one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to handle the third Question which is this wherein doth the difference appear between the restraining grace of the Spirit in keeping wicked men from sinne and between the renewing grace of the Spirit which is in the godly For answer to this question Ishall lay down seven differencing marks 1. The restraining grace of the Spirit in wicked men Num. 23.13 it doth only suppresse and abate the acts but doth not alter the disposition and will of a man as to siune Restraning grace to a wicked man it is just as a chaine to a Lion or a prison to a thief which restraines the rage of the one and thy theft of the other but changes not at all the nature of either You have two Scripture-instances for the confirmation hereof The one is of Balaam who told Balack That if he would give him his house full of silver and gold he could not curse the people But this forbearance to curse them did not arise from any indisposition that he had thereunto Num. 23.1 â—4 ver 27. but only from Gods restraint The Scripture gives you a fourfold attempt of his to curse them and in Num. 24.1 Num. 24.1 you have there a high expression when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to blesse Israel he went not as at other times to seek for inchantments but he set his face towards the wildernesse The meaning is this Mr. Arthur Jackson his Annotations on Num. 24.1 as a learned Expositor observes that Balaam went three times to have the devil to curse the people but first he would aske Gods leave whether he should curse them or no. But now the text saith he did not aske God leave but did look toward the wildernesse that is toward the place where the people of Israel were incamped and so he attempted to curse the people without Gods leave and therefore he set his face toward the people to see if he were able to do it and the Apostle Peter tells us that though he did not curse the people yet he loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 Est 5.9,10 So we read of Haman it is said when he saw Mordecai preferred that he was moved with indignation against him but yet the text saith that Haman refrained himself not that Hamans passion was subdued or altered against Mordecai but meerly God restrained and kept in his rage Restraining grace to a wicked man may be illustrated by these two example of the fiery furnace wherein the three children were cast and the den of Lions into which Daniel was thrown The fiery furnace it was as hot as ever and seventimes hotter then it formerly had been but at that time while the three children were in God did suspend or restraine the natural property of the fire to burne Thus it is with wicked men their lusts do burne as hot in them as ever only God by a mighty power keeps under their lusts Dan. 6.22 The Lions among whom Daniel was thrown they kept their ravenous disposition while Daniel was in the denne but God restrained it all the while Daniel was there thus God deals with wicked men he may restraine their sin but their disposition is toward sin still But now it is contrary with renuing grace it reaches not only to the suppressing of the act but works an alteration in the disposition of a man it doth not onely restraine a Lion but turnes a Lion into a Lamb Rom. 12.2 there is in the work of regeneration A renuing of the minde as the Apostle speaks there is a change in the minde that was not there before and therefore saith the same Apostle If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 not only restraine the act but mortifie the disposition this is the effect of renuing grace 2. Restraining grace makes a natural man refrain from sin more because of the severity of the law which condemnes then because of the purity of the law which forbids sin And this is it which Austin speaks of sayes he That man which feares hell Impii metuunt ardere non metuunt peccare ille autem peccare metuit qui peccatum iplum sicut Gehennam odit Aug. Epist 144. Ps 119.140 he doth not fear to sinne but fears to burne but that man fears to sinne that feares sinne as he would fear hell Restraining grace never makes a man thus fear sin but renuing grace doth and therefore saith the Psalmist Because sayes he thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it It is not only a threatening Word against sin but a pure Word which forbids sinne 3. Restraining grace it doth only make a man forbear grosse and palpable sins but doth not reach to any abstinence from secret and inward evils Outward restraint doth not reach to inward sinnes Natural conscience may see sinnes that are more grosse that as we have a sight of the stars in a bright night we may see the smallest starres but in a dark night we can only see those that are of a greater magnitude Thus it is with restraint which comes from natural conscience it only keeps in those sinnes which are of a more grosse nature whereas we are to mortifie our sinful and inordinate affections and thus the Apostle Paul commands Col. 3.5 Mortifie sayes he your members that are upon the earth fornication unclcannesse inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry Here you see that not only the act but the disposition and not only irregular actions but inordinate affections are forbidden and hereupon it was that Hezekiah he humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.25 2 Sam. 24.10 and David also for the pride of his heart in numbering the people 4. Restrained corruption it is unwillingly left a man doth unwillingly leave that sinne he is kept from and this is hinted to us by that expression concerning Abimelech in Gen. 20.6 where the Lord said Gen. 20.6 I also withheld thee from sinning against me the word notes a forwardnesse on Abimelech his part to commit fornication with Abrahams wife Restraining grace makes a man leave his sinnes as unwillingly as a man that leaves his wife and children countrey and estate he leaves these with much regret and bids them farewell with tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart but a man that hath renuing grace he is kept from sinne willingly he is as willing to leave a lust as a slave the gally a prisoner the dungeon or a begger his rags whereas a wicked man still in his natural contion doth as unwillingly leave his sin as Abraham did put Hagar and Ishmael out of dores Gen. 21.11 and as Phaltiel did take his leave of Michal 2 Sam. 3.16 where it is said that he followed her weeping even as the mariner doth
but Judaisme and what is it to be of a tender conscience but to have a needlesse scrupulosity By this meanes men allowing their corrupt hearts to argue thus carnally they are hindred from much good and therefore if thou wouldest be taken off from this deceit thou must labour to see the native lustre and beauty that is in holinesse and the filthinesse of sin 5. Another way whereby the heart of man deceives him is by pretence to do some lesser good and thereby neglect the doing of a greater and thus the devil and a mans own heart diverts him many a time It is an observation of Mr. Greenham that in many families every trisling businesse shall hinder prayer and this is the nature of a mans heart to make every slight businesse to divert him from duty and the exercises of religion Thus it was with the Pharisees Matth. 23. They would tithe Mint Annise and Cummin and so neglect righteousnesse and the more serious and weighty things of the Law Many men will content themselves to read a Chapter at home and neglect the Ministery of the Word and prayer in publick this is meerly the sly deceit of a mans own heart even as the ancient hereticks called Euchitae they were so intent on prayer as that they neglected all other service of God To this I would only say that those who make one duty to justle out another let such remember that duties are not contrary but subordinate and subservient one to another I may say of the duties of religion as the Scripture speaks of the Lamps of the Sanctuary they were so seated that one lamp should kindle another so duties they are so ordered by God that one duty shall help another and fit for another prayer fits for hearing hearing fits a man for meditation and meditation fits for prayer and so of all other duties and therefore they which make one duty to hinder another they make those things contrariant which the Lord hath made concordant 6. Another stratagem which the flesh useth is this that if it cannot perswade men wholly to neglect duty yet it will endeavour to make them abate in duty It may be thy corrupt heart cannot prevaile with thee to cast off prayer and hearing the Word so as never to perform these duties yet will it labour to gain thus much upon thee that thou shalt pray more seldome then thou hast done and hear not so often as formerly thou hast done As it is a deceit of the heart to bring us from small sins to great sins so also is it the policy of the flesh from the doing of duty seldom at last to bring us not to do it at all And to antidote you against this infection of nature I shall lay down these following considerations 1. It is the policy of thy heart not to make thee cast off duty wholly and at once but to make thee abate gradually Revel 2.4 The Church at Ephesus did gradually decay first left off her first love and afterwards her first works and the reason is because hereby thy heart and the devil knowes that abatements when they are gradual they are lesse sensible but neglects when they are total they fall under the cognizance of a natural conscience You must pray sometimes and hear sometimes else conscience will check a man but gradual decayes they are not so sensibly perceived and therefore the devill and thy own heart will let thee pray and will let thee hear but not so much as formerly thou hast done this is a snar which many of Gods people have been taken in 2. Consider that the soule is in as much danger by gradual decayes and abatements as by total omissions A leake in a ship though but small will at last as certainly and more dangerously because more insensibly and unperceivingly cause the ship to miscarry as a violent storme Lingring consumptions do kill men as surely as violent burning fevers it is true a fever or the plague may kill a man in three dayes but a consumption will as certainly bring a man to his end and to his grave 7. Corrupt nature will suggest to thee that thou shouldest leave off duty because of the unalterable decree of God Corrupt nature will tell thee that if thou art ordained to damnation all thy praying and all thy hearing will never save thee and if thou art ordained to salvation though thou doest not hear so much and pray so much it shall not procure thy eternal damnation this deceit is rooted in the hearts of all the sonnes of men and in answer thereto I have onely these three things to lay before you 1. As to duty you are not to consult with Gods secret decrees but with his revealed Word Secret things belong to the Lord our God but revealed things to us and our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law Deut. 29.29 We are not to look to the decrees of God and upon them either do or not do our duty but we are to look to his revealed will which bids us be conversant in holy duties of religion and godlinesse we are not to search the secret records of heaven but the Scriptures It was a good saying of holy Mr. Bradford A man should not go to the University of Predestination untill he be well grounded in the Grammar-School of obedience and repentance 2. Consider that the same decree which determines the end of a man Qui destinat ad finem destinat ad media determines also the means to bring about that end If thou art decreed to be damned the same God decrees that thou shalt be left to walk in such wayes which lead to damnation and if thou art decreed to be saved God hath also decreed that thou shouldest walke in those wayes which lead to everlasting life and this the Apostle tells you Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them not onely our happinesse but our holinesse is decreed by God 3. You which yield to this plea of nature you will not yield to this plea in other things you will not reason thus in matters of the world should a man reason thus God hath decreed from all eternity how long I shall live in the world and therefore because the decree is irrevocable I will neither eat meat nor wear clothes you would accompt this man rather a mad man then one in his wits He that refuseth meat Gods Ordinance to continue life is a self-murderer and he that omitteth duties of Religion out of any pretence of Gods decree is a soul-murderer as it is thus in nature so also is it in grace as God hath decreed the end so also hath he decreed the means conducing thereunto 8. You will say through the suggestion of a selfe-deceiving heart you are unable to perform any good this is the plea of many they will say
in this particular I shall handle this case of conscience concerning it wherein appeares the difference between a man that hath only a naturall sensiblenesse of Gods hand upon him and one that mournes and grieves immoderately and excessively betwixt a kindly grieving and a passionate venation of spirit and this I shall doe in these six following particulars Answ 1. Where there is only a naturall sensiblenesse a kindely grieving for worldly crosses it will rather animate and quicken the soule to religious duties then any way indispose and interrupt them and therefore it is that you so often finde weeping joyned with prayer and supplication in Scripture thus it is said Iacob wept and made supplication and in Jer. 3.21 Hos 12.4 A voyce was heard upon the high places weeping and supplications of the children of Israel so in Ier. 31.9 They shall come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them So in Judg. 2.5,6 it is said the children of Israel at Bochim lift up their voyce and wept and sacrificed to the Lord. All which places shew that that sorrow which is onely a naturall sensiblenesse of Gods hand will quicken and encourage the soule to duty rather then indispose him but now on the other side excessive sorrow renders a man unfit for prayer reading hearing the word or any other holy duty As in Psal 77.4 Asaph was so overwhelmed with sorrow that he could not speak And Exod. 6.9 then is thy sorrow immoderate when it interrupts thee in the performance of holy duties 2. Where there is onely a kindly grieving and a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there is kindled in that mans heart a sympathizing and fellow-feeling of other mens troubles that man will carry compassionate bowels towards other men that are in trouble as well as themselves Job 30.25 saies Job did not I weep for him that was in trouble was not my soule grieved for the poor but now where sorrow is immoderate you will so think upon your own troubles that you will not pity any that are in the like condition with you 3. Where there is only a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there is retained in that soule a fence of those many mercies you doe enjoy as well as of the afflictions and sufferings you doe endure naturall sensiblenesse of afflictions does not take away the comfort and enjoyment of present mercies there is a sense of mercies enjoyed as well as of afflictions endured But now in immoderate sorrow the very sense of your trouble and crosses doth take away and imbitter all your former or present mercies As in Numb 16.12,13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us out of a Land that floweth with milk and honey to kill us in the wildernesse Pray marke for there is much of Gods mind in this place the Land that these men speak of here is the land of Aegypt where they were under bondage and slavery and yet when they met with afflictions in the wildernesse they forgot the bondage they were delivered from in Egypt but said it was a Land flowing with milke and honey immoderate sorrow for afflictions doth quite take away all sense of the mercies you doe enjoy 4. Where there is onely a naturall sensiblenesse of worldly crosses there prayer to God or a promise from God will quiet the heart This you may see verified in Hannah in 1 Sam. 1.18,19 she was grieved for a child but what then She prayed and said Let thine handmaid finde grace in thy sight so the woman went away and did eate and her countenance was no more sad After she had poured forth her heart in prayer to God she was comforted she went her way and was no more sad Then is your sorrow right when going to God upon your knees will quiet your heart Or 2. When a promise from God will comfort you thus it was with David in Psal 119.50 saies he This is my comfort in affliction for thy word hath quickned me that is the word of a promise So in Vers 92. Vnlesse thy law had been my delight I should then have perished in my affliction And in Verse 107. I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according to thy word Then is your sorrow moderate when either a prayer to God or a promise from God will quiet your hearts and then are your sorrows immoderate when under any affliction all the promises in the Bible cannot quiet you nor any prayer to God comfort you And thus it was with Job in Job 9.16 saies he If I had called and he had answered me yet would I not believe that he had hearkned unto my voyce And therefore beloved look to it you that have met with many worldly crosses and troubles and never a prayer could comfort you nor promise quiet you it is an argument that your sorrows were immoderate 5. Where there is only a naturall sensibleness of worldly crosses there that soule does notwithstanding all his afflictions justifie God and condemn himself acknowledging his own sin to be the cause of all crosses This you have an instance of in Lamen 1.18 In all the evill that is come upon us the Lord is righteous and in Dan. 9.14 the Lord is righteous in all that is come upon us for we have rebelled and done evill in his sight So David Psal 51.3 I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is ever before me then is your sorrow right when you can justifie God and take shame to your selves But now where sorrow is vexatious and excessive there a sinner flies out against God and rather justifies himself there the finner accounts God very severe and cruel in his dispensations and murmures against him thinks ill of him and of his wayes and in this condition was Job once Job 16.17 He breaketh me with a tempest and multiplieth my wounds without a cause he blamed God and justified himself which declared his sorrow to be immoderate and excessive You have a notable passage for this in Esay 8.21 it is said that when God shall bring afflictions and trouble upon the Land then they shall curse their King and their God and look upward they shall be so overcome with sorrow as that they shall curse God and justifie themselves so in Prov. 19.3 saies Solomon the foolishness of man perverteth his way and his heart fretieth against the Lord. 6. Where there is only a naturall sensibleness under the hand of God there will be an aptness to hearken to comfortable counsel from the word of God to bear up the heart under afflictions and therefore it is said Job 33. when God laid afflictions upon him he opened his ears to counsel when you are so tamed by afflictions that you will hear the voice of the rod and the voice of the word and hearken to any counsel that is tendered to you to bear up and support your spirits then is your sorrow regular and such as God allows of but now where sorrow
should come when these words were spoken when Noah was five hundred years old and the flood came when he was six hundred yeares old therefore here is twenty yeares shorter then Gods promise This is an intricate knot and interpreters are forced to take much paines to untie it and to vindicate the faithfulnesse of God herein let God be true and every man a lier Jerome he gives this answer saies he It is true God did promise an hundred and twenty years between the making of the promise and the accomplishment the wickednesse of men grew so great and did so provoke God that he did contract the promise to twenty years lesse and thus Musculus also who farther saies God making promise reserves the condition in his own breast for as God may not bring a judgement threatened upon a people upon their speedy repentance as in the case of the Ninevites so neither is he bound to give them a mercy promised in case of wilful and obstinate and incorrigible wickednesse as in the case of Elies family I said saith God to Eli that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever But now the Lord saith â—e it farre from me c. But the best and genuine answer given hereto is this that this promise was made to Noah not when he was five hundred yeares old but when he was four hundred and fourscore for though it be said in the fifth chapter and the last verse that Noah was five hundred yeares old yet that text doth not say he was so old when this promise was made Thus Rivet Mercer and others There is one difficulty in this answer It may be objected that this promise was made after Noah was said to be five hundred years old 1 Sam. 2.30 To which I answer that in Scripture it is usual in the relating of Histories not to observe an exact order Gen. 1.21 so that some things may be placed before which may be done after and some things after which may be done before as for instance you may read of the womans creation after the seventh day Moses would not observe a direct order but did put those things after which were done before And so likewise another instance you have of a thing put before done afterwards In the case of Terah you reade that he was two hundred and five years old and he died Gen. 11.32 and yet you finde that Isaac's birth is not mentioned until some ten chapters afterwards whereas Terah lived some thirty five years after the birth of Isaac I only mention this to shew the consistency of this answer with other places of Scripture to which may be added what judicious Calvin hath to solve this doubt that though it be said that Noah was six hundred years old when he was but five hundred and eighty yet because he was going in the six hundreth year and so near it as twenty yeares therefore the Holy Ghost saith Noah was six hundred years expressing his age by a whole number Thus you have the difficulties explained My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. It may be observed from the whole that when God threatened the judgement of a flood he threatened a worse judgement before it to note that Gods withdrawing his ordinances or withdrawing the efficacy of his Spirit from his ordinances was a worse punishment then any bodily punishment I mention this in the prologue to the point that so when you hear me handle the grievousnesse of this judgement you may look upon it as a most sad and heavy one And yet before I raise the doctrine I must distinguish to you about a double withdrawing of Gods Spirit when the Scripture saies My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man it includes two things 1. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive in the Ministery of the word by effectual working 2. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive by inward motions and checks upon the conscience I shall handle the point both wayes And the first point is this Doctr. 1. That it is a very grievous and deplorable judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings of his Spirit from the outward Ministery of the word I might note collaterally from the word strive That the work of conversion it is a hard work it is not an easie work to convince a man But I shall follow the doctrine I have propounded and in the opening thereof shall dispatch two things 1. Shew you that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withdrawn or withheld from the Ministery of the word 2. The reasons why God sends this judgement upon any part of the world 1. To demonstrate the truth of the first I shall lay down but this one evidence It appears to be so great a judgement because when the Spirit is withheld from the ordinances there can be no efficacy in them to convert a soul A sword in a living mans hand may pierce and wound but a painted sword in a painted mans hand upon the wall can do nothing at all so the word preached without the Spirit of God can do no more then a sword in the hand of a George on horseback it may please the phansie and tickle the eare but never pierce the heart it must be the Spirit of God which works upon the heart Ye are the epistle of Christ â—aies the Apostle written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God 2 Cor. 3.3 And as the same Apostle speaks My preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 It must be the mighty power of God which works upon the heart The Ministery of the word it is like that poole of Bethesda John 5.4 there was no native vertue in the water to heale but the text saies when the Angel did move the water he that first stept in was healed of whatsoever disease he had Ordinances they are like this poole there is no native vertue in bare preaching and bare hearing but it must be the Spirit of God which must move upon these waters otherwise they become not effectual 2 Cor. 3.6 The letter kills but the Spirit gives life which words are not to be understood in Origens sense the letter that is the literal sense and the Spirit that is the allegorical sense neither the meaning is the letter that is the Old Testament and the Spirit that is the New Testament as the Antinomians say but the meaning of the word the letter that is the word of God abstractively considered from the Spirit of God that kills it leaves a man in a dead estate but it is the Spirit which gives life that is the Spirit backing the Ministery of the word makes it effectual to give Spiritual life Thus it appeares to be a grievous judgement when the Spirit is withheld from the Ordinances of God because without the Spirit
Ordinances as the meanes but to the Spirit of God as the Author of grace the Ordinances cannot without the Spirit do us good and the Spirit without the Ordinances ordinarily will not Therefore we must neither refuse Ordinances nor rest in them lest Gods Spirit depart 3. God may withhold his Spirit from the Word because men withhold preparation from the Word they hear With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Mark 4.24 It is spoken of hearing of the Word as you measure to God in an holy endeavour to prepare for hearing God by his Spirit will proportion to you a blessing in hearing 4. Generall unfruitfulnesse under fruitful Ordinances that may be another cause When men sit under the droppings of Heaven as it were and are yet barren this may provoke God to do as he did with his Vineyard to take away the hedge and let the beasts of the field destroy it and that no rain fall on it 5. when men increase in sin Isa 5.3 who attend on the Ministery of the Word and thus it was with the old world who enjoyed the Ministery of Noah Methusalah and other holy men and yet their wickednesse grew exceeding great which did greatly provoke God and caused him to withdraw his Spirit that it should not any longer strive with them SERMON II. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving opened and explained these words and shewed how that it is a grievous judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings and operations of his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word and likewise laid down the reasons hereof I come now to make the application thereof which shall carry a double reference 1. To those who finde the strivings and workings of the Spirit in the ministery of the Word 2. To those who have the Spirit withheld from the ministery which they attend upon Vse 1 To those who are perswaded that they finde the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the ministery of the word there are two cautions or positions I would lay down for such Position 1 Be sure you do not mistake moral perswasion to be the Spirits special working in you When reason is convinced by the strength of Scripture-argument this is a morall perswasion and the word of God may go farre this way and yet there be onely a common work of the Spirit reason may be convinced and there may be a great stirring up of the affections where there is no effectual working of the Spirit there may be flashes of joy as in John Baptists hearers they rejoyced in him for a season pangs of fear as in Felix fits of sorrow as in Esau and Ahab Moral perswasions are very like unto the Spirits workings and that you may not take the one for the other I shall lay down these three distinctions 1. Moral perswasions do reach but to the outward man but the Spirits operations to the inward man they are such which reach the heart and the inward part Thou desirest truth saith David in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdome Psal 51.6 2. Moral perswasions they do only restraine the acts of sinne but the Spirits working debilitates the habits of sinne and herein is the force and power of the Spirits workings seene in that it changes the habit and mortifies the inclination to that which is evill 3. Moral perswasions they only make a man forbeare sinne rather for feare of punishment then out of love to holinesse or hatred of sinne with respect to God whereas the operations of the Spirit they are upon the heart changing it and making it in love with holinesse causing us to hate sinne more then fear the punishment of it viz. because of its contrariety to Gods goodnesse holinesse and authority Position 2 To them who have found the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the Ministery of the Word ascribe the glory to God only not to the meanes nor to your selves in the use of the meanes neither glory to the Minister nor glory to the Ministery 2 Cor. 3.3 nor glory to your selves but to God only Ye are our Epistle written saies the Apostle not with pen and inke but with the Spirit of the living God he compares the people to paper the Ministery to inke the Minister to the pen but it must be the Spirit of God which must write with it 2 Cor. 10.4 through the working of the Spirit the Ministery becomes effectuall The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strong holds he doth not say we are mighty but the Gospel â—s mighty not in it self but it is mighty through the operations of the Spirit of God And so also the Apostle saies he I laboured more abundantly then they ai yet not I but the grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Ministers must say with Peter Acts 3.12 Why look you so earnestly on us as if by our own power and holinesse we had made this man walke vers 16. No But the name of Jesus Christ hath made this man strong Ascribe not therefore praise to the Minister nor to your selves you have not been your own converters you gave not your selves your first being in nature much lesse your being in grace it is not you but the grace of God Thy pound saith that servant in the Parable hath gained ten pounds and thy pound hath gained five pounds Luk 19.16,18 not my paines but thy pound So say you to God in all that good you have received by Ordinances thy Spirit hath been the worker and effecter of it Psal 115.1 and unto thee be given all the glory Not unto us but unto thy Name be the glory Position 3 To them who have found the workings of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word see thou be thankful for it Consider that the Spirit doth work upon men more clearly and more efficaciously now under the Gospel then ever it did upon men under the Law and this is a very comfortable position the Spirit of God works more clearly and efficaciously 1. More clearly In the latter dayes the Spirit speaks expresly and holy men of God wrote as they were directed by the Spirit of God 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nearer it was to Christs coming in the flesh the clearer were things of the Covenant of grace known and so the Evangelist Saint Luke writing to Theophilus saies Most excellent Theophilus the things which we write are most surely believed among us Luke 1.1 things were hardly believed before because they were darkly delivered and therefore you read that in other ages the Ministery of Christ was not made known to the sonnes of men as it is now revealed unto us by his Spirit Eph. 3.5 it was a Mystery hid
from the foundation of the world that is not totally hid in comparison of the now revealing it but there was not so clear a discovery made thereof by the Spirit and here I would have you to observe that under the Old Testament the Spirit did reveale things gradually now a little and then a little and did keep the full manifestation of the glory of Christ untill he came in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.1 As first in Adams time it was only known unto the world that the Saviour of mankinde should be born of a woman And then in Abrahams time it was farther revealed that Christ which should save the world should come out of Abrahams loines but then all this while Gen. 12.3 though it were known that he should be of the seed of a woman and of the seed of Abraham also Yet thirdly it was not revealed of what tribe he should be that was revealed in Jacobs time viz. of that tribe of Judah Gen. 49.10 but yet in all this time it was not mentioned how he should be borne and therefore in Isaiahs time it was said A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Sonne but where he should be borne Isa 7.14 that was not revealed untill Micahs time where it is said Micah 5.2 But thou Bethlem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings out have beene from of old from everlasting nor the time till Daniel had it by revelation Dan. 9.24 Thus you see and thus true it is what the Apostle tells you that at sundry times and in divers manners the Lord hath revealed himself to the sonnes of men Heb. 1.1 so that herein what cause have we to blesse God that we are not borne in ancient dayes but in those wherein the Spirit of God doth reveale plainly and clearly the Mysteries of Religion 2. As the Spirit in these dayes of the Gospel doth make known things more plainly and clearly So also more efficaciously the Spirit operates with more efficacy upon mens affections and therefore in the dayes of John the Baptist it is said Matth. 11.12 that the Kingdome of Heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force that is the Spirit by its effectual working did make men more eager and vehement for heaven then they were before under the Law There shall be a more glorious manifestation of the Spirit in its operations and hence you read of that promise in the Prophet Isaiah concerning the abundance of Gospel-grace that the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes Isa 30.26 In Gospel-times there is a full revelation of the Spirit and therefore you read that when Ezekiel described the holy City in his Prophesie and Saint John the New Jerusalem in his Revelations John describes his City farre more large then Ezekiel did his to note say Interpreters that God reveals more by his Spirit now then he did in former time Position 4 You that have found the Spirit of God efficacious in the Ministery Consider That the Spirit to set a dignity on the Ministery of the Word doth not work upon man immediately but mediately the Spirit will not teach men immediately but transmits them to an outward ministery which sets a great dignity upon it I shall give you three famous instances hereof wherein the Spirit refuses to teach men immediately but leaves them to an outward Ministery One whereof you haves concerning the Ethiopian Eunuch who reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Isaiah and the Spirt observing him how he read and could not understand bids Philip go neare and joyne himself to his Chariot and expound to him what he read Acts 8.29 the Spirit would not do it immediately himself but bids Philip go Interpreters observe hence what a dignity the Spirit of God puts on the Ministery of the Word that in those times when Visions and Revelations were in use yet God establisht the Ministery Another instance you have of Paul at his conversion Act. 9.4 c. when he saw that Vision and heard that voice Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and crying out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Now Christ would not tell Paul immediately but saies he Go to Damascus and thertehou shalt meet with Ananias and he will tell thee what thou shalt do Thus Christ he would not immediately himself teach Paul but sends him to Ananias that he might set◠greater dignity upon the Gospel-Ministery And therefore they that will expect the Spirit must attend upon the Ordinances as those that would be healed must step into the Poole when the Angel moved Another example you have of Cornelius when he saw the Angel and was sore afraid and said What is it Lord The Lord he bids him send for Peter and he should shew him what he ought to do Thus doth the Lord dignifie the Ministery of the Gospel I mention this particular the rather to shew the vanity of Enthusiasme that would abolish the Ministery and cry up the Spirits immediate teaching but here we see the great dignity which the Spirit sets on the Ministery of poor weak and fraile man in that he will not teack men immediately but sends them to the Ministery of the Gospel Position 5 Though the Spirit who is absolutely free in his operations sometimes hath wrought without the Word yet never hath the Spirit wrought upon any mans heart against the Word To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to the Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 I mention this Position to condemne those vaine impulses of Spirit which men in our dayes pretend to but let such remember that to plead an impulse of Spirit contrary to the Word of God it is not from God but an instigation from the Devill And yet many have forsaken the bright Lamp of Gods Word to follow the ignis fatuus of their own fancy Position 6 You which have found the efficacious working of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word blesse you God that hath not left you a naked empty and inefficacious Ministery to attend upon the word as it is in our mouths without the operation of the Spirit is but a poor weak and empty thing thereby men often occasionally are hardened and perverted but you who have found the Spirit backing the Word in the Ministery thereof blesse you God that hath put such rich treasure in earthen vessels that what the Apostle said to the Corinthians is made good to you 1 Cor. 2.4,5 Our Ministery saies he came not to you with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power blesse you God that hath put forth such a power in
the Ministery of the Word for the good of your souls This is the first use to to those who have found the Ministery of the Word accompanied with the efficacy of the Spirit Vse 2 To those who have the efficacy and operation of the Spirit withheld from the Ministery they attend upon there are seven things I would have such to take notice of 1. That Gods Spirit is a free agent and is not to be tied to an outward Ministery but to be left at liberty to work how when and in what manner he pleases The winde bloweth where it listeth even so is every man which is born of the Spirit John 3.8 By the wind is meant the Spirit There is a Sovereignty and free agency in the Spirit of God to work when he pleases or to withhold working from whom he pleases And therefore the Spirit of God is called a free Spirit Psal 51.12 Vphold me with thy free Spirit and James 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth 2. Consider that God doth not withhold his Spirit from the outward Ministery meerly as an act of his Sovereignty but as an act of his Justice because of your sins whereby you have provoked him You provoke him to withhold the efficacy of his Spirit from his Ordinances by your sins and therefore are you hardened and receive not benefit by them you do some of those injuries to the Spirit as quenching grieving resisting vexing tempting and despising the Spirit which I mentioned before therefore do not think hardly of God but judge your selves Sinne was the cause which made the Lord withdraw his Spirit that it should not strive with the men of the old world it was their disobedience as you finde the Apostle Peter speaking Christ by his Spirit went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah 1 Pet 3.19.20 their disobedience made God withdraw the efficacy of his Spirit if therefore the Spirit do not work on you think not hardly on God but thank your selves he is provoked unto it Thus God departed from the Israelites because of their sinfull provocations Psalm 81.11,12 But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own wayes The Spirit in Scripture is compared to a Dove now a Dove will alwayes keep in the house where it is bred unlesse the Dove-house be nastily kept The Spirit of God in this may fitly be resembled by a Dove keep your hearts clean and the Spirit will abide with you keep them nasty and the Spirit will soone leave you sin is the cause why the Spirit withdraws it self from the Ordinances and why men are left unto themselves and God doth it as an act of his justice punishing of sin 3. If God do withhold his Spirit from the Ministery of the Word the fault is rather to be imputed to thy self then unto the Word Many like the woman in Seneca complaine the roome is dark when they themselves are blinde and the place wants no light but they want eyes Or to him that preaches the Word usually if men do not profit by the hearing of the word the blame is cast upon the Minister and truly we Ministers have our faults as well as others if we preach not plainly methodically and duly there is a fault in us but yet I say you are rather to blame your selves then either the Word or the Minister thereof If the seed grow not the fault is neither in the hand of the husbandman nor in the influence of the heavens but in the badnesse of the soile That you may know where the fault lies consider 1. If a Minister preaches plainly and impartially and yet thou gettest no good by him the fault is thy own not his It was the Herodians fault not Christs that those persons profited not by Christs preaching for they themselves give this testimony of Christ Matth. 22.16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth 2. If other men get good by his Ministery and not thou the fault is thine not his If at a feast others are fed thou famisht the fault is in thy stomach not meat 3. In case you have formerly got good by a Minister but now you get none formerly your affections were stirred up your desires were increased your love inflamed but now no such effect the fault is thine own It was the fault of the hearers of John Baptist the fault was not in John's Doctrine that they rejoyced onely for a season this also was the fault of the Galatians that they profited not by Pauls Ministery as before Gal. 4.16 Gal. 4.16 This cometh not from the seed it self but from the badnesse of the ground into which it is cast If thou profitest not by the Word thou hearest thou art to blame thine own naughty heart not the Word or the dispenser thereof 4. Though there is much dignity and excellency to be ascribed to the Word of God nakedly considered yet there is no efficacy in it to convert a soul without the Spirits ' concurrence As it was in the Pool of Bethesda not the water nor stepping into it healed but the Angels moving therein John 5.4 So also not the Word alone nor hearing of it 2 Cor. 3.6 but the Spirit healeth The letter kills but the Spirit gives life saies the Apostle that is the Word without the Spirit it is only the Spirit which can give life The Spirit without the Word will not ordinarily convert and the Word without the Spirit cannot I create the fruit of the lips peace peace Isa 57.19 by the fruit of the lips the Prophet understands a Gospel-Ministery but sayes God I must not create peace by the fruit of the lips it is the working of the Spirit with the Word which makes the Word to become effectual and therefore the Gospel is called the Ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8,9 5. It is a worse judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Word then to be without the Word and the reason is this because the Spirit can convert a man without the Word but the Word can never convert a man without the Spirit and therefore it is a worse judgement for thee to hear Sermons every day and to have the Spirits concurrent efficacy withheld from those Sermons then if thou shouldest never learn a Sermon in all thy life-time therefore pray unto God that his own Spirit may accompany his own Word and Ordinances to make them effectuall for the good of thy soul 6. The Spirit of God may be for a time withheld from Gods own people that it shall not attend an outward Ministery and this is a very sad judgement it may be withheld from Gods elect in a converting way As the man lay 38. yeers at
the poole of Bethesda before he was healed so an elect vessell of God may lie twenty thirty or fourty yeers in a state of unregeneracy before he is converted Nay after conversion the Spirit of God may be withheld from the Ministery of the Word which Gods own people attend upon and that in these two wayes 1. In its Comforting work and thus it was with David Lord saies he take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit Psal 51.11.12 thus was the Spirit withdrawn from David in its comforting work I do not tell you the graces of Gods children can be taken away but the comfort of their graces and of the Spirit of God may be taken away from them 2. God may withhold his Spirit in its quickening work thou mayest come to an Ordinance with a hard heart and it may not soften thee though the presence of God is never utterly taken away from a godly man yet the influences and quickenings of Gods Spirit may be withdrawn the Spirit may be withdrawn in a quickening way so as in grace thou mayest decay and in duty thou mayest grow cold and dull but yet the presence of God shall never be taken away from a godly man There is the same Sun in the firmament in winter as in summer but not the warme working and quickening influence 7. And lastly The Spirit of God may be given to men waiting on a publike Ministery in its common workings and yet it may be withheld from them in its saving and effectuall operations and thus it was with the Corinthians many of them had the Spirit to attend Pauls Ministery in the common workings of it but yet not in its saving effects and therefore saies Paul Though you come behinde in no gifts yet I must speak unto you as carnal look to your selves therefore the Spirit in its common workings may attend the Ministery to fill you with notions yet it may be withheld in regard of its saving operations SERMON III. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 3. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. HAving shewed that it is a grievous judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Ministery of the Word and laid down several Cautions and Positions concerning this judgement I come now to answer an objection Objection You may say This is a very sad judgement indeed but what demonstration may be given thereof or how may it be known that this judgement is in any part of the world Answ For answer hereunto you must know that this is a very dark point and hardly determined and therefore many of the particulars I shall give in answer to it they shall be but probable conjectures rather then infallible Demonstrations There are many things that give me to fear that in part the saving operations of the Spirit are withheld from the Ministery of the Word 1. And first we have cause to fear that in part the Spirit is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word amongst us because there are fewer which are converted by the Ministery of the Word now then there were in former times now the Spirit ceases to back the Ministery of the Word with numerous numbers of Converts it is an argument that the Spirit is in part withdrawn When the Disciples did first preach the Gospel how did Satan fall down like lightening before the Word there were three thousand converted in one day by Peters Sermon and how may we preach three thousand times and yet not convert one Acts 2.41 Multitudes were brought in and converted in the morning of the Gospel according to that Gospel-promise Psal 110.3 From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth that is multitudes of people should be converted upon the first preaching of the Gospel which should overspread the earth even as the morning dew but in the age wherein God hath cast us the number of converts are greatly lessend and not only lessened to what they were in former time but to what they have been in our time what numbers of the younger sort of people did come in upon the preaching of the Word within these few yeers but now how is the work of conversion at a great stand heretofore Ministers fished as with a net many were brought in but now we fish as it were with an angle now one comes in and then another this may be one probable demonstration that in part the Spirit of God is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word 2. Another conjecture is this when men that live under the Ministery of the Word grow worse and worse and not better for men to remaine many yeeres under the Ministery of the Word and yet to be more blinde and more blockish and more perversel and more profane this argues that certainly the Spirit of God is withheld from such and that their destruction is nigh the ground which hath the raine often falling upon it and yet is unfruitful Heb. 6.7.8 is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned as the Apostle speaks The Spirit being withheld the raine of the Gospel is a curse to them and the end of such shall be burning 3. You may feare the Spirit is withdrawn from the Ministery of the Word because there are more perverted by Errour then converted by the Truth for these last years especially since erroneous men have had liberty and countenance What multitudes have beene perverted and led away by the Errours of ungodly men this is an argument of a judiciall hardnesse upon the Land How are we fallen into those times of which the Apostle Peter speaks wherein shall be false teachers and such who shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2.1,2 How many in these our dayes have been perverted following the pernicious wayes of false teachers which surely is an argument of the Spirits suspension from the Ministery Demonstr 4 4. Because the Word of truth is so adulterated with Error this may be a reason why the Word prevailes so little upon the hearts of men As in a field where there are many weeds the seed will never grow there so where there are many Errours sprung up in a Church the seed of Gods Word will not thrive there The increase of damnable Heresies suspends the working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of men Christ it is said of him Mark 7.13 that he taught the people with authority and not as did the Scribes and why not as did the Scribes you have the reason given by Christ in the Evangelist Saint Marke sayes he You make the Word of God of none effect through your traditions which ye have delivered It was of no force upon the consciences of their followers their erroneous traditions made
upon mens consciences Inference 4 Labour and pray the lesse the Spirit of God hath striven with you before the commission of sin that it may the more strive with you by convincing you after you have fallen into it It may be you have sinned ignorantly aptly eagerly or deliberately the more the Spirit hath bin withheld from thee before the commission of sinne pray to have it strive the more with thee afterwards and that in these three wayes 1. By working in thee a more clear conviction of sinne to shew thee not sin in the lump but thy particular sinne clothed with all its haynous and agravating circumstances to convince thee savingly that there may be as it were some compensation made of the Spirits being before whithheld from thee 2. In a more deep humiliation the more the Spirit hath been withheld from you before the commission of sinne desire that the more the Spirit may cast thee down after its commission This was typed out under the Law that man which did but touch an unclean thing was to be unclean till evening but if a man had carried an unclean thing about him then he was to cast off all his clothes So if you have but touched a sinne you are to be humbled but if you have fallen into a sinne which the Spirit hath not convinced you of then you are to labour for a greater measure of conviction and humiliation afterwards 3. Learn that the Spirit may work in thee a more dear affection to Jesus Christ It is observed of Peter the Spirit did more leave him to fall into sinne then he did all the other Apostles except Judas Now when Christ comes to aske Peter whether he loved himor not saies he Simon Peter doest thou love me more then these He doth not say onely doest thou love me Peter but lovest thou me more then these as if he should say Peter thou hast sinned against me more then all the other Apostles have and therefore thou shouldest love me more then they So Mary Magdalene she was a great sinner having seven Devils cast out of her but what is said of her Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her for she loved much that is the lesse love she had to Jesus Christ before the commission of sinne the more she had afterwards Many sinnes were forgiven her and therefore she loved much therefore in that place must not be understood as if her love was a cause of her being forgiven but a demonstration and an evidence of it SERMON V. At Lawrence Jury London Novemb. 17. 1650. GEN. 6. verse 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man c. I Proceed now to handle to you the with-holdings of the Spirit in reference to good that it shall not stirre up holy motions in the heart unto duty But before I come particularly to speak of this I shall lay down a fourfold distinction about the Spirits motions to good 1. There are exciting acts of the Spirit in stirring up holy affections in the heart in blowing up those coales of affection and grace within them John 14.26 and this is that which was promised by Christ that the holy Ghost shall bring all things to rememberance 2. There is an assisting act of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit in Scripture is said to help our infirmities You reade not onely of an intercession of the Spirit in a way of acceptance but of an intercession of the Spirit by way of assistance As in a tree though there be a seminal vertue in the tree yet without the helping influence of heaven it beares no fruit So the Spirit of God helps us to work Col. 1.18 Psal 12.13 and Ephes 1.19 3. There is a corroborating act of the Spirit not onely bare assistance but strength and increase of grace by the Spirit of God to the souls of men and therefore you read of the supplies of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farther degrees and measures of the Spirit 4. There is a comforting and a testifying act of the Spirit when the Spirit of God shall back the testimony of thy conscience to evidence the sincerity of thy heart and thus you read of Paul that his conscience did beare him witnesse in the holy Ghost the Spirit of God did witnesse with his spirit the truth and sincerity of his heart Rom. 9.1 2 Cor. 1.12 Now though I might handle all these particulars and shew what a grievous judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in these regards Yet I shall onely speak of the Spirit and shew what a sad judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in its exciting acts that it shall not stir up holy motions in the heart to good in the handling of which I shall proceed after this method 1. Shew you wherein it appears to be a judgement to have the Spirit withheld in regard of holy motions to good 2. When the Spirit doth vouchsafe such motions how you may know them and difference them from those motions to good which the Devil may stir a man up unto 1. That man from whom the Spirit is withheld in its motions unto good there are these three miseries which will attend him 1. There will be a vacuity or emptinesse of holy thoughts in thy heart The Spirit of God is like unto the spring in the Clock if that lie still all lies still so if the Spirit of God lies still within thee Phil. 2.13 all thy affections which are the motions of thy soul they cannot stirre It is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure If the Spirit of God be withheld there cannot be so much as a will in thee to that which is truly good Mans heart it is like that house in the Parable Matth. 12.44 when the Spirit is withheld from him when the Devil came to possesse it it is said that he found it empty swept and garnished empty that is void of any holy thoughts and gracious motions and garnished that is not with the graces of Gods Spirit but with the Devils furniture and if you will see what that furniture is read Matth. 15.19,20 There will be an emptinesse in thy heart of good motions when God withdrawes his Spirit 2. Thy heart will he filled and pestered with evill motions from the Devill Mans heart it cannot lie long idle or empty if it be not filled withe the Spirits motions it will be by the Devils instigations The heart if it be not Christs garden it will be the Devils Seminary if not Christs store-house it will be the Devils work-house if it be not the Temple of the holy Ghost it will be the Devils Chappel Now this is that which makes the misery the greater when evill motions do pester and fill the heart the Sripture expresses it by the Devils filling of the heart If the gales
of the holy Spirit do not fill the sailes of thy heart to set thee forward to heaven then the instigation and provocations of Satan will help to drive thee forward to hell Ephes 5.18 1 John 4.13 and it is worth your noting as the Scripture speaks of the indwelling of the Spirit that is by its motions in the hearts of the godly as we say the Sunne is in the house when only the beames thereof are there So when evill motions shall fill our hearts the Scripture expresses this by the Devils being there thus the Apostle to Ananians Why hath Satan filled thy heart Acts 5.3 it is not to be understood of a bodily possession but the meaning is that the Devil put that covetous motion into his heart the Devill was in that motion which was in his heart and therefore men are to look upon evill motions as having the Devill in them When Judas had a motion to betray Christ it 's said Luke 22.3 Then entered Satan into him the Devill entered with that motion for immediately he went out and communed with the high Priests and came to an agreement with them about the betraying of Christ and they must needs go whom the Devill drives as we say in the Proverb What a misery then is this when the Spirit of God is withheld in its gracious motions then will the Devill possesse thy heart by evill motions 3. If the Spirit withdraw in its exciting acts it will also be withheld in its assisting acts this is a farther misery if it never move you to act grace it will never assist you therein It is true that sometimes there may be motions to good in the heart which may not be backt with assistance The resolutions that many take to become reformed are the common workings of the Spirit which many times are never brought into act by any farther assistance of the Spirit as sometimes convictions are without conversion But this is certain that where the Spirit moves not to good it will not assist in the doing thereof water can rise no higher then the spring from whence it flows if thy motions are natural there will be no more assistance then what comes from nature Now we may know the misery of the Spirits withdrawing his exciting and assisting power by the particulars following viz. 1. Upon this withdrawing the soul is not so voluntarily put upon doing good nor doth it set upon holy duties with so much liking delight and complacency but rather doth them in a compulsory way and we come to them as a Bear to the stake or as a childe sent to schoole 2. Nor with so much frequency once seven times a day with David or three times a day with Daniel now not seven times in a moneth nor thrice aweek 3. Nor with so much fervency nor with such warme working affections as formerly but men are lazie luke-warme listlesse and livelesse in all holy exercises 4. Nor is there such consistency of holy motions but they are gliding transient and fleeting not fixt and abiding upon the heart But how may a man know the difference between the Spirits exciting to good and the Devils motions in the heart to do good This is a practical and useful case because it is possible yea common that the Devill will move men to do good the Devill in this case doth sometimes appear as an Angel of light therefore to answer the Question I shall lay down several particulars Answ 1 If thou hast a motion to do good out of thy place and calling this motion is from the devil not from God An example hereof you have in Saul when the Philistims were comming down against him and sayes he I have not made supplication to the Lord I forced my selfe therefore and offered a burnt-offering 1 Sam. 13.12,13 The matter of the thing he did was good to offer a sacrifice and make supplication but it was not Sauls office and place to do so and therefore though the matter was good yet the motion thereunto came from the devil and hereupon you finde how much the Lord was dispâ—eased with him for the doing of it and Samuel reproved him for it ver 13. and said Thou hast done foolishly and hast not kept the Commandment of the Lord. So you read of Vzziah he would not intermit the worship of God and therefore he himself would burne incense 2 Chron. 26.18 but for his fact you finde that he was smitten with a Leprosie To offer sacrifice it was a good thing but it was not good in Vzziah who had no call so to do And as it is thus in Divine so also in Political affairs as for a private man to do the work of a Magistrate it being out of his place and calling it is from the devil not from God Absolom undertakes to shew justice to the people but what this he was but an usurper of the royal office and as he had no right to the regal power neither had he any call to administer pulick justice For private men upon a pretence of being gifted to take upon them the publick Ministery it cannot be from the Spirit of God for the Spirit keeps men within their bounds therefore sayes the Apostle Let every man wherein he is called abide therein with God 1 Cor. 7.20,24 The Spirit it puts men upon the doing of good in their place and calling but the devil doth not As fire in the Chimney it is good and is put there by your sevants but fire put in the roofe or rafters of your house that is done by an enemy Motions to good in your place and calling they come from the Spirit of God but motions to good out of your calling are suggested by the devil 2. The devil he may move you to good but then it may be it is that he may hinder you in the doing of a greater good It is very observable when our Saviour began to shew his Disciples Mat. 16.21,22,23 how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the Elders the chief Priests and the Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day That Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Now this came from the devil that he might hinder the work of mans salvation and therefore sayes Christ Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men There is much of Gods minde in these words Indeed the Papists who pretend a fu cession from Peter they would excuse Peter in this motion and would make it a divine motion But Protestants do generally concurre in this that Peters motion was naturally good he shewed in it a natural love to Christ but yet the devil was in it too and therefore Christ calls him Satan Get thee behinde me Satan and then Thou
sinne but that you shall not act sinne with such a strong and full consent of the will nor with such deliberation as unregenerate men who want the Spirit of God Quest 4 How can this be true that if we walk in the Spirit we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh whereas experience tells us that set a man walk never so exactly and be never so spiritual yet that man he shall yield to and act the lusts of the flesh and those corruptions which are hid in his nature will break out in his life Answ I have two things to give you by way of answer hereto 1. Though it be true that a man walking in the Spirit shall have the lusts of the flesh yet it is as true that a godly man so walking shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh and the reason is this There is a difference between the acting and between the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh a godly man when he sinnes he acts the lusts of the flesh yet he doth not fulfil it because when he sinnes he doth not sinne with such a full consent nor with such a deliberate and compleat act of the will as wicked men do Sinne carries wicked men with more force and violence and with a more deliberate act of the will so some Interpreters resolve this difficulty 2. Others answer it thus Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is say they eatenus whilest you imbrace the Spirits motions Musculus in locum sinnes motions shall not prevaile so farre as you hearken to the Spirits good motions you shall not be overcome with the sinful motions of your own corrupt nature or of the devil You shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh so it is in the original and so it is translated in the singular number from whence Criticks shew that in that one sinne of nature there are many sinnes contained all the sinnes in the world being in the womb of original sin In the whole verse you have three parts 1. A duty injoyned Walk in the Spirit 2. A benefit annexed You shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh 3. The certainty of having this benefit This I say c. There are two observations I shall note from the words Doct. 1 That it ought to be the special care of Beleevers to walk after the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit Doct. 2 That those who walk after the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit they shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh In the opening of the first Doctrine there are several queries I shall dispatch Querie 1 Why must a beleever walk after the guidance of the Spirit of God and what are the reasons hereof Reas 1 Because it is a great part of the Spirits office after converting grace to excite and move the heart to more grace and to guide a man in the way wherein he should walk Thus it is expressed by the Prophet Isaiah Thine ears shall hear a word behinde thee saying This is the way walk in it when ye turne up to the right hand and when ye turne to the left Isa 30.21 As the starre was to the Shepherds Mat. 2.9 or as the fiery Pillar to the Israelites in their passage thorow the Wildernesse So is the Spirit to Beleevers to guide them in the way which is everlasting Therefore if thou walkest not after its motions and guidance thou doest as much as in thee lies to put the Spirit out of office Reas 2 Therefore oughtest thou to walk after the guidance of Gods Spirit because the devil he will be suggesting evil motions to thee he goes up and down compassing the earth not to do good but evil Job 1.7 1 Pet. 5.8 He walketh about seeking whom he may devour And not onely the devil but thine own spirit is a false spirit prompting and provoking thee to sinne that as the furnace casts out sparks and the Chimney smoak so doth thy spirit sinful motions therefore what causehast thou to follow the motions of the Spirit of God There are also many erroneous men Many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 Many seducing spirits and corrupt teachers are gon out into the world Believe not every spirit saith Saint John for many false Prophets are gone out into the world such which pretend they have the Spirit and are teachers of truth but indeed are broachers of errour A tempting devil without us an evil heart of unbelief within us and seducing teachers abroad in the world how should they make us to prize and to follow the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit Reas 3 Because the delusions and enthusiasmes of false teachers are so handed and suggested that they seeme like the motions of the Spirit And therefore is the Apostles caution to the Thessalonians Be not so soone shaken in minde neither by Spirit nor by Word nor by letter as from us that the day of Christ is at hand 2 Thes 2.2 Now if you ask what is meant here by the words Be not shaken in minde by any false spirit Learned Interpreters answer Sclater in Loc. by Spirit that is by revelations instincts and inspirirations that are pretended to come from the Spirit of Christ It was a wicked blasphemy in that wretched Impostor Mahomet to give out that those dead fits that came upon him by his falling sicknesse were raptures from the Spirit of God and that the Dove which he had taught to come feed at his eare was the holy Ghost which did from God reveal unto him the Laws which are set down in the Alchoran by which the pure Mahometans are deluded to this day And therefore seeing the devil hath helpt men in these dayes to such artificial dresses for their wicked errours and the devil himself seems so like an Angel of light we have the more need to walk after the guidance of the Spirit Reas 4 Another reason why you should walk after the motions of the Spirit is because that in so doing you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh and this is the reason laid down in the text which because it will come pertinently to be handled in the second Doctrine I therefore wholly wave the handling of it here Querie 2 How we may know the Spirits motions from the natural motions of our own consciences Answ To resolve this point I shall lay down five markes or differences whereby we may know the one from the other 1. The Spirit when it moves a man to good it doth not onely excite him to it but doth also assist him in the doing of it Rom. 8.26 2 Tim. 1.7 Therefore the Spirit is said to help our infirmities making intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered The Spirit of God it is a Spirit of power to enable us in good duties as it excites so also it assists in what it moves to But though
You have cause to blesse God because otherwise you would commit more sinnes then you do and those which you do commit after a worse manner more willingly more eagerly more wilfully blesse God therefore in this regard for his holy Spirit Vse 2 You may learne the happinesse of a godly man and the misery of a wicked man The happinesse of a godly man that thou hast the Spirit to keep thee from sinning so as other men sinne 1 John 3.9 Non homines sed monstra Hominum sunt Pelagiani Cathari Caelestiani Donatistae A nabaptistae Libertini qui ex hoc loco perfectionem illam somniant à qua absunt ipsi emnium hon inum longissimi Beza Chap. 2.1 Job 1.22 Job 5.24 and the Scripture speaks of a godly man in this regard as if he had no sinne at all Whosoever is borne of God sayes the Apostle doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God It is not to be taken absolutely as if we had no sinne but comparatively he cannot sinne so as wicked men These things write I unto you that ye sinne not saith the Apostle And as it is said of Job that in all this he sinned not These expressions are not to be taken absolutely but comparatively not that godly men sinne not at all but that they sinne not after that manâ—er wicked men do Thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sinne saith Job What an honour then is this put upon the godly that because they sinne not as the wicked therefore the Scripture makes mention of them as if they did not sin at all But farther see the misery of the wicked what a case are they in who have not the Spirit of God to lay a controule upon their sinful natures what servants to sin are they what vassals to their own lusts when the devil tempts from without and their own lusts from within they have no Spirit of God to withhold them Wicked men they sin so as no godly men can and therefore saith the Lord Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted themselves and their spot is not the spot of my children It is true I confesse there may be a spice of those particulars I mentioned in thy practice there may be something of the will in sin some delectation some deliberation yet do not be discouraged if thy heart yield not fully if there be not such a strong bent of will to sin as is found in wicked men SERMON XII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 15. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would HAving treated in several Sermons upon the Verse foregoing concerning walking in the Spirit I come now to handle this Verse which containes in it the combate between the flesh and the Spirit I shall only open the first clause of the Text at this time and dispatch the other in order The first onset given in this spiritual combate is by the flesh The flesh lusts against the Spirit to open which two things must be unfolded Quest 1 1. What is meant by flesh 2. What is meant by the Spirit and then what by the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit Answ By flesh is to be understood the corruption of mans nature by original sinne which corruption may be understood either as an habâ—t or as an act If you consider the flesh as an habit then it notes that primitive radical and original indisposition in mans nature to good But if it be taken as an act then it notes our corrupt motions against grace and so I take it in this place The flesh lusteth against the Spirit that is when the Spirit of God doth by divine pulsations beat upon the heart in holy motions then there is a contrariety in the flesh against these motions suppressing them and carrying the heart to evill The corruption of nature may be called flesh for these reasons 1. Because the soul was defiled with corruption immediately upon its union and conjunction with the body It is true there is a contest among Divines when the soul comes to be corrupted seeing it is infused by creation and is therefore pure But the generality of Authors conclude upon this that immediately upon the conjunction of the soul with the body the creature is said to have natural corruption and for this reason some think that corrupt nature is called flesh because man is naturally corrupted assoon as soule and body joyne together 2. Corrupt nature is called flesh because this corruption of nature remaines as long as we carry flesh and blood about with us as long as you have flesh you shall have sin The body of death is not destroyed but by the death of the body and therefore corruption may be called flesh 3. Because the motions of corrupt nature are naturally as deare to a man Ephes 5.29 as his own flesh No man yet ever hated his own flesh and this is the reason why the Scripture calls it a right hand Math. 5.29,30 and a right eye corruption of nature it is closely joyned to a man Quest 2 What is meant by the spirit Answ By spirit some understand the soul of a regenerate man but this seems to be incoherent the scope of the place carrying it to something else though this also may be included Therefore by spirit is to be understood the holy motions and workings of Gods Spirit and there the flesh is said to lust against Gal. 3.2,14 Gal 4.6,29 Gal. 5.5,16,17 18,22,25 and it is apparent that it is thus to be understood because spirit is so taken in the foregoing Verse and also in the Verse following my Text so that by spirit I understand the motions and workings of Gods Spirit in the soule And in this sense is the word spirit taken in most places of this Epistle Quest 3 What is meant here by lust Answ When it is said to lust against the Spirit you may observe that it is not said to work against the Spirit nor act against the Spirit though sin be of an active nature yet it is not alwayes in the act but though it be not alwayes acting yet it is alwayes lusting there is an opposite disposition in nature to the work of Gods Spirit upon the heart In the words you may observe three parts 1. A double conflict The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh 2. A double cause These are contrary the one to the other the flesh contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit contrary to the flesh 3. Here is a double consequent So that ye cannot do the things ye would the flesh lusts against the Spirit so that ye cannot do the good ye would and the Spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot do the evil ye would Before I raise the
the best 3. In regard of constitution the flesh hath a great advantage corruption is more suitable to thy nature then grace grace it is above nature but sin it is in nature and with nature the way of grace is all up the hill the way to heaven is against both wind and tyde so is not corruption for that is favoured by both therefore watch your hearts upon this consideration Vse 3 Break out in the praise of God that being corrupt nature hath so many evil properties yet that thou hast no more evil practices It is a mercy that from such a mischievous root there should come no more poysonful fruit if God should let alone the Devil and thy own heart and leave thee to thy own inclinations there would be no sin committed by any man which thou also wouldst not commit thou wouldst be an incarnate devil blesse God therefore that thy practices do not carry correspondence with thy disposition and that thy life is not as bad as thy heart 2. Blesse God for other men It is a wonder that wicked men having no new nature to oppose the old nature that they do no more evil in the world it is God which layes a curbe upon and restraines their wicked natures If God did not restraine the wickednesse of the wicked the world had long ago been overwhelmed in confusion through the exorbitancy of their wicked practices Vse 4 If it be so that corrupt nature hath all these properties then be humbled in the sense of thy corrupt nature notwithstanding thou may'st be endowed with many excellent gifts and graces yet be humbled on this ground that though thou hast a divine nature yet thou hast also a corrupt nature which is alwayes opposing it As it is with the Peacock though it hath the finest feathers of any bird on earth yet it hath foule feet and as the Swan though it is of the whitest colour yet it hath a black skin and black feet So thou who art white or innocent in thy life yet remember thou hast a black skin and foule feet sinful affections and vicious motions which arise from a corrupted nature There are these considerations to provoke us to remember and to be watchful against corrupt nature in us 1. It is a sad consideration to provoke us to humility and watchfulness that thou hast as much evil in thy heart as the worst man living upon earth 2. It is ancient in us it was in us before we were borne before thou waft in the world sin was in thy nature for assoon as ever thou hadst life thou hadst sin 3. This corruption of nature it will be continually with us while we live in the world Our bodies are compared to earthen vessels and the Scripture tells you that the leprosie of a vessel of earth if any unclean thing were put into it all the washing and scouring that could be should not make it clean Levit. 11.35 Chap. 15.12 but it must be broken so it is with thee the vessel of thy body must be broken before thy corruption can be done away 4. This corruption it is that which doth easily beset thee Motions of sin in thy nature they are like sparkes of fire in a heap of flax Heb. 12.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they easily take with thy nature and put thee upon the acting of evil and therefore from hence be perswaded to a strict and diligent watchfulnesse over thy own heart Sermon XIV At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 24. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to a fourth Quere and that is why or for what reason is it that in regenerate men God should suffer corrupt nature thus to war with the Spirit Why doth not God deal with us in our regeneration as he did in creation make us perfect This is a question worth discussing God loves no sinne and yet he suffers all the sinnes that are and this Masse of sinne this one sinne which vertually is every sinne For answer hereto I shall lay down five Reasons First Corruption of nature is left remaining even in regenerate men to humble them even as it was with the Israelites in the wildernesse when they were stung with fiery Serpents and Scorpions Deut. 8.15,16 it was to humble them So we whil'st we are in the wildernesse of this world have a corrupt nature alwayes cleaving to us wherewith we are stung and this fiery Serpent of sinne should humble us before the Lord. God hath so ordered it in nature that creatures of the greatest excellency should have some manifest deformity if we look either among birds or beasts Among birds the Peacock a bird of the finest feathers yet it hath the foulest seet the Swan a bird of the whitest feathers yet of the blackest skin The Eagle a bird of the quickest sight and of the highest flight yet the most ravenous among birds Among beasts the Lion the most goodliest of all beasts yet the most fierce and cruel The Fox it is most subtile yet is a creature of the foulest smell Thus God hath ordained even in nature and thus it is with his own people in respect of grace though they may have many excellent endowments and gifts yet he leaves this corruption in them to humble them James 4.8,10 That of the Apostle James is observable Chap. 4. having spoken in the eight Verse of corrupt nature in the next Verse but one he exhorts men to be humbled to note that the consideration of a corrupt heart should be an incitement to humiliation It was a saying of Master Fax that his graces hurt him more then his sinnes which riddle he expounded thus that many times he was proud of his gifts and graces but humbled by reason of sinne The Apostle Paul after he had those extraordinary Revelations There was given him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12.7 It is true this Text is variously expounded Some expounding this thorne in the flesh to be the sinne of lust and incontinency But this cannot be because he affirmes of himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morbus acutus that he had the gift of continency Others say that it was a bodily disease and that it was the Sciatica or Gowt or some exquisite paine in his body but the current of Interpreters vary from all these expounding it to be corrupt nature and the thorne in the flesh to be some sharp temptation and motion to sin which did arise from the corruption of his nature and the remainders of lust But then it will be objected how can corrupt nature be called the messenger of Satan To this Divines answer that it is called so not as if it were a temptation from the devil
watchfulnesse hereby he kept under the sinful workings of corrupt nature and a little care will not serve the turn but we must be as vigilant as wrestlers or fencers who are very ready to beat down their adversaries before them 6. And lastly be skilful in the Word of righteousnesse and this will be a great means to keep the flesh from prevailing over the Spirit As Christ did to the devil so must thou do to the devil of thy flesh It is written sayes he do thou come with a written Word against the devil and thy own heart be so skilful in the Word of God that there may no temptation offer it selfe to thee but thou mayest draw arguments out of the Word against it we ought to be very careful to use the sword of the Spirit the Word of God and sheath it in the bowels of sinful flesh And if this course were taken in this particular you would be lesse pester'd with a tempting devil and corrupt heart then you are Vse Vse he use which I shall make from what you have heard shall be of comfort to dejected consciences me thinks I hear many a godly man say Wo is me I have a sensible experience in my own soul that my evil heart hath all those evil properties you named and my soul bears me witnesse I use those means you prescribed I do keep off from occasions of sin I watch and pray against sin and yet God knowes I cannot keep under a naughty heart To any man that in the sincerity of his heart and sense of his sinnes doth make this complaint I have four words of comfort 1. Thou must never expect a total extirpation of the corruption of thy nature whilest thou livest here only a partial suppression Corrupt nature will be in thee That as those beasts mentioned by Daniel their dominion was taken aâ—cay yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Dan. 7.12 so the dominion of sin is taken away sin shall not reign over you but yet the life of sin remaines the body of death will live in us as long as we live in the body Corrupt nature it will live in thee though it shall not reign like unto that tree mentioned by Daniel whose branches were cut off Dan. 4.15 yet the stump remained in the earth thou mayest lop off actual evils yet remember the root will remain that as it is with Ivie which growes on a wall it cannot be rooted up untill the wall be pulled down so untill thy body be pulled down sin in thy nature which is as Ivie gotten into the wall cannot be gotten out We have a promise made to Gods children that sin shall not have dominion in them but no where it is said that sin shall have no being in them while they are in being here 2. There is great difference between yeelding to the corrupt motions of thy nature to sin and between fulfiling the lusts of the flesh I know there is none of us all but do in some things yeeld to the motions of the flesh but yet all do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh thou mayest imbrace the motion thy sinful heart stirres thee up unto yet thou mayest not fulfill the motions of sin the Scripture gives you this difference Rom. 13.14 Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof godly men may commit the lusts of the flesh but they do not make provision for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou doest not provide for sin as a man for his family because he would have them live thou art not a Caterer for sin therefore bear up thy heart with comfort though sin be in thee yet thou shalt not perish for it Thou who hast used all means and yet findest the flesh prevailing against the Spirit consider that strong and potent motions to sin do not alwayes argue sinnes strength but sins weaknesse rather that sin is decaying then in its full strength It is observed that dying things they strive and struggle with most strength a bird a weak creature yet if you pull off its head with what strength will it flutter this doth not argue that the bird is gathering strength but that its strength is departing it may be thus with thee thou hast strong motions to sin and thou discernest it it may be sinne is now playing its last game Lusts in the Scriptures are said to be crucified now it is with sin crucified as it was with the wicked and impenitent thief he was bound and nailed hand and foot and yet he raved and raged so it is when lust is dying yet it may be raging and as we see in the taking of Physick when it is first taken it will make a man more sick then the disease made him not that a man is indeed worse but only from the Physick searching his body thus it may be with thee sins struglings is Gods giving of thee Physick and though it be strong yet in the end God will make it tend to the purging out of evil humours out of thy soule 4. If corrupt motions be strong in thy soule then bend the strength of thy heart in prayer to God for the subduing of these corruptions If a Virgin that was ravished did not cry out by the law she was accounted guilty and consenting the more the devil and thy corruptions do attempt thee the more earnestly must thou pray and cry to God for help Complain upon those frequent incursions which corrupt nature and the devil makes upon thee and flying unto God for help and succour thy soul shall never perish for thy iniquity Sermon XV. At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to the last Question and that is How you may know when motions to sin do arise from the flesh or when they come meerly from the devil and so are purely diabolical Before I answer the Question I shall first shew of what use it is Secondly premise some positions about it and then give you the resolution to this Question There is a threefold use of this Question 1. It is needful to know it because unregenerate men when they are tempted to sin they lay all the fault upon the devil and none upon their own hearts These men when they put all their sins upon the score of Satan they do not give the devil his due Thus Eve she laid all the fault upon the Serpent Gen. 3.13 The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat Though David was of another mind for he when he was tempted and stirred up to sin in his numbering of the people and that by Satan yet he doth acknowledge 2 Sam. 24.17 I have sinned and I have done wickedly It is natural to men when they are tempted to
gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity But the time when the Spirits conflict begins is not till God brings you into the state of grace 2. Touching the time of duration how long this conflict continues it lasts but a while it is but a transient rebuke given in by conscience like unto a flash of lightning in a mans face it comes suddenly and is suddenly gone just so is that opposition which is in a mans natural conscience either jovial meetings or sensual delights will quickly deface obliterate and extinguish the impressions of natural conscience But on the contrary the conflict of the Spirit it is an abiding conflict untill the regenerate part in some measure hath got the victory over that lust which it doth oppose it stayes with a man all his life-time from the first day of his conversion to the last day of his dissolution 3. The conflict of a natural conscience it comes but seldome it checks a man but now and then by fits and starts as the Apostle Paul speaking of the Gentiles shewes Rom. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their consciences between whiles accused them for so the words are to be read the opposition in the unregenerate it is not a constant opposition but the conflict of the Spirit it is an abiding conflict in the godly and as it continues long so it comes often hardly can a godly man be tempted to a grosse sin but the Spirit will cast in a crosse suggestion to that sin this is the third difference whereby the conslict of the Spirit may be known from the conflict of a natural conscience 4. It differs in regard of the principle A fourth difference between the conflict between the flesh and Spirit and that conflict which is only between a natural conscience and sin Gen. 4.13 or moving cause from whence this conflict arises as 1. The opposition that is in a natural conscience it arises from a principle of slavish fear but the opposition that is in the godly from the Spirit it comes from a principle of love to God and hatred to sin it appears thus Cain he cries out Oh sayes he my punishment is greater then I am able to bear He complaines not that his sin was greater then he was able to bear but of his punishment A wicked man that opposeth sinne from a natural conscience may be compared to a thief that refuseth and abstaineth from stealing not out of any hatred of theft or out of any love to justice but only because he is afraid of being hanged for his theft even so it is with wicked men they abstain from sin and acting of sin meerly out of slavish fear of hell and condemnation not out of love to God I may further exemplisie it thus you know there is this difference between a Collier and a cleanly man a Collier will not touch charcole if they be burning coles but he will touch them though they be black coles but a cleanly man will not touch them neither as they are burning nor black coles Wicked men will forbear sinne because it is a cole of fire but the godly will reluct at sin because it is a black cole they love God and they hate sin and therefore sayes the Apostle Paul What I would that I do not but what I hate that do I. Rom. 7.15 He doth not say the evil I would not do and the evil I would fain forbear but the evil I hate that I do Divines gather thence that a godly man conflicts with corruption out of a hatred to corruption not because he feares the punishment but hates the sin wicked men reluct at sin but it is not because they hate the evil of sin but because they fear the punishment thereof as Balaam he would not curse the people yet it is said of him that he loved the wages of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.15 though he feared the punishment yet he did not hate the sin Godly men reluct at sin from a principle of hatred thereof and there are four spiritual principles from whence the conflict of a godly man arises 1. Because that sin it is against a holy God and this was Josephs principle How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God Gen. 39 9. 2. Because it is the breach of a holy Law thus Paul What I hate sayes he that I do Rom. 7.16 if then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good as if he should say I oppose sin out of the consent that is in my conscience unto ths Law that it is good 3. Another principle upon which the godly oppose sin is a hatred to the very nature of sin it self and thus David professes of himselfe that through the precepts of God he got understanding Psal 119.104 and therefore hated every false way 4. He opposeth sin out of love to Jesus Christ seeing that Christ died for sin they will labour to die to sin as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5.14,15 The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again 5. The fifth difference is this the conflict between the flesh and Spirit and the conflict between natural conscience and sin differ in regard of the event and issue thereof and there is a fourfold different event and issue 1. The issue of the conflict of a natural conscience and sin is this that it leaves a man unquiet and the sin unmortified Matth. 27.5 and this was the very case of Judas his conscience told him that he had sinned in betraying his Master and thereupon he was so troubled that he went and hanged himselfe yet notwithstanding his sinne remained unmortified but it is contrary with the Spirits conflict that not only quiets the minde but mortifies the sin and therefore you finde the Apostle after he had been speaking of the Spirits conflict with the flesh Gal. 5.22 telling you That the fruit of the Spirit is joy and peace this was the issue of the conflict of the Spirit it will not only quiet the minde but kill the sinne Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live 2. Another event of the conflict of natural conscience is that the unruly affections of a man they are too hard for a natural conscience to oppose and subdue Wicked men will many times contend with sin but mark the issue and you shall finde that the strong inclinations of their hearts to sin do overcome them I shall give you three instances hereof in Saul Pilate and Pharaoh As for Saul his conscience told him that he did ill in pursuing David 1 Sam. 24 17. and his conscience constrained him to confesse that David was more
fastened in the joints and intrals of the wall that till you pluck down the wall you cannot root up the the Ivy so it is with us till God pull down this wall of your body the root of your sin cannot be plucked up This was typified under the Levitical Law Lev. 14.41,45 in that house which was infected with a fretting Leprosie all their scraping and pouring out of the dust thereof could not make the house clean and therefore God commanded that the house should be pulled down and be removâ—d The corruption of our natures is like this Leprosy which nothing but the pulling down of the wall of the house would remedy so nothing but the death of the body will perfectly destroy the body of death This leprous house is a type of thy defiled body and the scraping thereof an embleme of thy indeavour to sweep thy heart of sin and yet for all this the house could not be cleansed till it was pulled down neither can the house of thy body be wholly purified and sin quite extirpated untill it be plucked down and laid in the dust I remember a learned Authour Luke 23.40 he makes the impenitent thief on the Crosse an embleme of the sin of our natures when he was nailed to the Crosse and as we say bound hand and foot he had onely one member untied and that was his tongue and with that he falls a reviling on Jesus Christ just so sayes this Authour are our natures when a man lies on his death-bed and cannot stirre hand nor foot even then hath he a nature kindled with fire from hell wherewith he sinnes against God Oh let this greatly humble us in the sight of God 5. Consider that this contrariety in thy nature against grace though it be repugnant to grace yet it is suitable to thy nature Corrupt nature will tempt men to those sins which are most suitable to flesh and blood as the devil when he tempted Christ in the wildernesse being an hungry Command sayes he Matth. 4.3 that these stones be made bread this was a very suitable temptation to Christs condition for he had fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights and was hungry the devil did suit him with a temptation and if the devil do suit temptations to our condition our natures will much more because a mans owne heart knowes what is more suitable to his inclination then the devil doth it is true the devil knowes what a mans inclination is by his actions otherwise he cannot know but our natures are so corrupted that they will propose temptations that are most pleasing to flesh and blood and to those sinnes which either by custome or inclination we are most inclined to And this the Apostle James speakes of as I have formerly noted Jam. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he sayes that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed It is a metaphor taken from fisher-men who will suit their bait to the fish which they desire to take and will not alwayes fish with the same bait thus it is here thy corrupt nature doth play the fisherman and layes such a bait which is most suitable to every mans inclination therefore on this consideration be humbled that sin is so suitable to thy corrupt nature 6. Be humbled on this ground that thy corrupt nature will carry thee to commit such sinnes which thou didst believe in thy heart thou shouldst never fall into an eminent example hereof we have in Hazael who when he was told by the Prophet Elisha what evil he should do unto the children of Israel That he should set their strong holds on fire and slay their young men with the sword dash their children against the stones and rip up women with childe Oh sayes he is thy servant a dog that he should do these things 2 Kings 8.12 he could not believe it and yet this he did and worse then there the Prophet had told him Here is cause therefore to be humbled there is that evil seminally in thy nature that will provoke to sinne which thou couldst not imagine to be there why else should Christ admonish his Disciples Luke 21.34 to take heed that their hearts were not overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse and worldly cares Alasâ— what danger was there for poor Disciples to be overtaken with these sins yet Christ knew that there was cause for them to take heed though they were eminent Apostles of Christ yet they had the seed of those evils in their natures It is an observation of Mr. Capel Capel of temptations that a godly man at one time or other before his death shall be tempted either by the devil or his own heart to break every Commandment of the Law and to doubt of every article in the Creed and therefore do not think thou art so well setled in thy judgement that thou shalt never fall into errour and thou which livest holily be not over-confident nor too secure thinking that thou shalt never fall as such a man fell remember thou hast as bad a heart and if God should suffer the devil thy own corrupt nature and an occasion to concurre together thou wouldest fall into as bad a sinne as ever any in the world fell into there is such a contrariety in thy nature against grace that it would carry thee to the most unnatural and grosse sinnes that are in the world Augustine had a good saying when he saw a man fall into sinne Tu hodie ego cras Thou fallest to day and I to morrow if God help me not 7. Consider that this contrariety in thee it is an universal contrariety if there were a contrariety against some grace and not against all it were somewhat excusable or if there were onely a contrariety in some parts not in all it were somewhat tolerable but when this contrariety is universal in every respect how intolerable is this though thou art a godly man not only the wicked but even thou who art a godly man all thy body and all thy soul is defiled it is true there is grace in every part of thy soul so there is sinne too There is ignorance in thy understanding forgetfulnesse in thy memory stubbornnesse in thy will disorder in thy affections hardnesse in thy heart searednesse in thy conscience now it is true though every faculty be infected yet also is every part regenerated too in those that are godly Corruption it is in the soule as the soul is in the body the whole soul is in the whole body and the whole soul is in every part of the body just so it is with original corruption it is whole in every man and it is whole in every part of a man One hath this note that corrupt nature it is more in the soule then the soule is in the body for though the whole soule be in the whole body and every part of it yet it is not in that
of God but what doth he blame Rom. 7.25 not the devill or the world but it is sin which dwelleth in me And in the 25. verse he sayes With my minde I serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin It is the flesh which carries the force of a law whereby we sin in the service of God and therefore oh man do not blame the devill or the world but thy own heart 3. Another Position is this that the corruption of the flesh interrupting of us in duty it is manifest and violent both in secret as also in publick duties thy heart will be violent against thee when thou art alone between God and thy own soul as also when thou art in publick your own experience will contribute to the truth of this What roving mindes and what distracted thoughts are you haunted with in your secret retirements Yea also in publick duties how hard is it to bound the thoughts and to compose the minde to lay a restraint upon devotion 4. That a mans heart and corrupt nature is more apt to interrupt him in extraordinary duties then in common and ordinary duties A man therefore shall be more haunted with evill thoughts upon a solemn fast-day then upon an ordinary day did you ever set your selves upon the solemn duties of examination and meditation if you did you have found your hearts have more troubled you in those duties then in reading hearing and praying and the reason is this because those duties that are more solemn are most conducible to a Christians growth in grace and therefore in those duties nature will be most indefatigable to disturbe and interrupt you and the devill will not fail to set thy heart at work to disturb thee in those duties whereby his Kingdome is battered and assaulted 5. That the lesse men do prepare their hearts for duty the more they shall be disturbed by corrupt nature in duty Greonham in his observations takes notice of this What is the reason that Christians can never pray without distractions nor hear without wandring thoughts Oh man sayes he take my experience didst thou prepare more for duty thou wouldest be lesse distracted in duty Physick doth the body little good if it be taken on a full stomack and if the body be not prepared so it is with duties and Ordinances they will do thee little good unlesse thou doest first prepare thy selfe for them Posit 6 6. That the flesh interrupts us more in those duties which others perform then in those which we perform our selves A Preacher when he is preaching a Sermon he hath lesse wandring thoughts in preaching then he himself would have if he were a hearer and why but because at such a time his minde is busied in thinking of the matter he hath to deliver to his Auditors And so for any of you suppose you were praying in a company you would be lesse apt to be distracted in that duty because popular applause a respect to the company among whom you pray they binde your thoughts that they runne not astray lest you should be confused in the duty whereas if you did joyn in duty then you would be more carelesse and distracted and therefore you whose lot it is never to preach or pray in publick do you look to your own hearts for the flesh is more apt to interrupt you in those duties wherein you joyn with others thâ—n in those which you your selfe perform Posit 7 7. That in the corruption of the flesh in duties it may be more violent after a long standing in Religion then it did appear to be upon your first conversion At a mans first conversion happily he could pray and not be distracted but have his love his joy and his delight and all his soul taken up with the service but in processe of time and after some continuance in the wayes of Religion he may begin to grow flat and formal perfunctory accustomary in all his performances and this was that which Augustine observed Many at first conversion they will pray with much feeling and fervency but afterwards with coldnesse and deadnesse losing that vigour and warmth of affection which they found in themselves at first conversion Posit 8 8. That there is not a duty in all your life-time which you perform unto God but there is some evill tincture of the flesh cleaves to it though the duty is good in it self yet there is some evill in it as it comes from thee Prayer is good and hearing is good but these duties as they passe through the vessel of thy defiled soul they become defiled inso much that God might justly charge even upon regenerate men the sins of their holy duties When I would do good Rom. 7.15 sayes Paul evill is present with me It is true the natural motions of the flesh may be pared off but still there is a sinful tincture which cleaves to thy duties It is observable that the ceremonial law which you read of in the 28. of Exod. v. 38. Exod. 28.38 where you read that Aaron was to have a plate of pure gold upon his fore-head when he went into the holy of holiest that he mighe bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel And this notes sayes a Divine that Jesus Christ our fore-runner he is gone into the holy of holiest and he by his intercession and sitting at the right hand of his Father weares that plate of pure gold upon his fore-head and there beares not onely the iniquity of our lives but the inquity of our holy things and if this were not so and did there not a viciousnesse cleave unto all our holy duties then we might commend some duties to God without the mediation of Jesus Christ but because there is no duty can be done without a tincture of evill cleaving to it therefore you cannot stand before God in the best prayer that ever you made nor in the best service that ever you performed We have need of a Christ a Mediatour not only for our sins but also for our duties Posit 9 9. That it is the most difficult thing in the world to keep the minde so close to duty that the flesh shall not interrupt you in its performance As Eliphaz reasoned with Job Job 15.12,13 so may every man with his own heart Why doth thine heart carry thee away and what doth thine eyes winke at that thou turnest thy spirit against God and lettest such words go out of thy mouth Thus may every man reason with his own soule and say Why doth my heart carry me away when my spirit would keep close to God Augustine hath an excellent note upon 2 Sam. 7.27 2 Sam. 7.27 Dixit se invenisse cor suum quasi soleret fugere ille sequi quasi fugitivum August Nihil est corde meo fugacius Bernard Posit 10. upon Davids words I have found in my heart to make a prayer unto thee as if David
would intimate that he often lost his heart in prayer as if David did many times come to pray but could not finde his heart It is the hardest thing in the world when you come to pray to finde your hearts and when you have found your hearts to keep them 10. That the blood of Jesus Christ wipes off that guilt and filth that cleaves to your holy duties God knowes that when you come to worship him you are men and not Angels you are the spirits of good men imperfect and therefore God doth not expect from you that your service should be perfect because your state is imperfect therefore here is your comfort that your defects in duty shall never damne you who are regenerate soules thou mayest be often hindred in duty but that interruption shall never damne thee Jesus Christ wipe off the stain of all thy duties In the ceremonial law you read that the Altar for the burnt-offering Exod. 27.4,5 it had a grate made for it of net-work of brasse that the dust and the ashes might fall out and so be carried away This is a type of the intercession of Jesus Christ that though in your services and sacrifices to God though you have much affection and zeal yet also there is much ashes of corruption and as that grate was made to carry away the ashes so Jesus Christ he is the Mediatour which will carry away all your defects in the service of God And this should incourage the people of God though you are weak in duty yet neglect not duty though you are forgetful in hearing yet leave not to heare and though distracted in praying yet neglect not prayer because it is the office of Jesus Christ to bear the iniquity of your holy things These are those Positions or Conclusions that I desired to premise before I came to handle the Queries The point that I am to handle is this That such is the prevalency of corrupt nature even in regenerate men that it doth oftentimes interrupt them in holy performances Doct. In the handling of this point there are many particulars which I shall go through 1. I shall prove the point that it is so 2. I shall shew you how the flesh doth hinder in duty 3. Wherein the interruption of the flesh doth most appear 1. For the proof of the point Rom. 7.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have not only Pauls testimoy but his own experience how to perform the good I would I finde not how to work it out that is to carry on a duty from the beginning to the end it is the same word in the original as that in Philip. 2.12 where we are commanded to work out our salvation with feare and trembling As he complain of himselfe and as he gives you his experience so we may conferre all our experiences with his and say that how to do that which is good we finde not As rust cleaves to the iron so cleaves the flesh to our holy duties In general do not our own hearts tell us that there is much of the world in them and are there not many vain and impertinent thoughts in the duties we perform to God and that not only in general but in particular duties in prayer how doth the flesh interrupt us by vain and impertinent thoughts and wrong ends how doth it dead our affections damp our zeal and straiten our hearts in hearing how doth the flesh cast in prejudices and misconstructions infidelity and forgetfulnesse In meditation how doth it make the minde roving and wandring up and down so that thou canst not bring thy meditations to a perfect issue In discourse how doth the flesh mingle censures and vain glory when thou comest to the Lords Supper how doth the flesh hinder thee that thou canst not exercise godly sorrow that thy love is not inflamed and that thy joy in Christ is not elevated Therefore what cause have to complain as Augustine when he saw a shepherd tie a stone to the legge of a bird and the bird assaying to fly upwards was still pulled down again by the stone Just thus sayes he is it with my soule fain would I so are aloft by holy meditation but there is a stone tied to my legge a corrupt nature whereby I am coutinually pulled down Quest The next Question is how doth the flesh hinder us in holy performances I shall confine my answer to these two particulars there are these two wayes how the flesh doth hinder us in holy duties 1. By soliciting men to abate and lessen their duties 2. By injecting and casting in vain and impertinent thoughts Answ 1. By soliciting men to abate in their duty if so be nature can prevaile with you to omit duty or not to be so much in duty as thou hast been heretofore to pray lesse and hear lesse herein is a great policy of thy corrupt heart to perswade the heart that thou needest not be so zealous because remisse acts do weaken habits to pray remissely and coldly will in time bring thee not to pray at all Now to those who are thus intangled by the flesh that they decay in duty to such I have three things to say 1. You have not lesse need to pray nor perform duty then in former time and therefore why should you lessen your duties you have not less temptations from Satan no lesse corruptions in thy soule nor fewer spiritual wants no lesse troubles on the Church and therefore let not nature prevaile with you to decay in duty 2. As it is a deceit of the heart in sinne to bring you from little sinnes to great sinnes so in grace it is the deceit of nature to bring you from doing little in duty at last to do nothing at all 3. Gradual abatements and decayes in duty may be as dangerous to thy soule as total omissions and thou mayest go to hell as well for the one as for the other not but that total neglects do more provoke God Though a man is in more danger of present death that is sick of a fever then he that is sick of a lingring consumption yet the one will kill as surely as the other Men that cast off Religion they die by a burning fever but thou which decayest in Religion thou mayest die of a lingring consumption thou mayest consume and consume untill thou comest to a meer skeleton in Religion and to have no verdure nor vigour in thy spirit in the exercises of holinesse Answ 2. And chiefly the flesh interrupts in duty by injecting and casting in vain thoughts and impertinent when thou art about duty Now those thoughts which the flesh casts in they are of two sorts either such which for the matter of them are lawful or else which are for their matter unlawful 1. Levit. 28.12 compared with Prov. 26.1 Though it be not cogitatio mali yet it is cogitatio mala The flesh will cast in thoughts
which are for their matter lawful but onely unseasonable And I may say of these as the Scripture speaks of rain rain in season is a blessing but rain in harvest is a curse so good thoughts in their season are blessed but a good thought coming into your minde to divert or distract you in a good work you are about that thought is sinful when you are hearing a Sermon then to be thinking of prayer and when you are at prayer then to be thinking of hearing these thoughts are unseasonable and and therefore sinful As in Printing though the letters be never so fair yet if they are misplaced they would make non-sense As that motion Luke 12.13 was lawful Master command my brother to divide the inheritance but yet it was not seasonable because it was propounded while Christ was preaching 2. Sometimes again the flesh will inject thoughts which are for their matter sinful and thus the Prophet complaineth of the Israelites They come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33.31 even in their duties they had sinful thoughts how to accomplish their covetous desires Quere 3 3. The third Querie is to shew wherein the prevalency of the flesh to interrupt us in holy duties doth appear I shall answer this querie by these two particulars 1. That the flesh labours to interrupt men in the manner how they do duty 2. In their ends why they perform duty These are the two chief attempts of the flesh in this particular 1. The flesh interrupts a man chiefly in the manner how he performes duty and there are these several wayes whereby the flesh hinders a man in the manner of his duty 1. The flesh makes a man perform duty weariedly without alacrity Eccles 12.12 that as Solomon sayes Much study it is a weariness to the flesh and if much study why then religious exercises when the minde is taken up with them the devill and a mans own nature are ready to divert and interrupt them especially a mans nature is apt to be wearied and hence it is that you have such pressing perswasions that you would not be weary of well-doing Gal. 6.9 2 Thes 3.13 what is the reason hereof but because of the corruption of a mans heart which is apt to make him to be tired in holy exercises Mal. 1.13 Things that act naturally act unweariedly and therefore the Sunne is not weary of shining nor the fire weary of burning neither the Sea of ebbing and flowing because these are natural motions It is natural to a man to commit sinne and therefore the Scripture sayes that men are not weary of committing iniquity but to do that which is holy and to act grace in any duty it is not onely above but against nature Hence in Scripture hell it is compared to a pit and heaven to a hill now it is an easie matter for a childe that can but go to tumble into a pit but it is a hard matter to climbe up a hill you may easily fall into the bottomless pis but the way to heaven it is a way up the hill and hard to get up and therefore in the second of Isaiah The mountain of the Lord is said to be established on the top of the mountaines and exalted above the hills and this is because duties they are against nature 't is a going against winde and tide I remember a Divine he doth illustrate the corruption of a mans heart disturbing in duty by a comparison of a birds being in an egge while it is in the shell it cannot stirre but that bird assoon as ever it is hatcht and the shell broken then it is of a lively motion thus a man in duty whilest he is pestered with flesh and blood he is like a bird in the shell that cannot stir but let once the shell be broken let corruption of nature be subdued and let grace get the upper hand and then he is as a bird out of the shell that can move and act vigorously and lively in holy duties The Prophet Zechariah speaks of those that had wings and the winde in their wings Zech. 5.9 to note the swiftnesse as Expositors render the sense of that place and speed that those reformers made but we in our way to heaven have neither wings nor winde naturally going against winde and tide and are glad to run continually Heb. 12.1 which is apt to make us weary especially when it is up the hill Herein the corruption of your hearts appeares to make you perform duty weariedly It is as a clogge to hinder us and therefore the Apostle commands us to lay aside every weight and every sinne that doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 Corrupt nature it is a weight and you know if a man run a race with a weight upon him he will soon be tired out 2. Corrupt nature makes you perform duty wandringly that as in the Sea one wave followes another and as in the aire the clouds follow the rain so in the heart one impertinent thought followes another the corruption of a mans heart makes him vain in his thoughts Whilest thou art O man in Gods house the devill is in thy heart as in his work-house forming and framing many contemplative vain thoughts in thy minde whereby thou art carried away from God You have a notable passage to this purpose if you compare two Scriptures together and they are both the words of Solomon In Eccles 2.14 you read that a wise mans eyes are said to be in his head Eccles 2.14 compared with Prov. 17.24 but a fool walketh in darkness Now if you look to the natural situation of the eye is it scated in the head as of a wise man so also of a foole what then is Solomons meaning when he saith that the eyes of a wise man are in his head his meaning is that a wise mans eyes they are fixed and not wandring but what is the fooles eye Solomon tells you in Prov. 17.24 that the eyes of a foole are in the ends of the earth that is he hath a wandring heart and is no wayes intent in the worship of God Prov. 4.25 Let thine eyes look right on and let thy eye-lids look streight before thee This is Solomons advice the meaning is that the thoughts of thy heart should never turn aside neither to the right hand nor unto the left but this is the misery of a godly man that the flesh makes him perform duty wandringly as Augustine complaines My hearr is gone from me and I cannot catch it and if I do eatch it I cannot keep it You know what a slippery thing an Eele is the harder you graspe it the more apt it is to slip out of your hands so it is with thy heart thou mayest
have a seed of grace remaining in them 3. Wicked men they do not so clearly discerne and sensibly bewaile the interruptions of the flesh as those who are godly do 4. The wicked they shall never be rid of the evil workings of the flesh neither in this world nor in that which is to come Sinne in this life shall hinder duty and in the world to come they will cast off duty But the godly though pestered with the flesh yet they shall one day be rid of the flesh And thus I have finished the first part of the double consequent Sermon XXV At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 9. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Am now to proceed to the second reference of these words and that is the Spirits conflicts against the flesh so that men cannot do the evil they would And the observation is this Doct. That the Spirit of God keeps regenerate men oftentimes that they shall not do the evil they would In the handling of which Point there are three particulars in the doctrinal part that I shall insist on 1. I shall shew you how the Spirit doth keep a man from doing the evil he would do 2. Wherein consists this work of the Spirit 3. How you may know the difference between the restraining grace of the Spirit in keeping a wicked man from sinne and the renewing grace of the Spirit in keeping regenerate men from evil 1. How doth the Spirit keep a man from doing the evil that he would do To this question I shall give you five particulars by way of answer 1. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by enlightening his judgement and making him to see the evil of sinne in its nature and the danger of sinne in its event Thus you read in Job 36.9 Job 36.9 He sheweth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded here is the inlightening of their judgements and then it followes in the tenth verse He openeth also their eare to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity verse 10. vers 12. and in the twelfth verse If they obey not they shall perish by the sword and shall die without knowledge The sinne of nature it is described by a state of ignorance to note that a man without the Spirit is blinde and cannot see those evils which he commits the Spirit therefore enlightens a man and hence you read Acts 26.18 that the Apostle Paul was sent to open mens eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God See 2 King 6.15 intimating that there must be first the opening of the eyes and the enlightening of the judgement before there can be a rescuing from sinne 2. The Spirit keeps a man from sinne by setting conscience on work to check and rebuke a man when he is tempted thereunto Conscience is Gods Officer and mans Overseer and were it not for a natural conscience a wicked man would commit all imaginable evills every wicked man would commit every sinne that he had opportunity to act Now as sinne wounds the conscience after commission so conscience checks for sinne before commission It is conscience which is as an iron gate and as a brazen wall to keep thee from many evills which otherwise thou wouldst run into And therefore Ioseph consults with his conscience How can I do this great wickednesse and this kept him from committing folly with his Mistresse 3. Another way whereby the Spirit keeps a man from sinne is by infusing into a man a principle of grace and holinesse repugnant to that principle of sinne which is in the nature and thus the Apostle John tells you that Whosoever iâ— born of God doth not commit sinne for the seed of God remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God 1 Joh. 3.9 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is born of God hath a renewed nature and a new principle put into him contrary to the sin of his nature 4. The Spirit keeps a man from evil by calling to his remembrance some particular passage out of Sctipture against that sinne unto which he is tempted To this purpose David speakes that he had hid the Word of the Lord in his heart Psal 119.11 that he might not sinne against him This is the way whereby the Spirit fortifies the heart against sin you have it often mentioned in particular cases Solomon gives this counsel to his sonne that he should keep his words Prov. 7.1,5 and lay up his commandments and that to this end that they may keep thee from the strange woman and thus David Psal 17.4 saies he By the Word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Thus Augustine reports of a young man who was given to wantonnesse and it pleased God by bringing this passage to his remembrance Not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse it pleased God to make this a meanes whereby he left off his dalliance and wantonnesse ever after 5. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by possessing the heart with an awe and dread of the presence of God when he is tempted to evil Fear the Lord and depart from evil Prov. 37. the wise man joynes them both together to let you know that when the heart is possessed with the fear of God it keeps a man from evil And thus Solomon in a parallell place speaks to the same purpose Prov. 16.6 Prov. 14.16 that By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil An awefull fear of the great God is a good preservative gainst sin Quest 2 The next question is Wherein this worke of the Spirit in keeping a man from sinne consists And for answer hereto in the general it consists in three things 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne 2. In regard of the time and place where sinne would be committed 3. In regard of the manner of sin 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne so the Spirit keeps a regenerate man that he shall never commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost not but that there is the seed of that sinne in the godly as well as others this you have fully proved by John in 1 Joh. 5.18 1 Joh. 5.18 After he had been telling that there was a sinne unto death and saies he I do not say ye shall pray for it he tells you after in the eighteenth verse We know saith he that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not That is shall not prevaile over a godly man to sinne this sinne unto death grace in the hearr will keep a man that the wicked one shall not so touch
be punished lesse then a drunken Christian 3. Consider that in keeping under sinne you will not so fearfully break the peace of your consciences open and grosse sinnes they lay the conscience open and fill it with terrour and amazement but the lesse thou actest sinne the lesse shall thy conscience be troubled 4. Hereby thou doest lesse scandal religion then otherwise thou wouldest have done lesser evils they give a scratch to the face of religion but open sinnes they give religion a stab at the heart religion receives not so much disreputation by close hypocrites as by open prophanenesse 5. Thou mightest do more hurt by thy sinnes example if God should leave thee then now thou doest Though thou art a bad man yet if God restraine sinne in thee thou doeâ—t not give so bad an example as otherwise thou wouldest do 6. Who knows but that these smal beginnings of restraining grace may be a forerunner of renuing grace thou which art restrained from evil though thou art at present wicked who knows but that God may turne restraining grace into râ—nâ—ing grace Vse 2 The next Use shall be of comfort to godly men and truly there are many gracious hearts which may upon what I have said raise to themselves many fears and doubts some such feare as this may be in the brests of many and they may say Object Sir you have been treating of the power of Gods Spirit even in its common workings by restraining grace to keep under sinne in wicked men and some may say that they fall short not only of godly but even of wicked men for a wicked man can refraine those sinnes which I cannot This objection may come from the heart of many a good man and to this I shall lay down three or foure words by way of answer and comfort and so conclude all Answer 1. Consider that to perceive the unbridled workings of sinne in your natures doth not argue the increase of sinne but your increase of light and tendernesse in conscience Paul while he was unconverted thought himself alive and in a very happy condition before he saw the spirituality of the Law Rom. 7.9 but when he was converted When the Commandment came sin revived and then he died that is the Law coming in power upon his conscience he then saw sin alive and yet then he was in a converted estate and in a happy condition As light breaking into a roome doth discover what wants and disorders are there which were unknown and unseen in the dark so doth light breaking into the understanding discover our spiritual wants 2. Do not judge your selves to be in a bad estate by the want of particular restraints under sinne but judge your selves by the powerful manifestations of habitual grace in your more ordinary and constant course and practice It may be one man can bridle his passion but thou canst not yet he may be a bad man and thou a good man A traveller perhaps may sometimes step into a wheel-tract but his ordinary course is in the beaten road so if thou fallest into sin and wantest restraining grace this may be thy falling into a wheele-tract Prov. 16.17 thy ordinary way is the beaten path It being the high way of the upright to depart from evil yet now then thou maist lose thy way You are not to judge of your selves by particular acts of restraint 3. Though thou art overtaken with a sin when other men are not who are worse then thy self yet consider thou hast more temptations unto sin then other men have It is true in some cases a godly mans sins they are more to be aggravated then a wicked mans yet in other cases a godly mans sin is not so to be aggravated The devil is more solicitous to tempt a godsy man to sin then he is a wicked man Job 1. Zeck 3.1,2 When the sons of God came together the devil came also in the midst of them He owes them a spite and therefore if they be now and then overtaken they should not judge themselves by those particular acts but by the constant course of their lives 4. Consider though thou doest yield to a sinful act Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet if sin be not a Tyrant nor a Lord over thee thou hast no cause to fear Thou yieldest to sin as to an Vsurper not as to thy Liege Lord though thou wantest the restraint of the Spirit in some particular acts to keep thee from evil yet if thou art kept by God from the reigning power of sin be not discouraged thou art in a happy condition 5. Let this be your comfort though now and then thou canst not restraine the acts of sin yet ere long thou shalt be a compleat conquerour over all thy sins God shall tread down Satan under thy feet shortly now thou fightest with the devil hand to hand but then thou shalt trample him under thy feet and let this be your comfort who have the Spirit lusting against the Flesh your combate is but short your victory is certaine your conquest is great and your reward and Crown everlasting FINIS An ALPHABETICAL TABLE TO the foregoing Treatise of the conflict between the Flesh and Spirit A SPirit of God works not alike in all Page 66 Attendance on Ordinances p. 103 Affections unruly p. 179 Aptnesse to fall into any sinne p. 194 Spiritual Abatements p. 214 Christian Religion not Austere p. 218 Arminian objections answered p. 249 B Blame of sin onely due to us p. 131 132 And not to God or devil p. 161 Business of the world hinders holy duties p. 210 C Conviction for sin long after the Commission of it p. 40 We must not go out of our Calling p. 49 We must follow our particular Calling p. 52 Constancy in duty p. 65 Customary sinning p. 117 Conflict of Flesh and Spirit p. 124 Of Corruption of our natures p. 141 Concupiscence a sinne p. 160 Conflict against sinne fourefold p. 165 Conscience Gods spie p. 182 Contrariety of Flesh and Spirit p. 186 187 Why God suffers this Contrariety of our Corrupt natures to good p. 198 No Confidence to be put in duties p. 256 D Despising Ordinances p. 10 Depending on Ordinances ibid. Deliberate sinners p. 33 34 Devil may move a man to that which is good p. 48 We must not Depend on that we do p 54 Spiritual desertions of three sorts p. 59 Duties spiritually done p. 63 64 Duties diligently done p. 64 Satanical delusions p. 86 87 Difference between the godly sinning and the wicked p. 112 113 114. Diabolical motions p. 156 Corruption in us to our dying day p. 192 Sin diverts from and disturbs in duty p. 207 Gods decrees abused p. 216 Defilement cleaves to duty p. 233 Desire to do is doing p. 258 E Our Flesh a malicious enemy p. 135 An universal enemy p. 136 Other properties of this enmity p. 137 138 We can never do good enough p. 220 False ends of doing
mariage though it be intensive also to all sorts and conditions of people in the world yet he thinks it carries a nearer relation to men in a conjugall condition A man in a maried estate must look to meet with cares and crosses and troubles as the Apostle intimates in the next verse but one to my Text Vers 3. and therefore he gives this advice you that are in a maried estate and do meet with troubles and afflictions in the same why you must weep as if you wept not you must mourn regularly and moderately suppose you meet with troubles and afflictions as a froward wife or if you have a good wife yet no Children by her or if you have they are bad Children or if they be good they die God takes them away from you or if they live they take pernitious courses and are a grief and sorrow and vexation to you why in all these or the like conditions you should so moderate your sorrows as to weep as if you wept not And truly beloved the scope of the Chapter caries the sence this way and from hence I might note to you Doct. 1 1. That a maried life exposeth a man to a great many crosses and troubles either unsutableness of temper and constitution between man and wife the having of bad Children or no Children or Children or wife die these and many more afflictions do sometimes happen in a maried estate 2. From hence I note that people ought to take heed what ever troubles they meet with in this condition that they be not cast down with over much sorrow and grief but I only hint these things by the way And though I believe this Text caries a great reference to people in a conjugall estate yet because the Scripture is large and speaks in generall terms that he that weeps should be as if he wept not c. therefore I shall rather chuse to handle it in this sence that whatsoever crosses troubles losses or afflictions befalls any men here below they should mourn and wâ—ep as if they wept not that is so regulate and moderate their sorrows that they should not be inordinate or excessive in the same and the Doctrine I shall observe from hence is this Doct. That Christians should take a great deal of heed that they be not immoderate or excessive in worldly sorrows either for the meeting with any crosses undergoing any troubles or the losing of any comforts here in the world Whatsoever afflictions you meet with or whatsoever comforts you part with you should take care your sorrows be not immoderate and inordinate In the handling of this it may be I may come near the bosoms of many of you some of you it may be are troubled for want of trading that you are not able to buy bread to put in your mouths others troubled for losses some for crosses and afflictions some for outward others for inward troubles why in all these conditions you must weep as if you wept not you must have a care of immoderateness and excessiveness in all your sorrows Before I shall discuss those quaeries I intend about this Doctrine I shall first lay down three conclusions concerning it Con. 1 That this Doctrine doth not deny a naturall sensibleness of any crosses or afflictions you meet with Beloved God would not have you stupid and insensible under his hand this Doctrine of weeping as if you wept not doth allow of naturall sensibleness of any crosse or affliction that befalls us God would have none to be stoically insensible of heart Con. 2 2. Take this Conclusion that the people of God are more able to bear afflictions and crosses at one time then they are at another It was the case of David at one time when Absalom was dead he cryed out with great impatiency in the 2 Sam. 18.33 Oh Absalom my Son my Son oh Absalom would to God I had died for thee my Son my Son And yet at another time when his Child was dead in the 2 Sam. 12.20 He riseth up and anoints his face and eats bread and takes patiently the hand of God upon him the people of God are more able to bear afflictions at one time then at another Con. 3 3. Inordinate and immoderate sorrow for any affliction doth many times provoke God to lay on greater and heavier afflictions upon a people it is the way to provoke the Lord to double his stroaks upon you to make your burdens heavier and your bondage greater God deals with us as a Father deals with his Child if the Father sees that the Child beares his corrections kindly he will give him the lesse but if he be stubborn and frets and takes on it will not make the Father lessen his stroaks but to give him more and more so if we do patiently bear the indignation of the Lord in these afflictions he layes upon us it is the way to have them alleviated but if we repine and murmure against God and are immoderate in our sorrows this is the way to have them increased Queries I come now to the Queries which I promised to handle and they are these three 1. When peoples sorrows are immoderate and excessive for worldly afflictions 2. Why a Christian should take heed that his sorrows be not so 3. I shall give you some considerations to allay excessiveness and immoderateness in sorrowing what ever befalls you here in this world For the first Quest 1 First When may a Christians sorrow either for the meeting with any crosses or afflictions Signes of immoderate sorrowing for worldly afflictions or the losing of any comforts here in this world be said to be immoderate Answ I shall lay it down to you in these five particulars 1. Then is your sorrow inordinate and excessive when it laies you under great indisposition of heart to the performance of religious duties when it makes you unfit and indisposed to holy duties and especially these two hearing the word and private prayer First When it indisposeth you for hearing the word of God as in Exod. 6.9 Moses spake unto the Children of Israel but they hearkened not unto him for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage The people were so grieved and over-pressed with sorrow that what Moses spake to them from the Lord they did not regard it because of their afflictions and great bondage Now if ever any sorrow or crosse went so near thy heart as to disturb thee and indispose thee to the hearing of Gods word that hath been an immoderate sorrow And therefore it is a great sin and greatly to be reproved in those that when any of their nearest relations are dead they are so dejected with sorrow as not to come to Church in 3. or 4. Sabbath-dayes afterward which is very usuall with a great many In Levit. the 21.1,2,3,4 The Lord commanded there that there should none be defiled for the dead amongst his people There was a custom amongst the Heathen when any of
you there is a clashing between Gods will and yours as if God did not so well know how to deal with you as you do with your selves else you would quietly submit to his will 3. Another evill cause from whence this immoderate sorrow ariseth is ignorance both of the vanity of temporall things and the reality of spirituall things we discover thereby that we think temporall things to have more worth in them then indeed they have and spirituall things lesse But 2dly As it proceeds from evill causes so it produceth evill effects there are these five evill effects that immoderate sorrow produceth as 1. It prejudiceth your naturall health 2 Cor. 7.10 godly sorrow worketh repentance never to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And Solomon tells us a sorrowfull spirit drieth up the bones Prov. 17.22 so saies David in Psal 31.10 my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my bones are consumed 2. It is a blemish to Religion for a Christian to be excessive in his sorrows for the joy of the Lord should be his strength A godly Christian hath alwayes cause of joy unspeakable and full of glory therefore it is a blemish to Christianity to see a godly man overpressed with worldly sorrow it is an aspersion upon Religion for a godly man to hang down his head for the losse of any outward things as if he had no greater concernments to look after no joy nor comfort nor happiness to look after but here in this life 3. It exceedingly indisposeth the heart to holy and spirituall duties it hinders and interrupts you in hearing the word and prayer Exod. 6.9 They hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and cruel bondage c. Psal 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak 4. Excessive sorrow imbitters those sweet and comfortable mercies you do injoy a thousand mercies are buried under the excessive sorrow for one affliction as in Gen. 37.35 the place before quoted Jacob did so extreamly mourn for Joseph his youngest Sonne which he supposed to be dead that though he had eleven Sonnes and many Daughters and all of them came to comfort him yet he could take no comfort in any of them but resolved that his gray hairs should go down to the grave in mourning for him this one excessive sorrow for Joseph did imbitter many mercies and comforts which he did injoy So Esther 5.13 though Haman was admitted to the greatest intimacy familiarity with the King yet all this availed him nothing so long as he saw Mordecai sitting at the Kings Gate in this regard many men discover a temper much like the Hedg-hog which as naturalists tell us hath this property it will gather a great many apples or such like fruit upon his bristles and then go to a Hedge and eat them but it is so mournfull a Creature that if it chance but to let fall one of his apples by the way it will so vex and trouble him that he will throw down all the rest So many men if they meet but with one cross or affliction it will make them throw away all the other mercies they enjoy and take no comfort in any of them 5. Excessive sorrow for worldly crosses provokes God many times to send heavier and greater afflictions then ever yet you suffered As I told you before a stubborn Child that blubbers and cries and murmurs under the Fathers corrections will fare the worse and have the more blowes for it so the more we repine and immoderately grieve for any worldly afflictions the more crosses and troubles we are like to have And thus I have done with the second question why Christians should take heed of immoderacie and excessiveness in worldly sorrows We come now to lay down some considerations whereby to allay your sorrows but I must leave that till the afternoon I shall onely for the present make a short application of what hath been said and so have done Vse Vse Is it so that Christians should not be excessive in worldly sorrows but weep as if they wept not then this reproves those that can mourn for every crosse that befalls them but yet cannot shed a teare for any sin they commit Many men complain of small inconsiderable troubles and affliction but yet never complain of their sins and corruptions these never trouble them nor come near their hearts they can mourn for that which can but at most prejudice the body and yet never grieve for that which can prejudice and destroy their soules 2. I beseech you beloved take heed of being lavish of your teares for worldly crosses or afflictions it is pitty to wash a foul Room with sweet water I must needs tell you teares are too pretious to shâ—d for every trifle it were a great deal better you would keep this pretious water to wash away your sins for though it is Christs blood alone that can wash away the guilt of sin yet your teares may much conduce to wash away the filth and power of sin When you mourn for worldly crosses then weep as if you wept not but when you mourn for sin mourn as much as you can Be like yee before the Sun that will soon melt and convert into water you that are the Children of God know that you have greater things and of higher concernment to bestow your teares upon then any outward troubles you have daily failings and many sins and corruptions unmortified and unsubdued and the losse of the light of Gods countenance to mourn for your sorrows never run aright but when they run in this Channel when your tears run into the Mill-pond to grind your lusts and corruptions to consume and weaken them then are your sorrows right and regular Lastly Let me intreat and advise you not to mistake in reference to your sorrows to think you do mourn and grieve for sin when it is only for outward afflictions Many men when their Neighbours aske them why they are so sad and mournfull and weep so much will be ready to say it is for their sins and failings and corruptions that are too strong for them or the like when indeed it is only for some crosse or outward trouble they have met with therefore do not mistake that sorrow to be for your sins which is onely or especially for some outward affliction you have met with SERMON 2. WEe come now to the third Question which I shall spend this whole Aftemoon upon and that is this to lay down to you 12 considerations whereby to allay and keep under immoderateness and excessive sorrow for any worldly crosses or afflictions and how to keep our selves in the frame and temper of spirit which the Apostle here enjoyns us namely to weep as if we wept not I told you in the morning God would not have us stupid and insensible of his hand in any affliction but yet as we should not be stoicall so neither must we be excessive in our sorrows I have
least for outward trouble when the comfort of his sins forgiveness doth more rejoyce him then the continuance of any affliction upon him can grieve him as in the 33 of Esay and the last The Inhabitants shall not say I am sick for the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity those people they were like a Ship in a great tempest their Mast broken and their sails loosed all their tackling lost and gone why what then yet the Inhabitants shall not say I am sick because the Lord hath forgiven them their sin he doth not say they shall not say they were sick but they shal not say they are sick because their sins are pardoned the sense of their pardon should take away the sense of their pains under their present sufferings now when it is thus with you it is an argumēt that your trouble was more for sin then for affliction But then is a man more troubled for his afflictions then for his sins when he will grieve though he be assured that his sins are pardoned and that he is an heir apparent unto glory All the perswasions he hath of sins forgiveness doth no whit allay his impatience And thus I have done with this second caution that you take heed you do not look upon that as a mourning for sin that is onely for some outward trouble and affliction Before I come to the third caution give me leave to lay all close to your hearts by a word or two of application and the use that I shall make of what hath been said in these two Queries shall be first for reproof Use of Reproofe and then for exhortation 1. For reproof to those that are so far from weeping as if they wept not for afflictions that they weep so excessively as if their whole bodies were made of a lump of Ice that does all dissolve into tears when the Sun of affliction does scorch them How many men are there that are easily drawn to sorrow immoderately for worldly crosses VVe use to say when a man weeps that he waters his plants and you know that when you water your plants in your Garden too much you drown and kill them and so when you weep over much for afflictions you drown your plants and discompose your spirits and make them unfit for any spirituall imployment 2. This reproves those that when they come to mourn and weep for their sins and corruptions they are so sparing of their teares that then they weep as if they wept not a slight superficiall sigh or some tear extracted by violence is the greatest sorrow that many men have for sin when men are like a Cloud that will easily drop down teares for any outward affliction but like a Rock that cannot shed a drop for sin for dishonouring and displeasing of God Many people are like to Lewis the ◅th King of France that did alwayes carry a Crucifix in his hat and when he committed any grosse and abominable sin would take off his hat and bow to his Crucifix and aske forgiveness and then thought all was well presently Most men are apt to be slight and superficiall in their griefs for sin why now how do you invert the Apostles Order and direction here when you weep for sin as if you wept not and are excessive and immoderate in your worldly sorrows 2. Use of Counsel By way of counsel be perswaded to look upon your sins as greater matter of sorrow and grief then all the afflictions that ever befell you oh weep and weep again for them for your sins are worser and greater evills then all your outward troubles and the better to encourage you to this duty consider First That sin is the cause or inlet of all your afflictions had it not been for sin you had undergone no suffeirngs◠rather therefore mourn for the cause then for the afflictions themselves Secondly Afflictions are not so bad as sin in regard God is the Authour of all our afflictions but sin is such an evill that God disclaims that though there be no evill in the City but God doth it that is he is the Authour of the evill of afflictions yet he disclaims being the Authour of sin Thirdly Consider that all outward afflictions are consistent with grace but many sins are utterly incompatible and inconsistent with grace Let your afflictions be never so great yet you may be a godly man for all that you may be as poor as Job was or as miserable as Lazarus and endure any afflictions whatsoever and yet all this be consistent with grace but all sin is not consistent with grace as the sin against the Holy Ghost the sin of finall impenitency or finall obduracy and hardness of heart these are not consistent with grace and therefore you have more cause to mourn for sin then for afflictions and 4thly Consider that afflictions they reach but to the body but sin that reaches to the soul afflictions can make but the outward man miserable but sin will destroy and undo the soul and make that miserable and therefore be perswaded rather to weep for your sins and corruptions then for your sufferings and corrections SERM. V. Caution 3 WEe come now to the third caution and that is this Conc concerning mourning for sin is it so that we must weep as if we wept not then take this caution that Christians are not only to take heed that they weep moderately for worldly afflictions but they are also to take care that they be not excessive in their sorrows for their sins and corruptions But before I handle this case of Conscience give me leave to premise three conclusions Con. 1 1. That a man may weep overmuch for his sins This you have laid down in 2 Cor. 2.7 The Corinthians did fear that the excommunicated person would be swallowed up with over much sorrow for his sin saies the Apostle ye ought rather to forgive him and to comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with over much sorrow 2. Con. 2 Take this conclusion that there be but few in the world that do overmuch grieve sorrow for their sins where one offends in sorrowing too much thousands and ten thousands do offend in sorrowing too little there are but few that are immoderate in their sorrows for sin 3. Con. 3 Consider that none but disconsolate and doubting and despairing sinners do over-much grieve for their sins Obdurate sinners do not grieve at all and assured Christians they will not grieve too much only disconsolate and despairing sinners do sorrow over-much And here comes in the third case of conscience Case of conscience when Christians may be said to grieve too much for sinne how or in what case a man may weep and sorrow over-much for sin I shall resolve this case very briefly First That sorrow for sin is excessive that makes a Christian pore so much upon his corruptions that he over-looks his graces A Child grieves
more any is taken with the estimation and contemplation of the Joyes of Heaven the lesse he will be in the valuation and admiration of comforts here on earth The higher you stand the lesse you see things below will any rejoyce in the light of a Candle when he sees the brightness of the Sun shining in its full strength It is a Rule amongst Divines that as Physicians when a man bleeds at nose to stop and make a diversion of the blood will open a vein so the way to keep your worldly Joy from being excessive is seriously to ponder and consider what great cause you have of spirituall Joy and reioycing and this will divert your joy from worldly objects To turn all the affections on the right objects is the way to keep them from being excessively bent upon the wrong fear God and you will not fear men love Christ and you will not over-love the Creature weep for sins and corruption and you will not mourn too much for outward crosses rejoyce in spirituall things and you will not joy over-much in temporalls 2. Rule 2 If you would be kept from excessive joy in outward comforts consider that nothing here below is worthy of your joy the world is not worthy of a godly mans affections Heb 11.38.40 and therefore saies Amos in Amos 6.13 why do ye rejoyce in a thing of nought the world is as nothing the fashion of this world passeth away it is not worthy of a Christians joy Acts 25.23 when Agrippa came to the court of Judicature to judge Paul it is said he came with great pomp but in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he came with a meer fancy all the honours and riches and bravery of the world are but meer fancies very unworthy of a Christians Joy 3. Consider that the more you rejoyce in any outward mercy the lesse you will rejoyce in the God of your mercies the more you rejoyce in your comforts the lesse you will rejoyce in the God of your comforts And therefore excessive joy in outward comforts is no less then robbery you deprive God of that which of right belongs to him 4. Consider that thou spoilest thy mercies by rejoycing too much in them you provoke God to take away that which you so much rejoyce in I may very fitly compare rejoycing in your mercies to a posie in your hand Now you know if you handle a posie gently and smell to it now and then it will continue fresh and fragrant a whole day together but if you crush it in your hand and are continually smelling to it it will die and wither the sooâ—… So the more you rejoyce in the things of the world 〈…〉 they will forsake and leave you whereas if you did 〈…〉 and joy in them moderately and not affect them so much you would injoy them more and keep them longer with you 5. Consider that if you rejoyce over-much in those mercies you injoy you will grieve and sorrow over-much in the want of those mercies when God shall take them from you If you would live with such weaned affections from the world that the comforts of it might be but as the Gloves to your hands then you would easily part with them without any great trouble but if you love the world so dearly and the comforts of it cleave so close to you as the skin to your flesh you will not part with them but with a world of grief and a world of pain and trouble And thus I have done with the second query I have but a word of application and so I shall conclude Applicat And the use that I shall make of it shall be by way of caution in four or five particulars Caution 1 1. Is this so that Christians must take heed that they do not exceed in their worldly joy then do so much honour to Christianity as to let it appear that it does bear a greater sway and authority over your affections then any thing in the world besides Let Christianity be so far honoured by you as to have your love and joy and sorrow and all your affections regulated by it Caut. 2 2. Never be prejudiced against Religion as if that were an enemy or any way destructive to your worldly joy for it doth not extirpate but regulate your joy It is not a weeding-hook to pluck up and root out your Joy but a Pruning-hook to moderate and rectifie your Joy oh do not therefore entertain hard thoughts of Religion Caut. 3 3. Take this caution you that are Christians do not disparage Religion to the world in abridging your selves of that lawfull Joy and comfort that God hath given you and his word allows you in the mercies and blessings of this life for a Christian to hang down the head and pull in the lip to have teares in his eyes and sorrow upon his heart not to have a chearfull look nor a comfortable word this disparageth and laies a scandall upon Religion and therefore do not abridge your selves of the lawfull Joy in the Creature that God allowes you I remember Calvin saies that because he was such a pensive and sorrowfull man the Papists would not embrace his Religion he being so sad and mournfull Caut. 4 4. Take heed likewise of too much jollity As you must take heed of a sad disconsolateness so you must take heed of a lightness of spirit of too much joviallness you must as it were cut a hair in two neither be too sad nor yet too joviall Caut. 5 5. Take heed of ever running into worldly joy and pleasures to expell and drive away trouble in your mind You that use such base shifts and unlawfull means to quiet your Consciences and to remove terrour of mind It is the ready way rather to trouble and disquiet then to appease your Consciences You that in your sorrows give your selves to mirth and pastime and merry meetings thinking thereby to drive them away you do rather increase and augment them Just like the Pelican of whom it is reported that being naturally affraid of fire the shepheards are wont to carry some Coles and lay them by her nest and she poor â—illy Creature keeps a fluttering with her wings thinking thereby to extinguish and put them out but does inflame and kindle them and by this means the fire burns both her nest and self too So for us to go to worldly joyes and pastimes to quench the sorrow and trouble of our minds is the ready way rather to increase then remove our grief SERM. VIII 1 Cor. 7 30. And they that buy as though they possessed not WEe now come to the third part of the Apostles direction in these words and they that buy as though they possessed not I shall spend only two or three Sermons upon this third branch and then come to the latter part of the Apostles direction and they that use this world as not abusing of it We shall begin with the
carry such an indifferent affection towards it as if he had gotten nothing at all from whence note this Doctrine Doct. That Christians should take a great deal of heed that they do not place an immoderate affection upon the Estates and possessions they have got by buying and selling And they that buy as though they possessed not In Psal 62.10 saies David If riches increase set not your hearts upon them Many men do not only possess wealth but their wealth possesseth them and takes up all their time and strength and thoughts and their hearts too you may possess wealth but wealth must not possess you If your rickes do increase yet you must not set your hearts upon them Job cleares himself in this case Job 25.31 saies he If I rejoyced because my wealth was great and because my hand had gotten much let God do so and so to me In the prosecution of this Doctrine I shall handle these two Queries Querie 1 Qu. When do Christians place an excessive or immoderate affection upon the Estates and possessions they have gotten by their Trades Query 2 2. Why Christians should be so carefull that they do not place an immoderate affection upon the riches and wealth that they have gotten First When may Christians be said to place an immoderate affection upon their possessions Answ Answ I shall give it you in these 5. or 6. Demonstrations As 1. Affections to the world when excessive You then place an excessive affection upon your Estate in the world when your earnest endeavours and pursuit after worldly wealth does take you off from all serious endeavours after spirituall things And thus it was immoderate in those Tradesmen mentioned in Mat. 22.5 that when a great King had invited them to a marriage feast and sent forth his Servants to tell those that were bidden that all things were ready and prepared for them they made light of it and went their wayes one to his Farme another to his Merchandize and would not come when men are so bent upon their gain and have their hearts so taken up with the world that they are quite taken off from all spirituall duties when it is with them as with the young man in the Gospel Mat. 19.12 Mat. 13.22 that when Christ told him that if be would be perfect he must sell all he had and give it to the poor he went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions this is a sign their hearts are too much glewed to the things of the world Luke 10.42 when Martha was cumbred about many things of the world though these were expressions of her love to Christ yet because she did neglect giving attendance in hearing Ghrists voice he told her that she was troubled about many things but one thing was necessary and Mary had chosen the better part that should not be taken from her When your following Trades takes you off that you never read the word or pray in your Families or Closet then is your affection to the world immoderate 2. When your tradings and affairs in the world does so take up your hearts that you cannot take that ordinary refreshment and comfort that God allows you in the blessings you enjoy then you place inordinate affections upon the things of the world Eccles 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep When men are so possessed and taken up with the affairs of the world that either for care of getting fear of losing or hopes of increasing they cannot eat their bread in due season nor take their naturall rest and sleep this is a sign their hearts are too much glewed to the world Eccles 2.26 God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge and joy but to the sinner he giveth travell to gather and heap up riches he gives him disquietness vexation and trouble of mind The Psalmist sets out a covetous man by a lively comparison in Psal 59.14.15 he compares him to a Dog that is hungry that at the evening returns and makes a noyse and goes round about the City and wanders up and down for meat and grudges if he be not satisfied It is reported of the Dog that when he is hungry he hath a most enraged appetite now saies he let him run up and down like a Dog and make a noise for want of meat 3. You are excessive in placing your affections upon your riches when what you possess in the world fills you with security and sensuality What saies the rich man in the Gospel I have goods laid up for many years there is his security soul take thy ease eat drink and be merry there is his sensuality As 't is spoken of the Inhabitants of Hazor Jer. 49.31 Go saith God to the Babylonians to the wealthy Nation that dwells without care In Prov. 18.15 saies Solomon the rich mans wealth is his strong City and as an high-wall in his own conceit And thus did riches make David secure Psal 30.6 In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved then are your affections to the things of the world excessive when it breeds in your security and sensuality 4. When your wealth proves serviceable and instrumental to your lusts and is as fewel to your corruptions then is your love to it inordinate as in Prov. 10.16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life but the revenues of the wicked tend to sin 1. When you make your wealth and riches fewel to feed your pride as in Ezek 28.5 By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches and thy heart is lifted up because of thy riches said God to the Prince of Tyre If God gives you wealth and as you grow high and rich in the world you grow proud in heart too this is a sign you are immoderate in your affections to the world and hence it is that the Apostle in 1 Tim. 6.17 chargeth those that be rich in the world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy 2. When your wealth breeds uncompassionateness in you and makes you despise and contemn the poor Jam. 2.3 'T was the rich man in the Gospel that let poor Lazarus lie at his Gate and gave him nothing Luke 16.2 He that hath this worlds good and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up the bowels of his compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him saith the Apostle 1 John 3.17 3. When you do as in Prov. 10.15 make your wealth your confidence then are your affections immoderate to the things of the world when you will part with nothing to pious and Christian uses either for the furtherance of Gods glory and worship or for the good of man 1 John 3.17 4. Then are your affections excessive upon the things of the world when you are so insatiable and
condition then I did continually remember to pray in my Family to read and hear the word of God and frequent the Ordinances of God but now I am grown rich my Family goes without prayer and my worldly occasions interrupts and takes me off from the worship and service of God from reading hearing and praying both in publick and privately in my Family I am now a great deal worse then when I was poor and I have evilly requited the Lord for all his mercies Mens honours change their manners whiles they increase in wealth they decrease in grace The people of God are usually better in a state of affliction then prosperity And thus you shall find that David was a great deal better when he was hunted by Saul like a Patridge upon the Mountains then when he sate upon the Throne Therefore 't is said 2 Chron. 17.3 that Jehosaphat walked in the first wayes of David his Father it seems his last wayes were not so good many men in their last dayes when they come to be aged and wealthy they are then even possessed with their riches and they are in their hearts it may be when they are not in their hands and therefore consider seriously with your selves whether your first dayes in the world were not your best dayes and now your last and richest dayes your worst dayes It is observed of the Children of Israel that they were better under bondage in Egypt then they were in the Land of Canaan where they had all things needfull for then they waxed proud and forgot the Lord therefore Moses gives them such a caution Deut. 8. from verse 7. to 15. 4. Consider this beloved that your wealth and possessions in the world though they may be lawfull and honestly gotten yet they lay you under a greater difficulty of coming to Heaven then other men in Mat. 19.23.24 when Christ told the young man that if he would be perfect he must go sell all that he had and give to the poor he went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions Then said Jesus to his disciples how hardly shall a rich man enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And again I say unto you it is easier for a Cammel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God Upon how hard tearms can a rich man hope to go to Heaven some are of opinion that the word here translated Camel properly signifies a Cable Rope and Mr. Perkins is of that judgement too and saies he though a Cable Rope cannot go through a needles eye as it is yet if you untwist it there is a possibility of getting it through So if men do untwist themselves from the world and live with weaned affections from their wealth and possessions this is the way for them to come to heaven Heaven is compared to a stately palace with a narrow Gate the expression shews a great deal of difficulty for rich men to go to Heaven Mark and Luke set it forth with a patheticall emphasis oh how hard c. but saies Christ That which is impossible with man is possible with God The riches of the world are perplexing and alluring vanities and laies you under the greater difficulty of coming to Heaven and it is a hundred to one but they do ensnare and entangle you 5. Consider that you to whom God hath given great possessions in the world are exposed to more distracting and distorting and disquietting cares then poor men are for they have no cause to complain of their poverty if they have but food and rayment because they are free from those cares and troubles that are incident to rich men who would desire silken Stockins if he must have gouty Leggs under them and indeed the Gout is a disease that ordinarily follows rich men or desire a Sattin Doublet or a purple Robe to have a leprous and infirm body under them so it is better for you to be poor as you are then to have riches and so many troubles and crosses and afflictions with them In 1 Tim. 6.9,10 saies the Apostle there they that will be rich fall into temptations and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction for the love of money is the root of all evill which while some have coveted after they have pierced themselves through with many sorrows Eccles 5.12 The rest of a labouring man is sweet but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep So in Eccles 2.26 God giveth to the sinner travell both in gathering and heaping up of riches he meets with a great deal of sorrow and trouble which a poor man is without therefore riches are compared to thorns you can hardly graspe them with your hand but they will pierce wound you A rich man hath three vultures continually feeding on his heart great care in getting fear in keeping grief in parting and this hinders his quiet It is observable that the same word in the Hebrew that signifies Merchandize signifies trouble to note unto us that those that do entangle themselves in the affairs of the world will meet with a great deal of trouble and anguish and vexation with it 6. Consider that many times your wealth and riches doth stifle and interrupt the success and power and benefit of the word of God upon your souls In Mat. 13.22 it is spoken of the thorny ground that the deceitfulness of riches choaked the word and made it altogether unfruitfull Can a crop of Corn grow in a hedge of thorns no more can the word thrive in a heart filled with worldly cares Beloved it may be these awakening considerations that I have laid before you concerning riches may make some of you go home with a resolution never to be rich or endeavour after a great Estate in the world but do not mistake me and conclude from hence that it is a sin to be rich it is a danger to be rich but not a sin it is a snare and temptation and therefore you should take care both how you get and how you use and imploy your riches 2. Because there is a danger in wealth do not therefore cast away your wealth and spend it idly and wastfully and throw away the blessings of God from you As 't is reported of Crates the Thebane Directions how to procure Gods blessing upon our Estate thereby to preserve and increase them who said of his wealth Ego perdam te ne tu perdas me I le destroy thee least thou shouldst destroy me And this brings me to the 3d particular I promised to handle namely to give you some usefull directions and admonitions how you may do to have Gods blessing upon your Estates and thereby have them both preserved and increased And 1. Season thy possessions with grace get grace to be mingled with thy goods and get the true riches to be mingled with thy worldly wealth and this
made to promote their Creators glory yet they are made to be instruments of his dishonour and subjected to the lusts of wicked men and therefore consider of it when thou dost abuse the Creatures to excess either in drunkennesse or gluttony or pride if it were possible those Creatures would sigh and groan that they are thus necessitated to serve thy lusts which should be instruments of their Creators glory 7. Consider that by abusing the lawfull blessings you enjoy you provoke the Lord to take away those blessings from you As in Hos 2.8.9 saies God there because I gave thee Corn and wine and Oyl and silver and gold and thou hast abused them therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my wooll and my flax given to cover her nakedness the abuse of mercies does many times provoke God to strip us of them we see by experience that many that abuse their wealth and Estates come to beggery before they die and many that abuse their wits become very fools 8. To disswade you from the abuse of lawfull blessings consider that such practises will nourish in your hearts security and carelesness in preparing for the coming of Christ to judgement Mat. 24.38 Luke 17.27 As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be also in the dayes of the Son of man they did eat they drank they married wives they were given in marriage untill the day that Noe entred into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all and as it was in the dayes of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded till it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed Beloved many of you have your hands and heads and hearts so full of the world that you are secure and heedless in preparing for the last day at least in preparing for your last day the day of your death 9. Consider that by abusing the Creatures you force them to do that which by naturall instinct they have no inclination or promptitude to do in Rom. 8.19 The Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly that is the Creature is imployed in vain and sinfull uses not by its naturall instinct or by the Creatures naturall inclination but unwillingly thy hand that is imployed in any sinfull action or thy leggs that carries thee to a Stage-play or thy tongue that is an instrument of lying or swearing c. they do not do these things willingly or by naturall instinct they are not enclined to do it but rather to set forth their Creators glory The Sun does not willingly shine to give light to wicked men to deceive and oppress their Neighbours in their Shops No Creature does give a willing consent to be imployed to his Creators dishonour the Creatures are made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him that hath subjected the same in hope that is in hope that alwayes the Creature shall not be thus subject to wicked men and instrumentall to their sin and of their Creators dishonour The Creature is subjected in hope to be some time or other freed from this burden of being made use of by wicked men to Gods dishonour 10. Consider that you cannot use the things of the world long and therefore you should use them well this is the Argument in the text It remains Brethren saies the Apostle the time is short therefore let him that weeps be as if he wept not and he that rejoyceth as if he rejoyced not and they that buy as if they possessed not and those that use the world as not abusing of it why because your time is short you cannot enjoy them long and therefore you should use them well And thus beloved I have done with these Apostolicall Directions there now remains behind only the reasons or motives why we should not use the things of this world abusively because the fashion of this world passeth away Why must we weep as if we wept not and rejoyce as if we rejoyced not and buy as if we possessed not and use the world as not abusing of it why because the fashion of this world passeth away The fashion of this world The word signifies a mathematicall figure as hath been noted which is a meer notion and nothing in substance such a thing is the world all the pomp and glory and honours or riches and greatness of the world they are all fading vanishing comforts they are continually passing away like the gliding stream The fashion of this world The word saith another Authour signifies such a fashion as is in a Comedy or Stage-play where all things are but for a while to please the eye A man acts the part of a King that is but a Beggar so all the comforts and glory and honours of the world they are passing away like the water of a River they are continually running away from you Budaeus reads it deceiveth as an ignis fatuus Doct. I should in the first place handle these words in a relative consideration as a reason why we must use the world as not abusing of it because the fashion of this world passeth away and fom thence you may observe That the serious consideration that all the comforts and blessings of this world soon passe and fade away should be a strong motive to Christians not to set their hearts upon them Doct. 2 Who would set his heart upon that which so quickly passeth away as the running water posteth swiftly away so the things of the world are soon gone and therefore this should provoke Christians not to abuse them but to use them well seeing they are passing away But I had rather handle the words as an intire proposition of themselves and then the Doctrine from them will be this That all the comforts and conditions of this world are passing away from us even while they are with us This is the Doctrine I shall spend an hower upon in the afternoon SERM. XV. 1 Cor. 7.31 For the fashion of this world passeth away THe fashion of this world passeth away The observation from these words was this that all the comforts and contentments of this life are passing away from us even while they are with us They are of â—…ansitory and fading nature Beloved that I may a little work this generall point upon your affections I shall first shew you that this is a truth and then draw some practicall inferences from it and so finish this Text. That all the things of the world are posting away from us while they are with us I shall manifest unto you by these 3. or 4. demonstrations 1. It appears to be so by an induction of particulars All the comforts of this life are passing away from us while they are with us if you look upon all conditions
hardly be gotten to accept of it so should the consideration of the fading nature of all vvorldly things cause us to vvithdravv our affections from them 2. If the fashion of this vvorld be passing avvay then let this excite and stir up your soules to look after the things of another World vvhich are more permanent and lasting Chrysostome compares the World to an Eele and you know the harder you hold an Eele the sooner it will slip out of your hands so the things of the world the faster you think to hold them the sooner it will slide from you and therefore labour to lay hold upon Christ and grace and glory upon Heaven and happiness In Heb. 13.14 saies the Apostle here we have no continuing City therefore let us seek one to come Because they had no continuance here therefore they lookt for one to come even a City whose builder and maker was God they lookt after the things of another world that would not passe away as these do As in 2 Cor. 4.18 we look not to the things which are seen that are temporall but to the things which are not seen that are eternall You have another notable Text for this purpose in Heb. 11.15,16,17 it is spoken of the godly Patriarks that if they had been mindfull of the Countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned but they desired a better Countrey that is an heavenly Because they did not look after their own Land the Land of Canaan therefore they did declare that they had a better Countrey in their eye which they did look after namely a heavenly Kingdom The King of Sparta that year he was King sent a great deal of Treasure into the place of his banishment that he might live well ever after so should Christians while they are here lay up treasure in Heaven Mat. 6.19,20 Beloved if the things of this world be so vain and fading and uncertain let us look after the things of a better world Instruct 3 3. If it be so that this world is so fading and vanishing then labour to be convinced of the truth of it and let your hearts be sensible of the vanity and uncertainty of all things here below I may say of them as the Apostle speaks in another case in Col. 2.22 All these things perish with the using No sooner are you grasping of the world but it goes from you We have no more hold of these earthly things then of a flock of Birds I cannot say they are mine though they sit in my yard The glory of Ephraim is said to flie away like a Bird. The world like a Nose-gay withers while you are smelling to it as snow melts while it is in the hands of Children At the inthronization of Popes one used to go before him burning a wad of straw or flax crying sic transit gloria mundi It is an admirable observation that a learned man hath upon the names of the two first men that were born into the world Cain and Abel saies he we may learn this Lesson from their very names Cain here signifies possession and Abel here signifies vanity to shew that Adam and Eve did see nothing but vanity in all their possessions And oh that you that are the Sons and Daughters of Adam that have a great deal lesse of the world then Adam had that you would not set your hearts upon the vanities and uncertainties of this world that are so soon gone away from you 4. If this be so that all the comforts of the world are passing away then this shews the folly and madness of those men whose eager pursuits are after fading vanities O what a madness is it for men to be eager in their pursuits of these transient and fading things and in the mean time neglect these things that are of a greater excellency and duration and yet there are a world of such fools and mad men amongst us that seek after vanities and neglect durable and lasting riches O how foolish are many men in the world that are eagerly imployed about the mean and low businesses of the world and in the mean time neglect the great affairs of Heaven like Artaxerxes who imployed himself in making hafts for knives and neglected the waighty affairs of his Kingdom or like Archimedes who was drawing mathematicall lines and never took care to save the City nor his own life It is storied of Caligula an Emperour of Rome and for which he is befool'd of all that ever writ of him that having prepared and set out a very great Navy of Ships when his men thought he would have done great exploits and have conquered many Kingdoms with them he contrary to all their expectations commanded them to go and load all their Ships with Cockle shells and pibble stones and so return again Just such fools are many men that trouble themselves in purchasing Cockle shells and pibble stones the fading vanities of this world and neglect the looking after the firm and durable and substantiall riches of the Kingdom of Heaven 5. If the things of this world be so fading then from hence we may see the disparity and vast difference there is between earthly things and heavenly The glory of this world passeth away but you cannot say so of the things of Heaven the former weares as your Garments the other as the body weares not away Riches are a vanity used to and fro Prov. 21.6 but grace is durable riches Prov. 8.18 1 Pet. 1.24 The grass withereth and e flower thereof faileth but the word of God that endureth for ever by grasse and the flower of grasse is meant all the glory of this world and these all fade and wither away but the word of God that endureth for ever that is the work of grace wrought in your hearts by the word that shall last and endure forever that shall remain and continue when all the glory of the world passeth away 1 John 2.17 The world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Beloved here you see the great disparity between heavenly things and the things of the world as riches and honours c. Suppose thou art an Heir to a Crown or Kingdom yet these are but temporall inheritances and last but for a season but an heavenly inheritance that endureth for ever as in 1 Pet. 1.4 an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away All your comforts here below are but momentary comforts riches and honours are not everlasting but God and Christ and grace and Heaven and glory is everlasting these are comforts that ade not away but last for ever your earthly parents are not fverlasting but your Father in Heaven is everlasting Esa 9.6 eour livee here are not everlasting but your life in Heaven is everyasting Luke 18 30. here below you rejoyce one day and lweep another but in Heaven your joy shall be everlasting as