rebellion against it I say this keepes men off from the life of God But on the other side when a man lookes vpon the promises he begins to see the Couenant that his sinnes shall be put a way he beginnes to see the goodnesse and the mercy and the tender compassion of God towards him hee begins to see a possibility of fulfilling the Law in such a manner as GOD now requires then his heart melteth hee becomes not onely applyable to the Commandement but is ready to delight in it this a man gets by applying his heart to the Couenant of grace or by applying the Couenant of Grace to himselfe that very applying of the promises of forgiuenesse I say it begets a disposition in the heart which the Scriptures call a new life that euen as you see the Sunne when it applies its beames to a fitly disposed matter and stayes vpon it when it pitcheth its beames vpon it with any continuance it begins to beget life and motion in it and makes it a liuing creature so doth the Couenant of Grace when it is applyed to the heart of a man it begins to beget life in him and to make him a new creature it makes him another man there is that power in the Couenant of Grace in the promises of the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins that it begets another life in a man it makes him a new creature it makes him a liuing creature to GOD which before he was not the ground of which you shall see 2 Cor. 3. 6. Hee hath made vs able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter kills but the Spirit giues life Marke it the meaning of it is this when the Couenant of works is deliuered to you that is when you heare the Law the Commands the duty you cannot performe there is no more deliuered to you but the bare letter that is you know the duty and no more And what doth this duty doe what doe these Commandements and precepts doe when they are applyed to the heart of man Saith hee they kill Now that which kills fights before it kills and that which fights must needs be an enemy so then the Commandement is an Enemy that is euery man esteemes it as an enemie to himselfe and therefore hath an enemy-like affection to it againe that is he hates it he would be rid of it he wisheth there were no such Law or Commandement hee desires it should be dealt with as he would haue an enemy dealt with he would haue it vtterly taken away when they grow in enmity one with another as indeed they doe the naked Commandement and the heart are at enmity for the Commandement would haue one thing and the heart would haue another there are contrary wils and there is a striuing betweene them the one striuing this way the other that way the one resisting the other and in the end the Law and the Commandement gets the victory because the sting of the Law is sinne now the Law is the cause of sinne as a straight Rule is the cause of crookednesse for without the Law there should be no sin now it causeth sinne for if there were no Law you know there could bee no feare no transgression because there could bee nothing against which the transgression should come this sinne is the death of a man so now the letter kils But come now to the Couenant of Grace saith the Text it is the ministration of the Spirit and the Spirit giues life that is when a man lookes on the Couenant of Grace he lookes not on it now as an enemy as hee did before vpon the Commandement but he sees in it much loue and much friendship to wards him he sees God intends not any hurt any euill to him as he apprehended before he sees God exceeding kinde and mercifull and willing to put away all his sinnes and willing to accept the sincerity of his obedience though there be not a perfection of obedience now he begins to change his opinion both of God and of all his Lawes and precepts when he sees Gods kindnesse towards him and his compassion and readinesse to forgiue him then his heart begins to relent towards the Lord againe he begins to magnifie Gods goodnesse and to condemne himselfe he beleeues those promises and thence he growes vp in loue toward GOD I say hee growes vp in faith and loue and in this act of faith is the Spirit infused into his heart this Spirit being thus infused writes the Law in his inward paâ—ts that is it that breeds in him a holy disposition that inables him in some measure to keepe the Law it prints in him all those graces that giue him strength to obserue the Commandements that God hath given him so my beloued if a man will goe about this great worke to change his heart and to change his life let him not goe about it as a morall man that is let him not onely consider what Commandements there are what the rectitude is that the LORD requires and how to bring his heart to it but let him goe about it as a Christian that is let him beleeue the promises of pardon in the blood of Christ and the very beleeuing of those promises will be able to clense and purge the heart from dead works in that place we then named and we could doe no more but name it you shall finde it Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ which by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God The meaning of it is this when a man hath once applyed the blood of Christ for his iustification this effect will follow vpon it there will accompany it a certaine vigour a certaine vertue a certaine power and strength which will also purge his conscience from dead workes that is there shall goe a power of the Holy Ghost together with this blood that shall not onely forbid him and shew him that hee ought not to doe such and such euill things but it shall clense his conscience from those rootes of dead workes those corrupt lusts and sinfull affections that are in him that dispose him to that euill he shall find this power growing vpon him if hee doe but apply the blood that is if he apply the promise of pardon and forgiuenesse through the blood of Iesus Christ. The like you shall see Gal. 3. 5. He that ministreth to you the Spirit and workes miracles amongst you doth he doe it through the workes of the Law or through the hearing of faith preached That is saith the Apostle if I should onely deliuer to you the Commandements and the Precepts and the Rules by which you ought to walke I might preach long enough to you but you should neuer haue ability to keep any of these saith he you may obserue those that preach the Law to you did
the Couenant or no You shall know it by this How did Abraham know whether he was in the Couenant or how will you know whether Abraham or any other were saith the Text Abraham beleeued God and therefore God reckoned him as a man that was righteous and accepted him to bee a partaker of the Couenant and so if thou beleeue it is certaine then thou art within the Couenant but how shall a man know that Gal. 5. 5. Neither Circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue If thou canst finde this now that thou art able to take Iesus Christ to take him as a LORD and Sauioâ—r thou art able to beleeue all the Couenant of Grace thou art by that put into the Couenant But how shall a man know whether this faith be right or no for you know there is a false dead and counterfeit faith if it be right thou shalt finde it to be of a working and liuely nature but many times we may bee deceiued in that A woman many times thinkes she is with childe but if she finde no motion nor stirring it is an argument she was deceiued So when a man thinkes that hee hath faith in his heart but yet he finds no life no motion no stirring there is no worke proceeding from his faith it is an argument he was mistaken hee was deceiued in it for if it be a right faith it will worke there will be life and motion in it As Abrahams faith you see it enabled him to doe whatsoeuer GOD appointed him to offer his sonne to excommunicate Ismael when GOD bid him cast him out though hee loued Ismael exceeding dearely yet he did it and did it readily so whatsoeuer God bade him doe here was a working faith But yet a little further a man may be yet deceiued in this a mans faith may worke and an Hypocrite may doe many workes if it bee but bare working a man may bee deceiued and therefore this is added further it workes by loue Beloued a man may doe exceeding many duties as you know hee may suffer Martyrdome he may giue all to the poore hee may be a very diligent Preacher of the Gospell for Paul saith I may speake with the tongue of men and Angels I may giue my goods to the poore I may giue my body to be burned and yet if these great workes be done without loue they are nothing But on the other side if you finde this that you doe but the least worke if it be but to giue a cup of cold water and doe it out of loue if you abstaine from one sinne if you ouercome any one lust whatsoeuer that is deare and neare to you because you loue Iesus Christ if you set your selues vpon any worke vpon any imployment and endeauour and thy heart witnesseth this to thee it is because I loue the LORD and desire exceedingly to please him he is one that I would faine haue communion with my delight is in him therefore I doe these workes for it is my meate and drinke to doe his will now thou art on a sure ground now thou maist know thou art within the Couenant for thou beleeuest as Abraham did and therefore thou art within the Couenant as hee was thou maist know it because thy faith workes and then thou maist know that it workes right because it is done by loue Well yet there is another way to know this that is in thy seede saith the Text shall all the Nations of the world bee blessed if a man be then ingrafted into this seede into the Messiah once then he shall bee blessed if once he belong to him Well how shall a man know that If thou haue receiued the Spirit of the Son for whosoeuer is in Christ hath receiued the Spirit of Christ if he haue not receiued the Spirit of Christ he is not in him Consider whether you haue receiued the Spirit of the Sonne the Spirit of the promised seede that is thou art made like Christ by the Spirit for the Spirit will assimulate thee and renew this Image in thee he makes thee such another in some degree as he is yea he will not onely doe this but he will witnesse to thee that he is thy God and that thou art of those that are partakers of the Couenant and therefore that is the way to finde it out that is the thing I intend to insist vpon to finde out whether you haue this Spirit you shall finde it this is the great marke that the Apostle Paul insists vpon still in all his Epistles by which a man may know whether he be within the Couenant or no still it is this we haue receiued the Spirit and the Spirit seales vs to the day of redemption we are established and sealed by the Spirit of promise and wee haue receiued the Spirit which is an earnest c. Now to know whether you haue the Spirit I will commend these two places of Scripture to you to consider one is Rom. 8. 15. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of Adoption whereby you cry Abba Father the same spirit beares witnesse with our spirits that wee are the sonnes of GOD. The other you shall finde 1 Iohn 5. 8. And there are three that beare record in Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one If you would finde out whether you haue the spirit of the Sonne or no you shall know it by these three In the Antecedents the Concomitants and the Consequents The Antecedent is the Spirit of bondage beloued that of necessity must goe before so that if thou neuer hadst the spirit of bondage certainely thou hast not yet receiued the spirit of the Sonne for the Apostle speakes of it heere as the common condition to all Christians they doe not receiue the spirit of bondage againe you had it once but now you haue the spirit of Adoption I say euery man must haue this spirit of bondage and the ground of it is this because no man can come to Christ except the Law be a Schoolemaster to bring him to Christ now the Law is not a Schoolemaster it teacheth no man except the spirit of bondage worke feare except the spirit of bondage put an edge vpon the Law put a Sword into the hand of the Law to pricke the heart to wound the heart as it is said Acts 2. this is the spirit of bondage Beloued you may heare the Law and the threatnings and curses applyed to you 10000. times ouer and yet no feare be bred in you except the spirit of bondage ioyne with it that makes it effectuall Now in the Law are included iudgements and afflictions which are but the execution of the Law sometimes it goes with the Law it selfe somtimes with the iudgement and afflictions it is the spirits of bondage that must goe with both as for example when it thundred rained in
see God in his attributes as Moses saw him that was inuisible that is he saw in him more then he could see in Pharoah he saw him in his power to recompence him he saw him in his wrath and fearefulnesse if he had disobeyed him he saw him in his goodnesse and mercy and therefore hee chose him rather then Pharoah or his fauour Againe they are able to see him in his works as Iacob did it is said of him hee was a plaine man and he was able to see the LORD he was able to see him in the workes of his prouidence he was able to see him when he got the goods of Laban saith hee God hath tooke the goods from your Father and hath giuen them to me it is his speech to his wiues hee did see him when he met with Esau saith the Text he saw the face of God when hee saw the face of Esau he saw him in his cattell and in his children that he had gotten these are the cattell and these are the wiues and the children and the bands that God of his goodnesse hath giuen mee hee was able to see God in all these hee saw him in all his workes of prouidence and goodnesse so likewise in all his chastisements Dauid saw God in the cursing of Shimei It is the LORD that hath bid him doe it And so Iob hee saw God it is he that hath giuen and he that hath taken away he ouerlooked those that were the imâ—mediate instruments Thirdly they see him in his guidance and direction they are able to see the fiery cloudy Piller which way they are led by him they are able to see which way he would haue them goe vpon all occasions when others walke in darknesse and they see not the way that God would leade them Lastly they see him in his ordinances they see God in the preaching of the Word they receiue it not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God they see him in the Sacraments for they are able to discerne the Lords body that is they able to see Christ crucisied to esteeme him and to set that price vpon him as they ought and so they come prepared this they are able to doe because they are pure but when the heart is yet vnsound and impure they are not able to see God cleerely a sight and a knowledge they haue but it is another kinde of knowledge So much shall serue for that point And I will make my Couenant c. These words containe a further and a greater fauour expressed to Abraham then the former words doe it was a great mercâ— to him to expresse thus much to him I am al-sufficient I am able to helpe thee I am thy exceeding great reward I am able to be a Sunne and a Shield vnto thee to fill thee with all comfort and to deliuer thee from all euill but yet this which is heere added is a mercy of a much higher nature saith the Lord I will make my Couenant betweene mee and thee that is I will not onely tell thee what I am able to doe I will not onely expresse to thee in generall that I will deale well with thee that I haue a willingnesse and ability to recompence thee if thou walke before me and serue mee and bee perfect but I am willing to enter into Couenant with thee that is I will binde my selfe I will ingage my selfe I will enter into bond as it were I will not be at liâ—erty any more but I am willing euen to make a Couenant a compact and agreement with thee I will make my Couenant betweene mee and thee that is the generall You shall finde it expressed more at large Vers. 7. Moreouer I will establish my Couenant betweene mee and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an euerlasting Couenant to be a GOD to thee and to thy seed after thee that is as if hee should say First I am not onely willing to make it with thee but with thy seed Secondly I will not make a temporary Couenant but an euerlasting Couenant there shall be a mutuall ingagement betweene vs and it shall continue for euer both to thy selfe and to thy posterity in particular it is added I will multiply thee exceedingly that is but a branch of the Couenant I will make thee a Father of many Nations thou shalt haue a Sonne and his children shall grow in number as the starres of heauen and as the dust of the earth that is but a particular whence this is the point that wee haue to obserue that God enters into Couenant with all those that are faithfull For it was not with Abraâ—am as he was Abraham but as hee was a faithfull man and therfore all the faithfull are reckoned to be the seede of Abraham For the opening of this to you which is one of the maine points in Diuinity I will shew you these fiue things First what this Couenant is Secondly with whom it is made Thirdly how we shall know whether we bee in the Couenant or no. Fourthly what the breach of this Couenant is Lastly the reasons why God is willing to make a Couenant with men 1. What this Couenant is You must know that there is a double Couenant there is a Couenant of workes and a Couenant of grace The Couenant of workes runnes in these termes Doe this and thou shalt liue and I will be thy GOD. This is the Couenant that was made with Adam and the Couenant that is expressed by Moses in the Morall Law Doe this and line The second is the Couenant of Grace and thaâ—â—unnes in these termes Thou shalt bâ—leeue thou shalt take my Sonne for thy Lord and thy Sauioar and â—hou shalt likewise receiue the gift of righteousnesse which was wrought by him for an absolution of thy sinues for a reconci liation with me and thereupon thou shalt grow vp into loue and obedience towards me then I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people This is the Couenant of grace Thou shalt beleeue and take my Sonne and accept of the gift of righteousnes and I will be thy God The difference between them you shall find 2 Cor. 3. where you shall see 3. differences to reduce them to those heads I will not trouble you with particular places lest I stay too long vpon them The first Couenant was a Ministration of the Letter that is in the first Couenant there was no more heard nor seene but the naked Commandement it was written in Tables of stone and presented to them there went with it no aptnesse no disposition to keepe it they heard what the Law was they saw what God required but there was no more and those that were declaâ—ers of it were but the Ministeri of the letter and not of the Spirit Secondly this Couenant it brings onely a seruile feare and an enmitie for when a
and art able to describe him to others but for all this thou findest not thy heart affectioned towards him thou seest not that excellency and beauty that is in him so that thy heart is not enamoured with him thou canst not say thou louest him with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength What wilt thou doe in this case Goe to Christ the Prophet and beseech him that hee would teach thee to know the LORD this is his promise if thou pray to him and he doe not doe it vrge him with this it is a part of his Couenant that hee hath confirmed by Oath and must doe it and beloued be assured of this if wee seeke and be earnest with him he will teach vs to know the Lord and to know him so that wee shall loue him with all our soule and with all our strength The like may I say of any thing else put the case afflictions come vpon thee and thou bee not able to bee patient vnder such afflictions suppose that it be a matter of disgrace and discredit that so wounds thee that thy heart cannot be at rest what is the reason of this thou callest to minde it may bee all the rules of patience that should teach thee to beare afflictions well and yet thou art not able to doe it the cause is because thou dost not yet know these outward temptations these outward euils as thou oughtest to know them if thou diddest they would seeme small to thine eyes sinne would be an exceeding great griefe but these would be but trifles and flea-bitings in comparison of the other goe to Christ now and beseech him to shew thee what is the nature of these outward crosses and losses that thou mayst be taught of him once hee is the great Prophet that teacheth a man so hee so presents things in their owne colours to the vnderstanding that the will and affections follow and apprehend them aright goe to him and beseech him that thou mayst know them as thou oughtest and thou shalt finde that thou shalt be able to beaâ—e the greatest crosse with patience it shall bee nothing then to thee it will appeare to be a small matter when he hath taught thee to iudge aright thou shalt not be deceiued in it So likewise for pleasure when a man finds his heart so wedded to any sinfull lust to any euill haunt wherâ—in his heart is held inordinately that it cannot diuorse it selfe from it goe to Christ hee is the great Prophet Thus we may doe beloued with the rest This is the second part of the Couenant The third part of the Couenant is that which he will performe to vs as he is King and it consists in these 3. things You know the Office of a King is to guide and rule now if thou finde thy heart vnruly if thou finde thy selfe subiect to vnruly affections to sinfull inordinate lusts which thou canst not master it is a part of his Kingdome now to set vp his owne gouernment in thy heart to put his Law into thy minde and to write it in thy inward parts that so thou mayst bee indeed subiect to the Kingdome of Christ in a willing manner When a man sees nothing as wee said before but the outward letter of the Law he will neuer be subiect he will neuer yeeld obedience but Christ comes as a King now and puts an inward disposition into the minde that shall answer the letter without and so he makes a man subiect to his gouernment Beloued that Phrase is to be marked Heb. 2. 10. Saith the Lord I will put my Law into their mindâ— there are Lawes out of mens minds Lawes without that euery man may see but it is another thing to haue the Law put into a mans minde for example this is the Law without Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength To answer which you shall see Deut. 30. 6. I will circumcise thy heart and then thou shalt be able to loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength That is I will put this affection or this grace of loue within thy heart it shal not be without onely but I will put it within that there shall bee a grace within a habit of loue within answerable to the Commandement without this is to put the Law into the minde and so likewise Ier. 32. 40. you know this is the Commandement of the LORD You shall feare the LORD and keepe his Ordinances and his Statutes and his Commandements to doe them Well saith the Lord there I will make a Couenant with you and what will I doe I will put my feare into your hearts I will not onely giue you this precept that thou shalt looke on without Thou shalt feare mee and keepe my Commandements but I will put the affections of feare into thy heart there it shall bee and then thou shalt easily feare mee and keepe my Commandements thou shalt feare to disobey me thou shalt feare and tremble at my Word and take heed how thou doe any thing contrary to my mind and beloued when this is done hee makes indeed Kings as hee makes vs Priests and Prophets for when a man is thus taught he is a Prophet other men need not to teach him for hee is a spirituall man then and is able to iudge of all things I say when this gouernment is set vp and the Law is put into his minde when it is put into his inward parts I say when this is done then he makes vs Kings for when men haue so much strength within themselues that they can guide and rule themselues and walke in the way of righteousnesse now they are made Kings and such Kings the Lord makes all those that come to him This is the first part of this Kingdome The second part is to giue vs abundance of all things to giue vs peace for the Office of a King you know is to keepe his people in peace as it is said of Saul hee cloathed them with scarlet that is he made his people to abound with wealth and peace and quietnesse this the Lord doth likewise and this is a part of his spirituall Kingdome Now his Kingdome is spirituall therefore the maine worke of it is to giue vs inward peace and ioy you may haue troubles in the world but my Kingdome is not of this world and therefore wee are not so much to expect an outward worldly peace though we haue likewise a promise of that but in mee you shall haue inward peace saith hee the Kingdome of God is in righteousnesse that is the first part when God workes righteousnes as I haue named before the second is peace and ioy so that that is a part of the Couenant GOD promised inward peace and ioy beloued when you want it know it is a part of the Couenant you may goe to
of men is empty glory the applause of men that pleased him before he lookes now vpon it as a bubble blowne with the breath of men an empty thing hee esteemes it a thing that quickly liues and dyes and vanisheth hee seekes no more after it And so for the lusts of the flesh when a man before thought it the only life for a man to satisfie the flesh and the desires of it now hee beginnes to looke on it after another manner he begins to see the filthinesse and the bitâ—ernesse of those sinnes he beginnes to see that fleshly lusts fight against the soule as enemies hee lookes vpon them as things more bitâ—er then death more sharpe then a two-edged Sword Now when GOD hath enlightned a man thus and hath written his Lawe in his heart and hath taught him that hee iudgeth so of his sinnes and lusts now his sinnes and lusts are dissolued in him his heart is circumcised now they are cut off now the building of Satan is pulled downe and yet beloued this is but one part of this Couenant There is not onely this but likewise there followes this further when Christ hath written his Law in the heart that man hath not onely his heart weaned from all the finfull lusts that before he delighted in but there followes a wondrous forwardnesse and propensnesse to the Law of God to keepe it there is a wondrous desire to grow in grace to doe the duties of new obedience that by his good will hee would liue in another Element But in doing the duties and vsing the meanes by which he may receiue strength to doe them beloued when that Law is out of the heart when wee looke vpon the letter of the Law there is no such matter but when it is put into the heart when it is written within there is an inward disposition and proâ—enesse put into the heart If you looke vpon the Law without Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and shalt feare him c. it is a hard Law who can keepe it but when thou hast it put into thy heart that is the grace of loue for that is to put the Law into the heart when there is such a habit planted in the heart a habit of feare and of euery good grace then there is a great pronenesse and aptnesse in a man and willingnesse to keepe the Law and therefore in that place 1. Tim. 1. 9. The Law is not giuen to the righteous they are a Law to them selues Beloued if thou fiâ—dest this to bee thy case that thou needest not the Law to set thee on with terrours and the threatnings of it but thou art now a Law to to thy selfe that is thou findest in thy selfe such an inward aptenesse and propensnesse to keepe the Law of God that if thou were put to thy choise if there were no necessity laid vpon thee if there were no threatning no Hell yet thou delightest in God and desirest exceedingly to haue communion with him there is nothing seemes to be so beautifull as Grace as the Image of God renewed in thy soule I say this will bee thy disposition and this is for a man to be a Law to himselfe for you know this common nature is betweene the Image of the old Adam and the Image of the new betweene the flesh and the spirit betweene those lusts that remaine in thee when thou art vnder the Couenant of Workes and betweene this Couenant of Grace and feruency in well doing I say common nature is betweene these two as a Bowle betweene two byasses Now the LORD when he comes to write his Law in the heart he doth not only knocke off the old by as of sinfull lusts that carried him out but he sets a new by as vpon thy soule that bowes and bends thee to the waies of God that still there is a strong inclination that carries thee on that way besides the Commandement that thou dost not euery thing as of necessity a man before this time it may be prayed it may be he was constant in prayer he would not let a morning or an euening goe without it it may be he would doe euery other duty but hee did it as a taske as a man that dares not omit it there is a naturall conscience in him that will be vpon him if hee doe he feares God will become his enemy hee shall taste of fearefull Iudgements if hee neglect it all this while he doth it out of feare but one that hath the Law written in his heart that is a Law to himselfe that hath a new byas put vpon his heart I say it still bends and inclines him to it he cannot doe otherwise hee longs after it exceedingly he is exceeding forward to it the inward inclination of his minde stands to iâ— This is the third way whereby you may know whether you be in the Coâ—enant or no if you finde that Christ hath thus taught you and hath written his Law in your hearts if you bee thus enlightned with knowledge that both the lusts of the former ignorance are dissolued and likewise there comes in the roome of them a wondrous pronenesse and propensenesse to well donig when there is a certaine connaturalnesse betweene good duties and thy heart when thou canst say indeed as Pâ—ul I delight in the Law of God in the inward man and if I might haue my desire if GOD would giue me my wish as hee did to Salomon that which I would desire aboue all things in the world is that I may haue a greater measure of the Spirit that my sinfull lusts may bee more and more mortified that I may excell more in grace and holinesse that his Image may be more renewed in mee and that it may shine more bright in all the parts of it I say when â—hou findest this be assured thou art in the Coâ—enant So much beloued for that point I will adde a second which is this from this difference whereas this is one of the differences betweene the old Coâ—enant and the new the Old Testament was made with the Iewes onely it was shut vp within the compasse of that Nation the New Coâ—enant is enlarged to the Gentiles there is now an open doore for them to come in there are now better promises more knowledge a larger effusion of the Spirit both for intention and for the extent of it it is to many more and beloued were it not for this Coâ—enant all you now that heare this Couenant of Grace preached vnto you and haue heard it often you had neuer heard it but this benefit you haue by the New Testament that now this good newes is come to your eares Beloued this God brings home to the Gentiles and they haue their seuerall times and this is the season that GOD hath brought it home to you euen when you heare these promises of Grace made And what vse should you make of it surely this Take heede of refusing the acceptable time
as you haue it in Math. 7. 16. 17. that is a man then is said to be a good man when there is a good sap in him when there is some thing in him that is good when there are some supernaturall graces wrought in him he that is not emptie of these he is a good man as it is said of Barnabas he was a good man and how was that proved he was full of faith and the holy Ghost See then whether thou hast an emptie heart or no. You say a thing is good for nothing when it is emptie of that excellencie that should be in it when Wine hath not that in it that belongs to wine you say it is naught and so we say of all things else When a man therefore hath not that in him that belongs to a man that is to a man as he was created in innocency he is wicked and naught a sonne of Beliall but when he hath a blessing in him as grapes haue wine in them when he hath supernaturall grace wrought in his heart when he hath the new Adam putting into his heart the sap of grace life then he is good Therefore see whether there be somewhat put into thee more then is in thee by nature see whether thou finde the new Adam effectually to cōmunicate new sap to thee new grace and new light to thee as the old Adam hath communicated corruption See whether thou be made a good tree or no for it is the tree that makes the fruit good and not the fruit that makes the tree good So it is the man that justifieth his worke and not the worke that justifieth the man and therefore thou must first see whether thou be in the Covenant whether thou hast this seale that thou seest some thing put into thee which thou hast not by nature Every man by nature is emptie when grace is put into him then he is said to be good As it is good wine when it is full of spirit when it hath that in it that belongs to wine So he is a good man that hath that in him which belongs to him in his regenerate estate Secondly Consider whether thou bring forth good fruit that is not onely whether thou doest good actions but whether they flow from thee whether they grow in thine heart as naturally as fruit growes on the tree that flowes from the sap within When a man not onely doth good works but when he is zealous of them it is his meate and drinke to doe them when they flow from him as water from the fountaine then he is a good man for if the tree be good that is if the heart be good a man will be as readie and will as naturally bring forth good fruit as the tree the Vine or the Fig-tree bring forth their fruit The third thing you shall see in the 2 Tim. 2. vessels are said to be good to be vessels of honour when they are prepared to every good worke So when a man is good and brings forth good fruit and not onely brings it forth but if there be any occasions to put forth the goodnesse that is in him he is parepared for it as a vessell is prepared for such a turne for such a service The word in the originall signifieth when a man is fashioned as a vessell is fashioned and the meaning of the holy Ghost is therefore to shew that then a man is good when his heart is fitted to good workes when he knowes how to goe about them whereas another bungles at them and knowes not how to doe them he is prepared for them and therefore there needs no more but to put him and the good worke together and he is readie to performe it The last is When there is not onely a readines but practice vpon all occasions when a man doth good as it is sayd that Iesus Christ went about doing good And therefore he is a good man that is a vsefull man such a man that every one fares the better for such a man as is serviceable to God profitable to men Before regeneration when a man is a stranger to this goodnesse he onely serues himselfe he is full of self-selfe-loue all his ends are to looke to himselfe that he may be kept safe he cares not what becomes of any thing els so it be well with him but when once goodnesse comes into his heart it hath this fruit he goes about doing good because grace brings that principle into the heart that never grew there before that it the loue of God and man whereas before there was nothing but self-selfe-loue in him which plant growes naturally in the garden of nature when grace comes it brings loue with it and that loue makes vs vsefull and serviceable both to God and man So that whatsoever a man hath what gifts what knowledge what authoritie he hath he is readie to vse it for the good of others As the Apostle saith of One simus in the Epistle to Philemon Now he is profitable to thee and mee whereas before he was vnprofitable So it may be said of all Saints when once this goodnesse is put into them now they are profitable to God and man they doe serue God and man with their fatnesse and with their sweetnesse before they were vnprofitable to others but now they are profitable both to themselues and others This is the first note by which you may know your selues Art thou a good and vsefull man dost thou goe about doing good doe those fare the better for thee with whom thou hast to doe dost thou spend the fatnesse and the sweetnesse that God hath given thee to serue God and man with it then conclude thou art in the ranke of those that are the Lords portion otherwise thou art yet without the Covenant thou art yet in the gall of bitternes The other three I must deferre till the afternoone So much for this time THE SECOND SERMON ECCLESIASTES 9. 1. 2. 3. I haue sarely given my heart to all this c. WEE will now proceede to the second difference which remaineth and that is this Consider whether thou bee cleane and pure in heart or polluted There is the same condition to the pure and to the polluted Now what it is to be cleane or to be washed you shall see 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you That is you were polluted with those sins there named but now sayth he you are washed And wherein stands this washing He tels vs it stands in these two things Now you are iustified now you are sanctified You are iustified through the name of Christ and sanctified through the spirit of our God So then he is a pure man or a cleane man that is first washed from the guilt of his sinnes that is that hath no sinne lying vpon his Conscience that hath not a polluted Conscience which is a phrase vsed Titus 1. whose mindes and consciences are defiled