me This is answered in 2. Corinth 10. 12. faith the Apostle Wee are not of the number of them that compare themselves with themselves and commend themselves for they that doe thus are unwise for as the hiding of the Sunne brings darkenesse in a moment so in an instant God can turne all upside downe and will doe it on a sudden when you thinke your selves safest I will commit it but once if I might but commit it but once I could desire to commit it no more Remember David numbred the people but once and committed adultery but once Sichem and Dinah committed fornication but once Ammon committed adultery but once Reuben went up to his fathers bed but once Saul offered sacrifice against the Commandement of God but once Moses feared but once at the waters of strife Iosiah disobeyed God in going to warre without a warrant but once Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire but once those two thousand three hundred which were slaine for committing fornication the same day they were destroyed it is likely therefore they did it but once yet upon them and upon all these the Iudgements of God were very heavy for once falling therefore sinne not once Ey but I am a regenerate man and in the state of grace and therefore God will deale tenderly with mee So first were most of these named before yet God spared them not secondly againe thou shalt the rather be sharplier dealt withall because one that draweth neere unto him in profession must be more cleane then others thirdly Iob was in the state of grace yet quickly mooved for hec knew he could not escape as it is in Iob 31. 2. to the 23. verse in which hee concludes that the wrath of God was a terror to him and by reason of his Highnesse he could not indure so also in 1. Pet. 1. 17. though hee bee a Father yet without respects hee judgeth all men therefore thinke not to escape if thou sinne because thou art a sonne but rather expect to be beaten the more But I may recover by repentance I answer It is more then thou knowst and that for this reason because repentance is Gods gift every very time when it is renewed if it be then his gift and in his power then it is not thine nor in thy power to repent in Ioh. 3. 8. the winde bloweth where it listeth and it is certaine when wee have once past limites modestiae wee are in praecipitio wee cannot stay our selves till wee come unto the bottome of the hill except God stayes us David and Salomon thought they could have gone so farre that they might have reclaymed themselves but they were deceived if thou cannot keepe thy soule pure before thou hast committed sinne how wilt thou doe to cast it out when it is once in every sinne hardeneth the heart and weakeneth the strength of the inward man But many have escaped punishment and so shall I. I answer never any escaped but they had it either inward or outward sooner or later though they have beene Gods dearest children Heb. 12. 29. even our God is a consuming fire that is he is zealous of his glory to burne up and purge out by afflictions the corruptions of his children and in 1. Pet. 1. 17. every one to whom he is a Father shall be judged that is afflicted without respect of persons according unto their works so Iob 34. 11. hee rewards men according to their workes only this must be added the more wee judge our selves and the deeper we goe in humiliation the lesser God will afflict us David humbled himselfe so farre that God sent him word that all his sins were pardoned Yet what measure of affliction David did need that his heart might bee more broken that he shall have and every one else that belongs unto God so Ahabs fained humiliation did deferre and lessen his punishment I say lessen it onely for notwithstanding he was slaine Ezechiah tasted of some afflictions yet because hee humbled himselfe a great showre of Gods vengeance fell not upon him humiliation is a meanes to breake the shower and still the winde and calme the waves of the wrath of God The third motive to move you to hate sinne is this because sinne will take away your excellency even as a starre that falleth to the earth looseth his brightnesse so when one that hath beene forward in religion falleth to earthly and carnall delights then all his beauty dignity and excellency vanisheth Gen. 49. 4. it is Iacobs last speech unto Ruben Thou hast lost thy excellency thou art become as weake as water because he had defiled his fathers bed nothing will take away a mans excellency but sinne afflictions disgrace imprisonment or the like doe not hurt a man nay he may shine the more for these as the torch appeareth the brighter the darker the night is so if a Christian keepes his uprightnesse he will shine still bright let men doc or say what they can but it is sinne that blemisheth and taketh away our dignity and excellency when a man keepes his uprightnesse hee walkes in his strength but when he descends unto any vanity or folly it is his impotency and weaknesse therefore if you would not loose your excellency you must loose your sinnes The fourth Motive to moove you to hate sinne is this because the least sinne violateth the peace of conscience which is as tender as the apple of the eye and you know the least mote that is troubles it sinne will fret and grieve the conscience it will inrage and disquiet it if a good conscience be a continuall feast what a losse is it to want it in time of health but in time of sickenesse and afflictions how bitter will it bee to want it If a man admits but of the least evill thing though but an occasion of evill reluctante Conscientia that is against his conscience it doth not onely take away a mans peace but it galleth and vexeth him exceedingly for sinnes in a mans conscience are like thornes in a mans feete though all were pluckt out but one yet that one is enough to trouble and grieve him on the contrary see what comfort Paul had from a good conscience when he was in prison and what sorrow Adam had in Paradise from an evill conscience let this moove you to hate sinne The fifth Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne will bring upon you all manner of miseries all the miseries and afflictions that wee taste of here are measured out to us for sinnes committed and on the contrary all the comforts peace of conscience prosperitie and inward joy are all continued to us according unto the purenesse of our hearts and wayes as in Psal. 18. 23. 24. I was also upright saith David before him and I kept my selfe from mine iniquitie therefore hath the Lord recompensed mee
are wicked men well spoken of in this life but onely because that men dare not speake their minds but then when both envie and feare shall be removed then shall Paul be Paul and Iudas shall be Iudas Now the Vses are these three First If mens names shall be according to their hearts in their life times then take heed that thou keepe not an evill heart in secret for God who sees thy sinnes in secret will reward thee openly God sees thy secret prophanenesse thy secret covetousnesse surely without thou doest speedily amend God in the end will give thee a name accordingly on the contrary art thou secretly upright holy c. God certainly who seeth it will in the end plentifully reward thee for if we have not credit with God surely all glosses and shifts will doe no good so that this is true both as well for the evill as the good Let every man therefore looke to his owne conscience and see how the case standeth with him Art thou an hypocrite God will even set a brand upon thee as he did upon Cain which shall never be seperated from thee no more then the shadow from the body thou shalt never have a good name with men yea and rather then thy wickednesse shall be hidden the very birds of the ayre shall disclose it and although it may be thou thinkest that thy power or authority wil shield thee from an ill report yet I tell thee thy expectation will much be frustrated Secondly This should teach us daily to renew our repentance for our sinnes for although it may be our sinnes be remitted yet unlesse we doe daily by repentance cleanse our hearts God at the length will bring us to shame and as Iosephs brethren who because they did not repent them of their sinne against their brother were many yeeres after grieved and troubled for the same Therefore as you love your names by daily repentance make up the breaches of your heart and life for thus did the Prophet David Who would ever in the least manner have immagined that he after his great sinnes of murder and adulterie would have recovered his name yet because that he unfeinedly even from the bottome of his heart repented behold at the last he recovers againe his name and in the end dieth both full of riches and honours So likewise Iob though he was in his life time very impatient yet because that he repented him of it truly afterward he is honoured for his patience and hence is it that Saint Iames saith Remember the patience of Iob. A good name cannot but must follow grace and vertue no lesse then a sweet smell will needes follow flowers and sweet oyntments If then thou hast committed any sinne either in secret or openly wilt thou have thy good name recovered before thou dye be sure to make thy heart sure by repentance Thirdly Let not good men be discouraged for evill reports that they may here have for a time nor let not evill men be encouraged for the good reports for a time they may have for at the last all evill reports that are cast on the godly shall vanish away and all the good report that the wicked have had shall quite forsake them and every one then shall plainly appeare what he is the reason of this is because the reports of the wicked have no sure rooting Indeede certaine it is that the godly often have an ill name yet most sure is it that at the last God will make their goodnesse to breake forth as the Sunne when it hath beene long darkened Yet here must be one caution premised that our hearts be substantially good I denie not but a man may have some blemishes but we must daily labour to keepe our hearts unspotted of the world We must behave our selves blamelesly but how not by stopping the mouthes of men but we must keepe our selves unspotted of the world and arme our selves against it by abstaining from sinne If paper be well oyled cast inke upon it and it will soone returne off againe but if it be not oyled it will stay on so if our hearts be well oyled against the world by our innocent carriage then if they have ill reports cast upon them they will not remaine qut off againe presently and so againe on the contrary side And thus much for the first part of my Text. 2. The time When he saw he was condemned Hence learne againe That sinnes are commonly covered and glosses put upon them untill they becommitted but after they becommitted they seeme most vile and odious This is plaine here in Iudas before he committed this sinne it seemed a matter of nothing unto him but after behold how hainous it is Sathan herein is very readie to deceive us as wee may see in manie examples Thus delt he with Dauid when he went to number the people when Ioab represented the sinne to him well enough yet it seemed nothing to him but he must needs have it done then afterwards see how hainous it was to him insomuch that it made him cry out saying I have done exceeding foolishly But should we trace the whole Bible we can findeno better example then this of Iudas Christ had given him so manie warnings saying One of you shall betray me And againe I have chosen twelue and behold one of you is a divell And againe It were better for that man by whom the Sonne of man shall be betrayed that he had never beene borne yet all this would not serve but the luster of the thirtie silver peeces had so blinded his eyes that he could not see Now for the Reasons The first Reason is taken from a mans selfe our lusts within us are so strong that we cannot see the sinne as was that in Cain for the properties of these lusts are to cast a mist before our eyes and to blinde-fold us thereby As when a man doth any thing in his anger while his anger lasts he thinketh that he doth it with reason but afterward he judgeth himselfe for it and considers the thing as it is in itselfe so is it when a man is blinded with his lusts he goes on in sinne perit enim judicium cum res transit in effectum The second Reason is from the Divell who covers our sinnes before they are committed with some bairs for hee knowes no fish will bite at a bare hooke so sinne at the first is covered with profit pleasures c. or else he laboureth to minse it with distinctions but when it s committed then he sets it forth in its owne proper colours The third Reason is from God himselfe who giueth men up oftentimes in his just judgement and then use all the perswasions and reasons in the world and you cannot move them from it hence is it that the Apostle speakes Rom. 1. 28. As they regarded not to know God so God gave them over to
and servitude that there in making brickes they did undergoe His second deceipt is this he tels us that though we sinne yet we may escape and goe to heaven notwithstanding I answer Doe but remember what God saith to this temptation Deut. 29. 19. When hee shall heare the words of this curse if hee shall blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornenesse of mine owne heart quasi dixit though I commit such and such sinnes yet notwithstanding I shall goe to heaven but marke what God saith I willnot be mercifull unto that man but my wrath and my jealousie shall smoake against him every curse that is written in this booke shall light upon him and his name shall be roâ—ted out from under heaven So Esd. 28. 12. I will disanull your covenant and your agreement with hell shall not stand qvasi dixit when a man thinkes he shall efcape hell and goe to heaven though he commitsinne he doth as it were make a covenant with hell but God saith that covenant shall not stand So Esd. 44. 11. Destruction shall come suddenly on them and they shall not know the morning thereof Indeed perhaps they say we will repent in the meane time but I wish them seriously to consider the fore-named places Thirdly the Divell tels us that though we commit finne yet we may leave it when we will But for the answer of this know it is a meere delusion for can a black-moore change his skinne Ier. 13. 23. Suppose a black-moore should be warned to come before a Prince with a faire skinne and have a weekes space to prepare himselfe and deferre it untill the last day thinking he could doe it soone enough would he not be accounted a foole yet a black-moore shall sooner change his skin then a wicked man depart from his evill way Sinne is like to sicknesse it weakens the strength of the mind of the judgment and affections and takes away all our purposes which we had at the first If a man that is sicke can keepe his strength then may a man that lives in finne keepe his and rouze himselfe up by repentance at his pleasure but it is not so its God onely that giveth repentance now the spirit bloweth were it lusteth If you say I will be sorrowfull forsake my sinnes and repent when sicknesse comes this will hardly prove true repentance for Iudas did so This repentance most commonly riseth from selfe-love every creature loveth his owne safety so at death a man is willing to leave sinne but this comes from nature and selfe-love because he would not goe to hell and most commonly thesemen if it please God that ever they recover out of their sicknesses they fall into the same courses againe Fourthly He will excuse our sinne by some vertues wherewith it hath affinity he will put on us palliata vitia those vices that have some neerenesse to vertue I answer howsoever the divell may use such distinctions to helpe out his baits to sinne for a time yet in the time of trouble they will not hold out but appeare as they are indeed Fifthly He makes men beleeve their nature is prone to it and they cannot leave it If I were as such and such men are indeed I could abstaine but my nature is such that it will not suffer me I answer Thou must know that this doth not excuse but aggravate thy sinne if thy nature be prone to any sinne know that the sinne is much more grievous we loathe a toad because of the venomous nature of it so God loatheth our nature because its sinfull As a drunken man that murthers another commits a double sinne one of drunkennesse another of murther which comes from drunkennesse so if our nature be prone to any sin which we commit it s a double sinne first in that it is naturall to us and originall secondly that we commit thereby originall transgressions We had you know a part in Adams sinne by propagation now if we have a hand in it our selves by our strong inclinations thereunto wee our selves are causes thereof likewise let us not therefore goe about to excuse our selves with this that because I am of an other temper then another man I may take more liberty and God will beare with us herein for God certainly will beare with us the lesse Sixthly He will turne away thy thoughts from the sinne and fasten them on something else so Iudas his eye at the first was fastened on the thirty peeces of silver but afterwards he thought of his sinne For this I commend unto you Davids practice I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies So looke thou first upon thy sinne before thou commit it and labour to see his cunning therein If David had seriously looked on the sinne of adultery before he had committed it he would never have done it hence is it that the Wise man councelleth us Prov. 4. last Ponder thy wayes aright c. And this is commonly the greatest deceit of all Seventhly Helabours to draw men on to sinne by degrees by a little and a little he never aggravates the sin at the first but extenuates it I answer when water hath gotten a little passage it will soone make a great breach one little wedge makes way for a greater so it may be a man commits but a little sinne at the first but afterward the Divell drawes him to commit greater A man that commits sinne is as one in a quicke sand who sinkes deeper and deeper or as a little sparke that kindles a great fire Seeing therefore the case standeth thus we ought to resist the beginnings of sin and give peremptory deniall to the first temptations And thus much for this point Now followeth the third point viz. the repentance of Iudas in these words Hee repented himselfe c. which repentance of his consisteth of three parts 1. His restitution he brought againe c. 2. His confession I have sinned c. 3. He was sorrowfull From which repentance of his learne this Doctrine That there is a false repentance confession and restitution that is very like the true repentance confession and restitution and can hardly be discerned This repentance consession and restitution which Iudas made was not true yet it was very like to true Such was that of Saul Ahab and the rest Such is the repentance of many at this day who in some good mood or in some afflictions seeme to repent but this repentance breakes as bubbles and vanisheth as the lightning in the ayre This repentance is false yet so like the true that the difference betweene them is very hard to discerne although in themselus they differ much as true gold and counterfeit are hard to be discerned asunder by us although in themselves there is a broad difference as much as betweene gold and copper This false
in judging not being able to judge whether wee have truely repented or not To helpe this consider whether your repentance arise from a naturall conscience or an heart truely changed for that is all in all If your heart be changed and from that and not from a naturall conscience enlightned ariseth your repentance but this is hardest of all to know You may know it two waies 1. By the inward differences 2. By the outward effects First by the inward differences and they are five First if it come from an heart truely changed thou shalt finde thy selfe doing all holy duties with a naturall inclination as the fire to ascend although thou meetest with many impediments yet never leavest striving but inwardly delightest in Gods law A naturall conscience may doe much but never make us inwardly from the bent of the heart to will good now in spirituall things it s more to will then to doe as Saint Paul would have the Corinthians not onely to doe but also to will Hence is it that Nehemiah desires the Lord to heare the prayers of them that did desire to feare him This is the very Character of a Saint The naturall conscience if there were no hell would sinne love it and use it but inwardly to desire holinesse for it selfe is an infallible signe so that were there no heaven nor hell yet hee would choose holinesse and could doe no otherwise when it is his meat and drinke as our Saviour speaketh to doe Gods will Now a man soundly an hungry will eat though not hired so would he doe the workes of holinesse though there were no reward If you have this disposition sure I am you have truly repented if you have not feare and labour after it Secondly the naturall conscience tells us this should be done urgeth it and blames if it bee not done and hence ariseth hearty resolution and purposes but it never enables to doe it therefore hee never performes what he purposeth but a heart truly changed enables us to doe it As Paul saith I can doe all things through Christ not some but all whereas the naturall man cannot but sinne because as Saint Peter sayes the will is not stirred nor changed therefore although much may be done yet it will downe againe as a stone if not changed into fire though it be lifted up yet it wil fall downe againe Now the naturall conscience cannot change the will therefore cannot he resist finne but the true Convert can say he can be chast he can resist lusts and the like the other say and say truly they cannot but sinne for the naturall conscience cannot change and therefore they grow wearie of it because it is not naturall if they were truly changed they would doe it with ease Thirdly the naturall conscience can goe no further then it 's enlightned it may approve formall civill living and holinesse in the generall but it cannot so approve of holinesse in the particular that the stricter any man is the more they approve him and desire to be like him A man truly spirituall is burthensome to a natural conscience though never so much enlightned the high degrees of holinesse doe make him distaste him Wherefore canst not thou delight in them that are good thou hast care to feare Fourthly the naturall conscience may make a man abstaine from many sinnes but hee abstaines from none out of a detestation and hatred of them he may indeed hate a morall vice because hee may have a morall vertue contrary to it but hee cannot hate sinne for nothing is contrary to sinne but grace which he hath not If therefore you abstaine from sinne out of a hatred to it it 's certaine you are changed else though you abstaine it 's but from a naturall conscience Moses and Lot abstained from uncleannesse so that they wept and were vexed that was a signe of change else abstaine never so much it 's not true grace But if thou hatest it because it's sinne and hatest all sinne both small and great it 's certaine thou art changed Fifthly the naturall conscience may make us love some good men and God also with a naturall love because hee giveth them some good blessings and may rejoyce in God with some flashes of joy as Hebr. 6. But to love God in his Attributes with the love of delight and conjugall love to love him because he is holy just c. this an heart unchanged cannot doe and the reason is because that all love of delight ariseth from similitude and none thus love God which are not changed and so like him But you may say How can I know this love of God I answer It 's easie enough to be knowne For 1. He that loves God keeps his Commandements 2. The Commandements of God are not burthensome unto him But besides this you may know in your heart whether you love him or no as you can tell if you love a friend for then your heart will be toward him you will delight in him Now if these signes be not in you you may justly doubt that your repentance is no more than the repentance of Iudas was 2. But now because these inward effects of sound repentance are hard to be discerned wee will now consider the outward effects of true repentance which are foure First Constancie true repentance holds out all false repentance is inconstant for it ariseth from passion which is ever inconstant and therefore the repentance comming from it must needs be inconstant whether it be from feare or from novelty of holinesse or perswasion or companie or some sudden joy what-ever it be not being a true change it ceaseth as heat that arising from rubbing goes away when the rubbing is ended but it would continue if it arose from a soule giving life to the body Indeed I confesse some passion may stay longer then other as Ioash Amazia but when once Iehoida dyes they will cease Secondly an evennes uniformity in their lives counterfeits cannot ever be the same but the godly are still the same in all courses and places Indeed they may be often uneven from the suddennesse of the occasion as the newnesse of the ayre in the new Country may make one sicke but it kils not so a godly man in what place or time soever remaines the same thogh he get disadvantage by it as a sheep falling into a ditch may be fouled but is a sheep stil but the wicked is cleane another man he casts off the passion of goodnesse and is cleane changed but the godly man cannot cast off his nature because he is borne of God therefore cannot sinne that is in the manner he did before Thirdly generality of obedience the hypocrite ever rowles some sweet morsell under his tongue and so doth something wherein he savoureth himselfe but the godly man leaves all sinnes But you will say the godly also have some beloed sin some infirmities to which they are inclined I answer there
desires which have beene formerly set to get other things and now wholly imploy them for the getting of this strength and so much the rather because other things are but as the huske without the kernell or as the scabberd without the sword which will doe a man no good when hee stands in need of them as for example to bee strong in riches and honour and credit and and yet this is all the strength that most men desire will doe no good when yee come to wrastle with sinne and death But for to be strong in the inward man who seekes or enquires after it I know you would be strong in all earthly strength but I beseech you above all things labour to be strong in the inward man It is the folly weakenesse and sicknesse of men they looke all without the doores unto the strength of the outward man oh that I could but perswade you as I said before to gather the rest of your thoughts and desires together and set the soule in a frame of grace that you may mortifie these inordinate affections which keepe backe the strengthning of the inward man as covetousnesse pride pleasure love of vaine glory and the like then it would bee but an easie worke and no burthen unto you to strengthen the inward man but here men sticke the way is too narrow it is a hard matter to perswade men unto it that there is such excellency in the one and not in the other that grace is the better part Therefore that I may the better prevaile with you to strengthen the inward man I will lay downe some motiues to perswade you to it The first motive to move you to strengthen the inward man is because your comfort lyes most in the inward man even all your comfort and therefore to strengthen that is to adde unto your comfort as for example the Sunne brings comfort with it because it brings light therefore the more light the more comfort so the more of the inward man you have the more light and ioy Now the reason wherefore the inward man brings the most comfort is because it is the greater faculty and the greater the faculty is the greater is either the joy or the sorrow as for example take a man that is troubled in minde None so humble so penitent so sorrowfull as he and therefore it is said that the Spirit of a man will beare his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare a man may be able to beare any outward trouble but the griefe of a troubled mind who can on the contrary take a man that is at peace with God who so joyfull and comfortable as he now the outward man is the lesse faculty and therefore it is capable of the lesse comfort it doth not in any measure know what true comfort and ioy there is in the inward man Againe what joy the outward man hath in outward things it is but in the opinion of the inward man they comfort no more but as they are esteemed of the inward man if the inward doe not esteeme them as worthy the reioycing in they will not bring comfort Againe all the paines and labour that you bestow on the outward man is but lost labor that will bring you no great advantage but the strength of the inward man will arme you against losses and crosses and reproach that you shall meete withall in the world whilest you are in the way to heaven Againe consider that though you bee strong in the outward man yet you are moveable subject to shaking and fleeting but it is otherwayes with the inward man it makes a Christian sted fast and unmoveable it will so establish the heart in grace that he will stand firme unto Christ in all estates It is with the outward man as it is with the Seas though the strength of the streame runne one way yet if the wind blow contrary it moves and stirres and strives and disquiets it so when losses and crosses come they breake the frame and strength of the outward man but the inward man is like the dry ground let the winde blow never so violent yet it moves not it stands firme Againe in the abundance of outward things there is no true contentednesse Neither in the want of them where the strength of the inward man is is there cause of dejectednesse This we shall see in Adam and Paul Adam though hee was lord of all things and had the rule of all the creatures yet when hee was weake in the inward man what joy had hee nay what feare had he not when he hid himselfe in the Garden Againe looke upon Paul in the want of these outward things he is not dejected at all as in Acts 16. 25. it is said that when Paul and Silas were in prison in the stockes the prison rung for joy now what was the reason of it but this because they were strong in the inward man And therefore you see that all true joy is that which comes from grace within and when you rejoyce in that your rejoycing is good you stand then upon a good bottome Alas you thinke to have contentment in your riches but you will be fooled by them they will deceive you if you build upon them you will build without a foundation and goe upon another mans legges now were it not farre better for you to get legges of your owne and build upon a sure foundation and this you shall doe if you will strengthen the inward man Againe consider that if you doe not strengthen the inward man you will have wicked thoughts in your hearts and evill actions in your hands were it not better to bee strong in the inward man and to have holinesse and grace in the heart Let this therefore move you to strengthen the inward man because your comfort lyes most in the inward man Thus much for the first motive The second motive to moove you to strengthen the inward man is this if you labour to strengthen the inward man you shall thereby please God If a man had never so much strength yet if it be not the strength of the inward man hee cannot please God he cannot performe any holy dutie in such a holy manner as God will approove of and therefore the Prophet saith That God doth not delight in any mans legs He cares not for any mans strength be it never so great and excellent except it be the strength of the inward man and on the contrary hee regards the holy man with his strength though outwardly weake as in Esa. 56. 2. I will dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit hee that is of a contrite spirit he is spiritually strong and therefore I will dwell with him now what is the reason that men seeke so much the favour of Princes but because they may be exalted unto honor then why should not you much more labour to be in favour and have familiaritie
he should say if you would know what will strengthen you it is the Spirit Hence note this point That whatsoever saving or sanctifying grace or strength of grace every man hath it all proceeds from the sanctifying spirit I say all the saving grace all strength of grace comes from the Spirit yet doe not mistake mee as if I did exclude the Father and the Sonne for they worke together in every act the Father workes not without the Sonne the Sonne workes not without the Father the Father and the Sonne worke not without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit worke without the Father and the Sonne for what one doth all doth but I ascribe the worke of sanctification unto the Spirit because it is the proper worke of the Spirit to sanctifie and hee is the strengthner of all grace that is all grace comes from the Father as the first cause of all things and then throùgh Christ by the Spirit Grace is wrought in the Soule Therefore these three distinctions of the Trinity is good the Father is of Himselfe the Sonne is of the Father and the Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne that is the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne and is sent unto the hearts of his Children to worke Grace and Holinesse in them and it must needs be so that the holy Ghost is the onely Worker and Strengthner of Grace because proceeding from such a Holy Fountaine as the Father and the Sonne is he must needes bee Holy and the way to get Sanctification and Holinesse is to get the holy Spirit For in a thing that is sent to sanctifie two things are required First hee that is sent to sanctifie must proceed from a holy Fountaine but the Spirit doth proceed from a most holy and pure God therefore it cannot chuse but be a holy worke that Hee workes Secondly the second thing required in him that is sent to sanctifie is this that he subsist in sanctification that is that he depend not upon another for sanctification but that he be able to sanctifie himselfe now this is the excellency of the holy Ghost He is sanctification and holinesse it selfe that is subsisting in sanctification and abounding in holinesse and therefore able to strengthen the inward man But that you may more fully understand this point I will show you how the Spirit strengthens the inward man and works holinesse and sanctification and this will appeare in foure things The first way how the spirit strengthens grace in the soule is this by giving unto the soule an effectuall operative and powerfull facultie and that is done by rearing the inward man in the soule and setting up the building of grace and this Hee doth by shedding abroad in the heart the blessed effects of grace unto every facultie as the blood is infused into every veine or as the soule goes through every part of the body and so gives life unto it so doth the Spirit goe through all the parts of the soule by infusing spirituall life and power into them and therefore the Apostle calles it Eph. 1. his effectuall power that is he hath such efficacy in working that he infuseth spirituall life unto the whole soule The second way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when he hath set up the building and swept every corner of the soule then he inables the soule to doe more then it could doe by nature by putting new habits and qualities in the soule as first when a man can doe more then a naturall man can doe by nature then the Spirit hath added new habits as for example any hand can cut with a Chissell or the like instrument but if he can by it make a picture this is a worke above nature because no man can doe it unlesse he hath beene raught it So when the Spirit comes into the heart then it makes a man to doe more then naturally he can doe water you know the nature of it is cold but if you would have it of another quality then you must put a quality of fire into it So the soule is dead and cold by nature but if a quality of the fire of the spirit be added unto it then it will be able to do more then it naturally can doe therefore examine what new habits and qualities be in you whether you have a new habit of patience love hope and experience that is as patience begets experience and experience hope so where the spirit is it doth beget new habits and qualities in the soule by which it is able to doe more then naturally it can doe as I said it first builds the house and sweepes the roomes and then it fits and furnishes the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace The third way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when it hath given us new habits then it inables and helpes us to use these habits to good And herein appeares the power and excellency of the Spirit not onely to give spirituall life and strength but also to inable us to use that strength for the strengthning of the inward man there may bee qualities and habits in the soule and yet want power to use them as for example a man that is asleepe hee hath habits and qualities but hee wants power to use them or as a man that hath an instrument that will sound well but hee wants skill to use it so many men they have habits and qualities but because they want power to use them therfore they are not strengthned in the inward man but he that hath the Spirit hath withall power to use those habits to good therefore it is said that they spake as the Spirit gave them vtterance that is they had power from the Spirit to speake to doe to use those habits which were in them thus Sampson by the power of the Spirit had power to use his strength Acts 4. 32. It is said that the Apostles spake boldly that is they had power for you must know that there may be common graces in the heart and yet want power but when the Spirit comes then it puts strength in the inward man to worke accordingly Thus it is said that the Spirit came upon Saul and hee prophesied that is hee was able to doe more then before he could doe and yet know that you may have true grace and yet now and then for the present want action you may want a power to doe ought with it and it is then when the Spirit seemes to absent himselfe from the soule and this was that which the Apostle spake of in Heb. 11. Brethren you have forgotten the consolation that is your spirituall strength and power be hid as dead and forgotten but the Spirit will returne and you shall finde your power to good againe The fourth way whereby the Spirit strengthens grace in the soule is by giving efficacy and power unto the meanes of growth which is a
his As in the Canticles the Church saith I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine that is because hee is my husband and I am his spouse therefore I will labour to be like him in holinesse and our Saviour prayeth for this holinesse for his Disciples Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth the Word is the meanes to worke holinesse in them when the Word comes then comes holinesse but when profit or pleasure comes to take place then the Spirit of holinesse is as it were pluckt from them but when they have the Spirit then they see the vanity of these earthly things and therefore it is that men are deceived with false and counterfeit wares because they want the Spirit of discerning but when the Spirit of God comes into the heart of a Christian then it showes him the vanity of these things and this he doth by enlightning the mind and therefore it is that they are kept from playing the adulteresses with these things because they have the Spirit of discerning Now examine what strength above nature what conjunction of holinesse have you with it what Spirit of discerning have you are not these things in you then you have not the Spirit The third signe whereby you shall knowne whether you have the Spirit or no is this examine when and by what meanes it came into the heart this is the signe that the Apostle makes in Gal. 3. 2. Did you saith hee receive the Spirit by the workes of the Law or else by faith Preached that is if you have the Spirit then tell me how came you by it when and by what meanes came hee first into the heart But here all the question is how a man may know whether the Spirit be come into the heart in the right manner or no. To this I answer that this you must know that the onely meanes to receive the Spirit into the heart the right conveyance of the Spirit into the heart is by the Word purely preached when it comes in the evidence of the Spirit purely without the mixture of any thing of mans with it and further you shall know whether you have received the Spirit by the preaching of the Word by these two things by the antecedent and by the consequent First you shall know it by that which went before if the Spirit hath beene wrought by the Word then there will bee a deepe humiliation wrought in the soule for sinne and then Christ and the Spirit comes into the heart and begins to cheere up the dejected soule and strengthens the inward man and then thereupon there will be a thorow change wrought in the whole man and it must needs be so because the nature of the Spirit is first to pull downe what mans corruption hath built and then to lay downe the foundation of the spirituall building humilitie and then after to reare the building of grace in the soule as for example if you would know whether the plants receive vertue from the Olive or no then you must know that first they must be cut off and then they must be ingrafted in and then see whether they have the fatnesse of the Olive and then whether they beare the Olive leaves so a man that hath not received the Spirit by the word hee shall see it by the ripenesse of sinnes the corrupt branches the bitter fruite that comes and is brought forth by him but on the contrary if the Word by the Spirit hath cut you down and humbled you throughly in the sight of sinne and then ingrafted you into Christ by working in you a saving justifying faith and if it hath then made you fat and well liking in grace that you have brought forth better fruit then you could before then certainly the Spirit came into the heart the right way and workes in the right manner but as I said it will first humble you by the Word as in Iohn 16. 8. the Spirit shall reproove the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement First he will reproove them of sinne to humble them Secondly of righteousnesse because they have not beleeved the all-sufficiency of Christ. Thirdly of judgement that they might change their opinions that they might doe these things and bring forth such fruit as is agreeable unto God Will. Secondly consider the consequence that is looke to the thing that followes the Spirit where it comes for where the Spirit comes it workes a thorow change in the soule I call it not a bare change but a thorow change for as there may be a glistering shew of something that is like gold and yet no gold so there may be a cessation from sinne and a change from sinne but not truly or thorowly and so not at all for what will it availe Herod to forsake some sinne and like Iohn well in some things if he will not forsake all and like Iohn in the reproofe of all in like manner what if you change your opinions of some sinnes what if you esteeme some sinnes to be sinnes indeed if you have not the like opinion of all whatsoever you thinke of your selves as yet you never had the Spirit therefore if you would know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no in you then examine whether there be a thorow change wrought in you that is whether you doe not onely esteeme every sinne to be sinne but also what spirituall life you find in you I say you shall know whether the holy Spirit be in you by this if you find your owne spirit dead in you and Christs Spirit quicke and lively in you and this you shall know also by your affections if you have other affections both to God and Christ to holinesse to the Saints than you had before it is certaine you have the Spirit for this is that which followes the Spirit for when the sanctifying Spirit comes into the heart of a Christian it works another kinde of love in a man then a man naturally hath and again it makes a man to live another kinde of life then he did before thus it was with Paul in Galath 2. 20. Thus I live yet not I but Christ in mee that is there is a proportion and likenesse betweene the life of a Christian and Christ that is when the Spirit enters into the heart then it begins to put off the old man and to put on the new man it will put off its owne spirit and strength to good and put on Christs wholly yet mistake mee not I say not that the substance of the soule is changed for the soule in substance is the same as it was before but here is the difference when the Spirit comes it puts new qualities and habits into it alters and changes the disposition of it gives it that sense which before it felt not and that sight which before it saw not Hence it is throughly changed in
such let them now humble themselves and seeke the spirit with earnestnesse that ye may be renewed that ye may be strengthned and quickned to good and received to favour againe but if you will not but continue in this condition still you have but a name that you are alive but indeed you are dead Rom. 6. 8. it is said that they that dye in Christ shall live in him if you once live the life of grace and have received the sanctifying spirit you shall never dye but live for ever in Christ this was the promise that Christ made unto his Disciples and in them unto every Christian that he would send the spirit and hee should abide with them forever Therefore examine if the spirit doe not remaine in you and make you constant in good it is not the sanctifying spirit The fift signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying spirit or no is this examine whether it be the spirit of adoption if it make you to call God Father then it is the sanctifying spirit Gal. 4. 6. We have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father this is the property of the holy man no wicked man can call God Father because they have not amity with God they neither love God neither doth God love them The Apostle saith I doe this to prove or know the naturalnesse of your love they that have the spirit they have as it were a naturall inclination wrought in them to love God againe and delight in God and in the Communion of Saints and therefore our Saviour saith Iohn 4. 34. It is my meate and drinke to doe the will of my Father he that hath God for his father will serve him willingly without constraint as willingly as a man will cate meate A man will eate and drinke without wages he needs not have wages to doe that so he that hath the spirit he will delight in doing Gods will hee would serve God though he should give him nothing and this that God is our Father it will raise some like affections in us to love God againe so likewise in prayer to have God to be our father it raiseth some like affections in us whereby wee doe not onely beleeve that the things we pray for wee shall have but we have boldnesse also to come unto him as unto a Father which no man can doe till he have this Spirit of adoption Therefore examine with what confidence and boldnesse you pray with what reverence you heare with what affections you love examine whether you have the Spirit that doth make you to call God Father The sixth signe whereby you shall know whether you have the Spirit or no is this you shall know it by the manner of working if it change you and lye combating in you as Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh if you have the spirit you will have a continuall fighting and striving in the soule and this will not onely be against one or some more particular lusts but it will be against all that it knowes to be sinnes I say not that there is onely a striving or a suppressing but a lusting or a striving and suppressing by way of lusting because a naturall man that hath not the sanctifying Spirit may keepe downe a lust for some by-respects but it is not by lusting it is not because his heart hates it or suppresses it by another power then a naturall power for they retaine the love of sinne still but the opposition and resisting of sinne in the godly is by way of lusting because they hate the sinne and they fight against it with courage Therefore examine what lusting there is in you what hating of sinne and then see with what courage and power you goe about the subduing of it It is said that Iohn Baptist came in the Spirit of Eliah that is he came with that Spirit that is full of power you will fight but faintly against sinne except you have the Spirit Acts 4. they spake with great boldnesse that is they had greater power to speake then before therefore the Lord exhorts all men in Esa. 31. 3. trust not in them they are men and not Gods as if the very name of men were weakenesse they are men they have no power it is God that hath power and therefore trust not in them but in every thing labour to see the power of God in it and seeke for all spirituall power to good from God and examine your selves what power you have when you pray what power have you to goe through it to the end when you heare what power have you to edification when you see evill what power have you to avoid it when you are offered the profits and pleasures of the world what power have you to forsake them if they may proove hurtfull unto the inward man if you have strong lusts in you what power have you to suppresse and lust against them therefore you shall know by this whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no by the manner of working of it The seventh signe whereby you shall know whether you have the sanctifying Spirit or no is this you shall know it by your carriage in your words and actions and by your Christian-like walking and holy conversation and this is the same that the Apostle speakes of when he would assure them of their resurrection unto life in Rom. 6. 8. If you dye with Christ you shall also rise with Christ againe if your actions be the actions of the Spirit proceeding from the inward man and have some resemblance with Christ shewing that you are dead with him then you shall rise againe to life with him and then in Rom. 8. 14. hee comes unto the workes of the Spirit so many saith he as are lead by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God that is they are lead unto all holy actions and then he comes in Gal. 5. 22. unto the first fruits of the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace c. well then examine whether you have the Spirit by the actions of the Spirit and by the working of the Spirit and by the teaching of the Spirit for it is the Spirit that is the Doctor of the soule that teacheth it all spirituall and saving knowledge and therefore the Lord saith you shall not need to be taught of one another for you shall be all taught of God that is mens teaching will never be effectuall to worke grace and holinesse in you except God teach you by his Spirit Now you must know that there is a twofold teaching First there is a teaching of beasts by man that they may bee serviceable unto men which may serve to put men in mind of this spirituall teaching for as God hath put such a nature into some beasts that they cannot choose but obey being
Spirit comes and workes holy affections they widen the soule and make it large and firme therefore that you may have large hearts in praier in meditation labour to get the Spirit that you may have holy affections kindled in you The fourth benefit that a Christian hath by the Spirit is this it will make the heart good because it is the proper worke of the holy Ghost to sanctifle the heart to cleanse and change and so make it good it is the worke of the Spirit to worke repentance in us a thorow change in us I call repentance a thorow change because men for the most part mistake repentance taking that for repentance which is no repentance men thinke that if they be turned this way and that way from this sinne and that sinne though it be not from every sinne and evill way that they have true repentance but they are deceived for repentance is a thorough change of the whole man consisting both of soule and body whereby the parts and faculties of both are turned a quite contrary way the heart is turned out of the way of sinne into the way of holinesse now that a partiall turning is not repentance I will make cleare by this comparison take any naturall thing that is of an earthly substance whose nature is to goe downeward yet you may force it upwards by meanes that you may use as for example water you know is of an earthly substance and the nature of it is to descend yet you see by the force and strength of the Sunne it is drawne upward first into vapors and then congealed into ice and snow and raine and then it will not rest till it descend againe but there is another ascent of the fire and that is upward and not forced but naturally doth ascend up even so a carnall man may doe the same things that a spirituall man doth hee may keepe downe some lust and he may forsake some evill he may forsake his drunkennesse and uncleannesse and his old evill haunts yea he may doe some good but yet he doth not forsake the evill neither doth he doe the good by the power of the sanctifying Spirit but by a naturall strength if he doth a good action it is by constraint he is forced by something Spirit is a free agent it workes freely of himselfe therefore to whom it goes it goes as a free gift Now that the Spirit is a free agent it appeares by this that reason makes man to be a free agent but it is the Spirit that gives reason therefore the Spirit must needs be most free Thirdly the Spirit must be a free gift by his carriage to them hee will save hee might have chosen the elder and not the younger hee might have chosen Esau and not Iacob or if he would have chosen the younger then hee might have brought him first out of the wombe but he will not because he is most free in his choice he will save Iacob and cast off Esau and so he might have chosen honourable and noble men to have both preacht the Gospell and to be all saved by the Gospell he might have chosen them only for salvation but he will not but the poore they shall receive the Gospell he will make choice of them for salvation he might have chosen Simon Magus aswell as Simon Peter but hee will not therefore you see he is free Fourthly the Spirit is free which appeares by the paucitie of them he choses he is at libertie he might have saved more but this shows his freedome he is not tyed to one more then unto another the winde bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3. 8. hee calles when and whom he will Let them come in that my house may bee full none shall come no more no lesse then I have chosen Fifthly the Spirit is a free gift which appeares by the prosecution of his decree both of Election and Reprobation nothing more free then the Spirit is he might as I said have chosen Esau and not Iacob for there cannot a reason be given wherefore he should chuse the one and not the other he will choose the wife and not the husband hee will choose the husband and not the wife hee will choose the childe and not the father and hee will choose the father and not the childe againe he will choose this man and that woman and not another man or another woman and what is the reason of it surely there can be no reason given of it but because the Spirit is free to choose and choose not thus briefely I have shewed you that the Spirit is a free gift Is the spirit a free gift and doth it worke freely then let them consider this and tremble that are not sanctified by the Spirit and in whom the spirit hath not yet wrought his good worke least they may seeme to be deprived Againe if the wind bloweth where it listeth then it stands you upon to doe as Millars are wont to doe to watch the opportunity and grind if the Spirit doth blow upon you if at any time the Spirit doth kindle any sparke of grace in you take heed of neglecting the opportunity doe not say in this case unto the spirit as Festus said unto Paul that you will heare him another time but bee sure if the spirit commands doe you runne or if he cals be sure to answer him least he call you no more I have often told you that there is a time when he will call you no more therefore thinke with your selves what a time of darkenesse and sorrow it will bee to you then when with the five foolish Virgins you shall be shut out of heaven and happinesse I say there is a time when he will sweare that you shall not enter into his rest and doe not onely labour and watch for the opportunity to take the Spirit when it is offered but labour to get the opportunity Vse the meanes whereby you may get him and for your helpe herein I will lay downe some meanes whereby you may get the spirit The first meanes to get the Spirit is this you must labour to know the Spirit for what is the reason that men doe not receive the spirit but because they know him not they doe not know him in his purity in his free working in his incomprehensible greatnesse in his increate holinesse and therefore they put off the working of the Spirit Men thinke that now their sinne in this kind is not so great as Simon Magus was it is true say they Simon Magus sinne was a great sinne and worthy of punishment because hee thought to have bought the Spirit with money but if wee well consider mens dealings now with the Spirit wee shall finde that the same sinne is committed now I say men thinke they doe not commit this sinne of Simon Magus when indeed you doe you know how great the sinne was in him and what a judgement was inflicted
by pronunciation against him and your sinnes are as great and the same but you know them not and therefore let us compare them together and you shall see that they are the same and all one and that in these three particulers First Simon Magus thought that the Spirit might have beene had at any time for he neglected the meanes and despised that presuposing that at any time with a small reward hee might get it of the Apostles what shall I give thee c. Even so when you put off the spirit is not your sinne the same thinking that you may have him when you will that you can have him at your pleasure to mortifie a strong lust a sinne that you would be rid of and for a sinne that is pleasing unto your nature you can when you will subdue it you can when you will forbeare it and is not this one part of Simon Magus his sinne Secondly Simon Magus thought it was in the power of men to give the Spirit What shall I give thee Peter for the spirit and is not your sinne the same doe not many men thinke that it is in the power of men to give the spirit when all the time of their life they will neglect the calling of the Spirit but in some great affliction when they lye upon their death beds then they will send for the Minister but not till then as if it were in his power to give the Spirit O Sir what shall I doe to be saved can you tell mee of any hope of salvation and the like Thirdly Simon Magus hee desired the spirit to a wrong end namely for his owne advantage That upon whomsoever I shall lay my hands they may receive the holy Ghost and doe not men do the like they desire to have the spirit and they could wish with all their hearts that they had him but yet not for a right end for Gods glory but for some carnall end of their owne that they may be reputed thus and thus but not to any other end For know that a man may desire grace but if the ayme of his desire be for his owne end the desire is sinne the same that Simon Magus was therefore I beseech you deferre not put not off the opportunity and remember what the Lord saith Hebr. 3. 15. to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts this is the day now you have the opportunitie the candle is in your hands and you may light your soule by it the Word is neere you Well light your candles by it you may now light them whilest the fire is here but if you will not now how will you when the candle is out when you shall be either taken from the meanes or else the meanes from you therfore labour to know the spirit and judge aright of him if you would get him The second means to get the spirit is to beleeve and the best meanes to get faith is to be conscionable and constant in hearing the Word preached the preaching of the Word is a meanes to get the spirit and therefore the Apostle saith received you the Spirit by the workes of the Law or else by faith preached Gal. 3. You may know whether you have the spirit or no by this examine whether you have gotten faith by the preaching of the Word our Saviour saith that the tree is knowne by his fruit the branch cannot beare fruit except it receive vertue and strength from the roote so if we get not faith in Christ and be joyned with him wee shall never get the spirit therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith for faith is the knitting and drawing grace it will draw the spirit into the soule and it will knit him fast unto the soule that he can never depart away from it faith will recover the Spirit if it seeme to want his power of working in the soule it will returne him if he seeme to depart away it will enlarge the heart if the spirit be scanted in it it will widen the narrow bottle of your hearts and you know what Christ said unto the woman in the Gospell So be it unto thee according unto thy faith therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith in your hearts if you would get a large measure of the spirit then get a large measure of faith for what is the reason that men thrive not in the spirit but because they thrive not in faith The third meanes to get the spirit is an earnest desire joyned with prayer to desire and pray earnestly for the spirit is a meanes to get the spirit an instance of this wee have in Elisha servant to Eliah he earnestly desires and prayes that the Spirit of Eliah his master might bee doubled upon him not that hee meant that hee might have asmuch more againe but that hee might have a greater measure of the Spirit then other of the Prophets and hee did obtaine his desire for hee was indued with a greater measure of the Spirit then other of the Prophets were even so if you would but desire and pray earnestly for the Spirit you might get him Salomon desired wisedome and prayed for it and he had it and that in a larger measure then those that went before him so if you would pray for the spirit you have his promise Luke 11. 13. That he will give the Holy Ghost unto them that aske him and this hee doth speake by way of opposition if you that are evill can give good things unto your children then much more will God give you his Spirit that is if a man will bee importunate for grace and the spirit as a child will be unto his father for bread then he cannot deny you But you will say if hee were my father and I his child then it is true he would give me his spirit but alas he is not for any thing I know neither my father nor I his child To this I answer suppose thou be not his child in thy owne apprehension yet looke backe unto the 8. verse and see what Importunity doth though hee would not open the doore and give him that which he would have yet in regard of the importunity of him that asketh he will open and give him what he would have thus doe you though you may have a deniall sometimes no answer at all or an angry answer yet take no deniall and your importunity will at last prevaile with him and to incourage you against former runnings out from God the Apostle saith that he giveth and upbraideth no man Iames 1. 5. As no man meriteth at Gods hand so no man shall be upbraided with any failing to shame him he gives unto all men that comes unto him without exceptions of person without any gift freely and reproaches no man that is he will not lay before him either that which might hinder him from
comming unto him or him from receiving of him he might doe both but he will doe neither and you know the promise the Disciples they must goe unto Ierusalem and he will after a certaine time send the spirit but they must waite for him and this they did by constant prayer and they had the promise made good unto them for the holy Ghost came upon every one of them in Acts 2. 4. so if you be constant in prayer what though for the present you get him not yet at last you shall have him thus much for this meanes if you would have the Spirit you must pray and desire him earnestly The fourth meanes to get the Spirit is to obey him and this you doe when you make him good entertainment when you feed him with heavenly thoughts and doe what he would have you to doe but if you slight him set light by him and will not obey and be ruled by him you will never get him and this you doe when you resist greive and quench the spirit you resist the spirit when you resist that light which the spirit hath wrought in you when you fight against it against its reason and arguments this is a great sinne you grieve the spirit when you mingle two contraries PAVLS CONVERSION OR THE RIGHT VVAY TO BE SAVED As it is excellently well set out in divers Doctrines raised from ACTS 9. 6. And he trembling and astonished c. By the late faithful and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inne Printed at London for Andrew Crooke 1634. The Contents of PAVLS Conversion NOthing can deject a sinner so much as the fearefull power of God pag. 108 Three things cause an astonishment Suddennesse of evil p. 181 Greatnesse  Inevitablenesse  DOCTRINE I. He that will receive Christ or the Gospell must first bee humbled p. 182 Humiliation how t is call'd in Scripture 1. Pricking of the heart ibid. 2. Poverty in Spirit p. 183 3. A melting heart ibid. 4. A trembling at the Word p. 184 Humiliation of necessity to salvation because without it men keepe backe from Christ. Two hinderances that keepemen from Christ. 1. Vnbeleefe p. 187 2. Neglect of Christ which is twofold 1. Totall refusing all offers of grace p. 188 2. Partiall having a mixture of the love of the world and Christ. p. 189 Men compared to the three grounds in the Gospel p. 190 Whether Humiliation bee absolutely necessary or no p. 191 A two fold sorrow Preparative p. 193  Godly p. 194 Godly and worldly sorrow differ in the Objects p. 195 Causes ibid. Effects p. 196 They are distinguished by the Ingredients p. 197  Continuance p. 198  Event ibid. The degrees of godly sorrow p. 199 The least measure of Humiliation is that which makes a man beleeve in Christ. p. 200 USE I. To examine our selves whether wee have received Christ or no for it must be by a deepe Humiliation p. 201 Without Humiliation no receiuing the Gospell shew'd in five particulars 1. A man will not find any need of Christ. p. 202 2. He will not hold out to entertaine Christ. p. 203 3. He will not for sake all things for Christ. p. 204 4. He will not wholly depend on him p. 205 5. He will not undergo any thing for Christs sake 206 Meanes to attaine humiliation of Spirit are I. A rectifi'd Iudgement p. 207 From a rectifi'd Iudgement proceeds sorrow for sinne in respest 1. Sinne is evill of its owne Nature p. 208 2. It is the greatest evill because it deprives us 1. Of the best outward good which is God ibid. 2. Of the chiefest good within us For 1. It deformes the beauty and strength of the inward man 2. It weakens grace within us p. 209 3. It produces evill effects ibid. 4. It needs the greatest medicine to beale it even Christ himselfe ibid. II. Humility of heart p. 210 The way to get our hearts humbled is 1. To labour for some sense of holinesse p. 211 2. To consider the punishment of sinne ibid. III. Application p. 213 IV. Bringing things to a propinquity p. 216 V. The removall of all excuses p. 818 Excuses or deceits are 1 We doe as well as the best p. 219 2 We have as good meanings as the best p. 221 3 It is our Nature to be thus and thus p. 222 4 Our condition privilegeth us p. 223 The better the condition the more reason to serve God 1 Because a greater account is to be rendred p. 224 2 Because their knowledge is the more p. 225 3 Because a greater Iudgement will bee inflicted p. 226 VI. The obtaining of the Spirit ibid. VII A joyning the Word with the Spirit p. 228 The Word will effectually humble us 1 If we get saving knowledge of the Word ibid. 2 If we receive it as the Word of God p. 229 3 If we bring it home to the Conscience p. 231 Three Rules that the Word by Application may be effectuall to humble us 1 Not to defer or put off the worke of the Spirit p. 232 2 Not to make too much haste out of humiliation p. 233 3 To proportion humiliation to the sinnes p. 235 USE II. To exhort us to get our selves throughly humbled p. 236 Motives hereunto are 1. All we doe till we be humbled is but lost labour p. 237 Reasons hereof are because 1 A broken heart is the Altar on which we must offer ib. 2 An humble soule is a fit habitation for Gods Spirit 238 3 Without humiliation no keeping close unto Christ. ib. 2. Whatsoever profession we make it is worth nothing without humiliation Reasons hereof are because without humiliation 1 A man withers will not hold out in his profession 239 2 He will not grow strong in Christ. ibid. 3 Good duties wil be chok'd as the seed amongst thornes p. 240 3. There can be no sound cōfort without humiliation 241 Two Questions answered 1 What kind of sorrow meant here p. 242 2 Whether it be of absolute necessity to salvation 243 Signes to know whether we be truly humbled or no are I. To love much p. 247 Motives to love Christ grace and holinesse are 1 To consider the goodnesse and exoellency of the thing you are perswaded to ibid. 2 To consider the good you see in Christ is yours if you be his p. 248 II. To tremble at the Word Preached p. 249 III. To be affected with the Word when it comes in the edence of the Spirit p. 251 In the Word two things 1 Meat ibid. 2 Medicine p. 253 IV. To be little in ones owne eyes p. 254 V. To yeeld a generall obedience unto Christ. p. 255 Humiliation fits the soule for obedience because 1 It makes a man see God in his holinesse and power 256 2 It makes him desire the favour of God ibid. 3 It makes him chuse God
when any earthly thing which his affections were glewed to stood in competition with Christ he had rather loose Christ then hee would loose all his pleasure in these earthly things because he is not thorowly humbled humiliation comes and takes all impedimouts away plowes up the hardnesse of the heart sets the affections on another object to delight in checkes the will opens the mind awakeneth the conscience that Christ is all to him in all things and therefore it is compared unto the good ground that received the Word with an honest and good heart the heart will not bee fit to receive that good that will make it good till it bee plowed deepe and humbled then the Word will grow the heart must bee humbled before grace will grow and therefore this is the effect that humiliation works when the heart is humbled hee will not part with Christ for any thing in the world Therefore you see upon what ground humiliation is necessary because men will not receive Christ till they be humbled The second question is whether humiliation is simply and absolutely necessary To this I answer that it is not simply and absolutely necessary for it is not a simple grace and therefore not necessary on Gods part But it is a condition required on our parts because we will not receive Christ till we be humble I say it is not a simple grace or simply necessary For that which a man may exceede in is not simply necessary but a man or woman may have too much of it that is he may exceed in the measure he may be over humble and therefore Paul writes unto the Corinthians 2 Cor. 2. 7. That they should comfort the incestious person least hee should bee swallowed up of griefe now that which is a simple grace a man cannot have too much of hee cannot exceed in it as for example a man cannot have too much faith or repentance or love sanctification c. but the more hee hath of these the better now howsoever it is not simply necessary on Gods part because hee can save men without it yet it is a necessary condition on our parts and in regard of us because we will not receive Christ till we be humbled And therefore it is that we Preach the Gospell generally sometimes sometimes with the condition as in Matth. 11. 28. Come unto mee all that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you till men doe feele sinne as a heavy burthen they will not come unto Christ to bee cased of it Againe in Revel 22. 17. whosoever is athirst let him come and take of the water of Life freely except they first be athirst and finde they stand in need of Christ they will not come unto him to be refreshed Againe sometimes it is put without any condition except faith Revel 22. and whosoever will let him take of the water of Life freely that is whosoever hath a desire to come unto Christ let him come and he shall have him without any exception of persons or condition Hee that beleeveth shall bee saved and hee that beleeveth not shall bee damned bring true saving purging working Iustifying faith and thou shalt have Christ and salvation where there is no mention of humiliation For there may wee know be seedings without plowing and there may be plowing and yet no sowing and sowing and no reaping so I say there may bee saving and sanctifying grace wrought in the heart without humiliation and againe there may be humiliation and no true grace at all or generall graces but not speciall and saving graces but the way to make us fit to receive grace is to be humble A man may be said to receive Christ by a common light of knowledge and hereupon doe many things for Christ but yet he will not take Christ for his King aswell as a Saviour except he be humbled hee will not take Christ so as to be ruled by his Lawes and to live under his Commands he will not take him with losses and crosses disgrace and reproach till he be humbled he will not indure reproach he would be content to have Christ but if Christ must cost him all that then Christ and he must part but when a man is thorowly humbled then he will part with all things for Christ nothing shall be so deare and precious unto him as Christ will be if any thing come in Competition with Christ hee will refuse it for Christ thus you see that humiliation is a necessary condition on our parts though not a simple grace The third Question is this whether there bee any kinds of humiliation more then one To this I answer that there is a two-fold sorrow the first is a preparative sorrow the second is a godly sorrow The preparative sorrow is nothing else but a sorrowing for sinne as it causeth punishment or a sorrowing for some Iudgement likely to insue and pronounced against him but this is not the true sorrow a reprobate may have this sorrow which shall never be saved this was the sorrow of Iudas and Cain and Ahab they sorrowed but it was a false sorrow only a worke of the flesh it hath his originall from nature its object punishment and its end despaire but the second is a godly sorrow such as the Apostle speakes of in 1 Corinth 7. 7. that workes repentance not to bee repented of that is it turnes the heart to God it takes away that flintie disposition of nature by the conveyance of grace it makes the heart better it brings it into a frame of obedience it workes a willingnesse in it to good so that the difference of them lyeth in this the one is outward but the other is inward the one is from grace the other is from temporall things the one is a worke of the flesh the other is a worke of the sanctifying Spirit the one will make a man flye unto Christ because of our wants as in the example of the Publican especially in the prodigall sonne hee never seekes unto his father till hee be thorowly humbled then he concludes I will goe unto my father the other will set and push a man further from God this wee see in Cain and Iudas their sorrow made them run away from God but this godly sorrow or humiliation never rests till it bring a sinner into the presence of Christ and when the soule is in Gods presence then it will never rest till Christ have made its peace with God but as I said the nature of the worldly sorrow is to drive a man further from Christ. Adam had this sorrow he runnes and hides himselfe A carnall man will sorrow either for some present Iudgement upon his person or else upon his substance but yet it will not turne the heart that will not worke a plyable disposition in the heart to yeeld obedience out of love in hatred to sinne but on the contrary that hardneth the heart the
the worth of it so no man will prize Christ as excellent till hee know him therefore labour to bring your hearts unto such a frame that you may see that excellency that is in Christ which you cannot see in any thing else and then you will love him above all things The second motive to perswade you is this that this good you see in Christ is yours if you be his now that which makes a man to love any thing that he hath property and right in is this because it is his owne and if you aske him wherefore he loves his wife or his child or his goods hee will answer because they are mine owne so till a man make Christ his owne he will not love him above all things but when hee is once come to this that Christ is his owne then he will prize Christ above all things and love him above all things mine owne hath a great force that is a part of my selfe so when Christ is your owne when you have made Christ a part of your selves then you will love him and prize and esteeme of him as you doe of your selves and you will as unwillingly part with him as with the noblest member of your body therefore examine your humiliation by your love I say not so much by the greatnesse of your humiliation as by your love the effect of it examine your love by your prizing of Christ and grace and goe through all the workes of love 1 Cor. 13. it is patient it suffereth much it envieth not it seeks not his owne thus examine whether you can patiently endure reproach and shame and disgrace for Christ examine whether you can rather loose your right then by getting of it dishonour the Gospell examine whether you doe not murmure or repine at the prosperity of others when your selves are in a meaner condition examine whether you bee gentle meeke and easie to bee intreated of your inferiours or equals if you can doe these things and that from this ground because the love of God in Christ constraines you it is a signe that you are truely humbled The second signe whereby you shall know whether you bee truely humbled or no is this examine whether you tremble at the Word when it is preached it is the signe that God himselfe gives Isaiah 66. 2. I will be with him that trembleth at my Word hee whom the Word hath humbled in whom it hath wrought this effect even to make conscience of all his wayes that labours to see every turning of his heart and feares his corruptions that they will master the worke of grace in him this man is truely humbled Eccles 9. 1. I considered in my heart that the righteous and the wise and their workes are in the hands of God c. That is his heart is taken up with a solid care of offending God he will not trust himselfe or his heart with any thing he sees and feares God both in his power and holinesse hee feares the threatning of the Word and hee is affected with the promises of the Gospell Onely by the way take this caveat with you it may bee you feare the Word but take heed that it bee a right feare for in this feare there are two things First there is the fire of the coale and then secondly there is the filth of the coale Now it is a great fault of many men they are more affrighted with the fire of the coale then with the filth of the coale sinne troubles them more because of the wrath of God and hell and damnation which by the Word they apprehend then because of the defilement that comes by sinne that defiles the beauty of the soule therefore by this you shall certainely know whether you be throughly humbled or no examine what is your carriage towards the Word when it convinceth you of sinne are you then strucken with an astonishment and amazement and doth this sorrow continue upon your hearts or else when your are reproved of sinne and you find your selves guilty doe you onely sigh and sob and grieve a little but anone your hearts begins to slight them is it thus with you then it is a sure signe that you were never thorowly humbled for as it is with a disease wee say a man is not healed till he bee healed at the roote so a man is not truely humbled till the Word worke this effect in him namely to make sinne a burthen unto him howsoever there may bee a a salve made that will cure the wound skin it over yet it will not continue but breake out againe so though men oftentimes may seeme to bee humbled by the Word yet the truth is they deceive themselves the disease of their soules was never throughly healed it may be some mercy skin'd it over and hee thought he had beene healed but it breakes out againe hee respects not the threatnings of the Word but he goes unto evill company againe he will prophane the Sabbath and sweare and be drunke againe if it bee thus with you you were never truely humbled for if you were you would tremble at the Word what shall we say doe you tremble at the Word when you are no more mooved at it then the seates you sit on we may preach the Law and damnation and spend our selves and yet it will not worke upon you this effect as to humble you but till then never say that you are humbled and by this therefore examine your selves The third Signe whereby a man may know whether he be truly humbled or no is this examine how you stand affected to the Word when it comes in the evidence of the Spirit for as you are affected to the Word so you are more or lesse humbled if you feele a sweetnesse in the Word a saving power in it it is a signe that you are truly humbled and on the contrary if the word be an unsavoury thing unto you if you cannot love it alone for it selfe it is a signe that you are not humbled now in the word there are two things Meate and Medicine First I say there is meate a man that is not humble never loves and affects Christ nor the Word because hee is full and wee know that a man that hath a full stomacke will set light by the daintiest dish when as hee that is hungry will feed upon courser fare So it is with a man that is humble he hungers and thirsts after Christ prizeth the Word at a high rate because it reveales Christ unto him hee esteemes the Word not with eloquence but alone the best when it comes in the demonstration and evidence of the Spirit when it is purely Preached when it comes as pure milke without mixture then it is sweet unto him but a man that is not humble hee will not prize Christ neither relish the Word when it comes in the evidence of the Spirit when it is purely preached but he must have
according to my uprightnesse according to the cleannesse of my hands in his eyes sight and then in the 25 26. verses both parts are clearely expressed that he will walke more frowardly with you as you walke more frowardly with him and againe as you walke more purely with him so he will show himselfe more gracious and loving unto you as for example goe thorow all the Iudges of Israel and you shall see this true looke to Gedeon one sinne was the destruction of him and his house looke to Sampson that sinne of fornication brought upon him shame imprisonment and death Againe goe through all the Kings of Iudah and you shall see that they prospered so long as they prospered in grace and when they fell into sinne then presently they fell into misery looke to David to Salomon to Rehoboam Ahab to Asa Manasses c. Againe looke amongst the Corinthians some were sicke and weake amongst them for not receiving the Sacrament worthily so all sicknesses in body breaches in estate ill hansels in businesses troubles from enemies griefes from wives children and friends they all even now in our dayes proceed from the sinnes which you have committed Againe as I said all the prosperity whether it bee outward in riches or honour or wife or children or friends or inward the saving graces of the spirit they all proceed from your uprightnesse of heart And needs it must be so because if God be the Governour of all the world then it must needs bee best with them that serve him best and worst with them that offend him worst this rule must bee understood of the Saints to comfort them and not of wicked men for they want afflictions and enjoy prosperitie in Iudgement but with the godly it is not so therefore they are like to taste of both in this life according to their thriving in sinne and going backward in holinesse let this moove you to hate sinne that you may escape these miseries The sixt Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is a vaine thing it can yeeld us no true comfort or content and this we may see in the vanitie and changeablenesse of earthly things when we make them our onely joy how soone are wee deprived of them for indeed what is our portion or what can yeeld us any sound and solid joy and comfort but God and Christ and so Iob reasoneth in Iob 31. 2. what portion shall I have with God Almighty it is no small portion but a great portion to have Communion with Him to be sure of Him for a refuge in all troubles a Counseller in all duties a helper in all wants to stand by us when all else forsake us he that knoweth the sweete consolations of the spirit will account sinne and the world but a vaine thing I say no man that knowes the sweetnesse there is in the Communion with God will loose it for all the pleasures of sinne Iob 14. hee showeth the vanity of earthly things some conceive the comforts of the Spirit but a vaine thing but this is because they never tasted of the sweetnesse of the spirit there is no man but he hath something that he resteth his heart upon as the Psalmist saith Some trust in Princes some in riches others in their friends but it is God that is the strength and prop of every sanctified mans heart on which every holy man and woman resteth now take from any man that which is his prop and stay and his heart sinketh and dyeth in him like a stone so will the heart of a childe of God when the assurance of the favour of God is taken away by sinne therefore as the favour of God is sweeter then life it selfe unto him so the very interruption and suspending of it is as bitter as death and therefore in this regard sinne is to be hated The seventh Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is restles if you doe but truly consider the restlesnesse of the heart till it be sanctified it will make you to hate sinne the heart is restlesse till it bee set in a good frame of grace Sinne is unto the soule as a disease in unto the body a man that is bodily sicke will never be at rest till he be well so a regenerate man is never at rest till sinne be healed in him wickednesse is of a restlesse nature according unto that measure it is found in any as the Prophet saith in Isaiah 57. 20 21. where he compares the heart of wicked men unto the raging Sea that still is in motion purging and cleansing it selfe so a holy man is not at rest whilest his heart is not cleansed from his sinnes let this therefore moove you to hate sinne because it is restlesse The eighth Motive to moove you to hate sinne is because sinne is not acquainted with God it hath no familiaritie with him it is not accustomed to stand or be in his presence it stands in such termes with him that the sinner dares not looke upon God or draw neere him without shame and feare no wicked man dares doe thus so long as any uncleannesse cleaveth unto him in any degree But grace breeds an holy acquaintance with God and doth beget in the heart a kinde of noble friendship and familiaritie with God which will make a holy man to abhorre sinne as a base thing which beseemeth not that purenesse of that friendship which hee hath with Christ hence is that speech of Ezra in Ezra 9. O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee my God for my iniquities are gone c. that is because of my sinne I am ashamed to have any familiaritie with thee The ninth motive to move you to hate sinne is because if you live in sinne God will show you no mercy you shall find him not as a father but as a Iudge The mercy and kindnesse of God is a great and effectuall motive which God often uses in Scripture to move us from sinne thus the Lord dealt with David in 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. I gave thee thy Masters daughter and I made thee King in his steed and if this had beene too little I could have done much more wherefore then hast thou done thus and thus c. Againe in Micah 6. 4. 5 6 7. O my people what have I done unto you remember what I did for you when I brought you out of the land of Egypt remember what Balack King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him from Sittim unto Gilgall c. Againe in Deut. 32. 6. Doe you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is not hee thy father that hath made thee and fashioned thee that hath bought and established thee c. Gods dealing with us being soundly considered how often hee hath spared us and borne with us how much hee hath loved us and
Againe in Esa. 57. I dwell in the high and mightie place with him also that is of a contrite and broken spirit that is there is but two places that God delights to dwell in the one is in heaven and the other place is in a humbled heart now surely hee will not dwell there where he loves not for to dwell notes a speciall presence with them that is hee will not onely dwell in the heart but hee will make his presence to comfort the heart and againe in Esa. 66. I will bee neere unto them that are humble and that tremble at my words that is I will take a speciall care of them that are humble this readinesse of Christ to receive sinners is excellently set forth in the parable of the Prodigall How readily did the father receive a rebellious childe even so ready and much more ready is Christ to receive sinners that are humbled an example we have in David how ready was God to pardon Davids great sinne when he had humbled himselfe and the same we see in Peter and so here in Paul The reasons of this point are these The first reason is because mercy pleaseth him as it is in Micha I will pardon your transgressions because mercy pleaseth mee that is he delights to shew mercy to sinners and what man will not willingly doe any thing that pleaseth him The second reason is because mercy is naturall unto God that is it is his nature for although mercy be a qualitie in us yet it is a nature in God and what man will not willingly doe any thing that is agreeable unto his nature The third reason is because God is rich in mercy a man that is rich he will not respect the giving of a small gift but he will give liberally bountifully and it is for his credit to doe thus now if it be thus with men then how much more with God because he is the Store-house hath the fountaine in himself and therfore it stands with his honor to give liberally to be rich in mercy to his children The fourth reason is because God is our Father and you know a father hath a tender affection over his children and if it be thus with men then it is much more with God towards his children thou needst not to feare the missing of his mercy if thou be one of Gods children The consideration of this that God is exceeding mercifull should draw us close unto God that is is God mercifull then let us run unto him this hoping of mercy should winne us to come unto him for what is that which makes a Traytor or a Malefactor after Hue and cry to come in and lay downe the armes of Rebellion but the Proclamation of mercy and in hope of this he comes in Therefore when you heare that Christ is exceeding mercifull then come in only lay downe the armes of rebellion and you shall finde mercy Object Oh but saith some I would willingly come unto Christ but alas my sinnes are so many and so great that I feare Christ will not receive mee Answ. To this I answer what if thy sinnes be exceeding great and many yet they are not Infinite that is they doe not exceed the price payed for them But God is Infinite in mercy and therefore exceeds all thy sinnes Againe consider the abilitie and power of God he is able to make thee cleane and purge thee from all iniquitie and therefore feare not the greatnesse of thy sinnes only labour to finde the condition faith in thee and then come and take of Christ freely Secondly if God be exceeding mercifull then let men take heed that they wrong not themselves in regard of salvation by the neglect of those meanes whereby grace is got that is let men be humble and then let them know that Christ is mercifull And that you may not put off repentance and the getting of grace consider these particulars The first thing is this take the time and opportunitie when grace is offered that is it will bee good for you to strike while the Iron is hot and grinde while the winde blowes and saile when there is a faire gale so it is good to follow the spirit in its motion for as there is a time when the spirit is offered so there is a time when the spirit may not be got and therefore it is that this time is so insisted upon so often in Hebr. 3. To day if yee will heare his voyce c. that is there is a time when God will not be found of us though wee would give a world to have but one motion of the spirit againe one moment of repentance one offer of grace but you shall not well then now you have the time and opportunity that is the day of salvation I offer you Christ and salvation and you may have him if you will but receive him that is if you will but suffer him to rule in your hearts if you will but acknowledge him to bee your Lord and King you shall have him whatsoever thou art or hast beene for the time past onely if you will be a new man for the time to come but if you will not receive Christ now but refuse him there shall a time come when thou wouldest receive him but then thou shalt not Remember the five foolish Virgins Matth. 25. They were shut out of the marriage chamber and so maist thou if thou now refuse him Secondly consider that repentance is not in thine owne power that is it is a turning of the heart and casting of a man into a new mould the setting of the heart the right way and withall know that there is a false repentance Cain and Esau and Iudas repented as well as Paul and Peter and David but the one proceeded from the Spirit and the other from the flesh it must be sound repentance if it be acceptable now this no man can doe of his owne power and strength except there bee a supernaturall worke of grace in the soule There are two causes why God doth afflict his children First God afflicts his children because of some scandall I speake now of Gods children and thus David was afflicted because he gave a just occasion of scandall in the matter of Vriah therefore God afflicts him Secondly to weane them from the world because God knowes till they be humble and basely esteeme of themselves and the world they will not prize Christ or grace but when they are throughly humbled then they will come in and take Christ and therefore it is that wee preach Christ generally unto all that whosoever will come and take him may have him and therefore this is the question that wee move and propound unto all men whether they will receive Christ that is whether they will take him above all things for better or worse to bee their Lord Master and King if they will thus receive him they