this is not a light notion but of great moment for it will make thee love the Lord Iesus Saint Paul puts this among the greatest mercies He hath beene mercifull to mee with faith and love that amazed him that he could never be thankfull enough for it that is he hath wrought in me faith and love therefore gives him the praise It is God that doth it wee are but the instruments we praise not the Trumpet but the Trumpetter we praise not the Pensill but the Painter It is God that doth the worke give him therefore the whole praise of it this is a matter of much use to you For when there is a Minister of God that hath beene an instrument of bringing you to heaven you will love this man prize him and magnifie him in your thoughts and you doe well but remember that you take nothing from Christ alas what is the Pen to him that writes the Epistle What are we my Brethren give not to us what belongs unto him nothing unto us saith Paul we have done thus and thus but it is nothing it is Christ that hath done all and let him have all as the servants of Christ we must be wary that we rob not our Master of mens affections for we are but spokes-men to present you to Christ therefore be exceeding wary give your affections to the Lord to whom they belong If ever you receive any good by any Sermon if you be ever quickned if ever a little enlivened by the powerfull preaching of the Word give glory to Christ and say he hath done it let him have the praise of it love him so much the more for of all graces nothing is like that to worke grace in your hearts Againe if you will say what use is there of it That it is not the Minister but GOD that doth it Then doe not expect from us that we should come with excellency of wisdome or of words that we should come with wit and eloquence and learning Will this make a New Creature No it will not doe it for it is God that makes men New Creatures and if it be so he will doe it by his owne Instruments that is by his owne Word Thus Paul reasons 1 Cor. 2. Wee preach the Gospell not with excellencie of words for then the death of Christ would be of no effect that is no man will be a New Creature and Christ would die in vaine therefore we preach the Gospel in the evidence of the Spirit and Power these go together evidence of Spirit and power What then is this preaching in evidence of the Spirit Certainely it is never evident that the Spirit speakes but when you know the Word speake therefore when any man knowes that this is the Word we preach there is an evidence it is a speech of the Spirit and when the Spiriâ— speakes to the heart there is Power and that was the reason that Christ did so much good He taught with authority and not as the Scribes What is that to come with authority As when a Constable comes in the name of the King he shewes his evidence he hath that which makes evident to him with whom he hath to deale that he comes from the King We preach with authority then onely when wee speake from God to the consciences of men this consisteth not in excellencie of words but so much as there is of God so much authority Therefore come not with affectation of excellencie of words and wisdome If we had al the wit in the world to set Word of God in it it is better than that in which it is set as the Diamond is better than the Gold in which it is set If you were to chuse a Minister chuse not such an one desire it not expect it not the foolishnesse of preaching is wiser than men it will doe more than all the wisdome of man though it is but foolishnesse to some We speake wisdome to them that are perfect saith Paul they that be perfect will recount it wisdome it is foolishnesse to them that are children and unable to discerne Againe though it be but foolishnesse on the out-side yet there be treasures within and God hath hid these treasures under base out-sides that men may stumble at them as men that hide treasure under straw the foolishnesse of preaching saves the soules of men therefore seeing it is God that doth it he will use his own Instruments God workes by it Can words can all morall wit make a New Creature No it is God then why doe we make a question The more the Word is discovered and brought home the better it is because indeed when we preach any thing else you doe but see a Creature and you thinke you have to doe with a Creature for you can answer wit with wit and learning with learning and when you see you have to doe with men though never so excellent yet they are men But when Christ speakes to the conscience now the heart is brought downe when it seeth it hath to doe with God that only hath to doe with the consciences of men therefore expect not the contrary and remember that God is the doer of it it is he that writes the Epistle though we be the Ministers It is therefore not without use that we preach this doctrine to you And to all that I have said adde this one more Therefore if you find there hath not been a mighty work of God wrought in your hearts at any time when you have heard the Word know you have heard in vaine for the labour is lost if there be no more than the worke of a man Therefore you must know there be two Preachers at the same time one that speakes to the heart powerfully that makes you New Creatures that baptizeth you with the Holy Ghost and with fire and then there is a preaching to the eares And there are two hearings one is when you can repeat and recall the Word to memory but there is another saving hearing that is when is it ingrafted And when it is ingrafted even then when it maketh you New Creatures as a graft is then grafted when it changes all the Stocke Therefore consider whether you doe so heare or no that it hath bred such a change in you and know otherwise you have heard it in vaine For what doe we do when we preach the Word we doe as Gehezi did hee came running with Elisha's staffe to raise the childe but he could not doe it for though he had Elisha's staffe he had not Elisha's spirit So we come with the staffe but not with the Spirit therefore thou art not raised to life for there is the staffe without the Spirit therefore doe not thinke thou hast heard to any purpose if the Stocke be not turned if thou findest not the Spirit there What doe we when we dresse up a Sermon never so well it is but the rigging of the sailes and what will all
him off But you will say these things that you speak are wonderfull things how shall we have this wrought in us By being in Christ this wonder is wrought in us when a man is once ingrafted into Christ when hee hath once received him this great worke is wrought in him in his heart hee is made a new Creature But if you adde to this the second way of raising this Sanctification from our Iustification then you will understand it yet more fully and distinctly There are certaine actions wrought in our soules by which this Sanctification followes Iustification and those are these First when a man seeth great reason for it for when a man is once convinced of a thing that it is best for him to doe it and takes a resolution to him to performe it Now when a man hath beene humbled and knoweth what sinne is when he hath had his heart prepared when he comes in once to take Christ that is when he seeth his owne basenesse and Christs excellencie what he was without Christ and what he hath by Christ that when he expected nothing but death then the Gospell came and said Thou shalt live when he seeth that Christ deales with him after this manner then hee thinkes surely It is good reason that I should serve him before indeed we thinke his service to be an hard service and we doe with him as people that are under a tyrannous King they refuse to obey such an one so doth all the world with Iesus Christ they thinke his Law to be an hard Law written with bloud and they thinke him to be an hard Governour such a King as they know not how to be subject unto But when a man is once convinced by the Spirit when he sees reason for it when he is perswaded that Christ will governe him for his wealth that Christ hath suffered for him and freed him from the wrath of God then hee thinkes thus There is reason that I should suffer him to rule over me and when a man seeth reason for it he comes then willingly to submit himselfe to Christ. This is the worke of the Spirit whereby he perswades a man that there is reason for it and it is attributed to the Spirit Iohn 16 The Spirit convinceth of Sinne of Righteousnesse and of Iudgement that is it shewes us that we are sinfull and that there is a Righteousnesse in Christ to heale that And thirdly it convinceth us that there is reason for it why we should serve God in Sanctification and Iudgement The meaning of the word He shall convince is that the Spirit shewes us reason why we should embrace Sanctification and serve the Lord in all things Now when the heart of man is brought to this to see reason and equity in this then a man takes resolution to cleave to Christ to serve him Secondly as he deales with the reason so he doth likewise with the affections for he begets love in us which love sanctifieth us it sets us on worke and turnes the whole heart as the Rudder turnes the Ship for it sits in the sterne of a mans Soule and the reason that when we are justified we love Christ is because when as before a man magnified himselfe setting himselfe at an high rate like a virgin that is coy and curious thinking no man good enough for her now the Law comming and convincing him of the need he stands in of CHRIST and shewing him what he is in himselfe he is hereupon content to marry with the Lord Christ Nay further the Spirit of God not only shews him the need that hee stands in of an husband he being not under covert and deepely in debt the whole weight of his debt lying on himselfe but it goes further and shewes him the beautie of Christ as Ioh. 14.21 To him that loves me I will manifest my selfe that is I will declare my beauty and when the Spirit shewes Christ to the Soule it makes it in love with him We may shew him to you an hundred times over and yet beget not this affection in you but the Spirits shewing is effectuall to that end and when you love him you must needs please him in all things it being the care of the married wife to please the husband So that when the heart is prepared by humiliation and takes Christ love is wrought in the Soule and love sanctifies for Sanctification is nothing else but a setting our selves apart from common uses and keeping of the heart close to God making it peculiar to him and this love makes us to doe when the wife loves the husband shee will be his altogether she will be only to him she will be divorced from all Adulterers and have nothing to doe with them and thus the Lord deales with the affections Thirdly there is wrought not only a love to the Lord but a perswasion that it is good for our selves to serve him in holinesse Indeed many times to satisfie our affections we love a thing too much though wee doe not thinke our selves gainers thereby but in this matter the Lord perswades us that it is best for our selves to sanctifie him in all things to draw neere unto him to sanctifie his Name in our hearts so that now not only love to Christ but even self-selfe-love also is set on worke to the making us New Creatures for the wayes of God are propounded as good and profitable and pleasing things and when the heart lookes on them it sees them as good for it selfe so that the heart turnes towards them as it cannot but doe to every thing that it apprehends to be good and profitable to it So that when the Holy Ghost shall perswade a man that it is best for himselfe that he shall best provide for himselfe every way by taking Christ hee cannot choose but come in when hee shall see it is best for him to goe to the Citie of refuge that he cannot live else and that if he comes there he shall have life and not only life but a kingdome too and that the way that leads thereto is grace and holinesse hee will goe and goe fast enough When a man is perswaded Christ is the Citie of Refuge to whom I must go else I cannot be safe and that the way to him is to be a new Creature this makes him to goe on and willingly too for it is out of selfe-love Againe when a man is justified and hath taken Christ there is bred in him an holy Ingenuitie which makes him so thankfull to Christ that hee is ashamed to joyne Christ with any sinne As Rom. 6.21 What profit had yee in those things whereof yee are now ashamed you are now ashamed to commit them any more A man will thinke it now an unreasonable thing that Christ should doe so much for him be crucified for him and so give him life being before dead men that he should take flesh for the remission
wherein consists the new man The new man consists in holinesse wrought in the will which proceeds from truth revealed unto the understanding so when the understanding and the judgement is rectified thou art made a New Creature Againe when the will is corrupt by lusts proceeding from errour in the understanding thou art in state of an old Creature The old man stands properly in lusts therefore saith Peter 2 Pet. 1.4 Fly the corruption which is in the world through lust All the corruption of mankind stands in these inordinate lusts Others wee may looke on as the fruit but this as the Root What are those lusts Iohn shewes them by three heads 1 Ioh. 2.16 The lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eye and the pride of life The old man stands in these three Take the first Lust even the lust of the Eye A man lookes upon wealth to make him happie in this life I meane no otherwise and looking upon this he lusts after it Doe but rectifie his judgement and let wealth be presented to him as it is in it selfe and hee will come to be affected with it as Paul was who accounted all but drosse and dung hee will say then why should I set my heart upon that which is nothing but vanity I say when the understanding is rectified you will looke upon wealth aright and as you shall see it at the day of death for then wee are as a man awakened out of a dreame we will looke on it then as it is Iam. 1.10 Let the Rich-man rejoyce that hee is made low for as a flower of the grasse so shall he vanish The meaning of this is when a man is made a New Creature he is brought downe in his conceit whereas before hee thought himselfe a great man because of his wealth Now Religion comes and that makes him low and let him be glad of it Why What reason hath a man to be glad of it Indeed if wealth were a thing of moment it were another matter but he was deceived Riches are but as the flower of grasse A wise man lookes on Riches as flowers of the Garden with children and the weakest doe much magnifie Indeed if they were of great moment he lost by it but as Iames saith They are but as flowers of the grasse worth little For the Lust of the flesh that is another thing whereby this old man is seene A man lookes on outward pleasures or delights as able to give satisfaction and as the greatest delights in the world let his Iudgement be rectified he looks upon them as Enemies that fight against the Soule as the workes of darknesse which he abhorres and so he comes to Lots disposition Whose righteous Soule was vexed to see the filthinesse of the Sodomites When his Iudgement is right hee lookes on them as base and vile things as Enemies unto his Soule that will be his destructioâ— For the Pride of life Man lookes on outward things as the onely excellencies which makes him admire them so but when his Iudgement is once rectified hee lookes upon them as the Apostle doth who accounted them but empty things as bubbles blowne up by Boyes To conclude when the Iudgement is rectified in stead of Errour and Deceit which is the Root of the old man whence comes these three great Lusts which are the maine and from which all the rest will follow then the lusts are dissolved and the new man comes from truth as the other is corrupted and comes from deceit So you see what it is to have this new quality to have the Iudgement rectified and the lust dissolved And not so onely but there must be new desires wrought in thee A carnall man over-values carnall things and in spirituall things hee comes farre too short like a man that lookes upon a banquet when his belly is full he hath no appetite unto it So a carnall man lookes upon Sinne and forgivenesse But when a man hath his Iudgement rectified he comes to have many holy desires and in this stands the New Creature Againe it comes from knowledge of the Spirit But you will say we have knowledge and if that would doe it then they that know most are best men But you must know what kinde of knowledge this is The new man must be renued in knowledge This is such a knowledge of holinesse as the Holy Ghost reveales unto us and except this knowledge be revealed unto you our revealing is nothing We preach Wisdome which the Princes of the world know not neither can know Take Aristotle or others which are the Princes of the world for wisdome they know not these things nay if they were taught them they could not learne them for they are revealed by the Spirit and if wee preach unto you never so oft if the Spirit doe not reveale them unto you it is nothing We see that by experiience that a man that can reason against these and these sinnes can speake of the vanity of these things can give twenty better reasons against them than another man yet hee seekes after them as much as any The wise-men and strongest wits which can say most against them yet have not their lusts dissolved when a poore man that is truly sanctified although he cannot say the hundreth part against sinne as another man yet he doth hunger after Iesus Christ. Therefore it must be the worke of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. ult But we all behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord that is when wee looke into the Word wee see the Image of God so may another man too but he doth not see the glory of it he doth not looke on it as a desirable thing as a thing he is in love withall God shewes Moses his glory hee never shewed his glory but to the Saints The greatest request that Moses desired was to see the glory of the Lord I will shew thee my glory saith God that is thou shalt see as much as shall be needfull for thee to see in this life God shewes himselfe unto us in his Word and when hee will shew a man his glory he makes him to have a love to it and then hee is transformed into his Image Another sees it but he is not transformed into such a knowledge as convinceth the minde of sinne when wee teach knowledge it is as the Sparkes in a darke roome or as the Starres in a darke night the roome is darke still so it is with all knowledge till the Holy Ghost doth teach it wee may beget a thousand sparkes in you but they will not turne the darknesse into light But when the Holy Ghost comes it doth not onely appeare there but it changeth us from darknesse into light You must know that when we preach only it is as when the light shines the windowes being shut against it there
he keepes you safe If our eyes were opened to see this as the Apostle Pauls were we should magnifie it and stand amazed at it when he comes to expresse what we have by Christ he knowes not how to expresse it In him are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and they are ours he hath a Kingdome that is ours He is a Sonne so are we he is an Heire so are we nothing can hurt us but it hurts him Therefore make use of this when any thing is objected that is terrible and grievous answer it with this I am in Christ When thou wantest any thing know thou canst not be denied for thou art in CHRIST Set all your thoughâ—s on worke to looke to all the things mans nature is capable of that you desire to make you happy we have them all in him O the length and height and depth of his mercy Indeed it is such a depth that we cannot fadome and a height we cannot reach and a length we cannot measure all this we have by Christ If we had but Pauls spirit to apprehend it and a little crevise of light opened to us as there was to him that we might see into this unsearchable riches of Christ we would stand amazed I cannot stand to inlarge it any further you see what it is to be united to Christ and of what moment Now we will come to make some use of it If it be so glorious a condition to be united to Christ it should inflame us then with a desire to be in him with a desire to be in this condition for if you have the Sonne you have life 1 Iohn 5.12 He that hath the Sonne hath life and all things else pertaining to life godlinesse and happinesse He that hath not the Sonne hath not life that is he is yet in death and condemnation have Christ and have all things therefore it is an happy and glorious condition Therefore let those that have it desire to inlarge it more and more and those that want it let them seeke to get it First I say those that have it let them labour to inlarge it You will say If a man be in Christ how can he be more If he be united if he be married to him how can he be more Iustification admits of no degrees Therefore this is a point worth your consideration That you may bee more in Christ. It is true Iustification in this sense admits of no degrees but it is indivisible either you are married or not married either you are in him or not in him so farre indeed it admits of no degrees But now when a Spouse takes an Husband shee hath so much will as to resolve to make such an one her husband yet there may be degrees of willingnesse she may will it more there may be more desire of it there may be a greater approbation of it so though it be true that every man that is justified in Christ is within the Covenant within the doore yet he may goe in further or lesse farre when he is within So I say you may be within the Covenant but this taking of Christ this being in Christ this receiving of him admits of degrees because though one be married to an husband that there is so much will as to resolve to take him rather than refuse him yet this very wil of taking may be stronger as her affections to him are more the reasons are stronger and larger that invite her to take him So the union with Christ may be neerer yet the knot may be yet straiter and as that increaseth so all the effects and consequences of it increase Therefore the thing we would exhort you to is to be more in Christ to get yet neerer to him You will say How shall that be done Consider what it was that drawed you to him and to labour to intend all that that when you have taken him you may yet make the union neerer and better than it was And these five things will doe it First consider your misery without him you did consider it before which caused you to take him for your Husband when you saw you could not live without him but when you finde that misery to be yet more your resolutions wil be stronger you will more approve your action of taking him you will prize him more Therefore if you will be yet neerer Christ reflect often on your selves on your owne condition and see what you are without him Consider what your sinnes are how you should have perished if you had not taken him how miserable you are still how unable to helpe your selves and the more humble you are the poorer in spirit and the more greedily you will receive him the more degrees will be added to the taking of the Lord Iesus For that is one great meanes to teach us to prize Christ even to know our misery The Prodigall sonne was taught to prize his being in his fathers house by the extremity of want he was in the more he felt the want of it the more he prized it Labour therefore to know what you are out of Christ to feele the want of it to know that you cannot subsist you cannot be without him Againe secondly labour more to know the vertues and the excellencies of your husband for as they are more explicated and discovered to you so you will love him more As one that is married the more she sees in her husband the more she desires him the more glad she is that the match is made there is the greater degree of will to take her husband Labour to see this beauty in Christ to see what he hath done for you Was he not crucified for you Hee loved me saith Paul and gave himselfe for me he died for me Consider all that he hath done consider the great dowry the riches he brings with him all the benefits and priviledges he brings with him and you have by him looke well upon him consider the number of them and the waight of them thinke of all the advantages you get by him the more you see this the more those vertues and excellencies of Christ are explicated and unfolded and made manifest unto you the more you will love him and the nearer is the union betweene you Thirdly be perswaded of his love to you the more you are perswaded of your husbands love the nearer your hearts grow to him Think what it was that made Paul love the Lord Iesus so much it was the strength of his faith he knew the Lord loved him and that Christ had received him If wee could but once get into Pauls condition that we could see the unsearchable riches of Christ the beauties of our husband the advantages we have by him if we had Pauls faith to beleeve his love we should be able to doe as he did to reckon all as drosse and dung wee should prize nothing but CHRIST and
crosse that is upon us when conscience is troubled I say in these cases to doe it the Lord regards it not This therefore is the Condition that is required to be done out of love it is a rule in the Civill-law Contractus qui fit per minas nullus est The contracts that are gotten by threatnings are no contracts at all but if a Virgin consent when she is free when it is done without compulsion that makes the match So it is betweene Christ and us for us to take him and keepe his Commandements and to doe it out of feare and other respects this Christ regards not it is love that makes the match If we take him out of love if all we doe be done out of love then there is a match betweene us otherwise not And there is good reason for that because feare is of a fleeting nature it soone passes and vanishes away but when it is rooted and grounded in love when that which we doe comes from this principle then we hold out and cleave to Christ without separating againe when that proceeds from feare we doe it not with delight we doe it not with propensenesse with proclivity of minde with an inward willingnesse Now the Lord so loves a chearefull giver a chearefull servant and a chearefull performer that he loves no other And therefore that Condition is required to Delight in the Law in the inward man that we doe not only keepe his Commandements but that they be not grievous to us that what we doe be done out of love and therefore it is required when we doe this that we love the Lord Iesus Christ I will be bold to say a man may pray day and night as earnestly as Hannah did he may keep the Commandements of God without reproofe as Zachary and Elizabeth did for the outward act he may abound in the worke of the Lord but whatsoever he doth if he doe it not out of love God looks upon such workes as upon a dead carkase so they are called Hebr. 9. Dead workes that is workes that are good for substance and for circumstance too but yet they are dead because they come not from love there is no life in them Therefore in 1 Cor. 16.22 Whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus saith the Apostle let him be accursed Whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus that is whatsoever a man doth besides let him professe what he will and performe what he will if he love not the Lord Iesus he is accursed And that I speake not this without ground looke 1 Cor. 13. Take the most glorious actions that a man can performe if a man give his body to be burnt that is to be a Martyr if he gives his goods to the poore which is an high action for a man to part with all he hath if he doe that which Christ required of the young man to deny himselfe If a man were able to preach the Gospell if he had gifts as an Angell as the Apostle speakes If he were able to speake with the tongue of men and Angels and if it were without love God regards it not Love is a distinguishing Character an Hypocrite may goe very far but love he cannot it is love therefore that sets an high price upon all that we doe And therefore you shall finde from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation the Promise is made still to the Affection and it is the Affection that makes a man a good man he that feares the Lord and he that loves the Lord and he that delights in the Commandements of God c. And therefore it is not enough that we take Christ and that we beleeve in him that we doe the workes that he commands us but that we doe them out of love And this is the Condition that is required on our part So you see now what the Gospell is what the summe of it is that is sealed in the holy Sacrament it is this Covenant on Gods part that he is ready to forgive us wherein you must strengthen your faith when you draw neare to him And againe this condition on your part Faith and obedience out of love as you have heard This is the first use that you are to make I should proceed The end of the First Sermon THE CUPPE OF BLESSING DELIVERED IN THREE Sermons upon 1 Cor. 10.16 The Second SERMON 1 CORINTH 10.16 The Cup of blessing that we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ c. SEEING we have the same occasion for which I tooke this Text being to receive the Sacrament againe the next Sabbath and so along I thought it better to continue it than to divert to another When we handled it the last time we told you there were these three parts in the words First there is a true Communion of the body and bloud of Christ. Secondly the meanes by which it is conveyed to us the bread and wine the outward elements which God hath Sanctified to that purpose The third is the adopting or fitting these elements for such an end and that is by sanctifying them by blessing them by setting them apart The Cup of Blessing which we blesse c. The point we delivered was this â—hat in the Sacrament there is a reall and true Communion of the body and bloud of Christ to every Receiver We told you the difference betweene the Papists and us we both agree that Christ is really in the Sacrament they say it is corporally we say it is only done by faith But to use an expression of Augustine which he hath upon the very Text saith he Iohn Baptist said he was not Elias and yet Christ saith Iohn was Elias Why saith hee how shall wee reconcile these two they are thus reconciled Iohn speakes properly and Christ spake figuratively and therefore they crosse not one another he gives this very instance so saith he when Christ saith This is my body and we say it is not his body but bread they are Augustines owne words saith he the meaning is this It is the body if we take it figuratively and it is not his body if we speake properly so that as it was with the Temple of his body when he spake of it I will destroy this Temple and build it in three dayes they understood it of the materiall Temple and saith the Text They were reckoned as false witnesses against Christ So when Christ speaks thus of his body This is my body when they understood it materially and corporally when it is a thing so frequent and usuall with him to speake Metaphorically I say they shall be found false witnesses against him in applying this to his materiall and corporall body that he understands of his mysticall body which is received by faith I will not stand to repeat more of that I delivered then lest the time prevent us in that which remaines Onely one thing which I then omitted and that is a great objection of
of this you shall not finde in all the Scriptures any thing that angers him so much with them that were invited and would not come hee was angry and commanded them to be slaine So Psalm 2. ult Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie The contemning of this condemnes a man most of all to wrath Last of all consider that when you neglect IESUS CHRIST and sinne against the Gospell and are not ready to receive it you take his Name in vaine in the highest degree and he will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine at all Now Gods Name being in his Sonne most revealed take heed of taking it in vaine 2 Cor. 6.1 I beseech you take not the Grace of God in vaine It is a greater matter than you thinke it to be that when God shall offer Christ shall profound to marry his Sonne to you you should refuse him consider the sinne and be humbled And by this is seene the corruption of our nature and this should humble us more than any sinne committed against the Law And thus much shall serve to make plaine the point in all the parts of it that the Nature of man is full of all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse Now to make use of it And first if this be the Condition of all men by nature then hee that sees not this he that is not perswaded of it he is deceived he is an unskilfull an ignorant man he hath not yet his wit exercised to discerne betweene good and evill And let him so reckon of himselfe If this be the Condition of every man by nature and yet God hath not opened the window for him to see it and to stand amazed at it he is I say an unskilfull man he is not yet enlightned the true light hath not yet shined into him For when God enlightens a man truely it workes such an alteration as was in them in Act. 2. that were pricked at their hearts and were amazed at that which before being as other men they saw not So that you may observe a double disposition in men one is a complaining a selfe-accusing disposition when a man is apt to complaine of himselfe and can never find too much fault with himselfe delights in the exactnesse of other mens conversations loves that doctrine which is selfe-separating wonders at his owne corruption so that no man can say so much against him but he can say much more against himselfe This is a good signe and such a Condition was in Iesiah when his heart melted and in Paul Rom. 7. where you may see how he complaines of the abundance of his Corruption But there is another excusing disposition when a man sees nothing amisse in himselfe that will not have any such doubts made betweene man and man and that for his owne part he will not be shut out of the number but answereth for his owne righteousnesse that he is rich and increased in goods when indeed he is naked and poore and miserable I say this is an ill signe that thou hast not yet received the Holy Ghost that thou art not yet partaker of the righteousnesse of CHRIST for the Holy Ghost will first convince thee of sinne and if thou art not so convinced it is a signe thou hast not yet received that righteousnesse and know this that in all the Saints in all to whom God hath revealed himselfe you shall finde this disposition to complaine of themselves How abundant was it in David He was ever complaining that his sinnes were more than the haires of his head As in Psal. 19. who can understand his faults And my sinnes are too heavie for me and they are gone over my head hee is still complaining of himselfe And what is the reason It was because a veine of cleare light shone into his heart Others have but a common Illumination and there is great difference betweene a bright beame that shewes the smallest mote and common light Another may have light to see great deformities but not to see motes thou mayest have a common light and mayest carry it to hell for it is no better than darknesse Therefore know that if thou hast not in some measure beene perswaded of all these Truthes the righteousnesse of Christ is not yet revealed to thee for this is Gods method first hee reveales his wrath against unrighteousnesse of men and then discovers the righteousnesse of Christ by faith And if this be not done if thou art not throughly humbled so that God hath opened a crevise of light to see this corruption of Nature so as to abhorre it in thy selfe and to be vile in thine owne eyes to be much humbled for it not to hang downe thine head for a day but to take it to heart in another manner I conclude thou art not a man enlightned thou art an unskilfull an ignorant man and you know what condition that puts a man into Secondly if mens natures bee thus full of Corruption even the Saints themselves then godly men may make this use of it to learne to prise Iesus Christ Doe you make this use of the Table wee have drawne for you to looke into and to see the multitude of your sinnes and the Corruptions of your natures to learne to prise IESUS CHRIST For you must take this for a rule no man will ever know the length and breadth and depth of GODS mercy in IESUS CHRIST and his love therein unlesse hee first know the length and breadth and depth of his sinne and this use you must make of all these explications To see the greatnesse of sinne is of much use to the Saints that they may know how much they are beholden to GOD you will never see how GODS Grace hath abounded towards you if you doe not see how your sinnes hath abounded towards GOD Labour to see it that you may love much because much is forgiven you that you may prise CHRIST much and bee brought much more into love with him That use the Saints should make of it and it will be profitable And they that receive the Sacrament should specially consider of it When they came to the Passeover one of the chiefe things they were directed to doe in that Ceremony was to remember their bondage Againe looke on the Concomitants of the Passeover their sowre hearbes their going in haste their staffe in their hand Againe the Passeover it selfe their sprinkling of bloud on the doore-postes all was to put them in minde of their misery and their deliverance which was the onely way to magnifie his mercie So in this spirituall freedome remember your bondage the Sinnes you have committed your Condition by nature that you may learne to magnifie your freedome by Christ and give God the praise of it to magnifie and love him with all your heart and strength The more you doe this the more it will enlarge your hearts to know the love of CHRIST which passeth knowledge Of many wayes to know which this
them hurtfull but grasse is good and usefull But corne and flowers of the chiefest sort the earth cannot bring forth without plowing and sowing so it is with mans nature Take it as secluded from Grace it is able to doe two things to bring forth Sinne and Lust which comes from the corruption of it and likewise many excellent vertues which proceed from common nature which is in a man unregenerate as well as sinfull nature These things be good and very commendable but this is their fault they goe no further there is no more than nature in them they are very like true Grace as false Iewels are like true ones and as your wilde corne is like true corne there is a great similitude betweene them but yet there is a great deale of difference if you looke on them with a curious eye and judge of them with a righteous judgement Fourthly for matter of Actions it is true they doe many things but they fall short in these two respects First they doe not all they are alway wanthing in something It is not said Herod did all but many things He heard Iohn gladly and did much this rule will not faile they are not general in their obedience there is not a generall change Now the effect cannot goe beyond the cause but it is true of the regenerate They are New Creatures every way and therefore there is a generall observation of the Law of God I speake of an Evangelicall observation competent to the Saints I say they have a respect to all the Commandements the other have not because their hearts are not fully not generally changed they have light but it is shut up within the compasse of one faculty it turnes not the soule into light and therefore they know many things and doe many things yet because the worke is not generall they have still some exception something there is wherein they favour themselves some duty there is that they omit and that constantly from time to time Againe as they doe not doe all so what they doe they doe not in sincerity they doe it not to the Lord but for other respects for themselves for credit or applause to winne love and good will among men or to avoid shame or they doe it to escape judgement and to attaine that safety which Nature it selfe may desire or else to satisfie naturall Conscience many other respects there be but they doe it not in sincerity to the Lord. But it may be objected when they do things in secret doe they not doe them to the Lord It is true they doe it to him as to a naturall good as a Iudge that punishes and rewards as a Dispencer of good and evill so they doe it to the Lord but not to him as a Father as holy and pure as abstracted from all punishment and reward they doe not fix their eye on the Person of God to love him to desire favour and Communion with him after this manner they desire him not and so they faile in the good actions they doe Fifthly and lastly there are two men in Civill men before Regeneration that is an instigation to that which is good and a reluctancie to it a renitencie against it something contrary thereto as well as in the Regenerate but you shall finde them to fall short of the Saints in these foure regards First this Combate in them differs from that in the Saints in respects of the subject it being betweene the Conscience and all the rest of the Soule The Conscience sayes such things must be done but the rest of the faculties rise in rebellion against it because as I told you the light is shut up there and all the Soule is not enlightned but in the Saints the Controversie is between every faculty and it selfe between the understanding and it selfe betweene the whole Soule as it is compared with it selfe there is something good in every part of it and something ill and these two conâ—end Secondly as it differs in the subject so likewise in the object the contention is about different things A civill man that is one that hath many excellent and good things in him but yet is unregenerate for that I meane by a civill man may have a controversie with himselfe about many things belonging to honesty vertue sins of the greatest extent such as he is able to see as in a darke night we see the Starres of a greater magnitude but the other are hid from us but there is something spirituall things that belong to the Image of God to the life of Grace which he makes not Conscience of cannot contend about for he understands them not He may be troubled about many evils and if he fall into grosse sins there may be a Contention in him after he hath committed them as well as before but the spirituall perfomance of duties which belong to godlinesse and true holinesse is not controverted and so they differ in the object Thirdly it differs in regard of the effect and issue of the Combate In a naturall man where there is a strife you shall finde this the issue the better is the loser and the worse is the gainer as it was the speech of Medea Deteriora sequor but it is not so with the Saints for in their Combate ordinarily they have the better as Paul when this combate and strife was within him he was still so sustained by the Grace of God that he had the victory and that I take to be the meaning of that in 2 Cor. 12.9 when there was that strife in him about the thorne in the flesh that is some strong lust that Satan had sharpned against him The Grace of God was sufficient for him and in the issue thereof he did Meliora sequi but the other goes away with the worst Fourthly and lastly there is a difference in regard of the Continuance and durance of this Combate in carnall men it continues not to the end but they give over and this you shall also finde they stand not at a stay but grow worse and worse for that is a generall Truth Evill men shal wax worse and worse there may be a contention for a time the two men may for a Time be in an Aequilibrio the ballance may hang equall for a while but at last they give the raine to their lust they are weary of contending but the Spirit in the Saints growes stronger and stronger as it was said of the house of Saul it waxed weaker and weaker but the house of David grew stronger and stronger And as it was said of Peter When he should be old he should be carried whither he would not shewing by what death he should glorifie God that is this strife should continue til he was old till the latter end of his dayes yea and about that which is hardest of all that is to resist the desire of life to be content to die for CHRIST So you see how farre they
ought to pray fervently and frequently I ought to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath but out of an unlistinesse to it out of love to ease and pleasure that carries him another way he neglects it and so the dutie lyes undone This is the Commission of a knowne sinne So againe I know I ought not to remember an injury I ought to forgive mine Enemy yet thou invitest him to doe thee a new injury when this is knowne and not practised in this case men commit a knowne sinne so againe dost thou not know that thou oughtest not to use any dalliance any touch of uncleannesse any chambering or wantonnesse if a man know this and yet will commit it because his lusts intend his minde to such a sinne and it is a thing to which he is strongly inclined this is a knowne sinne so in many other things in cases of election or in doing of businesses this man ought to be chosen and businesses ought to be carried thus but yet out of some by-respects a man will have it carried otherwise this is committing of a knowne sinne so in case of Envie this mans preferment may be profitable but because his eminencie may be hurtfull to me I cannot affect him this is a knowne sinne so in Case of the Sacrament doe you not know you ought to receive often and not to neglect it in the Congregation where you are Are you not bound to that You thinke it a sinne not to heare the Word and is it not so not to receive the Sacrament If he shall be cut off that came not to the Passeover shall not he be cut off that comes not to the Sacrament So you know you must renew your repentance are not these Truthes knowne and yet will you commit these sins Goe thorow any knowne sin and in this Case you doe with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse But what is it to commit a knowne sin because it may be I am not convinced sufficiently of that By this thou mayest know it if thou finde thy Conscience to give a secret intimation that it is naught it is a signe it is a knowne sin though thou hast got many Arguments for it and canst dispute for it for thy Conscience shall witnesse against thee as in case of Vsury and inordinate gaine and matters of the Sabbath many of which things be in question see what thy Conscience saith and take heed of disobeying the secret intimations of thy Conscience whatsoever thou hast to say for thy sin before men Men think a sin not to be a knowne sin because they are not willing to search it out Now if thou finde this to be thy Case that thou art not willing to search it out to see all that can be said for it or against it thou shalt finde it a knowne sin And this is a notable difference betweene the faithfull and others A godly man whose heart is set to serve God with a perfect heart in all things there is nothing that comes under the name of a sin nothing that hath the shadow of a sin but he is willing to search it out to examine it to the full he is willing to let all say what they can against it and when all is done he desires God to try him Another is not willing to search because he is willing to lye in some sin or because he will not have his Conscience troubled with it This is a signe of a false heart though they doe not know that this is a sin yet it having the shadow of a sin and they being unwilling to examine it to the full it shewes it is no lesse Secondly the second Case wherein a man with-holds this knowledge and detaines this Truth which God hath made manifest is when he is not willing to enlarge it a man that hath already some knowledge as every man hath some and is not willing to adde to this knowledge to encrease it that man properly with-holds the Truth in unrighteousnesse For he that with-holds fewell puts out the fire as wel as he that casts water on it and he that takes away food from a living Creature kils it as well as he that takes away its life with violence so if thou dost not feed this with fewell with that which may make it grow and encrease if thou dost not labour to inlarge it thou dost extinguish it And of these men there be two sorts First such as doe not care for any knowledge at all or if they doe come to heare yet they recall it not meditate not upon it and so as good never a whit as never the better some things they must doe for fashion sake but if they doe heare they doe it in a negligent manner they be ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth These be the first sort of men But there is a second sort and that is those which have knowne much have heard much have gone very farre in the knowledge of this Truth yet will not goe to the uttermost I may resemble them by Felix he went not farre but I use it as a resemblance when Paul preached and began to know some measure of this Truth when some of these sparks began to be revived and stirred up in him he bade him goe away and said he would call for him another time but he was not so good as his word so when a man is loth to be brought to that strictnesse and exactnesse that is required as our duty when he is not willing to be strait laced that lives at liberty and thinkes he will doe it before he dies but puts it off this man imprisons the Truth when the Truth is brought to their doores to such an high degreee that it is almost loose yet they let it lye there still when they shall come to Agrippa's Case to be almost a Christian this is to with-hold it the uttermost end and finishing of the worke is all and that is the reason men are so shie of it So when we care not for admonition to live exactly and perfectly in all things when there shall be little reservation when we wil have a little liberty in this or that I say the not admitting of this the not going through with the work is an imprisoning of the Truth When men shall come to be unwilling to be called on it is as if a man shut the doore and draw the curtens about him it showes that he delights to sleepe that he meanes to sleepe and to continue so when a man puts off the Truth and will not be brought to the uttermost this is the second way of imprisoning the Truth when he is not willing to adde fewell to give that which may strengthen and encrease it Thirdly I will name but the third and that is when a man is past this degree and is come to be willing to know all Truths doth not desire to have any concealed from him doth not say to
is fallen into sinne continues in it the guilt and power of it remaines upon his soule and he excuses himselfe with the smalnesse of it This is a common fault and therefore I will presse it the more Consider that which Christ saith Heaven and earth shall passe but the least jot of this Law shall not passe What is the meaning of that It is as if he had said somethings in the Law of God you may thinke small which are but ïotas though other things be greater but take you heed that you keepe every particular for there is not a jot of it but the Lord will have all his servants regard it exactly they shall have respect to every Commandement and to every part of that Commandement the least particular in his Law shall not passe away For consider if it were not so it would bee a prejudice to the Lords wisdome for there would bee something that hee commands which wee might slight But the Lord that hath commanded all both great and small knowes that it is best that all shall bee kept and therefore though heaven and earth shall passe yet the least jot of that Law shall not passe that this is the meaning of the place you may see by Christs exposition of the Law The Pharisies said Adultery must not be committed but I say saith CHRIST He that lusts hath committed adultery in his heart They said You must not sweare by the Temple but I say Sweare â—ot at all they said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say You must forgive your brethren Thus we must labour to resist sin in every even the least particular and reforme our selves in the omission of the least particle of the Law And so much likewise for the second point Thirdly we come now to consider what it is that turnes away his wrath and that is Zeale Phineas hath turned away my wrath while hee was zealous for my sake so that Zeale turnes away the Lords wrath You shall see it exemplefied in Elijah's answer to the Lords demand 1 Kings 19.4 What dost thou here Elijah As if he had said what hast thou done abroad in the world Sayes hee I have beene zealous for the Lord of Hosts because the children of Israel have broke thy covenants throwne downe thine Altars and killed thy Prophets and I onely am escaped As if he had said I have done the most I could for the safety of the Church I have beene zealous for the Lord and therefore hee prevailed with God for his owne deliverance You may see it likewise in Iehu who being zealous not in word onely but in deed also turned away the wrath of the Lord. And you may know it by the contrary that it is zeale that turnes away the Lords wrath because it is coldnesse and luke-warmenesse that brings on his wrath Rev. 3.16 consider there what is the reason why the Lord will spue out the Church of Laodicea and cast it away Because it was luke-warme and therefore the meanes to continue or procure his favour is it not heate and zeale Againe Rev. 2.4 The Church of Ephesus fell from her first love what then Therefore I will come against thee shortly and remove thy Candlestick Then to abound in love so that our workes may be more at last than at first to bee zealous for the LORD is the way to stay the Lord among us and to continue his Gospell of peace Therefore by the way it is not only the great sinnes of the Land that are causes of Gods wrath but the coldnesse of them that are otherwise good that causeth the Lord to remove the Candlesticke The very coldnesse of the Church of Ephesus in falling from her first love the luke-warmenesse of the Laodiceans the LORD would not endure in them Let every man consider this is his zeale now as much as it hath beene if not let us know that it is reckoned coldnesse and luke-warmenesse the falling from our first love is the cause of bringing Gods judgements on a Nation But what is this zeale Zeale is nothing else but the intention of all holy affections and actions I will goe no further than this Text to shew the nature of it Phineas was zealous that is he not onely did the thing but his heart burned within him with zeale for GOD. So as First there must be a stirring up of affection Secondly it must be holy it must bee for the Lord and this is it that discovers true zeale to looke onely to the Lord to have no by-respects as there may be zeale that makes a great deale of heaâ—e and yet it comes from the earth although it makes as great a show as the best Againe there must bee intention not only of affections but also of action Therefore it is said while hee was zealous for my sake among them as if he had said this zeale of Phineas was not kept smothered in his owne brest but it brakâ— forth into action hee did something for the Lord. And indeed it is action that glorifies GOD and that benefits men onely actions stand on our reckoning for you know God judgeth every man according to his workes It is action that doth our selves good that makes us usefull and serviceable to men and the Church that makes us instruments of Gods glory Therefore adde action to affection and know that zeale stands in both for it is the intention of holy actions and affections I will adde no more in the explication but will briefly apply it And first if it bee zeale that turnes away the Lords wrath then why should wee discourage zeale by it I dare bee bold to say the Citie stands Why doe wicked men cry downe all religion and zeale under the name of precisenesse and overmuch strictnesse of life walking bouldly in the streets and reckoning it their glory to wound God through the sides of men So that they make those that beare the name of Christ ready to reckon that their shame which is their glory to hang downe the wing and to seeke corners to hide their heads in whence it is that the servants of Christ follow their Master a far off as if they were halfe ashamed of his service when as they should weare his Livery in open view as accounting that their greatest honour It were well if some meanes were used to prevent this If it be zeale that turnes away the wrath of God wee should doe well then to nourish and cherish them that are zealous Are not religion and zeale the two which hold all up Are they not the pillars that beare up the Church and Common-wealth Are not they the rescues that deliver the Citie Yet doe not wicked men with them as those that to lop the Tree are still hacking at the boughes But the Lord still holds them up and the world for their sakes For why is this heape
such change wrought in him doth delight in nothing but to doe evill to doe well he hath no pleasure Gods Commandements are burthensome to him therfore the Laws of God are too strait for him that he cannot march in them as David could not march in Sauls Armour for it was too heavie for him A man that is a New Creature doth things with facility and delight But this is not all If thy Soule be fashioned and cast into a new mould thou wilt not onely doe good things readily but well and handsomely to use our common terme when as other men bungle at good workes and know not how to turne their hand unto them They doe them indeed but as the Wiseman saith Prov. 26.7 As the legs of the lame are not equall so is a Parable in a fooles mouth When they come to doe any good Actions it is like a Parable in a fooles mouth the Parable is not fit for his mouth as when a man hath one legge longer than another he is lame so a Parable in a fools mouth is not equall to his mouth the action may be good yet he doâ—h it but lamely it is beyond his reach hee doth not doe actions as hee should but an holy man doth them as a workeman I speake not of doing of them before men but before God who judgeth righteously when he comes to performe an holy duty hee doth it as it is meet hee prayes fervently and consecrates himselfe unto the Lord with delight Hee shewes mercy with cheerefulnesse and every grace hath his peculiar property wherein the goodnesse of it consists as Faith Love and Hope are the concomitants of his actions wherein their excellencie consists whereas other men doe the same duties but not with that affection that they should and they doe it but with a dead heart they are workes of vertue and have the lineaments of true ones but they are dead workes because life is not in them Therefore consider how thou doest things the matter is not so much what thou doest as how thou doest them Againe if thou bee a New Creature thou shalt know it by thy doing of good constantly as a man that doth it naturally In Nature you know the habites and inclinations are close and neere unto us and growing in us therefore if thou doe good in thy constant practice it is a signe thy heart is changed This is the first thing there is a new frame all the bent of the faculties are changed and by this you may know it if you doe good readily with facillity and delight and constantly One thing more observe in this new Frame there is not onely a bending of the Soule to a contrary point as it were but moreover all must be changed as for example Cast any thing into a new mould there is not only one part altered but all so if you be New Creatures you must finde this in your selves that you doe not make choice in the duties of godlinesse but take all and omit nothing You must bee holy in all manner of conversation those words are added in all manner of conversation and they are much to be observed that is in all the turnings of a mans life As if he be a Magistrate hee must be exact in hearing of Causes neither to feare any mans face nor to be moved by any mans favour if hee be an husband his speeches and actions must be holy his speeches must be gratious If thou be a Subject in reverence to the King and respective to others thou must bee holy in all manner of conversation otherwise the frame is not altered this must be of necessity for that which God requires of us is the keepâ—ng of the whole Law as Iames saith Iam. 2.20 where hee speakes of keeping the Law Evangelically For whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet faile in one point he is guilty of all Goe thorow the whole Latitude of our obedience if in one part thou wilt favour thy selfe thou art guilty of all In the same Epistle Iam. 1.26 If any man among you seemeth to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceives his owne heart that mans Religion is in vaine That which is here said of the tongue may be said of any thing else Doest thou doe thus and thus doest thou sanctifie the Sabbath doest thou goe to God in prayer goe to all particular duties I know not what to name unto you and yet in any of these dost faile consider that the Apostle might as well have said unto thee for that thy Religion is in vaine hee speakes of keeping the Law in an Evangelicall manner a man must set himselfe to keepe every Commandement and if he doe but take liberty in any he is guilty of the whole Take this for a sure rule what God requires of us in the Gospell he gives us strength to performe but if our hearâ—s were not altogether new moulded the worke would be more than our strength therefore of necessity the heart must be altogether new moulded Therefore the Apostle saith and what he saith is common to all the Saints I can doe all things through Christ that strengthneth mee Every man that hath this new frame wrought in him may say so If thou be in Christ thou hast a new frame in thy heart which makes thee able to doe all things through Christ. Consider of this and apply it to your selves for it is a matter of much moment as the Apostle saith We are not ashamed to write unto you of these things againe and againe So it is a point we have touched before yet we will speake of it againe and again Consider with thy selfe whether there be such a generall change in thee or no for the goodnesse of a thing consists in the order else the whole is dissolved as in beauty there are two things wherein it consists the frame and order of it that we say is beautifull when the frame is good and no part is to bee admired above the rest so it is the frame and order of the Soule wherein its beauty consists when the whole frame is right and thou art inabled to doe the whole duties of new obedience Observe Gods dealing in this case when Saul had failed in one thing God cast him off But you will say this was an heard judgement did not David faile many times as well as he It is true but here is the difference Saul had a naturall heart to doe evill although his profession was good yet when he was put to the triall whether he would take the fat sheepe and the oxen he did it yet you must know it was not for that that God cast him off but because the frame of his heart was not good for hee would have done it againe and againe an hundred times over I say the disposition of his heart was evill Balaams eye unto the wages of iniquitie marred all though he kept himselfe aloft and
carried the matter fairly but like the Eagle hee had his eye upon the prey this secret eye marres all Doe not thinke that this is but a notion doe not say who is it but doth sinne and we may goe to heaven although we be not so exact as the Preacher saith we should be No it is more than so we may see good reason for it if we observe it well It is a good argument which we have in Philosophie A cup or a dish that is boared thorow is no dish yet there is but one hole in it because it is now of no use which makes it none because it is as good as none Take a dish boared thorow powre water into it it will hold none so take a mans heart for the reason will hold good in that and let there be but some secret leake in it or some secret evill disposition although Saul doth well in every thing else yet if he harbour any sinne or although Balaam doth well in all things else yet if there be respect unto the wages of Iniquity they are both but like a dish with an hole boared thorow that take up any thing there will be an issuing out Therefore deceive not thy selfe thou art no New Creature except thy heart be perfect in all things This which wee deliver unto you take it no otherwise than what with reason you shall finde grounded upon a sure word in Ier. 2. They sought mee not with their whole heart but fainedly When a man seekes God but not with his whole heart God reckons it but a counterfeit seeking of him Therefore I beseech you looke unto your selves see whether you be holy in all manner of conversation I cannot goe thorow particulars but I must leave this to every mans brest who must reflect upon his owne heart Consider with thy selfe if sometimes thou givest libertie to thy selfe in ill or in the duties of new obedience to performe them slightly as good never a whit as never the better if thou doest any duty which thou knowest to be a duty and not truly know it is not accepted If you continue in sinne and will not know it to be a sin as in your inordinate gaming and the vanity of your speeches although thou thinkest them small yet they are able to kill thee the biting of a Viper is as small a thing yet it will bring death with it so if any sin be allowed in thee thou art not a New Creature thou wantest this new moulding thou art not yet cast into a new frame So much for the First part The second thing which we observed in this description of a New Creature is that A man must be cast into a new mould by the infusion of a new quality of Grace A mans heart is not put into a new frame by the transient Acts of the Holy Ghost as in building of an house there is no more for a man to doe but with his hands to joyne one thing with another but it is done by the infusion of a new quality As in Adam there was not onely a defect of weaknesse but of wickednesse so there must be a new quality infused into thy heart else thou art no New Creature In all things in the world that have actions there is a quality as the fire moves upward and there is a quality of heat in it as our Saviour Christ saith of the tree it must be good before it can bring forth good fruit and as in the Heb. 12.28 Wherefore seeing we receive a Kingdome that cannot be shaken let us have grace whereby wee may so serve God that wee may please him with reverence and feare that is there must bee a new quality wrought in the heart whereby we may be enabled to serve the Lord with reverence and feare The question you will aske me will be what is that new quality Not to stand upon generals for it is not that which profits but to pitch upon it I will shew you what it is by two places of Scripture Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature Compare this with Gal. 5.6 For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love Would you know what this new quality which is infused is It is faith and love that is when this is once wrought in thy heart that thy heart is humble and broken which makes thee to know what sin is and what the wrath of God is for sinne and thou desirest Christ and thou hast thy heart calmed againe through beleeving thou doest beleeve that God offers his Son unto thee and thou art willing to take him not as a Saviour only but as a Lord also to obey him not as a Priest only but as a King to bee subject to him not as a friend only but as an husband if this be done it is properly faith Againe consider whether it be done out of love or out of fear lest thy Creditours should come upon thee and cast thee into that eternall prison where thou shalt pay every farthing this is not out of love Againe doest thou take him for his kingdom and his wealth only That is the disposition of an harlot who takes her husband for his wealth and not because shee loves him but thou must take him for love The Virgins love thee Cant. 1.2 The harlots doe not so but the Virgins love thy goodly person Againe thou must not take him in a good mood but till death doe part you thou must love him for ever No man loves a man truely but he is rooted and grounded in his love when thou doest find thy heart so humbled that thou doest reckon sinne the greatest evill and doest hunger after Christ and doest keepe him as thy life when thou doest all this from a love unto him thou art a New Creatures when thou takest Christ with love and such an one as is a working love now be assured that thou art a New Creature for this is that wherein it consists I observe this by the way for those that thinke they never have beene humbled enough the New Creature consists not in that but in faith and love Hast thou faith and love Then thou hast the thing it selfe and if thou hast that thou hast the preparation That is the first expression Another is in Ephes. 4.22 23 24. That yee cast off concerning the conversation in times past the old man which is corrupt through deceiveable lusts and be renued in the Spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousnesse and holinesse proceeding from truth There you have the thing named what it is to be a New Creature and what it is to be the old man still To be the old Creature or the old man is nothing else but to bee guided by lust which comes from errour in judgement and understanding But
in their lives and when that causes others to goe away and that for that they will beleeve on Christ they will doe as they did with Lazarus they will have him put to death that is they will have him removed out of the way they will have him taken ex rerum natura Take heed of this But you will say If we knew they were New Creatures we would not doe so It is very true but doe you thinke when they would have killed Iesus and Lazarus they knew them to be so They did not know Christ to be the Lord of life the Scripture saith so Againe they thought Lazarus to be an Impostor it is likely they did but it is taken for a persecution of Christ. The Iewes that killed the Prophets doe you thinke they thought them to be Prophets when they slew them Take heed of that you know the danger of it when IESUS CHRIST wrought miracles by the power of the Holy Ghost No say they he doth it by Belzebub Christ tells them in this they blasphemed the Holy Ghost When thou shalt see a man made a New Creature when thou shalt see a man Regenerate take heed of saying this is guile and cunning and imposture for it is done by the Spirit take heed of blaspheming the Holy Ghost It is a dangerous case I say when such things be done wee should praise God and glorifie GOD for it labouring to come in our selves and not looke on it with an eye of envie and hatred and distate The different effects Christs miracles had such hath this Our scope is that you may glorifie God and give him the praise of it that when he hath done such a worke you may say this is the power of Grace and the vertue of the Spirit So much for this point that you must be New Creatures and so we have gone thorow three things which were observed out of the words First the inseparability betweene Iustification and Sanctification Secondly the having of another Nature Thirdly it must be New Now the fourth is it is a Creature wrought by God for that Word is not in vaine Whosoever is in Christ let him be a New Creature The meaning is this we are New Creatures that is it is God that worketh it in us for Creation is proper to him no Angell nor Creature under the Sunne can knit those things together which have an infinite distance as something and nothing therefore it is proper to him it is he that maketh us New Creatures not that himselfe is the beginner and something else perfects it as some say but Deus est causa totius entis He is the beginner and ender he makes us New And there is much reason for it cannot be otherwise for if it were in our power of our selves to come in First it will follow that the Saints in heaven should be no more beholding to God than those that are condemned in hell For if God did give every man sufficient meanes of salvation and I have taken it and another refused it whom may I thanke when I am in heaven and another in hell not God for he gave the means equally but my selfe I tooke it and another did not and so the love God shewes it should be as much to the damned as to the Saints if he hath done on his part equally to both Againe it should not be God that makes the difference but man and so you may stand up and contradict what Paul saith Who art thou that boastest who hath put the difference If man hath free will to take Grace or refuse it and if God hath given to all sufficient meanes then thou hast made the difference God hath not Againe if this were so we must take away all Election and Reprobation for what is Election Election is nothing else but this God hath taken some to life and makes them holy as godlinesse is an effect of his Election and the wickednesse of men is a fruit of their rejection But now here would bee no Election but a meere prejudication of a reward to the thing done only but therefore God is said to have chosen us because he makes us good now by this you take that quite away But you will object Why should there be those different kinds of working We see in all other things if there be an end propounded and sufficient motives it is enough and why should God give different objects therefore they say it is but as propounding of the bough to the sheepe and the sheepe will follow If God propounds congruous objects to the faculties of the soule of man he will come in But I answer it briefly if he will come in for this congruity of objects because a bough is propounded to him First he must be a sheepe before he will follow the bough Now thou art a Wolfe by nature first therefore he must turne thy nature God must turne thy voluntatem Lupinam into Agninam therefore thou must have another nature before thou canst follow the bough Againe thou must have an eye to see that bough but we are blind by nature and till God opens our eyes and inlightens us we cannot see the excellencies of the waies of God and therefore we shall not follow it Againe there must be strength to follow but except God give thee strength though thou shouldest see it and see beauty in it too thou wilt never follow it to purpose thou will never follow it to the end Saul looked on it for a time but not to the end there must be a power of God to carry a man through all objects all impediments to the end therefore No man can come to me saith Christ except my Father draw him Not some men but no man though he have great meanes he doth not say will come but can come he doth not say except my Father allure him with congruous objects but except my Father change his Nature for drawing signifies a reluctance and backwardnesse in us Goe to experience you shall find it so when we speake to men it is true we say they be dead in sins and trespasses Doe not men heare us as dead men No man stirres up himselfe they goe away as they came and till God put life into them they will not hearken to us Againe how perverse are judgements of men they see no excellencies in the wayes of God therefore are apt to quarell and speake against them Againe doe we not find our desires so pitched on present things and our lusts so set upon them that without an Almighty Power they cannot be loosed Therefore Christ saith It is impossible for a rich man that is one that sets his heart on riches to enter into the kingdome of heaven That place is as strong as any place in all the Booke of God to shew that there is no freedome of will It is impossible for a rich man for a man that hath
that what he hath said and sworne he will performe Heaven and earth shall passe away but his Word shall not passe This indeed is our chiefest consolation that our saith is not built upon perswasions and imaginations of our owne that our sinnes shall be forgiven but it is built upon the sure Word of God And as Saint Paul saith Gal. 1. If any Angell from heaven should preach any other Gospell you should not receive it from him So when you have this sure Word that God hath given you a generall pardon Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavie laden c. You may build upon this sure Word Now when you put all these together that the Lord hath said it and put his seale to it if he should not doe it the death of Christ should be of none effect no flesh should be saved no man would worship God Againe there is nothing can be an impediment to us not of greatnesse and multitude of our sinnes nor our relapse into sin not our unfitnesse Why should we doubt But now this is the Condition on Gods part Then see the Condition required on our part What is that First it is required that we take the Lord Iesus Christ for though the Lord give him in the Sacrament though he offer him in the Gospell except we take him he is not ours If we beleeve that one will give us a thousand pound that makes not a man rich if he be ready to give it it is the taking that makes us rich If we beleeve that there is such a soveraigne Electuary that is able to heale that beleeving doth not heale it is the taking of it if it be not taken it heales not And therefore there is required a taking of Christ So many as received him Ioh. 1. he gave power to be c. So many as received him If a Virgin beleeve that such a Suitour is willing to take her for his wife except she take him for her husband it is no match And so to beleeve that Christ is ready to forgive and pardon our sinnes to beleeve that God the Father will give Christ to you as he hath To us a Son is given Esay 9.6 To beleeve this except we take him doth not profit he is not ours till then This taking is that which the Scripture cals Faith this is a beleeving in him If you would know what this taking is it is nothing else but the very accepting of Christ for our King for our Lord and Husband So that look what it is among men if you would aske what it is for a spouse to take such an one for her husband for a servant to take such an one for his master for a subject to take such an one for his King it is no more but this the very act of the will whereby they consent and accept such an one for their Husband for their Master or King it is the taking of him and this is the taking of Iesus Christ I say when we shall accept him when we see God hath given him to us and that he hath given himselfe when we take him for our Lord and Master that is the very act of the will whereby we resolve to make him ours and resolve to give up our selves to him as he is given to us That is the first condition that is required we must take him and this the Scripture cals faith Is this all No there is somewhat else required you must take him in deed aswell as in will that is you must so take him as to serve him and only him to turne from all evill wayes and therefore the pardon runnes so though it be a generall pardon as there is a generall proclamation whatsoever your rebellions be it is no matter for all kinde of rebellions there is neither any sinne nor any person excepted but then this condition runnes along with it you must take him for your King Is that all No you must lay downe your armes of rebellion you must renounce the Colours and Tents of the Enemie and come in and be subject to him you must live by his Lawes And therefore besides taking of him there is required that we be ready to obey Christ in deed and not to take Christ onely as a Saviour Every man is ready to take him as a Priest to save them from their sinnes but to take him as a King and a Lord so as to be subject unto him here all the world is at a stand as the young man when he came to Christ and he tels him what he must doe Goe sell all c. He would not take him with this condition here every man is ready to refuse him We are willing to follow Christ thorow faire way but not thorow foule and rough way we are willing to take him with a Crowne of glory but not with a Crowne of thornes we are willing to take the sweet but not the sowre But we must know if we will take Christ we must likewise obey him and take him as an Husband our will must be subject to his will we must take him as a Lord we must be subject to him in all things we must keepe his Commandements and therefore he hath so exprest it If you will suffer with him you shall reigne with him not else If you will obey me and keepe my Commandements then you shall be my Disciples if you will follow me and deny your selves and take up your crosse c. Take up my crosse daily Therefore a second Condition is this which the Scripture cals sometimes repentance and conversion to God sometime obedience But is this all No there is one more required that we doe all this out of love for when a man is in extremity when he is driven to an exigent now to take Christ and to keepe his Commandements perhaps he will be willing to doe to expedite himselfe out of such a strait but will the Lord regard this Surely no except it be from love therefore Gal. 5.5 you shall finde them all three put together Neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love there you have the first Condition which is faith The second which worketh it is not an idle faith but it is a faith that sets you a worke and then you have the third they are workes that come from love A man will be ready to doe any thing to save his life you know a Merchant when he is on the sea casts away his goods when he is in extreme danger not because he and his goods are fallen out but to save his life he will doe it Take a covetous man let him be on the racke he will be ready to doe any thing but yet the man is the same And so for a man to do much for Christ to doe as we are ready to doe in the time of extremity when death comes when sicknesse comes when we are under some great
of their owne Writers Cajetan upon the third part of Thomas the 80. Question saith plainly To eat the flesh of Christ is to beleeve in Christ. And Biel in the Canon of his Masse and Canisius upon the Corinthians and others of their owne Writers which is enough to make it cleare to them that this is the meaning of the words that we have said before So much shall serve for the answering of that Objection We shewed the last day in what manner Christ is in the Sacrament I will not stand to repeat it we came to draw some consectaries from the point that there is a reall Communion of the body and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament The first was for the strengthning of our faith If God had said it only it had beene enough God that cannot lye But I told you he had not only said it but sworne it and not only sworne it but hath put to his Seale And therefore we have reason to beleeve him only I told you what was required if we will partake of Christ First we must take him by faith Secondly that is not all we must take him in deed aswell as in word that is we must obey him and live by his Lawes we must lay downe the armes of rebellion and come in if we will have pardon Thirdly it is not enough to doe this but we must doe all out of love Now when a man heares of this that all this is required in taking of Christ here I told you all the world is at a stand there is no body will be content to take him when they heare these conditions that they must deny themselves in every thing in their profit in their pleasures in their credit and must take up every crosse and when they meet a crosse they must not balke the way but they must goe thorow when they heare they must follow him and serve him I say when men heare this they refuse Christ they will not come in to God Now what is our businesse but to invite men to come in to God and to compell them as he saith That my house may be full we are the Messengers of the Lord sent that we may invite men to this Banquet I meane not to this Sacrament but to the thing And therefore we will make it the second Consectary and so proceed If there be here a reall Communion of the body and of the bloud of Christ then here is the gift or offer of his body and bloud Consider therefore the greatnesse of Christs love that he should regard us so much as to take our Nature to cloath himselfe with our flesh and bloud that he might be crucified in that I say this is an extraordinary love Compare but our condition with the Angels that were fallen and we shall see the greatnesse of this love The Angels that were fallen and we were sunke in the same mire when God looked downe from heaven and saw the miserable condition of both saith the Author to the Hebrewes he had compassion on us but on the Angels he had not compassion Which difference shewes his liberty and magnifieth his mercy toward us as you shall finde in Malachy the Lord reasoning with Israel Thus have â—â—oved you and yet you say Wherein hast thou loved us saith he Was not Esau Iacobs Brother and yet Iacob have I loved and Esau have I hated So I say the Lord hath loved us in doing this for us in giving this body of his to be broken and his bloud to be shed he hath loved us and hated them And why hath he put this difference but because he loved us And therefore Paul as he is excellent when he comes to set forth this point Ephes. 2. he saith When wee were children of wrath when we were dead in trespasses and sinnes when we were enemies he that is rich in mercy according to the greatnesse of his love hath quickned us and set us together with Christ in heavenly places marke it when we were in this condition dead it was he that was rich in mercy according to the greatnesse of his love c. You shall finde that the Apostle whensoever he comes to this matter knowes not how to expresse himselfe but as a man that stood amazed at the greatnesse of Gods love he had his thoughts swallowed up with it Ephes 3. That you may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you may comprehend the length and breadth and depth and height of the love of Christ c. which cannot be measured that is the love of Christ was exceeding great And this is that you are to doe now when you come to the Sacrament and not only then but at all times For it is profitable for us to doe this Doe that saith Christ in remembrance of me what is that we should remember His love And why his love to gaze upon it only to know it No but to be moved with it to love him againe to take him to feare him to serve him to obey him for that end you should remember it When Paul was going to Damascus you know the Loâ—â— met him by the way and when he had met hiâ— Paul saith he I am IESUS whom thou persecutest I am IESUS that was crucified for thee I am IESUS that gave my body for thee and as many as receive me You know when Paul heard this it melted it softned his heart and drawes from him that holy and good and humble expression Lord what wilt thou that I doe As if he should say I will doe whatsoever thou wilt have me I say it was this love I am IESUS whom thou persecutest that melted the heart of Paul So I may to every one that heares me at this time If there be any among you that live in any sinne whatsoever it is be it swearing be it drinking be it fornication be it Sabbath-breaking be it what it will I may say to him as if a voyce should come from heaven as it did to Paul It is Iesus whom thou provokest it is he whom thou offendest whom thou wrongest whom thou dishonourest it is Iesus that was crucified for thee that Iesus that gives his body and bloud for thee shall not this melt thee shall not this affright thee somewhat shall it not bring you on your knees and make you say I am a sinfull wretch not worthy to be received into the number of the Saints Lord what wilt thou that I doe I will doe it I will continue to doe this no more Surely this is a strong motive Paul thought so I beseech you by the mercies of God that you would come in Take it in the Prodigall sonne when he comes home and expects little as he had reason to expect little from his father when he had carried himselfe so rebelliously when his father used him in that manner when he provided a feast for him and put the robes upon him and rings upon his fingers how
thankfull was he how was he affected how would a man be affected in such a case So I say that is our condition we have cause to looke for nothing but death thereupon comes the Gospell that comes and offers life that overcomes with kindnesse as it were the Lord comes and tels us Well notwithstanding all this you shall be received to mercy goe Take this is my body which is given for you I say this would move an ingenious disposition You know Mary Magdalen was moved with this when she was such a sinner and saw that God had received her in that manner that melted her heart so that she watred his feet with her teares So should we be affected if we did seriously consider the greatnesse of CHRISTS love I will give you my body and my bloud this is a great thing if we were able to consider it aright that the Lord should give us his body and his bloud There is no love like this Hee hath loved me saith Paul and hath given himselfe for mee And this is that indeed which should bee the most effectuall motive of all others that there is a pardon that Christ still makes offer of to you indeed there is nothing else brings us into Christ but this other things may prepare us but nothing brings us in but this You know a Pirate as long as a proclamation of rebellion is out against him will not come in but a pardon being promised and advancement annexed to it that if any thing will bring him in The theefe runnes away as long as he is pursued with Hue and Crie but the promise of pardon makes him returne back So I say it is not the Law that brings you in that may prepare you but it is this Gospell for as I told you the Sacrament preacheth the Gospell to the eye as we doe to the eare and when mercy is promised when a pardon is promised a generall pardon without exception of persons or sinnes my thinkes this should affect you and bring you in As it is said Ier. 3. Saith the Lord If one of you have put away his wife will he returne to her againe No but you have played the harlot in many places and many times and yet returne to me saith the Lord And so I may say to every man that hears me though thy sins be never so great like that sin of Idolatry like that sin of playing the Harlot though that were frequently committed though it were done oft many times yet returne saith the Lord if thou wilt come in thou shalt be pardoned and not so only but whosoever receiveth me saith Christ shall be made the sonne of God Consider this be affected with it let it not be in vaine unto you when you heare those patheticall speeches 1 Iohn He came to his owne and his owne received him not And againe Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft would I have gathered thee c. I say when you heare these things it may be you thinke with your selves these were rebellious people to use Christ thus you thinke if it had beene the case if you had beene there among them you would not have done it Well I say it is the case of every man that continues in any knowne sin Christ offers himselfe we make offer of him when we preach the Gospell in the Sacrament he is offered he is made like a common dole all may come that will and certainly all that hunger doe come but when thou goest on still in thy sinnes thou art one of them to whom Christ is come and thou wilt not receive him thou art one of them whom he would gather and thou wilt not No but thou wilt goe on thou takest the Grace of GOD in vaine thou tramplest the bloud of CHRIST IESUS under-foot as a common thing thou doest what thou canst that the death of CHRIST should be of no effect thou recompencest to the Lord evill for good doest thou thinke that the LORD will beare this at thy hands No surely he will be revenged on such a man on such a people as this But you will say it is an hard thing to doe this that you exhort us to And therefore that I may not onely shew you what the duty is without affording you some helpe to doe it we will adde some things that may invite you to come in And take Christ thus offered in the Sacrament and which is continually offered by and in the Gospell And what is it that should invite you But two things to goe no furâ—her one is the misery out of Christ the second is the happinesse you shall have by him And that is the businesse we have principally to doe at this time that we might invite you to take the body and bloud of Christ that is to take the Lord himselfe who is offered effectually and freely to you He makes proclamation to all that will come and take of the waters of life freely Now if we consider what should invite the sons of men to come in these two things will doe it their misery out of Christ and their happinesse by him As the Prodigall what did invite him to come home The misery he was in he saw he could not live he could not get huskes to sustaine him On the otherside in his fathers house there was bread enough those two together wrought on him and brought him home So we when we invite men to the marâ—iage of â—he Kings Sonne that is to marry the Sonne himselfe What should we say to invite them We bring them to consider on the one side I cannot live without Christ I am undone I perish if I doe Againe on the otherside by matching with him I shall have all by Grace that he hath by Nature I shall be a son of God a King and heire of all things I shall have all that Christ hath I say these two should invite us to come in and therefore we will doe these two First shew you the misery you are in out of Christ Iohn 3.18 saith the Evangelist there He that beleeves not in Christ is condemned alreadie Marke he needs not a new condemnation but he that beleeves not in Christ is condemned already He that hath not the Sonne hath not life Is not this misery enough to be in a state of condemnation Iohn 5. Hee that obeyes not the Sonne the wrath of God abides on him And what is that wrath of God If the wrath of a King be a messenger of Death what think you of the wrath of God Who knowes the power of his wrath Rom. 9. What if he will to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with patience the vessels of wrath appointed to destruction that is when the Lord shall come to execute his wrath on evill men he will use all the power he hath to execute the fiercenesse of his wrath on them And therefore it is a terrible thing to be subject to the wrath of God But
2 62 Our Hearts should melt at Christs love 3 41 See God Hell Out of Christ wee are subject to Helâ— 3 49 Aggravations of the misery of Hell 3 50 Hid. The state of Gods children Hid 2 41 Honour Sanctification stands with Gods Honour 2 89 House What kinde of House God is 2 195 Humbled Humiliation Humiliation must goe before Iustification 1 6 Israelites how God Humbled them 1 7 Humiliation two things in it 1 8 Humiliation to bee laboured for 1 18 Triall of true Humiliation 1 22 Helpes to Humiliation 1 26 Good men shoud desire Humiliation 1 30 Humiliation a remedie against Gods wrath 1 278 Hundred-fold Hundred-fold with persecution 2 223 Hunger Hunger out of Christ 2 215 I Iealousie IEalousie of God provoked by want of zeale 1 299 Idolatrie Idolatrie to attribute that to the Creature that belongs to God 1 265 Idolatrie a sinne of Israel 1 295 Impediment Impediments not removed suppresse the Truth 1 206 Impediments of two sorts 2 152 Impossible That which GOD requires of Christians not Impossible 2 255 Transubstantiation a doctrine Impossible 3 8 Imprison See Truth Inclination Inclination wrought by the Spirit 2 16 Inclination changed 2 63 Inclination changed how to bee Knowne 2 64 Independent Independent riches make men independent 2 212 Inconsideration Inconsideration keeps men in their old state 1 240 Infirmitie Men excuse sinne from their Infirmitie 1 232 Incredulity Incredulity of mans understanding 1 45 Instigate Conscience corrupted cannot Instigate to good 1 55 Inlightned Carnall men may be Inlightned 1 152 Inconstancie Inconstancie of mans will 1 50 Instrument Ministers and ordinances Instruments 2 158 Insensible Ill signe to be Insensible of Gods wrath 1 272 Inexcusable So much revealed as makes man Inexcusable 1 219 Ioy. Ioy mortifieth Lusts 1 18 Israelites See Humbled Iubile Iubile a resemblance of libertie in the Gospell 1 19 Iustifie Iustification Why we are Iustified by anothers righteousnesse 1 3 Iustification and sanctification inseparable 2 4 Iustification how it admits degrees 2 177 The clothing of the soule in Iustification 3 95 See Humiliation and Sanctification Iudge How to Iudge of things 1 270 Iudgement Sinne in time brings forth Iudgement 1 272 Execution of Iudgement commended 1 295 Iustice. What makes men acknowledge Gods Iustice 1 13 Iustice of God on whom it appeares most 1 147 Want of Iustice a cause of Iudgement 1 295 K Kinde NAture common to the whole Kinde 2 96 Kingdome Kingdome we have by Christ 3 72 Knowledge Knowledge an aggravation of sin 1 92 Knowledge in naturall men without rellish 1 155 Knowledge sinned against imprisoneth Truth 1 195 A sin of Knowledge what 1 197 Sinne excused for want of Knowledge 1 221 It is a sinne not to encrease Knowledge 1 198 Men might have more Knowledge 1 222 Knowledge of our estate at the first conversion 2 51 What kinde of Knowledge makes new Creatures 2 76 L Law THe Law shewes mans nature to be corrupted 1 34 Law how to be understood 1 35 Law the least breach of it punished 1 36 Law compared to Aegyptian Tasks-masters 1 37 Law against which men sin is exact 1 282 Law of God approved by natural men 2 104 See Schoole-master Leaven Sinne likened to Leaven 2 128 Liberty Benefits of setting the Truth at Libertie 1 171 Meanes to set Truth at Libertie 1 172 Libertie by Christ 3 73 Libertie what ibid. See Iubile Life Life promised to the taking of Christ 3 55 Life spirituall the excellencie of it 3 56 Exhortation to partake of this Life 3 57 Life how it is a Christians 3 83 Light Light imprisoned foure wayes 1 134 Aggravations of sinnes against Light 1 146 Naturall men defective in Light 1 154 The burden of Christ in bearing growes Light 2 141 Long-suffering Wee should give God the glory of his Long-suffering 1 237 Lord. Zeale for the Lord 1 285 Sacrifice offred to the Lord 2 86 Love Love mortifieth Lusts 1 13 Men sinne out of Love to evill 1 163 Love of Christ the greatnesse of it 2 39 Love cannot be counterfeit 2 92.3 29 Perwasion of Christs Love unites to him 2 179 To serve Christ in Love a part of the Covenant 3 26 Love constant 3 28 Lusts. Lusts detained keep men in their old state 1 241 Lusts why God suffers them in his children 2 35 Excellencie of the new Creature above Lusts 2 37 Old Lusts must be mortified 2 84 M Mannah MAnnah how it is Angels food 2 215 Manifest The Law of Mans judgement Manifest foure wayes 1 181 Marke Marke of Christ what 3 53 Meanes Meanes enjoyed aggravate sin 1 99 Sin excused from want of Means 1 228 Difference of feare in respect of Meanes 1 303 Meanes of Grace tend to Sanctification 2 21 Meaning Sin excused from good meaning 1 101 Mediator Why God hath appointed us such a Mediator as Christ 1 187 Memory Memory the corruption of it in two things 1 53 Mercy Mercy of God the greatnesse of it 3 22 Mercy to whom it is shewed 3 52 Metaphor Metaphors used in the Sacraments of the old Law 3 7 Ministery Ministery to be advanced 1 298 Misery Our Misery out of Christ 2 178 Forgivenesse of sinnes takes away the cause of Misery 2 18 See Apprehension Morall vertues Morall vertues nothing without change of nature 2 102 N Naked OVt of Christ we are Naked 2 209 To be Naked what 2 213 Nature Mans Nature full of ungodlinesse 1 4 33 All in mans Nature corrupt 1 41 Badnesse of Nature aggravates sinne 1 101 Men by Nature how far they may goe 1 151 How farre men by Nature fall short 1 153 God made manifest by the light of Nature 1 181 Sinne excused from corruption of Nature 1 226 What keepes men in the state of Nature 1 240 Conversion of men are turning the course of Nature 2 8 More than Nature required in the New Creature 2 91 Those that are in Christ have another Nature 2 95 Not to be content without a new Nature 2 101 Two things in a new Nature 2 112 Naturall When a thing is said to be Naturall 2 95 Good duties must bee Naturall to us 2 107 Necessitie No Necessitie of Transubstantiation 3 3 Need. Riches helpe in time of Need 2 211 Neglect Neglect keepes men from Christ 1 12 Neglect in serving of God 1 257 Net Gospell a Net 1 23 New Creature New Creature the excellencie of it 2 37 New Creature signes of it 2 49 New Creature what 2 61 New Creature the parts of it 2 84 New Creature required 2 122 Noblenesse The Spirit workes Noblenesse of spirit 2 15 Number Consideration of the Number of former sins helps humiliation 1 27 O Oath THE Covenant confirmed with an Oath 2 24 Object Faculties knowne by their Object 2 56 Objection Objection of Papists out of Iohn 6. concerning eating Christs flesh answered 3 33 Offices Offices of Christ goe together 2 20 Offices of Christ to be improved 2 183 Old Old