with eye-service but honestly heartily zealously and affectionately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so S. Peter freely readily not grudingly or of necessity 12. The proper effect of this is that all the perfect do their services so that their work should fail rather then their mindes that they do more then is commanded Exiguum est ad legem bonum esse To be good according to the rigour of the law to do what we are forc'd to to do all that is lawful to do and to go toward evil or danger as farre as we can these are no good signs of a filial spirit this is not Christian perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That slaves consider This is commanded and must be done under horrible pains and such are the negative precepts of the Law and the proper duties of every mans calling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is an act of piety of mine own choosing a righteousness that I delight in that is the voice of sons and good servants and that 's rewardable with a mighty grace And of this nature are the affirmative precepts of the Gospel which being propounded in general terms and with indefinite proportions for the measures are left under our liberty and choice to signifie our great love to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said S. Chrysostome Whatsoever is over and above the Commandements that shall have a great reward God forbids unmercifulness he that is not unmerciful keeps the Commandement but he that besides his abstinence from unmercifulness according to the Commandement shall open his hand and his heart and give plentifully to the poor this man shall have a reward he is amongst those servants whom his Lord will make to sit down and himself will serve him When God in the Commandement forbids uncleanness and fornication he that is not unchaste and does not pollute himself keeps the Commandement But if to preserve his chastity he uses fasting and prayer if he mortifies his body if he denies himself the pleasures of the world if he uses the easiest or the harder remedies according to the proportion of his love and industry especially if it be prudent so shall his greater reward be If a man out of fear of falling into uncleanness shall use austerities and finde that they will not secure him and therefore to ascertain his duty the rather shal enter into a state of marriage according as the prudence and the passion of his desires were for God and for purity so also shall his reward be To follow Christ is all our duty but if that we may follow Christ with greater advanges we quit all the possessions of the world this is more acceptable because it is a doing the Commandement with greater love We must so order things that the Commandement be not broken but the difference is in finding out the better wayes and doing the duty with the more affections Now in this case they are highly mistaken that think any thing of this nature is a work of supererogation For all this is nothing but a pursuance of the Commandement For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Commandement is taken in a general sense for
the prescription of whatsoever is pleasing and acceptable to God whatsoever he will reward with mighty glories So loving God with all our heart with all our soul Mat. 22.37 and all our minde and all our strength is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and the great Commandement that is nothing is more pleasing nothing is more acceptable to God because it proceeds out of an excellent love But some Commandements are propounded as to friends some as to servants some under the threatning of horrible pains others not so but with the proposition and under the invitation by glorious rewards It was commanded to S. Paul to preach the Gospel if he had not obeyed he should have perished Woe is me saith he if I preach not the Gospel he was bound to do it But he had another Commandment also to love God as much as was possible and to love his neighbour which precepts were infinite and of an unlimited signification and therefore were left to every servants choice to do them with his several measures of affection and zeal He that did most did the Commandement best and therefore cannot be said to do more then was commanded but he that does less if he preaches the Gospel though with a less diligence and fewer advantages he obeys the Commandement but not so nobly as the other For example God commands us to pray He obeys this that constantly and devoutly keeps his morning and evening Sacrifice offering devoutly twice a day He that prayes thrice a day does better and he that prayes seven times a day hath done no work of supererogation but does what he does in pursuance of the Commandement All the difference is in the manner of doing what is commanded for no man can do more then he is commanded But some do it better some less perfectly but all is comprehended under this Commandement of loving God with all our hearts When a father commands his children to come to him he that comes slowly obeyes the commandement but he that runs does obey more willingly and readily now though to come running was left to the choice of the childes affection yet it was but a brisk pursuance of the commandement Thus when he that is bound to pay Tithes gives the best portion or does it cheerfully without contention in all questions taking the worse of the thing and the better of the duty does what he is commanded and he does it with the affection of a son and of a friend he loves his duty Be angry but sin not so it is in the Commandement but he that to avoid the sin will endevour not to be angry at all is the greater friend of God by how much the further he stands off from sin Thus in all doubts to take the surest side to determine alwayes for Religion when without sin we might have determin'd for interest to deny our selves in lawful things to do all our duty by the measures of Love and of the Spirit are instances of this filial obedience and are rewarded by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perswasion and confidence of Gods love to us enabling us to call him Father as well as Lord. Thus this Parable or one like it is told in the book of Hermas The Lord commanded his servant to put pales about his vineyard He did so and digg'd a ditch besides and rooted out all the weeds which when his Lord observ'd he made him coheir with his son When S. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to give a free contribution to the poor Saints at Jerusalem he invites to do it nobly cheerfully not as of constraint for Gods Commandement nam'd not the summe neither can the degree of affection be nam'd but yet God demands all our affection Now in all the affirmative Precepts the duty in the lowest degree is that which is now made necessary under the loss of all our hopes of Eternity but all the further degrees of the same duty are imposed upon the condition of greater rewards and other collaterall advantages of duty When Hystaspes ask'd Cyrus the Persian why he preferr'd Chrysantas before him since he did obey all his Commands The Prince answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysantas does not stay till he is called and he does not onely what is commanded but what is best what he knows is most pleasing to me So does every perfect man according to the degrees of his love and his perfection Clem. Alex. Strom. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The righteousness of a perfect man consists not in legal innocence but in love and voluntary obedience This is that charity which is the glory of Christianity the crown of all other graces that which makes all the external works of obedience to be acceptable and every act of the most excellent piety and devotion is a particular of that grace and therefore though it is highly acceptable yet it is also commanded in the general and in the sense before explicated and he that does no more then he is particularly commanded obeys God as a Lion obeys his keeper meat and stripes are all the endearments of his peace and services Qui manet ut moneatur semper serves homo officium suum Plautus Sticho Non voluntate id facere meminit servos is habitu haud probus est The servant that must be called upon at every step is but an unprofitable and unworthy person To do onely what we are commanded will never bring us to the portion and inheritance of Sons We must do this chearfully and we must do more even contend to please God with doing that which is the righteousness of God striving for perfection till perfection it self becomes perfect still obeying that law of Sons Love the Lord with all thy heart till our charity it self is crown'd Therefore 13. Let no man propound to himself a limit of duty saying he will go so far and go no further For the Commandement is infinite and though every good man obeys it all the way of his holy conversation yet it shall not be finish'd till his life is done But he that stints himself to a certain measure of love hath no love at all for this grace grows for ever and when the object is infinite true love is not at rest till it hath possess'd what is infinite and therefore towards that there must be an infinite progression never stopp'd never ceasing till we can work no more 14. Let every man be humbled in the sense of his failings and infirmities De spir lit c. 36. Multum in hâc vitâ ille profecit qui quà m longè sit à perfectione justitiae proficiendo cognovit said S. Austin It is a good degree of perfection to have proceeded so farre as well to know and observe our own imperfections The Scripture concludes all under sin not onely because all have fail'd of the Covenant of Works of the exactness of obedience but by reason of their prevarication of that law
or their ingenuity It is much very much better which we learn from a wise Heathen who gives such an account both of the words and thing as might not misbecome the best instructed Christian so far as concerns the nature and morality of the duty His words are excellent words and therefore I shall transcribe them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ought principally to take care that we doe not sin but if we be overtaken then to make diligent haste to return to justice or righteousness as the cure of our wickedness that we may amend our evil counsels or wils by the help of a better For when we are fallen from goodness we receive or recover it again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a wise or well principled penitential sorrow admitting a Divine correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but repentance it self is the beginning of wisdome a flying from foolish words and deeds and the first institution of a life not to be repented of Where besides the definition of repentance and a most perfect description of its nature and intention he with some curiosity differences the two Greek words making 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be but the beginning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow the beginning of repentance and both together the reformation of the old and the institution of a new life But to quit the words from being the subject matter of a Quarrel it is observable that the Latine word poenitentia does really signify by use I mean and custome as much as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is expressive of the whole duty of Repentance and although it implies that sorrow and grief which is the natural inlet of reformation of our lives and the consequent of our shame and sin yet it also does signify correction and amendment which is the formality and essence of Repentance and therefore Erasmus more warily and in imitation of the old Latines sayes that poenitere is from pone tenere quod est posterius consilium capere to be wiser the next time to choose again and choose better Noct. Att. lib. 17. c. 1. and so A. Gellius defines it Poenitere tum dicere solemus cum quae ipsi fecimus aut quae de nostrâ voluntate nostróque consilio facta sunt ea nobis pòst incipiunt displicere sententiámque in iis nostram demutamus To repent is when those things which we have done displease us and we change our minds So that here is both a Displeasure and a Change a displeasure and sorrow for the evil and a change to better And there ought to be no scruple in this for by the first sorrow of a penitent man is meant nothing else but the first act of eschewing evil which whether it be by grief alone or by fear or by hope or by all these it is not without some trouble of minde and displeasure for if it were still in all senses a pleasure to go on they would never return back And therefore to suppose repentance without displeasure is to suppose a change of minde without alteration or a taking a new course without disliking the old But then to suppose any other sorrow naturally necessary then this which naturally is included in the change is to affirm that to be true which experience tels us is not true and it is to place self-affliction and punition at the head which is to be look'd for in the retinue of repentance to make the daughter to be before the Mother and the fruit to be kept in the root not to grow upon the branches But the Latine words can no way determine any thing of Question in this article and the Greek words are used promiscuously and when they are distinguished they differ but as the more and less perfect as the beginning of Repentance and the progress of perfection according to that saying Poenitentia erroris magnus gradus est ad resipiscentiam To acknowledge and be sorry for our sin is a great step to repentance and both together signify all that piety that change and holiness which is the duty of the new man of the Returning sinner and we can best learn it by the words of him that revealed and gave this grace to all his servants even of the Holy Jesus speaking to S. Paul at his Conversion from whose blessed words together with those of S. Paul in his narrative of that story we may draw this more perfect description To repent is to turn from darkness to light Acts 26.18 20. from the power of Satan unto God doing works worthy of amendment of life for the forgiveness of sins that we may receive inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus Upon this account the parts of Repentance are two 1. leaving our sins which is properly repentance from dead works And 2. doing holy actions in the remaining portion of our dayes actions meet for repentance so the Baptist called them This is in Scripture by way of propriety called Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.8 so the Baptist used it distinguishing Repentance from its fruits that is from such significations exercises and prosecutions of this change as are apt to represent and to effect it more and more such as are confession weeping self-afflictions alms and the like Acts 26 2◠So S. Paul using the same words before King Agrippa But by way of Synedoche not onely the fruits and consequent expressions but the beginning sorrow also is signified by the same word and all are under the same Commandement though with different degrees of necessity and expression of which I shall afterwards give account Here I onely account concerning the essentiall and constituent parts and definition of Repentance All the whole duty of Repentance and every of its parts is sometimes called Conversion Thus godly sorrow is a conversion or change and upon that account S. James cals upon sinners Be afflicted James 4. and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into weeping This is the first change of our affections which is attended with a change of our judgement when we doe no longer admire the false beauties of sin but judge righteously concerning it And of this the Prophet Jeremy gives testimony Jer. 31.19 Surely after that I was turned I repented And by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrews express the duty which the LXX indifferently render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is best rendred Conversion And then followes the conversion of the whole man body and soul minde and spirit all are set in opposition against sin and apply themselves to the service of God and conformity to Jesus §. 2. Of Repentance in generall or Conversion REpentance and Faith in Scriptures signifie sometimes more generally and in the foederal sense are used for all that state of grace and favour which the holy Jesus revealed and brought into the world They
S. Austin represents himself as a sad instance of this particular I was afraid lest God should hear me when I prayed against my lust As I fear'd death Lib. 8. Confess c. 7. c. 5. so dreadful it was to me to change my custome Velle meum tenebat inimicus inde mihi catenam fecerat constrinxerat me Quippe ex voluntate perversâ facta est libido dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas The Devil had made a chain for him and bound his will in fetters of darkness His perverse will made his lust grow high and while he serv'd his lust he superinduc'd a custome upon himself and that in time brought upon him a necessity For as an old disease hath not onely afflicted the part of its proper residence and by its abode made continual diminution of his strength but made a path also and a channel for the humours to run thither which by continual defluxion have digg'd an open passage and prevail'd beyond all the natural powers of resistance So is an habitual vice it hath debauch'd the understanding and made it to believe foolish things it hath abus'd the will and made it like a diseased appetite in love with filthy things it is like an evil stomach that makes a man eat unwholsome meat against his Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's a sad calamity when a man sees what is good and yet cannot follow it nay that he should desire it and yet cannot lay hold upon it for his faculties are bound in fetters the habit hath taken away all those strengths of Reason and Religion by which it was hindred and all the objections by which it was disturbed and all that tenderness by which it was uneasie and now the sin is chosen and believ'd and lov'd it is pleasant and easie usual and necessary and by these steps of progression enters within the iron gates of death seal'd up by fate and a sad decree And therefore Simplicius upon Epictetus speaking of Medea seeing and approving good things by her understanding but yet without power to do them sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is to no purpose for us to think and to desire well unless we adde also deeds consonant to those right opinions and fair inclinations But that 's the misery of an evil habit in such as have them all may be well till you come to action Their principles good their discoursings right their resolutions holy their purposes strong their great interest understood their danger weighed and the sin hated and declaimed against for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have begun well and are instructed but because of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their intemperance and softness of spirit produc'd by vile customes there is as Plutarch observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fatal bestiality in the men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch they sin and can neither will nor choose They are driven to death and they see themselves crown'd with garlands for the Sacrifice and yet go to their ruine merry as the Minstrels and the temptations that entertain and attend those horrid rites Trinummus Scibam ut esse me deceret facere non quibam miser said he in the Comedy I knew it well enough how I should comport my self but I was so wretched that I could not do it Now all this being the effect of a vicious habit and not of sinful actions it being the product and sad consequent of a quality introduc'd first by actions so much evil cannot be caused and produc'd immediately by that which is innocent As the fruit is such is the tree But let us try further 3. A vicious habit makes our recovery infinitely difficult our vertues troublesome our restitution uncertain In the beginnings of his return it is most visible For even after we are entring into pardon and the favour of God we are forc'd to fight for life we cannot delight in Gods service or feel Christs yoke so easie as of it self it is For a vicious habit is a new Concupiscence and superinduces such contradictions to the supernatural contentions and designs of grace it calls back nature from its remedy and purifications of Baptism and makes such new aptnesses that the punishment remains even after the beginning of the sins pardon and that which is a natural punishment of the sinful actions is or may be morally a sin as the lust which is produc'd by gluttony And when a man hath entertain'd a holy sorrow for his sins and made holy vows of obedience and a new life he must be forc'd to contend for every act of duty and he is daily tempted and the temptation is strong and his progression is slow he marches upon sharp-pointed stones where he was not us'd to go and where he hath no pleasure He is forc'd to do his duty as he takes Physick where reason and the grace of God make him consent against his inclination and to be willing against his will He is brought to that state of sorrow that either he shall perish for ever or he must do more for heaven then is needful to be done by a good man whose body is chaste and his spirit serene whose will is obedient and his understanding well inform'd whose temptations are ineffective and his strengths great who loves God and is reconcil'd to duty who delights in Religion and is at rest when he is doing God service But an habitual sinner even when he begins to return and in some measure loves God hath yet too great fondnesses for his enemy his repentances are imperfect his hatred and his love mixt nothing is pure nothing is whole nothing is easie So that the bands of holiness are like a yoke shaken upon the neck they fret the labouring Ox and make his work turn to a disease and as Isaac he marches up the hill with the wood upon his shoulders and yet for ought he knows himself may become the Sacrifice S. Austin complains that it was his own case He was so accustomed to the apertures and free emissions of his lust so pleas'd with the entertainments so frequent in the imployment so satisfied in his minde so hardned in his spirit so ready in his choice so peremptory in his foul determinations that when he began to consider that death stood at the end of that life he was amaz'd to see himself as he thought without remedy and was not to be recover'd but by a long time and a mighty grace the perpetual the daily the nightly prayers and violent importunities of his Mother the admirable Precepts and wise deportments of S. Ambrose the efficacy of truth the horrible fears of damnation hourly beating upon his spirit with the wings of horrour and affrightment and after all with a mighty uneasiness and a discomposed spirit he was by the good hand of God dragg'd from his fatal ruine
that there is no ground for it in Scripture nor in Antiquity nor in right Reason but it is infinitely destructive of all that wise conduct of Souls by which God would glorifie himself by the means of a free obedience and it is infinitely confuted by all those Scriptures which require our cooperation with the assistance of Gods holy Spirit For all the helps that the Spirit of Grace ministers to us is farre from doing our work for us that it onely enables us to do it for our selves and makes it reasonable that God should therefore exact it of us because we have no excuse and cannot plead disability To which purpose that discourse of S. Paul is highly convincing and demonstrative Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 13. for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our desire so it is better read that is fear not at all but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughly do your duty †Magis operamini Syrus Augescite in opere Arabs for according as you desire and pray God will be present to you with his grace to bear you through all your labours and temptations And therefore our conversion and the working our salvation is sometimes ascribed to God sometimes to men * 1 Cor. 5. 7 8. 2 Tim. 2.21 Jam. 4.8 Epâ—â— 4.22 23 24. Col. 3 9 10. to God as the prime and indeficient cause to man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the fellow-worker with God it is the expression of S. Paul The Scripture mentions no other effect of Gods grace but such as I have now described But that Grace should do all our work alone and in an instant that which costs the Saints so much labour and fierce contentions so much sorrow and trouble so many prayers and tears so much watchfulness and caution so much fear and trembling so much patience and long-suffering so much toleration and contradiction and all this under the conduct of the Spirit in the midst of all the greatest helps of grace and the inhabitation of the holy Spirit of God that all this labour and danger should be spar'd to a vile person who hath griev'd and extinguish'd Gods holy Spirit and a way contriv'd for him that he should enjoy the pleasures of this world and the glories of the next is such a device as if it had any ground or colourable pretence for it would without the miracles of another grace destroy all piety from the face of the earth And in earnest it seems to me a strange thing that the Doctors of the Church of Rome should be so loose and remiss in this Article when they are so sierce in another that takes from such persons all manner of excuse It is I say very strange that it should be so possible and yet withall so unncessary to keep the Commandements Obj. 2. But if a single act of contrition cannot procure pardon of sins that are habitual then a wicked man that returns not till it be too late to root out vicious habits must despair of salvation I answer That such a man should doe well to ask his Physician whether it be possible for him to escape that sickness If his Physician say it is then the man need not despair for if he return to life and health it will not be too late for him by the grace of God to recover in his soul But if his Physician say he cannot recover first let the Physician be reproved for making his patient to despair I am sure he hath less reason to say he cannot live then there is to say such a person hath no promise that he shall be saved without performing the condition But the Physician if he be a wise man will say So farre as he understands by the rules of his art this man cannot recover but some secret causes of things there are or may be by which the event may be better then the most reasonable predictions of his art The same answer I desire may be taken in the Question of his soul Concerning which the Curate is to preach the rules and measures of God but not to give a resolution concerning the secret and final sentence 2. The case of the five foolish Virgins if we may construe it as it is expressed gives a sad account to such persons and unless that part of the Parable be insignificant which expresses their sorrow their diligence their desire their begging of oyle their going out to buy oyle before the Bridegroom came but after it was noised that he was coming and the insufficiency of all this we may too certainly conclude that much more then a single act of contrition and a moral revocation that is a sorrow and a nolition of the past sins may be done upon our death-bed without effect without a being accepted to pardon and salvation 3. When things are come to that sad state let the man hope as much as he can God forbid that I should be Author to him to despair The purpose of this discourse is that men in health should not put things to that desperate condition or make their hopes so little and afflicted that it may be disputed whether they be alive or no. 4. But this objection is nothing but a temptation and a snare a device to make me confess that the former arguments for fear men should despair ought to be answered and are not perfectly convincing I intended them onely for institution and instruction not to confute any person or any thing but to condemne sin and to resoue men from danger But truly I doe think they are rightly concluding as moral propositions are capable and if the consequent of them be that dying persons after a vicious life cannot hope ordinarily for pardon I am truly sorrowful that any man should fall into that sad state of things as I am really afflicted and sorrowful that any man should live vilely or perish miserably but then it ought not to be imputed to this doctrine that it makes men despair for the purpose and proper consequent of it is that men are warned to live so that they may be secur'd in their hopes that is that men give diligence to make their calling and election sure that they may take no desperate courses and fall into no desperate condition And certainly if any man preach the necessity of a good life and of actual obedience he may as well be charged to drive men to despair for the summe of the foregoing doctrine is nothing else but that it is necessary we should walk before God in all holy conversation and godliness But of this I shall give a large account in the fifth § Obj. 3. But if things be thus it is not good or safe to be a criminal Judge and all the Discipline of Warre will be unlawful and highly displeasing to God For if any one be taken in an act
of a great sin and as it happens in War be put to death suddenly without leisure and space of repentance by the measures of this doctrine the man shall perish and consequently the power by which he fals is uncharitable I answer That in an act of sin the case is otherwise then in an habit as I have already demonstrated in its proper place It must be a habit that must extirpate a habit but an act is rescinded by a less violence and abode of duty and it is possible for an act of duty to be so heroical or the repentance of an hour to be so pungent and dolorous and the fruits of that repentance putting forth by the sudden warmths and fervour of the spirit be so goodly and fair as through the mercies of God in Jesus Christ to obtain pardon of that single sin if that be all 2. But it is to be considered whether the man be otherwise a vicious person or was he a good man but by misfortune and carelesness overtaken in a fault If he was a good man his spirit is so accustomed to good that he is soon brought to an excellent sorrow and to his former state especially being awakened by the sad arrest of a hasty death and if he accepts that death willingly making that which is necessarily inforc'd upon him to become voluntary by his acceptation of it changing the judgement into penance I make no question but he shall finde mercy But if the man thus taken in a fault was otherwise a vicious person it is another consideration It is not safe for him to goe to war but the Officers may as charitably and justly put such a person to death for a fault as send him upon a hard service The doing of his duty may as well ruine him as the doing of a fault and if he be repriev'd a week he will finde difficulty in the doing what he should and danger enough besides 3. The discipline of war if it be onely administred where it is necessary not onely in the general rule but also in the particular instance cannot be reprov'd upon this account Because by the laws of warre sufficiently published every man is sufficiently warned of his danger which if he either accept or be bound to accept he perishes by his own fault if he perishes at all For as by the hazard of his imployment he is sufficiently called upon to repent worthily of all his evil life past so is he by the same hazardous imployment and the known laws of war caution'd to beware of committing any great sin and if his own danger will not become his security then his confidence may be his ruine and then nothing is to be blam'd but himself 4. But yet it were highly to be wish'd that when such cases do happen and that it can be permitted in the particular without the dissolution of discipline such persons should be pitied in order to their eternal interest But when it cannot the Minister of justice is the Minister of God and dispenses his power by the rules of his justice at which we cannot quarrel though he cuts off sinners in their acts of sin of which he hath given them sufficient warning and hath a long time expected their amendment to whom that of Seneca may be applied Vnum bonum tibi superest repraesentabimus mortem Nothing but death will make some men cease to sin and therefore quo uno modo possunt desinant mali esse God puts a period to the increase of their ruine and calamity by making that wickedness shorter which if it could would have been eternal When men are incorrigible they may be cut off in charity as well as justice and therefore as it is always just so it is sometimes pity though a sad one to take a sinner away with his sins upon his head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When it is impossible to have it otherwise this is the onely good that he is capable of * Ingeniis talâ—bus vitae exitus remedium est optimúmque est abire ei qui ad se nunquam rediturus est Senec. de Benef. 7.10 to be sent speedily to a lesser punishment then he should inherit if he should live longer But when it can be otherwise it were very well it were so very often And therefore the customes of Spain are in this highly to be commended who to condemned criminals give so much respite till the Confessor gives them a benè discessit and supposes them competently prepared But if the Law-givers were truly convinced of this doctrine here taught it is to be hoped they would more readily practise this charity Obj. 4. But hath not God promised pardon to him that is contrite A contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise And I said Psa 51.17 I will confess my sins unto the Lord Psal 32.6 and so thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin And the prodigal was pardon'd immediately upon his confession and return Coeperat dicere mox illum pater complectitur Homil. de poenit said S. Basil His Father embraces him when he began to speak And S. Chrysostome In that moment says he he wipes away all the sins of his life And S. Austin upon that of David before quoted My confession came not so far as my mouth and God heard the voyce of my heart To this I answer first concerning the words of David Then concerning the examples 1. Concerning contrition that it is a good beginning of repentance is certain and in its measure acceptable to God and effective of all its proper purposes But contrition can have but the reward of contrition but not of other graces which are not parts but effects of it God will not despise the broken and contrite heart no for he will receive it graciously and binde up the wounds of it and lead it on in the paths of righteousness and by the waters of comfort 2. But a man is not of a contrite heart as soon as he hath exercised one act of contrition He that goes to break a rock does something towards it by every blow but every blow does not break it A mans heart is not so easily broken I mean broken from the love of sin and its adherence to it Every act of temperance does not make a man temperate and so I fear will it be judg'd concerning contrition 3. But suppose the heart be broken and that the man is contrite there is more to be done then so God indeed does not despise this but he requires more God did not despise Ahabs repentance but it did not doe all his work for him He does not despise patience nor meekness nor resignation nor hope nor confession nor any thing that himself commands But he that commands all will not be content with one alone every grace shall have its reward but it shall not be crown'd alone Faith alone shall not justify and repentance alone taken in its
displeasing themselves because they doe it think themselves like the Apostle In pursuance of this caution I shall examine the expositions which are pretended 1. These words I do not the good which I would but I doe the evil which I hate are not the words or character of a regenerate person in respect of actual good or bad Rom. 7.15 A regenerate man cannot say that he does frequently or habitually commit the sin that he hates and is against his conscience 1. Because no man can serve two Masters if he be a servant of sin he is not a servant of the Spirit No man can serve Christ and Belial If therefore he be brought into captivity to the law of sin he is the servant of sin and such was he whom S. Paul describes in this Chapter Ver. 23. Therefore this person is not a servant of Christ He that is a servant of righteousness is freed from sin and he who is a servant of sin is not a servant of Rom. 6.20 but freed from righteousness A regenerate person therefore is a servant of the Spirit and so cannot at the same time be a servant or a slave and a captive under sin 2. When the complaint is made I doe the evil which I hate the meaning is I doe it seldome or I doe it commonly and frequently If it means I doe it seldome then a man cannot use these words so well as the contrary he can say The good which I would I doe regularly and ordinarily and the evil which I hate I doe avoid sometimes indeed I am surpris'd and when I doe neglect to use the aids and strengths of the spirit of grace I fall but this is because I will not and not because I cannot help it and in this case the man is not a servant or captive of sin but a servant of Christ though weak and imperfect But if it means I doe it commonly or constantly or frequently which is certainly the complaint here made then to be a regenerate person is to be a vile person sold under sin and not Gods servant For if any man shall suppose these words to mean onely thus I doe not doe so much good as I would and doe sometimes fall into evil though I would fain be intirely innocent indeed this man teaches no false doctrine as to the state or duty of the regenerate which in this life will for ever be imperfect but he speaks not according to the sense and design of the Apostle here For his purpose is to describe that state of evil in which we are by nature and from which we could not be recovered by the law and from which we can onely be redeemed by the grace of Jesus Christ and this is a state of death of being killed by sin of being captivated and sold under sin after the manner of slaves as will further appear in the sequel 3. Every regenerate man and servant of Christ hath the Spirit of Christ Rom 8.9 2 Cor. 3.17 But where the Spirit of God is there is liberty therefore no slavery therefore sin reigns noâ— there Both the propositions are the words of the Apostle The conclusion therefore infers that the man whom S. Paul describes in this Chapter is not the regenerate man for he hath not liberty Ro. 7.23 but is in captivity to the law of sin from which every one that is Christs every one that hath the Spirit of Christ is freed 4. And this is that which S. Paul cals being under the law that is a being carnal and in the state of the flesh not but that the law it self is spiritual but that we being carnal of our selves are not cured by the law but by reason of the infirmity of the flesh made much worse Rom. 7.13 14. 8.3 curbed but not sweetly won admonished but assisted by no spirit but the spirit of bondage and fear This state is opposed to the spiritual state The giving of the law is called the ministery of death 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8. the Gospel is called the ministery of the Spirit and that is the ministration of life and therefore if we be led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 Rom. 7.9 we are not under the law but if we be under the law we are dead and sin is revived and sin by the law brings forth fruit unto death From hence the argument of the Apostle is clear The man whom he here describes is such a one who is under the law but such a man is dead by reason of sin and therefore hath not in him the Spirit of God for that is the ministration of life A regenerate person is alive unto God he lives the life of righteousness but he that is under the law is killed by sin and such is the man that is here described as appears verse 9. and I shall in the sequel further prove therefore this man is not the regenerate 5. To which for the likeness of the argument I adde this That the man who can say I doe that which I hate is a man in whom sin is not mortified and therefore he lives after the flesh but then he is not regenerate for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die saith S. Rom. 8.13 Paul but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live These arguments are taken from consideration of the rule and dominion of sin in the man whom S. Paul describes who therefore cannot be a regenerate person To the same effect and conclusion are other expressions in the same Chapter 6. The man whom S. Paul here describes who complains That he does not the good which he would but the evil that he would not is such a one in whom sin does inhabit It is no more I Vers 20. but sin that dwelleth in me But in the regenerate sin does not inhabit My Father and I will come unto him and make our abode with him So Christ promised to his servants John 14.23 Ro. 8.11 2 Cor. 6.16 Eph. 3.17 2.22 2 Tim. 1.14 to them who should be regenerate and the Spirit of God dwelleth in them the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead and therefore the Regenerate are called the habitation of God through the Spirit Now if God the Father if Christ if the Spirit of Christ dwels in a man there sin does not dwell The strong man that is armed keeps possession but if a stronger then he comes he dispossesses him If the Spirit of God does not drive the Devil forth himself will leave the place They cannot both dwell together Sin may be in the regenerate and grieve Gods Spirit but it shall not abide or dwell there for that extinguishes him One or the other must depart And this also is noted by Saint Paul in this very place sin dwelleth in me Ver. 17 18. and no good thing dwelleth in me If one does the other does not but yet
to the suggested evils 4. A regenerate person does not onely approve that which is best and desire to doe it but he does it actually and delights to doe it he continues and abides in it which the Scripture calls a walking in the Spirit and a living after it for he does his duty by the strengths of the Spirit that is upon considerations Evangelical in the love of God in obedience to Christ and by the aids he hath receiv'd from above beyond the powers of nature and education and therefore he does his duty upon such considerations as are apt to make it integral and persevering For 5. A regenerate man does not onely leave some sins but all and willingly entertains none He does not onely quit a lust that is against his disposition but that which he is most inclined to he is most severe against and most watchful to destroy it he plucks out his right eye and cuts off his right hand and parts with his biggest interest rather then keep a lust and therefore consequently chooses vertue by the same method S. Aug. ibid. by which he abstains from vice Nam ipsa continentia cum fraenat cohibétque libidines simul appetit bonum ad cujus immortalitatem tendimus respuit malum cum quo in hâc mortalitate contendimus that is He pursues all vertue as he refuses all vice for he tends to the immortality of good as he strives against evil in all the dayes of his mortality And therefore he does not choose to exercise that vertue onely that will doe him reputation or consist with his interest or please his humour but entertains all vertue whether it be with him or against him pleasing or displeasing he chooses all that God hath commanded him because he does it for that reason 6. A regenerate person doth not onely contradict his appetite in single instances but endevours to destroy the whole body of sin he does not onely displease his fond appetite but he mortifies it and never entertains conditions of peace with it for it is a dangerous mistake if we shall presume all is well because we doe some acts of spite to our dearest lust and sometimes cross the most pleasing temptation and oppose our selves in single instances against every sin This is not it the regenerate man endevours to destroy the whole body of sin and having had an opportunity to contest his sin and to contradict it this day is glad he hath done something of his duty and does so again to morrow and ever till he hath quite killed it and never entertains conditions of peace with it nor ever is at rest till the flesh be quiet and obedient * For sometimes it comes to pass that the old man being used to obey at last obeys willingly and takes the conditions of the Gibeonites it is content to doe drudgery and the inferior ministeries if it may be suffered to abide in the land So that here is a new account upon which the former proposition is verifiable viz. It is not the propriety of the regenerate to feel a contention within him concerning doing good or bad For it is not onely true that the unregenerate oftentimes feel the fight and never see the triumph but it is also true that sometimes the regenerate doe not feel this contention They did once with great violence and trouble but when they have gotten a clear victory they have also great measures of peace But this is but seldome to few persons and in them but in rare instances in carnal sins and temptations for in spiritual they will never have an intire rest till they come into their Country It is Angelical perfection to have no flesh at all but it is the perfection of a Christian to have the flesh obedient to the spirit always and in all things But if this contention be not a sign of regeneration but is common to good and bad that which can onely distinguish them is victory and perseverance and those sins which are committed at the end of such contentions are not sins of a pitiable and excusable infirmity but the issues of death and direct emanations from an unregenerate estate Therefore 7. Lastly The regenerate not onely hath received the Spirit of God but is wholly led by him he attends his motions he obeys his counsels he delights in his Commandements and accepts his testimony and consents to his truth and rejoyces in his comforts and is nourish'd by his hopes up to a perfect man in Christ Jesus This is the onely condition of being the sons of God Ro. 8.14 and being sav'd For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God None else And therefore if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live This is your characteristick note Our obedience to the Spirit our walking by his light and by his conduct This is the Spirit that witnesseth to our spirit Ro. 8.16 that we are the sons of God That is if the Spirit be obeyed if it reigns in us if we live in it if we walk after it if it dwels in us then we are sure that we are the sons of God There is no other testimony to be expected but the doing of our duty All things else unless an extraregular light spring from heaven and tell us of it are but fancies and deceptions or uncertainties at the best §. 7. What are properly and truly sins of Infirmity and how far they can consist with the regenerate estate WE usually reckon our selves too soon to be in Gods favour While the war lasts it is hard telling who shall be the Prince When one part hath fought prosperously there is hopes of his side and yet if the adversary hath reserves of a vigorous force or can raise new and not onely pretends his title but makes great inrodes into the Countrey and forrages and does mischief and fights often and prevails sometimes the inheritance is still doubtful as the success But if the Usurper be beaten and driven out and his forces quite broken and the lawful Prince is proclaim'd and rules and gives laws though the other rails in prison or should by a sudden fury kill a single person or plot an ineffective treason no man then doubts concerning the present possession But men usually think their case is good so long as they are fighting so long as they are not quite conquered and every step towards grace they call it pardon and salvation presently As soon as ever a man begins heartily to mortify his sin his hopes begin and if he proceeds they are certain But if in this fight he be overcome he is not to ask Whether that ill day and that deadly blow can consist with the state of life He that fights and conquers not but sins frequently and to yeeld or be killed is the end of the long contentions this man
is not yet alive But when he prevails regularly and daily over his sin then he is in a state of regeneration but let him take heed for every voluntary or chosen sin is a mortal wound But because no man in this world hath so conquer'd but he may be smitten and is sometimes struck at and most good men have cause to complain of their calamity that in their understandings there are doubtings and strange mistakes which because after a great confidence they are sometimes discovered there is cause to suspect there are some there still which are not discovered that there are in the will evil inclinations to forbidden instances that in the appetite there are carnal desires that in their natural actions there are sometimes too sensual applications that in their good actions there are mighty imperfections it will be of use that we separate the certain from the uncertain security from danger the apology from the accusation and the excuse from the crime by describing what are and what are not sins of Infirmity For most men are pleased to call their debaucheries sins of infirmity if they be done against their reason and the actual murmur of their consciences and against their trifling resolutions and ineffective purposes to the contrary Now although all sins are the effects of infirmity Natural or Moral yet because I am to cure a popular mistake I am also to understand the word as men doe commonly and by sins of Infirmity to mean Such sins which in the whole and upon the matter are unavoidable and therefore excusable Such which can consist with the state of grace that is such which have so much irregularity in them as to be sins and yet so much excuse and pity as that by the Covenant and Mercies of the Gospel they shall not be exacted in the worst of punishments or punished with eternal pains because they cannot with the greatest moral diligence wholly be avoided Concerning these so described we are to take accounts by the following measures 1. Natural imperfections and evil inclinations when they are not consented to or delighted in either are no sins at all or if they be they are but sins of infirmity That in some things our nature is cross to the divine Commandement is not always imputable to us because our natures were before the Commandement and God hath therefore commanded us to doe violence to our nature that by such preternatural contentions we should offer to God a service that costs us something But that in some things we are inclin'd otherwise then we are suffered to act is so far from offending God that it is that opportunity of serving him by which we can most endear him To be inclined to that whither nature bends is of it self indifferent but to love to entertain to act our inclinations when the Commandement is put between that is the sin and therefore if we resist them and master them that is our obedience For it is equally certain no man can be esteemed spiritual for his good wishes and desires of holiness but for his actual and habitual obedience so no man is to be esteemed carnal or criminal for his natural inclinations to what is forbidden But that good men complain of their strange propensities to sin it is a declaration of their fears of their natural weakness of the needs of grace and the aids of Gods Spirit But because these desires even when they are much restrained doe yet sometimes insensibly go too far therefore it is that such are sins of infirmity because they are almost unavoidable This remain is like the image of the ape which Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria left after the breaking of the other idols a testimony of their folly but as that was left for no other purpose but to reprove them so is this to humble us that we may not rely upon flesh and blood but make God to be our confidence 2. Sins of infirmity are rather observed in the imperfection of our duty then in the commission of any criminal action For in this it was that our blessed Saviour instanc'd these words Mat. 26.21 The spirit truly is willing but the flesh is weak The body is weary the eies heavy the fancy restless diversions many businesses perpetually intervene and all the powers of discourse and observation cannot hinder our minde from wandring in our prayers Odi artus fragilémque hunc corporis usum Desertorem animi But this being in the whole unavoidable is therefore in many of its parts and instances very excusable if we doe not indulge to it if we pray and strive against it that is so long as it is a natural infirmity For although we cannot avoid wandring thoughts yet we can avoid delighting in them or a careless and negligent increasing them For if they once seise upon the will they are sins of choice and malice and not of infirmity So that the great scene of sins of infirmity is in omission of degrees and portions of that excellency of duty which is required of us We are imperfect and we do imperfectly and if we strive towards perfection God will pity our imperfection There is no other help for us but blessed be God that is sufficient for our need and proportionable to our present state 3. But in actions and matters of commission the case is different For though a man may forget himself against his will or sleep or fall yet without his will he cannot throw himself down or rise again Every action is more or less voluntary but every omission is not A thing may be let alone upon a dead stock or a negative principle or an unavoidable defect but an action cannot be done without some command or action of the will therefore although sins of defect are in many cases pitied and not exacted yet sinful actions have not so easy a sentence but they also have some abatements Therefore 4. Imperfect actions such which are incomplete in their whole capacity are sins of infirmity and ready and prepar'd for pity of this sort are rash or ignorant actions done by surprise by inconsideration and inadvertency by a sudden and great fear in which the reason is in very many degrees made useless and the action cannot be considered duly In these there is some little mixture of choice so much as to make the action imputable if God should deal severely with us but yet so little that it shall not be imputed under the mercies of the Gospel although the man that does them cannot pretend he is innocent yet he can pretend that he does stand fair in the eye of mercy A good man may sometimes be unwary or he may speak or be put to it to resolve or doe before he can well consider If he does a thing rashly when he can consider and deliberate he is not excused but if he does it indiscreetly when he must doe it suddenly it is his infirmity and he shall be relieved at the Chancery of
the throne of Grace For it is remarkable that Gods justice is in some cases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exact full and severe in other cases it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of equity gentleness and wisdome making abatement for infirmities performing promises interpreting things to the most equal and favourable purposes So Justice is taken in S. John If we confess our sins he is righteous or just to forgive our sins that is Gods justice is such as to be content with what we can doe and not to exact all that is possible to be imposed He is as just in forgiving the penitent as in punishing the refractary as just in abating reasonably as in weighing scrupulously such a justice it is which in the same case David cals Mercy For thou Lord art merciful for thou rewardest every man according to his works And if this were not so no man could be saved Lib. 6.13 Mortalis enim conditio non patitur esse hominem ab omni maculâ purum said Lactantius For in many things we offend all and our present state of imperfection will not suffer it to be otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De agriculturâ said Philo. For as a runner of races at his first setting forth rids his way briskly and in a breath measures out many spaces but by and by his spirit is faint and his body is breathless and he stumbles at every thing that lies in his way so is the course of a Christian fierce in the beginnings of repentance and active in his purposes but in his progress remiss and hindred and starts at every accident and stumbles at every scandal and stone of offence and is sometimes listless and without observation at other times and a bird out of a bush that was not look'd for makes him to start aside and decline from the path and method of his journey But then if he that stumbles mends his pace and runs more warily and goes on vigorously his error or misfortune shall not be imputed for here Gods justice is equity it is the justice of the Chancery we are not judged by the Covenant of works that is of exact measures but by the Covenant of faith and remission or repentance But if he that fals lies down despairingly or wilfully or if he rises goes back or goes aside not onely his declination from his way but every error or fall every stumbling and startling in that way shall be accounted for For here Gods justice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exact and severe it is the justice of the Law because he refused the method and conditions of the Gospel 5. Every sinful action that canpretend to pardon by being a sin of infirmity must be in a small matter The imperfect way of operating alone is not sufficient for excuse and pardon unless the matter also be little and contemptible because if the matter be great it cannot ordinarily be but it must be considered and chosen He that in a sudden anger strikes his friend to the heart whom he had lov'd as passionately as now he smote him is guilty of murder and cannot pretend infirmity for his excuse because in an action of so great consequence and effect it is supposed he had time to deliberate all the foregoing parts of his life whether such an action ought to be done or not or the very horror of the action was enough to arrest his spirit as a great danger or falling into a river will make a drunken man sober and by all the laws of God and Man he was immur'd from the probability of all transports into such violences and the man must needs be a slave of passion who could by it be brought to goe so far from reason and to doe so great evil * If a man in the careless time of the day when his spirit is loose with a less severe imployment or his heart made more open with an innocent refreshment spies a sudden beauty that unluckily strikes his fancy it is possible that he may be too ready to entertain a wanton thought and to suffer it to stand at the doors of his first consent but if the sin passes no further the man enters not into the regions of death because the Devil entred on a sudden and is as suddenly cast forth But if from the first arrest of concupiscence he pass on to an imperfect consent from an imperfect consent to a perfect and deliberate and from thence to an act and so to a habit he ends in death because long before it is come thus far The salt water is taken in The first concupiscence is but like rain water it discolours the pure springs but makes them not deadly But when in the progression the will mingles with it it is like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or waters of brimstone and the current for ever after is unwholesome and carries you forth into the dead Sea the lake of Sodom which is to suffer the vengance of Eternal fire But then the matter may be supposed little till the will comes For though a man may be surprised with a wanton eye yet he cannot fight a duel against his knowledge or commit adultery against his will A man cannot against his will contrive the death of a man but he may speak a rash word or be suddenly angry or triflingly peevish and yet all this notwithstanding be a good man still These may be sins of Infirmity because they are imperfect actions in the whole and such in which as the man is for the present surpris'd so they are such against which no watchfulness was a sufficient guard as it ought to have been in any great matter and might have been in sudden murders A wise and a good man may easily be mistaken in a nice question but can never suspect an article of his Creed to be false a good man may have many fears and doubtings in matters of smaller moment but he never doubts of Gods goodness of his truth of his mercy or of any of his communicated perfections he may fall into melancholy and may suffer indefinite fears of he knows not what himself yet he can never explicitely doubt of any thing which God hath clearly revealed and in which he is sufficiently instructed A weak eye may at a distance mistake a man for a tree but he who sailing in a storm takes the Sea for dry land or a mushrome for an oak is stark blinde And so is he who can think adultery to be excusable or that Treason can be duty or that by persecuting Gods Prophets he does God good service or that he propagates religion by making the Ministers of the Altar poor and robbing the Churches A good man so remaining cannot suffer infirmity in the plain and legible lines of duty where he can see and reason and consider I have now told which are sins of infirmity and I have told all their measures For as for those other false opinions by which
often grieve in the same manner or signify the trouble of intellectual apprehensions by the same indications But if sin does equally smart it may be equally complain'd of in all persons whose natures are alike querulous and complaining that is when men are forc'd into repentance they are very apprehensive of their present evils and consequent dangers and past follies but if they repent more wisely and upon higher considerations then the affrights of women and weak persons they will put on such affections as are the proper effects of those apprehensions by which they were moved But although this be true in the nature and secret and proportion'd causes of things yet there is no such simplicity and purity of apprehensions in any person or any instance whatsoever but there is something of sense mingled with every tittle of reason and the consideration of our selves mingles with our apprehensions of God and when Philosophy does something our interest does more and there are so few that leave their sins upon immaterial speculations that even of them that pretend to doe it there is oftentimes no other reason inducing them to believe they doe so then because they doe not know the secrets of their own hearts and cannot discern their intentions and therefore when there is not a material sensible grief in penitents there is too often a just cause of suspecting their repentances it does not always proceed from an innocent or a laudable cause unless the penitent be indisposed in all accidents to such effects and impresses of passion 2. He that cannot finde any sensitive and pungent material grief for his sins may suspect himself because so doing he may serve some good ends but on no wise may we suspect another upon that account for we may be judges of our selves but not of others and although we know enough of our selves to suspect every thing of our selves yet we doe not know so much of others but that there may for ought we know be enough to excuse or acquit them in their inquiries after the worthiness of their repentance 3. He that inquires after his own repentance and finds no sharpnesses of grief or active sensitive sorrow is onely so farre to suspect his repentance that he use all means to improve it which is to be done by a long serious and lasting conversation with arguments of sorrow which like a continual dropping will intenerate the spirit and make it malleable to the first motives of repentance No man repents but he that fears some evil to stand at the end of his evil course and whoever feareth unless he be abused by some collateral false perswasion will be troubled for putting himself into so evil a condition and state of things and not to be moved with sad apprehensions is nothing else but not to have considered or to have promised to himself pardon upon easier conditions then God hath promised Therefore let the penitent often meditate of the four last things Death and the day of Judgement the portion of the godly and the sad intolerable portion of accursed souls of the greatness and extension of the duty of repentance and the intension of its acts or the spirit and manner of its performance of the uncertainty of pardon in respect of his own secret and sometimes undiscerned defects the sad evils that God hath inflicted sometimes even upon penitent persons the volatile nature of pleasure and the shame of being a fool in the eies of God and good men the unworthy usages of our selves and evil returns to God for his great kindnesses let him consider that the last nights pleasure is not now at all and how infinite a folly it is to die for that which hath no being that one of the greatest torments of hell will be the very indignation at their own folly for that foolish exchange which they have made and there is nothing to allay the misery or to support the spirit of a man who shall so extremely suffer for so very a nothing that it is an unspeakable horror for a man eternally to be restless in the vexations of an everlasting fever and that such a fever is as much short of the eternal anger of God as a single sigh is of that fever that a man cannot think what eternity is nor suffer with patience for one minute the pains which are provided for that eternity and to apply all this to himself for ought every great sinner knows this shall be in his lot and if he dies before his sin is pardon'd he is too sure it shall be so and whether his sin is pardon'd or no few men ever know till they be dead but very many men presume and they commonly who have the least reason He that often and long considers these things will not have cause to complain of too merry a heart But when men repent onely in feasts and company and open house and carelesness and inconsideration they will have cause to repent that he hath not repented 4. Every true penitential sorrow is rather natural then solemne that is it is the product of our internal apprehensions rather then outward order and command He that repents onely by solemnity at a certain period by the expectation of to morrows sun may indeed act a sorrow but cannot be sure that he shall then be sorrowful Other acts of repentance may be done in their proper period by order and command upon set days and indicted solemnities such as is fasting and prayer and alms and confession and disciplines and all the instances of humiliation but sorrow is not to be reckoned in this account unless it dwels there before When there is a natural abiding sorrow for our sins any publick day of humiliation can bring it forth and put it into activity but when a sinner is gay and intemperately merry upon Shrove-tuesday and resolves to mourn upon Ash-wednesday his sorrow hath in it more of the Theatre then the Temple and is not at all to be relied upon by him that resolves to take severe accounts of himself 5. In taking accounts of our penitential sorrow we must be careful that we doe not compare it with secular sorrow and the passions effected by natural or sad accidents For he that measures the passions of the minde by disproportionate objects may as wel compare Musick and a Rose and measure weights by the bushel and think that every great man must have a great understanding or that an Oxe hath a great courage because he hath a great heart He that finds fault with his repentance because his sorrow is not so great in it as in the saddest accidents of the world should doe well to make them equal if he can if he can or if he cannot his work is done If he can let it be done and then the inquiry and the scruple is at an end If he cannot let him not trouble himself for what cannot be done God never requires of us to doe 6. Let no man
The natural evils of mans life 427 4 Luke 15 7. expl 531 5 and 11.41 expl 654 82 Lukewarmness how it comes to be a sin 268 47 M MAlefactors condemn'd by the Customes of Spain are allowed respite till their Confessor supposes them competently prepared 281 56 Mark 12.34 exp 475.26 and 12.32 exp 551 41 Matthew 5.19 exp 115 18 5.22 132 34 Mercy Gods mercy and justice reconciled about his exacting of the law 120 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how they differ 64 65 Morall the difference between the moral regenerate and profane man in committing sin 483 31 579 1 Mortification is a precept not a counsel 265 44 the method of mortifying vicious habits 314 10 11 N NAture what the phrase by nature means 399 18 In a natural estate we cannot hope for heaven 436 10 Novatians their doctrine opposed 533 8 A great objection of theirs proposed 544 24 answered 545 26 O ORiginall sin whether we derive from Adam original and natural ignorance 373 22 Adams sin made us not heirs of damnation 375 22 NOr makes us necessarily vicious 383 37 Adams sin did not corrupt our nature by a physical efficiency 383 39 Nor because we were in the loyns of Adam 384 40 Nor because of the will and decree of God 386 41 Objections out of Scripture against this doctrine answered 392 45. Vide Sin P PArdon severall degrees of pardon of sin 284 63 As repentance is so is our pardon 649 Mistakes about pardon and salvation 499 44 Some sins called unpardonable in a limited sense 542 21 What is our state of pardon in this life 571 66 In what manner and to what purposes the Church pardoneth penitents by the hand of a Priest 625 51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifies 119 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it sign fies 119 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they signifie 551 37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 171 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 172 5 Passions their violence excuseth not under the title of sins of Infirmity 508 54 Make it the great business of thy life to subdue thy passions 516 65 Perfection perfection of degrees and perfection of state 27 28 29 How perfection is consistent with repentance Cap. 1. sect 3. per tot Wherein perfection of state consisteth 329 44 Perfection in genere actus 30 45 what it is 44 13 Penances or corporal austerities 680 26 A rule for the measure of them 685 30 Which are best and rather to be chosen 685 29 Fasting prayer and alms are the best penances 685 29 They are not to be accounted simply necessary or a direct service of God 680 26 Philippians 2.12 13. eâ—p 274 55 Psalm 51.5 exp 394 47 Prayer of prayer as a fruit or act of repentance 652 80 It is one of the best penances 684 29 Priest what is the power of Priests in order to pardoning sin 625 51 Of the forms of absolution 627 53 absolution of sins by the Priest can be no more then declarative 634 58 Confession to a Priest is no part of contrition 615 The benefit of confessing to a Priest 616 43 Auricular confession to a Priest whence it descended 615 Of confessing to a Priest or Minister 678 24 Proverb a proverb contrary to truth is a great prejudice to a mans understanding 523 78 avoid all proverbs by which evil life is encouraged ibid. Prophane the difference in committing sin between the prophane moral and regenerate man 483 31 Punishment God punishes not one sin with another 682 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the use of the word 398 48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what the word signifies 401 51 Questions Whether the practice of the Primitive Fathers denying Ecclesiastical repentance to Idolaters Murderers and Adulterers and them onely be warrantable 540 20 Whether we derive from Adam original and natural ignorance 373 22 Whether attrition with absolution pardoneth sin 638 Whether it be possible to keep the Law 17 Whether perfection be consistent with repentance Cap. 1. Sect. 3. per tot Whether sinful habits require a distinct manner of repentance 256 272 Whether every single deliberate act of sin put the sinner out of Gods favour Cap. 4. Sect. 2. per totum Whether disobedience that is voluntary in the cause but not in the effect is to be punished 388 43 490 489 R REgenerate the state of unregenerate men 472 Between the regenerate and a wicked person there is a middle state 474 26 An unregenerate man may be convinced of and clearly instructed in his duty and approve the Law 476 28 an unregenerate man may with his will delight in goodness and delight in it earnestly 478 29 The contention between the flesh and the conscience no sign of regeneration but onely the contention between the flesh and the spirit 480 29 the difference between the regenerate profane and moral man in their sinning 483 31 whence come so frequent sins in regenerate persons 484 32 How sin can be consistent with the regenerate estate 485 33 Unwillingness to sin no sign of regeneration 486 An unregenerate person may not onely desire to doe moral good things but even spiritual also 488 35. The difference between a regenerate and unregenerate man 490 35 An unregenerate man may leave many sins not onely for temporal interest but of reverence of the Divine Law 492 An unregenerate man may doe many good things for heaven and yet never come there 492 38 An unregenerate man may have received the Spirit of God and yet be in a state of distance from God 493 39 It is not the propriety of the regenerate to feel a contention within him concerning doing good or evil 497 41 The regenerate man hath not onely received the Spirit of God but is wholly led by him 498 42 Repentance the covenant of repentance when it began 4. How repentance and perfection Evangelical are consistent Cap. 1. Sect. 3. per tot That proposition rejected that every sinner must in his repentance pass under the terrors of the Law 41 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how they differ 64 65 it is a whole change of state and life 66 4 its parts 71 9 the difference between the repentance preach'd to the Jews and the Gentiles 77 5 6 7 It may be called conversion 80 10 Repentance onely makes sins venial 134 34 What repentance single acts of sin require 198 43 A general repentance when sufficient 201 47 Some acts of sin require more then a moral revocation or opposing a contrary act of vertue in repentance 202 50 That proposition proved to be false that no man is ordinarily bound to repent instantly of his sin 215 7 The danger of deferring repentance 218 2 Deferring repentance differs but by accident from final impenitence 226 9 Repentance of sinful habits to be performed in a distinct manner 256 31 Seven objections against that proposition
Spiritual and Evangelical that is not only that good which he is taught by natural reason or by civil sanctions or by use and experience of things but even that also which is onely taught us by the Spirit of grace For if he can desire the first much more may he desire the latter when he once comes to know it because there is in spiritual good things much more amability they are more perfective of our minde and a greater advancer of our hopes and a security to our greatest interest Neither can this be prejudic'd by those words of S. Paul 1 Cor. 2.24 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned For the naturall man S. Paul speaks of is one unconverted to Christianity the Gentile Philosophers who relied upon such principles of nature as they understood but studied not the Prophets knew not of the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles nor of those excellent verifications of the things of the Spirit and therefore these men could not arrive at spiritual notices because they did not go that way which was the onely competent and proper instrument of finding them Scio incapacem te Sacramenti impie Prudent Non posse caecis mentibus mysterium Haurire nostrum They that are impious and they that go upon distinct principles neither obeying the proposition nor loving the Commandement they indeed viz. remaining in that indisposition cannot receive that is entertain him And this is also the sense of the words of our blessed Saviour Joh. 14 17. The world cannot receive him that is the unbeleevers such who will not be perswaded by arguments Evangelical But a man may be a spiritual man in his notices and yet be carnal in his affections and still under the bondage of sin 2 Pet. 2 21. Such are they of whom S. Peter affirms it is better they had never known the way of righteousness then having known it to fall away Such are they of whom S. Paul says Rom. 1.18 They detain the truth in unrighteousness Now concerning this man it is that I affirm that upon the same account as any vicious man can commend vertue this man also may commend holiness and desire to be a holy man and wishes it with all his heart there being the same proportion between his minde and the things of the Spirit as between a Jew and the Moral Law or a Gentile and Moral vertue that is he may desire it with passion and great wishings But here is the difference A regenerate man does what the unregenerate man does but desire 4. An unregenerate man may leave many sins which he is commanded to forsake For it is not ordinarily possible that so perfect a conviction as such men may have of the excellency of religion should be in all instances and periods totally ineffective Something they will give to reputation something to fancy something to fame something to peace something to their own deception that by quitting one or two lusts they may have some kinde of peace in all the rest and think all is well These men sometimes would fain obey the law but they will not crucify the flesh any thing that does not smart Their temper and constitution will allow them easily to quit such superinduc'd follies which out of a gay or an impertinent spirit they have contracted or which came to them by company or by chance or confidence or violence but if they must mortify the flesh to quit a lust that 's too hard and beyond their powers which are in captivity to the law of sin * Some men will commute a duty and if you will allow them covetousness they will quit their lust or their intemperance according as it happens Herod did many things at the preaching of John the Baptist and heard him gladly Balaum did some things handsomely though he was covetous and ambitious yet he had a limit he would obey the voyce of the Angel and could not be tempted to speak a curse when God spake a blessing Ahab was an imperfect penitent he did some things but not enough And if there be any root of bitterness there is no regeneration Colloquintida and Death is in the pot 5. An unregenerate man may leave some sins not onely for temporal interest but out of reverence of the Divine law out of fear and reverence Under the law there were many such and there is no peradventure but that many men who like Felix have trembled at a Sermon have with such a shaking fit left off something that was fit to be laid aside To leave a sin out of fear of the Divine judgement is not sinful or totally unacceptable All that lest sin in obedience and reverence to the law did it in fear of punishment because fear was the sanction of the law and even under the Gospel to obey out of fear of punishment though it be less perfect yet it is not criminal nay rather on the other side The worse that men are so much the less they are afraid of the Divine anger judgements To abstain out of fear is to abstain out of a very proper motive and God when he sends a judgement with a design of emendation or threatens a criminal or denounces woes and cursings intends that fear should be the beginning of wisdome Knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 we perswade men saith S. Paul And the whole design of delivering criminals over to Satan was but a pursuance of this argument of fear that by feeling something they might fear a worse and for the present be affrighted from their sin And this was no other then the argument which our blessed Saviour used to the poor Paralytick Goe and sin no more lest a worse thing happen to thee But besides that this good fear may work much in an unregenerate person or a man under the law such a person may doe some things in obedience to God or thankfulness and perfect meer choice So Jehu obeyed God a great way but there was a turning and a high stile beyond which he would not goe and his principles could not carry him through Few women can accuse themselves of adultery in the great lines of chastity they choose to obey God and the voyce of honour but can they say that their eye is not wanton that they do not spend great portions of their time in vanity that they are not idle and useless or busy-bodies that they doe not make it much of their imployment to talk of fashions and trifles or that they do make it their business to practise religion to hear and attend to severe and sober counsels If they be under the conduct of the Spirit he hath certainly carried them into all the regions of duty But to goe a great way and not to nnish the journey is the imperfection of the unregenerate For in some persons fear
or love of God is not of it self strong enough to weigh down the scales but there must be thrown in something from without some generosity of spirit or revenge or gloriousness and bravery or natural pity or interest and so far as these or any of them go along with the better principle this will prevail but when it must goe alone it is not strong enough But this is a great way off from the state of sanctification or a new birth 6. An unregenerate man besides the abstinence from much evil may also do many good things for heaven and yet never come thither He may be sensible of his danger and sad condition and pray to be delivered from it and his prayers shall not be heard because he does not reduce his prayers to action and endevour to be what he desires to be Almost every man desires to be sav'd but this desire is not with every one of that perswasion and effect as to make them willing to want the pleasures of the world for it or to perform the labours of charity repentance A man may strive and contend in or towards the ways of godliness and yet fall short Many men pray often fast much and pay tithes do justice and keep the Commandements of the second Table with great integrity and so are good moral men as the word is used in opposition to or rather in destrution of religion Some are religious and not just some want sincerity in both and of this the Pharisees were a great example But the words of our blessed Saviour are the greatest testimony in this article Many shall strive to enter and shall not be able Luke 13.14 Either they shall contend too late like the five foolish Virgins and as they whom S. Paul by way of caution likens to Esau or else they contend with incompetent and insufficient strengths they strive but put not force enough to the work An unregenerate man hath not strengths enough that is he wants the spirit and activity and perfectness of resolution Not that he wants such aids as are necessary and sufficient but that himself hath not purposes pertinacious and resolutions strong enough All that is necessary to his assistance from without all that he hath or may have but that which is necessary on his own part he hath not but that 's his own fault that he might also have and it is in his duty and therefore certainly in his power to have it For a man is not capable of a law which he hath not powers sufficient to obey he must be free and quit from all its contraries from the power and dominion of them or at least must be so free that he may be quit of them if he please For there can be no liberty but where all the impediments are remov'd or may be if the man will 7. An unregenerate man may have received the Spirit of God and yet be in a state of distance from God For to have received the holy Ghost is not an inseparable propriety of the regenerate The Spirit of God is an internal agent that is the effects and graces of the Spirit by which we are assisted are within us before they operate For although all assistances from without are graces of God the effects of Christs passion purchased for us by his bloud and by his intercesson and all good company wise counsels apt notices prevailing arguments moving objects and opportunities and endearments of vertue are from above from the Father of lights yet the Spirit of God does also work more inwardly and creates in us aptnesses and inclinations consentings and the acts of conviction and adherence working in us to will and to doe according to our desire or according to Gods good pleasure yet this holy Spirit is oftentimes grieved sometimes provoked and at last extinguish'd which because it is done onely by them who are enemies of the Spirit and not the servants of God it follows that the Spirit of God by his aids and assistances is in them that are not so with a design to make them so and if the holy Spirit were not in any degree or sense in the unregenerate how could a man be born again by the Spirit for since no man can be regenerate by his own strengths his new birth must be wrought by the Spirit of God and especially in the beginnings of our conversion is his assistance necessary which assistance because it works within as well and rather then without must needs be in a man before he operates within And therefore to have received the holy Spirit is not the propriety of the regenerate but to be led by him to be conducted by the Spirit in all our wayes and counsels to obey his motions to entertain his doctrine to do his pleasure This is that which gives the distinction and the denomination Rom. 8.9 And this is called by S. Paul the inhabitation of the Spirit of God in us in opposition to the inhabitans peccatum the sin that dwelleth in the unregenerate The Spirit may be in us calling and urging us to holiness but unless the Spirit of God dwell in us and abide in us and love to doe so and rule and give us laws and be not griev'd and cast out but entertain'd and cherish'd and obey'd unless I say the Spirit of God be thus in us Christ is not in us and if Christ be not in us we are none of his § 6. The Character of the Regenerate estate or person FRom hence it is not hard to describe what are the proper indications of the Regenerate 1. A regenerate person is convinc'd of the goodness of the law and meditates in it day and night Psal 1.2 Psal 119.77 103. His delight is in Gods law not onely with his minde approving but with his will choosing the duties and significations of the law 2. The Regenerate not onely wishes that the good were done which God commands but heartily sets about the doing of it 3. He sometimes feels the rebellions of the flesh but he fights against them alwayes and if he receive a fall he rises instantly and fights the more fiercely and watches the more cautelously and prays the more passionately and arms himself more strongly and prevails more prosperously In a regenerate person there is flesh and Spirit but the Spirit onely rules There is an outward and an inward man but both of them are subject to the Spirit There was a law of the members but it is abrogated and cancell'd the law is repeal'd and does not any more inslave him to the law of sin Aug. l. de Contin c. 2. Nunc quamdiu concupiscit caro adversus spiritum spiritus adversus carnem sat est nobis non consentire malis quae sentimus in nobis Every good man shall alwayes feel the flesh lusting against the Spirit that contention he shall never be quit of but it is enough for us if we never consent