the devil it is true the devil can disturb the fancy when there is no object but that is not so usual But we read of examples in Scripture of those that when occasions to sin have been present then they have been tempted thereunto Thus Eve when she saw that the tree was good for food Gen. 3.6 and pleasant to the eyes there was the object and then the devils temptation she took and did eat And thus it was with David when he fell into that sinne of uncleannesse when he went to the top of his house he had no thought then of being unclean but being on the top of his house seeing Bathsheba naked the devil tempted him the reto and then his nature closed with the temptation when the occasion was offered motions which come from corrupt nature are usually when there is no occasion offered and therefore when a man upon his bed shal have worldly and covetous thoughts when there is no occasion given this comes from the corruption of his heart and thus all those speculations and contemplations of the minde about evil they come meerly from thy own heart and I must tell you in occasions and temptations to sin though the devil may be first therein yet if after you yield to the occasion or temptation you are to blame your own heart more then the devil 5. Motions to sin that come from Satan they usually seize suddenly upon a man before that instant of time that such motions were suggested they were never thought of such motions as these come from the devil as Perkins sayes they flash like lightning into a house suddenly Thus you read in Luke 22.37 concerning Peter Simon Simon sayes Christ Satan hath desired to winnow thee now what is meant hereby why it was that temptation wherein the devil did tempt Peter to deny his Lord and Master now it is true that Peters heart was to be blamed for he had the seed of that sinne within him but yet the Scripture layes it upon the devil as being first in the temptation because that before that instant Peter had no forethought of such a thing but when he came to warm himself in the High-Priests Hall then did the devil tempt him thereunto and then was Peter overtaken therein so that those temptations which come into a mans minde which he never thought of before they come originally from the devil but motions to sinne which come from corrupt nature they are more deliberate and more lasting and come not with that violence and in such a hurry as temptations from the devill come and the reason is because they are more suitable to nature and so cause lesse violence in the mindes of men Vse 1 Of Caution Know that though there be these differences between motions to sin which come from the devill and those which come from corrupt nature yet know that there is no sin committed in the world but it might be committed though there were no devil to tempt though the devil should stand by as a looker on there is the seed of all sin in the heart of man and therefore sayes our Saviour Out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses blasphemies Mat. 15.19 Our Saâ—iour speaks of them in the plural number to shew that there is all kindes of sin in the heart of man and all sinne in all its degrees and if God should but let loose natures raines how soon wouldst thou runne into all manner of evill Caut. 2 Know that in all evill actions there is usually a joynt concurrence between Satan and the flesh as suppose the flesh begins to tempt the devil he backs that temptation and if the devil tempts the flesh cherisheth and yieldeth to the temptation so that though there be a difference between the temptations yet usually there is a concurrence between the flesh and the devil so that if corrupt nature begins the devil will second the assault and if the devil begins corrupt nature will agree and comply Corruption is the tide and temptation is the winde to make drive down faster the stream of a sinful course Although it may be true upon thy examination Caut. 3 that many motions to sinne as to unnatural sinnes may arise primarily from the devil yet if thou dost yield to these motions thou art chiefly to blame It is observeable in David 1 Chron. 21.1 it is said that the devil tempted him to number the people yet when David comes to call to minde that fact he mentions not one word of the devil but sayes he I have sinned I have done wickedly and very foolishly And so also Peter he denies Christ and the Scripture tells you that the first motion to that denial came from the devil Luke 22.31 Satan hath desired to winnow thee sayes Christ Now Feter might have said 'T is true I have denied my Master but Satan is in the fault but we finde not one word of Peters against the devil but out he goes and weeps bitterly so that hereby it appears though motions to sinne arise primarily from the devil yet if thou yieldest unto those motions thou art to blame thy selfe and not the devil Vse 2 Of reproof If it be so that the flesh carries an opposition against the Spirit then this reproves that Popish opinion which holds concupiscence to be no sinne The Papists they deny that an inclination or natural tendency in a man to sin is any evil or if it be they say it is done away in Baptisme And thus the Pharisees they were ignorant that the motions of the flesh to sin were evil and it was a tenent among them that the law of God did only reach to outward acts and that the inward motions of the minde were not any way sinful But Christ when he opened the nature of the Commandments he taught another doctrine and therefore sayes he Mat. 5.27,28 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit Adultery But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart here Christ shewes that not only outward acts but inward motions to sin were forbidden by the law of God Thus Paul while he continued a Pharisee he judged his life by the outward letter of the Law and so thought himselfe as to the Law blamelesse Paul never knew the Law was spiritual until he was converted Rom. 7.7 and therefore sayes he I had not known lust to be sin if the Law had not said Thou shalt not covet take heed then not only to the outward actions of your life but to the inward motions and lustings of your hearts for the Law reacheth to these 2. It reproves those who when they have yielded to sinful motions are apt to lay the blame any where rather then upon their own hearts we are apt to transfer the guilt of sinne any where
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
insomuch that he was sick And how sick was Ahab for Naboths vineyard they were so intently bent upon their lusts But good men though they sinne yet they do not sinne so eagerly and therefore the Apostle he makes this a difference between godly and wicked men the wicked they commit all iniquity Eph. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezekiel 11.21 and all iniquity with greedinesse It is said of the wicked that their heart walketh after their detestable things 8. Godly men they do not sin so resolvedly as wicked men do wicked men are so resolved upon their lusts that there is no taking of them off When God bids the people leave their Idolatry they say No we have loved strangers and after them we will go Jer. 2.25 as if they should say we have done evil and we will do evil still Thus at another time when they had burned incense to the Queen of heaven and the Lord had commanded them to leave their Idolatry Jer. 44.16 and threatened to punish them yet say they As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee They were resolved to follow their wickednesse A wicked man is so set upon his sinne Prov. 4.16 that it takes away his sleep He sleeps not unlesse he hath done some mischief and his sleep is taken away unlesse he cause some to fall but godly men they do not sin so resolvedly It is true a godly man may have a purpose to act a sinne though he may know it to be a sinne but a little good counsel will take him off That of David is very remarkable how resolved was he to kill Nabal and all his family and what a bloody resolution was it nay he had bound himself under an oath and was going up to execute his bloody resolution but at last Abigail meets him and by her good counsel how soone was he brought off from his resolution And blessed be the Lord God of Israel 1 Sam. 15.32,33 sayes he which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood Godly men they are not so resolved upon wickednesse a little good advice will bring them off and they will blesse God for such preventing counsel and you for giving it them 9. They do not sinne so contentedly as wicked men Wicked men they sinne contentedly because they are in their proper element when they are sinning Nil gravitat in suo centro Now Philosophers say of the elements that the earth is not heavy in its proper place Wicked men they are as swine in the myre it pleases them to be there but for a sheep to be in the myre how doth it trouble it 't is their delight to be in the green Pastures Wicked men they not only walk and stand but sit down in sinne Psal 1.1 which argues their contentednesse therein But it is not so with the godly there is that difference between sinne in a good man and in a wicked man as there is between poyson being in a man and a toade poyson in the toade contents it because it is natural but poyson in a man how doth it offend him thus it is between sinne in the godly and the wicked Sinne in the wicked it contents him because it 's natural to him but sinne in the godly it is like poyson in a mans body it tortures and torments him 10. A godly man he doth not sinne so customarily as wicked men do A wicked man he makes it his custome to sinne it is his way wherein he walks and therefore sayes David Search me O God and know my heart and my thoughts And see if there be any wicked way in me Psal 139.23,24 There may be a work of wickednesse in a godly man but there is not a way of wickednesse in him The wicked are accustomed to a way of wickednesse and as the Prophet speaks If the Leopard can cleanse his spots or the blackmore his skin then may they also who are accustomed to do evil Sinne in a wicked man it is like water in a river you saw it there yesterday and you may see it to day alwayes it is there when they are in a way of sinne they are in their proper course but sinne in a godly man it is like the water of a land-flood you see it to day but to morrow it is gone sin it is not a customary thing to them 11. They who walk after the Spirit they yield not to sinne so indulgently as wicked men the Prophet he brands wicked men with this Psal 58.2 that in heart they work wickednesse they sinne with their hearts and in another place he saith Psal 5.9 Their inward part is very wickednesse that is their sinne it comes from their hearts Hence also they are described to be such Jer. 11.21 Whose heart walketh after detestable things they sinne affectionately but a good mans heart it is not so taken up with sinne The wicked are said to hide sinne under their tongues as a sweet morsel but the godly though they may have sin in their mouths yet it is there as a bitter morsel it is unpleasant to them A wicked man is as indulgent to his sinne though he know it will be his ruine as David was to Absolom and he deals gently with it but it 's otherwise with the godly for though he be overtaken with a sinne yet he takes revenge of it 2 Cor. 7.11 Rom. 7.21,22 and therefore sayes Paul I finde a law that when I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the law of God after the inward man My inward man is changed Vers 25. and therefore sayes be With the minde I my self serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne Godly men they do not delight in a course of sinne 12. And lastly they do not sinne so maliciously as wicked men The Psalmist hath a prophetical prayer against such Lord sayes he be not merciful to them that sinne of malicious wickednesse good men who walk after the Spirit they never sinne so as to despight the Spirit of grace they sinne inconsiderately but they never sinne maliciously Now summe up all these particulars and you will see the text is true that if ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh that is you shall not sinne after that manner and after that rate as wicked men sin Vse 1 You who have the Spirit of God blesse God that you have such a preservative to keep you from sinning so as wicked men sinne Why is it that the wicked sin so as they do but because they have not the Spirit of God Hast thou not the same sinful inclinations with the worst that are other mens abominable actions are but commentaries upon thy heart
doctrine I shall premise a few particulars to be considered of 1. This conflict between the flesh and the Spirit it was not found in innocency then there was an harmony between the motions of Gods Spirit and all the powers and faculties both of soule and body God made man upright 2. This conflict it shall not be found in a state of glory for then thou shalt be all Spirit and no corrupt flesh for then the flesh shall be utterly abolished 3. This opposition it is not found in infancy it is true there is a corrupt nature in infants sinful motions in children but there is not that which we call actual opposition because they cannot exercise neither grace nor sin 4. This conflict it is not found in the state of unregeneracy while a man is wholly unregenerate he hath no saving motions in him and there cannot be an opposition but where there are two contraries 5. That the time of this life is the time how long this conflict shall last it cannot be ended untill this life be ended untill thou castest off the body of flesh thou shalt not be rid of the motions of sin 6. That even in the most holy that are there will be this conflict between the flesh and Spirit and those who have most grace are most sensible of the contest of the flesh against the Spirit 7. That even regenerate men do more often side with the motions of the flesh then close with the motions of the Spirit they are more in sin then in obedience more in imbracing sinfull motions then in entertaining divine motions some gather this from the Apostles vatiation of speech when he sayes The works of the flesh are manifest but he doth not say so of the fruits of the Spirit intimating that mâ—n are apt to close with the flesh rather then with the Spirit 7. These motions of corrupt nature they do not only reside in the inferiour part of man as the concupiscible faculty exciting to gluttony and lusts and irascible to envy and wrath but also in the superiour part though the Papists would make us believe otherwise The more noble and rational faculties of man are become corrupt thou art become vain in thy reason and in thy imagination thy understanding is tainted and thy will rebellious thy affections displaced thy superiour faculties are defiled Now having laid down these particulars I come to raise the Doctrine which is this Doctr. That the motions or inclinations in our natures to sin do ever conflict or warre against the motions of Gods Spirit pressing us to good I shall not dilate upon the proving of this point it is written legibly in the Word and engraven in every mans experience Therefore in the handling thereof there are several Queries I shall dispatch and then shall give you the use Querie 1 Wherein consists this conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 1 In stirring up in the heart motions to sinne when the Spirit disswades from sinne Thus the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.5 he speaks it in the name of the regenerate sayes he When we were in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the law accidentally did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Not only in unregeneracy do motions arise from corrupt nature James 1.7,14 contrary to Gods Spirit but in a regenerate man Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed that is by original sinne and thus Paul he speakes of himself as converted Rom. 7.23 sayes he I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members the Apostle he calls sinne a law because it had a force over him and brought him into captivity the law of his members did warre against the law of his minde by provoking him to sin Answ 2 By quenching and stifling the good motions of the Spirit that presses us to good The Spirits office is not only to testifie to us our graces and to evidence to us our interest in Christ but also to excite and stir up holy motions in the heart Now the flesh it doth what it can to quench all these good motions Rom 7.19 hence it is that Paul complaines of himself that the good he would do he did not and the evil he would not do that he did and this arose from that corruption of nature which in the whole Chapter he complaines of and herein chiefly consists the opposition that is between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 3 By inturrupting you when you are about good duties if the flesh cannot prevaile with you to make you not do it will labour to make you misdo duty herein is the great sinfulnesse of it To will is present with me Rom. 7.18 saith Paul but how to performe that which is good I finde not as if he should say I have alwayes an evil nature within me which is interrupting me and debilitating me that I cannot do the good I would herein consists the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Querie 2 How doth the flesh oppose the Spirit and provoke to sinne the Spirit disswades from sinne the flesh intices to sinne Now what way doth the flesh take to intice to sinne so as thereby to conflict with the Spirit Answ 1 In general the way and manner which the flesh takes to oppose the Spirit it is very sly and subtil Hence is that of Paul Rom. 7.11 sayes he Sinne taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me by sinne he means not actual but original sin the sin of nature is very subtil to deceive as will appear 1 By the names the Scripture gives to the sin of nature They are called deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 There is great deceitfulnesse in sin according to that exhortation of the Apostle Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 2. The sin of nature it is deceitful as appears by the experience of Gods people Rom. 7.11 Sinne taking occasion saith Paul by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me 3. Because this sinne of nature it is that which makes the heart deceitful above all things and desparately wicked Jer. 17.9 Quicquid efficit tale est magis tale the heart is deceitful and is very subtill therein Answ 2 In particular there are seven wayes by which corrupt nature intices men to sin 1. By varnishing over sinne with the colour and paint of grace As a light woman may sometimes dress her self in modest attire that so she may not be suspected so thy heart may varnish over sinne that thereby it may the sooner deceive thee As it is usual that the beautiful face of grace by the corruption of our hearts may be smeared over with deformity as that tendernesse of
the Scripture which forbids that we should do evil Rom. 3.8 Job 13.7 that good may come thereon Will ye talk wickedly for God and deal deceitfully for him and if upon pretence of good we may commit evil by the same rule Judas his treason may be excused because of the great good coming by Christs death But let me tell you farther that if you sin that good may come thereby it is the way to lose the good you aime at It is very remarkable concerning Saul being to pursue the Philistines he gave out a very cruell and harsh command 1 Sam. 14.24 he commanded the people and bound them under an oath that they should not eat a bit of meat untill evening that he might be avenged of his enemies Sauls pretence was good but using an unlawful means the people became feeble and faint for food who otherwise might have obtained afar more glorious victory When men therefore shall use sinfull means for the obtaining of good it is just with God to disappoint them of the good they aime at 7. And lastly thy corrupt heart will tell thee though thou may'st not boldly act sin yet thou may'st safely venture on the occasion of sinne and yet be preserved Thus Peters heart deceived him he would go into the high Priests Hall venture upon the occasion of sin thinking that he should not be taken in it And thus the Israelites they would marry strange wives and this was an occasion whereby at last they fell to worship strange gods keep off therefore from the occasion of sin Solomon hath a good saying Can a man tread upon fire and not be burned his meaning is that a man cannot keep company with a harlot and be chast running upon the occasions of sinne brings to the acting of sin you will not venture upon ice or slippery places because of the occasion of falling and if you desire to be freed of the one be not bold to venter upon the other Vse 1 You that carry flesh and blood about with you and sinfull natures and do perceive the conflicts of the flesh against the Spirit weigh with your selves what it is the flesh conflicts with you for it is no lesse then for your immortall soules as the Apostle Peter tells you 1 Peter 2.11 I beseech you sayes he as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul The flesh aimes to damne the soul It is in this conflict as Cesar said in the battel he had once in Africa with the children and partakers of Pompey that in other battels he was wont to fight for glory but there and then he was faine to fight for his life remember thy precious soul lyes at stake in this combate therefore I beseech you take part with Gods Spirit against the flesh and not with the flesh against the Spirit Vse 2 When thou art overtaken with sinne blame none but thy own heart blame neither God nor the Devil 1. Not God for he made man upright Eccles 7.29 he gave a pure and unspotted soul to man but they have sought out many inventions therefore blame thy own self James 1.13,14 Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God for every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his owne lust and inticed 2. Blame not the Devil it is naturall to men to take off the blame from their own vicious natures when they fall into sin and to lay all upon the Devill but if you observe the Scripture you shall never finde that a godly man did ever lay the blame upon the Devil after he fell into sin It is true Adam and Eve did but there was some reason for that because they had no sinful nature to tempt them but after being fallen their sinful nature did tempt them not the Devil It is said of David that Satan stood up and provoked him to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 but David he doth not say so himself Vers 8. but sayes he I have sinned greatly and I have done very foolishly David he charges his own heart and the reason is because the heart of man hath a greater stroak in provoking a man to sin then the Devil hath alas what could the Devil do if we had not a sinful inclination within The Devil when he came to tempt Christ he found no matter in him to fasten upon him and therefore he could not prevaile The Prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in me said Christ But 't is otherwise with us temptations meet with corruptions that do suit them The Devil when he comes to thee thy heart it is as flax among fire or as gunpowder which having a spark of fire in it is suddenly blown up therefore blame not the Devil but thine own heart neither the Devil nor the world could hate thee were it not for thine own heart which like a false Trayter lodgeth within thy breast and betrayes the soul to the snares and temptations of the Devil Sermon XIII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 22. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to give you the properties of this enmity and of this conflict and there are nine or ten qualities of this enemy corrupt nature 1. The flesh it is a potent enemy against the Spirit it is no weak enemy but it 's strong and therefore sayes the Apostle Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reigne in your mortal bodies In the unregenerate the flesh is as a mighty Monarch which rules without controule the flesh the power or a Law over them And in the regenerate sin is an usurping tyrant which gets a great deal of the Beleevers soul into his hands Rom. 7.14 Paul complaines that he was sold under sin though after his regeneration he did not sell himself to work wickednesse yet he was taken captive by the flesh as by a powerful and prevailing adversary and as conquerors sell their prisoners so was Paul Divines do usually compare corrupt nature to great Goliah and grace to little David Goliah had more strength yet David gets the victory though corruption be potent yet grace in the end will get the victory The potency of the flesh may appear by these demonstrations 1. By the names which in Scripture are attributed to corrupt nature 2 Cor 10.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is called a strong hold a man may easily win an ordinary dwelling house but it is hard taking a strong hold Rom. 7.23 It is called a Law The Law of sin it hath that power over the soul as the Law hath over the subjects of a Kingdome it is said to reigne having the power that a Prince hath over his people 2. It appeares to be potent by that mighty power which must be
set on work to suppresse this enemy no lesse then the power of an Almighty God can suppresse these corrupt motions and therefore sayes the Apostle The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 It is a weapon edged with the power of a Deity which must pull down these strong holds 3. Corrupt nature is strong because it is set on by a powerful spirit the Devil he provokes thee to sin and that makes the corruption of thy heart so potent The Sea will move of it self being a fleeting body but when a tempestuous storme arises then it rages and roares So is it with thy corrupt nature if there were no Devil yet thou wouldst be a Devil to thy self and wouldst commit sin but when the Devil shall set on this Sea of thy corrupt nature then how doth it rage and swell He is that Prince of the power of the Aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 4. It argues the flesh is potent because it often prevailes over the Spirit The Apostle tells you that not only in wicked men but even in the regenerate the flesh doth many times carry a prevalence over the Spirit The Law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 sayes he but I am carnal sold under sin He speaks of himself as a regenerate man he doth not say he sold himself that was the property of wicked Ahab but it is meant that corrupt nature did carry him away captive to sinne just as a conquerour carries away his prisoner 5. The flesh is a potent enemy because there is a greater measure of the flesh in regenerate men then there is of the Spirit thou hast more sin in thee then grace more of a corrupted nature then of a renewed nature In the best of Gods children there is more ignorance then knowledge more pride then humility and generally more sin then obedience and this may be hinted from the catalogue here enumerated of the works of the flesh and of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.19,20 There are seventeen sins as the fruit of the flesh and but seven graces as the fruit of the Spirit to note that there is more of the old nature in thy heart then of the new more of the old leaven then of the new lump more drosse then gold and this God suffers in his children to keep them humble and in a continual dependance upon him the spirits of just men are never made perfect till they come to heaven Heb. 12.21 and in the mean time it is the admirable power of Christ to keep alive a sparke of grace in the midst of a sea of corruption 2. As the flesh is a potent enemy so it is a malicious enemy against the Spirit Rom. 8.7 The carnal minde is enmity against God and its maliciousnesse against the Spirit appeares two wayes 1. It suffers no good to be left in it I know in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing saith the Apostle Rom. 7.18 Caâ—o à carendo though there may be good in the man yet there is no good in the flesh that is in his sinful nature 2. It is content with nothing but with the death of the creature in whom it is and this is a very pernicious enemie it not only kills the Spirits motions but is malicious against the man Rom. 7.11 Chap. 8,13 and therefore sayes the Apostle Paul Sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and by it slâ—w me And again If ye live after the flesh ye shall die nothing lesse then death and eternal damnation of the soul will content it this argues the maliciousnesse of the flesh â—o be great indeed 3. Corrupt nature it is an universal enemy against the Spirit and its universality appeares in three regards 1. The flesh it is seated in the whole man in all the parts of thy body and in all the powers of thy soul The flesh is in the soul just as the soul is in the body And Philosophers say that the soul is in the body the whole soul is in the whole body Anima est tota â—n toto corpâ—re tota in qualibet parte and the whole soul in every part of the body just so is corruption and sin in thy soul the whole corruption of nature is in the whole soul and in every part of it in thy body eyes eares hands in all the parts of it not only in the concupiscible and irrascible part but also in the more noble parts as in the will understanding reason it is universal in every part of man 2. It containes in it virtually all sin Nothing doth virtually containe all evil but corrupt nature As we may say of the first man Primus homo fuit omnis homo Rom. 7.8 Primum peccatum fwt omne peccatum that he was every man So we may say of sin the first sinne had every sin that is every sin virtually Sinne taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me saies the Apostle all manner of concupiscence Corrupt nature it is an inclination to all actual evil in the world I may illustrate this by an egge An egge hath in it potentially and seminally all the parts of the bird only it wants the warmth of the hen to hatch and produce it So our corrupt flesh hath in it all sin the seed and spawne of all sin and as the hen produceth the chicken so doth the devil hatch sin 3. It opposes all the graces of Gods Spirit other sins take what sin you will it opposes but the contrary grace particular sins do carry but a particular opposition as for instance the sin of pride opposes humility lust opposeth charity drunkennesse sobriety in justice opposes righteousnesse wrath opposes meeknesse hatred opposes love and so of all other sins they carry but a particular opposition to particular graces but thy flesh it carries an universal opposition to all grace 4. The flesh it is an insatiable enemy insatiable in two regards 1. In regard of sin because if we yield to the motions of sinne to day corrupt nature will not be satisfied if thou yieldest to sin to day thou must to morrow yea all thy dayes Prov. 30.16 Corrupt nature is like those four things which Solomon speaks of which are never satisfied and as he elsewhere speaks Hell and destruction are never full so the eyes of man are never satisfied Prov. 27.20 that is corrupt nature in the eye sinful concupiscence in the heart causes an adulterous eye never to be satisfied 2. In regard of punishment as well as sin Suppose sin doth bring diseases upon thy body or poverty on thy estate yet thou wilt not leave it it aimes at no lesse then the damnation of thy soul 5. Corrupt nature it is an indefatigable enemy against the Spirit Suppose the flesh to have all the foregoing properties yet
from hence take this doctrine Doct. That the motions and workings of Gods Spirit in the regenerate do warre and conflict with the motions of sin which flow from corrupt nature In the handling of which point I shall do these four things 1. Shew what the nature of this conflict is 2. Wherein it consists 3. How you may know that conflict which the Spirit hath against the motions of sin from that conflict against sin which may be found in a natural mans conscience 4. Give you rules about this conflict Quest 1 What this conflict is Answ Negatively There are four sorts of conflicts against sinne which come short of the Spirits conflict 1. There may be a conflict against sin by sin one corruption may conflict with another and a lesser sin may oftentimes be overcome by a greater and this oftentimes is found in natural men as pride and covetousnesse a man that is proud he must have something to feed his pride and because he is proud therefore he will be in high company and in brave and rich apparel now covetousnesse being a contrary vice may give a check to pride So a man that is prodigal that spends his dayes in revelling and roaring inordinate love of the world will tell him that he spends too much in money thus one corruption may contest with another and yet may come short of the Spirits conflict against sin 2. There may be a conflict against sin in the natural affections wherein nature seeks to preserve it selfe As it is with brute creatures fear many times keeps them from that which their natural appetite would carry them unto the wolfe would fain worry the sheep but his fear of the shepherd restraines him so between anger and fear a man that is angry his anger puts him upon it that he would fain be revenged on the man whom he is angry with but another passion fear tells him if thou killest the man thou art angry with the Law will take hold on thee this arises not at all from the Spirit 3. There is a conflict which arises from a mans natural disposition some men have such heroick and generous dispositions that they naturally conflict with many vices as Luther said of himselfe that he was never tempted to the sin of covetousnesse he was of such a generous and free spirit It was a saying of Plutarch I had rather said he that men should say there was never any such person in the world as Plutarch rather then say Plutarch is unfaithful or unconstant of such a noble disposition was this Heathen to scorn all basenesse 4. There is a conflict which arises from the light of reason helped by a natural conscience which checks and controls a man for sin The Heathens could by the light of natural conscience see and detest sinne they counted it a base thing to prostitute themselves to base and beastly lusts Conscience it is Gods spy and mans overseer Major sum ad majora natus quam ut corporis mei sim mancipium it is Gods officer in man to warne him against sin now this is found in unregenerate men and falls short of the Spirits conflict against the flesh as shall be shewed afterwards But to shew you positively what this conflict is I answer that the conflict of the Spirit against the flesh it is a mighty and irreconcileable opposition stirred up by the motions of Gods Spirit in regenerate soules against all the motions of sin proceeding from corrupt nature this is a plain and full description of this conflict Quest 2 The next question is wherein the conflict of the Spirit against the flesh consists Answ This conflict of the Spirit against the flesh hath a double reference First to sin to prevent it Secondly to good to provoke it In reference to sin the Spirit doth these five things 1. It enlightens a man and discovers sin to a man which he never saw before Thus saith Paul Rom. 7.7 John 16.8 I had not known lust to be sin except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet The Spirit of God by the Law discovered sin to Paul and the discovery of an enemy is a degree of opposition 2. The Spirit doth not rest only in discovering sin but resists the motions of sin which proceed from corrupt nature the Spirit it lusts against the flesh that is it opposes the workings of corrupt nature this is in the Text. 3. The Spirit puts conscience on work to check and rebuke a man for entertaining evil motions for making his heart a lodging for sin It convinces the world of sin John 16.8 4. The Spirit it sanctifies the nature of a man and washes him from the filth of sin 1 Cor. 6.11 and therefore the Spirit of Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit because of the sanctifying work of the Spirit upon the hearts of Gods people the Spirit is not only holy himself but the Author and maker of holines in the hearts of believers 5. The Spirit of God it suppresseth the motions of sin ' it not only resists but helps a man to mortify the motions of sin Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live saith the Apostle and you have a promise for this in the verse before my Text Gal. 5.16 That if ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh he doth not say you shall not act but you shall not fulfill them it shall not have so much power and prevalency over you as over wicked men thus as to sin you see how the Spirit conflicts with the flesh 2. In reference to the doing of good the Spirit opposeth the flesh several wayes 1. By enlightening and discovering to a man what is good Isay 30.21 thus the Lord promiseth by the Prophet Thou shalt hear a voice behinde thee saying This is the way walk ye in it the Spirit discovers to a man his way his work and his duty 2. Not only so but the Spirit stirres up holy motions and holy resolutions in thee to do that duty it not only shewes thee the way but presses thee to walk therein 3. The Spirit assists a man in the doing of good when the flesh hinders Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us and helps our infirmities 4. It more and more communicates grace to his people whereby they may be inabled to do that which is good it gives continual supplies of help and therefore you read of the supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.19 Thus you see wherein the conflict of the flesh against the Spirit consists both in reference to sinne and in reference to good Quest 3 Seeing there may be a conflict in wicked men against sin as I have shewed you arising from natural conscience wherein then appeares
the difference between that conflict which arises from natural conscience and that opposition against sin which comes from the Spirit of God This Question is handled by many late Authours Perkins in his Treatise concerning the flesh and the Spirit and so Downam and many others Vide Amesium de conscientiâ lib. 2. cap. 11. therefore I would refer you to read them but yet I would not leave the point wholly and that you may know the difference I shall lay it down in these particulars There is a difference 1. In the manner of this conflict 2. In the extent of it 3. In regard of the principles from whence this conflict arises 4. In the time of duration And 5. In regard of the issue and end of this conflict First in regard of the manner of this conflict there is a threefold difference about the manner 1. That opposition which is in the unregenerate it is an involuntary opposition if conscience did not trouble him he would never trouble sin he comes to this battel not as a voluntier but rather as one imprest to this service by the impressions of a natural conscience he comes not to the field like a stout Champion but is dragged thither Conscience is Gods spie and mans overseer and therefore whether a man will or no it will fly in his face so that the opposition from natural conscience it is an involuntary opposition the commission of sin is voluntary but the opposition is involuntary Conscience in a wicked man is like the light of a candle to a thief it is still shining in his face whilest he is in the act of stealing But in the godly it is quite contrary the commission of sin is unvoluntary Rom. 7.19 the opposition in them it is a voluntary opposition they rejoyce when the Spirit does its office when grace in the renewed part doth suppresse the corruption of their hearts Wicked men are said to be willingly ignorant Heb. 13.18 but the Apostle tells you that the godly are willing in all things to live honestly Indeed a wicked man is loath to conflict with corruption his heart would alwayes be in the house of mirth as the wise man tells you Eccles 7.4 he is loath that his conscience should trouble him he would fain strangle conscience he is unwilling to conflict with the flesh but a godly man is most willing therefore you read that they groan to be unburthened for sin is the greatest burthen they lie under sin as a burthen 2 Cor. 5.4 and would fain cast it off 2. The conflict which is in the wicked it is but a jesting conflict it is like childrens playing together who will wrastle and strive but it is only for sport not to hurt one another or as Fencers who will make many flourishes and give one another some slight hurts but intend not to kill it is not like that of the warriour who comes into the field with an intent to kill his enemy but thus it is with the regenerate in their conflict with sin they indeavor in good earnest to kill it as the Apostle Paul sayes So fight I sayes he not as one that beateth the aire but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.26,27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dicuntur Pugiles cùm pugnis aut coestibus antagonistam obtundunt Pareus Gal. 5.24 Rom. 8.13 The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very emphatical it is a metaphor drawne from wrastlers wherein the Champions did strive for life the word imports the beating of an enemy black and blue to do him all the hurt I can therefore sayes Paul I do not beat the aire but do beat down my body in good earnest They which are Christs have crucified the flesh saith the same Apostle unto which also we have a promise That if we through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body we shall live 3. The conflict proceeding from natural conscience it is a disorderly opposition just like men fighting in a tumult but the regenerate fight against sin as men in an Army Video meliora probóque deteriora sequor Sen. Med. The disorderlinesse of the unregenerates conflict appears in this because it is found in different faculties a wicked man hath a will and desire to commit such or such a sin now there is no regenerate part in their will there is nothing in the will against the will but there may be something in the understanding and oftentimes there is and therefore wicked men though they desire to do such or such an act of wickednesse yet their understandings tell them that sin will not only disgrace them here but will damne them hereafter Thus the conflict in the wicked is in several faculties and so is disorderly but in the regene rate the combate it is an orderly combate in the same faculty not the will against the understanding and the understanding against the will but the will against the will and the understanding against the understanding and the affections against the affections the renewed part of these do warre against the unrenewed part So the memory as farre as it is converted it labours to retain holy truths and to justle out the retention of evill the regenerate part opposes the unregenerate in the affections the warre is in the same faculty the love that we bear to God and heavenly things warres against selfe-love the love of the world and love to sin These are the differences between that conflict found in the regenerate unregenerate against sin in reference to this manner of the combat 2. In regard of the extent of this conflict the difference appears in these three particulars 1. The conflict of a natural conscience against sin reaches onely to the opposing of sins of life to outward sins but extends not to the sin of nature inward sins and the reason is this because natural conscience doth not know natural corruption to be a sin and if nature wants an eye to discover sin Rom. 7.12 it will also want a hand to oppose it Paul while he was unregenerate knew not that lust was a sin therefore original sin falls not under the cognizance of a natural conscience We read of wicked men that natural conscience hath gone so far as to check them for sins of life as Cain for his murder Ahab for his idolatry Saul for his cruelty and Judas for his treachery but nature cannot oppose nature it may oppose the branch but not the root but it is otherwise with a conscience enlightened by the Spirit of God it warres with the inward motions and workings of sin Paul after he was converted complains of a law of sin which was in his members and of a body of death and therefore you have him crying out Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me therefrom natural conscience may check a man for sin of life but onely a renewed conscience will
rebuke a man for sin of nature 2. Natural conscience as it doth not reach to sin of nature so neither to the nature of sin My meaning is this natural conscience it never conflicts against the nature of sin but only against the punishment of sin it rebukes not a man for sin under this consideration that it is against a holy God and contrary to a holy and pure Law it is the punishment of sin and not the nature of sin which natural conscience relucts at not because sin defiles the soul but because sin destroyes the soul not because sin blots out the image of God but because sin keeps men that they shall not see the face of God not because God hates sin but because God punisheth sin But the regenerate they do not only through the Spirit conflict with the sin of their nature but with the nature of their sin with their sin not as destroying their soules but as defiling their soules not as tormenting the conscience but as polluting the conscience not as damning the soul but polluting the heart A natural man may be afraid of sin as a childe is afraid of a fire-stick not that it feares to handle it because it will colly his hands but because it will scorch his fingers It is a main difference for a childe of God would abstain from sin because of God not only because of hell The godly would not offend against the purity holinesse authority and goodnesse of God and therefore abstaines from sin The natural man as Augustine saith metuit ardere non metuit peccare is afraid to burn in hell but is not afraid to sin 3. Natural conscience may conflict with sinne yet it comes farre short of the Spirits conflict because it reaches only to open and grosse sins not to secret and small evils Cursing it is so execrable an evill that a mans own heart wil tel him of it Eccles 7.22 as the wise man sayes Oftentimes thine own heart knoweth that thou thy selfe hast cursed others natural conscience will not so often check thee for secret and bosome-sins as spiritual pride wandring thoughts in holy duties and emptinesse of minde but a renewed conscience when the Spirit of God comes by it to convince of sin it reaches to secret sins it reaches to the very motions is well as to actions and thus it was with the Apostle Paul sayes he Sin taking occasion by the Commandment Wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 whilest original sin did work but in its motions before they were acted the Apostle was sensible of them And so Hezekiah a good man it is said that he humbled himself for the pride of his heart for the lifting up of his heart as in that no man could accuse him of These are the differences between the conflict which natural conscience hath against sin and that conflict which the Spirit hath against corruption Vse 1 If this be so that the Spirit doth as well lust against the flesh as the flesh against the Spirit in regenerate men Then first see the reason why regenerate men do not live so sinfully as the wicked do It is not as if good men had better natures then bad men for the best man on earth yea the most glorious Saint in heaven had as bad a nature as the worst man on earth The true reason is this because a godly man hath the Spirit to warre against the flesh he hath the Spirit to conflict with corruption Gal 5.16 and therefore he acts not sin as wicked men do If ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 1 John 3.9 and according to this is that of the Apostle John Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God He cannot sin it is not to be taken absolutely but comparatively he shall not sin after that manner and in that measure with those circumstances as the wicked do because they are born of God have a seed of grace remaining in them this is the reason why godly men live not as the wicked do The godly have another kinde of spirit in them then the meer natural man hath he hath the Spirit of Christ whereas the other hath only the spirit of the world Vse 2 Learn to blesse God seeing thou hast so bad a nature that thou hast the Spirit within thee which is able to suppresse the workings of corrupt nature All you that are begotten again by the immortal seed of the Word that have the Spirit to keep under your corruption what evill would you not do and what good would you not leave undone if the Spirit were but withheld from you what will that man be that wants the Spirit will he not be an habitation for swarms of lusts and a cage for every unclean bird if thy heart be not a storehouse for the Spirit it will be a workhouse for the devil if it be not Christs garden wherein he sowes the seed of grace it will be the devils seminary wherein nothing but sin will thrive and grow oh therefore blesse God seeing thou hast such an evill heart that thou hast the motions of the Spirit to warre against the motions of the flesh 3. Pray unto God that his Spirit may do its office in thee thou needest not pray thy heart to tempt thee to sin but the Spirit needs intreaty to do its office in thy heart do thou every day put up that request of David Lord withhold not thy Spirit from me seeing every day I have sinful motions let me every day have the motions of thy Spirit seeing every day Satan perswades me to sin let thy Spirit every day perswade me to good Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to the third difference touching this conflict A third difference Of this conflict in an unregenerate and a regenerate person and that is in regard of time concerning which there are these particulars to be handled 1. The time when this conflict begins 2. The time of its continuance 3. The time how often this conflict comes 1. The conflict between natural conscience and sinne may begin assoon as ever a man hath light of nature whilst a man is in an unregenerate estate Rom. 2.14 The Apostle tells you that the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law that is natural conscience it carries the force of a Law with it and hath power over them so that they shall not break out into many evils contrary to natures light so that the time when a natural conscience may conflict against sin may be whilest a man is in the
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
righteous then he and that he had done wickedly in pursuing his life and yet notwithstanding all this Sauls unruly affections did overmaster Sauls unquiet conscience his ambition of the kingdom caused him yet to go on further in the pursuit of David So Pilate his conscience told him that Jesus Christ whom he was to judge was an innocent person and therefore he washed his hands and told the people that he found no cause of death in him this was his conscience but his ambitious affections did overpower it fearing lest he should hereby lose Cesars favour Luke 19.12 If thou let this man go say the people thou art not Cesars friend he feared this saying of the people and therefore went against his conscience And so also Pharaoh his conscience told him that he did wickedly in disobeying Gods command for letting the children of Israel go and he confesseth that he had sinned and done wickedly in the Lords sight and begged Moses to pray for him but observe Pharaohs ambitious affections did over-master his conscience and therefore when the plage was over he would continue in sinne still But when the Spirit of God comes to conflict with the lusts of the flesh though the affections be unbridled and unruly yet in time the Spirit of God will check and curb them and overcome though the Spirit cannot throw them out yet it will throw them down as the Apostle Paul speaks I keep under my body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 A godly man thus deals with sinne though he cannot give it an utter extirpation yet he will indeavour to bring it into subjection 2. Natural conscience in opposing sin it rests contented with a bare restraint of the Act though there be no mortification of the vicious inclination As it was with Pharaoh when the plagues were upon him then conscience wrought but yet his sin was not at all subdued but onely restrained and therefore sayes the Text Exod. 8.15 When Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them as the Lord had said And so Haman when he saw that Mordecai his mortal enemy was preferred by the King when he saw that he was taken into royal favour it is said that he refrained himselfe that is he would not now attempt to destroy him Esth 5.10 and though he refrained himself yet his revengefull disposition remained still unmortified Thus a drunkard may be outwardly restrained and yet his drunken inclination remain But the Spirit of God in its conflict it doth not only restrain the act but also weakens Rom. 8.12,13 and suppresses the inclination If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh ye shall live there is the mortifying of the act of sin and thus also we are commanded to mortify our members which are upon the earth as fornication uncleannesse inordinate affections evill concupiscence and covetousnesse Col. 3.5 and again to crucify the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 that is not onely to restrain the act of sinne but to kill and mortify the sinful inclination 4. And lastly natural conscience conflicting with sin it works not more watchfulness in a man against the assaults of sin for the time to come but the Spirit of God when that conflicts with a sin this day it makes him watchful against all sinne the next day and all his dayes and thus you have the third Quere dispatched touching the difference that is between the conflict of the flesh and the Spirit and that combate which is onely between the naturall conscience of an unregenerate man and his lusts Quere 4 What rules may be given seeing the Spirit doth conflict against the flesh in us that by the following of them we may be able to prevail against the motions of the flesh to sinne Answ This is a practicall and an usefull question and for answer thereto I shall give you five directions 1. Listen to what conscience shall say to you when you are tempted to any sin conscience it is Gods spie mans overseer and the Spirits officer and in hearkening to its checks you take a ready way to imbrace the Spirits motions and deaf your ear to the motions of sin it is the Spirits office not only to witnesse with our Spirits but also to check and rebuke us for sin with our spirits therefore hearken to what your own conscience shall speak whether it will solicite thee after this manner saying Why wilt thou dishonour so good a God hazzard thy precious soul and break a good Law As sin gives a wound to conscience so conscience awakened enlightened and sanctified gives a great check to sinne that it shall not reign in a cihlde of God 2. If you would have the Spirit prevail over the flesh then be sure you minister no occasion of sin unto the flesh lest from vicious motions there come sinful actions This rule the Apostle gives to the Galatians Gal. 5.13 exhorting them not to use their liberty for an occasion to the flesh that is do nothing which may administer an occasion to the flesh to take hold on you It is true the flesh can sinne without an occasion and a man may be an adulterer though he never saw a woman and a man may be a thief though he never stole and a murtherer though he never spilt blood but occasions to sin they do the more strengthen corrupt nature as the Philosophers tells us that acts do strengthen habits so the more thou acts sin the more strength it gathers and hence it was Numb 6.9 that the Nazarites who were forbidden to drink wine were also forbidden to eat any thing that came of the Vine-tree they were not to eat the raisin nor the husk of the grape that an occasion of sinne might not be admitted to them And the wise man shewing the mischief of whoredome Prov. 5.8 exhorts not to come near the dore of her house it is no sinne in it selfe to come nigh any ones dore but because being nigh the dore of an harlot may occasion and stirre up unclean thoughts and lustful desires therefore we are commanded not to come near her dore It is observable that God would not be called Baali but Ishi there was no harm in the word Baali for it signified in the common use of the word my Husband Hosea 2.16 Isai 54.5 as Isai 54.5 Thy Maker is thy husband It is in the Hebrew thy Baal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominus mariâ—us i. e. thy Lord or husband but this is forbidden that so the name of an Idol continued amongst them for they usually called their Idols Baalim might be no allurement to idolatry To this purpose Divines make much use of that place in Deuteron Deut. 25.13 25.13 where it is said Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights a great and a small the having of these weights in the bag you would think to be no sinne
flesh is against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and then I call it an irreconcileable contrariety because though enemies may be reconciled yet contraries never In the handling of which point I shall onely demonstrate the truth of it and then conclude with a practical application Demonst 1 And first this contrariety appears by the contrary names given both to the flesh and Spirit in Scripture as here in the Text corruption it is called flesh and grace is called the Spirit corruption is called darknesse but grace is called light Rom. 13.12 Rom. 13 12. It is called a law of death Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Tim. 4.12 but grace is called the law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 Corruption is called filthinesse of the flesh 2 Cor. 7.1 but grace is called purity of spirit 1 Tim. 4.12 So that by the these contrary names given both to the flesh and the Spirit the contrariety of both is set out 2. They are both contrary principled and origined for First corruption it is called the work of the devill and For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil John 3.8 1 John 3.8 but grace is called the work of God Phil. 1.6 Phil. 1.6 Again corruption it is called the lust of the devil John 8.44 John 8.44 but grace is called the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Gal. 5.22 so that these proceed from a contrary original That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit John 3.6 3. They have contrary acts and contrary uses the flesh is said to lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh they are contrary in their works and hence in Scripture sin it is called a work contrary to God Levit. 26. sin makes a man walk contrary to God but the Spirit drawes a man to walk in the wayes of God sinne is the Dalilah that will never let a man alone but presse him with importunity to yield to the temptations thereof 4. They are contrary in their ends and issues the end of the flesh is to damne the soul but the Spirit its motions and workings are to save the soule We are commanded to abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule and the Apostle tells us That if we live after the flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body we shall live Rom. 8.13 The tendency of sin is unto death but of grace unto eternal life And therefore saith the same Apostle The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Upon these demonstrations it appears the flesh and the Spirit are contrary the one to the other Vse 1 Of instruction If so be these are contrary the one to the other first let us consider the contrariety of the flesh against the Spirit and thence learn these three inclinations 1. Learn to admire the free grace and mercy of God that notwithstanding this contrariety of the flesh against the Spirit in thee yet that this should not stirre up anger and fury in God but rather pity and mercy herein is Gods great love shewed to his people God doth to us as we would do to a man that hath taken poyson we pity such a man but poison in a tode that we hate when God sees sinne in his people tormenting them as poison in the body though they have such sinful natures and so contrary to grace yet this stirres not up fury but favour and pity in God It is a note worth your observation by comparing two Scriptures together Gen. 6.5,6 Compared with Gen. 8.21 Gen. 6.5,6 with Gen. 8.21 In the sixth of Genesis it is said there that the Lord saw that the imaginations of mans heart were evill and only evill and that continually and therefore saith God I will destroy man from the earth there their corrupt nature and the issues and acts of it provoked God to fury but compare that place with Chapt. 8.21 and there you read that God will not any more curse the ground for mans sake because the imagination of his heart is evill from his youth this is a strange reason one would think it should be on the contrary but God doth not bring a curse but annexeth a promise as if he should say though I might destroy man as I did in the flood yet I will not do it though the imagination of his heart be evill and that continually no though his heart be so bad this should teach us to admire the grace of God that notwithstanding the contrariety of our natures unto holinesse yet that this should not stirre up fury but rather pity and mercy in God to us 2. Learn to admire the grace and mercy of God that notwithstanding the contrariety that is in our natures against the Spirit that yet there is an irresistiblenesse in the Spirits working converting grace that the Spirit should conquer a man and break down the strong holds of nature 2 Cor. 10.4 that the Spirit of God should out of these contraries bring other contraries for so the Lord doth commanding light to shine out of darknesse Oh admire the omnipotency of Gods grace 2 Cor. 4.6 that notwithstanding the contrariety of thy nature yet it hath not been able to resist converting grace 3. Admire the grace of God that notwithstanding the contrariety of thy nature yet that there should be in the regenerate either activity or perpetuity of grace that thou doest act grace seeing thou hast a principle of sin in thee Gratia in nobis est flamma in extingui bilis in med â—o mari and that thou hast a perpetuity in the state of grace that this contrariety should never be able either totally or finally to conquer grace admire that this spark of fire should not be drowned by this flood of corruption that this contrariety in thy heart against grace should not destroy grace if thou art once in the state of grace thou art ever so and therefore let this heighten your admiration Adam had perfect grace and yet not perpetuity in it but thou hast imperfect grace and yet thou art established therein that thou shalt not fall Vse 2 Of humiliation and indeed these doctrines about corruption of nature they tend chiefly to debase this proud heart of man that is degenerated and fallen from so glorious an estate Be humble oh man though thou hast a principle of grace yet thou hast something in thee that carries a contrariety to grace thou hast a contrary principle to a gracious principle The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other now here I shall speak not onely to unregenerate men but to the regenerate also and there are these seven
corruption yet if you do not oppose it you will not only have it in your hearts but also visible in your lives 2. Though you cannot remove and destroy this contrariety of nature yet you may be able to suppresse it it is true destroy it you cannot but weaken it you may remove it you cannot but represse it you may You may do with it as Joshua did by the Gibeonites he saved their lives but made them hewers of wood and drawers of water and as the Israelites did with the Canaanites they did not throw them out but made them tributaries so though thou canst not drive out corruption of nature yet thou mayest keep it under and the more thou dost contest with thy corrupt heart the more thou wilt be able to keep iâ— under Lev. 14.41,46 It is an observable Law which the Lord gave the Jews touching an house that was infected with the pâ—aguâ— of Leprosie God bid the people do this that if the Leprosie were in the house they should scrape every stone in this house and if it could not be clean by scraping afterwards they were to pull the house down Thy nature it is this leprous house the plague of leprosie hath defiled thy nature and the Lord bids thee do with thy nature as the Jewes were to do with their houses they were to scrape every stone so do you labour to cleanse your hearts sweep thy heart with the beesom of sanctification and if all will not do when this house of thine shall be pulled down by death then it shall be cleansed But as long as thou livest in the world be contesting against the workings of corrupt nature and though thou canst not expell it yet thou mayest subdue it Though our grace in this life will never be so strong as to expell and utterly subdue our corruption yet by our striving and labouring to keep up this contest thou wilt keep thy corruption at such an under as it shall never extinguish grace 3. Consider that not to conflict with thy corrupt nature it is an argument that thou hast no grace in thee Between one there is no opposition opposition must be betweeen two These are contaary the one to the other as corrupt nature is contrary to grace so grace is contrary to corrupt nature and therefore if thou doest lie still and not conflict with corruption it is an evident argument thou hast no grace Vse 1 Let this contrariety that is in our hearts against grace Libera me Domine à meipso Aug. make us ever watchful and jealous over our own hearts you know not how farre the contrariety and corruption of your hearts may carry you before you die do not think surely I shall never fall into such a sin and such a sin be not secure thou hast a nature in thee that may prompt thee to the worst sin that ever was commited upon the earth I told you of an observation of Mr. Capels that a Christian before he died should be tempted to break every Commandment of the Law and to doubt of every Article in the Creed thou hast a contrariety against all grace and therefore an inclination to all sin carry therefore a jealous eye over thy selfe Peter he was not suspicious enough of himselfe when he told Christ That though all should forsake him yet he would not Nay sayes he though I die with thee yet I will not deny thee and yet Peter he did both he forsook him and denied him Matth. 26.35 and that with a curse and an oath Had Peter known his own heart he would never have said so Good men know not to what the corruption of their natures may carry them it may be thou art a holy and a gracious Christian thou walkest unblameably in the place where thou livest but consider if God should let thy nature loose with what impetuous violence wilt thou be drawne to sin Hazael as I noted before thought not that there was that wickednesse in his heart which the Prophet foretold him of 2 Kings 8.13 and therefore sayes he Is thy servant a dog that he should do this wickednesse Nay Christ himselfe forewarnes his disciples Luke 21.34 That they should beware of surfetting and drunkennesse and the cares of this world a strange exhortation one would think to such as they were one would think it had been a uselesse caution to such good men the disciples they were not at that time hunger-bitten and that they should be guilty of surfetting and they who had not a house to put their heads in that they should be overtaken with drunkennesse that they who had not the things of this life should be careful about them this was very strange yet Christ he knew that they had the feeds of these sinnes in their natures and as they so also have all we and therefore we ought to have a suspicious eye over our own hearts As in the first creation all creatures were seminally in the Chaos and there wanted onely the motion of the Spirit to bring them forth so in our natures there is the seed of all evil and there wants but occasion and temptation to draw it forth Remember Direction 2 though there be this contrariety in thy heart against grace yet be not discouraged though thou discernest this corruption in thy nature more then ever thou didst in all thy life-time past yet be not disheartened there are many godly soules in this case who never saw more corruption nor more violence then now they do they thought sin was dead but now they see it alive they thought the power of it was weakened but now they see the edge of it sharpened There are these considerations why such should not be discouraged 1. Because it may proceed not from an increase of sin in thy nature but from a clearer discovery of sinne not that the object is multiplied and greatened but because thy sight is cleared a godly man he sees more corruption in his nature then ever he saw before this proceeds not because there is more corruption then indeed was before but because the Lord hath given him a clearer inspection into his own heart I may illustrate it by this comparison In a dark and gloomy day you see no dust nor motes flying up and down your chamber but let the bright beames of the Sunne shine in there and then you see abundance of dust now the dust was there before but you saw it not because the Sunne made it not appear to you thus it is with men Before conversion they have an abundance of lusts in their hearts but they see them not because the Sunne of righteousnesse hath not shined into them You have a notable passage of Paul in Rom. 7.13 Rom. 7.13 But sin sayes he that it might appear to be sin wrought death in me sin was sin before but sin did not appear to be sin untill he was converted and now sayes he I perceive the workings
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
him 2. The Spirit of God will keep a man that he shall not commit sinne at that time and in that place where he would Thus the Spirit kept David in a pettish mood he resolves to kill Nabal and all his family but Abigail coming to meet David by good perswasions soon allayed Davids hot spirit and herein the work of Gods Spirit was exceedingly seen that though David resolved that at such a time and in such a place he would do thus and thus yet the overruling hand of Gods Spirit kept him back 3. And chiefly the Spirit keeps a man from sinne in respect of the manner how a man doth evil A regenerate man he shall not sinne after that manner as he did sinne before he was converted I shewed you before how the Spirit keeps a man from fulfilling sinne And now I shall shew you how the Spirit of God keeps a regenerate man from sinning after that manner as formerly he did And there are seven particulars which I shall mention in this Point 1. A regenerate man he shall not sinne so ignorantly as formerly he hath done Paul tells you of himselfe that during his unconverted state the Lord had mercy on him 1 Tim. 1.13 because he sinned of ignorance but when a man is once converted his eyes are then opened and he shall not sinne so ignorantly 1 Pet. 1.14 Hereunto referres that exhortation of the Apostle As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance before conversion a man walks in darknesse and as the wise man speaks Prov. 4.19 Joh. 12.35 he knows not at what he stumbles An unconverted age is a dark age a man sins and he knows it not but after conversion God puts a light into the soul whereby he shall be able to see into the mischievous nature of sin 2. Thou canst not commit sin so stupidly and insensibly as formerly Before conversion sin did no more trouble thy conscience then gravel in the fingers of thy glove but now it is as gravel grating in thy bowels before thou waft stupid and as the Apostle speaks thou hadst thy conscience seared as with a hot iron 1 Tim. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seared flesh is unsensible it is your raw and galled flesh which is tender formerly thy conscience was sensible of no sin whereas now if thou doest sin it is as the pricking of a sword into raw flesh before conversion the Law was cast behinde a mans back Eph. 4.17,18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now a godly man sets it before his eyes before thou waft past feeling now sin is as a dagger at thy heart 3. Thou canst not sin so contentedly as in former time heretofore thou wallowedst in sin as a Sow in the mire but now thou art as a Sheep in the mire which would â—aine be in the green medows again I told you formerly Jude 18. that corruption in a godly man it was like poyson in a mans body troublesome and painful but sinne in the wicked it was but like poyson in a toade which was natural before thy conversion thou wast as much content with sin and corruption in thee as a toade that hath poyson naturally in it but now after conversion sinne troubles thee as if poyson were in thy bowels Prov. 13.23 2 Thes 2.12 sinne to a wicked man is his sport and pastime to the godly his grief and burden 4. Thou doest not so fearlesly commit sinne as in times past Formerly thou didst rush into sinne as a horse rusheth into the battel thou hadst not the impression of Gods fear stamped upon thy minde the dread of God did not keep thee from sin but when God hath converted a man he sinnes with more feare of heart then ever he did before and it is worthy your noting that when the Scripture speakes of a converted man it doth not speak of him as forbearing a sinne but fearing of it A good man is one who not only forbeareth idle swearing Eccles 9.2 Prov. 13.13 but feareth an oath And hence godly men are said to fear the command A wicked man may fear the threatening and the punishment but it is only a good man which fears the command and therefore will not sin because it is against a holy law 5 The Spirit will keep thee that thou shalt not sinne so maliciously as thou hast done formerly Before conversion the Scripture speakes of wicked men Judg 15. that the Lord shall convince them of their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed The Scripture speaks not only of ungodly men and ungodly deeds but of committing ungodly deeds ungodlily that is after a most ungodly manner after a most wilful and malicious manner But so thou canst not commit sinne after conversion We reade of some who do despite unto the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 but a godly man shall never so sinne he may quench the Spirits motions and he may grieve the Spirit but he shall never do despite unto the Spirit A godly man shall never sinne out of malicious wickednesse Psal 59.5 6. Thou canst not do evil as to the maine not so voluntarily as thou hast formerly done before conversion thou didst rush into sinne voluntarily but now thou goest and yieldest to sinne with much unwillingnesse This change doth converting grace make in thee formerly thou didst sinne with all thy will but now there is one part of the will against the other and therefore saies the Apostle With my minde I serve the law of God but with my flesh the law of sinne Rom. 7.25 whereas before conversion the whole of man was given up to the service of sinne a childe of God when he is converted though he sinne yet it is upon some surprise as Peter rashly denied Christ but a wicked man sinnes deliberately even as Judas betrayed Christ 7. Not so impudently as before conversion then men sinned and were not ashamed as the Prophet Jeremy speakes but now with fear and blushing shame The next Question is seeing this is a blessing in common to wicked men as well as to the godly to be kept from evil then what difference is there between the restraining grace of the Spirit in wicked men Jer. 6.15 and the renewing grace of the Spirit in the godly But this question I shall not now handle but shall reserve it for the next Sermon That which I shall now do shall be to conclude this Sermon with some use of what you have heard Vse If it be so that the Spirit keeps regenerate men that they cannot do the evil they would then from hence see 1. The great misery of those men who are destitute of the Spirit to do this great and good office for them what slaves to sinne are they who are void of the Spirit they are liable to every incursion and invasion which the devil shall make upon them Now the Spirits motions and disswasions they
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
intentions and these the Law of God will judge 5. Judge not thy self to be righteous and gracious by bare restraints from sin in particular actions but if you would judge your selves judge by the ordinary course of your lives It is possible that in a particular act a good man may not be kept from that sin from which a wicked man may and it is possible that a wicked man may do that good which a godly man may not be able to do Now you are not to judge of your selves by particular acts but by the constant course of your lives for if you should do otherwise you would condemn the generation of the just I shall give an example by comparing together good King David and wicked King Abimelech they were both tempted to the same sin and should you have guessed at these two men by their particular restraints you would have taken Abimelech for the good King and David for the bad King Abimelech in his restraint was far better then David it is said of Abimelech that he took Sarah he did not know that she was Abrahams wife but David did know that Bathsheba was the wife of Vriah and then further Abimelech the Heathen King though he had Sarah in the house yet the Scripture tells you he did not defile her but David took Bathsheba into his house and was actually unclean with her Now should you look upon these two men in this particular case you would judge Abimelech to be the gracious King and David the Heathen King But now if you look upon David in the ordinary course of his life he was far better then Abimelech you are not therefore to passe a verdict upon any man that he is good or bad by any particular act that as it is a rule in Philosophy that one act doth not denominate so when you go to judge of men you must not look upon a particular act but upon the general scope and current of their lives Prov. 16.17 The high way of the righteous is to depart from evil Vse 2 The second Use is of Instruction and first to regenerate men who have the renewing work of the Spirit There are these three Instructions I would have you to learne 1. Blesse God that ever you have been crossed in the doing of those sins which you would have committed How near the brink of many a sin hath many a godly man been at when an occasion and an inclination hath met together but God hath put in a restraint O blesse God it is the greatest mercy next converting grace It was the prayer of Jabez O that thou wouldest blesse me indeed and O that thou wouldest keep me from evil let it be thy prayer also Sometimes men are angry when they are kept from an intended sin and this is just as if a man going to execution should be angry with a man for stopping him in his way Alas poor man thou art going to the execution of thy sin if any stop thee 't is the saving of thy soul at least the saving of thy peace therefore blesse God How did David blesse God when he intended to have cut off Nabal and all his family when Abigail came with smooth words and prevented him O then sayes he Blessed be God and blessed be thou and blessed be the Counsel thou hast given me 1 â—am 25.32 so it may be thou hast determined the Commission of a sin with all circumstances which may further thee in the execution of it and hath God stopped thee in thy way what great cause hast thou to magnifie him 2. From hence gathet what cause the people of God have to suspect their own hearts lest they should carry them to such evils which they think they should never have committed Suppose the Spirit should be suspended that it should not restrain thee what evil wouldest thou not commit There are Scripture-instances of godly men who have fallen into those sins that themselves never thought they should commit and such sins which were repugnant to those graces wherein they were most excellent Abraham he was the eminentest man alive in his age for faith Gal. 3.9 Abrahamus paâ—er fidelium non efficienter sed exemplariter and therefore was called the father of the faithful now would any man think that Abraham should fall into unbelief why yes he did for being distrustful of Gods Providence he told two lies one to Pharaoh King of Egypt Gen. 12.13 and the other to Abimelech King of Gerar. Likewise Moses the Scripture tell of him that he was the meekest man upon earth Psal 106.33 and yet he spake unadvisedly with his lips he fell into passion which was that sin which was contrary to that grace wherein he was most excellent And so also Iob Jam. 5.11 whom the Scripture tells you was the most patient man on earth and of all sins Iob was most hurried to impatiency Job 3. insomuch that he bitterly curseth the day of his birth and the night in which it is said A man-childe is conceived I name these examples to you to let you see what cause you have to blesse God for the sin you have been prevented from and what cause you have to suspect your hearts if the Spirit of God withdraw from you And so Moses he was noted to be the meekest man on earth Numb 12.3 And yet even this meek Moses is transported with passion and he speaks unadvisedly with his mouth 3. Pray unto God for the Spirit to do its office in thy soul Psal 106.33 that the Spirit may keep thee from doing the evil thou wouldest We read of David Psal 19.13 that he made this prayer Lord keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins Thou hast need to pray that the Spirit may check and curb thy corruptions when thou art tempted to sin because there is no man though never so good that can stand by his own strength though never so great and thereby avoid an evil when he is tempted to it though never so foule O therefore pray for preventing grace that God would keep thee by his Spirit that so thou mightest not do the works of the flesh And therefore Christ hath taught us to pray Lord deliver us from evil Mat. 6.13 viz. from that evil which we cannot of our selves avoid Secondly as this point refers to the unregenerate who have only restraining grace to hinder them from sin Let even such consider what cause they have to blesse God for this mercy though they shall go to hell yet they have cause to blesse God for restraining grace on earth for though it will not make you good yet it will and doth make you lesse evil and though it cannot make you spiritual yet it will make you good moral men By restraining grace a man may have this good 1. He may not commit so many and great sins 2. He may not incur so great punishment 3. He will bring the lesse scandal
to Religion 4. He will give the lesse bad example 2. Unto such who have restraining grace I would give this caution that you would not boast thereof The Pharisee had restraining grace but he made ill use thereof Luke 18.11 Non Deum sed seipsum laudavit Pharisaeus I thank God sayes he I am no extortioner nor no adulterer nor as this Publicane is Doth God restraine these sins in thee do not thou boast in these restraints who hath made a difference between thee and others is it not God therefore be not proud of it 3. Take heed that you do not take restraining grace to be an evidence of renewing grace and here I shall shew you twelve wayes whereby you may be deceived but of this in the following Sermon SERMON XXVII at Lawrence Jury Lond. Feb. 16. 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 Shall by Gods assistance in this Sermon finish this point and there is only one question that depends upon the last caution I named in my last Sermon which was that you should not look upon the restraints of the Spirit in keeping you from sin to be the saving and gracious work of the Spirit And hereupon I shall answer this question and shew you what other causes there may be besides the renewing grace of the Spirit that may keep wicked men from doing evil 1. Men may be kept from wickednesse from the power which a religious education hath had on them while they were young when you are under the tuition of Parents or Masters or Governours this may restrain men from doing much evil 2 King 12.2 You have an instance hereof in King Jehoash He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him All the dayes his Uncle lived he walked in the wayes of the Lord but assoon as ever he was dead he fell to work wickednesse Thus you read concerning Paul that he was according to the Law blamelesse Phil. 3.6 that is as to the outward letter now how came he to be thus why sayes he Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews and touching the law a Pharisee that is he was trained up in the Jewish religion and the force of education had made Paul a man of a very good moral life And so the young man he saith to Christ that all the Commandments he had kept from his youth this was the power of education Mark 10.19,20 Plutarch A colt if he be never taken nor tamed with bit nor bridle will be a very savage and wilde creature all his life-time and if you let him runne too long he will hardly be tamed at all but if you take up a colt when he is young though he be wilde by nature yet by breaking of him you will make him fit for service It is true religion doth not runne in a blood yet the profession of it may and this may be one cause why men do not the evil they would because a religious education hath a power to keep them back yet this falls far short of renuing grace 2. Disability of body whether through age or sickness may be a meanes to restraine men from many sinnes Ambrose calls diseases the shops of vertue Indeed sicknesse it is a prison but not a grave to sinne it is only mortification which is a slaughter-house to sinne Morbi virtutis officinae Ambr. sicknesse keeps sinne in when men are fastened to their beds and when their bones are made to rattle in their skin they have then no pleasure nor leisure left them to think of Luxurious excesse Thus we see in Abimelech how God kept him by laying some sicknesse or other upon him Gen. 20.6 compared with vers 17. This you see by comparing Gen. 20.6 with the 17. ver of that Chapter In ver 6. God told Abimelech that he withheld him from sinne there it is only said in the generall that God restrained him but in ver 17. is hinted the manner how God did this Abimelech would faine have defiled Abrahams wife but God laid some disease upon him and therefore it is said that Abraham prayed unto God and God healed Abimelech Rivet Rivet upon these words saith that assoone as ever he took Sarah into his house God smote him with a sore sicknesse so that he was not able to commit folly with her And he gives this reason because Isaac was the promised seed and if Abimelech should have laine with Sarah the childe would have been thought Abimelech's and not Abrahams and therefore God did send some exquisite disease upon him that so he might be disabled to his intended folly 3. Outward meannesse and poverty of a mans present condition is a cause to hinder many men from sinne whereas if they had wealth they would work wickednesse with greedinesse And this was Hazaels condition while he was a servant he could not then do much mischiefe his outward condition was so mean that he had not opportunity and advantage 2 King 8.12 but when he came to be King in his Masters roome Then shalt thou burne the City rip up women with childe and dash children against the stones he never thought he should have been so bad but when he came to be King he did this and much more We may blesse God as it is a common proverb That curst cowes have but short hornes that wicked men are not sometimes rich men and great in place and power God many times so orders it that men that have much evil in their natures should not have opportunity to act it in their lives 4. Another way whereby men may be kept from sin may be from the affrightment of a natural conscience Gods Spirit doth not only sometimes witnesse with the spirit in godly men but also checks the spirits of wicked men and though a wicked man doth not forbeare to act sinne obedientially with any respect to the command of God yet he forbeares to sinne rationally out of conviction from a natural conscience Natural conscience it is that which over-rules and swayes a wicked man so that he shall not do the evil he would the Gentiles having not the law as the Apostle saith that is the written law Rom. 2.14 yet they do by nature the things contained in the law and these having not the law are a law unto themselves these Gentiles though heathens the Scripture sayes they were a law unto themselves that is they have a conscience which is instead of a law to them 5. The feare which is implanted in men of humane lawes and penal statutes is another meanes to keep men from much sinne when a divine law cannot bear sway with a wicked mans conscience
a humane law will restraine his practice if it were not so how many murthers would there be were it not more for venturing their neckâ— then their souls It is a mercy to have good lawes in a Nation because they restraine men from the practice of evil when the law of God hath not a sway upon mens consciences You finde in Scripture how men have been restrained meerly upon this account the favourites of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon informing against Shadrach Meshech and Abednego Dan. 3.29 touching their God there was an order made that the three children should be cast into the fiery furnace and that it should be seven times more hotter then formerly well they were cast in and the story tells you that they walked in the fire as in a pleasant roome Now this did so convince the King and his Nobles that the King made this law and sent out this Edict that every People Nation and language which spake any thing amisse against the God of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego they shall be cut in pieces and their houses be made a dunghill here was a humane law and this did so quell and awe the people that though they did raile against the God of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego before yet now they were silent I only mention this to shew what force and power a humane law hath to restraine the sin of wicked men 6. Men may be kept from sin meerly by the presence and example of good men among whom they live who do take notice of and observe their wayes I remember that it is reported as a proverb among the Romanes they will say Take heed Cato beholds you Cato who was esteemed a good man and being so esteemed when any man was doing evil this was their Proverb Take heed Cato sees you And thus you finde in Scripture concerning Herod that he feared John knowing that he was a just man and an holy and observed him Joâ— 6.20 We have a story in the book of Martyrs in the beginning of the first vollume concerning John the Evangelist who wrote the Revelation as he was riding upon the high way a company of thieves met with him and it so happened that the Captain of these thieves was a youth which lived under John's Ministery and though John hardly knew him yet he knew Iohn and it is said when he saw the old man he ran away the guilt of his conscience did so recoile upon him and the presence of Iohn that he ranne away not daring to act his accustomed wickednesse To this purpose is that of the Apostle Paul It is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing and not only when I am present with you Gai. 4.18 Phil. 1.27 Phil. 2.12 It intimates that whilest Paul was present they walked marvellous well but when he was absent they then grew idle the presence and example of good men is an occasion many times to keep others from sinne 7. Men may be kept from sinne from an heroicknesse of Spirit and from the ingenuousnesse of a mans natural temper And thus Luther before conversion whilst he was a Monk in the Church of Rome yet he professes that then he was never tainted with covetousnesse he was of so ingenuous a spirit that such a sordid sinne did not cleave to him And so Paul he tells you of a natural gift which he had which was continency Thus it is reported of Plutarch that he should say Malo nullumsuisse Plutarchum c. Rom. 2.14 I had rather you should say there is no such man in the world then to say that Psâ—tarch is either vaine unjust or unconstant the natural temper of the man did incline him to equity and justice Paul speaking of the Gentiles sayes that though they had not the Law yet they did by nature the things contained in the Law that is by a refined nature What is the reason that some men are passionate and others not the reason is not from renuing grace but it is because there is in some a more ingenuousnesse of spirit then in others and hereby many evils as to the act of them are restrained though men be destitute of renuing grace 8. Wicked men they may be kept from doing evil for feare of punishment either temporal or eternal sometimes fear of outward judgements and thus it was with the Egyptians Formidine poenae potiùs quà m detestâ—tione moli Exod 12.33 they cry Let the Israelites go or we are all dead men depart they must but not because God would have them go nor yet out of love to the Isralites but out of love to themselves we are all dead men if they be not free men So we read the High Priests and Pharisees Mat. 26.5 they would not kill Christ upon a feast-day lest there should be an uproar among the people it was not love to Christ but love to themselves So many Polititians they would do many injurious acts were it not that they feared the people 9. The fear of hell and Gods wrath that may lie hard on the soul of a sinner and may keep him from doing wickednesse fear of everlasting burnings To this purpose you have a notable passage of the Prophet Isaiah The sinners in Sion saies he are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprized the hypocrites Isa 3.3.14 what what 's the matter This is the reason Who among us can dwell with devouring fire who can dwell with everlasting barnings The feare of Gods wrath made them afraid of sinne 10. Hope of temporal and eternal reward may be another cause why men may forbear sinne Mark 10.17 And this was the conceit of that young man What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life Christ answers him Thou knowest the Commandments Do not kill Do not commit adultery Do not steale and he answers All these have I kept from my youth he had more regard to the reward then to the rule in his obedience of the Commmandments And thus Balaam his hope in a happy end did curb him that he did not commit an unrighteous act Upon all these forementioned occasions wicked men may refraine from sinne such who are wholly without any truth of grace Vse The Use I shall make of this point shall be to wicked men Puâ—câ—rum est in secundis tâ—rtiâ—sque consisterâ— c. Cicero even to those who upon any of the forementioned grounds have been kept from sin 1. Hereby you have lesse sinne then others have or then your selves would have had if you had been without restraining grace though restraining grace in checking sinne do not make you good yet it makes you lesse evil though not holy and spiritual men yet good moral men 2. Your punishment will be lesse then otherwise it would have been in that God hath given you restraining grace to keep under sinne A Heathen shall be punished lesse that hath restraining grace then a Christian which wants it A sober Heathen shall
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