the most high but against me haue you rebelled The meaning of both places is this they haue not sought meâ— with their whole heart but feignedly the word feignedly shewes that by whole heart hee meanes there a true heart So that as you would iudge now of an vnsound-hearted friend you say he is not perfect he is not sound he is not true when his actions carry a shew and appearance of loue and his heart doth not answer it there is a dissonancy betweene the appearance he makes and his heart his heart is knowne by this he loues not the person of his friend he may obserue him for some otheâ— respects but his person he doth not inwardly respect So if a man would know whether his heart be perfect with God let him consider whether he do not as false-hearted men are wont to doe that obserue other men out of respects because they see those parties haue power to doe them good or hurt therefore they are diligent to obserue them as the Apostle saith They haue the persons of men in admiration because of aduantage that is they haue them in admiration they are very obsequioâ—s to them ready to doe them offices of friendship but it is for their owne aduantage not because they loue their friends they are nor affâ—cted to their persons Contrary to this is singlenesse of heart when wee loue not in word onely in deed and in truth when we loue with a pure loue such a man we say comes to be perfect with his friend and so it is in this case when a man lookes on God as one that hath power to doe him good and euill as one that hath power to aduance him or to cast him downe and out of these respects he serues him and obeyes him and will doe many things for his sake but yet he doth not serue him with a single heart that is he doth not inwardly loue the person of God he doth not looke on him as he is seperate from all punishments and rewards as he is sequestred from all such respects so as to be hearty to him This was the fault of the Iewes saith he they returned againe but to whom was it to their corne to their oyle and not to the most high they returned and were very deâ—out to keepe the Fast ready to heare but against mee they rebelled The meaning of it is this the Iewes returned to the Lord they were carefull to please him but it was because they desired freedome from the Famine and Warre and othâ—r Calamities and therefore they serued the Lord but they did not lay hold on God himselfe vpon the graces and comforts of the Spirit vpon aeternall life these were not the things they did inwardly respect and therefore God himselfe they loued not to him they did not returne as you shall see because I will vse that exppession of laying hold vpon God and vpon aeternall life 1 Tim. 6. when the Apostle Paul had spoken there of diuers men that were contentious he puts these two properties together they are exceeding contentious and couetous they reckon gaine godlinesse but thou saith he doe not so but fight the good fight of faith doe not contend with such a kind of contention and in such a manner as they doe and againe saith he when they lay hold on wealth and preferment and such aduantages doe thou lay hold vpon aeternall life I say this was the case of the Iewes they laid hold of such benefits as a carnall man is capable of such as indeed they conceiued to come from the Lords hand onely and therefore they returned vnto him but they did not lay hold vpon God himselfe vpon aeternall life vpon the spirituall priuiledges and promises of grace and therefore they returned to him but feignedly that is they did not seeke the face of God that which is required 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my People humble themselues and seeke my face that is seeke my presence this they did not Now with those that haue sound hearts it is not so but they seeke the Lord himselfe they are thus minded that if they may haue the Lord himselfe though they be stripped of all things else they doe not much heed it though they passe through euill report though they lose their estates though they bee put in what condition they can be yet they are content to haue the Lord aboue for their portion for they looke on him as an exceeding great reward as long as they may haue his loue as long as they may haue him though alone they care for nothing else thus they are affected when God puts them to it as you see Naomi put Ruth and her other daughter to it saith shee Wilt thou goe with mee I haue nothing for thee Gods hand is gone out against me I haue no more sonnes in my wombe or if I had thou wouldest neuer stay vntill they were of age when they were put to it thus one daughter forsooke her namely Orphah and returned backe to her people but Ruth gaue her this answer Bee it so â—yet whither thou goest I will goe I will dwell where thou dwellest I will neuer forsake thee So it is with the Saints they choose the Lord though alone they cleaue to him alone they reckon it reward enough if theâ— may haue him as you see Abraham did as GOD said to him I my selfe will be thy exceeding great reward he would not so much as take any thing from the King of Sodome Why because saith he it shall neuer be said that hee hath made Abraham rich GOD alone shall make me rich hee is reward enough he is alsufficient I will not take any of these things in with him So all the Saints are thus minded they are contented with GOD alone because they looke on him as an alsufficient reward they haue a good opinion of him and therefore they forsake him not whereas others haue beene in admiration of him but for aduantage when they haue gotten what they would haue and are deliuered from what they feare they start aside as a broken Bow Hosea 7. the place before named as you see Rehoboam 2 Chron. 12. 1. Saith the Text the Lord helped him till hee was strong and when he was strong hee and all Israel departed from following the Lord. And so Vzziah 2 Chro. 26. It is said the Lord helped him vntill hee was mighty and what then when hee had gotten what he would haue his heart was listed vp to his destruction that is he serued GOD as it were a slippery tricke then he departed from him when hee had gotten what hee desired which was a signe hee did not returne to the Lord or that he did serue him with his whole heart but feignedly he did not seeke the Lord himselfe he did not seeke his face and presence And the ground of all this is because they haue no constant fixed good opinion of GOD but they thinke well of God
so mannageth his businesse as a Factor that still hath an eye vpon himselfe â—or hee trusts not his Master Another that trusts him that thinkes thus with himselfe my Master is wise to obserue and he is willing and able to recompence mee that seruant lookes not to himselfe and his owne ends but he doth his Masters businesse faithfully and he cares not so it may be for his Masters aduantage for hee loues his Master and he thinkes his owne good and prosperity consists more in his Masters then in his owne this is that that moues him and therefore without respect to himselfe he serues him he doth his businesse faithfully he lookes what may be for his aduantage and not for his owne So much for this second effect A third effect that ariseth from this sincerity or integrity of heart is to serue the Lord to doe his will with all a mans might to doe it exceeding diligently not onely to haue respect to his Commandement but to doe it with all a mans might and strength when a man doth it remissely it is a signe he doth it feynedly when he doth it diligently it is a signe he doth it with a perfect heart A seruant when he slubbers ouer his worke and doth but eye-seruice it is an argument that hee doth it not with his whole heart but feynedly for when he doth it hearâ—tily he doth it painefully he doth it throughly and exactly and with all his strength The ground of it is this because when a man doth any thing truly and in good earnest when he doth it for it selfe he doth it alway exceeding diligently they are neuer disjoyned When a man doth a thing for a respect he doth it so far as that respect requires so much diligence hee vseth and no more you may see it in other things if a man haue money but for his vse he will seeke so much as will serue such a turne and no more but if he doth it for money it selfe if he loue riches hee will doe it with all his might hee sets himselfe to it with all his strength You haue an excellent place for the expression of this in 1 Pet. 1. 22. saith the A postle Seeing your hearts are purified to loue one another without feyning see that you loue one another with a pure heart feruently The meaning is this Let a mans loue be sincere without feyning let it be with a pure heart without respects without dissimulation and this property it will haue you will loue one another feruently Beloued these cannot be disjoyned when one serues the Lord with a perfect heart when his eye is vpon him when he doth trust to him without any other by-respects he will doe it exceeding diligently Therefore that expression you finde so oft in the Scriptures Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thy heart and with all thy strength it is not an expression of the degrees of loue that is not the sole scope of that place but it is an expression of the sincerity of a mans loue as if hee should say herein is the sincerity of a mans loue this is an argument that a man loues God truly and not for respects when he loues him with all his heart and with all his might it is so in all things when you doe any thing for it selfe you will doe it with all your might Besides there is this further ground of it you shall finde this that all remissenesse when a man doth a thing remissely and ouerly and perfunctorily itargues alway a diuided intention it is an argument that the whole minde is not set on it but that the intention is distracted and bestowed on other things whence that common saying is He that will be excellent in euery thing is so in nothing because his intentions are diuided So beloued you know this is the property of sincerity to haue a single eye to haue the heart set vpon one obiect to looke to GOD alone If a man doe so the heart is sincere and he that lookes vpon GOD alone he must needs doe it with all diligence whensoeuer a man mindes one thing hee will doe it with all his might because all the faculties the intention the thoughts and affections of the soule they are then concenterate and vnited and drawne together into one point they are still running in one channell and therefore a man that hath a sincere heart that chooseth GOD alone that saith thus with himselfe I haue but one Master to serue I haue but one to feare I haue GOD alone to looke to my businesse is with him in heauen I thinke him to be alsufficient and an exceeding great reward I say this will alway accompany such a heart such a resolution that he serues him with all diligence if there be any worke of his to be done hee will doe it with all his might for that is the disposition of a mans mind when once he is able to say as Daâ—id saith Psal. 27. 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord and that will I seeke to see the beauty of the Lord to liue in his Temple c. Why one thing I haue desired and that will I seeke with all diligence when a man desires but one thing his minde will be exceeding intent vpon it and therefore if you would finde out now what is a proper effect of sincerity you shall finde this alway to be in those whose hearts are vpright with God that they giue themselues vp to his seruice I say they giue themselues vp to do it with all diligence therefore for a man that saith this I hope my heart is vpright with God and yet you see him exceeding busie with other things the worke of God he doth ouerly he slubbers it ouer he doth it negligently as a seruant that doth eye-seruice but for businesses of his owne he is exceeding intent vpon them hee is ouerwhelmed with them in following pleasures and diuers lusts his minde is exceeding much taken vp in things of that kinde I say hee doth but dissemble when he saith he hath prepared his whole heart to seeke the Lord that hee walkes before him perfectly it cannot bee a man whose heart is vpright hath this disposition in him that his speeches his thoughts and his actions are still busied about things that belong to the Kingdome of God holinesse is the element hee liues in he would still be doing something 〈◊〉 â—ends that way by his good will he would be doing nothing else I say thus he serues the LORD with all his might and that is an argument hee hath a sincere and vpright heart You haue a common saying when a man doth a thing exceeding diligently he doth it for his life now a man whose heart is vpright his opinion is changed of his owne happinesse of his life and safety whereas before hee conceiued it tâ— consist in other things now he knowes it wholâ—ly consists in
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
this signe and testimony of the blood which shewes that it is true it is a linely hope for he that hath a liuely hope hee purifies himselfe 1 Ioh. 3. But some man may say This testimony of a mans owne spirit may deceiue him I answer it cannot because though it be called the testimony of our owne spirit yet it is a spirit enlightned it is a spirit sanctified with the Spirit of Christ and then that Rule is true 1 Ioh 3. If our owne heart condemne not that is if the heart of a man enlightned if the heart of a man with which the Holy Ghost ioynes if the heart of a man sanctified doe not condemne him if hee haue the testimony of this Spirit he shall be saued he needs not doubt it he hath boldnesse towards GOD then againe hee must consider this worke the testimony of the Spirit the water and the blood and these three agree in one it is not the testimony of the Spirit alone but it is the testimony of the water ioyned with it if it were but the testimony of one indeed the ground were not good but they all agree in one and therefore if thou haue one sure to thee it is enough These are the things which goe before and accompany it Now followes the testimony of Gods spirit which we shall see described besides the places I named to you Eph. 1. Wherein after you beleeued you were sealed with the spirit of promise My beloued when a man hath beleeued and tooke lesus Christ secondly when hee hath washed and purified himselfe that is hee hath gone about this worke and so his owne spirit gathers a testimony hence that he is in a good estate after he hath thus beleeued then saith he comes the Holy Ghost and seales the same things vnto you that is the LORD leaues a man alone a while as it were to champ vpon the bridle as I may say he lets a man alone to some doubts and feares that so hee may purge himselfe the more carefully but after a time when a man hath put to his seale that God is true then the LORD seales him againe with the spirit of promise that is the LORD sends the spirit into his heart and that spirit giues witnesse to him and when he hath put to his seale that GOD is true then the LORD puts to his seale and assures him that hee hath receiued him to mercy You will say What is this seale or witnesse of the Spirit My beloued it is a thing that wee cannot expresse it is a certaine diuine impression of light a certaine vnexpressible assurance that we are the sonnes of God a certaine secret manifestation that God hath receiued vs and put away our sinnes I say it is such a thing that no man knowes but they that haue it you shall finde it expressed by all these places of Scripture Reu. 3. If any man will open to mee I will come in and sup with him that is when the Lord enters into a kinde of familiarity with a man when he vouchsafes him so much fauour as to come and suppe and dine with him as it were and to dwell with him and so Reâ— 2. 17. To him that ouercommeth will I giue of the hidden Mannah I will giue a white stone with a new name written in it tâ—at no man knowes but he that hath it that is there shall bee a secret priuy token as it were of my loue giuen him a secret marke of it that there is no man in the world knowes besides So Ioh. 14. 21. If any man loue mee and keepe my Commandements I will shew my selfe to him that is hee shall haue an extraordinary manifestation of my selfe hee shall haue such an expression of loue and peace that shall fill his heart with peace and ioy such a thing that no man knowes but himselfe Beloued this is the testimony of the Spirit I confesse it is a wondrous thing and if there were not some Christians that did feele it and know it you might beleeue there were no such thing that it were but a fancie or enthusiasme but beloued it is certaine there are a generation of men that know what this seale of the Lord is indeed you must remember this to distinguish it from all fancies and delusions this Spirit comes after you haue the water and the blood after you are beleeuers after you haue purged your selues and therefore if any man haue such flashes of light and ioy that witnesse that hee hath receiued the promise and that he is in the Couenant and for all this he haue not the things that goe before it now thou maist take it for a delusion I will come and sup with him but with whom with him that first openeth to me If thou open thy heart to the Lord whensoeuer hee knocks and comes to thee And so To him that ouercomes I will giue of the hidden Mannah If thou be one that art able to ouercome temptations and vnruly affections sinfull lusts thou maist conclude it is a true testimony that thou arâ— not deceiued but if thou be one that art ouercome with euery base lust with euery temptation thou art deceiued if thou art perswaded thou art in a good estate this is not the witnesse of the Spirit for it is to him that ouercomes So againe to him that loues me and keepes my CommandemeÌ„ts c. Now if thou be one that breaks the CoÌ„mandements of God that find'st not that holy fire in thy brest that find'st not thy heart affectioned to him and yet thou hast tâ—ese great flashes of assurance and tâ—inkst thy state good beloued you deceiue your selues whose case soeuer it is the Lord hath not shewed himselfe to thee bâ—t it is a delusion a fancy and therefore I say consider it and this is the consequent of it that he that hath it is able to pray So I will conclude all he is able to cry Abba Father If thou haue such an assurance of a good estate and yet art not able to pray thou art deceiued likewise for that is the property of the Spirit it makes a man cry to God and call him Father You will say Is this such a matter euery man can pray Beloued it is another thing then the world iâ—agines it to be he that hath this spirit is mighty in prayer he is able to wrestle with God as Iacob did by the spirit of Adoption hee had power with God as it is said there and he is able to preuaile with the Lord and why because he can speake to him as to a Father he can continue in prayer and watch ther euntâ— with all perseuerance he can speake to him as one that he is well acquainted with he can not only speake remissâ—ly but he can cry Abba Father that shewes feruency in his prayer there is no man in the world that is able to doe it besides We see a description of other men
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
the heart hath thus tooke the promised seede and receiued him and lookes for all from him now the Couenant and Contract is made betweene them Now beloued as long as this vnion continues betweene CHRIST and vs the Couenant is not disannulled so that in a word the Couenant is neuer nullified vntill thou hast chosen to thy selfe another husband till thou hast taken to thy selfe another Lord. In a marriage there may be many failings of a Wife towards her Husband many neglects many disobediences many fits of passion many offences shee may giue him but till she commit adultery the bond coÌ„tinues sure there is no diuorse between them the Couenant of God still remaines betweene them there is no dissolution of the Couenant Beloued so it is here thou committest many transgressions thou offendest God oft thou failest much in thy seruice thou owest him but till thou shalt commit spirituall adultery till thou leaue him as it were and shalt select and choose to thy selfe another Master another Lord another Husband the Couenant remaines sure betweene you there is no dissolution of the Couenant Beloued this is a point exceeding full of comfort thou must not thinke that vpon euery sinne the Couenant is ouerthrowne betweene GOD and thee no the Couenant remaines sure the bond is not vntyed as yet though thou faile exceeding much though thou fall into many actuall rebellions against him yet the Couenant is not dissolued But you will say to me If this bee to breake the Couenanâ— to chuse another Husband I hope there are none of vs that are breakers of the Couenant then wee haue not chosen another GOD we are willing enough to serue the Lord Beloued the rule is exceeding true if thou deceiue not thy selfe in applying it therfore I say this to thee take heed thou deceiue not thy selfe it is certaine the Couenant remaines sure notwithstanding all infirmities as long as thy heart cleaues to thine Husband as long as thou takest not another in his stead therefore if thou wilt not be deceiued as many doe deceiue themselues I will giue thee but these two rules to know it by The first is an immediate examination of thine owne heart looke narrowly to this if there bee any creature in the world any pleasure any profit any matter of credit or honour or whatsoeuer the thing be any delight or sport or inclination or lust wherewith thy heart commits adultery certainely thou hast chosen another Husband whatsoeuer thou pretendest If there bee any sinne that thou art in league with wherewith thou art entred into Couenant as I may so say thou hast broken the Couenant with thy first Husband as you shall see an expression thereof Iam. 4. Yee adulterers and adulteresses if you loue the world you loue not GOD. That is if there bee any thing in the world that you loue in that manner it is enmity to GOD the Couenant is broken Now you will say How shall wee know this You shall know it by this if it diâ—ert and put out and quench the loue to your Husband You shall see a wife oft times her heart is stolne from her husband she comes to be in his presence from day to dayâ— to doe all seruice to him she performes it may be euery duty as carefully and as diligently as the best wife in the world and yet for all this her heart is gone here is but a shaddow of performance she doth them but not with loue and delight she doth them not with cheerefulnesse and willingnesse she would be free if thou finde this thy case that thou art so in loue that thy heart is stolne away with any thing in the world with matter of estate pleasures or whatsoeuer it is any outward excellency that thy heart is set vpon any haunt any delight any lust that hath dominion in thy soule that thou hast made a league with it so that thou commest indeede to performe holy duties from day to day but they haue no taste no relish thou dost them not with liuelinesse and quicknesse thou dost them as one that must doe them of necessity and preforce but thou delightest not in thy Husband thou comest before him but thou delightest not in his company thou dâ—lightest not in his presence but the loue of other things worldly mindednesse quencheth that delight it is certaine thou hast commited adultery thou hast chosen another husband You must know this beloued that a godly man that is once entred into the Couenant though he faile exceedingly in many things yet his delight is still in the LORD hee desires exceedingly to please him hee had rather be in his company hee had rather haue communion with him then with any other in the world besides hee had rather bee doing seruice to him then to any other he had rather be employed in any thing that â—ends to him so that if it could be I make that supposition if there were such a proposition as there was in the old Law euery seuenth yeere those that had serued an Apprentiship that were bondslaues they might goe free yet we see some so loued their Masters that they would not goe free but would be their seruants for euer and they were bored thorow the â—are and were their seruants for saith the Text they loued their Masters and would stay with them Beloued so it is in this case take a man that commits adultery with any thing in the world let him haue such a Proclamation that hee might goe free he would were it not for the losse of heauen and for going to hell but suppose it were free to him hee would goe free with all his heart he would choose another Master and would be free from that bondage for so hee accounts it but he that loues the LORD will not goe free if he might for hee reckons that seruice the greatest freedome and delight hee had rather liue in His Family then in any seruice in the world it is not a seruice but a friendship it is a marriage he liues as a sonne in the Family and therfore he is willing to continue for beloued as soone as a man is gotten into the Coâ—enant once this is the ground of it there is such a disposition put into his heart there is such a disposition grafted in him and rooted in his inward parts that he longs after the LORD as looke what disposition and inclination there is in the Loadstone in lingering after the Iron if you pull it from it a thousand times still it lookes after it and it cannot choose it is the disposition of the Iron so such a disposition there is in the seruants of the Lord to chuse him for their Lord and Husband and it is not an empty choice that câ—â—sists onely in affection or in the naked resolution of the mind but it is such a choice as hath strong affections running together with it a strong inclination carrying the soule to him so that
easily beleeue a smaller sinne to be forgiven Therefore certainly men doubt of his power whether he be able to forgiue for if the difference of sinne doe cause in you vnbeliefe it could not be that you should pitch vpon the power of God and his readines to forgiâ—e Therefore it is certaine that it is his power that is called in question and therefore the thing we haue to do is to make this good to you that the Lord is able to forgiue But you will say to me It is true If it were a matter of power I make no question Beloved you shall finde it a matter of power take a man Is it not a matter of strength in him to forgiue to passe by an infirmitie If it be strength in a man to be meeke to forgiue and to passe by iniuries to be kinde to those that be vnkinde to him Is it not also power in God to doe so Besides is it not a power to be rich Riches giue a man a potencie and the Lord is said to be rich in mercy That is As a man that is rich though he giue much yet he is not exhausted So when you haue made thus much vse of Gods mercy yet still there is more behinde still there is more and more mercy for you there is a spring of mercy there is no end of it Besides as there is a power in his wrath Who knowes the power of his wrath so likewise there is a power in his mercy as we see Rom. 9. 22. 23. it is a place worth the considering for this purpose What if God to shew his wrath and to make his power known will suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destructioÌ„ And the next verse is thus to be read otherwise you cannot make the sence perfect and what if he would also to shew the greatnesse of his power declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy that he hath prepared to glory Marke as God shewes the greatnes of his power in executing wrath vpon evill men so he shewes the exceeding greatnesse of his power and declares his glorious riches That is The riches of his mercy vpon the Saints Now as it is hard to finde out the depth of the one so it is to finde out the depth of the other to consider the height the length and bredth and depth of his mercy When a man considers his sinnes and lookes vpon them in the height of them in the bredth and depth of them when he sees a heape of sinne piled vp together reaching vp to the heavens and downe againe to the bottom of hell now to beleeue that the mercy of God is higher then these sinnes and that the depth of his mercy is deeper then they This is to comprehend the length and bredth depth of mercy in him Ephes. 3. This is exceeding hard and a great thing for vs to doe but yet this the Lord is able to doe his mercy is able to swallow them vp and therefore you shall finde this expression in Iames 2. mercy reioyceth against Iudgement As if he should say There is a certaine contention betweene the sins that we commit and the mercy of God though our sinnes oppose his mercy yet his mercy is greater and at length it overcomes them and reioyceth against them as a man reioyceth against an adversary that he hath subdued Therefore herein we must labour to see Gods All-sufficiencie that although our sins be exceeding great yet the largenes of his mercy is able to swallow them vp But you will say to me we could beleeue this if we were qualified but all the difficultie is to beleeue it when we want those qualifications God requires softnesse of heart godly sorrow truth of repentance c. Beloved to this I answer briefly that whaâ—soever thou seest that discourageth thee that thou seest in thine owne heart when thou reflectest vpon it it is either sinne or emptinesse That is A want of that righteousnes that should be in thee If it be sinne the greatnesse of his mercy is able to swallow it vp And if it be emptinesse know this that he is rich in mercy and All-sufficient able to bestow this riches even vpon nothing you know he did bestow all the glory of the creature on it when it was nothing There was nothing you know when he made the world when he made â—he Angels what was it he bestowâ—d his riches vpon And is he not able to bestow it on thee though there be an emptines in thine heart Therfore thinke with thy selfe what is the exceeding 〈◊〉 of his loue It was a great loue that moved him to give Christ to vs but after we are in Christ then you must consider this â—hat his loue hath increased to a full object his loue is fully bestowed on him and is derived from Christ to vs. 〈…〉 sinnes yea all the degrees of my sinnes to overcome them and â—ubdue them yet if the fulnesse of his loue that he loues Christ with be derived on me what neede I make question But you will say againe What needs this perswasion of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving This is but to open a dore of liberty to make men more loose Beloved it is not so it is the most profitable thing yoâ— can doe for your owne soules to beleeue his All-sufficiencie in forgiving sinnes as well as his All-sufficiencie in any thing besides therefore we see in Rom. 6. concerning the abounding of grace for so the objection stands where sinne hath aboâ—nded there grace hath abounded much more If mens sinnes be multiplied grace and mercy shall be multiplied much more and still out-goe and swallow them vp Shall we therefore sinne that grace may abound or because grace hath abounded No sayth the Apostle for the abundance of grace kils sinne for so the consequence stands how shall we that are dead to sinne liâ—e any longer therein So that his answer stands thus Sayth he the abundance of grace doth not cause men to sinne more for it kils sinne And therefore the more we beleeue this All-sufficiencie in God to forgiue sinne the more sinne is killed in vs it is not enlarged by it life is not given to sinne by it but we are made more dead to sinne by it You will say how can that be Because the beleeving of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving our sinnes increaseth our loue and our Ioy. It increaseth our loue for when there is no scruple in our hearts of Gods loue towards vs it makes our loue more perfect towards him It increaseth our joy also because when we haue a full assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that fils the heart with joy and peace in the holy Ghost Now spirituall loue eates out of the heart all carnall delights all sinfull lusts and all inordinate loue vnto the creature And so likewise spirituall joy takes away
is sanctified throughout in body soule and spirit I say when a man shall finde every thing within him readie to prayse the Lord and to looke toward the Lord all that is within him There is not any thing within him of which he can say the bent of it is another way I say such a man hath an integritie of heart Another man you shall finde it thus alway with him that though in many things he wish well and hath a good meaning and good purposes yet there is something or other hath stollen away something in his heart something within him is not right it may be in his feare he cannot say he feares God and nothing else for there are many things that he feares more then God so he cannot say of his loue to God that that is right it may be it is misplaced though many other things may be right in him he loues riches he loues credit he loues reputation he loues his ease and conveniencie his practise and imployment So that if God and these should come in competition he would be readie to violate his conscience towards him rather then to part with these And so his griefe that is not principally for sinne there is somewhat or other that you shall finde him fayling in there is not an integritie in the subject And secondly there is as little in the object he hath not an eye to all the commandements whereas the perfect hearted man there is no dutie but he giues vp his heart to it And againe there is nothing forbidden no sinne but his heart is averse from it and he resists it to the vttermost You shall see this expression Iam. 3. He that can guide his tongue is a perfect man in many things we sinne all if any man sinne not in word he is a perfect man Iam. 3. 2. Compare this with Iam. 1. 26. If any man among you seeme to be religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiues his owne heart this mans religion is in vaire I say you may take but this one instance that this is the judgement of the holy Ghost Should a man haue an eye to every Commandement and should he but fayle in this one thing not bridling his tongue but giue vp his tongue to evill speeches to let it walke loose vp and downe whither it will if he doe but neglect this one particular yet sayth the Text all the rest of his Religion is but vaine Why because there is not an Integritie in the object he hath not an eye to the whole Law so that if a man fayle in this he is not a perfect man if either it be in the subject or in the object Or thirdly if it be in the meanes that knits these together that is take a man that will not vse all Gods Ordinances conscionably and in their season that he doth not pray and receiue the Sacrament and vse the Communion of Saints and fasting and every one in their season I say if he doe not vse all the meanes And againe if he doe not abstaine from all the occasions but if he venture vpon evill occasions and incentiues to lust vpon such objects as are readie to worke vpon him I say if there be a defect in these he is an vnperfect and vnsound hearted man as you may say of a mans bodie if you see those things that are essentially to a mans health if he faile in any of them he will not drinke nor he will not eate nor he doth not sleepe he fayles in the meanes that should make him sound or else if he adventure vpon the occasions that may corrupt him he venters vpon poysoning and infecting dyet infected and pestilent ayre c. he cannot haue a sound bodie no more can such a one haue a sound soule So I say that the wholnesse and integritie of the heart it lies in these three put together First the heart must be all sanctified If you say how shall wee know that Thus he hath respect to every Commandement he fayles not in any thing not in looking to his thoughts not in looking to his speeches he doth not neglect any affection that riseth in him at any time But how shall a man know that whether he haue done this So they hang one vpon another that you may know the first by the second and the second by the third you may know whether a man haue an eye to every Commandement if he vse all the meanes and abstaine from all occasions of sinne for if thou doe not this pretend what thou wilt thy heart is false So much for this third The fourth Expression that I finde in Scripture is vprightnes or straightnesse of heart the word in the originall answers Rectitudo and an vpright man in the originall is as much as vir rectus a straight man Marke the way of the vpright and perfect man his latter end is good it is peace Psal. 37. That is of a straight man So the straightnes of the heart if we can finde what it is we shall know what it is to haue a perfect heart with God Now the straightnes of a man for so I will rather expresse it in the Concrete is seene in this whether he hath straight vpright ends An vpright man you shall know by his aymes he hath a right end the ayme and scope and marke that his eye is vpon is Gods glory and his owne saluation to doe and suffer the will of God whatsoever it is that is to be faithfull and diligent in his Calling to be serviceable an profitable to others these are the things that are in his heart these are the right ends and he is sayd to haue a right heart whose ends are right that pitcheth vpon right and straight ends and likewise he that goes by a straight rule for a right end never hath a crooked rule leading to it But if a man would know whether he hath a right end thou shalt know it by this there needs not any oblique way to lead to such an end but thou wilt goe by a straight rule that is the way of Gods Commandements is the rule that thou wilt walke by Therefore if thou finde this in thy heart that there are devices and plottings and windings and turning wayes that thou projectest to thy selfe to bring any end to passe now thou goest not by a straight rule but by a leaden Lesbian rule by a bended rule whereas a right man his eye is still vpon the rule he considers not this and this I will bring to passe but he considers with himselfe what is the rule I ought to walke by As indeede every man hath some certaine rule and principle in his heart and all the actions that hee doth proceede from those secret rules though himselfe take no notice of them Now this is planted in the heart of an vpright man that still he goes by a straight rule though he could desire many things might
if you take the words together from the 12 Verse to the 15 for I say the course we will hold shall be to open to you those places where the Scripture sets downe the Characters and properties of A perfâ—ct heart not as though I had already attained it or were already perfect but I follow after if I may comprehend that for which I am also comprehended by Iesus Christ c. I presse hard to the maâ—ke for the price of the high Calling of God in Christ Iesus Let therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded the meaning of it is this saith the Apostle this is my course I am not yet attained to perfection but saith he this I doe I ayme at the vtmost euen at the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ I ayme at the vtmost euen at the toppe of perfection and againe saith he I follow hard to it And saith he not onely I but as many as are perfect let them be thus minded where by the perfect he meanes you see not one that hath already a perfect holinesse but one that is sound hearted for hee had said before not as if I were already perfect and yet here he saith Let vs as many as bee perfect be thus minded so you shall finde heere these two property of a perfect man of one whose heart is perfect with God First he aymes at the highest degree of holinesse he lookes at the very marke it selfe hee lookes at the toppe at the standard at the vtmost exact line of holinesse and hee labours to square himselfe to it though hee cannot reach it yet it is his endeuour he propounds not to himselfe a shorter iournies end then hee should doe but his ayme is euen at the very toppe of perfection at a perfect conformity to the Image of Christ for that is it the Apostle heere speakes of that wee may be conformable to the Death and resurrection of Iesus Christ this was his ayme whereas on the other side another doth not so but he sets a certaine compasse a certaine limit to himselfe there hee fixeth his staffe hee doth not intend to goe any further he doth not intend to grow vp to full holinesse as it is expressed 2 Cor. 7. 1. hee doth not intend to be holy as the Lord is holy in all manner of conuersation this is not his intent this is not the thing he aymes at So herein they differ hee that hath a perfect heart hee followes hard after the marke hee aymes at the very toppe of perfection and the ground of this difference is partly because a man that is vnsound-hearted will not be at so much cost and paines for heauen as to ayme at the top of perfection he thinkes thâ—s with himselfe that to bee so strait laced that he must be exact in euery thing to obserue all his speeches that hee may not speake freely and to giue an account of all his time and of all his actions that hee may not walke in many things according to his owne phantasies according to his owne delight and pleasure he thinkes if he must be tyed to this that he may not at any time giue the bridle to his humour and to his inordinate appetite but still he must be so restrained and feâ—tered and pinioned as it were to walke by an exact râ—le that all his actions and all his steps may bee pondered he thinkes with himselfe it is more then euer he shall be able to doe hee doth not indeede prize Christ and Heauen at such a rate â—hat he will be thus exact and perfect and therfore he aymes not at it he neuer goes about it And partly againe because God indeed is not his ayme but his owne safety his owne happinesse and security his owne escaping of Hell and Iudgement therefore hee doth not seeke simply to please GOD and keepe his Commandements but he seekes so much perfection as will serâ—e his owne turne and therefore he doth with it euen as a lazie scholler doth that intends not simply to excell in learning but would haue as much learning as should passe through examination and get a Degree or as a man that labours not simply to get an excellencie in the Art of Arithmeticke but would haue so much only as would keepe a Merchants booke or as a Lawyer that would haue so much Law onely as will serue his turne as will serue his practice I say when a man aymes at this you doe not say knowledge is his ayme for were it so he would desire to know whatsoeuer is knowable hee would set no limits to himselfe were knowledge his ayme simply but we may truly say of such a man it is not learning but it is his trade his degree or some such particular thing that is his ayme So it is with a man whose heart is vnsound and not perfect with God God himselfe is not his ayme and therefore he doth not desire to keepe his Commandements perfectly and exactly for did he so he would set no limits to himselfe he would doe as Paul doth here he would ayme at the vtmost degree of perfection but such mens ayme is their owne profit their owne aduantage their security and deliuerance from Hell and from Iudgements that is they doe not care for holinesse simply considered but so far as it may serue such a turne as it may deliuer them from such a Iudgement as it is a bridge to lead theem ouer to such a benefit to themselues And the last ground of this difference betweene them that they ayme not at the vtmost degree is because an vnsound-hearted man haâ—h not so much light in him as to discouer to him to shew to him the vtmost degree of perfection A man that hath but a morall light a naturall common light is able to see gâ—osse Euils and common duties that are contrary to â—hem but exactnesse of perfection that is required he sees not or if hee doe discerne it practised by others yet in his iudgement hee disallowes it hee thinkes it a thing more then needs Whereas a man that is sound-hearted one that is perfect hee approues it hee sees an excellency in it hee admires it in others and would faine imitate it himselfe and hence is the difference that they ayme not at perfection it is not their scope they desire not the vtmost the highest degree of holinesse whereas a man that hath a sound heart still he labours to adde to that which is wanting in his faith in his loue in his obedience and this is one diffeâ—ence that he â—hat is perfect saith hee is thus minded The second is hee followes hard hee doth not onely make the marke his vtmost ayme but hee followes after it hard that is it is the property of a man that is perfect that hee doth not loyter in the way but hee followes hard after the marke though he be subiect to many decayes
into these things that they might know them these things they willingly know not So beloued it is an argument that the knowledge of God and the knowledge of the truth hath not a perfect worke when there is something that a man willingly will not know when a man shall winke with his eyes as it is said Mat. 13. 15. They winke with their eyes that they might not vnderstand with their hearts and bee conuerted that I should heale them They winke with their eyes that is when the light shines to them they will not see it when the conscience suggests something when there is somewhat intimated and whispered to the hearts of men their will runnes a loose course therefore they will not suffer their vnderstandings to be informed they will not see all the light whereas a man whose heart is perfect if the light beginne to appeare if he see it thorow a creuice he opens the windowes of his soule and lets it in euen into euery corner of it and the ground is because his heart is sound he desires to make his heart perfect he is not willing to spare it in any thing hee desires not there should bee any exempt place in his heart or in his life or any of his courses for he sees Ioh. 3. 21. Hee that deth euill comes not to the light but hee that loues the truth hee whose heart is sound that is not an hypocrite he comes to the light he comes to be enlightned in what he doth hee comes to the light that his deeds might be made manifest that is that it might be euident that his workes are according to Gods will he desires not that the light should bee kept off This is another instance Patience will haue her perfect worke and the knowledge of the truth will haue its perfect worke so I may say of all other graces Temperance will haue its perfect worke if the heart be sincere and sound that is it will restraine euery inordinate appetite it will cause a man to for beare euery inordinate delight euery inordinate pleasure it will make him withdraw himselfe from excesse in euery thing in dyet in sports in ease c. So likewise chastity holinesse and purenesse it cleanseth the heart from all kinde of vncleannesse if it haue its perfect worke it suffers none of that leauen to remaine in soule or body eyther neither in the eye not in the thought This is another effect of an vpright heart of one that is perfect with GOD that euery grace hath its perfect worke and by this thou maist know whether thy heart be sound or no. I will adde but one more exceeding briefely and so conclude This is a fiâ—th effect that ariseth from integrity and sincerity of heart It breeds in vs 〈…〉 and a quietnesse of spirit as you may see Iam. 3. vlt. But the wisdome that is from aboue is first pure and then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercie full of good fruits That wisdome is first pure and then peaceable As if hee should say The purity of wisdome the perfectnesse the entirenesse the sincerity which holy wisdome brings forth it is seene in this effâ—ct it will make the heart peaceable it is first pure and then peaceable His meaning is that peaceablenesse is an effect of the purenesse and entyrenesse of the heart so that when any mans heart is perfect with GOD you shall finde this effect rising from it that his heart is quiet and humble and gentle and peaceable towards men full of loue and of mercy and of good fruits and of good actions and workes but when the heart is impure and vnfound and hollow it is awkward and froward and contentious and implacable towards men they are not full of mercy but full of wrath they are not full of good fruites and good workes and actions but they are like the â—aging Sea that casts vp myre and dirt vpon those with whom they haue to doe So that this is the effect of a pure heart it breeds a quietnesse a peaceablenesse of spirit whereas the other bring forth tumult and a turbulent disposition they are easie to be intreated to be handled saith the Text whereas the other whose heart is vnsound they are as Dauid saith of the wicked they are as thornes that they cannot â—asily bee handled a man cannot easily deale with them they are not easily intreated So my beloued this frowardnesse this waspishnesse of spirit this implacablenesse is a signe of an vnsound heart of an impure heart of a heart that is not perfect with the Lord as you see the Deuils are the most impure Spirits of any other the most full of malice and of enuy and reuenge of all other Iesus Christ on the other side as he had the most pure heart so hee was the most gentle of all others he returned not rebuke for rebuke but he was as a sheepe before the shearers c. Vse a Wolfe or a Tyger neuer so kindely they will bee still implacable and greedy vse Sheepe neuer so roughly they will still be meeke and gentle so it is with the Saints because their hearts are pure I say the ground of it is this because an vnsound heart breeds in it continually strong lusts and eager desires and eager desires are vnyeelding and vnruly and that is the cause of contention and implacablenesse with men whereas when the heart is cleansed when it is pure and perfect it is emptyed of these strong and domineering lusts it growes to a quietnesse of spirit to be quiet within and when it is quiet within iâ— will bee peaceable towards others without When it is quiet thus the spirit is ready to see GOD and to yeeld to GOD in his prouidence in all vnkindnesses and in all the euill dealings of men they are neither ready to murmur against GOD nor to fret against men for quietnesse followes a pure heart as vnquietnesse and awkwardnesse and frowardnesse followes impurity and imperfection of heart So much shall serue for this FINIS THE TENTH SERMON Gâ—NESIS 17. 1 2. Walke before mee and be thou perfect And I will make my Couenant betwenne me and thee I Will not repeate what hath beene deliuered but come to that which remaines and so proceede to the second Verse The last effect therefore of this sincerity or integritie of heart is that which wee finde expressed Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God That is this ariseth alway as an inseparable effect of purenesse of heart that it is able to see God to see him heere and it shall see him face to face hereafter When the heart is yet vnsound and impure it is not able to see him but when a mans spirit is cleansed from that drosse from that corruption a man is growne pure and entire and faithfull he is able then to see God that before hee could not doe that is he is able to
God writes the Law in their hearts so that there is a Law within answerable to the Law without that is an inward aptnesse answering euery particular of the Law an inward disposition whereby a man is inclined to keepe the Law in all points which Law within is called the law of the mind therefore if you adde to this that Rom. 7. I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde so there is a Law in the mind within answerable to the Law of GOD without it answers it as Lead answers the mould after it is cast into it it answers it as Tallie answers to Tallie as Indenture answers to Indenture so it agrees with it in all things that is there is an aptnesse put into the minde that it is able and willing and disposed in some measure to keepe euery Commandement that answereth to all the particular Commandements of the Law of GOD this is to haue the Law of GOD written in the minde and this is that which is first meant by it there is a Law within answerable to the Law without in all things The 2. thing meant by it is that it is not only put into the mind as acquisite habits are but it is so ingrasted as any naturall disposition is it is so rooted in the heart it is so riuetted in as when letters are ingraued in Marble you know they continue there they are not easily worne out and that is meant by it I will plant my Law in thy heart it shall neuer out againe there I will write it there it shall continue so that is the second thing that is meant by it it shall bee naturall to you for that is meant by this when it is said it shall bee printed it shall be grauen and written in the heart and likewise it shall be perpetuall it shall neuer weare out againe as things that are written in the dust but it shall be written so as it shall neuer againe be obliterated The third thing to be expressed is the manner of the writing of it the Apostle here compares himselfe and all other Ministers to the pen but it is Christ that writes the Epistle the Epistle is his for these workes he doth in it it is he that takes the pen it is he that handles it and vseth it it is he that puts inke into the pen it is he that applyes it so that though the Minister be the immediate writer of these Lawes in the heart yet the inke is the Holy Ghost and it comes originally from Christ and besides they are not left to themselues but the LORD must concurre with them immediately we are but coeworkers with him he holds our hands as it were when we write the Epistle in any mans heart it is hee that guides the penne it is hee that puts inke into it it comes originally from him and therefore the Epistle is his Besides this is further to bee considered in this Metaphor that God will write his Lawes in our hearts that we may see these Lawes wee may reade them and vnderstand them for when a thing is written God may see it and man may see it a man himselfe may see it and others also may reade it God sees it himselfe for he hath written it man sees it for hee is able to see the Law in his minde he is able to see that habituall disposition that is infused into him and others are able to see it for saith he you are our Epistle euident to all men that is they see the fruits and effects of it as you may see letters grauen in stone so they see this Law written in your hearts So beloued you see now what this Couenant of Grace is and how it differs from the Couenant of Workes it is the ministration not of the letter but of the Spirit because it doth not onely present the oâ—tward letter of the Commandement but there is a Law written within and that is done by vertue of the Spirit So that the order is this first it reueales righteousnesse secondly it softens the heart it is the ministration of the Spirit and thirdly it is a ministration of loue it is a ministration of freedome and not of bondage and enmity for when the Law is thus written a man is not haled to it he comes not to it as a bond-slaue to doe his worke but hee comes willingly he finds he hath some ability to doe it he findes a delight in it as Paul saith I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man So you â—ee the difference betweene the Couenant of Grace and the Couenant of Workes Now this Couenant of Grace is twoâ—old it is eyther the Old Testament or the New they both agree in substance they differ onely in the manner of the administration that which is called the New Testament Heb. 7. 8 9. which is opposed to the Old Testament for substance is the same Couenant they are both the Couenant of Grace onely they differ in the manner and you shall finde these 6. differences between them First the New Testament or the New Couenant is larger then the Old it extends to the Gentiles whereas the first was confined onely â—o the Iewes it was only kept within the walles of that people and extended no further Secondly the Old was expressed in types and shaddowes and figures as for example they had the blood of Bulls and Goats they had the washings of the body in cleane water they had offering of Incense c. by which things other things are meant as namely the dâ—aâ—h of Christ and that satisfaction he gaue to his Father by his death and likewise the inward sanctificatioÌ„ of the Spirit signified by the washing of water and also the workes and the prayers of the Saints that are sweet as Incense now saith the Text Gal. 4. these were clements and rudiments that God vsed to them as children that is as children haue their A B C â—heir first elements so GOD did shew to the â—ewâ—s â—hese spirituall mysteries not in themselues but in these types and shaddowes they were able to see theÌ„ from day to day for therin was their weaknesse they were not so able as to conceiue spirituall things without a mediate view they saw the blood shed and againe they saw the washings and the rites these were in their eye whereas now in the time of the Gospell these things are taught to vs these we comprehend in our minds wee serue the Lord in spirit and in truth but there is not that visible sight that was a helpe to their weaknesse so that these differ as the Image and the substance it selfe euen as you see things in prospectiue shewes and in painting that are different from the things themselues when you come to see Countries and Cities and Mountaines and Woods it is another thing And this is the second difference betweene the Testaments the one was expressed but in types and
an offensiue and a defensine League and when we seeke to him and put him in mind of it he can not deny vs. The people of Rome had other parts and Nations that were allyes with them and if they were to fight at any time the Romans were bound in honour to defend them and to assist them and they did it with as much diligence as they defended their owne City of Rome If we doe implore GODâ— ayde doe you thinke that God will breake his Couenant Will he not 〈◊〉 vp himselfe to scatter his and our 〈◊〉 Certainely hee will This great benefit you haue therefore you haue cause to magnifie your â—elues in this Condition and to blesse the Lord to magnifie him for his great goodnesse that he would eâ—ter into Couenant with you this was the greatest fauour that euer hee shewed to Abraham and it is the very scope of this place Abraham I am willing to enter into Couenant to tye my selfe to enter into bond and therefore since the LORD is not ashamed to make vs his people let vs not bee ashamed to call him our God to professe it and make it good vpon all occasions This is the first vse Secondly from this difference of the Couenants you haue these two things to obseâ—ue First in that the Couenant of Grace onely is the ministration of the Spirit when the other is but the ministration of the letter it should teach vs thus much to labour to grow to assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes If a man would deâ—ire to change his course to haue his heart renued to be made a new creature to be translated from death to life beloued the way is not to consider presently the Commandement for a man to thinke with himselfe this I ought to doe and I will set about it I haue made a Couenant I haue resolued with my selfe to doe it but the way is to labour to get assurance of forgiuenesse to labour to apprehend the Couenant of Grace for by that meanes thy heart shall be softned there shall be an infusion of the Spirit that shall write the Law of God in thy inward parts all those places of Scripture make this good wherein it is said faith purifieth the heart and by the promises we are made partakers of the godly nature as 2. Pet. 1. 4. and likewise Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing GOD. The meaning is this if a man would haue his conscience purged from dead workes let him labour for faith whereby hee may bee iustified let him labour to be sprinkled with the blood of Christ to haue assurance of the forgiuenesse and pardon of his sinnes through that blood then he shall haue that Spirit put into his heart that eternall Spirit that shall purge and cleanse his conscience from dead workes So likewise Gal. 3. Did you receiue the Spirit by the workes of the Law Did you not rather receiue it by the hearing of â—aith preached And so Gal. 5. Faith that workes by loue that is it is faith that brings forth loue and loue sets vs on worke All these shew thus much vnto vs that the best way to heale any strong lust the best way to change our hearts to get victory ouer any sin that it may not haue dominion ouer vs to haue our conscience cleansed from dead workes to he made partakers of the diuine nature is to grow vp in the assurance of the loue of God to vs in Christ to get assurance of pardon and forgiuenesse for beloued know this if the heart doe no more but looke to the Commandement if you heare onely that there are such duties to be done and consider them and you compare your owne heart and the Commandement together there growes a quarell betweene the heart and the Commandement an exâ—lâ—eration betweene them and an enmiâ—y they looke one vpon another as enemies but when the heart is softned and reconciled to God it closeth with the Commandement as the soft clay doth with the mould and is ready to receiue any impression but till then it rebels against the Commandement and stands out as a hard stone that receiues no impression and therfore the way is not â—o go about to reforme our liues as morall men to thinke with thy selfe there are these duties I must take a course to keepe them and enter into vowes in particular courses with my selfe to doe them no my beloued the way is to get assurance of forgiuenes to labour to bee partaker of the Couenant of Grace your hearts will then be softned when you haue receiued the Spirit that hath wrought in your hearts a disposition answerable to the Law without when the Law is put into your minds And this is the first difference The 2. is in regard of the difference of the two Testaments the second Testament being stablished vpon better promises What is the reason that the New Testament is said to bee stablished vpon better promises Beloued you shall finde this to be the condition of the New Testament you shall finde in it very little expression of the promises of this life looke in all the Epiâ—tles of paul and the other Epistles looke to all the Doctrine of the Gospell and you shall see the things that are iâ—erated still they are these You shall bee saued you shall haue your sinnes forgiuen you shall bee iustified you shall bee sanctified you shall receiue the adoption of sonnes you shall receiue the high price of your calling c. These are the things that Paul euery where magnifies as the condition that exceeds and goes beyond the conditions in our forefathers times Now this great Mystery is reuealed now these great riches are opened that before were hid Whence you may gather this much that grace and spirituall things spiritual priuiledges things belonging to the Kingdome of God and of â—esus Christ exceed much all outward and temporall happinesse Why are they otherwise called better promises There are many other places I know to shew the vanity of outward things and to preferre spirituall things before them but let this be added to the rest this Couenant is established on better promises labour then to worke your hearts fully to that perswasion namely to thinke with your selues it is better to be rich in grace better to haue the priuiledges of Iesus Christ then to bee rich in this world Reu. 2. I know thy pouerty but thou art rich You must thinke with your selues this is the great riches and therefore the Apostle exhorts rich men that they-change these other riches they enioy to spirituall riches Now a man will neuer be exhorted to change except it bee for the better Charge those that are rich in the world that they bee rich in good workes let them so vse their
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
you receiue the Spirit then no but when I preached to you the promises of pardon and forgiuenesse then you receiued the Spirit it was conueyed into your hearts Now I take it there is a double meaning of this infusion of the Spirit here in the time of the Apostles there was a miraculous infusion and giuing of the Holy Ghost that when they preached to them as Peter to Cornelius and Paul to others and laid their hands on them the Holy Ghost fell on them that is they were filled presently with an immediate infusion of knowledge they had some the gift of tongues some extraordinary manifestation of the Spirit saith the Apostle when this was done was it done by the preaching of the Law was it not done by the preaching of Christ and by offering to you the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins through him Therefore you see how hee expresseth it Hee therefore that ministâ—eth the Spirit to you and workes miracles among you how doth hee worke these miracles hee doth them not by the workes of the Law but by the hearing of faith preached that is by our preaching of it and your hearing it So my beloued looke how the Sâ—iâ—it was then conueighed to men after the same manner it must now bee conueyed to vs so that beleeuing the promises is the way to get the heart healed when a man hath any strong lust to conflict wiâ—hall hee must not thinke that setting himselfe with strong vowes and resoluâ—ions to resist it is the way to beginne with no the way is to get assurance of pardon to get assâ—rance of Gods loue to himselfe in Christ to labour to get communion betweene Christ and himselfe to labour to delight in God as he will when there once are â—ermes of reconciliation betweene them and when this is done his heart will grow to an application of the Commandement it will cloze with the Commandement Whereas before it resisted it and rebelled against it it will cleaue to it and loue it and delight in it and will receiue an impression from it this I take likewise to be the meaning of that 2. Pet. 1. 4. Hereby saith he we haue most gracious promises and are thereby made partakers of the Diuine nature that by them we shall be partakers of the godly nature that is by beleeuing the promises of pardon we are thereby made parâ—akers of the godly nature there is a renuing there is a change of the nature a man is made another nature euen while hee is looking vpon the promise of pardon and remission the promises of the New Couenant that offer Iesus Christ and the gift of righteousnesse through him euen by beleeuing those promises it is wrought That it is so you may compare this with that Rom. 6. where this obiection is made If there be a promise of pardon and of grace through Christ then belike we may liue as we list No saith the Apostle doe you but beleeue those promises of grace and the care is easie for the rest in 1 2 3. Verses What shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid Shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Know you not that as maâ—y as are baptized into Iesus Christ are baptized into his death The meaning is this if once you receiue Iesus Christ and the pardon and remission of sinnes through him you cannot be so baptized into him but you must be baptized into his death that is of necessity sinne must bee crucified in you you must be dead to sinne as hee was dead you cannot be baptized into him for iustification but you must be baptized likewise for mortiâ—ication of the flesh and for resurrection to newnesse of life Know you not that all that are baptized into Iesus Christ that is that are baptized into him for reconciliation with God of necessity they must also be baptized into his death Therefore saith he you are dead to sinne by being thus baptized with Christ it is impossible you should liue in in it So I say beloued hee that hath the strongest faith he that beleeues in the greatest degree the promiâ—es of pardon and remission I dare boldly say he hath the holiest heart and the holiest life for that is the roote of it it ariseth from that roote sanctification ariseth from iustification the blood of Christ hath in it a power not onely to wash vs from the guilâ— of sinne but to cleanse and to purge vs likewise from the power and staine of sinne And therefore I say the best way to get a great degree of sanctification and of mortification of sinfull lusts the best way to get a greater measure of the graces of the Spirit to grow vp to greater holinesse of conuersation is to labour to grow in faith in the beliefe of those promises of the Gospell for there is no other reason in the world why in the New Testament there is an infusion of the Spirit that giues life but because now there are more euident promises of pardon and forgiuenesse and reconciliation with GOD which by the Couenant of workes could not be And so much shall serue for this The fourth and maine Vse that wee are to make of this from this description of the Couenant is to learne to know the ground vpon which we expect saluation and the fulfilling of all the promises the ground of all is this Couenant My beloued it is the greatest point that euer we had yet opportunity to deliuer to you yea it is the maine point that the Ministers of the Gospell can deliuer at any time neither can they deliuer a point of greater moment nor can you heare any then the description of this Couenant of Grace this is that you must lay vp for the foundation of all your comforts it hath beene the corner stone vpon which the Saints haue beene built from the beginning of the world vnto this day there is no ground you haue to beleeue you shall be saued there is no ground to beleeue that any promise of God shall be made good to you to beleeue that you shall haue the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ and those glorious Riches of the inheritance prepared for vs in him I say there is no other ground at all but vpon this Couenant all that wee teach you from day to day are but conclusions drawne from this Couenant they are all built vpon this therefore if euer you had cause to attend any thing you haue reason to attend to this I say this Couenant betweene GOD and vs. And therefore we will labour to open to you now more cleerely and distinctly this Couenant though a difficult thing it is to deliuer to you cleerely what it is and those that belong to it yet you must know it for it is the ground of all you hope for it is that that euery man is built vpon you haue no other ground but this GOD hath
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
long but shall be cast forth FINIS FOVRE SERMONS WHEREIN CERTAINE Objections against the poynt of GODS ALL-SVFFICIENCIE handled in the fiue first Sermons of the former Treatise are Answered ECCLESIASTES 9. 1. 2. 3. 4. I haue surely set my heart to all this to declare this that the iust and the wise and their workes are in the hand of God and no man knoweth either loue or hatred by all that is before him for all things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust as to the wicked and to the good and to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacâ—ificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath c. WEE haue purposely chosen this text that we might answer some objectioÌ„s which might be made against the All-sufficiency of God which we spake of lately to you for this might be objected If God be All-sufficient what is the reason of this dispensation of things that we see in the world that there be righteous men to whom it is according to the worke of the wicked and there be wicked men againe to whom it is according to the worke of the righteous Here you haue this answer made That for a time all things come alike to all there is the same condition to the one as to the other the reason of which you shall see when we come to the handling of the words But in briefe to open them to you you shall â—inde that this was the occasion of them In the 16. verse of the former Chapter sayth the Wiseman I haue applyed my heart vnto wisedâ—me and to behold the busines that is done vpon the earth in which I had no rest either day or night I was so intent vpon them Well what is the conclusion Sayth he I found this I was not able to finde out the reason of Gods workes I beheld the workes of God that man cannot finde out the workes that are wrought vnder the Sunne yea though a wise man thinke to know it he cannot finde it That is when I see how God dispenseth things I am not able to finde out the reason and not I onely but no man is able to finde it no saith he though he be a wise man no although he search never so diligently he cannot find out the reason of Gods wayes the reason of his providence of his dispensing of prosperitie to the wicked and adversitie to the godly yet these two Conclusions notwithstanding he found which he expresâ—eth in the first verse First that the iust and the wise and their workes are in the hand of the Lord That is although I see not the reason why God doth it yet this I finde it is the Lord that disposeth all things both to men and all their workes All the events that fall out both good and euill I finde this that they are in the hand of God The second thing he found is That all things come alike to all There is the same condition to the good and to the evill to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not These be the two things that the wiseman professeth he found out from hence he gathereth two Consectaries One is That there is no man able to know loue or hatred by all that is before him That is by all that he seeth done to himselfe or by all that he seeth God doe to other men he is not able to judge by that who it is that God loues or who it is he hates A second Consectarie from it is expressed in the third verse sayth he This is an evill I haue seene vnder the Sunne that there is one condition to all That is the sonnes of men when they haue seene this carriage of things this administration and dispensation of good and evill thus premiscuously to men of all sorts therefore sayth he The hearts of men are full of evill and madnesse is in their hearts while they liue That is therefore they seeke not God but the creature therefore they doe not depend vpon him but seeke to secondaric meanes What is the issue of it therefore they goe downe to the dead That is they perish for ever So much briefly for the meaning of the words Now before he comes to deliver these two conclusions he makes this Preamble I haue given my heart sayth he to all this or I bend my selfe with all my might to this even to declare these two things that all things are in the hand of God c. whence we will gather this in that Salomon sayth that he bent himselfe with all his might to declare both to himselfe to others that all things are in the hands of God that It is a very hard thing to be perswaded of Gods All-sufficiencie It is a very hard thing to be perswaded that all things are in the hands of God it is a hard thing to perswade our selues it is a hard thing to perswade others that is I shall not deliver the poynt fully to you except God himselfe teach you except God himselfe declare it it is so hard for a man to see all things in the hands of Gâ—d to know that he is able to doe all that except God teach it to a man he is not able to know it that is he is not able to know it to purpose he is not able to know it so as to haue the vse of it he is not able to know it in a practicall manner except the Lord teach it him The ground of which is because it belongs to the holy Ghost to perswade it belongs to God to perswade not onely to perswade this truth to the hearts of men but also to perswade all saving truths of what nature soever And therefore wee see when Christ sends out his Disciples his Apostles he bids them Goe preach the Word to the Iewes and Gentiles and whereas they might object in that case How shall we be able to perswade men that bring a strange doctrine and strange newes to them a strange thing that was never heard of Christ answers them thus I will send my spirit with you and he shall convince the world of sinne of righteousâ—esse and of ludgement As if he should say I confesle you are not able to doe it that is a worke that onely belongs to the holy Ghost and he shall convince men of their miserable estate out of Christ he shall convince them of that righteousnesse that they are to haue by Christ he shall also convince them of holinesse and sanctification vnder Christs government Thus sayth he the holy Ghost shall doe you are not able to performe it And so when the Lord makes the promise that the people should serue him and feare him The question is how they should be able to doe it shall the Prophets be able to perswade
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 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 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