their holinesse is but by flashes and fits it continues not they are like violent motions quicke in the beginning and slower in the end the higher they goe the weaker they are But the motions and actions of the godly are as a stone falling downwards which moves faster and faster till it falles to the Center where it would bee Now we have done all this there is not yet sufficient said to make it sufficiently appeare that there is such a life of grace these and an hundred other Arguments and reasons will not make naturall men beleeve that many men live other lives than they But when they see the life of holinesse blase in their eyes they say it is but guilded over it is but hypocrisy These reasons may prepare and confirme but they cannot perswade we must therefore beleeve that there is such a life Iohn 3. Christ treats of this that there is such a life he tels Nicodemus that he must live it and be borne againe He wonders at it how it can be Christ therefore concludes in the 12. verse If I have told you earthly things and yee beleeve not how shall yee beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things that is it must bee beleeved that there is such a life sense beleeves it not yet it is easier to beleeve it because it is wrought on earth other things are harder than this to beleeve because they are wrought in heaven though this be wrought on earth yet it is hard to beleeve and must bee beleeved And thus much for the first part of the doctrine that there is such a life For the second what this life is yee may know one Contrary by another wee have shewed already what death that is contrary to it is by which yee may partly perceive what this life is yet we will give you some other signes how to know it This life is a reall life as reall as the other though this life doth not consist in eating and drinking as the other doth it is a life of faith it is not seene yet it is as reall as the common life as it appeares by comparing it with the cōmon life First in this common life of nature there must be temper of body disposition of instruments so in this life of grace there is a frame of heart and a composition of soule on which it doth depend there are humors and ingredients of this life and they are the things yee know there is a reality in this life as well as in the naturall life Secondly as the naturall life hath a temper of body hath divers mixtures so it abhorrs things that are hurtfull to it and desires things that cherish it so in this life of grace there is an appetite those that live they are carried to the things that helpe them they doe hunger after the word and that that builds them up they abhorre sinne and lust that would destroy them Thirdly as in the naturall life so in this there is a taste and palate that helps this appetite Rom. 12.2 Bee yee changed by the renewing of your minde that yee may prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God that is that yee may be able to discerne of it as the touchstone discernes of Gold or the taste and palate of meates Fourthly as in the other life there is hunger and thirst so is there in this men are sensible of paines and refreshings they are sensible of sinne judgement and threatnings which others are not being hard and dead Fiftly as the other life is fed with food so is this the food which a man eates is not presently turned into flesh and bloud that nourisheth but there is a nutritive faculty that nourisheth and turnes all wee eate into nourishment So the Saints they turne all the passages of Gods providence into nourishment they assimulate and turne all things to a good use there is a living and vitall faculty in them that sets them forwards Ephe 4.16 They being knit to Christ according to the effectuall power working in every part increase and edifye themselves in love Lastly as this common life hath beside other things that maintaine it some other indowments to helpe it out as company recreation riches and the like so hath this spirituall life it hath riches and friends it hath its heritage company habitation God is our habitation from everlasting with the same reality though not with the same visibility and so exposed to sence as the other The cause of this life is the holy Ghost who is to the soule as the soule is to the body he is the cause of it the end of all of it is the Lord all is done to God No other life is so this life is of God through God and for God when you finde such a reality in your actions tending to God when he is your ayme then yee live this life If this bee the condition of all that are in Christ to live and be quickned see what is expected from you to whom this talent is cōmitted every excellency is a talent it must not lye dead but be improved for our masters use the sinne is great if yee doe it not the neglect being of a greater thing the sinne is greater God sets a proportionable account on his benefits and expects a severe account from us if wee use them not Be exhorted then to live this life some live much in a short time Some never live this life one man may live more in one day than another man in a hundred for to live is nothing but to be stirring and doing 1 Tim. 5.6 those who live in pleasures are dead whilst they live so he that is occupied about riches or honors is dead all that time that men are occupied about riches and their estates about credit honors and the like making them their end that is a time of death yee have lived no longer than yee have acted duties of new obedience If you sommon up your lives according to this computation to how short a reckoning will they come A wise man speakes more in a few words than a foole doth in a multitude one peece of Gold hath more worth than a hundred peeces of Brasse as we say of an empty oration that there is a flood of words but a drop of water so if you consider your lives and see how long yee have lived in death bungling out the time you will see that yee have lived but little in a long time therefore now bee doing something redeeme the time be busy in doing or receiving good be still devising to doe something for God and to put it in execution spend your fat and sweetnesse for God and man weare out not rust out flame out not smother out burne out be not blowne out So did Christ so did Moses so did Paul making the Gospel to abound from Ierusalem to Illyricum so did David the text saith that he served his time he did not
to bee blessed that doth meditate in the Law of God day and night Your knowledge being brought to action helpes you much often hearing of the word which puts you in remembrance addes to your life though it hinders you in other things Those who have not the word to heare live not under preaching Ministers who will not be at the cost to get them or live where they are not are much to blame and live not this life Simon Magus sinned in thinking that the holy Ghost might be bought with mony doe not they also sinne who doe lesse than hee that will not give mony for to have the Gospel brought unto them There is the like fault when as men may have the word and come not to it If they come to it though it addeth not to their knowledge yet it helpeth their acting and life Those who neglect the constant reading of the word who are not constant in private prayer those who neglect the speaking and talking of good things they neglect this life That Arabian proverbe Shut up the five windowes that the house may be full of light will be of good use here that is the five senses being shut up the fuller of light shall wee bee the not stopping up of them makes men ignorant cares and businesses possessing mens minds there is no roome left for better things Let your minds be still plodding on that which may further you in grace and truth It is ignorance that makes men strangers from the life of God Ephe. 4.18 and this is not an ignorance that proceedeth from want of knowledge but from the badnesse of your hearts hard hearts makes men ignorant why doe men heare and yet are ignorant but because their hearts are hardned they regard not the word and so they grow not in knowledge The second meanes to get this life is to bee much in doing be much in doing in acting the duties of new obedience the more yee are occupied the more yee live else deadnesse doth possesse you be still praying and meditating those revive you those are the coales that keepe the heart warme this life like water is apt to grow cold But I must be full of life ere I can doe actions I answer that one begets the other action begets life and life begets action as health produceth exercise and exercise procureth health But I am indisposed and unfit for such actions I answer that if yee are indisposed the more need you had to be doing else you are more unexcusable the way to get heate is to bee acting as motion doth bring life to a benummed member so doth it to the soule be awaked be stirring this will revive you againe Christians hearts are awaked when as they themselves sleepe if they stirre them up there will be more life in them Rom. 2.13 They beginning to languish their medicine is to rise up and be doing Gal. 5.16 Walke in the spirit those who have the Spirit stand not still as one that cannot stirre this acting helpes the Spirit first by inlarging and intending life Secondly by preventing that which increaseth death the more wee walke in the wayes of life the more we prevent the way that leades to the Chambers of death Be doing if not one thing yet another In the steppings out of your callings be doing reading and praying Conferring and talking of good things the neglect of this is the cause why there are so many dwarfes in grace Men content themselves with morning and evening duties and it is well if they doe them but doe you the actions of life more constantly and abundantly It is the corruption of our nature that wee are not doing life is maintained by the actions of life habits are maintained by actions that are sutable to them We live in the commandements by well doing as the creature doth by food Good actions maintaine life it receives strength from well-doing set your selves to pray doe holy duties still pray doe more and more the more yee doe the more life increaseth The third meanes to get this life is to get faith Faith helpes this life it is a life of faith and it makes us to live this life by three wayes First it gives a reality to the priviledges of life makes you see they are so indeed therefore yee act yee beleeve that God is such a God that yee have such priviledges that yee are heires of all things If yee thinke that God is such a one as he is in wisedome power and mercy yee intend them and live the life of grace If yee doubt and question with Atheists if these bee dreames then yee intend them not He that beleeves saith let me have God sure the other saith let me have that I touch and feele but the imaginary things resting in faith and hope I care not for the more yee beleeve these things the more yee are occupied about them Secondly faith drawes you on to action this life is the acting of the duties of new obedience Faith and a perswasion further other things as if one be perswaded that such a thing will hurt him it produceth an action of the will abstinence if a man bee perswaded that he shall dye without the Physition hee sends for him So in all other actions perswasion is that which sets a man on worke So in spirituall actions if we are perswaded that such a sinne committed will not make our bodies sicke but our soules wee will not doe it if wee are perswaded our soules shall fare the better if we doe such a thing this makes us to doe it being perswaded we shall have a recompence of reward it produceth action and the more action the more life Thirdly faith doth it by fitting us for Christ from whom our life comes 1 Ioh. 5.12 he that hath the Sonne hath life First the Sonne of God infuseth life into him to whom hee is conjoyned the conjunction betwixt Christ and us is but relative and betweene the king and the subject when the subjects resolve to take such an one for their king they are conjoyned to him so when a woman resolves to take such a man for her husband shee is conjoyned to him The action of taking Christ is to take him as a Lord to serve him as a Saviour to have all comfort by him hee that hath the Son in the relative union shall have him in the reall union the Sonne will quicken you as the soule doth the body A Chrian hath the life of the Sonne of God Gal. 2.21 I live yet not I but Christ lives in me all that I doe Christ doth it in me all that the body doth the soule doth it the body lives not but the soule lives in it After that manner Christ lives in us not a good thought or affection not any resolution or motion of the soule but comes for Christ being united to Christ by faith he lives in us Ioh. 6.33 he that eates my flesh and
thinkes and beleeves that the wayes of sinne are evill and that they are evill to him When God doth convince us that such a thing is evill and that it is evill to us then wee live and not before A man having a businesse to doe if all bee done but one thing this one thing crosseth all the rest but that being done our businesse is brought to passe so in this life a man having many offers of grace which doe not fully perswade him this is not enough if Gods helpe bee absent but when once hee speakes he doth fully convince and perswade us and makes us to continew As Sathan hahaving leave never gives over vexing man so the Spirit keepes us in good things where there is this life there the Spirit dwels But after what manner is this effectuall perswasion done I answer when as God gives an eare and speakes a voyce for it to heare he that hath an eare to heare saith Christ let him heare Wee then heare when as there is a disposition wrought within us when as we preach there are many that have hard hearts and nothing for to soften them therefore the words falls from them as raine from a stone but if there be a man that God will chuse he fits his heart and so hee is perswaded This is called the opening of the understanding Luke 24.45 hee opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures when wee speake to men we sow as it were upon fallow ground which will beare no Corne unlesse God plow it Those that saw the miracles of the Loaves esteemed them not because their hearts were hardned Ephe. 4.18 They are alienated from the life of God thorow the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their hearts that is they are not sensible of sinne and death the word or the threatnings when God takes away this hardnesse they are fit to harken then comes light the beginning of life which is the informing of the understanding to judge righteous judgement Those who have the life of Christ if hee speakes it quickens them It is the inward voyce that quickens seeke therefore to God earnestly that Christ would speake to your hearts yee heare and are not quickned because he speakes not And thus much for this second point that all in Christ are in a state of life We come now to the third point that may bee noted out of these words and it is this That the voyce of the Sonne of God is the onely meanes to translate men from death to life Men before are dead Christ by his voyce makes them living men This voyce is the onely meanes there is no voyce but this that is able for to do it that 's the scope of this Text. This proposition may bee resolved into two parts First nothing else is able Secondly this is able for to doe it As it is said of faith that it justifies and nothing else but it can justify so may it be said of this voyce that nothing else can translate men from death to life and this can doe it To translate from death to life is nothing else but effectually to perswade and change the heart now nothing else can thus perswade and alter the heart but this voyce of the Sonne of God God himselfe frames the heart it is as a curious framed locke none can picke it but hee that knowes the turning of it God onely fits the perswasions and turnings mens perswasions are as one that will unlocke a locke with a wrong key God onely can perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem I cannot doe it Esay 57.19 I create the fruite of the lippes that is I make them to bring comfort I create the fruite of the lippes for peace by my power That this is so you may see by divers reasons First that it is so see it by this we speaking to y e quickest often times they beleeve not but the others do the same sometimes beleeve sometimes not If man were the sole cause the word would have the same effect at all times Secondly this is life and God onely gives life it is as the breathing of life into a clod of earth It requires an almighty power to worke this in those that beleeve Eph. 1.19.20 The same power that raised up Christ from the dead raysed us up it is an almighty action to give this life Thirdly if it were not proper to Christ and his voyce to translate men from death to life hee should lose his chiefest soveraignty hee quickens whom hee will he hath compassion on whom hee will have compassion If men could translate men from death to life then it would not be proper to God to doe it Lastly as nothing else can doe it so the voyce of the Sonne of God is able for to doe it At the first creation all was made by the voyce of God hee saith Let there be light and there was light let him say to any man follow mee and he doth it Matth. 9.9 hee saith to the Publican sitting at the receipt of Custome follow me and hee left all and rose up and followed him Christ speaking to his eare and heart made him to follow him his speech was like the speech of Elias to Elisha hee followed him and could not chuse but doe it Christ speaking wee cannot but follow him But what is this voyce of the Sonne of God that translateth men from death to life I answer it is nothing else but an inward worke of the Spirit by which hee perswades men effectually to turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan to God It must be understood of the effectuall working of the Spirit because who ever doth heare it lives this voyce reneweth and changeth men translating them from death to life Now this effectuall speaking consists in two things First in propounding the object the truth to the heart Secondly in the perswasion of the truth First the Gospel must be laid open to the heart all things necessary to salvation must be manifested to it then there must be light in the heart to apprehend these reasons which are propounded The Scripture propounds things by authority Then the holy Ghost doth kindle light to apprehend them which another doth not Marke how Moyses beginning his booke saith that in the beginning it was thus and thus God did he doth not perswade them by arguments to beleeve it so Iohn begins his Gospel without perswasions In the beginning was the word c. so the Apostles commission was Goe and preach that Christ is Come he that beleeved shall be saved he that beleeves not shall be damned The word of it selfe is sufficient authority when the Gospel it selfe is thus propounded then the holy Ghost kindles light And therefore this life begins when as the Gospel is propounded and light kindled then this life is wrought Now there
there are degrees First in the death of guilt if you have had more meanes the guilt is greater if you make no use of them The Gentiles they shall onely be condemned for breaking the Law of nature because they knew no other Law The Iewes they shall be condemned for sinning against the Law of nature and the Law of Moyses they had a double Law and shall be condemned for the breach of it Christians having a treble Law the Gospel the Law of nature the morrall Law shall be condemned for all three and among all Christians such as have had more meanes and better education the greater shall their punishment be Secondly in the death opposite to the life of sanctification there are degrees Now yee must know that there are no degrees in the privative part of death but they are onely in the positive The lowest step in this second death is to have enmity to the waies of God being fighters against God enemies to the Saints this is the lowest step The second degree is when as men are not so active that way but yet are dead in pleasures Ambition covetousnesse the like There is a generation of men which trouble not themselves to oppose God the Saints but give themselves to pleasures and like those Widowes 1 Tim. 5.6 are dead in pleasures while they are alive The last step in this death is the death of Civility Civill men come nearer the Saints of God than others they come within a step or two of heaven and yet are shut out they are not farre from the kingdome of Heaven as Christ said to the yong man yet they misse of it as well as others Thirdly for the death that is opposite to the life of ioy the degrees of it are more sensible Some have legall terrors the beginnings of eternall death others have peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost the beginning of eternall life And thus much for the degrees of these deaths Now hearing that all are dead in trespasses and sinnes yee may obiect If wee are dead why doe you preach unto us If we bee dead we understand not wee moove not wee are not capable of what you say To this I answer First there is a great difference betweene this spirituall death and naturall death For first those who are naturally dead understand nothing at all but in those who are spiritually dead there is a life of understanding by which they themselves may know that they are dead men who are naturally dead cannot know they are dead Secondly those who are spiritually dead may understand the wayes of life though they relish them not yet they may heare and receive them which those who are naturally dead cannot doe Thirdly those who are spiritually dead may come to the meanes to the poole in w c the Spirit breaths the breath of life whereas naturally dead men cannot come to the meanes of life Secondly I answer that though ye are dead yet hearing may breed life the word can doe it There was an end why Christ spake to Lazarus that was dead Lazarus come forth because his word wrought life therefore though ye are dead yet because the word can worke life in you our preaching is not in vaine Lastly this death is a voluntary death Men who are naturally dead cannot put life into themselves no more can those who are spiritually dead when they have made themselves dead Men dye this death in a free manner I cannot better expresse it than by this similitude A man that is about to commit the act of murther or treason his friends perswade him not to doe it for if hee doth he is but a dead man yet notwithstanding he will doe it we say of such a one that hee is a dead man willingly So wee tell men if they doe thus and thus that they goe downe to the Chambers of death yet they will doe it Hence is that Ezek. 18.31 Why will yee dye O yee house of Israel implying that this spiritual death in sinne is a voluntary death But yee will obiect Men are not quite dead there are some reliques of Gods Image still left in them how are they then dead To this I answer that there is a double Image of God first a naturall standing in the natural frame of the soule as to be immortal immateriall So there is understanding will and reason and some sparks of life left in us as the remainder of a stately building that is ruinated but yet there are no sparkes of the living Image left in us the spirituall Image of God consisting in holinesse and true righteousnes remaines not The Papists indeed deny it but how will they answer the rule of the Fathers that Supernaturalia dona sunt penitus ablata naturalia quassata that supernaturall gifts are utterly taken away no sparkes of them remaine But it will be objected that though men by nature have nothing left yet there is now an universall ability and grace an universall sufficiency given unto them To this I answer that that which they call universall grace is the same thing that nature is but they put another tearme upon it it is found in nature and is common wherever it is therefore it cannot bee grace For in grace there is always someting that is peculiar Secondly if there should be an universall grace the Saints would be no more beholding to God than other men if God give all alike to all it should not bee God but themselves that put the difference Thirdly if there were that generall sufficiency it would take away all election there might then be prescience but no election no predestination to death or life Fourthly if there were a generall grace what is the reason that Paul made it such matter of difficulty to answer that question of election Rom. 9. If Aristotle and other heathen if every one have such a generall sufficiency Paul would not have made such a scrupulous answer and have cryed out of the depth Thirdly there is not that universall ability because that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit wee are borne of the flesh and cannot therefore have this spirituall sufficiency But yet there are some spirituall gifts in men I answer that we cannot have these spirituall gifts if we are not borne of the Spirit that which is borne of the flesh is flesh Not Bellarmine himselfe nor no man else will say that all are borne of the Spirit Iohn 15.2 Every branch in me not bearing fruite he taketh away and it is cast out and withered that is as the branch not being in the root bringeth forth no fruite so men as long as they are not ingrafted into Christ bring forth no buds no fruite they may heare the word but they cannot make use of it they cannot doe it without the Spirit and that is free it breatheth where it
drinkes my blood shall live As flesh gives life to the body so the Sonne gives it to the soule To eate the flesh of Christ is to prize him to desire and long after him which is after the spirit of bondage to eate him is to take him to come to him to have him your God In these stands the eating of Christ. First in prising of him exceedingly to part with any thing for him to take his Crosse with all losses Secondly to eate him is to beleve him to be yours and you his this eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ expresseth our relative union with him and then followes our reall union the Spirit immediately gives this he that doth the first shall have the second But how shall we doe to beleeve this I answer yee see the old Adam communicated corruption to all his posterity because they were borne of him so these who are borne of the new Adam that is these who take him and beleeve in him have grace communicated to them by him this new birth makes you as capable of Christ as the other doth of the first Adam why then shall not the second Adam communicate grace as well as the other doth corruption The philosophers were all deceived in this poynt from whence corruption should come but wee know that it came from Adam and so doth grace come from Christ. To get this life let us seeke it in him let us beleeve more let us be humbled more repent more and take Christ more take him on any condition prize him set him at the highest rate hold him fast As in the actions of mariage those who are to marry will not part upon any condition they take one another for richer for poorer for better for worse after this manner must wee take Christ the more yee take Christ thus the more yee have the Sonne and so yee live more the life of grace All grant that this life comes by the Spirit and there is no way to get the Spirit but by the Sonne Yee must first eate ere yee can be nourished yee must fixe your eyes on his passion as the wife doth fixe her eyes on her husband yee must seeke this life from the Spirit ultimately but yee must first have the Sonne and then yee have life He must have the Sonne that will have this life hee must be ingraffed into Christ as the branches are into the roote get Christ and then this life shall abound in you The fourth meanes to get and increase this life is communion of Saints The mouth of the righteous is a well spring of life Prov. 10.20 they put life into those that have it not and increase it in those in whom it is Ephe. 4.24 their speeches minister grace to the hearers they edifie them hearing of the word of life and talking of the fountaine of life puts life into men The health of the body doth not communicate it selfe to others it is otherwise in the life of the soule the life of it makes others to live more as Iron sharpens Iron so one holy man doth another See it by the contrary In evill men who are dead there is an aptnesse to dead others their words are as continuall droppings to put out this life their tongues are set on fire of hell Iame. 2.6 The tongue of good men is a cole fetched from the Altar they have fire within thē When two lie together they keepe one another warme there is action and redaction this is powerfull meanes to get and increase this life The tongue of the righteous if full of life it is powerfull to make men live Gal. 2.14 Paul speaking to Peter saith why compellest thou the Gentiles to live after the manner of the Iewes he used not outward compulsion his example and life was a compulsion The company which wee keepe compell us to doe as they doe evill company they are the Divels snares they doe as brambles keepe us in and fetter us the sutablenesse of evill companions drawes out our secret corruption He that resolves to live this life must resolve to withdraw himselfe from evill company who are a strong temptation unto evill There is a difference betweene leading our selves into temptation and being led into it when you leade your selves into temptation as you do when as you rush into evill company you are out of the pale of Gods protection If yee touch pitch yee cannot but bee defiled with it wherefore make your company good this is an effectuall and powerfull meanes to beget this life in you Saul being among the Prophets changeth his spirit and became a Prophet one that goeth fast makes those that goe with him to mend their pace Act. 11.23.33 it is said of Barnabas being a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of faith that hee added much people unto the Lord. Which manner of speaking shewes that the speeches of those who are full of faith helpe to breed faith that if men be full of the Spirit they quicken the Spirit Evill company deads men they are the trunkes through which the Divell speakes and this deading is done in an insensible manner and then most of all where it is least perceived Evill company poysons men a man turning his opinion which company can doe is most of all poysoned when as hee thinks that he hath least hurt The last meanes to get and increase this life is that which is mentioned in the text and that is the hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of God this will beget and increase this life that is if when wee speake to your eares he speake to your hearts then yee live Yee have two teachers the one is he that speakes to you the other is Christ. Heb. 8.11 They shall no more teach one another for they shall all be taught of God There are two sheapheards the one is hee that feeds you the other is the great sheapheard of the sheepe there are two great voyces the one speaking outwardly to the eare the other when as Christ speakes effectually to the heart When Christ speakes inwardly to the heart then men live and not before This is such a speech as Christ spake to Lazarus Lazarus come forth and he came his speaking puts life into us Now what is this inward speaking of life to the heart It is nothing else but to perswade fully and every way to convince us that it is best to take Christ to set to an holy course to leade a new life There is a speaking that comes neare this life and is not it that is when as men heare and understand the way and apprehend the things of God but practise them not Here is a proximity to this life yet it is not this life Let a man come so neare as that he thinkes he acts it yet he is dead if he act it not when he acts it then he is made a living man and then hee
living man but by conjunction betwixt God and the soule God is to the soule as the soule is to the body he puts life into it and is conjoyned to it by his word when it is thus received The Word comming as from God wee doe that which is commanded us because God will have us doe it and then wee doe it simply and sincerely so that God accepts it Wee receive it as the word of God it breeds life within us when we receive it with faith with full Assurance then it comes from God then it comes in power and in the holy Ghost and makes us become followers of Christ 1 Thess. 1.5 when we receive the Word of God it workes effectually in us 1 Thess. 2.13 when we receive it as from God with full assurance it begetteth life in us To live is to have sence and motion to be acting the receiving of the word with full assurance makes us active the beleeving of it sets men on worke 2 Chron. 25.5.6 10. When as Amasiah beleeved that God would not be with him unlesse hee sent away the Israelites then he sent them away and not before Caleb and Iosuah did beleeve therefore they followed God constantly Abraham offered up his sonne Isaack because he beleeved God that he could give him another sonne or raise him out of ashes againe Let a man be perswaded that such a thing will hurt him or that such a thing will doe him good he doth the one and leaves the other Receive therefore the Word with full assurance consider what is delivered if it be the Word or no consider that it which yee heare is eyther the Word or not the Word it belongs to me or not Men take things overly and are not rooted and grounded in faith and that makes them heare unprofitably See then if your particular actions agree with the Word so yee shall be rooted in faith this makes the Word a Word of life The third rule and meanes to heare with profit is that which is set downe of the fourth ground in the parable of the seed in the eight of Luke the 15. verse that is to receive the Word with honest and good hearts having heard the Word to keepe it and to bring forth fruite with patience Heare the Word with honest hearts this is done when as a man is resolved to practise whatsoever God will reveale when he hath no reservations or exceptions to himselfe when hee is resolved to practise what he heares with an humble heart being humbled wee will doe this and not before The fourth ground was humbled men will not heare this because they are proud now pride is an evill disposition in the creature whereby it exalts its selfe above its measure There is this fault in men they will picke and chuse in the wayes of God The last ground will onely part with all for Christ. Act. 9. When as Paul was humbled hee then cried out Lord what wilt thou have me to doe I will doe or suffer any thing for thee and he was as good as his word So Act. 2.32 the Iewes being humbled cried out Men and brethren what shall wee doe wee will doe any thing to bee saved So Act. 16.30 The jaylor being humbled demanded of Paul what he should doe to be saved when as a man is thus disposed God will teach him Psal. 25. God teacheth the humble his wayes man himselfe will doe so if he see one willing to learne he will teach him The secrets of the Lord are revealed to those that feare fearâ— him to those that stand in awe of him and dare doe nothing against him hee reveales his peculiar truths in a peculiar manner to men those things that are effectuall to their salvation bring therefore humble hearts ready to obey But you will say we doe obey and practise what we doe heare I answer that yee may be deceived as they in the fift of Deut. they said they would obey but God saw that there was another heart in them than what they said therefore God said O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my commandements alwayes that it might goe well with them and their children for ever So Iohanan and the other Captaines Ier. 42.20 desires Ieremia to goe to God to know his will and they would doe whatsoever he should say whether it were good or evill But Ieremiah tels them that they did but dissemble in their hearts he knew they would not do it Looke to this in the acts and the effects what have you done when the Word crosseth you in your aymes estates names friends if you have disobeyed it then Eze. 14.4 the word is made a stumbling blocke and your iniquities before your face and the Lord will answer you according to the multitude of your Idols God will answer such men according to their comming as they come with false hearts they shall be dealt withall accordingly Come then with hearts resolved to practise whatsoever is spoken and desire God to make it effectuall to savation The fourth meanes to heare the Word and the voyce of Christ profitably is to lay up what you heare let it abide with you and continew with you This rule is prescribed by Christ himselfe Ioh. 15.7 If yee abide in me and my words abide in you yee shall aske what yee will and it shall be done unto you When yee attend to the Word if yee are affected with it but for the time it is nothing except it continue with you it will not profit you you must doe as Mary did shee layed up all the sayings that shee heard of Christ and pondered them in her heart Luke 2.51 The Disciples often questioned of Christ which proves that they pondered his words in their hearts So the nobles of Berea they searched the Scripture so Iacob he noted the saying of Ioseph and laid it up yee doe not heare thus if you doe but lend your eares for the time if yee worke it not upon your affections yee profit not The reason why there is so much preaching and so little profit is for want of this There are two kinds of ill hearers the first are such as heare as Swine and trample all they heare under feete the second such as heare as Dogs snarling at the doctrine if yee offend in eyther of these yee heare amisse Of all the foure grounds that was worst which received not the Word When men heare the Word there is more than a naturall forgetfulnesse in them the Divell helpes it Iam. 1.23.29 He that heares the Word and recals it not or practiseth it not is like one that beholdeth his face in a glasse for hee beholdeth himselfe and goeth away and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was yee must recall it before yee can practise it else yee will be like to those that behold their face in a glasse and wipe not away their spots Be not therefore
I answer that it is hidden in Christ as in the fountaine as in the heart and soule as in the subject wherein it dwels Men what ever they professe beleeve not this because it is a hidden life what course then shall wee take to make you beleeve it The Scriptures you will not deny yet you will bee as hard to beleeve them as you will be to beleeve there is such a life We will therefore say something without the Scriptures to perswade you that there is such a life as this First there is a life of the soule that it lives as the Angels they move act and understand though they eate not there is therefore a life besides this common life Secondly consider the matter of the soule then yee shall see that the soule lives such a life as Angels doe The soules of good men leade such a life as good Angels doe the soules of bad men such a life as bad Angels The life of beasts depends on the compacture and Temperature of the substance as the Harmony doth upon the true extent of every string With the soule of man it is otherwise the soule lives first and then causeth the body to live it is otherwise in beasts their soules and bodies live together Besides it is certaine that the soule shall live when as the body is laid aside then it lives another life from the body therefore it lives another life in the body The higher faculties of the soule the Vnderstanding and Will are not placed and seated in the body as other faculties are the visive faculty must have an eye to see the hearing faculty must have an eare to heare and so the rest of the faculties must have their organs but the Vnderstanding hath no such organ it onely useth those things that are presented to it by the phansy Our sight feeling and hearing perish when their organs perish but the superior faculties of the soule weare not away but the elder the body is the younger they are The soule lives now in the object now in the subject it lives in the things it is occupied about as the Angels are said to be where they worke because they have no bodies as we have to make them be locally there so the soule it also lives where it is occupied as if it be occupied about heavenly things then wee are said to have our conversation in heaven Take the understanding and faculties of reason they sway not men but the Ideaes truthes and opinions that dwell in this understanding sway men There are three lives in man there is the life of plants of Beasts or sence and the life of reason I may adde a fourth and that is this spirituall life which is an higher life of the soule Where there is an evill life there is death but where there is a good life there is this spirituall life See it in the effects for these are but speculations First ye see by experience that there is a generation of men that live not a common life delight not in vaine pleasures sports and honors there is no life without some delights their delights and life is not in outward things abroad they have a retired and inward life at home Secondly there are no Acts but for some end there are men who make not themselves their end if they did they might then take other courses going with the streame If then they make not themselves their end then they make God their end they live not to themselves but to the Lord 1. Thessalo 3.8 Thirdly they care not what they lose to get advantage to God they are content to be despised contemned to suffer Torments imprisonments and death they are content to doe that which is the ruine of their lives which they would not doe had they not a more speciall life within them 2 Cor. 4.11 Wee which live are alwayes given up to death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our mortall flesh That is for this cause God suffered his Children to be in danger that men might know that they live an other life and have other comforts this appeares by their readinesse to be exposed to death all which shewes that there are some that leade an other life But it will be objected that the superstitious and those of another religion will suffer death as well as the Saints and morrall philosophers are retired as well as the Saints and those who have but common graces live this life as well as the Saints therefore these experiences prove not the poynt sufficiently I answer that it is true that superstition doth worke much like religion morrall vertue doth many things like true holinesse and Common grace doth much like true grace yet it is no good Argument to say that because a dreaming man dreames that hee sees therefore a living man that doth see doth but as he A picture is like a living man yet it followes not that a living man is dead because the picture is dead it is no Argument to say that because morrall vertue doth many things like true holinesse therefore true holinesse doth them not They may bee like in many things yet not in all things the cause of all deceit is because we cannot discerne of things alike therefore I will shew you how these differ First superstition makes men suffer much as well as true religion yet they doe it out of a false opinion the other from faith the one doe it being helped by the holy Ghost the other have a supernaturall helpe from Sathan that extendeth nature beyond his speare the one doth it from grace the other from delusion the outward acts are alike but the inward principles differ Secondly morrall vertue and Christian holinesse differ in working the last is done of a suddaine A man is made a living man suddainely though there are some previous dispositions yet the soule is suddenly infused after this manner the Saints passe from death to life Others have their actions by frequent acts and education they are moulded to it by little and little Thirdly in morrall men the change is never generall there is no new birth in them but in the Saints all things are new Fourthly morallity doth never change nature but grace doth the most wilde man in a countrey the unlikeliest man of all others religion makes him a Lambe of a Lyon though it were unprobable Fiftly what did morrall men they went by divers wayes to the same center themselves were their end Epicures thought one way the best the Stoicks another but the Saints seeke a happinesse in denying themselves which helpes to perfect them Lastly common and true grace have many things alike yet they differ in this true grace doth things as a man doth naturall living actions as a man eates and drinkes with willingnesse and propensnesse connaturally and readily so doth not the other Those who have onely common grace doe all from respects and by-ends
the same kind as every creature doth Sheepe with Sheepe Lyons with Lyons Doves with Doves so living men will converse with living men Not loving the brethren wee are in a state of death every creature must have an element to live in a new life must have a new element evill men out of their companies are as Fish out of the water every life hath a tast appetite a new life hath a new tast and judgement Pro. 29.27 an unjust man is an abomination to the just he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked that is one hates the things that the other loves he that is alive the things which before he loved he now hates he abhors the things that evill men delight in That which is a dogs meate is a sheepes poyson as the proverb it so that which wicked men delight in is as odious as poyson to the just To judge this life by see what your company and delights are nothing can bee lesse dissembled than company In his company man doth speake out of the abundance of the heart he then bewrayes himselfe what he is there is no dead man nor living man but hee is inward with the like no signe so much poynted at in the Scripture as this yee are translated from death to life if yee love the brethren 1 Ioh. 3.14 and Ioh. 13.35 By this shall all men know that yee are my disciples if yee love one another this rule will not deceive you Secondly yee may know whether yee live this life if yee contend for it that life which a man lives for it he will contend he will let any thing goe rather than it If yee live this life of grace yee will maintaine it and yee can doe no otherwise 1 Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God cannot sinne to be borne of God is to leade a new life he that lives a new life admits not the things which tend to the destruction of it Compare this with the 1. Pet. 2.11 abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule hee that is borne of God sinnes not that is hee yeelds not to sinne with his good will but struggles against it as one in health strives against sickenesse resistes the disease and maintaines a warre against it But yet the best are foyled T is true yet they strive they never yeeld they maintaine a warre and this they doe not onely by discourse but there is a naturall instinct that puts them forwards they may be cast backe yet they returne againe they may have a sicknesse that takes away sence they may swound and be astonished for a time yet after they contend for life every evill man contends for his life he leads his life in some lust from which if he be drawne hee returnes againe as a thing that is lifted from the earth will fall downe to it againe hee reckons the wayes of God hard and opposite to him the wisedome of the Spirit is enmity to the flesh neyther can it be subject to the Law of God Rom. 8. it cannot but resists it Every creature labours to maintaine its being so evill men continuing in sinne strive naturally against all that would bring them out of this life of sinne so the Saints they live a life of grace and labour to maintaine it Iohn 6.68 Christ asking his Disciples whether they also would goe away Peter made this answer Lord whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life that is whiles we conceive thee to be the principle and fountaine of this life wee cannot depart from thee The Saints wil let go friends and life and all for this life Count therefore of others and judge of your selves by contesting for this life strive to maintaine it let all goe rather than it Thirdly yee may know whether yee have this life in you or not by the fruits of it as the tree is knowne by its fruites If the word turne the stocke into its owne nature ye know it by the fruites Gal. 5.25 If yee live in the Spirit yee will also walke in the Spirit that is if yee professe your selves holy men shew it by walking in the Spirit holy men will bee doing that which is good This is the surest triall our workes will not deceive us other things which consist in imagination may 1 Ioh. 3.10 In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Divill who doth not righteousnesse is not of God he that is of God doth not unrighteousnesse Consider then what your walke and your actions are and by them yee shall know this life But how shall wee know whether we walke in the Spirit or no I answer first that there are many by-walkes and if yee walke but in one of them yee walke in the flesh and not in the Spirit Iam. 1.26 If any man seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his owne heart this mans religion is vaine that is hee that makes this sinne his trade and walkes ordinarily in it his religion is vaine Secondly yee may know it by the guides yee follow Evill men they follow three guides Ephe. 2.3 they follow first the world secondly the Divill thirdly the flesh Holy men have three contrary guides first the renewed part within secondly the holy Ghost thirdly the course of the Saints Go yee the broad way oportet Sanctos vadere per diverticula the Saints doe not so follow yee the streame fulfill yee the will of the flesh or of the Spirit what are your actions Ephe. 4.17 I charge you that you hence forth walke not as the Gentiles do in the vanity of their minds that is holy men may have vanity in their minds yet they walke not in it as others doe evill men may have holy thoughts yet they walke in the vanity of their minds and albeit that evill men walke not in all the wayes of sin yet they are dead there is but one way to hit the marke but there are a thousand by-wayes a holy man may stumble in the wayes of God and have some foyles but he leads not his life in sinne he strives against it hee that leades his life in any knowne sinne not resisting it and will doe it and not crosse himselfe in it is dead his religion is vaine But what actions are there that holy men doe but that wicked men and others doe them I answer that there is no good actions wee doe but they may bee dead workes as men may pray keepe the Sabbaths and yet they may bee but dead workes they may doe them for a shew yet they are dead A shaddow hath all the liniaments of a body yet it wants life so the workes of hypocrites they want life consider therefore whether your workes are living workes you may know it by these three signes First if they proceed from the fountaine of life they are not dead workes compare Gal.
soule feele more evill and good a man that lives a naturall life not knowing the life of grace is sensible of more good and evill than sensible beasts hee apprehends Heaven and Hell but a man that lives the life of grace is more capacious of comfort here you may suffer your faculties to runne out to the utmost If yee desire wealth or pleasures your affections must not runne out yee must hold them in else they drawne you into perdition pierce you thorow with many sorrowes If yee affect heavenly Treasures if yee affect praise with God yee may be as covetous of them as you will Thirdly let this move you to seeke this life of grace because it is the most excellent thing of all others All other things are subordinate to it the utmost end is still most excellent the end of warre is for peace therefore peace is better than it yee plow for harvest therefore harvest is best the end of all actions is for this life of grace Why labour yee for foode but to maintaine life why live ye but to serve your soules Prudence is a steward to this holy life as the steward provides for the family that the master bee not troubled with those meaner things so prudence is a steward that the soule may be occupied about things that are agreeable to it that it may have its conversation in heaven and with God Pervert this order it destroyes the creature Beasts living the life of sence it doth perfect them for that is their utmost end man having reason living as a beast destroyes himselfe because that is not his end hee that perfects himselfe as a beast destroyes himselfe as a man perfectio mentis est perfectio hōinis Let this stirre us up to live this life it is the utmost end of all To be Lawyers Physitions and other callings helpe us in the living of this life yet they are subordinate to it drowne not your selves in subordinate things if yee doe it it is your destruction therefore pitch on the principall Fourthly that which is best in the end I take end now in an other sence is to be chosen above all things else that is well which ends well In this life of grace yee have this advantage which yee have no where else Eccles. 7.4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning that is this life disposeth us to thinke of death the end of all which to doe is wisedome Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise then would they consider their latter end In other things the beginning is good the end is bitter but the actions of the life of grace are sweet yee fare the better for them the very remembrance of them is sweet and the reward of them comes not long after All other things are called perishing meates Iohn 6.27 there is a parable in it that is they are as perishing meats that are sweet in the palate yet they passe away but this indures unto eternall life it continues The worst thing in this life yee never repent of as it is said of sorrow for sinnes that it is sorrow never to be repented of but the best things that yee doe in the other life yee repent of All other things that yee doe they may bee sweet for the present yet as it is said of drunkennesse Prov. 23.32 so may it bee said of them that they bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder though they seeme sweet The strange woman is sweet yet Prov. 5.4 her end is bitter as wormewood sharpe as a two-edged sword goods evill gotten are sweet for the present yet their mouthes shall be filled with gravell that got them But on the other side the end of all the actions of this life is good as it is said of Iob that his latter end was more than his beginning Iob 42.12 Psal. 37.37 Marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace If a man being to dye and having ended his daies should put all his honours wealth and pleasures into one ballance and all his good workes all his faithfull prayers all the actions of the life of grace into another he would find them to be best The bad man doth as the Silkeworme doth winding up himselfe into his ill workes he perisheth the other winding up himselfe in his gracious actions enters into salvation Fiftly choose this life before all others because God is pleased with it it being like himselfe as the creature is pleased with that which is like it God is a Spirit and will bee worshipped in Spirit and truth hee is a living God and doth delight in a living man wee our selves delight not in dead men no more doth God therefore Rom. 12.1 we are exhorted to give up our soules and bodies a living sacrifice to God God regards not dead bodies bee yee living sacrifices which is the act of your will acting the duties of this life This is called walking with God which is to bee in his presence to goe his way and to maintaine communion with him this is when as men doe audire et reddere voces when there is naturall delight when as they are in presence one with another and therefore walking with God and pleasing of God are used promiscuously for one and the same thing For Heb. 11.5 it is said of Enoch that he walked with God and Gen. 5.22 It is said that he pleased God But you will say what benefit is this I answer that it is great God disposeth of all things in the world is it not wisedome then to have him your friend Gen. 28.9 Iacob being to take his journey Isaack said unto him God all-sufficient be with thee God is all-sufficient if yee have him yee have all In the creature there is no such thing there is nothing but vanity in them they are but as candles as Starres to the Sunne God is all-sufficient all the happinesse of the creature makes not men happy All men seeke happinesse yet they never finde it without having God All happinesse is in Gods favour In outward happinesse you must have other compounded things Christ rebuked thē that counted her happy in the creatures saying Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the Paps that gave thee sucke No saith Christ these will not make a man happy but blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it having God yee have all things God disposeth all things and giveth the comfortable fruition of them Yee may have all outward things and yet want comfort Gods curse makes all miserable though yee have all that the creature affords therefore give your selves no rest till yee have got this life without which he delights not in you Adam losing Gods Image was not happy because God was gone from him yet hee had all the creatures which he had before This life of grace brings us to that state that Adam was in at first this restors
are three degrees of working this light by the Spirit First there is a stirring up of men to attend to the voyce of Christ many there are that heare yet attend not Act. 16.14 The holy Ghost opened the heart of Lydia to attend unto Pauls preaching We sow on fallow ground till the Spirit opens the heart to attend to the things that are spoken The second worke of the Spirit is to convince and perswade effectually and fully Ioh. 16.8 The Spirit shall convince the world of sinne that it it shall convince and perswade thorowly none can doe this but the Spirit It doth also farther perswade men that it is good for them to bee convinced and this is when the knowledge is full when as all the corners of the heart are answered and the minde resolves to practice Hypocrites and civill men are perswaded yet not fully therefore they never practise if that one objection of the heart bee unanswered yee never came to practise The last worke of the Spirit is to keepe this voyce on the heart that it vanish not Iames 1.21 The ingrafted word is that which is made able to save our soules and none else Men may attend for a flash but the Spirit must ingraft the Word into the heart which as a sprig ingrafted growes bigger and bigger and hath fruit from the sap other men having truthes not fastned on them they grow weaker and weaker To understand fully what this voyce of the Sonne of God is yee must know that there is a double voyce First an outward voyce of the word which all heare Secondly an inward voyce of the Spirit This I collect out of Esay 6.9 Goe to that people and tell them heare yee indeed but not understand see yee indeed but not perceive that is they shall have an outward hearing an outward knowledge but not an inward There is a common knowledge which all these have who live in the Church and there is a knowledge that is onely proper to the Saints which saves them The differences twixt these two knowledges that of hypocrites of them in sixth of the Hebrewes twixt common knowledge and effectuall knowledge that is wrought in the hearts of the elect are these First common knowledge is confused and generall this is distinct inward and particular that is the voyce of the Sonne of God speaking in the Ministry to all may breed a knowledge of truths in men yet they apply them not to their hearts and the turnings of them Heb. 4.11 The Word is sharper than a two edged Sword discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart piercing even to the deviding asunder the soule and spirit and of joynts and marrow that is that word of God that is lively indeed that voyce of God that is effectuall to salvation it is sharpe it strikes not in generall but enters the inward parts A staffe cannot enter the flesh it may bruise it but the voyce of Christ enters like a two edged Sword discerneth twixt morrall vertues and supernaturall things wrought by the Spirit it distinguisheth exactly twixt the rectitude and obliquity of mens hearts this is proper onely to the saving knowledge of the Word As nothing is hid from God but it is naked to his sight so it is to his word See if the word be distinct to you else you know nothing A man never knowes any thing till he knowes the Elements parts and grounds of it the voyce of the Sonne of God onely makes you know things thus particularly So in other things yee know not till you know particulars Aristotle saith a man is not a Physition that knowes things in generall in the grosse but hee that knowes them in particular This is not to be a Physition to know that such dry meates are good for a moyst stomacke unlesse he also know dry meates and the Symptomes of a moyst stomacke so it is in the knowledge of the Word To know what regeneration is is not enough except yee know the parts the kinds and signes of it To know that none are translated from death to life that love not the brethren is not enough except yee know the brethren and love them To know that hee that is in Christ hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of it is nothing except yee know that yee your selves have crucified it This particular knowledge is it that makes manifest to a man the secrets of his owne heart 1 Cor. 14.25 that is the voyce of the Sonne of God discerneth the secrets of the heart to know things particularly that are in it The sheepe distinguish the voyce of the sheapheard from the voyce of a stranger when men come to heare they heare the voyce and distinguish not the sound because they want this particular knowledge Secondly this hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of God workes a quicke sence in the hearts of those that heare it that the outward voyce doth not and this followes the former Let knowledge be particular it workes quicke sence Heb. 4.11 it is called lively in operation now life consists in quicknesse and motion the voyce of Christ speaking effectually breeds quicknesse Sola individua agunt et sentiunt A knife in generall cuts nothing the particular knife cuts To know in generall you are sinners have corrupt natures offend in many things workes nothing it is the reflection on the particular lives that workes this makes men tremble Act. 2. Peter having told the Iewes that they had crucified Christ that pricked them at the heart As of sinnes so is it of comforts particular comforts worke If one can say I am thus and thus then comfort followes so particular threatnings make men sensible When God said to Adam Hast thou not eaten of the tree whereof I said thou shouldest not eate this made him feare The word doth breed a quicke sence they who have not this true voyce sounding to them Esay 6.9 in hearing they doe not heare and seeing they doe not see their hearts are fat their eares heavy and their eyes shut Rom. 11.8 God hath given them the spirit of slumber that is when as men heare this voyce in a common manner they are as a man in a slumber it stirres them not their hearts are fat that is they are sencelesse for fat is without sence The property of them that heare in an ineffectuall manner is this they have a spirit of slumber they are as one hearing a tale when as his mind is other where If the things propounded were naturall they would heare them well enough but they are spirituall therefore they are dull of hearing them Thirdly which followeth the second those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have experimentall knowledge the other is but speculative 1. Cor. 2.6.9 Wee preach wisedome to those that are perfect such wisedome as eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man but God reveileth it to
us by his Spirit that is the cheefest in knowledge have not seene with their eyes or heard with their eares but those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have an experimental knowledge which others have not This experimentall saving knowledge hath triall 1 Ioh. 2.13 I write unto you fathers because you have knowne him that was from the beginning expound this with the 33. of Ezekiell 33. When this commeth to passe then shall yee know that a Prophet hath beene amongst you that is when I shall doe this they shall know experimentally that there was a Prophet amongst them 1 Ioh. 5.49 wee know that we are of God that is wee know it experimentally they can say of this as it is said in the 1 of Ioh. 1.1 That which we have heard that which we have seene with our eyes that which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the words of life declare we unto you David takes it as peculiar to himselfe Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee that is they that experimentally know thee will trust in thee for thou never faylest them that trust thee they know it by experience 1 Pet. 2.3 Desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby if yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious We find in the Saints a longing after God they desire him which others doe not thus did David moreover they have assurance of salvation which others have not and this assurance comes from hence optima demonstratio est a sensibus the best demonstration is from sence as he that feeles the fire hot knowes it best tasting breeds longing assurance from experience breeds certainty Fourthly effectuall knowledge that is bred by the voyce of the Sonne of God makes men approve and justifie the wayes of God makes them to relish them this followes the other when men have tryed them they approve them Ioh. 6.63 The Spirit quickens the word profiteth nothing the words then that I speake they are Spirit and life Christ having spoken that his body was meate indeed many were offended at it then hee said The Spirit doth quicken that is yee accept not my words because yee have not the Spirit yee have but flesh that is a common knowledge my words are spirituall and you are carnall therefore they doe not relish you These words are otherwise interpreted by some that is these materials profit nothing without the Spirit but the other is undoubtedly the meaning for so it is through the Scripture the Spirit profits that is saving knowledge wrought by the Spirit men not having it doe not approve it It cannot be otherwise where the voyce of Christ doth sound effectually there they justifie this Wisedome is justified of her children Luk. 7.35 Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of them that preach the Gospel of peace that is they see such beauty in the wayes of God that they are beautifull to them they are vile to others The Scripture often toucheth this that when as there is but a common knowledge men relish not the word Rom. 8. they tast not the word the spirituall part of the word crossing them is bitter to them 2 Cor. 2.15 The word is compared to a sweet savour to many it is not so to some it is the savour of death to death it is a savour diffused through the house they abhorre it and being guilty of death it leades them to death In others it is the savour of life that is they smell a sweetnesse in it it brings them to life to heaven the word being powerfully taught there comes a savour some smell sweetnesse in it others otherwise Luk. 2.35 When Christ shall come the hearts of many shall be opened to approve or disapprove him therefore he is the fall and rising of many so when he came some said he was a good man others that he was a divell some said that the Apostles were good some that they were bad See how yee approve the word in its selfe and as it is expressed in mens lives Fiftly if it bee a right knowledge it breeds holy affections the other doth not this followes the other If men justifie the Word then they affect it It s a generall rule that all full perswasions draw on affections let it bee but a perswasion in habit it stirres as the habit is 1 Thes. 1.6 My word was to you not in word but in power because it did worke in you joy in the holy Ghost Ier. 23.29 comparing the word of true and false Prophets together My word is as fire saith God and as the hammer that breaketh the stone it is the powerfull word of it stirres your affections Luke the last Christ speaking to the Disciples that went with him to Emmaus their hearts burned within them they were full of holy affections Consider if yee have those holy affections Holy affections in the Scripture are ascribed to this knowledge every where where men heare they know aright Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandements Psal. 1.2 Blessed are they that delight in the Law of the Lord See whether there be holy affections in you Felix did tremble at the Word so the second ground received the Word with joy but not with holy joy But how shall we distinguish them I answer that if your joy bee holy joy afflictions will not put it out if your joy bee carnall joy persecution puts it out but joy in the holy Ghost is not put out by the contrary Sixtly that knowledge which is lively brings forth action it is powerfull in mens actions it is active and mighty in operation Heb. 4. It workes in mens hearts and lives mightily to overcome all contraries Esa. 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heavy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and bee healed that is Let them have such a common knowledge as civill men and hypocrites have and no more least seeing aright they understand with their hearts and be converted and they bee healed Seeing with their eyes is meant seeing with this knowledge which if they see with their hearts will bee wrought on their hearts being wrought on they are converted then they are healed This followes on the other Let the affections be stirred they are the immediate principles of action what one affâ—cts hee doth these are tyed all on one string flashy affections flashy actions Ioh. 6.45 They shall all bee taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth to mee that is every one that heareth this true voyce of the Sonne of God comes to mee that is they breed actions whereby they come to me See if your knowledge bee operative Iam. 1.22 distinguishing of hearers he saith
Be not hearers but doers if yee finde not this change Christ hath not spoken to you But in the Saints are many defects in their actions ergo actions follow not hearing and knowledge To this I answer that as their actions are weake and faint so their knowledge is weake Heb. 12.5 they often forget and must bee put in mind 2 Pet. 1.13 they must be stirred up by putting them in remembrance of those things which they have forgotten Secondly this faile is from some doubt within from some shaking when as you see a defect in actions or affections it is because you want this convincing knowledge The way to stirre up affection and action is the Word which increaseth this operative knowledge If it be so that the voyce of the Sonne of God is the onely meanes to translate men from death to life let us examine our selves whether wee have heard the voyce of the Sonne of God or no If we have not then let us know our cases and be humbled they that have not heard it are dead Consider it is your distinct knowledge not a knowledge in grosse or generall that inlivens you Know ye the passages and working of regeneration and repentance find yee the Word as fire and as a hammer the Word is in its nature and will be found so of them that receive it aright Have yee an experimentall knowledge approve yee Gods Image his waies in the Word or in the lives of the Saints doe yee justifie wisedome are your hearts opened At the hearing of the Word doe yee like it At Christs comming many hearts were opened because then his Word came and it opened many mens hearts shewed them what they were How doe yee affect the Word and Image of God in the lives of the Saints how doe yee finde holy affections in them blessednesse goeth alwayes with them Affections are alwayes a signe of this have yee received the Word with them have yee sorrowed for your sinnes doe you delight in God this will beget holy affections which will last afflictions put them not out holy joy is not damped with afflictions carnall joy is What are your lives and actions If yee seeing others holy ye cannot doe as they doe this voyce hath not spoken to you All that heare Christs voyce will come and be doing Iam. 1.22 if doing be joyned with hearing if yee are doers as well as hearers this voyce hath spoken to you if your practise bee not joyned yee are deceived If yee finde upon examination that yee have not done it remember that Christs sheepe heare his voyce yee may therefore feare yee be lost sheepe if yee heare it not Hee that hath an eare heares the Gospel If it be hidden it is hidden to those that perish where men live in ignorance and heare not God regards not it so much that 's not the time of triall have ye the Word as wheate with chaffe it trieth not but the Word comming with authority and not as the Scribes when Christs voyce sounds in the Word see how yee are affected if yee heare not ye are dead Cant. 2. Christs comming is compared to a Spring time wherein the flowers appeare on the earth and the birds begin to sing and the trees put out their greene fruite that is when Christ makes himselfe knowne it is Spring time doe you spring when the Word comes when the messages of salvation are made knowne unto you if not yee are dead Our end in speaking this is not to trouble you but to bring you to salvation I will therefore shew you what keepes men off from hearing Christs voyce that knowing the impediments yee may remove them The impediments are seven The first is selfe-wisedome this is a great impediment from hearing the voyce of the Sonne of God selfe-conceitednesse hinders men much because it breeds a despising of the wayes of God 1 Cor. 2.4 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse with him therefore 1 Cor. 3.18 if any man seeme to be wise in the world let him become a foole that he may be wise that is let him lay aside that wisedome which begetteth pride in our hearts Michals disposition is in every one of us more or lesse shee despised David so men chalke out a way to themselves in which they will goe they will seeke their owne wayes and will not be subiect to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 The carnall mind is enmity with God for it is not subject to the Law of God neyther indeed can it be 2 Cor. 10.5 speaking of imaginations saith that men with them build up themselves against God and will not alter their courses The greatest opposition is in mens minds take a man that hath a true opinion it is easy to remove his lusts but false iudgements are as bulwarkes against Gods wisedome Men will doe thus and thus because they thinke their state is good The Scribes and Pharisees came not to Christ Luk. 15.1 but Publicans and sinners came so it is with men now doe wee lay open their sinnes unto them yet they will not be perswaded men will bee righteous of themselves and will not bee perswaded that Christ must bee made unto them righteousnesse and redemption and wisedome This opinion of our selves is a great impediment this contemnes the way of God and fashions out our owne wayes this contenting of our selves with our present estate makes men erre therefore Psal. 119.21 Cursed are the proud that are alwayes erring from thy Law Selâ—e conceite makes men erre The second impediment is custome men have beene used to such wayes and will not alter them Ioh 4.12 the woman of Samaria was much held off with this argument Christ comming to teach her the doctrine of salvation Art thou greater said shee than our father Iacob that gave us this Well This opinion that our fathers have gone this way and it is transmitted to us hinders men much men cannot indure newnesse Lot is taxed for this by the Sodomites Gen. 19.9 This fellow came in to sojorne here and will he now be a Iudge so Act. 17. Paul preaching at Athens the Athenians asked What new doctrine is this that thou preachest men being accustomed to a way it winns their opinion men having once judged are loth to iudge againe custome winns their affection Change is troublesome men having gone long in a course they will still plod on in the same tract Custome of our fathers or country or place where wee are our owne custome makes us loath to forsake it Thirdly Similitude is a great hinderance Exod. 7.22 Pharaohs heart was hardned because the Magicians did the same miracles that Moyses and Aaron did So similitude hinders men from imbracing the wayes of Christ and God Men seeing Papists austerity like our mortification their sufferings like true martyrdome they are perswaded of their wayes as we are of ours so for civility when as
men see it so like religion as a sparke is like the fire they imbrace it All deceit is from similitude false wares having the same dye that true hath deceive the buiers so falling starres are like other starres When wee see some men that professe religion to be false hearted we thinke all are so wherefore Phil. 1.10 The Apostles prayes that they might abound in all knowledge and judgement to discerne of things that differ this proximity makes us deceived Fourthly false experiments hinder us much some experiments of the workes of God that should draw us nearer to him if wee make false use of them make us farther from him As if God afflict and restore againe or keepe us from affliction our hearts are hardened Exod. 8.15 when as the Froggs were removed Pharoah his heart was hardned rest made him harden his heart so many times it makes men slight the word and afflictions which God layes on them We may see this in Souldiers and Mariners none more ready to contemne dangers than they because they have often escaped they delude the workes of God that should draw them to salvation Rootes will make the weeds grow againe not being taken heed of The long suffering of God should draw us to repentance but it doth not so 2 Pet. 3.3 In the last time shall come mockers walking after their owne lusts and saying where is the promise of his comming for all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation that is men shall feele nothing apprehend nothing judgements being beleeved they second the Word being eluded they hinder us and it The fift impediment is ignorance men know not the wayes of God therefore they doe not imbrace them Ioh. 4.10 If thou hadst knowne the gift of God and who it is that speaketh to thee thou wouldest have asked of him There is enough in religion to make men love it if they knew it there is vertue in it there is beauty and profit in it Esa. 57. There is a peace in it all the wayes of it are wayes of pleasantnesse there is honour in it old age is honourable with righteousnesse But mens hearts are full of darkenesse they see not neyther doe they understand it 2 Pet. 2.12 They speake evill of the things they know not It s true they know the things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they know them not experimentally and really and that deceives them 1 Cor. 8.2 If any man thinke hee knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know One may know all things and yet know nothing as he should Ignorance deceives many it makes them to measure religion by a false rule and common opinion Acts 24.14 it is called heresy when yee iudge of it by externall shewes all basenesse is outwardly in religion it is like a costly thing covered with straw Christ was hid under a Carpenters Sonne preaching under the name of foolishnesse so our ignorance in attributing things to false causes keepes us off If the Gospel be hid it is hidden to those that perish there is a double ignorance privative and positive that is it by which the God of this world blinds men breeding a false perswasion of good and a good perswasion of evill The sixt impediment is in-consideration men doe not consider the things they might know if men would deduce one thing from another and doe that they know they might be brought to God Deut. 29.2.3 yee have seene saith Moyses all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt upon Pharoah and his servants yee have seene those great signes and miracles which he did yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare untill this day that is yee have not profited because yee have not considered We thinke if that we had lived then wee had beleeved yet we see how few of them did beleeve we beleeve the Scriptures yet what inconsequency is there in mens lives because wee doe not consider things Consideration helpes to perfect mens actions it is a circular line one part helpes the other If we looke backe and examine our actions it helpes want of it hinders What is repentance but consideration Ier. 8.6 No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done want of this keepes men from salvation 2 Chron. 6.37 If they bethinke themselves in the Land whither they are carried away and turne and pray unto me in their captivity saying We have sinned we have done amisse and dealt wickedly then I will heare So Ier. 8.6 God harkned whether any would say What have I done men goe on and consider not Hosea 4.11 Whoredome and new wine steale away their hearts that is it makes them not to consider Mark 6.52 They considered not the loaves therefore their hearts were hardned they were fearefull in the ship because they considered not the miracle of the loaves The seventh impediment is a certaine stifnesse and obfirmation of minde whereby a man is setled to continue in such a course that is pleasant to him and all that crosse him in it are enemies to him Rom. 8. the flesh is not subject to the Spirit it crosseth it one reckons not a man his enemy unlesse hee crosse him It must be so every creature as long as it hath a being opposeth that which is contrary to it so every man that delights himselfe in such or such a lust will not be circumcised cleansed and washed from it he will not have Christ reigne over him he will have his elbow roome Those men that are not translated from death to life they count the wayes of God eyther vanity or folly and will not submit unto them nor yet heare Christ voyce Now the meanes the helpes and wayes to breake through these impediments and to receive the Word with profit are these First to heare profitably that the voyce of the Sonne of God be not a common voyce but peculiar take that rule which is set downe Luk. 8.18 Take heed how you heare Christ gave that admonition to his hearers and I give it to you looke to your selves take heed how yee come to heare the Word doe it diligently the reason of this is added in the same verse for unto him that hath shall be given from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he seemed to have that is if yee heare and get a little knowledge yee shall have more he that yeeldeth some fruits shall bring forth more hee that doth some things shall doe more God will blesse you But from him that hath not shall bee taken even that which he seemed to have that is your hearts shall be hardned and that common knowledge which you have shall be taken away Ioh. 15.2 Every branch that beareth not fruite God cuts downe God lookes into a Congregation to see who doth make conscience of hearing those that doe he purgeth but those that profit not